Hi, guys!
Our sweet boy turns 4 years old on Saturday, so party preparations are in full swing this week. I love celebrating birthdays, so I’m especially excited about Quinn’s big day – maybe even more than him? 🙂 He’s SUPER excited and has talked about his birthday for months now, so he’s more than ready to PAR-TAY this weekend!
My morning started with a quickie breakfast: A banana muffin with sprinkles (Quinn’s idea), a couple of chicken sausages, and my usual iced coffee mixed with collagen. The banana muffin recipe is actually one for banana bread, but I still can’t find my loaf pan, so we opted for muffins instead. I actually used gluten-free all-purpose flour, and they turned out so well! I highly recommend this recipe – if you’re gluten-free or not!
After breakfast, I got Quinn and myself ready for the day. I dropped him at school and then headed to OPEX for a workout. There was a good group of us working out together and we had lots to talk about, so the time really flew by! One of our topics of conversation: Michael Pollan (yep, the food guy) exploring psychedelics (yep, drugs). I actually heard him on The Joe Rogan Experience recently, and it was FASCINATING. Now I want to read his new book!
After OPEX, I stopped by Stop & Shop to order Quinn’s birthday cake. He asked for vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles, which is my favorite combination too. I swear, we’re the same person – at least internally. He’s obviously Mal’s twin! 🙂 Then, I came home and got right to work. I was at a media event at the Westin Copley Place on Thursday and Friday, so my To Do list was a mile long – lots to do!
Around noon, I broke for lunch, which was a bunch of random leftovers and food prep ingredients, including arugula, chicken breast, Parmesan Roasted Fennel, sunflower seeds, and Tahini Dressing. The flavor combination was excellent!
After lunch, I got right back to work. Mid-afternoon, I snacked on some Deep River Snacks Aged Cheddar & Horseradish, which are one of my favorite flavors – in addition to the Ninja Ginger, Sweet Maui Onion, and Rosemary & Olive Oil. The Rosemary & Olive Oil chips actually have a special place in my heart because they’re delicious (obviously), but also because they feature the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. You’ll find a different charity on the back of every bag of Deep River Snacks because the company donates 10% of net profits of these featured charities each year. I love when brands give back like this – it makes me want to support them even more!
A little while later, I packed up my laptop, took Murphy for a walk, and then headed to preschool to pick up Quinn for a fun afternoon adventure to Target! 🙂
With Quinn’s birthday party just days away, we needed to buy some supplies, including plates, napkins, goodie bag prizes, and more. I asked Quinn if he wanted to help me, and he was ALL about it. He picked Batman plates, Spiderman napkins, and a pizza tablecloth. I love his party choices! 🙂
Once we got everything we needed, we stopped by the toy section to play with a few of them. Quinn loves a certain kind of toys, and he’s talked about one in particular since Christmas: Serpent Strike Pyramid. Mal and I can’t believe he’s still talking about it nearly 6 months later, so, of course, it’s one of his birthday presents from us. I can’t wait to see his face. He is going to be PSYCHED!! We also got him a scooter and a set of PicassoTiles (like Magna-Tiles, but way cheaper).
By the time we got home, I was hungry for dinner, but Mal still wasn’t home, so I snacked on some sliced cucumber with lime juice and sea salt. The combo might sound a little strange, but I swear it’s delicious!
Dinner was a big salad made with arugula, roasted butternut crinkles (from Trader Joe’s), a broken up hamburger, and guacamole as “dressing.” I know it’s not the prettiest picture, but this meal was so, so, soooo GOOD – definitely a winning combination!
And no day is complete without dessert, so I whipped up a Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowl, which I made with a packet of RXBAR Vanilla Almond Nut Butter. Yep, you heard that right! The RXBAR people are now making nut butter, and it’s incredible. It’s also loaded with protein – 9g per packet! 🙂
Question of the Day
Parents: What toy(s) is your child obsessed with lately? Any 4-year-old favorites?
What was THE BEST thing you ate yesterday?
RXBAR lover? What’s your favorite flavor?
