I made tortellini in honey garlic sauce and thought the pairing of ham and honey was spot-on. We love that sauce on pizza, turkey sandwiches, burgers, on broccoli, or anything!

We shook up the smoothie game with a redo of Creamsicle Smoothie. We, as in, the little girl and I are the only consistent smoothie drinkers here. The key is to add some other fruit beyond just oranges – it neeeeds frozen peaches or frozen mango.

Then I made a Cheeseburger Burrito and it was perfect. I loved the crumbled burger with a little rice and all the burger fixings. I loved it an plan to whip up a few for a night that needs dinner in-advance or on the go. It seems fitting for a baseball night this season. I wouldn’t freeze these but they could be assembled and popped into the toaster oven or to a pan when it was time.

The big kid:
It is prime birthday party time for his school-friends. We are seeing ohh-so-many, almost all are at the trampoline park. He loves going and I’m enjoying it for him, especially for this time of the whole class, or all the boys, etc. My strategy is a go-to present we give everyone unless he has an idea and they’re super close. He’s into Mario Kart and always legos. Baseball starts soon!

The little one:
One afternoon when big-brother was at a birthday party, we found our own excitement with a teddy bear tea party at the library and it was adorable. They had gold-rimmed paper plates and paper cups with handles and matching saucers and tiny spoons. It was very fancy and she loved it. She’s still always coloring and very into magnatiles.

Next month will feel full with Easter, school vacation, we’re getting our floors refinished (which means totally cleared off and a few days before we can walk on them again!), and of course some birthday parties. I’ve planned a few fun foods for April! 

Goals:
Year of workwear! I tried a new brand for some short-sleeves which might be a tiny bit premature season-wise, but I have them. 
Salads or side-dishes: not really.
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: I haven’t been great about this – I need to get back to it.
Monthly dates: we didn’t. booo. I had to reschedule one and couldn’t get another Saturday until May!
Declutter/cleaning: This is prime time to clear some stuff out before we get our floors refinished. I handed over a few baby-ish toys and expect to really get some stuff out. 
Workouts as a routine: I’ve gone on a few runs and am doing one a mix of weight days with yoga days – though I’m at a solid 2 out of the 3 yoga ones they think I’ll be doing per week.
What I’m reading: My bookclub read And Then There Were None as our classic – it was pretty ok. I read The People We Keep and found it to be the best coming-of-age story I’ve read in awhile. I read It Ends With Us and sort of got the hype, but wasn’t blown away. I can’t quite picture the next one. I also read The Personal Librarian and hadn’t had a historical fiction in awhile.

February was full with school vacation, C started dance classes, some new things like the guys getting to see the cousins play basketball, superbowl snacks and (finally) snow.

I made a black bean soup that is so easy, and so filling. I was into it and think the toppings make it really fun. The kids were so-so. Serve with quesadillas for something for everyone. It reheats well which reminds me I should make it again and pack it for my work lunches.

These Chicken & Broccoli Lasagna Rolls were a test which turned out great! They use very little chicken and very little broccoli so they’re a good one to have in mind for leftover uses.

Cute little Cheeseburger Hash Brown Cups were a Superbowl snack. They didn’t stay together perfectly, but I think with a little more care in the cup formation (or a more traditional size cup) would help with that.

I put chicken INTO waffles and loved it. Add some arugula for a fresh bite and a drizzle of maple aioli and you’ll be in love too.

March brings my birthday! I have a few old posts I hope to re-do sometime and I’m imagining we’ll fit in some more wintry foods. We did a little getaway to Providence during school vacation and it was so so fun. The kids did great and it is so much easier now that they can sit at restaurants and don’t need strollers/pack & plays/etc. They had never stayed at a hotel before.

The big kid:
I love his friendships. It is very heartwarming to see other parents glad to see him. I took him to my work to see Fencing and he was as enthralled with the swards as I imagined. He was glad for snow and loves sledding. He had some fun days for vacation with the grandparents and getting time for a few movie nights.

The little one:
She is so psyched for dance. Her fav game is using the stairs to pretend she’s getting on the school bus. It is fun for her but she wants to play all. the. time. so it feels repetitive for me. I can’t wait to see her actually go to kindergarten.

Goals:
Year of workwear! I got shoes this time!
Salads or side-dishes: We had salad bar, though I really need to get on some interesting sides.
prep ahead bfasts or lunches for weekdays: the lasagna rolls were mostly for lunches.
Monthly dates: We went out for Valentine’s Day with last-minute reservations.
Declutter/cleaning: We loaded some textiles to donate – clothes that are unusable for others.
Workouts as a routine: I wrapped up one and started a new one that’s harder and a mix of weight days with yoga days.
What I’m reading: I finished A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder which was a cute perspective of a high-schooler reexamining a cold case, Beautiful Country which was a powerful story of an immigrant family and I loved the window of life, rather than the entirety, depicted in the story. I read Don’t Cry for Me and was very moved. I just finished The Magnificent Life of Marjorie Post and thought it was like Evelyn Hugo + historical context. I need to get hopping on my bookclub one!