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Good Monday mornin’ to ya! How are you guys doing so far? All is well over here!
This weekend it rained non-stop in Charlotte. When we lived in Florida, rain was a daily occurrence in the summer but it usually just downpoured for an hour or so every afternoon and the rest of the day would be sunny. Well, in North Carolina, we’ve noticed that rain often means rain all day long, which puts a damper (<—pun intended because I’m a nerd) on any outdoor plans. Though the majority of our weekend was spent indoors, we made the most of the dreary weather and spent some quality time with friends at their apartment on Saturday afternoon.
Ryan, Chase and I paid a visit to Melissa and Jarian to meet their adorable four week old baby boy. If you stopped by PBF back in July, you may remember me blogging about their couples baby shower and even though they opted to be surprised by the sex of their baby, I was somehow absolutely convinced they were going to have a boy and I never get a “feeling” about that sort of thing. Now Ryan lovingly refers to our baby boys as “Bro Babies” and the two little guys got to meet in person for the first time on Saturday when we brought Melissa and Jarian a big lasagna for dinner.
It was so, so nice to hang out with Melissa and Jarian and talk with another couple who is going through exactly what we’re going through at exactly the same time. All of the joys, the struggles, the sleepless nights, the projectile pee… We had a lot to chat about and laugh about, that’s for sure!
Holding Melissa and Jarian’s four week old baby made me realize just how much Chase truly has grown and changed in his eight weeks of life. He’s almost double his birth weight and I joked that seeing him next to their little one made Chase look like a toddler! (And I love how he’s trying to nurse on Jarian in the above photo. Ha! That boy is always ready to eat!)
Since the evening “witching hour” is still going strong in our house, we tried to plan our visit around Chase’s nightly meltdown and made it home by 6 p.m. Chase was only mildly fussy on Saturday night (WOOHOO!) and we were all in bed and asleep by 9 p.m. YES!
Sunday
On Sunday, Chase had us up by 6 a.m. and after some morning playtime with our little man, I headed out for an 8 a.m. Pure Barre workout. While Ryan watched Chase, I felt the burn in my booty and followed up class with a trip to the grocery store to pick up everything we needed for the week ahead. (I called Ryan from the grocery store to ask whether or not we had powdered sugar already for buttercream icing I hoped to make that afternoon and he had Chase answer the phone with a wailing cry. Oh the joys of an eight week old baby!)
Having a baby has significantly cut down on my desire to make mid-week grocery store runs and I’m doing my best to shop for nearly everything we need for the week on Sundays. This involves a lot more planning than I’ve ever done in the past and I’m surprisingly enjoying the meal planning process more than I anticipated.
Here’s a glimpse at our dinner menu for the week ahead:
- Monday: Grilled cheese with butternut squash soup and a side salad
- Tuesday: Pork tenderloin with sliced apples and roasted Brussels sprouts
- Wednesday: Breakfast sweet potatoes (Recipe from Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook) with fruit salad
- Thursday: Chicken sausage and spinach frittata with roasted potatoes
- Friday: Chicken fajitas (Recipe from Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook) with whole wheat tortillas and fruit salad
You may have noticed a few recipes from Juli Bauers’ Paleo Cookbook mentioned above and that’s because I am mildly obsessed with her new cookbook! Juli sent me a copy to check out and even though I personally do not follow a Paleo diet, I enjoy a lot of Paleo meals and her recipes are freaking amazing! I actually first tried one of her recipes when Brittany brought her spaghetti pie to our house after Chase was born and I could not get enough of it. When my mom was staying with us, we made a handful of recipes from her cookbook and loved them all. (Juli’s meatloaf and buffalo chicken casserole got rave reviews from us. Since we’re babies with spicy food in our house, we actually topped the buffalo chicken casserole with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to cut back some of the heat and loved it!)
When I got back from my grocery store run, Ryan headed to the gym and Chase and I danced around and played until he got sleepy and went down for a solid nap. I immediately went into hyper-productive mode and prepped some food for the week, cleaned the kitchen and baked a batch of pumpkin spice cupcakes while he was sleeping. Nap time = Go time! (And be on the lookout for the cupcake recipe this week!)
The rest of our Sunday was spent around the house, hanging out with our favorite little man and pup, working on the computer and cleaning. (I’m sending another bag of clothes to ThredUp and also ordered some of the cutest clothes for Chase from the site for the fall and winter months.)
I hope you guys had a lovely weekend and are entering the week feeling relaxed and rejuvenated! Thanks for stopping by!
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I’m really looking forward to the cupcake recipe!! I absolutely love cupcakes (tagline of my blog too 😉 ) and I make everything with squash here because the whole pumpkin trend hasn’t caught on in Europe 😉 But squash works just as well! Happy Monday! 🙂
Those cupcakes look divine! Love the “weekly meal plan” part of your post. I’m just getting into meal planning/Sunday prep and having a hard time figuring what to make throughout the week that’s easy and provides variety. Great post!! Already pinning a few of the recipes =)
Thanks, Leslie! Planning and prepping food really does make things easier/more seamless during the week. I’m hoping I can stick to it!
I can definitely relate to days of “all rain” and it’s always extra sad when they fall on weekend days! But it seems like you had an awesome time inside 🙂 Man those pictures of the two boys together are the cutest.
1. Projectile pee. Such a real problem!
2. It truly is amazing how quickly babies change! Embrace every stage:)
3. Those cupcakes look amazing!
Haha! And yes, I am trying my best to cherish every stage Chase goes through. Seeing their adorable 4-week old baby made me feel like Chase is already a little giant! My newborn baby is no more and it already makes me a little weepy!
how sweet!! Look at those sweet boys!! and I’m SO ready for this cupcake recipe!
How cute! Bro babies is too funny. My son isn’t super close in age to any other kids we know, but he is 9 months younger than a boy cousin and they’re definitely bros when they hang out!
So cool that your friends just had their baby too! Definitely will help having another new mum to bounce ups and downs with/off! I just got a copy of Sonia (The Healthy Foodie) ‘s new cook book, the paleo home cooking, in love with it! Would love to check out Juli’s though! LOVE her blog!
I also enjoyed the weekly menu planning portion of your post…you have inspired me to get back into the habit of planning ahead. I feel like we have been throwing meals together last minute and making multiple trips to the grocery store during the week…with our kids back in school, after school activities and work to juggle, not having a meal plan adds to the stress! Also, thanks for Juli Bauer’s paleo cookbook recommendation….just put it into my Amazon shopping cart! I follow a GF diet and always looking for some new yummy recipes to try. I looked at the recipes listed in the Table of Contents…they sound great!
Her recipes are amazing!! Definitely check out her blog for more (free!) recipes –> http://paleomg.com I HIGHLY recommend her spaghetti pie. It’s seriously unreal!
I make way to many mid week grocery runs! A weekly plan is the way to go.
It rained all weekend in Asheville too. That all day rain really surprised me when I first moved here too. Took me a long time to get used to it 🙂
i have parent teacher conferences this week so i’m a bit nervous for that – it will be a busy week and a busy upcoming weekend including zip lining and rappelling down a hyatt hotel!!
I have been cooking my way through Juli’s cookbook as well! I don’t follow paleo either but the recipes are so close to recipes I would cook anyway! Everything has been absolutely delicious. Apple fennel breakfast sausage is on the menu tonight!
Those cupcakes look divine! Can’t wait to see the recipe 🙂
Could you continue with the weekly meal plans? I do the same thing and am always looking for new recipes and ideas! To cut down on time spend searching for recipes, I highly recommend keeping a google or excel spreadsheet with recipes you like and where to find them/a link. That way when you’re short on time you can pick ones you know you’ll love. I also categorize mine so I can quickly find chicken or vegetarian for example.
Ooh I love that idea!! Can you please come plan MY meals!?!
Those cupcakes look delicious! I am not Paleo either but often find the recipes to be really good since I am Celiacs and have other allergies. I have to modify them to eliminate tree nuts since they’re a huge part of the paleo diet, but for vegetable, chicken and fish dishes the recipes are great..
Looks like a solid weekend – and I can’t wait to try those cupcakes! I’ve been on a plain, old vanilla kick lately(nothing like a classic), but it’s definitely time to mix it up! 🙂
I’m impressed you’re able to be so productive during naptime. For me it’s usually read-a-book-on-the-couch time or take-a-nap-myself time! I try to plan meals for the week and do one big grocery run on the weekend, but always ALWAYS manage to forget at least one essential item. I’d like to get better at doing some meal prep on the weekends, but see above for my preferred naptime activities. 😉
Oh motherhood! Sounds like you got a lot done when you could though. Nice work on the meal planning and the workout. You just reminded me that I am due to send in some clothes as well, so I’ll be requesting a bag today! 🙂 Happy Monday!
So productive! It definitely gives me hope that I will still be able to do others things such as cleaning, food prep, baking, etc., in moderation of course, once our boy arrives. I just hope I have as much energy as you seem to have!
I really try to take advantage of the days when I do have a lot of energy, but believe me there are days when I feel like a walking zombie and nothing productive seems to get done!
Rainy days are always lazy days for me too! And those cupcakes..yum!!
I really need to get better about meal planning!! Your menu sounds so good!
Thank you for reminding me to do my meal plan today! 😀
This is the perfect post for me today because it is suppose to be storming here (Texas) all day today! Thanks for the share and I am excited to see your pumpkin cupcake recipie. I saw the post on the pumpkin cookies awhile back and are definitely making those soon!
I did have a question about your planning though, do you plan out every meal (bfast, lunch, snacks, dinner) or just dinner meals? I try to plan it all out but a lot of times I rebel to myself and say no I don’t feel like that today haha.
Right now I’m only planning dinner and just try to do my best to come up with breakfast and lunch on the fly. 🙂 I think planning everything would overwhelm me a little too much right now!
Hey Julie! I have a 4 week old little girl and can totally relate that they are growning so fast! Time needs to slow down! Just curious if your pumping for a bottle feeding when you go out or just making it back in time to breastfeed Chase again. When did you introduce your paci? Just looking for other mom experiences. Have a great week. Thanks!
I am pumping almost every morning right now (our freezer is slowly being taken over by breastmilk) and try to have a bottle out and waiting whenever I leave Chase just in case he’s hungry or starts fussing. We introduced a paci around 4 weeks (we held off longer than most I think because I wanted to make sure breastfeeding was doing smoothly after we had his frenulum clipped). The paci has been a lifesaver for us! And congratulations to you on your little one!! <3
Those cupcakes look amazing! And what cute bro babies!! 😀
I love meal planning now and I’m sure I’ll love it even more when my baby arrives! I’m currently working on my freezer stash and meal plan for the first month- I’m thinking it will make life MUCH easier as we navigate our first month at home!
I FINALLY made a meal plan this week and it made such a huge difference in both how long it took to grocery shop but how much we ended up spending!
Omg… those babies! Absolutely adorable. I hate grocery shopping more than once a week, too. Plus I always come home with way too many things not on my list.
Online grocery shopping has changed my life and spending! I love how I can pick exactly the same brands I always buy anyway and see what’s on sale.
I’ve started using Instacart (<– referal link) when we seem to have no food in the house. I just placed an order 5 minutes ago and I'll have my groceries in an hour. Quality control is awesome- they do a better job picking produce than I do. Love it.
Can’t wait for the cupcake recipe, I’ve been trying to hold back on a “pumpkin-everything” binge but I think with October around the corner it’s time to start. This was week one of meal planning and food prep for me and so far it has been so helpful. Also, I just discovered the app “Poshmark.” Similar to consignment sites but you post your own clothes and determine the price. Have yet to buy or sell anything but looks intriguing!
Julie, you are so right about the weather. We enjoy Charlotte for concerts (drive from Atlanta) on weekends. We were in Charlotte this weekend and commented that it has been rainy the last three times. However, we enjoy it so much that we always come back. And thanks to you we ventured to Toast in Dilworth for breakfast on Sunday. Great staff and good food plus Dilworth has great homes. Glad you had time to enjoy friends this weekend.
I live by meal planning because I hate running to Publix during the week (which I do anyway but I still hate it). I want to eat at your house this week! That cupcake…nom.
longtime reader and very infrequent commenter, but I must say that I find it disappointing and tacky that you used an affiliate link for the car safety keychain tool.
I go to the grocery store, once a week, usually on Saturday or Sunday – I always have a list of ingredients for 5 meals, so we can count on going out and leftovers for the other two nights. It makes things so much easier, and actually saves us money! I’m not even a coupon clipper! I use pinterest for my recipes, which totally helps with inspiration! As we’re expecting a baby in Feb, I’m hoping to stock our freezer with meals for the first month – this seems like a life saver! Best of luck in the new meal planning adventure! I agree with a previous reader that a blog post of your weekly menu might help you stay on track!
Hi Julie!!
Your meal plan looks amazing!! I am definitely checking out that potato recipe as soon as I finish commenting 🙂
I see little snippets of fall in some of your photos – you should do a fall home tour!! I’m already curious as to where you got your pumpkin kitchen towels!!
We live in Charlotte too and yes this weather has been crazy! I love rainy days but I do miss the sunshine after a few days in a row of rain! Looks like it’ll be rainy for another five days too, which is nuts!!
Hope you are having a wonderful week!
– Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
Hi Julie, your dinners for the week look delicious. Probably you’ve already addressed this somewhere on your blog already (if so can link to it?), but do you have a general eating philosophy? After many years of dieting I feel like I’ve forgotten how to eat normally. The food you post always looks so well balanced, I wondered if you’re just able to do that intuitively or if you aim for anything in particular? Thanks!
Looks like an awesome weekend! I used to live in Florida and I totally remember the days where it would be sunny out and then all the sudden a storm comes rolling in out of nowhere! Lol
After moving to a big city I am totally with you on the one grocery trip per week! I have been trying to meal plan myself and so far I think I am doing a great job of it ! Also those cupcakes look fantastic! Can’t wait to try them!
I miss that little newborn phase of rooting around on everything trying to nurse. Chase is such a cutie pie!
Bro Babies, Love it!! So cute and fun to have friends with a little boy too. I need to get Juli’s book. I’ve tried several of her recipes from her blog and love them. Especially the Buffalo Chicken Meatza, I made it several weeks in a row because it was so good.
My little one is 3 days younger than chase and we’re going through evening fussing too. I thought he was hungry but each time he latched he’d pull off and cry. It was heartbreaking. Not sure if its the same for chase.
I’ve found he’s actually suffering wind and he wants the comfort of sucking but not the milk but as I have an oversupply he gets a huge gob full of milk and gets cross! We’re now pedaling his legs and holding him upright for a while before bed. He usually then spends the night trumping! Its not fool proof but just wanted to share. You aren’t alone! X
Those are my FAV cupcakes to make in the fall! So freaking easy!
Add chocolate chips to it! – It is a GAME CHANGER! Soooo good with the pumpkin.
Also, I usually do cream cheese icing (which pairs really well) but I will have to try this!
Oooh! I was going to add chopped pecans next time, but I’ll definitely throw chocolate chips in there, too!
Hi Julie! Please post the buffalo chicken casserole and spaghetti pie recipe from Juli’s book. They both sound delicious! Thank you!