In college, I posted a Love List every Friday. Back then, they featured a round-up of my favorite wedding images and details that I had come across that week–here is a fun throwback example! Over the years, Love Lists became both more personal and more sporadic, but they’ve remained some of my favorite types of posts to write. There is something so sweet about naming things that are bringing me joy on a regular basis, with the added bonus that I have a place to share those things with internet friends across the globe!

A month into staying at home, with, it seems, at least another month to go, I’ve been craving two things: routines I have control over (they seem so foreign right now!) and the ability to recognize the good and the joyful even in the hard–something I find much easier said than done on many of these strange days. For both reasons, I’ve decided to bring back weekly Love Lists and am already so excited to get into a rhythm with them. I hope they bring a little bit of extra delight to your Fridays each week!

1. Chocolate cherry cake: I whipped up this chocolate cherry bundt cake for my birthday, and have a slice next to me as I’m typing, so it feels only fitting to share! My mom has been making this doctored-up box mix cake for as long as I can remember, and it has always been my absolute favorite. The recipe is easy as can be, and I didn’t have any trouble getting the ingredients right now. Add them to your Instacart order if you’re looking for your next easy quarantine baking project :)

Ingredients:
1 box devil’s food cake mix (tip: use Duncan Hines if anyone in your family is dairy-free!)
3 eggs
1/3 c canola oil
1 can cherry pie filling
1 c chocolate chips

Combine the first three ingredients and mix for a few minutes. Add the cherry pie filling and stir in by hand, so as not to break up the cherries, and then stir in the chocolate chips. Bake in a lightly greased bundt pan at 350 degrees for 33-36 minutes. Once cool, invert onto a cake plate and add a chocolate drizzle on top (melt about 1 cup of chocolate chips with a splash of the milk of your choice in the microwave until it has a hot fudge-like consistency, let cool for a few minutes, and then drizzle over the cake).

2. Lake day clothes: Some of the best news during this time at home…Lake (source of the dreamiest pajamas ever) launched daytime clothes! I have such a hard time finding warm weather loungewear I love, so I am officially going to be living in these day-to-night shorts, which I received for my birthday, all spring long. I’m also eyeing these darling high-waisted shorts and this perfect striped tee dress!

3. Love & Gelato: I’ve realized that if I’m reading while nursing in the middle of the night, I need something extra light and amusing–nothing that will either be too hard to stay awake reading, or that is so intense that it keeps me up longer! I breezed through this fun YA novel for the Ashley Brooke Book Club, and the sweet (clean!) love story and Italian setting made it the perfect fit for what I needed.

Wishing you a happy weekend! xo