Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Calligraphy 101

I have several goals for myself this year - one of which is finding outlets for my creativity. So when I saw openings for a Kristen Henderson calligraphy workshop I signed up! I've been eyeing this particular workshop series for the longest time and I'm so glad that I finally decided to just do it! As luck would have it a very good girlfriend of mine (as in she read in our wedding!) also signed up for the same workshop without either of us knowingit! We figured it out when we were chatting just the other day - what a happy coincidence! 


We spent just shy of three hours learning so many tips and tricks of calligraphy from Kristen: nibs, dinky dips, papers, inks...and of course writing writing writing. I have a long way to go as you can see but I'm excited to continue working on my lettering skills and finding my own style within it. Plus my girlfriend and I now have another excuse to get together, drink wine and practice our lettering!


When the class ended three of my other good girlfriends let me know that they'd be waiting for me at one of my favorite spots. Bonus! I zipped over to Foxcroft and proceeded to stare at the delicious donut that they so lovingly saved for me to smell. Even though we're constantly texting nothing beats a little meet up at your favorite place with some of your very favorite people...even if they taunt you with a donut. (Love you girls...)

Chopt

We had a delicious lunch with friends today at Chopt  (and it's right near the newly opened Jcrew Mercantile so of course we had to pop in there!!!).  

Their children's meal options are fantastic. BG loves to have "snacky" type meals so this is right up his alley. You can fill this little container with whatever "choppings" you'd like. Genius!


I'm a big fan of having salads made by other people (why do they always taste so much better?) so chopt is right up my alley! I had a mix of spinach and romaine lettuces with the following choppings - apples, avocado, broccoli, grilled chicken and a hard boiled egg. They have a whole30 compliant dressing "Mexican goddess" but last time it was a bit too spicy for me so this time I brought along my own balsamic dressing and poured some in the dressing cup!



Nate always gets their Cobb salad - my friend got it today and agreed that it was delicious!

This really is such a healthy option for dining out - can't wait for the location just around the corner to open up!

Monday, January 25, 2016

Winter 2016 DITL

I'm so excited to publish my very first day in the life. I love love love reading these posts from other people and look forward to Julia's round up each season! I'm a night owl so my post will begin the night before versus the morning. 

Winter 2016

I'm 32
Hubby is 34
BG just turned 3

12:00am


Finishing up a few chicken pot pies. Bringing one to a friend who has a new baby girl (I'm actually bringing her two - one for dinner and one to put in the freezer for a rainy day) and the third is for another friend who messaged me earlier that she was struggling with her meal planning this week (she had a new baby in December and every little bit helps when you're that sleepy!).  

12:30am


Almost done! A little more egg wash and s&p and they'll be finished!

1am


Dishes are done and I'm ready for a cup of tea - wild raspberry hibiscus with a slice of lemon - and an episode of The Affair (I still can't decide if I like it but I'm almost finished so I might as well see it through.).

2pm

Lights out...

8am

Good morning! BG is up and at 'em. We have a really fun day ahead! But first it's time for getting myself and my sidekick ready!

8:30am


Banana pancakes and pear slices for the little guy and banana porridge with frozen fruit sprinkled in for me. I'm almost done with another round of whole30 and this is a great change from eggs and bacon. 

9:30am


Oven is set at 350 degrees - time to pop in some cinnamon rolls and pumpkin snickerdoodles for our meal delivery today. BG makes a mess of the playroom and then takes a spin around the house. I love how independently he plays these days. 

10am



I'm making some frosting for the cinnamon rolls and my little sous chef comes in. "Can I help please?" How can I say no to that? We set up his learning tower, wash his hands then he stirs and stirs that frosting. 

10:30am


Time to load everything up! I have a stop to make before class at 11. 

10:45am


Scored these cute Hanna Andersson swim trunks on a local moms Facebook site - they'll be a little big this summer but hopefully we get two seasons out of them!

On the way to yoga we listen to Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" one of BGs most requested song although he calls it "Breath of Kevin" - anywhoo - another song on the cd is instrumental. When it ends BG says "Mama. Some songs don't have words. Isn't that odd?"

11am


Yoga time! One of our favorite activities of the week. I've got a little yogi in the making! I didn't take pictures inside but snapped this as we were walking in. 

12pm


Need to pop in to the market for a fresh salad to go with our meal delivery. I have given up on making side salads for meal deliveries - they never turn out right. We grab some fruit for our house and grind some coffee for Pops. BG spies the bread being brought out and we grab a loaf for him to enjoy. 

12:30pm


Time to drop off dinner and see baby girl. BG hasn't met her yet and I'm so excited for him to get the chance to love on her too. She is the answer to so very many prayers! I spend the next hour loving on her (Can you believe these fingers and toes! Chewable!!) and catching up with my girlfriend. I so miss seeing her every day- we always find way too much to chat about!

On our drive home BG says to me "Is it baby Vivian's birthday yet? She needs to grow up and turn into a boy so she can talk to me!"


2pm


Late lunch - whoops! BG has requested a peanut butter and honey - deal! I'm having tuna salad on a bed of kale and spinach with a splash of evoo and red wine vinegar. 

2:30pm


Time for a story and then it's nighty night for my little buddy...

2:45pm


Treadmill time! I love to watch Netflix while I'm on it - the time absolutely flies - I'm watching The Last Five Years today.  Then hurry to shower so I can get some dinner prep done before BG wakes and fold some laundry (that's been sitting in a pile since Sunday. Whoops!)

5pm


Time to wake the beast. Normally I wouldn't but I know he'll want to make it to class - plus he loves graham crackers and this one is for the car ride there! Make a to-go meal for him in case we make it to our friends house afterwards. 

5:20pm

A little jump, tumble and climb with some buddies. 

6:30

He had the best time and although the place stunk like a locker room I'm considering signing him up. All of our little buddies walk to dinner afterwards but we've already committed to stopping by a different friends house. Next time, BG, next time!

6:45



Arrive at our friends with a chicken pot pie in hand. BG is pumped to play with his buddy, C. They instantly get into mischief and I completely ignore it because I'm cuddling this baby doll. Check out all that hair!

7:30



Time to head home! BG is a hungry hippo - eats his lunchable on the way home (this was my container in elementary school!)! Not our normal dinner routine at. all. but it was worth it to see our friends!

7:45 

Home! We check the mailbox because our new cd is supposed to be here. So bummed when we see an empty mailbox. I guess my versions of Into the Woods will have to do until tomorrow when it arrives. So thankful for a little boy that adores music of all kinds! "Maybe 'Out of the Woods' is at the front door instead!" 


8pm


Time for bed! No fussing from this boy. He normally takes a three hour nap so he's wiped after a short nap and so much activity tonight. Bath - brush the teefers- books and into bed we go. I put on his diffuser (on guard tonight after all of those germs today!) and we say our prayers and sing "our" songs (Dream a Little Dream of Me - Mama Cass!! and Lulllaby - Dixie Chicks) just like we've done every night since he was born. 



8:45pm


Time for my "dinner" but tonight I'm just having apple slices and cashew butter. Normally BG and I sit down for a traditional dinner but tonight it just wasn't happening! 

9pm

Sit down for a little RHOBH. I love Bravo. Always entertaining. 

10pm


Make some salad dressing for tomorrow. We're having lunch with our buddies like we do every Wednesday and this time is a salad joint - I want to make sure to stay compliant so I'm smuggling in my own dressing. Ha! Finish cleaning up the kitchen and decide to make a cup of tea. Can't decide which flavor to make - make a note to find some more variety at the grocery store next week. Sit down to write this post (although I've been writing it as I go through the day!)



11pm



Finish folding the remaining laundry and get ready to carry it upstairs. Realize it's Tuesday and I didn't clean the toilets! Tuesday = toilets in my house. Gah. Head upstairs to get to work on all of them (I'll spare you those pictures ha!) but not before I publish this!

This was so much fun to do. I'm already looking forward to the spring session!

Letting go...

and jumping back in. 

2015 was a really challenging year. Full of highs and oh so many confusing lows. I chose to step away from this space for awhile (and continue to limit myself on other social media sites). However, this blog (and blogging in general since 2007!) have brought so much happiness that it made just overlooking the frustrations and hurt was even more confusing.  

BUT

This space is mine and I'm finally ready to take it back. 

To share recipes - tips - little bits of our life - and to just blab about whatever I feel like. 

I hope you'll join me.