Happy mid-May! Did April fly by for anyone else?
What beautiful weather we’ve been having in Kansas (said no one ever). It’s amazing how much the sunshine and fresh air can bring out the best in us. Fresh flowers, bright skies, and lots of yard mowing is ahead of us! If you’re like me, go ahead and set up that Subscribe & Save for your monthly Flonase allergy spray.
Let’s get into it!
Cocktails I’m Making at Home
Banana Bread Old Fashioned [just trust me…]
3 oz bourbon of choice
1/2 oz banana bread simple syrup
3 dashes of chocolate bitters
Pour drink over large ice cube & stir 15-20 times
Makeshift Margarita [because who has time to squeeze that many limes?]
3 oz tequila of choice
1/2-1 oz simple syrup
top with Fresca
Squeeze of lime
Coffee I’m Making at Home
Banana Bread Latte (sensing a theme here?)
Double shot espresso
Your preferred amount of banana bread simple syrup
Milk of choice
Homemade Banana Bread Simple Syrup
1 mushy banana
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup of water
Dash of cinnamon
Boil water, add in banana and brown sugar and whisk until consistent, add in cinnamon, pour mixture through fine strainer to strain out banana pieces.
YUM!
Mom Thoughts
I just got to celebrate my first Mother’s Day and felt so loved. I married the best man and we have the sweetest & happiest little baby together. Part of me carried some grief for those who want motherhood so bad and are unable but I also felt so much happiness for those around me who are going to experience motherhood for the first time so soon. It’s exhausting, exciting, exhilarating, terrifying, and also quite possibly the most joy and fear you’ll feel all in one moment. I remember feeling so confused when I had Riley on if I was meant to be a mom, if I made the right decision, and who I was supposed to be. But I know now that I’m so lucky to be where I’m at right now in this moment with her and with Gage.
Things that bring me joy
Running (….wuuut?)
I recently joined a run club here in Wichita. It’s totally out of my comfort zone and I hate running (for mileage) but I look forward to it EVERY WEEK. Running has been an easier outlet to workout with Riley around since you can get a good burner in 20-30min vs 60min+ of weightlifting and Crossfit. I’ve made a few new friends there but mostly go and run slow ass miles with my friend, Audrey, and just YAP!
Waffle Wednesday w/ Team Gomez
I saw this concept on Instagram a few months back where you send voice memos to your friend group chat once a week. Gage and I have been doing it with our friends, Bree & Abel (Team Gomez) who live in Utah, on a weekly basis and it’s one of my favorite things to look forward to. They originally started as 3-5 minute voice memo updates on our lives and have transformed into 15-20 minute voice memos where we just talk about anything and everything and it’s just so fun feeling so connected to your friends who are miles and miles away. Highly recommend.
Freshly roasted coffee beans
I got a Breville Espresso machine last fall as a gift to myself. After lots of trial and error, I found the key was to use fresh roasted beans (within 30 days of the roast date). I’ve been enjoying scouring Wichita for different fresh beans and am surprised how many coffee spots roast their own beans. Maybe I was born in a cave and this is old news? But ANYWAY, I suggest that if you’re a coffee lover, try looking at a local spot near you for their own roasted beans. I’ve been able to find some barely a few days old and really notice a difference in the different roasts.
Riley taking sink baths
Bathtub baths for infants are not for the weak. My back HURTS. Now that she can sit up on her own, kitchen sink baths have been my new favorite thing. She loves the kitchen faucet and giggles the whole time we give her a bath.
Doing something that scares me
More to come on this next time. But, I’m excited to share :)
Things I’m Doing to Make my Life Easier
Meal prep is such a drag. I dread it often but I’ve found a new way of doing it that I don’t hate and thought I’d share.
Breakfast:
I grab a muffin tin, stuff them full of breakfast meat, and pour over egg whites. Boom. Done. If you don’t like egg whites, crack full eggs into them! You can add in hashbrowns, peppers, onions, cheese, etc. I cook them at 400 def for 10 min and make 12 egg bites with maybe 2-3 minutes of me actually doing something. I need bigger muffin tins to make more at a time but I just do this a few times to make as many as I need. I do this every other week or so and do a few batches, throw them into containers, and whatever I make in excess for the week goes in the freezer. They heat in the microwave in ~2 minutes and are a filling, protein packed breakfast!
Lunches:
A few months back we tried some recipes from Stealth Health on Instagram. He does large crockpot-based meal prep that makes 8-10 meals per recipe and they’re surprisingly GOOD and not meal-preppy. Most are pasta based, which I love, and are easily modifiable to whatever you like to eat. Don’t hate me for being on the cottage cheese train. It’s kinda bomb TBH.
These meals typically take 3-4 hours to make but only about 10-20 minute of effort since it’s a crockpot meal. Even with my garbage disposal of a husband, we still get the full 10 servings and can stock our freeze for a few weeks. They heat in the microwave in ~2 minutes and I love to eat them all with some sourdough!
Things I am doing to entertain myself
Watching
We just finished the last season of You. Highly recommend. Will not spoil any details but it is definitely one to binge. Every episode is a cliff hanger.
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is baaaaaack. Waiting until we travel next week to binge on the plane!
Listening
How not to hate your husband after having children (audiobook)
My sister, Katie, suggested it after a casual morning of us 3 girls just bitching about the smallest things our husbands did. The title sounds abrupt and rude, I realize that, BUT it’s actually fascinating so far. It just gives you a mindset shift on how to perceive things your partner does that aren’t wrong, they are just different than you’d do them - literally because of how men & women are wired differently.
Anything Dillon Gossett - my fav song is Beneath Oak Trees
Reading
I just finished Holly by Stephen King. It was good, not great. After reading reviews on it, I felt I had similar feelings. It’s about a private detective hired to find a missing girl and accidentally stumbles upon an 80-year-old married couple who are serial killer/ cannibals trying to eat human remains to sustain their youth. It’s a bit drug out but the story is good.
I am now reading Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
That’s all for now
Yours if you’ll have me,
Mollie