Guys, it has been a wild few weeks around here.

We’ve celebrated birthdays, traveled to West Virginia, gotten sick (twice), lost our voices at a Buckeyes game, and made chocolate waffles for the masses.

I could definitely use a long, agenda-less afternoon in this room.

Sigh.

In the midst of the general craziness of the past few weeks, I’ve been pushing myself to do more, be better. Learn more about blogging. Have a home cooked dinner on the table every night. Get up early and work out. Keep the house clean. Read more. Bake more. Blog more.

And you know what I’ve learned from this?

It’s just not possible. Sometimes I have to say no to a party, or pick up store bought cupcakes for a church gathering, or order take out for dinner. Sometimes the dust bunnies have to wait and the blog post has to be left unfinished.

And you know what? That’s okay.

There used to be a cross stitched poem hanging in my room as a little girl. It read:

Quiet down cobwebs.

Dust go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby,

And babies don’t keep.

Whoa.

I don’t have a baby, but I have a lot of other precious human beings in my life. Some days, I really need that reminder. All that stuff? The clean house, the successful blog, the errands, the chores, the books….they’ll keep.

But people? The celebrations and giggles and sunshine laced picnics and cozy movie nights and lazy morning waffle brunches–these moments are fleeting, priceless. They’re the moments worth clearing your schedule for. Worth letting lesser things go for. Worth having a less than perfect home for.

Today, I’m extending myself a little extra grace. And you should too.

Say no to the voice that’s screaming for more from you–who’s telling you you’ll never be organized enough, never be smart enough, never have enough Twitter followers, or never reach that next job promotion.

You are enough. Just as you are. Special. Loved. Precious.

Spend some time with the ones you love. Laugh in the face of your laundry pile. Refuse to compare yourself to a fitness goddess you saw on Pinterest. Get takeout for dinner.

These party potatoes have been in the background of a lot of great family memories. To me, they’re the symbol of family–comforting, forgiving, dependable, familiar. They speak of home and sharing and milestones and holidays. They can be changed up for the occasion (in this version I’ve reduced the cream cheese and added garlic and breadcrumbs), but they’re sure to show up whenever the family is gathered. They’re “our” potatoes.

I hope your family will enjoy these as much as we do. But if you don’t, and you decide to grab Bob Evan’s mashed potatoes instead, that’s totally alright. It doesn’t so much matter what you put on the table. What matters most is the people who are around it. Always.

Garlic Mashed Party Potatoes

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 5 lbs. russet or yukon gold potatoes, roughly peeled and quartered
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• Chives (for serving)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 in casserole dish.

Place potatoes in a large stock pot then cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until done, about 15-20 minutes. A fork should easily pierce through the center of the potato when they're done.

Place potatoes in a bowl and add softened cream cheese, sour cream, butter, and seasonings. Use a stand mixer or hand beaters to blend potatoes on medium speed until fluffy. Don't overbeat or they'll start to get gummy.

Add milk, a few Tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition, until desired consistency is reached. I like my potatoes a little less thick so I usually add close to half a cup milk. Stir in minced garlic.

Spread potatoes evenly into baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and browned on top, adding the Parmesan for the last 10 minutes of baking.

The mixture can also be made in advance and refrigerated. If coming from the refrigerator, increase baking time to 1 hour.

P.S. I’m making a wedding cake this weekend. Pray for me.