Stay at Home Lunch and A Dinner

When I work from home, I have a hard time getting my act together for a fast and decently healthy lunch.  Finally, last weekend I decided I was going to get some stuff from the store to make life a little easier.  Below is a list of things I like to have and depending what's on sale, I'll grab whatever and randomly put a salad together.  I always feel better when I eat filling and greenery for lunch!  

On this one, I got a big piece of salmon (I think it was one pound), split it down the middle and did what my friend Ashley told me to do - 16 minutes at 400 degrees with salt and pepper on it.  Delicious and was good for two lunches.  I also added arugula, butter lettuce, couscous I made over the weekend, grape tomatoes and Garlic Expression dressing.  
 

This was breakfast yesterday - hard boiled eggs (already done at the store, no time to do at home), smoked salmon and avocados.  Everything but the bagel seasoning from Trader Joes.  And a paper plate because duh. 

I posted this on Monday I think but this is red onion, cous cous, tomatoes, eggs, hummus, crackers, arugula and EBB seasoning. 


Yesterday's lunch - burrata, arugula, egg, cous cous, leftover salmon, tomatoes, butter lettuce, cracked pepper and garlic expression dressing. 

Meatball subs for dinner and I just didn't eat much of the bread.  Literally frozen meatballs in the mini oven while I played with my kids, threw them in a good jar of marinara, put the buns back on the pan I used for the meatballs with meatballs in them and cheese on top.  Baked for 5 minutes and dinner is done.  I gave the kids meatballs, green beans, slice of cheese and a fruit and thought I was winning at life for those 30 minutes at least!

Here is a grocery list for lunch time goodness.  I don't get all of this every week, but I do like to have some of it on hand and I always chop onion and make cous cous and stuff like that ahead of time.  I need EASY during the week and I'm sure you do too.

Lettuce already chopped - any kind (arugula/butter/green leaf/mixed greens)
Tomatoes - grape or cherry
Red Onion
Feta/Goat/Parm/Burrata/Mozz Cheese
Protein - grilled chicken or salmon
Hummus
Everything but Bagel Seasoning from TJ's
Eggs
Crackers
Cous Cous or Quinoa
Cucumbers
Guacamole/Avocado
Carrots
Edamame
Chick Peas

Basically if I'm still doing this in 3 weeks, I'll be shocked haha!  But this week it is delish and is fueling me with lots of energy!  I'm trying not to go back to eating peanut butter pretzels.  

Father Daughter Dance Outfit

Kevin is taking Molly Anne to a Father Daughter dance in a few weeks and Molly Anne is soooooo excited.  She told me a few days ago she was going to wear her Cinderella dress.  I thought she was going to wear a Lilly dress that she already has and never worn.  So we met in the middle and I found this cute navy one from Crewcuts and she is going to be SO excited!  It's 30% off today with code WEDNESDAY.  Molly Anne is going to feel like an absolute princess and she can twirl her heart out, which is obviously the most important thing!

Dress  /  Cardigan  /  Shoes




This gold sparkle cardigan will look adorable with it and keep her warm for walking in and out of the building!




I found these shoes on Amazon and I think they'll be perfect (and they're under $20)!  Gold and sparkly with a bow?  Sign Molly Anne up!

Randomness

Last night I went out with a few mom's from Molly Anne's class to Carolina Ale House for some appetizers and beverages!  

Poor little Grady wearing pink but I think he rocks it!

Anyone use these for their children?  No, they aren't organic and yada yada but they're EASY and both of my kids eat them!  They're easy to throw in my bag for a dinner out because Grady is totally cool with room temperature peas and Molly Anne eats whatever at the restaurant. 

Got the FrontGate catalog yesterday and I LOVE this light on the front of it.  I would have loved for this to fit in our house somewhere if it had been around when we built.  

Fun Weekend

Friday after work/school, we headed to dinner at the club at ya know 5pm because that's when you go eat with littles.  Kevin's parents and niece came too!  It's always nice to have extra hands for Grady boy.

Saturday it rained some more and after some downtime in the AM (aka my iPad), my friend Nina inspired me to pull out all of the crafts.  Molly Anne LOVES painting and had done it the weekend before so I brought out our last two canvas and we got to work!  Also, see that big container of crafts?  My friend Sarah told me about that a couple of years ago and I always keep one on hand.  I've given them as gifts and they are the best.  My SIL gave this one to Molly Anne as payback for giving her girls one.  Honestly they're a mess but they make for a silent child for hours.  #win  Oh, and it's $16 today on Amazon.  Done.

My lunch fuel on Saturday before I got on that Peloton for a 45 minute class which I'm still sore from.  Cous cous, red onion, tomatoes, arugula, hummus and crackers and eggs with everything but bagel seasoning and Garlic Expressions salad dressing.  DELISH.

I had to Peloton before our evening adventures celebrating Hilary's birthday!  First stop, Zeppelin.  Cocktails and apps were amazing but the wait to get a drink was not.

Then we scooted to 4001 Yancey which is a huge brewery.  Getting served there also took forever.  Is that how busy Charlotte has gotten?  But the drinks and food here were also very good!

Then SOMEONE had the bright idea to go to Coyote Joes for our next stop which is a country bar that's been in Charlotte for the longest time.  Always a good time, especially for 1-2-3 night which is $1 domestic beers and I forget the 2 and 3!  You know we rode the bull too.  Duh.  

We ended up stopping by our club on the way home because that was a smart idea at midnight.  I think I saw the 2am hour before I went to bed.  

Sunday we played all morning and had a good ole time.  More crafting.  Oh and our new washing machine arrived so that was good.  Molly Anne brought her tool kit in to the men and said, "ok guys I'm ready to help!"  It was pretty adorable.  They loved that!  After nap the sun was shining so we played out in the driveway with our neighbors before Molly Anne and I went to pick up dinner at 18 Asian.  

This little bubba has had a rough go of the croup again.  We started breathing treatments last Thursday night and we are trying to avoid the steroid for the 4th time since November.  So far, we have been successful but we'll see.  He had a better night last night.  Friday night he was up ALL night coughing.  

I have the goofiest face in this picture because I was trying to get him to smile but I love it of Grady!  He had to have a little baking soda bath this morning because that's how fun Monday mornings are at our house.  WHEW! 

Week Wrap Up

Happy Friday from Mills! 

It's been a pretty rainy week here!  Grady had PT on Wednesday and is finally progressing and Amy is pleased!  I'm not a big contraption buyer for babies but this thing has actually been a good thing for Grady.  He can be upright after he eats (good for his reflux) but not be jumping in the jumparoo.  Plus he can move around in it!  

Molly Anne was top dog in her class on Tuesday so for her show and tell she brought Sparkles!  Aunt Emily brought her this as a Valentine treat!  Molly Anne is obsessed.


Matchy matchy!

This stool is one of my favorite gifts to give!  If you order, be careful because certain names require the large stool depending on how many letters it has.  I will say, Damhorst is THE company to get these from...top notch quality!  Molly Anne received hers as a gift from an old neighbor and she uses it a million times a day for brushing teeth and washing hands!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Target Swim - Mama and Toddler

I hate buying bathing suits.  My friend Kristen believes in a glass of wine prior to going to a store to try on suits.  I think she has the right idea for sure!

Or I'll be lazy and order them to try at home.  Especially when they're buy one get one 50% off.  

Anyway, here is one that I love....the scallops - yes please.



This one is really similar to one I got a few years ago and have worn a ton.  One of my cheapest and most favorite suits.  




And I picked this one up for Molly Anne's Easter basket!  She will be obsessed haha!!  Alllll of the rainbows and unicorns.  Never in my life did I think I'd buy her something like this but there's a first for everything!  ;)

Our Weekend

Last Friday it was gorgeous outside so when it's like that, we go outside immediately when we got home so that's what we did!  

Then we ended up going to dinner at our club and seeing some old neighbors over there. Molly Anne played with Grant outside on the lawn for a little bit after dinner.  

And then of course we ended up on the back porch with our neighbors until way too late!  Always good times though. 

Saturday morning Molly Anne fed Grady!

And my SIL and nieces came to visit for the long weekend!  I took Anna Kate and Molly Anne to get their hair cut while my SIL and other niece had some birthday party festivities to attend!

Molly Anne did such a good job getting her hair washed in the big girl chair...this was the first time she's done that and I think it had a lot to do with my niece getting hers done first! ;)

But she lovedddd getting her hair cut, as usual!

After hair cuts, we went to Nordstrom because I had to pick up some mascara so the gal put a little make up on each of the girls which they thought was special.  Then we headed to Polished and they got manicures.  We did a couple other errands and headed home!  

We had sushi for dinner and Emily and I stayed up way too late catching up on the porch.  This picture cracks me up, look at Mills on the sofa and Gill and Fin on their beds. Haha

Sunday we hung around the house and Anna Kate helped me do a million things.  She was a huge help!  We scooted to Sabor for dinner and I remember when Molly Anne used to hold onto her car seat and now Grady is doing that!  I think it's so cute for some reason!  

Molly Anne, Anna Kate and I also went to Publix earlier in the day and picked out balloons and a cake for Emily because yesterday was her birthday so we celebrated a day early! 

We love when they come to town and we love going to see them in Pawleys too!  It was a sad morning when they left yesterday!  I love that the four cousins will grow up together and that we all make the effort for them to see each other often!  Molly Anne ADORES both Anna Kate and Sarah and looks up to them so much! 

Our Valentine’s Day

I wanted to be sure I posted about our Valentine's Day because looking back at these type of posts is my favorite!  

She grew up quite a bit in a year right?!!

Grady boy!



We had a little class party at Molly Anne's during snack time.  I had taken these buckets for each child and told their parents to bring in Valentine's.  It was so sweet and the children LOVED them!  Molly Anne is still going through all of her goodies!

One of my friends brought in cupcakes and I brought pretzels because they are heart shaped.  Fruit punch because duh and they had a not very fancy party, but they loved it!  

I'm so thankful to get to be there in her classroom for things like this!  I know how lucky I am to have a flexible work so I can have these special memories with her!

Ms. Becky gave Molly Anne and Grady a ton of treats!  

My boy!

Daddy came home early and brought a big bouquet of flowers from the local florist near his office and...

special pink and purple (her very favorite colors!) flowers for his little girl!  So sweet!

We had Annie's Weeknight Bolognese for dinner and Molly Anne had lots of candy!  Haha!  It was a sweet day!