Mommy + Me Weekend

Here’s what we did over mommy & me weekend from arts & crafts, a pajama party, snacks at the city market, and dinner with the grandparents.

I love to work ahead

One of the most important goals of my blog’s future is being able to work ahead. For years (and years!) I wrote very in-the-moment and it was a lot of pressure. I honestly don’t know how I did it.

I truly DO want to keep writing personal, day-in-the-life, “old school” blog posts, but I absolutely LOVE working ahead and knowing that the current week’s blog posts are ready to go so that if a child is called home sick or I feel like being on my feet in the kitchen instead of sitting at a computer, I have that flexibility.

Fun fact: when I was in college I would sometimes read the semester ahead’s books during the summer just so I would have less homework during the school year and could party more when I felt like it!

All that to say, a few weekends ago Thomas and his buddies went on a golf trip to Bald Head! It was just me and the boys all weekend, and I captured our activities to share, even though there’s a delay. So just pretend this all happened yesterday!

Mommy & Me Weekend Recap

Check the oil, daddy, you’ve got a long drive ahead!

Afternoon with Birch

I picked Birch up from school, and we went to feed the chickens. And then headed to the park! 

Thomas had taken him here the week before, and Birch told me “Daddy says step on the leaves so your shoes don’t get muddy!” I had on my brand new white-sole Allbirds, so we did not get very close to the creek. 

We went home to unpack and prep dinner from Blue Apron : ) 

Thursday Night Girl’s Night

To make the weekend more exciting, I invited my friend Ellen over for dinner and Survivor watching! I had most of a Blue Apron Shrimp Udon Noodles recipe prepped so we just had to cook everything in one pot at go time. 

Who else is watching Survivor this season, and who is your winner pick!? I made an embarrassing winner pick (who is already gone) so I will not share mine. 

Friday Twins!

We played in the yard for a bit after school but otherwise got cozy inside for the evening.

We had a low-key Friday night and ate leftovers for dinner. Easy peasy! I planned all of our meals for the weekend and did as much prep as possible knowing I wouldn’t have extra hands on deck.

Mazen and I started a documentary on Pompeii since he’s studying it in school, but he fell asleep mid-way through!

Saturday

On Saturday morning I planned for us to go to the city market. We ate a lighter-than-usual breakfast and bundled up for the trek. 

Mazen got a hot chocolate, and we all shared a giant cinnamon bun as big as Birch’s head!

Gimme! 

We also picked up some Great Harvest Cinnamon Chip, cupcakes from Caked Up Cville to take to the grandparents, and the most beautiful flowers!

They are Salvia leucantha aka Mexican bush sage. And they smell a little like a Christmas tree!!

Arts & Crafts

We had arts & crafts time for a bit after that (anything but screens!). 

Birch is obsessed with Water Wow pads, and Mazen painted with water on a Buddha Board gifted from my mom.

I did some of this paint with water book by Usborne that our friends gifted Birch for his bday! It’s magical. 

Mazen moved on to trash bag art and made some armor….

While I built this little wooden ship. IT WAS HARD! My hands were sore after. Mommy & me crafts turned into mommy craft : ) 

Soup’s On

I heated up some Plenty Cville minestrone for lunch and decided to add in some parmesan crisps. These are my favorite salad toppers because they are super crunchy and high in protein. 

Best soup topper ever because the parmesan MELTS but is still chewy. Kind of like a French onion soup topper (not that I would know 😉 )

Pre-Nap Story Time

Birch decided NOT to nap for me on Saturday. Yay. 

Visit to North Garden

We brightened our day with a visit to Thomas’s parents’ house on a gorgeous fall day. 

They had a leaf pile ready for the boys

And while they frolicked, I went for a quiet walk!

Pizza + Cupcakes

We had pizza from Dr. Ho’s and salad with home-grown shiitake mushrooms. And then Caked Up Cupcakes!!

BOTH boys fell asleep on the ride home. Must have had fun!

Sunday Pajama Party

I got up early, showered, and made some French toast with the Cinnamon Chip we bought at the market. 

And then we watched The Jungle Book and played games together. Zingo is one of the few games we can all play!

I declare Operation to be the hardest game ever invented.

Pajamas all day!

More mushrooms for lunch!

On top of a Blue Apron Panzanella Salad

Black Friday Idea for Kids

I HIGHLY recommend a Toniebox for anyone with kids in the 2-5 age range. You know how when we were young we used to have kids cassette players and we’d listen to songs or stories? This is the 2021 cassette player! Each character has a different set of songs and/or a story and you can swap them out just like you can change out a tape or CD. It’s a really great option for quiet time.  

Birch got one for his birthday and he is loving listening to it. The Jungle Book character was a big hit, and I have a Lion King one tucked away for a rainy day. They even have Peppa! (Birch is sad there isn’t a Blippi one…)

I hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend. I am so very thankful for you!!