Coffee Date

If we were having coffee together this morning,

I would tell you...

This little boy is pumped to be out of school for the summer.  But since we are having coffee and chatting, I would open up and let you know I'm a little anxious about it. I want to make sure his summer is full of fun play dates, endless crafts, pool splashing, sand castles, library books, ice cream, sprinkler fun, zoo trips, and everything else "good" moms do over summer break. I hope I can balance these expectations (or relax and let them go) with work and a busy schedule. Wish me luck. 

I would also tell you that I miss this face...and my sister's. One thing is for sure, Wills and I will be spending a lot of time in Beaufort this summer now that my whole family lives there.

If we were having coffee I would gush about how lucky I am to be serenaded by my boys and their guitars,

that this snack saves my afternoon hunger on a daily basis,

and that it's time for another haircut.

I would also tell you I'm missing my daily Shakeology but proud of my hubby for sticking with his. One thing is for sure, a 2 year old boy needs and requires a healthy, energetic dad 24/7.

If we were having coffee, I wouldn't be able to stay too long, because I would let you know it's William's birthday weekend, and although the cake is baked and the presents are wrapped, we are spending the day doing a few of his favorite things...drinking beer, spending time with friends, and listening to live music in the park. It's the Banjobque music festival weekend, and we are headed back out there today! 

And one more thing...

Since we might both be moms (because let's face it, moms sometimes have coffee with other moms, in an effort to feel normal in this crazy, amazing ride we call motherhood) I would insist you get this book right away. In fact, I would probably send you home with mine.

Some days...this is how I feel.

And I wouldn't change a thing. 

What I ate Wednesday

Breakfast was a smoothie made with almond milk, peanut butter, 1/2 frozen banana, frozen blueberries, and a fresh date.

Mid-morning, I snacked on Vanilla Bean Greek yogurt and this delicious granola.

Lunch was a ham and cheese sandwich with banana pepper, pickles, and spinach plus a few kettle chips.

What do you do when your boys turn their noses to wheat bread?  Still buy wheat bread. :)

But occasionally I will surprise them with "white" bread.  They never know the difference.

I enjoyed an afternoon coffee at Inner Bean, my favorite nook.

And a large bowl of watermelon while Wills napped.

I would love to tell you about what Wills eats each day, but...

I hate to admit, I have a picky eater on my hands.  We eat a lot of this: cheese toast and banana with peanut butter.  The very few items that make it into the rotation are somewhat healthy, so I am thankful for that. 

My mom sent me home, the night before, with a plate for dinner.  William is traveling and it was so nice not to have to think about dinner.  Smoked chicken, green beans, and squash casserole.  Yum.

Loving lately

The end of the school year is near and my minutes of free time to blog are limited. But as the summer days approach and my time by the pool increases, I am looking forward to spending a few more days in this space...sharing the moments I love.

For now, here's what I'm loving...

Working from this cozy coffee shop. 

Hearing about the latest camping adventures from these two love birds.

Listening to tunes while savoring every sip of this small Mother's Day treat.

Playing on the beach.

This book. Every word.

A Saturday morning at the farmer's market.

Poolside dinners.

Building forts.

Weekend morning snuggles.

This sweetheart.

Sweet reminders.

Beach yoga with my mom.

This truth.

See you soon, my friends.

Latest Greatest Green Monster.

This green monster is making a frequent appearance in my week. It is so good.

Here's what I use...

The fresh date adds a little sweetness and a tablespoon of cocoa is the perfect amount of chocolate. 

All blended together for a minute or two. 

It's the perfect breakfast, afternoon snack, or after dinner treat. Yum!

Easter

A recap in pictures...

Easter eggs turn into the best avocado egg salad.

I love family weekends. Happy Easter!

Dinners

I love reading about other bloggers and their families, adventures in motherhood, and travels. But most of all, I love reading blogs for meal inspirations. Call me crazy, but what other women eat and cook to maintain their health, satisfy their husbands, and nourish their children is so interesting to me.

With that said, here's what we've been eating for dinner lately. 

Grilled chicken, veggie pasta with grape tomatoes, cucumber and goat cheese, and grilled asparagus. 

Baked tacos. This was a new Pinterest recipe I tried out on my sister and brother in law. I used chicken and ground turkey (since William have up red meat for lent.) It was just okay but made for a nice twist on traditional tacos. 

Topped with these goodies.

Chicken stir fry with sesame seeds. Yum!

At least once a week we make a big salad for dinner. 

This week we topped it with delicious sautéed shrimp.

Another weekly staple is flat bread pizza. They are quick, easy and delicious. I use Naan whole wheat flat bread, tomato and pesto sauce, and as many veggies as I can load on them...plus a few pepperoni and bacon. 

We combined our leftover pasta salad and shrimp for an easy end of the week dinner. 

I like to try at least one new recipe a week, while keeping our grocery budget in tact. Planning meals is not always easy, but spending time in the kitchen is one of my favorite things to do.