Petite Pause no. 10
Tiny rituals, weeknight comforts, and a reminder to breathe between the errands.
Your end-of-week scroll break. A cozy little catch-up full of links, loves, and things I can’t stop talking about. A spark of inspiration you didn’t know you needed.
We made it to Friday. Somehow. Maybe with too much coffee, maybe with too little sleep, but here we are. A tiny milestone. This one feels like a cozy exhale. The kind where you drop your bag at the door, kick off your shoes, and finally let the week slide off your shoulders.
This week felt like my initiation into a whole new chapter of parenthood. School sports. Suddenly, my afternoons are a blur of drop-offs, pick-ups, and back-and-forth car rides that make me wonder if I should just set up camp in the parking lot. I’m quickly realizing I need a master list of easy, no-brainer dinners, because the “what’s for dinner?” question hits different when you’re rolling in the driveway at 7:15.
In between all the chauffeuring, I’ve been sneaking chapters of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. It’s leaning more historical fiction than fantasy, but I’m completely hooked. So much so that I just started leaving it in my car to read in the carpool line.
So here we are, another week wrapped. Let’s pause, exhale, and swap a little inspiration before the weekend rush takes over.
Weekend Itinerary
What to Read: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab — I can’t put it down. It’s haunting and lyrical, more historical fiction than fantasy, and it has that rare quality of making you want to underline entire paragraphs. Bring it to the lunch, the kids practice, wherever you can steal a few pages.
What to Watch/Listen To: Queue up the new season of Only Murders in the Building (comfort TV at its best) or try The Lazy Genius Podcast for a quick burst of inspiration on how to make your routines less overwhelming.
What to Make: A sheet pan dinner—any combo of chicken sausage, veggies, and olive oil counts as a win. Bonus points if it’s something you can shove in the oven while wrangling kids and answering “what’s for dinner?” for the fifth time.
What to Try: A “car kit” for all these new school-sports commutes. I’m talking snacks, a blanket, maybe even a book light for the inevitable waiting-around time. (I’ll report back on how this goes.)
What to Do: Declare a mini “do nothing” hour this weekend. No errands, no laundry, no multitasking. Just a stretch of time where you sit outside with a drink, flip through a magazine, or scroll guilt-free. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is… nothing.
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12 Simple Ways to Romanticize Weeknights at Home
Weeknights don’t have to feel like the limbo between work and weekend. With a little intention, even a Tuesday can hold small rituals worth savoring. Here are twelve ideas to sprinkle a bit of charm into the everyday.
Light a candle with dinner - Even if it’s leftovers. The glow makes everything feel softer.
Add a soundtrack - Play a jazz record, a Parisian café playlist, or something acoustic while you cook.
Swap pajamas for a cozy “at-home” outfit - Think soft cardigans, matching lounge sets, or a silky robe instead of the same old hoodie.
Pour your drink into the “fancy” glass - Seltzer in a coupe, kombucha in a wine glass, hot cocoa in your prettiest mug.
Do a five-minute tidy with mood lighting - Turn off the overheads, turn on lamps, and do a quick reset of your space. It feels less like a chore and more like care.
Take your dinner outside - Balcony, backyard, or porch. Fresh air changes everything.
Try a “weekday dessert” - Cut-up fruit with honey, dark chocolate squares, or a scoop of ice cream eaten slowly.
Read a chapter aloud - With your kids, your partner, or just to yourself. It’s grounding in a way scrolling never is.
Write a two-sentence journal entry - Capture a single detail: the weather, a feeling, a fleeting thought.
Move your body gently - Stretch on the living room rug, dance in the kitchen, or take a slow neighborhood walk.
Make bedtime tea - Chamomile, lavender, peppermint. Whatever signals “wind down” to your body.
End the night with low-light ritual - Turn off bright screens. Read by lamp or listen to an audiobook. Let the quiet feel indulgent.
Because weeknights don’t have to be purely functional. They can be the backdrop to the sweetest parts of your life.
Fresh Fall Finds that Have Caught my Eye
Suede Jacket | Slow Mornings Club Hat | Gold Bangles | Floral Scarf
Strap Watch | Bucket Bag | Croissant Beaded Bag | Hoop Earrings | Lip Oil
Glow Serum | Haircalf Belt | Mary Jane Ballet Flats | Large Ceramic Mug
Sometimes it’s the smallest shifts that make the biggest difference. whether it’s sneaking a few pages of a book in the carpool line, lighting a candle on a random Tuesday, or giving yourself permission to do absolutely nothing for an hour. Here’s to leaning into the tiny pauses that carry us through the week and remind us that life isn’t just the big milestones. It’s also the in-betweens. Until next time, friends.
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