This weekend was a good one for the Fagan family. Friday night kicked off date night for me and Ryan which is always a wonderful way to begin the weekend. Since my mom arrived in town Friday afternoon, we took advantage of her kind offer to watch Chase and Ryan planned a special birthday date for me. We headed out to Sur la Table in Huntersville for a Parisian-themed cooking class!
I tried my best to be a good blogger and brought my real camera with me so I wouldn’t have to rely on my phone for pictures of the evening. Apparently this was not the best idea because I forgot my camera at the store and it hasn’t turned up yet. I’m so bummed but not giving up hope since I left a voicemail with the culinary department and am still waiting to hear back from them.
In the meantime, I don’t have much to show for our date night other than one photo of our finished dinner that I took on my phone and a random 6-second video I originally posted on Snapchat. (<— My username is juliepbfingers)
When we arrived at Sur la Table, Ryan headed next door to Whole Foods to buy a bottle of wine for us to share and since it took a while to cook our food (close to three hours), we were both a bit tipsy early on in the night and had a little too much fun. (Maybe this is why I forgot my camera?) We laughed a lot and both agreed we would absolutely love to go back for another class at Sur la Table in the future. It was a blast and the dinner and dessert (an unpictured lemon citron mousse) were both fantastic! (Fun fact: Our head chef competed on The Food Network’s Chopped before! She said it took 18+ hours to film one 30-minute episode and she came in second.)
Saturday
On Saturday morning, after breakfast and morning playtime with Chase, my mom and I went through a box of my grandmother’s recipes that she brought along with her from my aunt’s house.
(Throwback photo with Mimi from my freshman year of college!)
It was such a treat to go through Mimi’s recipe box, especially since I’ve always considered her one of the best cooks in the world. She took so much pride in creating amazing meals for her family and I’m not exaggerating when I say we had hundreds of beautifully hand-written recipe cards to sort through.
We sifted through the recipes in waves, categorizing them and taking care to keep a bunch of our family favorites or recipes Mimi wrote down that looked particularly tasty. I’m hoping to make a bunch in the future and will definitely share some of the winners with you guys as well!
There was one card my mom found on Sunday that really stuck out to me and made me feel a little emotional.
Knowing that my grandma actually took the time to read my blog (she was really good with technology and even texted!) meant a lot to me, but seeing that she wrote down some of my recipes (even when she was no longer cooking) meant the world. I miss you so much, Mimi.
We spent the rest of our Saturday out and about. I was on a mission to find a hat for the Kentucky Derby party my mom and dad are hosting next month and walked away with a teal hat I hope will be a winner. (Just wait until you guys see the outfit I got for Chase. It’s all kinds of obnoxious and fabulous.)
We also ran to the grocery store for some food, picked up a movie to watch from Redbox, had a mini ice cream party and I dabbled in baby food making.
I have yet to let Chase try my homemade concoction (a combination of lots of steamed broccoli and a banana, blended in the Vitamix until smooth), but I hope he likes it! (We’re still flipping back and forth between purees and finger foods right now.)
Sunday
Sunday was another beautiful day in Charlotte, so Ryan and I made sure to spend a lot of time outside. We went for a 4.5 mile walk with Sadie during Chase’s naptime while my mom was kind enough to watch our little man and it felt so crazy to walk around without a stroller. It’s funny how quickly you adjust to lugging a bunch of stuff with you wherever you go once a baby enters the picture!
After Chase’s nap, the four of us drove to Discovery Place KIDS because I was dying to show my mom and Ryan one of Chase’s favorite playtime destinations.
We walked all over the place but spent the most time playing with Legos.
I’m pretty sure Ryan had just as much fun as Chase and he spent some time writing out our names in Legos while we played.
(Note “CHASE” written out in Legos thanks to Dad!)
Eventually we made it back home after stopping for subs for lunch and Chase promptly passed out in his crib for a solid two hours which gave me time to work on this blog post while my mom and Ryan relaxed for a bit!
As for the rest of our Sunday? I’m planning to make a quick trip out to the grocery store before hopefully crawling into bed early tonight. I need to finish The Last Anniversary, but I must admit it’s probably my least favorite of all the Liane Moriarty books I’ve read so far. It’s entertaining but reading this one after Defending Jacob which had me vigorously turning the pages at the end is a little disappointing. I’m hoping my next book selection will be a little better.
I hope you guys have a great week!
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I’m so sorry you lost your camera and I really hope you find it!! I have done one of those Sur La Table cooking classes before and they really are so fun 🙂 Despite the camera missing, it sounds like you had a fantastic weekend 🙂
I’m so sorry about your camera, but I saw your date night meal in Snapchat and it looked amazing, and fun! And you’re right, it’s amazing how quickly we get used to lugging things around and pushing a stroller.
So sorry about your camera, but that date night sounds so fun! I love cooking with my husband and it must have been fun to try to make something new. Maybe we’ll try this date night since I think we have a Sur La Table in the city. Have a great week!
You need to read Station Eleven!! It’s definitely a page turner…. I sacrificed sleep (I have a 10 wk old) to finish it last night! So good…
I did a cooking class over the weekend too with my husband at Le Pain Quotiden… such a fun date and way to spend time together- hope your camera turns up!
Looks like a great weekend! And just how sweet is that notecard recipe from your Grandma! You know she wrote that down because she wished she could make it someday! Much love, girly!
What a sweet thing to find, I know her passing was very hard on you and your family. All my sympathy always! Chase and Ryan on Snapchat were adorable!
Wow im so sorry about your camera! I’ve seen those classes and have been dying to go to one–looks like its so fun! I bet it would be a fun sisters night too.
I have some hand written recipe cards from my mommom and they mean the world to me–i miss her so much too <3
I recommend When Breath Becomes Air! I started it yesterday and can’t put it down. His style of writing is stunning.
I would be so upset if I lost my camera…I hope you find it!
My grandmother has an old wooden box that is filled with recipes from her mother and grandmother. All of them are hand written and some of them have fun notes on them about how they turned out. I know that one day my mom and I are going to go through it and I already feel emotional thinking about it.
what a sweet thing to find in your grandma’s recipes! I am currently reading The Hypnotist Love Story by Liane Moriarty and really enjoying it!
Hi! I just wanted to share that I recently went through my mother-in -laws recipe box and had one of her mom’s recipes glazed onto a plate to display in her home. Look up Prairie Hills Pottery on Etsy! They are very easy to work with- just had to scan the recipe and email it to them. They then send you a proof and you can choose from many dish or plate options. It turned out great and was a sentimental gift for my mother-in-law. Turn around time was fast and reasonably priced . Just though I would share in case you or anyone else is looking for a unique gift !
This is so cool!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! <3
I LOVE those pants, details please!
It was because of your post I pulled out my moms box of recipes. She never cooked because must of the time she was too sick but she cut ones she would like.
I found a hand-written one for Brisket my favorite meal on our current holiday, Passover that her and my grandmother would make. I cried because I missher terribly.
Goal is to make some of the dishes she saved!
Hope you find your camera.
You must have felt so overcome with bittersweet emotion to see how much Mimi loved you! The cooking class sounds fun, there’s a Sur la Table on the Upper East Side that I think I’ll have to investigate as a date night. Although I’m not sure about a cooking class with my allergies…
Grandmothers are the best! I miss mine so much.
At what age did Chase start enjoying discovery place kids? We live in VA, but we are often in Charlotte visiting my in-laws. At our next trip Nicholas will be 5.5 months.
We took him at first right around 6 months but he definitely got more into it around 8 months! It’s still a fun experience either way though! If you go, definitely take him to the Discovery Place KIDS location in Huntersville (not the uptown location), as it’s a lot more baby friendly! They have a water table your little one might love! That’s Chase’s favorite!
I know exactly what you mean about the recipes. I have 2 of my grandmother’s recipe boxes that I pulled out for Passover. Reading her handwriting & using her splattered cards for the holiday always makes me tear up a bit.
If you’re looking for a book to read after this one, I highly recommend the Nightengale! It made me cry several times while reading in public but it will definitely be a story that sticks with me forever.
I’ve been wanting to go to Sur La Table and every time I go to Whole Foods, I remind myself to check it out. Glad to hear you and Ryan enjoyed it! That’s so cute about your grandmother’s recipe card from your blog!
How special going through all your grandmas recipes, it brought tears to my eyes!
xo, Kristina
what a fun weekend! I really want to try a cooking class. Hope your camera tuns up soon! Also, you look so cute in these pics- I love that hairstyle!
Ahh that Discovery Place KIDS looks so FUN! I have to see if they have one in the DC area!
I’ve never taken a cooking class but it looks like a ton of fun! Plus a bottle of wine makes it even better:) Haha. That’s so sweet about your grandma’s recipe cards!
I’ve been dying to take a class at Sur La Table! Sounds like a great weekend, I hope your camera turns up soon!
I made baby food for the first time this weekend too! eeeek! I just did sweet potato + like an ounce of breastmilk to make it a little thinner. Chase looks like he had a BLAST with you guys!!
I did a cooking class there and it was great, except in Boston you are not allowed to bring wine…
I am currently reading Jodi Picoult, Leaving Time. I love her books and this one sucked me right in!
I saw that picture on IG and thought it was so sweet. That’s so nice that she wrote that down and I know you miss her a lot!
Hi Julie! So happy you got to spend some time with Ryan on Friday for your date night, but I hope your camera turns up. Also, on a different note, I LOVE how you styled your hair in Saturday’s post. Any chance you could explain how you did it (video tutorial)?
Thanks!
BOOK REC!
I also struggled through Last Anniversary – entertaining but not something I couldn’t wait to get back to. I love all the same books that you love and HIGHLY recommend The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I normally stick to contemporary books – Lianne Moriarty and Jojo Moyes are my favorites, but this book was the best book I have read in recent years. Its about two sisters living in Paris during WW2 and how their lives progress and change with the war. I LOVED it.
I’ve heard the best things about that book! I need to read it especially since I am a huge fan of historical fiction.
A quick tip regarding homemade baby puree’s. I didn’t figure this out until my 3rd baby but I found it very helpful to puree only a single fruit or vegetable at a time and then freeze in ice cube trays. This way at any meal I could grab one cube of a couple varieties and mix them together and then at the next meal I could switch varieties simply by grabbing a couple of different cubes. This prevented a freezer full of a variety that my baby wasn’t fond of and made it super easy to switch up flavour combinations from sweet to a more savoury combo.
Love this idea! Thank you for sharing!
It looks like a fun weekend but I am SO sorry about your camera. 🙁
That salmon looks so good…. I hope you share the recipe. 🙂
Sorry about your camera ~ I sure hope it gets turned it.
I hope you find your camera soon. I have a few huge books of recipes to go through from my grandma too. She was the best cook and I miss her dearly too. Glad you all had a fun weekend, Chase is just adorable!
It’s such a shame that your camera never turned up, but I’m glad that you had a nice weekend otherwise! It’s important to cherish the little things as well as the people around you who love you most!
Finding out that your grandma wrote down your recipes from your blog….PRECIOUS! That is so sweet! It does certainly sound like you had a great weekend…aside from losing your camera 🙁 I hope you find it!
I hope your camera turn up. Fingers crossed. xo Lauren
Hi Julie, I’m just curious how many naps Chase takes and how long they are on a regular day? I have a 7 month old boy. Did you find sleep training harder for naps than at night?
So sorry to hear about your camera! 🙁 I hope it turns up asap with some kind soul to thank! Awww on Mimi’s recipes! There’s nothing better than seeing their handwriting on a recipe card, am I right? I have my mom’s recipe box (and books) filled with her handwriting and it also makes me emotional (she passed 8 years ago). But the most LOVELY thing about it is being able to feel like you can really somehow CONNECT to them through their food. When I make one of my mom’s delicious recipes (mock lasagna is a favorite!), I feel closer to her, like I somehow “made contact” in a way. It’s just a good feeling, especially if you’re a spiritual person (I am).
Loved this fun weekend recap! It sounds like other than the camera, it was a very happy one. I’m lol’ing and relating to your little 6 second video on your way to date night – that music you’re playing (and your excitement) remind me of myself. So fun! One last thing: one of my friends convinced me to stop reading books I wasn’t liking, even if I was in the middle or towards the end. I thought, “the horrors!” Because I always finish what I start! But she said something that helped me abandon a book, 3/4 of the way through: “why do you read? For entertainment, right? To enjoy your free time, right? Well why waste your precious free time on something you’re not ENJOYING, if the whole purpose of it is to enjoy it? You’re not in college anymore, and there won’t be a test on it!” I quit that book, and never looked back!
Have you read any other Kate Morton books? I’m pretty sure I read The Secret Keeper because of a post you wrote, but her other books are all amazing, too! I’m reading Distant Hours right now and absolutely loved The Lake House 🙂
Ohhhh i love Kate Morton’s books too but i couldn’t find anyone else who did and i really love talking about what i’m reading ?. I’m so glad i’m not alone in this.
I love that your Grandma wrote down your recipes! So cute! Such a nice memory for you 🙂
Oh my gosh, what a sweet thing of your grandma to do! I would definitely have teared up had I been in your shoes. That’s definitely something to treasure for a long time!
How wonderful to find that your Mimi had copied one of your own recipes. That is so sweet. I love how close you and your mom are and that you can share all the memories of your grandmother together.
On a totally unrelated note (and one that now feels a little superficial), where did you get the pants you are wearing in all the photos? They are really adorable.
Where are those adorable pants from!? They are too cute! I love the “Chase” in legos, so cute 🙂
Thrilled to discover there’s a Sur La Table less than an hour from me! The cooking classes sound like a blast. Quick question – did you actually get to a eat a full meal or was it just small bites from the food the class cooked?
I read Defending Jacob at your blog’s recommendation- I wasn’t as thrilled! I don’t know, it was good, but the ending was a big anti-climatic and I feel like I predicted it early on.
Have you read Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon? It takes place in Barcelona and it is one of the most beautiful books i have ever read.
Your Mimi always sounds like the most amazing grandma. I miss both my grandmothers but even more so my grandfather who lived with us all through my childhood. He was the best storyteller in the world.
Where are your pants/leggings from? So cute! I also want to learn how to do a half up bun that looks as good as yours. Any tips? Thanks!
Good luck on the camera – fingers crossed!!!! I know how you feel – I left my laptop on a plane the other day! Fortunately, it turned up (and just took 2.5 hours of my time to go to the airport to get it!).
Your grandma’s recipe card almost made ME cry, and I don’t even know your family! That is so, so sweet. We lost my grandpa a couple of weeks ago, so it’s an emotional time. <3