Fresh Meals + The Animal Kingdom

this post!

Berry smoothie with Seven Sundays muesli on top! Since both of my boys love smoothies we have them every other day for breakfast. We rotate between berry vanilla, peanut butter banana vanilla, and peanut butter chocolate.

New favorite game

Bang on the table to the tune of “Hand Hand Fingers Thumb” while I chant the words

Also new favorite: Serue’s Go Go Car. (Serue is the name Mazen calls Birch sometimes!)

An old favorite:

Mazen now has a greater diversity of animals than Noah on the Ark. You never know what Grammie will find next! His most unique include a sloth, a vulture, a manta ray, and a few snakes.

He actually slept in the basement last week in a “fort” made of couch cushions and all the animals around him.

When he’s lucky, Birch gets to play animals too! Mazen’s deer is on loan right now for B’s crib.

Fresh Meals

We’ve been doing more cooking to get back in that habit. As I always say, the key is in the planning!

Shrimp and Grits

with bacon, peppers, and beer!

Chipotle Meatloaf

A Blue Apron favorite that we make again and again.

Grilled Chicken BLT Salads

Grilled Chicken with Grits and Salad

Plus spinach, cucumber yogurt sauce, and a cuc!

Family Leftover Night

• Mazen: quesadilla and salad
• Thomas: leftover shrimp and grits
• Me: leftover meatloaf
• Birch: leftovers from his early dinner – he had oatmeal!

Crockpot Pork Nachos?

We made a delicious pork shoulder in the crockpot with BBQ sauce and slaw. But at the last minute we realized the children ate all of the soft taco shells, so I made nachos instead!

Ina Garten’s Cinnamon Donuts

I even baked!! On Sunday morning I made the Barefoot Contessa baked cinnamon donuts. Mine aren’t nearly as pretty as hers, but they tasted great. They were more like coffee cake or a cupcake than a donut but were delicious all the same.

Date Night Takeout

Lest you think we cooked all week, we reserved one night for date night in. Takeout from Bizou!

Hope all’s well with you! <3