So I was all ready to kick off a Clean Eating 101 series today. But today is G2’s first birthday and G’s first day of preschool. I am mentally and emotionally exhausted. I decided to write this up because I wanted to commemorate the day and all I can really manage at this point is byte-sized pieces of writing.

1. This sums up my girls and my mothering style.

collage

No cute placards. I forgot to put on shoes and let’s be honest, G2 has NEVER worn shoes. And G randomly kicked off her shoe in one picture. We are all dressed at least! And someone is usually looking near the camera? Yeah. But my girls are happy and so am I. And I actually got G2 in a dress. Win-win!

2. I don’t feel like a normal mom. Or maybe it is a part of a motherhood that gets hidden behind the dry jokes, and Scary Mommy posts. There is a part of me that is really sad that G is in preschool. She’s definitely ready and she will thrive, I have no doubt. But it is an end of an era: an era where I was her best friend in the whole world and really, her one constant companion. I mean, those last two weeks when I was preggo with G2 and we couldn’t be in our own house, her and I were compadres, partners in crime, and we had to be out of the house for over 8 hours a day. She is one of my favorite people. Right alongside G2 and Manatee. And my mom.

3. My baby baby is one. I realize that I have a very G-focused blog, but only because G2 keeps me so busy that I never have time to write about her. She is the happiest baby I have ever met. She is also the most mischievous. She is walking, no RUNNING. That’s been her biggest hang-up. She takes a step and then tries to sprint. If there is a drawer, she’s in it. If there is a step or chair or anything, she is on top of it. I can write because she is sleeping. She does play on her own, but if it’s too quiet, I know she is playing IN the toilet or somehow managed to get up the stairs. Do you know I never even baby-proofed with G? 

4. Meal plans and grocery lists are coming: My goal through the end of the year is to set up an awesome weekly meal plan with a grocery list. My meal planning has changed dramatically and I have finally caught the knack for handling  a clean, family-friendly meal plan that is easy to follow and succeed. By 2017, I am hoping to set up a subscription service. Or at least, a helluva lot of recipes and hacks for busy people who don’t want to sacrifice their health for convenience. Stay tuned!

5. One of the biggest accomplishments for Summer 2016 is that we have kept up with our CSA. I am kicking potatos’ and carrots’ butts! That was my hang up before. And on a side note, if you are looking to use up some zucchini, we made this last night and it was awesome. Healthy, comfort food at its best.

6. Speaking of recipes, I made these with G for G2:

pink cupcakes

I used my yellow cake recipes from my first cookbook, Homemade Snacks and Staples. This is my all-time favorite white (or yellow) cake recipe. So vanilla-y! However, I had to use three bowls. Three. Surely, I can do better than that? I will be working on an easier recipe. Guess this means I need to write another cookbook? I hope so!

7. We started a new sibling tradition for G2’s birthday: G got to go to the store and pick out a present for her sister and wrap them. She chose to do it with Grandma and I thought for sure it would be a disaster, but she was awesome. She put a lot of thought into it and she is over the top excited for G2 to open them. This may because she insists that she will have to open them since G2 can’t, but I like to think she wants to see what G2 thinks of them.

 

Have a great weekend and stay tuned for a Clean Eating 101 series, meal plans, and some easy recipes and hacks for easy meals and snacks!