This weekend blended two themes—Stillness Saturday and Self-Care Sunday—into a delicate balancing act of reflection and restlessness. Heartbreak. That’s the word that seems to capture it all. The heaviness of the past few days has been overwhelming—not just for the fires, but for everything happening in the world right now. I’ve been following the devastating updates on the fires in Los Angeles. The destruction—lives and memories lost—feels like a weight on my chest. I’ve never even been to L.A., but what’s happening there—the destruction, the loss, the chaos—hits deeply.

Comfort, Connection, and Community: A Self-Care Sunday Journey

This past weekend, as snow blanketed everything in sight, I found myself leaning into the cozy comfort of warm, hearty foods. It was the kind of weekend that called for slow cooking, simmering pots, and dishes that warmed both the body and soul. From Thursday night through Sunday, my kitchen became a haven of experimentation, a place where successes and flops came together to create something meaningful.

The holiday recovery is real. This weekend, I found myself trying to balance the chaos of catching up on work, family errands, and stolen moments of self-care. While I missed my Stillness Saturday, Self-Care Sunday gave me some clarity and appreciation for the pockets of joy I managed to create amidst the busyness. Let me share a little about the journey.

Yesterday, my teenage daughter decided to take on a baking challenge: raspberry lemon curd cream puffs. Armed with a "professional" apron from her grandparents and a cookbook gifted by her aunt, she was ready. Me? Not so much. My daughter doesn’t share my habit of thoroughly reading recipes before diving in. Let’s just say these cream puffs were a labor of love.