The Dinner Table

I'm not going to lie...I about began this post with "Pt seen today in room to address..." ahhhhh!  Two crazy, hectic days back at work and I wonder if that mini vacation was a dream!?  Tell me it isn't so!

I've been pretty vocal about my NYR to cook more and with more wholesome and clean ingredients.  Well, I'm here to say I started strong and have fizzled out.  On the way home from the beach this weekend, I burnt my phone's Pinterest app up meal planning for the week.  Until payday...aka Friday...I am trying to come up with some *clean-ish meals with ingredients we already have in stock to last us until the next grocery run!  (We planned budget spending too-lol...yea.  We are really ambitious!)  If your like me, your husband (or someone in your house eats like a 10 year old) and doesn't like anything green.  So I have to be creative in cooking "cleaner."  Here is what I threw together...

Creamy Vegetable Chicken Fettuccine

Ingredients:

5 Chicken Breast Tenderloins

1 Container Buitoni Fettuccine

1/2 cup Parmesan

4 TB butter with olive oil and sea salt

1/2 tsp Truvia

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 cups frozen mixed veggies

1 cup whipping cream

1.  Bring water to a boil for chicken and veggies in seperate pots until thoroughly cooked.

2.  Drain chicken and slice.  Set veggies aside.

3.  Boil the noodles.

4.  Melt butter in pan on low. 

5.  Add whipping cream to melted butter,(no one said this is low fat...more on that in another post) mix well.

6.  Add truvia, seasonings, and chicken (vegetables too if everyone will eat them!).  Allow to simmer.

7.  Pour over noodles, mix and serve!

Very quick and yummy meal!

And most importantly, this is the perfect opportunity for family time

throughout the crazy and hectic week when parents have to work full time.

As for the dinner table these days, we are teaching Camster to pray, trying to minimize distractions such as phones (aside from the quick pictures before I call everyone to the table...;) and T.V.'s.!

One of my main goals in life is for this time to be special for my family...it's the simple things.

Cam loved it:-)  Who are we kidding?  He would like fried cheese on a stick!  Well...I would too. #guilty #itsasouthernthing

Great mix of grains, protein, and vitamins and fiber!

And I like to show the not so pretty/perfect images as well...

We ended up having to leave Mr. Fitz in the bathroom today instead of laundry room.

AND came home to this...Thank you, Mr. Fitz. we didn't need the handle on that basket anyway! #smh #noregardforhumanlife

*clean-ish: You could say striving for cleaner and less processed food without being a stickler...



Date with the Sunshine State

The Mr. and I were just chatting about how refreshed and rejuvenated we feel after returning from our "mini vacation" to the Sunshine State this weekend.  I'm not gonna lie, I was running on very little steam after the super crazy winter we had, first birthday party planning, and work/mommy/wife duties!  It's is absolutely amazing how stepping away for a few days from the day to day demands of life, will give you just the dose of motivation needed!  Here's a couple of sweet memories we captured this week...

Breakfasts at the Beach <3

I though these were too cute to add to our beach easter egg hunt

HOWEVER, my Mr. and sister thought I was ridiculous...

Pineapple Egg, Tutorial here:)

The egg hunt didn't go so well...But he enjoyed the pineapples BOOM!;)

The pool was the fav!

Fitzy enjoyed laying under the table...for whatever reason.

Miss Rhode Island, please describe your idea of a perfect date.
"That's a tough one. I'd have to say April 25th. Because it's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.  My idea of a perfect date would be a man who takes me to a romantic dinner, and then we walk along the beach barefoot discussing books and - and music and - and movies. "

RANDOM but fitting for some reason?  For those of you wondering...Miss Congeniality.

I could eat him.  Yep.

Alternating clapping his hands and pointing at the sea animals.  It's safe to say he enjoys buffets!

And I have to say...my favorite part of the trip was probably our evenings on the beach.

Perfect.

Can I just say how much I love Baby First TV again?



This week has given me motivation to return armed with cleaner meal plans, budget controlled spending, time management, and a clearer direction as for where I want to take this blog...I just hope I can live up to all of my expectations without running out of steam first;) 

Thank you for stopping by!



Roadtrip Ramblings

Let me just start by saying, I have been missing in action

lately because I'm sharing a computer with the MR...

I finally found a window of opportunity

when Hurricane Cam woke me up and decided

 4am was the perfect time to hit the ground running.

We are having the best time!

I hate to see the trip come to an end.

I feel so refreshed and relaxed to return home to the daily grind... 

Who am I kidding?

There is never enough time to feel completely relaxed and

ready to go back to the 5am-9pm grind

...but, I'm thankful we have at least had a few days

to enjoy nothing but each other.

The roadtrip part of this mini vacay kind of worried me.

Mr. Fitz isn't the best traveler,

and Cam is inconsistent with his opinion on traveling...
EVEN if Tripp IS his middle name!

We ended up having a very smooth trip down.
Here's to hoping the trip home will go just as smoothly!

What I have learned traveling with baby:

• Plan ahead!  Make a list of all the things you need to pack ahead of time!  <Says the girl who forgot to pack a carryon for her family-I swear I did make a list though!> I kept a bag full of Cam's snacks, toys, and other means of entertainment/needs right under his carseat.
• STOP!  When we stopped for dinner, we opted for the mall food court or sit down meals.  This gave us the opportunity to find a safe place (far from traffic) to let Mr. Fitz do his business, Cam walk around, and fast/different options for food choices.  *Not to mention, they had a Starbucks;) And Baby Gap...The Mr. found me out by that point:(
• Puffs, Cheerios, Yogurt Bites, and a bottle of water for the sippy were snacking favorites (which is a given).
• I downloaded Cam's favorite Baby First TV shows "Shushybye," and "Sweet Dream Lullabies" on my IPad, and borrowed my sisters travel case to attach it to the seat-let's just say I will be investing in one of these and Cam LOVED this.
• I ended up having to split my time between the front and back seat by the end of the trip...but I didn't mind since Cam was such a great traveler.
• Loose, comfy clothes for everyone!  But especially baby and mommy (or whoever is trying to climb from the front seat to the back as needed!) lol
• Split the trip up...We left the day before check in and stayed in a hotel at the halfway mark.  Not only did Cam and Fitz appreciate it...we ended up getting an entire day at the beach when we would have spent it traveling otherwise.
• Keep routine.  We have tried our best to keep to Cam's schedule the whole trip.  We have planned our dinners/outings/play time around his nap and bedtimes!
• Bring the pack and play!  Yes, it took up a lot of space-but I have traveled without ours and the space is worth it if your baby uses the pack and play like ours.  AND I don't have to worry myself sick about him rolling off the bed/couch or sleeping on dirty/nasty whoknowswherethishasbeen surfaces.
• I didn't do this.  But I seen it recommended for Mom's to "Yoga" before travel.  This may not be a bad idea ladies...ha!

If you are around me much and have a little one, you know I am always full of questions.

I value every mom's opinion and think we all have advice to offer each other...

SO What has worked for you and your little one(s) on roadtrips? 
Would love to hear!;-)



As with any trip, things weren't picture perfect.
Mr. Fitz did get carsick <Thank the Lord I was prepared>
prompting us Mr. Adams to allow him to
sit in my lap with the AC blasting -2 degree gusts of air...
The Mr. and I did argue about the radio choice and whether or not we should
stop at every Baby Gap, Starbucks, and Target we passed along the way.
I know, SO unreasonable...right?? ;)
Cam did throw cheerios,
and may or may not have graced us with
55 shrill screams along the way...
BUT who's counting???


With all it's inperfection, traveling has been so fun!

We can't wait try this again in July

with a little experience under out belt!;)