Hello hello!!! We returned last week from Chicago, and I’m super eager to share about our time there. But before that, I have a quick little catch up post between the last post and our weekend Windy City trip!

June 1st I made these cheesy broccoli fritters for Quinn. The girl loved these and gobbled them up. I enjoyed them too!

For breakfast, I pulled together hard boiled egg, watermelon, tempeh and a broccoli fritter for Quinn.

Around this time I got another stomach bug. This was my third since January. I have a friend at work who has a little one in the same daycare, and we get hit with the exact same ailments at the same time. She got this bug too, and we both agreed it was a weird one!! It was more mild than the others but lasted about a week. I’m so glad it eventually resolved though, and thankfully DJ never seemed to get it. Quinn seemed ok too. Just an odd bug!

I took this digestion shot and loaded the probiotics up that week. I enjoy these digestion shots and Kevitas.

June 3rd, I made some lentil patties with minced greens for a nutrient packed option to have on hand.

We had been planning on going to the lake that weekend, but with not feeling 100% we stayed close to home. We still felt a little cabin fever, so we ventured over to Gigi and Gordie’s to play with the water table they got for Quinn. (We mostly stayed outside, and I just kept my distance to be safe).

Little footprints 🥰.

Fun in the sun!! Thanks, Gigi, for this pic 💕.

June 4th I started turning the corner. After church and Quinn’s nap we explored a new park with Quinn and Moose.

These two 🥰.

We went to a nearby dog park after. It was an AWESOME dog park!! Moose had a great time, and it was fun to chat with the other owners. Quinn was gleefully distracted watching all the pups run around.

For dinner that evening, I put the lentil patties on pretzel buns with cheese, green beans and corn on the cob. We played the corn song in the background, of course.

We all sat around the open window for dinner with a view as the warm breeze filled the kitchen.

I gave her a little of the corn and green beans as we waited for the rest to cool. She got such a kick out of doing “cheers” with our cobs.

June 5th I started the morning by making a big batch of eggy french toast. When I make this, I mix banana and chia seeds into the batter, and it’s a sure way to get Quinn to eat a hearty breakfast!

The evening of June 6th Quinn had a later nap, so it was time to head to the park to get a little extra energy out!

June 7th I had a rare, successful walk with both Quinn and Moose. Quinn doesn’t usually tolerate the stroller for long, but this day she did for about an hour while I played her the “Ms. Rachel – songs for littles” playlist on Spotify. This playlist has been a game changer in the car too. She definitely tolerates our rides a bit longer when we play it over the speakers.

That evening I made an avocado orzo from the Feeding Littles cookbook for dinner. This is easily one of Quinn’s favorite meals I’ve made so far. I added some ground beef crumbles for a boost of protein and iron too. DJ and I loved the recipe as well. This cookbook has been a real hit with our family. The recipes are great for toddlers, generally easy and delicious.

June 8th I made a huge batch of a cheesy broccoli risotto I couldn’t get Quinn to touch. It’s always a mystery what she’ll like and what she won’t. DJ and I enjoyed it though, and we froze some too.

Post walk smiles.

That week, Quinn’s sleep was all over the place. At one point she fell asleep for a nap at 4 pm but then ended up sleeping through the night. She was teething pretty good & I think all the big developmental changes were wearing her out too.

June 9th I started the day with egg roll ups with a side of greek yogurt and beans. I’m pretty sure she only ate the beans. The girl loves beans more than anyone I know haha.

We spent the morning with Gigi and ordered First Watch for a little at home brunch! I had their power breakfast quinoa bowl- my goodness that was tasty.

That afternoon, I took Quinn to the library for the first time.

The kid area was adorable!!! This is definitely going to be a fun rainy day spot for us.

I didn’t get any pics of it, but they have a room for kids under 5. This room is pretty epic- it has a mini grocery store complete with a cart and plastic veggies/fruit/packaged goods and a cash register to play pretend. They have magnet boards, a dollhouse, tons of toys and an area of coloring. I grew up loving the library and spent countless hours there with my mom and Dad; I hope Quinn grows up with the same passion for reading too!!

Moose was worn out after a long day of being a Moose.

June 10th was a fun morning! Gigi watched Quinn while DJ and I had a date brunch out. Breakfast and lunch dates are much easier right now than dinner dates with Quinn being so dependent on us for bedtime.

We went to Mustard Seed Cafe. It was a perfect morning to sit out on their balcony.

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I told DJ it was giving me California vibes with the perfect weather and eating outside. The green juice may have had something to do with that connection subconsciously too 😜.

The juice tasted exactly like you’d expect a purely vegetable green juice to taste (which I actually liked), but it came out luke warm, which I didn’t know how to feel about. I ended up getting a glass of ice and drinking it cold, which made it taste better in my opinion!

We both enjoyed their chicken and waffles! The chicken was great, waffles were pretty average, but can you actually have a bad waffle?

June 10th we grabbed Jimmy John’s and had another picnic in the park. It was a beautiful night!

JJs: freaky fast and freaky fresh!!! So good.

The evening of June 11th, we went to Country Maid for ice cream. We actually were starting the bedtime routine then realized she still had way too much energy, so we loaded the car with Moose and jetted off to get some local cones.

This place has a true old school feel and is a local favorite.

It started raining, and we had Moosey, so we sat in the car devouring our cones. This was Quinn’s first ice cream cone, and she loved it. We finally found a sweet indulgence this girl likes besides fruit.

I know the AAP recommends no added sugars under two, but this girl gets virtually no added sugar during the week & I think it’s important for us to model a healthy balance/relationship with food now. I felt including her in this fun family time was more important than the little bit of added sugar she got from this cone. I had a horrible relationship with food for a good portion of my life, and I want to do everything I can to make sure Quinn doesn’t have a moral attachment to food- (“good” or “bad”).

June 12th I made some peanut butter oat bars. They were tasty! I omitted the honey, but they didn’t need it with the banana. Quinn loved them thankfully! I put aside some to take to Chicago and also froze a few to have on a rushed morning.

Back to the library we go on this rainy day!

June 13th the weather was still quite dreary, so we went to Cafe O’Play for a little bit.

I love this video of her reaction when DJ walks in 🥰.

June 14th these two were attached at the hip.

We usually don’t let Quinn in Moose’s crate while he’s in there, but I turned around and the two were just happily chilling side by side. Their little friendship blossoming warms my heart so much!

June 14th to get out of the house, we went to Ledges park in the afternoon and ran around the open field with a beach ball.

Then between work it was time to get ready to pack for Chicago!

Thanks for stopping in ☺️.

Questions for you:

– What’s your favorite fast sandwich shop?

– What does the ideal rainy day look like for you?

<3,

Mackenzie