Hello! It's been a minute since I've posted, and even longer since I shared a Life Lately According to Instagram post (hey there, 2015). For so long this blog was my main priority and my content calendar was super full, but lately I've been teaching more Pure Barre (I teach 8 classes a week! But next month I'll be cutting back to just 4) and working on more writing projects (there may or may not be another cookbook coming out this year), and I've found myself not only stepping back from Freckled Italian a little bit, but missing the way it used to be when it was just my hobby.

I still love working with brands and I hope to continue to share recipes with you, but I'd also like to get back to posting more little bits and pieces of life--the things I used to share when I wasn't so focused on a 5-day-a-week schedule of content.

So without further ado, here are some things I've been up to lately, according to the photos on y phone:

1. Hanging out with Ender most afternoons. He doesn't help much but he's certainly cute.
2. Went out for a weekend breakfast date with Rob the other day. We usually hole up at home over the weekends so it was kind of fun to go to Blue Bottle for cappuccinos and avocado toast.
3. Rob's birthday was about a week ago--how cute is he?
4. Snagged this bouquet of lavender from Trader Joe's and made simple syrup with it. Lavender iced coffees are kind of the best.
5. Went to San Francisco to see Hamilton last Wednesday afternoon. It was incredible.
6. I don't want to brag, but I've been eating more ice cream (and milkshakes) than anyone ought to lately.

Rob's parents are flying in today to spend the weekend with us, so we'll be showing them around and shooting up to Sonoma for the day on Sunday. It'll be so nice for them to see our house and Rob's office and all the things we've been up to on this side of the country!

What are you up to this weekend? What have you been up to lately? As always, I can't thank you enough for hanging out here and reading the things I share.

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a great long weekend--we got home from an amazing vacation with friends in Litchfield Beach, South Carolina yesterday afternoon and spent most of our Monday cooking, napping, and cuddling our super sleepy puppy (Ender went to the kennel and was wiped out from playing all weekend).

I posted the majority of these shots on Instagram over the weekend, but I can't get over how blue the sky and water was, so here I am grouping them all together again. This is what life in my world has looked like over the past few days:

1. Day one on the beach. We drank wine and soaked up the sun and I actually got in the ocean for the first time since I can remember. 
2. I took a solo, barefoot walk on the beach Sunday morning and it was exactly what I needed. For so long, I've always said that I'm not much of a beach person, but I'm starting to realize that that's not true at all. (I just like my sunscreen.)
3. Gorgeous trees in the neighborhood. South Carolina is pretty dreamy.
4. Seriously such a perfect view for a few relaxing days.

What has life in your world looked like lately? 

Life Lately According to Instagram is a once(ish)-monthly feature in which I showcase my favorite Instagram shots. You can follow along with me in real time if you'd like--I'm @mflynnpete.

It's been forever since the last time I shared a Life Lately According to Instagram post, but I thought this would be perfect because we had such a great weekend but I didn't pick up my camera even once! Here's what we were up to the past few days:

1. Woke up Friday morning at our friends Tina and Michael's in Richmond. I got to have coffee and breakfast with them in their kitchen before they headed to work and out of town themselves for the weekend.
2. Had a blast modeling in my sweet friend (and wedding photographer!) Ashley's workshop at Tuckahoe Plantation. It was cold and a little rainy but I think everyone participating got some good shots! It was fun getting all dolled up and posing with Rob. You can see a sneak peek here.
3. Rob and I met my friend Emily for coffee in Richmond (not pictured) before heading to Charlottesville for lunch at The Whiskey Jar with our friends Patrick, Emma, and Bryan. Then we drank more coffee and I took this windy photo with Patrick on the downtown mall.
4. Took Ender out for his first dog park experience at Chris Green Lake. He had the time of his life.
5. Mas Tapas for dinner, because it's not a trip to Charlottesville without Mas. Even if it takes four hours. My friend Melissa and her husband Kyle met us, which was so fun because we haven't seen them since our wedding last year!
6. We spent the night at Emma and Bryan's, where Ender met their dogs Ghost and Giselle. Ghost (pictured above) is a 120-pound Great Pyrenees who was pretty confused to see a real-life puppy. They were so cute together.

It was such a great few days, but I'm exhausted and I have a busy week ahead! Looking forward to being home and enjoying some nice weather. How was your weekend?

Life Lately According to Instagram is a once(ish)-monthly feature in which I showcase my favorite Instagram shots. You can follow along with me in real time if you'd like--I'm @mflynnpete.