Hey hey hey!!! I almost said āI hope this post finds you wellā š. Clearly Iāve been writing too many emails lately. I do genuinely hope it finds you well though š. I misunderstood the meaning of that greeting for the longest time- I used to think it basically meant āI hope this email doesnāt end up in your Spam folderā!
Letās get into it shall we?! May 23rd we tried out a new grocery store, Marcās. Itās in the same lot as the UPS store where we did a drop off. I liked this place! We picked up some fun new finds and then headed home. Iāve been doing more in person grocery trips now that Quinn is older and tolerates the cart well. Itās a great way to find new items and get out of the house (plus saves on the delivery fees).
That day was my sisterās (Halstonās) birthday. As soon as we got home we FaceTimed her. I thought it was so sweet how Quinn was playing games with her through the screen.
Some kitchen dancing after lunch!
For dinner that evening I made pierogies. Pierogies are reminiscent of childhood for me. I grew up in Parma, OH, one of the most populous Polish cities in the US, and pierogies are a national Polish dish. The crispy, buttery outside and fluffy potatoey inside is a little bite of heaven.
We tried the brand holy perogy! discovered at Marcās, and they were excellent! I could have crisped them up more, definitely will next time.
These two are quickly becoming two peas in a pod.
Quinn will often throw a fit when Moose walks out of the room. One time he went upstairs, and when I shut the baby gate she acted like it was the end of the world. When I opened it back up she crawled up the stairs (with me right behind her) and had a giggle fit when she spotted Moose again. Itās also kind of fun because Quinn will chase Moose around now, and I can just let them wear each other out hah!
This girl is very busy and has very important tasks all day long!
For Quinnās bday, we got her a mini car wagon. We donāt have much sidewalk space where we currently live, but itās enough to take this little car out for a spin. āBeep beep!ā
That day I made homemade chicken nuggets using this veggie caeser dressing. I really like this stuff, and the nuggets were a hit.
That evening it was beautiful outside, so we decided to do a little family picnic at a nearby park. We brought along Piada and found a nice grassy area. I used a Little Spoon meal to mix in some cavatelli for Quinn and gave her some of my salmon and veggies too. I opt for one shipment of Little Spoon every few weeks for when Iām in a pinch with getting daycare meals ready or am low on groceries. Itās nice because you can freeze their meals too.
Explorinā the great outdoors! She was much more interested in running around than eating. Although I did have to make sure she didnāt eat grass. Itās all oddly similar the things I have to worry about with her and Moose š .
For breakfast, I made these incredibly easy spinach muffins.
They contain 1 banana, 2 eggs, 4 TBSP rolled oats and 1 handful of spinach. I blended it all with a hand blender and put in oven at 350 for about 15 mins. These were a hit! I got the recipe from jc_plates on Instagram. (I donāt actually have an Instagram Iām active on, but I have an account to find recipes and keep up with my trash reality TV off-screen happenings- priorities yāall, priorities!).
May 25th we hit up Giant Eagle, for groceries and for fun because that place is the best.
I grabbed some veggie chips to go along with a Kevita.
I also spotted these Utz Hot Honey chips that had our name all over them! Well, actually, I donāt like traditional potato chips (I know, who doesnāt like potato chips), but I LOVE hot honey.
We gave them a nibble, and they were pretty good! They were sweeter than hot Iād say, maybe wonāt get again, but they were worth the try.
I was craving a salmon salad somethinā fierce that day, so I ordered Piada for lunch. I am so stinkinā excited I can get cheese in salads again!
Nursery fun!
That afternoon, we played with the edible veggie finger paints in the tub. Much easier cleanup this way and a blast!
After getting ready for bed that evening, we played in the nursery a bit more to get out the last burst of energy. She is soooo sweet with her animals. And she loves this flamingo from Gigi.
May 26th we went to Heartwood Coffee Roasters to get out of the house. I tried an oat milk au lait and sampled a breakfast cookie.
Quinnie was getting a bit restless, so I decided getting outside and enjoying the beautiful morning may be a good idea. I loaded her in the stroller, and we took off to stroll the nearby neighborhoods. She tolerated the stroller for a long time! I listened to a podcast and soaked up the adorably decorated lawns and homes.
That afternoon, we stopped into Krieger for just a couple fill-in groceries. They also have plant nursery we stopped in before heading into the store.
Mesmerized by all the flowers!!
For lunch, I made some acorn squash with a parmesan seasoning blend, lentils and asparagus.
That evening, we tried Motor City Pizza. We finished cooking it in the air fryer, which was a great decision. It was decent, but Jetās is 1000% better!
May 27th we started the morning with a little stroll out in Quinnās car around the neighborhood.
For breakfast, I served her some lentils, a hard boiled egg and a fruit and veggie pouch. Some days sheāll gobble everything, and some days sheāll barely touch it. Iām trying not to stress the low appetite days and just keep offering a variety of foods.
That afternoon, we met up with my brother, SIL, niece and nephews at the zoo!
Can you spot the giraffe in the background? How many parents do you think have made the comparison- āLook! Itās a giraffe, like Sophie?!ā. Also random thought- but giraffe is very much one of those words that the more you think about it, the more unusual it becomes.
First time on the carousel!! I just adore the look on her face here. She was more uncertain once it got moving.
Her favorite animal was definitely the bear!
After the zoo, I was craving a McDonaldās ice cream cone like nobodyās business. DJ watched the kids (one with more fur) while I zoomed to the nearby Golden Arches and ate my cone in the car for a moment of bliss.
Also side note, but Iām actively trying to gain some weight since it dipped after a couple stomach bugs, and I havenāt been able to get it back up. I know I talked about how I had to gain quite a bit the first time around to get pregnant, so Iām trying to get it back up now so it wonāt be an issue for baby #2 (God willing). I know I may ālook healthyā, but my body just doesnāt operate optimally at this weight. I still havenāt got a cycle back, which I know breastfeeding can interfere with, but Iām doing all I can to make sure my body is functioning properly. Iāve decreased my cardio a lot, which is the most difficult but very necessary part in recovering a cycle. Running is so therapeutic for me, but itās just not going to be a priority right now. Hope this isnāt TMI, but I just want to be transparent with all this because I wasnāt the first time around. I kind of wish I had been because I think this is a fairly common issue with runners.
Anyway! May 28th I met up with Clair at Burntwood Tavern for brunch. The couple weeks prior I had been in a real funk, just not feeling my usual self. DJ suggested I plan a girlās brunch out as he knows it does good for my soul & usually turns things around for me.
And he was so right, this is exactly what I needed! I was so excited Clair was free. Both our husbandās held down the fort while we took our good olā time sipping mimosas and diving into our delicious food over uninterrupted conversation.
We talk nearly daily, but usually one of us have a kid interrupting us every few seconds, so getting through a long, real convo was both unusual and really nice!
I had the Nashville hot chicken sandwich- so so good. Clair got their waffles- I had a bite, and they were some of the best Iāve ever tried!
I also got the house salad with blue cheese. Oh Iāve missed blue cheese!
That evening we popped into Sissy and Poppyās. Quinn sported her Orioles gear š§”š¤. I definitely need to get her some Guardians gear too- this girl will be cheering on both teams!
May 29th, Memorial Day, I made some blueberry oat muffins from Feeding Littles for breakfast. Quinn gobbled these up.
I do want to take a moment to thank all who have served our country.
We went out on a walk on the Towpath to change things up.
It was a stunning and peaceful morning. When we came home, we got ready for the day, and I made a red, white and blue cheeseboard to take over to The Farm that afternoon ā¤ļøš¤š.
We spent the afternoon there- so fun and relaxing! I brought along a non-alcoholic Athletic beer to have with our eats because it sounded good on the holiday. Who am I anymore? I eat meat every day and tend to prefer beer over wine – I guess my Midwest roots are coming through š.
Mmmm mmmm mmmmm! Cannot beat Gordieās steak and Gigiās delicious sides.
Quinn loves running around in the backyard – thereās so much free space to roam.
āMoose, wait for me!ā
Quinn really enjoyed playing with the wind chimes on the porch too.
Until she pulled one chime off š„“.
May 30th I made these Kale and Acorn Squash roll ups from Little Spoon. (The recipe actually calls for pumpkin, but I couldnāt find it in the store). These were SO good! DJ and I may have enjoyed them more than Quinn, hah.
I also did some easy zucchini bites dipped in egg and flour for Quinn. She recently doesnāt like plain roasted zucchini, which used to be a favorite, so I tried to change up how I served them, which worked!
We did a swimming lesson that evening š .
May 31st, we went to an event where DJ golfās. Although I donāt golf, it was fun to ride around in the carts and see the gorgeous course!
Also the food was so good- tons of different stations of pretty everything you can imagine! My favorite was the lobster roll š. We enjoyed our food with Renee and Chris who were also there āŗļø.
Almost to current day!
Questions for you:
– Have you had pierogies?
– Do you like potato chips?
Best regards,
Mackenzie
Love pierogies, love love potato chips and absolutely loved the fabulous red, white and blue charcuterie board you made for our dinner! Another very fun blog, Quinn is truly just getting cuter and cuter and cuter!! And I did spot the giraffe, indeed an interesting word, the have a chain restaurant in London called Giraffe with the best food so I always think of that when I say giraffe! Thanks for another super blog!
And apparently I can’t spell my last name!
Haha I did not even notice!!
I know Iām bias, but I think she is too š glad you enjoyed the charcuterie board- always fun to make! I may have to Google that restaurant now- Iād love to go to London at some point & will definitely have to go there !
Awesome post! Your daily life brings back memories of doing fun things with the kids, shopping, times with family, good times! Iām getting those chips for my OH for Fatherās Day. Thanks for being brave and sharing your thoughts about health/bodies/weight etc. (Something I stressed about too much.) Oh and yes to pierogies. So we should have them at one of our get- togethers! Always love your photos of Quinnie!
I love that it brings back great memories š„°
Thank you so much for saying that. I was hesitant to post and almost deleted it, so your encouragement means a lot.
Yes to pierogies!!! š
Gaaahhh! There you go again making me jealous over Piada. š I’m not sure that I’ve had pierogis before; I recently tried gnocchi for the first time (and second time) and I was not a fan.
I prefer potato chips that have a lot of flavor. If it’s salted or lacking in a flavor, I don’t think it’s worth the calories. My recent chip obsession is actually cassava chips, specifically a lime chili flavor chip that I get at TJ Max. The company (Wai Lana) that makes them is based in Hawaii, so I can never find them at a regular grocery store, but they are so good!
Haha I wish I could share it with ya! It really is so good- now that I can have dairy again I canāt wait to explore more of their menu too. What do you usually like to get there?
Oh Iām surprised you donāt like gnocchi!! Although I can see that -it can be really dense and maybe even dry. Is it the texture youāre not a fan of or flavor?
I have to find a TJ Max near here because those sound incredible š
The avocado piada is heavenly. <3 I'm not 100% sure why I'm not a fan of gnocchi. Both times I tried it, I made it myself. I feel like I should try it one last time at a restaurant and see if I'm the problem. š
I am just now getting around to responding to comments, but I read this then ordered it and WOAH!! Sooo good! Even Quinn had a few bites and kept signing for āmoreā hehe. Thank you for the recommendation!!
Haha, I can see not liking it though, itās pretty dense and almost may seem not cooked all the way through? But probably wouldnāt hurt to try it out just to be sure! Lol! š
Wasn’t Quinn just taking tentative steps in the last post and now running around in the grass and asking Moose to wait up? This girl is on the move!!! Lots of fun memories you are capturing here Mackenzie.
She was, Linda- she absolutely was! š„² Thanks for sharing in these special memories with us!!
I forgot to say I like potato chips but am “bad” if I have Cheez-its around. They are my downfall, so I don’t buy them. I like Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Goldfish, so they are my snack. I have not have pierogies in years. We used to have a Polish restaurant nearby and I had them there.
Hey there! I love keeping up with your family! As the mom of two littles (almost 2.5yo and 3 month old), I too have struggled with keeping weight on. For me, my body prioritizes breastfeeding over everything else. I have a crazy oversupply and I have dropped weight like crazy postpartum. This happened postpartum with my first as well. Recently have started to eat even more (all day long and including caloric drinks!) to stop anymore loss, knowing I intend to BF for at least a full year. For what it’s worth, I didn’t cycle again until I completely weaned my daughter at 12 months, and that is when I finally got back to “happy weight.” But everyone is different! Just know that you are not alone and I am thinking of you!
Hi, Nina! Congrats on the new addition to your fam āŗļø. I canāt tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I almost didnāt leave that part in the post, but Iām really glad I did because it helps to know Iām not alone. Thank you for sharing your situation with me! I think I need to try to wean a bit more intentionally, and this gives me motivation to do so. I hope all goes smoothly with breastfeeding and keeping the weight on for you too š.
Have a great weekend, friend!!
I get stuck on the same opening and closing phrases I use in emails and texts and accidentally use them in more normal conversation, too. It is a bit embarrassing or awkward sometimes, but I figure it never hurts to be overly polite.
I loved this post, there’s so much happening! As always, all the food looks amazing and pictures of Quinn and Moose are so sweet. I am right there with you that potato chips are not my favorite, although during the summer at barbeques and picnics I’ll eat some crunchy ones with dip; my favorite is a plate of mixed veggies combined with ridged potato chips and a side of the Trader Joe’s caramelized onion dip. Best of luck on the happy, healthy body journey and know all your internet friends are sending positive thoughts.
Aw I think thatās actually so endearing!! I agree, doesnāt hurt to be overly polite š
So glad to hear you enjoyed catching up on these recent happenings āŗļø The way Quinn and Moose interact makes my heart swell- I just love seeing their little friendship developing.
Definitely hard to say no to dip for me too! Ridged potato chips I can get behind – especially with a good deli sandwich or like you said, BBQ!
Now this caramelized onion dip- I have got to try this. We have a Trader joes about 20 mins away, and I have to make a trip there one of these days. I miss being able to walk there like I did when we were in Austin!
Thank you tons, Taylor, that means a lot šš have a great weekend !!
Each post just gets better and better! I have watched the video of Quinn dancing several times because it’s so darn cute! Gosh, the little booty shake and smile. So stinkin’ cute! And her and Moose’s relationship is precious.
The photo of her at the park is so frame worthy! It looks like the perfect scene and so adorable. We need to eat at the park sometime too. I need to try doing so sometime this summer.
I failed to use Ansley’s carrier consistently, so she won’t tolerate it. I haven’t used it in months. :'( She’s in a stage where she greatly dislikes being confined to the car seat and sometimes to the stroller. I am hesitant to buy anything else, but the push car looks so nice for our walks. It’s very cute!
Amazing food as always, I have a list of recipes to make, and Feeding Littles blueberry muffins is on of them. They look fantastic!
I commend you for taking such stellar care of yourself and Quinn. I have no doubts you are healthy and will continue to achieve your healthiest self. <3
Aw thanks, Kori!! That means so much you think so āŗļø heheh I just love that video so much too.
Itās such a fun and easy way to get out of the house! Quinnās bedtimes have been getting later again too (weāre talking sometimes 9 pm), so this is a good way to wear her out for a good nightās sleep too.
Aw Ans is Ms. Independent!! Quinn does tolerate the car much more than the stroller. I do kind of get it- the idea of being strapped down the way we strap them into car seats and strollers makes me feel a bit claustrophobic!
Hope you all enjoy the muffins! I swapped the PB with sun butter so I could send them to daycare with her too. I donāt like the taste of Sun butter quite as much, but it worked in this recipe.
Thank you, friend š„°.
Pierogis are so special!! I feel like people either know about them and love ’em or they’re missing out! So cool that you grew up with them! I love that Quinn and Moose are so close. I know having a young dog and young child is hard, but you will never regret it! I think it’s so good for kids to grow up with pets, you know?
Love all the zoo pictures! And LOL about the wind chime. Classic!!
Agreeee!!!
You are so right . It is tough, but soo worth it seeing how they are really becoming the best of friends. DJ has helped tremendously on the taking care of Moose front- I feel so guilty not always giving Moose the same attention I did before Quinn was born, but Iām getting better!
Thanks for stopping in, friend!
Reminds me of my grandmotherās pierogisā¦simply the best! Thereās a pierogi fest in Whiting, Indiana!
Aww thatās impressive she made homemade ones! A festival?! That is so fun!!! I would love to go some time! Thanks for stopping in