RECENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - AUGUST 2021

I spent the first half of 2021 detached from my personal Instagram profile in an effort to find more balance with how I spend time on social media. Recently I popped back into my Instagram page, but in an effort to find that balance I’ve had to dramatically limit the time I have spent there, which means I rarely check my DMs (I LOVE connecting with people, but the situation got a bit out of hand, it’s truly impossible for one person to manage that many conversations, even if they enjoy them & want to). So I opened up an opportunity to ask questions, & here is what I’ve got for ya!
PS: THANK YOU for those who have stuck with me as I have grown & evolved through the use of social spaces, as it is for all of us, navigating these domains isn’t something we were handed a playbook to, we’re learning as we go & I greatly appreciate those who have come into my life through that medium. I love sharing & I hope this type of blog can be a valuable resource to you too.

HOW ARE YOU LIKING VERMONT? FAVE THING? WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT OKLAHOMA? ETC.

There were lots of questions pertaining to Vermont & our transition here. I feel like this needs an entire blog post ahhh but overall, we LOVE it. We do & for so many reasons. The winter was actually such a treat after spending my entire life in the southwest (CA, NM, OK), I loved the snow, curling up by the fire, all the comfort food & cozy indulgences, the way the world looks dusted in white, it was all wonderful & beautiful. We spent a lot of time outside but I’m also grateful for our finished basement which allotted us ample space for indoor play too. Now that we have experienced every season here it’s all lovely, I can see why tourism is a year-round business here. My favorite thing so far has simply been experiencing it all with my family, every season presents something new as we all learn & adjust together. On a cultural level, I feel a sense of alignment with my values & priorities to the the way the broader community operates too. It’s encouraging to live in a community that prioritizes things like climate change & supports the well-being of all residents (when there is a teeny snowplow dedicated to removing snow from sidewalks you know you are in a place that encourages people’s success). The thing I miss most about Oklahoma are my people, we haven’t really been able to establish the types of relationships we had with our friends in Oklahoma, which I know will take time, but I also love & miss a lot of wonderful people back in the Sooner State.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO DO ALL THE THINGS? Eeep, I don’t. I drop a LOT of balls folks. It’s hard. We still have boxes in the basement & attic. And the mudroom is a heap of stuff that we haven’t gotten to, as is the garage. I have too many emails to get to. I take way too long to respond to text messages. I spend every night saying “tomorrow will be calmer” & it never is. We are living in a fast-paced world & I honestly don’t know how to keep up, but I know I want to resist & slow down. I think just recognizing that, letting myself drop balls, having grace, & recalibrating to focus on what matters most means I’m on the right path. It’s worth saying again, what we see on the internet is only a tiny fraction of someone’s life, even if it seems like we “see it all” the screen is not multi-dimensional.

DO YOU ALLOW SCREEN TIME? We do & generally that’s in the form of a movie on Friday & Cosmic Kids yoga here & there during the week. Occasionally if the boys are up early from nap or the weather is bad they will watch a show. One of our boundaries though is no portable screens, with the exception of plane travel. We feel like this single boundary helps us limit a lot of what we feel is personally challenging about screens.

HOW DO YOU KEEP THE HOUSE CLEAN? It’s not necessarily “clean” (like, don’t zoom in on my baseboards….) but I am fairly clutter adverse… or at least I know how to keep clutter out of sight & out of mind. Having greater organizational systems helps a lot but they do require maintenance, which is annoying yet necessary. I also try really hard to resist new “stuff”, I don’t even bat an eyelash at the Target dollar section anymore because I know most of that stuff ends up with the trash (& I’m trying really hard to reduce our waste production), I buy a few new clothes seasonally & try to keep that pretty limited too & try to resist sales (other than books, books are always welcome here hehe) in an effort to reduce clutter. Beyond that, I have a cordless vacuum which I run through the house a few times a day (we have 4 pets, it’s a must) & we just started getting into a regular routine with a housekeeping service monthly which helps with the stuff I just can’t get to ongoing. My husband helps a TON too, he does all our laundry (MVP AMIRITE?!) & we just have a general jump-in-and-do-it teamwork approach that keeps things flowing.

WHAT IS BUDDY’S SCHOOL SITUATION? ARE YOU HOMESCHOOLING? Buddy will start pre-K in September & Kindergarten next year! His pre-K program is half-day & at the elementary school he will attend ongoing.

HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE CRAFTS & SUPPLIES? I have a highlight that shows this on my book account here!

FAVORITE EASY PLAY ACTIVITIES? I like to keep it fun & simple here: open-ended play items (current faves: magnetic tiles, Duplos, vehicles, dinosaurs, treehouse, playdough), anything outdoors & ACTIVITY BOOKS!! Activity books come through all day, every day. Here is a blog showcasing a few of the ones we love most.

DO YOU HAVE CHILD CARE HELP? No, I have been with my boys full-time while also running my business since summer 2019 (& even then my help was 1 day a week). We did just hire someone to help out 1 morning a week though so I can plan appointments, do work, etc in that timeframe!

DAILY RHYTHM? In a nutshell, it’s currently…. breakfast then books, yoga or outdoor play (or all 3!), Sonny naps at 9:30am & we try to go on a nature walk or run errands while he does (since daddy works from home we get about an hour reliably), snack at 10:30am, lunch at 11:30am, books then naps at 12:30pm, then I clean while Sonny is up & he lays down again at 1:30pm, 3pm everyone is up & it’s playtime till dinner around 5:30/6pm. Then baths, books & bedtime at 7pm for Sonny & 8pm for the big boys!

DO YOU EVER FEEL OVERWHELMED & WHAT HAS HELPED? Absolutley. What has helped: committing to do things for myself (reading is this for me). Writing things down (I always have a notepad where I jot down any & all to-dos) & keeping a calendar (I love this one). Taking deep breaths, going on a walk, doing yoga helps a lot too. As does a shower (never underestimate the power of a shower). Speaking up & asking my husband for help or letting him know where I’m at & how I’m feeling. Doing a quick win like clearing clutter from the table. Ordering Chipotle if I can’t manage cooking. Letting myself recognize when I need to hit pause & doing so.

FAVORITE PARENTING BOOKS: This post from way back has a bunch plus I’d add The Enchanted Hour & Jim Trelease’s Read-Aloud Handbook! This isn’t a book but Dr. Becky’s Good Inside podcast is a fantastic resource too!!

HOW DO YOU FIND TIMETO READ? I squeeze it in anywhere I can, like SQUEEZE it in. I have this blog post with some tips & this post that might also be helpful on this topic!

FAVORITE AUDIOBOOKS FOR TODDLERS? We are all about the Yoto player right now, here are our faves!

FAVORITE BOOK YOU HAVE READ THIS YEAR? This list sums them up so far!

IS PAT VEGAN? Yes!! This is one that also needs more time to explain but essentially Pat was eating vegetarian at home (since I’m the cook ;)) but still chose to eat meat when we were out. When I made the switch from vegetarian exclusively to vegan he skipped the vegetarian process & went straight vegan a month after me. We had been incorporating more & more vegan meals into our diet but he was resistant to the transition. He listened to a podcast that I shared with him about how animals are treated & slaughtered, even for their milk, which raised a lot of questions for him. Ultimately, he committed 100% to the vegan lifestyle at that point & has been a complete partner in our vegan lifestyle & raining our boys vegan. He is also extremely convicted by the climate aspect of being vegan. We have been vegan for 2+ years now & neither of us ever feels like we are missing anything & in fact feel even more in tune with what we consume daily.

CURRENT GO-TO LUNCH? Leftovers!! Haha. Or a smoothie if I’m lazy. Also sandwiches— love a garbanzo bean egg & vegan bacon sandwich with vegan mayo, chickpea salad sandwich (essentially mock tuna, make a double batch!) on toasted sourdough, crispy garlicky kale with Zhoug sauce & sliced cold tofu on sourdough, avocado toast & Minimalist Baker’s Trashy Vegan Sandwich from her cookbook. Also, sushi burritos loaded with veggies & smoked tofu.

NAVIGATING VEGAN KIDS AS THEY GET OLDER? We are supportive of the decisions they choose to make & want to equip them with all the information to do so. They are already making their own choices now & it’s incredible how invested they are in choosing to avoid animal products. When we are at events or experiences where options are limited we don’t restrict them, we allow the dairy but we do avoid meat entirely, again once they are of age to make that decision we will support them in whatever they choose but for now, we want to avoid it as much as possible. We recognize that a little bit in certain circumstances isn't the end of the world, especially if they are not creating a demand for the product or in a situation where they have alternatives.

VEGAN FAVES? Oatly for milk. Califa Farms barista oat milk & Silk vanilla for creamer. Daiya Cuttingboard shreds mozzarella for pizza. Earth Balance butter. Just Egg eggs & omelets. Beyond Meat for all the meat. Field Roast for pizza sausage & corn dogs. Annie & Jack for nuggets. VioLife for parm, sliced cheese & feta. Kite HIll for cream cheese, cheese spread & ricotta for crackers. Scout & Cellar for wine. Been & Jerry’s non-dairy for ice cream. All vegetarian for bacon. Forager for plain yogurt, Oatly, Silk & Kite hill for flavored yogurts. Daves Killer Bread for all bread & buns. Olive & June for nail polish.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS LOVED COOKING? I started cooking when I graduated college, so since then, yes! There are aspects of it I don’t love, but there are things I absolutely find so satisfying. It’s not for everyone & that is OK.

FAVORITE QUICK VEGAN DINNERS? Pasta with whatever veggies on hand & cashew cream with tomato sauce or TACOS of any form, quickest is veggies (again whatever we have on hand!) & beans with homemade salsa & avocado (perfection!) plus some 5-ingredient cashew queso if you’re wanting a little something extra. Also lasagna with store-bought ricotta (though if you can make your own Love & Lemons Everyday cookbook has a killer vegan ricotta!!!) & no-boil noodles. Grilled veggies (squash, peppers & eggplant!) with roasted chickpeas & rice. Stir fry is also quick, noodles & rice + baked tofu (toss in arrowroot starch or corn starch & soy sauce!) with sauteed veggies. Pizza too— store-bought dough &all your fave toppings. That’s a week of meals right there!

QUICK BREAKFAST IDEAS? Overnight oats, blender pancakes, Van’s frozen waffles (vegan & gluten-free), granola (homemade, make a big batch!) & coconut yogurt, bagels (our local spot is vegan by nature but Dave’s Killer Bread options are also vegan!) + Kite Hill cream cheese.

WHERE DO YOU GET BULK NUTS? From Almond Cow, Costco or more commonly, the bulk section at my grocery store.

ARE YOU LIKING YOUR DINING ROOM TABLE SETUP? Yes, I’d love to add a bar cart to the space, we have a big open corner. But we LOVE our table & chairs!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVE VEGAN BOOK/PODCAST/INSTA? Book: How Not To Die or We Are the Weather but for cookbook that would be Chloe Flavor. Podcast: Nutrition Rounds. Insta: @blkandvegan, @taniajoyfjane & @thefriendlyfig though many others too, I’m just not on Insta as much anymore.

DO YOU EVER GET BURNT OUT FROM COOKING? Sometimes at the end of a long day it can be too much. I try to meal plan thinking through the day’s activities & what I have time to prep vs. what will need to be a quick meal. I always plan takeout for Saturday night and one other meal a week, right now it’s Thursdays since our community hosts a food truck event on those nights. Also routine meals too, taco Tuesday & pizza Friday means I’m really only planning 3 meals each week. Breaking it up like that helps.

FAVORITE COOKBOOKS? Here is a blog featuring many faves, I’d add Plant Over Processed to the line up too!

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR CERAMICS FROM? My speckled mug is OM Ceramics. My creamer for my espresso & my other favorite coffee mug are from Campfire Pottery. Plats & bowls are from Our Place.

DID YOU GET THE NEW OUR PLACE PERFECT POT? Yes, Our Place gifted me their newest launch, the Perfect Pot. I have long been an Our Place Always Pan fan, not only have they gifted me two but I have also purchased one for myself & for several others as gifts, I’m a big fan. I’ll keep ya posted! (I do not work in partnership with. many brands anymore, exceptions can be counted on one hand, I have a few favorites that I love to promote given their alignment to my values & lifestyle)

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO? What a sweet question. My husband & I are getting away to a little mountain/ski town at the end of September in celebration of our wedding anniversary & my birthday, I’m really looking forward to that. And also FALL in Vermont!

BLACKOUT CURTAINS FOR THE BOYS ROOM? Yes! We love them, you can find them here.

HOW ARE YOU LIKING YOUR CORK FLOORING? Indifferent still— the material is great, I love it in general & the fact that it’s easy on my body, naturally antimicrobial & helps reduce broken glass & ceramics but I don’t love the color & texture. We have some other projects that feel like they are bigger priorities at the moment but I might attempt to paint them…. stay tuned.

VEHICLE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 3? I can only speak for our Subaru Ascent but we love it! It’s definitely not a Yukon by any means, in terms of space but it is perfect for us.

ARE YOU STILL USING BEAUTY COUNTER PRODUCTS? Yep & love them!!!

DID YOU GET VACCINATED? I did!

DO YOU TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENTS? I take Ritual multivitamins daily, as does my husband.

TIME AWAY FROM INSTAGRAM, FINDING THE BALANCE, WHAT MADE YOU COME BACK, ETC. This is a topic that came in the form of many questions & also could be its own post. I didn’t totally step away from Instagram, I was still active on my book dedicated page @brittanysbookclub which I still spend more time on at this point, I find the boundaries easier to adhere to. With my personal page encompassing so much, especially on the topic of food, it felt like my life was always “content”. If I was prepping produce for the fridge I would stop & record or photograph, add captions & text, etc. It didn’t leave a ton of time for margin in my life or space to focus on the present moment. Not to mention simply opening Instagram to share something I was also presented with content to consume, & try as one might, that’s hard to resist over & over again. So why did I come back? I can’t 100% say one specific thing. I can say I have come back for myself only & not for an influencer gig, so I don’t feel tethered to the space, which feels freeing. I also have been limiting anything that features my children, out of respect for their privacy I’m trying to simply make it my own personal space, but of course, that is challenging, my children are a part of me… but in some ways that also helps me enforce my boundaries. I do genuinely love sharing, it’s a creative outlet for me & really I enjoy featuring how we do the vegan thing, I think it’s important to see that it’s possible because we have to do something about climate change, we have to, we owe it to the tiny faces staring back at us to pass on a thriving planet to them. That said, I really want others to see how possible & fulfilling a vegan lifestyle can be because adopting a plant-based diet (or dramatically reducing our animal product consumption) is one of the most significant ways we can act on climate change. Beyond that, I love sharing simple things that bring me joy.

That’s all for now folks, thanks for such thoughtful questions & for indulging me in all the yummy vegan food talk, I hope something here added value to you. And to sign off I leave you with the photo of the vegan Big Mac I made following @blkandvegan’s method for my husband for his birthday back in February— his reformed Micky D’s loving vegan heart was ELATED!!! And yes that’s a homemade apple hand pie too, I went all in. That’s my vegan husband!!