My weekend was a good one but I spent a lot of it working on some behind-the-scenes blog stuff that left me incredibly frustrated. One of my major goals for 2016 was to revamp my recipe and workout pages and right when I thought I had everything perfect, I hit publish and it all went crazy and looked horrific. (I have since taken down my failed attempts and replaced them with the older versions I’m dying to update.)
I was trying to do the whole revamp myself even though I am not at all comfortable with web design and coding and after pouring a solid eight hours into it, I think I am finally resigned to the fact that I need to hire a professional. Womp, womp.
I hope to have something visual appealing and user-friendly to reveal to you guys soon to make it 10,000 times easier to find the recipes and workouts you’re after when you visit this blog because I know it’s a pain right now!
Anyway, after spending so much time on the computer with nothing to show for it this weekend, my mind is a little all over the place and so this weekend’s recap is going to be a little different. We’re counting down weekend fun in a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-themed post. It’s a little unusual, but let’s just roll with it! I hope you guys had a great weekend!
FIVE Things We Did This Weekend
- Took Chase To The Playground
Chase did so much better on the swings at a local park than he did when my mom and I tried to have him swing in a park in New York City a little more than a month ago! Apparently a month made a big difference because this time Chase was smiling up a storm!
- Sweat It Out At Burn Boot Camp
My workouts were a little on the lighter side last week, so it felt good to make it to a Saturday morning Burn Boot Camp class with my friend Carrie. The workout focused primarily on core but also incorporated bursts of cardio to raise our heart rate. It wasn’t the most challenging BBC workout I’ve done but it felt good to kick off the weekend on an active note.
- Picked Up Chase’s Spoon Off The Floor 5,000 Times
It was a blaaaast, you guys. So was cleaning that high chair. At least Chase got a big kick out of it! Such a little goof!
- Read Pat The Bunny
For a while there, I was a little nervous because Chase seemed incredibly disinterested in any book I would try to read with him. He is still often rather squirmy when we try to sit still and read together (unless he is sick with an ear infection!), but his attention span lasted longer than expected on Saturday morning when we read Pat the Bunny together. I think the interactive nature of the book and the different textures to touch on the pages helped keep him engaged. And I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic reading one of my childhood favorites with my little man!
- Organized
I know this isn’t the coolest thing in the world to report but it felt great to organize a bunch of things in our house this weekend. I boxed up some of Chase’s 3-6 month clothes (cue mom tears…), Ryan put away some of his baby-related things in the attic (like his bassinet) and did some work in the yard, I organized my home office closet and then on Sunday evening I went through some clothes so I could send another bag to thredUp. It felt great!
FOUR Things I Ate
I know this one sounds weird, but it’s so, so good! I whipped up a small bowl of chocolate avocado mousse to enjoy after dinner on Saturday night by combining one avocado with 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup cacao powder and 2 1/4 tablespoons maple syrup (you can add more if you like it sweeter). I just mashed it all together and skipped using a food processor which I usually use to make my avocado mousse a little fluffier, but this simplified version was so tasty! Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
- Viva Chicken Quinoa Stuffed Avocado
Apparently I was feelin’ avocado this weekend, huh? On Saturday evening, Ryan, Chase and I picked up dinner to go from Viva Chicken, a Peruvian-style restaurant that serves the most delicious pulled chicken. I ordered the quinoa stuffed avocado which was fantastic! A whole avocado was stuffed with red peppers, onion, organic quinoa and pulled chicken and drizzled with a creamy spicy mayo. I loved every last bite and would absolutely order this dish again.
This recipe fell on the backburner for me for a while there until I randomly saw someone pin it again on Pinterest. I love it when that happens and took it as a sign to bring it back into my life. I whipped up a bowl of my favorite oatless Paleo oatmeal for breakfast on Saturday morning and topped it with a sprinkle of cinnamon and cacao nibs for a little crunch.
- Honey Nut Cheerios
I’m not sure who I was kidding when I initially served myself a small bowl of cereal for a late morning snack on Sunday. I definitely refilled this bowl two more times and loved every last bite.
THREE Things I’m Looing Forward To This Week
- My Mom and Sister’s Visit
My mom and sister will be arriving in town on Thursday evening and I cannot wait to see them!!! I haven’t seen Leslie since Christmas and to say I’m thrilled for Chase to be able to spend quality time with his grandma and aunt at the end of this week is a serious understatement. They can’t get here soon enough!
- The Return of Gymboree and Play Dates
Being cooped up with a sick baby last week made me really appreciate our usual weeks around here where we’re able to get out and about a lot more to meet up with friends and attend a Gymboree class or two! I’m looking forward to meeting up with my girlfriends and getting Chase out of the house regularly again!
- Revamping My Recipe Page
Now that I know I need a professional’s help, I’m looking forward to making progress on my recipe and workout pages and hope to find a web savvy person to work with this week. Stay tuned!
TWO Meals I Plan To Make This Week
- Roasted Turkey Sausage with Apples and Butternut Squash
Made with lemon, thyme, olive oil and arugula!
- Stuffed Peppers with Spicy Turkey Sofrito
Made with ground turkey, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, spices and guacamole!
ONE Book I Am Reading
- The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty
This book hasn’t hooked me like Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret or Big Little Lies, but it’s still quite entertaining and I’m enjoying it so far!
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Ohhh…I happen to have two zucchinis just sitting here with no recipe planned. Definitely making some of that oatmeal this morning. Excited to see how your recipe page turns out! I come here ALL the time for ideas 😉
xx
Avocado mousse sounds amazing, it’s on my list for this week! So does the stuffed avocado – yum!! What fitness watch do you use? I’m shopping around for a new fitness tracker and can’t decide….so many to chose from! Thanks.
Working on something and then having a major flop can be so frustrating. But major props to you for working on code! It’s always great to feel accomplished, but it’s also great to know there are professionals to help- ha!
Aw hiring someone to revamp your recipe page will be super helpful, I know it’s annoying. I also love your slippers, they’re so cute! 🙂 Chase has to be the cutest little boy I’ve ever seen, every time I see him on your Snapchat it MAKES MY DAY! 🙂
First of all – his little head of hair. I can’t even. He’s adorable!
Blog programming can be SO frustrating sometimes. I ended up getting together with two other bloggers in the Denver area yesterday to figure out things like “how to set up an LLC” and “what to write off for taxes” because we were all feeling a bit frustrated. While I love the flexibility and creativity of the blog world, sometimes I do wish there was an exact road map!
Good luck! I’m sure that you’ll find a theme that is perfectly meant to be. 🙂
XO, Jessica
http://www.semisweettooth.com
Do I hear you on the blog coding frustration! 😀 I’m on a student budget and can’t afford to hire a professional (as I have decided to have zero blog income for the first year) so I thought I’d put my technologically unsavvy self up for the test and do it all by myself. hah! Blogs have their challenges so I sympathize. I wish I could just tell someone what I want so I can just focus on writing and picture taking! Maybe someday 🙂
Oh maaan what is WITH babies and the spoon drop. I always fall for it, thinking Sully is going to feed himself and then BAM down goes the spoon, plus with a curious dog always underneath the high chair..aye aye aye..usually once he starts playing with his spoon I know meal time is over! lol ..that mousse looks amazing, if I didn’t have coconut milk could I Just use regular milk?? Looks like a productive weekend! I got a little night away for my friends wedding shower out of town and then Sunday was met with spin class and chores..yaahooo..Im jealous of your high chair, we have the chicco version but it doesn’t have a tray …which means half of Sully’s food hits the floor before his mouth…..DANG …should have thought of that sooner!
Enjoy the time with your mom and sister! I am sure you will also love having the extra help!
I can see so much of you in Chase, but I would bet he’s going to be a spitting image of Ryan when he’s older!! Looking at his little profile looks so much like Ryan! He’s precious! I can’t believe how big he’s getting already. I feel like you announced your pregnancy yesterday!
Where are the slipper/booties from in the picture of you reading to chase?
Him on snap always makes me smile!
Thank you, Tracy! The slippers are Bear Paw! 🙂
Hi Julie! My girlfriend is a daily reader and just texted me; “Pbfinger is looking for someone to help with her blog!” I have been developing websites for over 8 years, and mobile apps (iOS/Android) for over 6 years. I live in Pittsburgh, PA and not India or China like some other developers you will find online.
Outside of your recipe and workout pages, I can definitely help improve your site speed as well.
My most recent food blog site I developed: http://penniespintspittsburgh.com/
and my website: http://psproapps.com/
Send me an email @ scott@psproapps.com and we can coordinate a time to discuss your project/s in greater detail.
Chase is SO cute! AHHH. I agree with everyone above- I love seeing snaps of Chase throughout the day! He always looks so happy 🙂
Thank you!! <3 He's my favorite little video subject. 🙂
The chocolate avocado mousse sounds fabulous. A must try! I know first hand how frustrating web design and coding can be. Plus it takes hours. Totally get it. xo Lauren
Hi Julie! Pat the Bunny is a cute one — glad to hear Chase sat and read with you! I feel like when my little guy was Chase’s age he really enjoyed those touch and feel books. You might want to try the “That’s not my…” series, published by Usborne (http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/subject/1~b~bbtnm/that-s-not-my.aspx). Also should be able to get them on Amazon 🙂
Thank you for the recommendation!!!
I was going to recommend that same series! It’s the best!
I just love avos. Apparently, so does Chase. <3 That mousse sounds awesome!
You have done such a great job with your blog Julie. It’s a bummer you were so frustrated this weekend! I am loving avocado mousse. It is so rich and the perfect healthy treat. YUM!
If you like Liane Moriarty books, you HAVE to read What Alice Forgot! I read it in only 2 days – it was so good!
You have to read What Alice Forgot next. That’s my favorite Liane Moriarty book!
I loved that one, too!!
I love this 54321 post so fun!
YAY for family coming to visit!! We had my whole family in town this weekend and it was so wonderful, so good for my soul 🙂 Seeing your family love on your baby is the best!
Loved the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 layout of this morning’s post! Keeping it fresh is always best 😉
Hi Julie,
I don’t usually comment although I’ve been a reader since college(like 2010 or 2011). Would you mind sharing the stuffed peppers recipe you’re going to use? That’s something I plan to make this week, but I don’t have a recipe yet.
I’m actually using a recipe from PlateJoy (it’s a meal planning site I just signed up to use about a month ago) but the recipe looks quite similar to this one: http://paleogrubs.com/stuffed-bell-peppers-recipe
My kids loved Pat the Bunny!
Ahh that would be so frustrating about your blogging troubles. I am super impatient so I struggle with not being able to figure something out right away! And I agree with the Last Anniversary… it’s good but probably my least favorite of Liane Moriarty’s books. So exciting your family is coming this week!
Love that high chair! What brand is it?
It’s the Chicco 360 high chair 🙂
Hey Julie…Is that a fitbit Surge you’re wearing? I am in the market for a fitness tracker and overwhelmed with options of what to choose. Which one do you have and how do you like it?
It is! Ryan gave it to me for Christmas and it’s absolutely my favorite heart rate monitor/fitness watch I’ve tried to date. I LOVE that you don’t have to wear a chest strap and it easily syncs with an app on your phone. Plus, it has built-in GPS. Highly recommended!
I couldn’t agree more about the pain in the buttness that is cleaning the Chicco 360. The best decision my husband and I made (well, maybe not the best, but a darn good one!) was to use the Chicco just for travel, and “invest” in the $20 IKEA white high chair. The hours of cleaning and putting the high chair back together was well worth the $20, it’s plain white so not hideously ugly, and just makes life easier.)
Did you use canned coconut milk for the avocado mousse? Looks great but all I have on hand is coconut milk in the carton.
Either would work!! The canned will just make it a little creamier. 🙂
yay cant wait to try it–sounds so good!
Pat the bunny was my favorite book!! I loved putting on mommy’s ring haha. Seeing that book on your post made me smile so big 🙂
I’ve been loving the avocado lately, too! I was super nervous about using it in a sweet recipes, but I made The Healthy Maven’s avocado brownies last week and they were so good! I might have (did) eat half the pan the day I made them. And it’s funny that you mentioned the paleo oatmeal – I almost made that for breakfast this morning. I ended up having your egg white and oatmeal protein pancake (loved it), but now I still need to try the oatmeal! Have a great week, Julie! Good luck with the behind-the-scenes work 🙂
Wow, I must have come to your recipe page this weekend in the window where you had it laid out in the new way – I liked it! (And I make your recipes often, often, often, OFTEN. You’re my recipe girl!) But I feel you, I had to run a website for awhile and I too found it frustrating to implement seemingly “easy” things (ha!), and found myself so frustrated and had to hire someone else to do it! I feel you! (Anytime someone says a wordpress plug-in is “so easy!” I am skeptical!)
Love these happy random posts. Chase is such a cutie, and I love the idea of the easier version of the avocado mousse. Plus I also spent four hours on Friday evening organizing my whole house too! It must be the spring organizing urge. Have a good Monday, Julie!
Hi Julie-Let me know if you need a recommendation for a web designer. I have experience with one and she is awesome!
I love honey nut cheerios. Ever since I was little I always put more honey on them. That’s the way to go!
I’m so sorry that you put so much time into your blog and it didn’t work out. I have been there and it is so frustrating. Coding is the worst. 🙁 Chase looks so happy at the park! He is getting so big. And yay for having your mom and sis come and visit. That really is the best. 🙂
I love Liane Moriarty! I’m reading The Hypnotist’s Love Story by her right now…her books just always make me feel a little happier, a little lighter!
Hi Julie! I recently decided I needed to have a professional make my website look more professional and I found a great freelancer on Upwork. You may already know about this but it is (I am still in the middle of the process) totally worth it! You can pay the person by the hour or for the completion of a whole project. There’s lots of communication and you can see work they have already done and read reviews. I really love it! 🙂 Best of luck!
https://www.upwork.com/
Chocolate avocado mousse is divine, couldn’t agree more!
Yay for avocado recipes! We just bought several and I really want to use them before they go bad. I will definitely give this a try.
I’m so glad an experienced blogger like you still gets frustrated because as a newbie I feel like I have spent more time getting frustrated with trying to make mine look appealing that by the time I get around to writing content, I am completely spent! It can get really overwhelming!
Oh man, I want to throw things at my computer on a daily basis! 😉
LOL, at this point (18 months), I estimate we’ve picked up 19,473 spoons off the floor (give or take, of course). 😉
What a cutie!
I need to try that avocado pudding. I’ve read about it on several sites and sounds tasty.
Glad I’m not the only one who eats multiple bowls of cereal, late at night for me. Your post on abstainers vs moderators spoke to me regarding this, I have no self control sometimes with cereal for whatever reason, especially captain crunch
One of my favorite moments ever was when my daughter would finally sit and be interested in books and listening me read to her. I loved that moments, and each night afterwards. She’s 8 years old now, and our bedtime routine still involves books. Nothing better than cuddles and reading. Except now, she’s reading to me. Sniff, Sniff !
I’m a newish blogger, and all the blogs I follow are so far away distance wise. I’ve been searching for local bloggers who would like to start up a get together for the reasons that you have posted about. To learn from each other, in the hopes of not having to hire a professional for stuff. So many people, know how to do different aspects of a blog, that an informal swap of information and training each other would be great. So far, it’s just me! lol Good luck with your blog layout.
I don’t comment often but I love your blog. I had to share that when I read about dropping the spoon I thought you could turn it into another opportunity to do squats while picking it up! 🙂 Enjoy your baby boy-the time goes by way too fast. I just celebrated my first born daughter’s 20th birthday on Sunday and her sister will be in 18 in June!
Haha! I love that! Thank you so much for reading and for taking the time to comment! 🙂
That avocado mousse looks so good!!! Chase is such a cutie!!! We having family coming into town this weekend too, so excited!