The Curated Weekend | Making Room for What Comes Next

There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over the house after the kids head back to school.

For weeks, there have been shoes by the door, electronics plugged into every available outlet, cars coming and going, laundry running constantly, and somehow the dishwasher needing to be emptied twice a day.

Dinner is for four. The refrigerator is full. Someone is always coming or going.

And then, almost overnight, they’re gone.

The counters are clear. The laundry slows down. The dishwasher is suddenly half empty.

And yes, some of that quiet feels wonderful.

But I miss the energy.

I miss the revolving door. I miss our nightly dinners for four. I miss hearing everyone come and go. I even miss some of the mess.

Of course, this is exactly what we’re supposed to want. Our big kids have their own lives to get back to, and I’m thrilled they do. That’s the natural progression of things.

But for those of us left standing in the suddenly quiet kitchen, the energy drop is real.

I’ve learned not to rush through this part.

In fact, that’s one reason I’m a little behind this week. I’ve been spending as much time as I could with my kids before they flew back to their homes away from home.

The house can wait.

There will be plenty of time to get things back in order. To tackle the closet. Tend to the plants. Start a project. Try a new class. Catch up with a friend I haven’t seen all summer.

Right now, I’m glad I chose the time with them.

But now that the house is quiet again, maybe I don’t have to immediately fill every bit of space that opens up.

Maybe I can linger in it for a little while.

Have coffee for twenty minutes instead of ten. Pick up the book that’s been sitting on the nightstand. Take an early morning walk. Make something good for dinner. Sit somewhere beautiful and do absolutely nothing.

Summer isn’t over here. Not even close.

So before we start rushing toward fall, I’m giving myself permission to enjoy this quieter little stretch of summer for exactly what it is.

Welcome to The Curated Weekend-a collection of style, beautiful places, thoughtful finds, and the little moments making life feel just a bit richer. Think of it as our weekend catch-up over coffee.

So grab yours, find somewhere comfortable, and maybe linger a little longer today.

What I Wore (and Why)

This week’s outfits look a little different.

I’m not sharing eight ways to wear one piece or anything particularly dressed up. These are simply the clothes I’m reaching for right now-the things I want to wear on days when I’m not quite ready to get dressed, but don’t actually want to spend the day in loungewear either.

Look 1 (left) is one of my favorite combinations lately: oversized, soft grey flannel button-down from Citizens of Humanity worn with wide-leg Free People ‘Dream State’ lounge pants, a Vuori bralette, and OluKai Honu flip-flops. Look 2 is one of my 3 Cuyana black dresses on repeat. Look 3 features my “under $30 Target triangle scarf,” worn here as a headwrap – see how I styled this same scarf around my waist (here). Look 4 (and 3) feature the Simba Smocked Waist Pant from Michael Stars paired with the Sloan V-neck tank, also from Michael Stars and Pottery Floral blue bandana ($29) from Treasure & Bond – worn as a headband.

All 4 of these looks are relaxed enough for morning coffee and working around the house, but I can also head out to the farmers market, run errands, meet a friend for lunch, or take a walk without feeling like I’m wearing pajamas.

That’s the sweet spot.

I’m realizing more and more that there is a difference between loungewear and clothes you can lounge in.

Right now, I’m choosing the latter.

If you have an oversized button-down hiding in your closet, I shared more ideas for styling one in my recent Mid-Summer Closet Reset.

Worth Reading

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

A few weeks ago, my book club read The Calamity Club, the long-awaited second novel from Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help.

And we loved it.

Seventeen years after The Help, Stockett returns to Mississippi with another story filled with memorable women-this time set in Oxford in 1933.

It’s a big, immersive story and exactly the kind of book I like to settle into when I have a little extra time to read.

Considering what happened with The Help, I couldn’t help thinking as I read it: surely someone is already imagining this one on the screen.

Until then, put on another pot of coffee and enjoy the book.

Little Luxuries

A Little Space of Your Own

This week’s little luxury isn’t something you can buy.

It’s space.

A chair in the garden. A quiet corner by a window. Fifteen minutes with your coffee before the day begins.

A place to read, think, write-or simply sit and do absolutely nothing.

With the house getting quieter again, I’m realizing there can be something lovely about making room for a little solitude, too.

This black wicker chair tucked into my garden has become one of those places for me. I found it on Facebook Marketplace, repainted it, added a comfortable cushion, pillow and blanket, and made it my own.

It’s where I take my coffee, think, write-and sometimes do absolutely nothing at all.

This week, over on Curated Home at Rick & Suzanne Bell, I shared the story behind this chair along with a few ideas for creating a little sanctuary of your own, no matter the size of your home.

-> Read: Create a Home Sanctuary

Maybe the little luxury this week is simply permitting ourselves to use the space we’ve created.

And linger.

5 Curated Finds | From My Kitchen Lately

With the house a little quieter, I’m drawn to easy meals that give us leftovers, something good to have with my afternoon coffee, and a few little rituals that make an ordinary day feel special.

Here’s what’s been coming out of my kitchen lately.

1. Avgolemono Soup | Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

One of my favorite soups-and I don’t think of this one as fall food.

It’s bright, lemony, and comforting without being heavy. Perfect for those California evenings when the air cools down but summer is very much still here.

Make a big pot and lunch is taken care of for the next day.

Avgolemono Soup | Greek Lemon Chicken Soup | HERE

2. Slow Cooker Carne Asada

I’ve been making this recipe from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen lately, and it’s exactly how I want to cook right now.

Put it together, let the slow cooker do the work, and make enough for leftovers. Dinner one night becomes tacos, bowls, salads, or an easy lunch the next day.

Slow Cooker Carne Asada Recipe | HERE

3. Mexican Street Corn Salad + Black Beans & Cilantro Rice

Also from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen, the Mexican Street Corn Salad has become a favorite alongside the carne asada.

Add Costa Rican-style black beans, cilantro rice, avocado and whatever vegetables you have on hand, and you’ve got one of those dinners everyone can assemble however they like.

Even better, everything works beautifully as leftovers.

Less cooking during the week is something I can always get behind.

Mexican Street Corn Salad | HERE + Costa Rican-Style Black Beans | HERE

4. Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

This Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread from Ambitious Kitchen is one of my favorite things to have around.

A slice with my morning coffee? Yes.

An afternoon snack when I want something chocolate? Also yes.

It feels like a treat without being overly sweet, and it rarely lasts very long around here.

Ambitious Kitchen Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread | HERE

5. Bulletproof Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee + My Little Frother

I’ve been loving Bulletproof Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee lately. It has enough flavor that I actually enjoy drinking it black.

But when I want something that feels a little more special, I pull out my inexpensive Zulay handheld milk frother and turn it into more of a latte.

It takes about a minute, but somehow that little bit of foam makes an ordinary morning cup of coffee feel like an occasion.

Bulletproof Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee | HERE + Zulay Milk Frother | HERE

Nothing complicated.

Just good things that make everyday life a little easier-and a little more enjoyable.

This Week’s Reflection

When the house gets quieter, I think our instinct can be to immediately fill the space.

Another project. Another errand. Another thing crossed off the list.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll get to the closets and the plants and the things around the house that have been patiently waiting for my attention.

But maybe not every empty space needs filling.

Maybe some of it is there for us.

Read the book. Take the walk. Call the friend. Make the soup. Drink your coffee while it’s still hot. Try the yoga class you’ve been thinking about.

Or simply sit somewhere beautiful and enjoy the quiet for a little while.

The kids will be back.

The dishwasher will be full again. There will be shoes by the door, cars coming and going, and more laundry than seems humanly possible.

And I’ll love every minute of it.

But this week, I’m especially glad I didn’t rush through those last few days just to stay on schedule.

The house could wait. The blog could wait.

They couldn’t.

And now that they’ve gone, perhaps I’ll take my own advice.

Make the soup. Read the book. Sit in my chair with a cup of coffee.

And linger a little longer.

A beautiful life isn’t always about adding more. Sometimes it’s about making enough room to enjoy what’s already there.

Suzanne Bell

What are you making room for as summer begins to wind down?

I’d love to hear.

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Until next weekend,