Happy Friday! It’s the last Friday in April. How. how. how? A few weeks ago, both my in-laws and my mom asked if we wanted help packing. I genuinely thought “I selfishly just want to see you so please come, but we don’t need help.” No statement ever spoken has been more false than that one. O’s cousin and parents arrived last weekend and after an entire week of unloading the storage room with three extra sets of hands, I can’t wrap my head around doing this whole moving thing without their help. My in-laws and cousin leave today, but by this time next week my mom will be here and all will be well in the world again. Moving is a marathon, not a sprint…and in this case i’m declaring it a relay! 

Whenever I have a house full of people, I find myself baking. Even if I can’t eat what I make, I always feel like more of a hostess when I have something freshly baked to serve. It’s Oshiomogho’s cousin’s birthday weekend and since his favorite dessert of all time is a chocolate chip cookie, I’ve made three batches in 5 days! When I say this recipe is my favorite cookie recipe of all time, not to mention vegan AND can be made gluten-free, I mean it. I wrote more about it a few months ago here.

Speaking of cookbooks, if you’re gluten-free and dairy-free like me, add this to your Prime cart right away! I’m so excited about the Sweet Laurel cookbook because she has such a cult following for her treats and I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about everything she makes. Her cakes and brownies are a celebrity favorite and I’m so looking forward to testing out some of the recipes once we get settled in Texas.

Days full of packing and cleaning certainly don’t call for stage makeup, but I feel more motivated when I put a little but of effort in each morning. My routine lately has been this concealer on my under eyes, a swipe of the world’s best eyeliner and a new favorite mascara-the first time I’ve changed my go-to mascara in 5 years!! All it takes is exactly 5 minutes and I feel ready to face a sea of boxes.

Podcasts have been my choice of entertainment this week and this episode of The Longest Shortest Time on Car Births made me laugh, gasp and thank the Lord for my water birth!

What do you have planned for the weekend? I’m sure you can guess I’ll be!