holy smokes, guys, how is tomorrow already MARCH??  i feel like i say this every month, but i don’t know where time is going…this year is FLYING.

i wanted to stop & pause for a moment to reflect on where the last month took us & also give a sneak peek of all the good things in store with a new monthly plays well with butter post series, little celebrations lately.

i dabbled into these kinds of share posts last year on a weekly basis, & it didn’t feel productive.  i was scrambling to find things to share with you that could be helpful or fun, & ended up just feeling overwhelmed delivering a blog post that i didn’t have time to think through carefully. 

not helpful for you + poor execution = plays well with butter sad face.

little celebrations lately will be equal parts life update, giving you a glimpse into what i’ve been up to lately or the various things that i’ve recently been obsessed with (& think you will be to!), & equal parts plays well with butter trailer for the good stuff to come to the blog in the next month.

most importantly, though, i would love for little celebrations lately to also be a conversation with YOU. 

i want to know what’s going on in your life & what events you having coming up that might have you you in need of a little inspiration.  my #1 priority on plays well with butter is to inspire & empower you to embrace those moments of everyday celebration & tackle hosting the special occasions in your life flawlessly.  i always have ideas as to what the celebratory moments you’re preparing for might be, based on what’s going on in my life, but i’d really love to hear about them from you!

so, without further ado…

lately…

this Recipe for Later!

the fella

february has been all about chris & i finding our routine again.  we had an emotionally draining holiday season this year & as we were recovering from it, we dove right into the life of puppy parenting.  someone recently told us, “your pet isn’t your pet until you have babies [because until you have babies your pet is your baby]” & i’ve never heard anything more spot on.  january was a bit of a wild ride as we chased the puppy around (at all hours of the day), but throughout february we caught our stride & it is delicious.

puppy parenting aside, i’ve been so proud of chris.  he is working towards his mba, still continues to kill it at work, & makes time to be considerate with chores around the house.  my love language is acts of kindness, so i’ve been making an effort to show my appreciation for him through delicious & totally chris-approved meals like cast iron steaks or giving him a morning to sleep in while i take care of the pup.

oh, speaking of the pup…

the pup

pbr is 4 months old(!) & it has been so much fun to have him in our lives.  in february he not only graduated puppy kindergarten but also the first level of obedience training!  at home we’re still working on some of the basics, but we have TONS of fun playing tug, chase, fetch, & going on long walks.

pbr loves to watch kids play hockey at the ice rink that’s a few blocks from our house & also enjoys saying hello to the neighbor pups. 

if we’ve learned anything this month, it’s that having a TON of toys & treats makes life with a puppy so much easier.  these days he loves chewing on elk antlers as he winds down for nap-time & burrowing to dig these squeaky squirrels out of their den.  he also recently tried these cute “pawsta” treats from rachael ray & they made him go freakin’ bonkers. 

(of course my dog would love pasta…)

the house

the early taste of spring weather this year has me craving new ideas to make the plays well with butter home feel especially clean, fresh, & airy.  over the holidays we bought a roomba mop & it’s made it so much easier & more manageable to clean our floors a few times a week, especially with muddy puppy paws clomping around the house (hiiiiighly recommend).

as far as décor goes, i’m also looking forward to getting a couple of new things to freshen up the house.  my style has always been modern-eclectic-global-boho-mermaid-chic, so i always tend towards feminine details that remind me of the ocean.  i found this table runner at anthro that makes me swoon (it is the perfect complement for our chandelier!), but let’s be honest…everything at anthro makes me swoon (especially this, and these, and of course this).  i guess maybe i’m having a macrame moment, because i also recently found & fell in love with this wall hanging on instagram.

around town

we’ve been homebodies so far this year (see above, puppy), but our newest ritual is how we’ve been spending our friday afternoons.  i shared this ritual on instagram last week, but in case you missed it, chris & i duck out of work a little early to run some errands, tidy the house, & grab a drink & some snacks at a restaurant we’ve never tried before before we pick pbr up from puppy daycare.

throughout february, we drank italian reds with the bar chips & aioli at terzo (noms!), we tried wise acre eatery for the first time & omg it’s so cute (farm fries = heaven), & we snuggled at the bar at st genevieve with champs & a delicious ribeye tartine.

also, we still go to red wagon at least once a week. a psa for all of our minneapolis friends: they now serve JERK WINGS & they’re sooooooo stinking good.  please go & try them asap…you need them in your life.

march celebrations…

i’ll be the first to admit that march isn’t my favorite month whatsoever.  living in minnesota, march is a total wild card.  mother nature will tease us with a promising stretch of GORGEOUS spring weather & suddenly we get pounded by a winter storm.  the shifts in weather make you start to crave spring flavors but it’s still cold enough that you need warm & comforting meals.

it’s just an awkward transition month.

that said, there are a couple of fun moments of celebration i’m pretty pumped for that will make march a whole heck of alot more fun…

march madness

ok, so i’m not pumped about march madness, per-se (football & hockey fan, here!), but i AM pumped about game day snacks & drinks.  hint…there is major buffalo chicken goodness coming soon…

i went to a pretty big basketball school & the tourney is always a fun time to see how far the golden eagles can make it into the tourney.  who are you rooting for?  do you usually watch the tourney at a bar or will you be hosting your friends for some game day fun?

our anniversary

we celebrate 18 months of marriage on the 12th!  maybe people don’t really celebrate their 1.5 year anniversary, but i’m definitely planning something special to celebrate with chris.  marriage isn’t always easy, but he makes it pretty darn fun, & i’ll be willing celebrate that any day of my life.  what is your favorite way to celebrate an anniversary?  big date night on the town?  cozy date night in?  exchanging silly cards, or meaningful gifts?

my bestie’s birthday

my bestie turns 31 at the end of the month, & all i’ve gotta say is there will be cake…(& probably pasta…)

spring flavors

oh hi there asparagus, pesto, spring peas, leeks, artichokes, mint, & morrel mushrooms.  also, with easter just around the corner, i’ve got ham on my mind.  for some reason ham makes me crave crepes & croque monsieur – how would you like to see a modern take on either of those french classics this spring?

shower season

weddings & babies, babies & weddings!  my other bestie is getting married in june & i’m obsessing over the snacks & treats that we’ll be making for her bridal shower later this spring.  feminine snacks + lots of champs = the stuff dreams are made of.

how about you?…what’s going on in your life? what are the events that you having coming up this month that have you you in need of a little inspiration?  easter?  grilling out?  bachelorette parties?  let me know in the comments below; i’d really LOVE to hear from you!!

major thanks to my good friend, ren, for taking some lifestyle shots of our little family earlier this month.  not only is she basically the coolest, ren is also the most incredibly talented photographer i know – she did our engagement & wedding day photos & i can’t recommend her more highly.  if you or anyone you know is in the market for a photographer – check her out!

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