One thing I was sure to note from this past weekend: The laziest of days with family are the best of days.
This entire holiday weekend was such a blessing to our family. Zack had a couple of extra days off of work and it’s amazed me, both of us!, at how grand this has felt. The two extra days have multiplied to feel like we were on a week-long vacation. It was a gentle reminder that time away from work is so good for the soul.
*
^ Our first 4th of July as a family. Max has found his hand which was clearly more exciting than taking a family photo ;)
Over the last few days we’ve celebrated the 4th of July with dear friends, celebrated my 28th birthday, visited the Natural History Museum, enjoyed a couple meals out, drove to Vegas and back to meet up with my bestest high school friend [I know, right???? So daring of us and also so much fun!]. And I may have added some extra whip to my morning coffee ;) I like to live on the edge.
^ I LOVE spending time with girlfriends! We laughed so much, it was so good. [Cristina on the L., Alissa on the R.]
^ The museum we visited had an exhibit on African Mammals, hellooooooo memories of Tanzania!
*
What are your favorite things to eat for lunch? I like to keep simple, quick, tasty options around the house, but sometimes I get bored with what I buy from the grocery store. Sandwiches aren’t my thing. Any suggestions?
*
Last week I shared a tip on how I juggle “indie biz” and “stay-at-home-mom” — I loved reading your comments at the end of the post and will be replying to them soon. This part of my life is something I’m constantly tweaking. Naps have been a huge part of making it through the day but they certainly won’t always been the answer, nor are they the only answer. Thank you for your grace as I continue down this path… [Also, it feels so weird to be posting a bit less than normal.]
*
^ Another wholesale order has shipped, this time to Kentucky!
*
Once again I’m trying to grow out my hair. I even asked Zack to bribe me with a “fun” reward once I reach my goal length. Ha — am I a dork or what? If you were trying to reach a goal what kind of reward would you set for yourself?
xoxo
lately i’ve been making a huge batch of quinoa salad and it’s been such a nice change up from boring sandwiches. i cook 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water and throw in a better than bouillon cube for some flavor. when it’s cool, i chop up a tomato, some cilantro, a little red onion, add some garlic salt, olive oil, lime juice and mix it up. the more it sits, the more flavor it gets and it lasts a few days. it’s been our go-to side for quick meals at night too.
(i’ve made a mediterranean version too — just use some feta, red onion, kalamata olives, and cucumber.) hope that helps!
@kim @ oh, sweet joy!, mmmmmm! That seriously sounds amazing :) thanks, Kim!
I usually eat leftovers for lunch…not really exciting, but it is what we have :) I have a hard time with sandwiches, too! I make a pasta salad sometimes and eat on it for a few days…just depends on what I am in the mood for :)
Oh la la! Where in Kentucky?!
@Sarah, HorseFeathers >> http://www.horsefeathersgifts.com/
Here is a great guacamole recipe that our family simply can not keep from eating! We eat it with chips veggies, chips and pita! There is nothing health damaging in the ingredients, even if you consume the whole batch (which you will want to do!)
1 Avacado (mashed)
2-3 tablespoons of crumbled feta (we choose fat free if we can find it)
1 big squirt of lime juice (fresh or bottled)
1 big squirt of Italian Dressing (any kind will do)
Options: onion, tomato but neither are necessary to make it good..it already is!
@Debbie Kinney, avocados are my favorite, but they give me a terrible stomach ache! Booooo! Your recipe sounds amazing!
I’m a big fan of healthy snacks throughout the day. I don’t always want a big lunch so I eat things like cheese & crackers, fresh veggies & hummus, Greek yogurt with fruit or granola, etc
@Jillian, that is totally me, too, but with nursing it hasn’t been enough lately :}
Hey you!!
This has been a favorite lunch for summer. I make a batch on Monday and can eat it for 3 – 4 days and have yet to get tired of it.
http://www.tickledred.com/greek-veggie-pita-quesadillas-51st-street-reunion/
I modify the recipe by omitting the mozzarella and making it ‘pizza style’ instead of ‘quesadilla style.’ I use the feta/yogurt mix as the sauce on a whole wheat pita, then pile it up with the veggie mix and pop it under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes to just warm everything up. SO GOOD! And good for you … lots of protein and veggies and healthy fats!
Enjoy these baby days, you seem to be doing splendidly at soaking it up and letting everything else come after! XOXO
@Andrea@KnittyBitties, oh that sounds delish! :))
Because of our new weird schedule where hubby is in bed for the night by around 5pm(And we eat our “dinner” with him at about 3:30),we have a light lunch of veggies and ranch, or crackers and cheese. BUT if you were here I’d throw us together a salad of spring greens, crumbled goat cheese, sliced granny smith apples, walnuts and walnut raspberry dressing (Ken’s is my favorite).
I’m growing my hair out too. I was wondering, did yours get damaged when you put highlights on top of the darker that was on top of highlights?
@Paige Whitley, maybe a little damage, but nothing a little deep conditioning can’t fix :)
I’ve been eating a brown rice – quinoa mix I buy at Costco. It’s got garlic in it, so it’s already super tasty, but I top it with avocado for extra umph. Best part? 90 seconds in the microwave, and the rice is ready. Sandwiches? Ain’t no mom got time for that?
(There’s a link to the product in this post: http://www.lovewellblog.com/2013/05/appetites.html)
@Kelly @ Love Well, oh my gosh, don’t hate me… we don’t own a microwave! ha ha, seriously.
cute 4th pics!
i love making goals for things, like a cute new shirt for hitting a weight loss goal or whatever makes it fun and attainable.
I love that you are rockin a bikini already. So awesome! Also, I have been giving myself a little gift for working out. I get a sticker (I’m such a kid) for each workout. Once I hit 25 stickers, I get a new dvd. It usually takes me a couples months.
@Megan, best comment ever! stickers — yes — love them :)