Now that I’ve shared the big news, I can start talking about all the last minute things we’ve been up to as our LA residency comes to a close.
On our drive back down to So Cal, Kyle and I created an LA bucket list. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hit up all the restaurants we wanted to. There’s too much food in our fridge/freezer (slash we need to save $$$) to justify going out to eat the way that we both want to. Which would have to be every night for 4 months straight to actually conquer the massive to-dine list I have. Yeah, that’s not happening. We will blame it on the desire to be frugal as opposed to the fact that we have a 2 month old (although I imagine many places are fairly baby friendly if you’re polite and have a kiddo with a good disposition).
Like this one. 🙂
Anyway. The first thing I did was schedule an appointment at Exhale spa to get a pedicure. I had a gift card from my birthday that has been burning a hole in my pocket.
Sweet pampered bliss. I didn’t think I’d become that mom, but I still talked bragged about P for 75% of the time with the manicurist. She didn’t seem to think I was too obnoxious but she may have just been humoring me. I don’t normally like chatting it up while getting my nails did (that probably sounds rude but I really just like zoning out), but it was just the two of us, which makes it slightly awkward to not talk.
I now have pretty toes. Finally!
The rest of the LA to-do list is mostly seeing all our local family and friends as much as possible.
We went to Newport Beach to visit my G-ma last weekend. We also got to see Kyle’s sis in the same visit.
I packed lunches for me and Kyle. My salad had greens, celery, brown rice, hard boiled eggs, and peanuts with a soy-tahini-maple syrup dressing.
I knew my G-ma would have lots of roasted nuts and chocolate on hand for dessert though so I didn’t bother packing us snacks. 🙂
I fell asleep on the car ride home and then had a melt down upon waking up (clearly the lack of sleep and hormones caught up to me) but I kinda pulled myself together enough to go on a family walk with Kyle. We hit up Starbucks where I accidentally ordered a caffeinated iced coffee and then realized it after leaving…which prompted another melt down. I’m not sure why I’m sharing this because I’m definitely not proud of it, but I may as well be honest (lest anyone think I’m super mom/wife – ha!). I had a rough(er than normal) couple of nights that left me sleep deprived and grumpy, which reared it’s head at random times over the course of the day. Moody Elise = Poor Kyle. Luckily we are good at communicating (aka Kyle’s good at dragging stuff out of me) and so I went to bed extra early and slept in extra late the next day while Kyle managed P’s diaper changes and only woke me up to breast feed – and all was good again.
We have been packing in as much time with our LA besties as possible. We went to watch the Final Four games at a friends house. And the whole next week is booked with visitors, BBQs, and more.
Ethel and Alene time.
Operation freezer/fridge/pantry clean out is going quite well. It’s not the most thrilling, so I’ve been taking very few photos (I eat such similar meals, the repetition may bore you to stop reading). But I cook different things for Kyle because he’s not as in love with eating quinoa and veggies for days on end (not too shocking, since I think I’m in a special category for being cool with that).
That pasta dish above was for Kyle, and had egg noodles, split pea soup, peas, and TVP. The split pea soup was from a dry soup mix (McDougall’s) which I just bulked up with TVP to get him some protein (both only require added water to rehydrate). I added frozen peas to get some veg in the mix as well. Despite it not being a terribly inspired dish, he loved it and it took no time to make.
Now that I think about it, he’s totally okay with eating mac n cheese and pasta for every meal. So maybe we all have our “things” that we enjoy day in and day out.
Our Costco sells Annie’s mac n cheese in bulk and let me tell you that may have been the best purchase we’ve ever made there. Aside from baby wipes. And almond milk. We go through both of those at alarming rates, too.
All I do is add some kind of frozen or fresh veg (and occasionally TVP too) when I make it. The Annie’s pack from Costco has white and regular cheddar cheese boxes, as well as shells and macaroni, so there’s a tiny bit of diversity in the pasta.
Hippie bowl du jour: quinoa, roasted butternut squash, steamed kale, hard boiled eggs, Bragg’s and nooch.
I don’t like coconut aminos as much as Bragg’s aminos. I tried, but it’s not for me. It’s oddly sweet. And the fizz weirds me out. I’m going back to my salty love.
More bucket list items to come (and desperately creative food concoctions no doubt).
I took care of this cake already. Sorry P, none for you yet.
I’m a mess when I get no sleep as well. Ummm,, yeah that’s not going to bode well when I have two babies to take care of throughout the nights!!
I love the idea of a bucket list of things to do before you move! I did the same thing before I left Charleston for Chicago! And I also like to zone out if I’m getting my nails done, or hair… I’m not a super chatty person with strangers.
I think ANYONE would get moody and cranky with the stress of a move, a new baby and lack of sleep. Sometimes all you need is a couple hours to yourself–a pedicure, a nap, etc.–and to remember that it will all work out 😉
Second, that picture of P at the end melts my heart. And finally, mac and cheese can be done a million different ways with different spices, salsa, noodles, etc. so go to town! Easy and stress free. 😉
I’m totally with you on the coconut aminos, it is weirdly sweet, I can’t get down with it! Back to Braggs for me!
Elise, what is your recipe for the soy-tahini-maple syrup dressing? I like the coconut aminos…but brags is better!
Aww, what a seriously cute little boy you have!!
Ok, I never EVER give unsolicited parenting advice, so I apologize in advance for this one. It’s something that I did with my son and I’m so so glad I did it.
You know those obnoxious kids that get up & run around in restaurants, pop up behind you in the booth or are just constantly getting out of their seats & walking around their parents’ table? Yeah, I decided my kid was not going to do that. I taught him good restaurant etiquette right from the start, never made a big to-do about it, just treated restaurant visits just like at home: stay in your seat, no screaming, and eat your meal like a human being! LOL!
This point was driven home when he was 5 and we went to lunch with a boy from his kindergarten class. The kid, yes at 5 years old, was constantly getting up from the table, walking around to his mom, hanging all over her. She was flustered & frustrated, couldn’t eat her food. My son kept looking at me like “what the heck?” and the mom finally asked “how did you get him to be so well behaved?” ha ha! Well…. it’s never as hard as people think. 😉
And that, I swear, is my last bit of unsolicited advice!!!
isnt it crazy what some kids get away with?!? P will be much better behaved bc that will definitely not fly.
on a different subject matter, i cringe when i see parents feed into their kids’ picky nature with eating…allowing them to get quesadillas without the cheese or some equally as ludicrous thing. if you dont try it, you dont know if you dont like it. im determined to have a adventurous eater who knows that you dont get an alternative dish if you dont “feel like” whats presented to you. the option in front of you is what you get, so take it or leave it. harsh? i guess we will see when we start solids…
thank you hannah!!!
no recipe. just mixed them together til it tasted good.
thanks for the perspective. i guess it is a lot to process…my mind RACES at night so sometimes even though im so tired i cant get to sleep. freakin brain wont shut down!
youre gonna be great! it seems like you have an awesome family support system so definitely use it. the first few nights will be rough, but you will get it down. youd be surprised how much you can run off adrenaline in the beginning, but yeah, eventually it will catch up. anyway, you dont need my advice, youre gonna rock as a mom chelsey! its a steep learning curve, thats for sure, but i know you are ready.
I agree, Abby. Be gentle with yourself, Elise!
Not harsh at all! In fact, mine was very adventurous in his early years – drank carrot juice & ate broccoli. But then he had 2 big “traumas” in his life, the first was that move to NV and the second was the divorce. Food is one of the only things that kids can “control” in their lives, and it’s the first thing to suffer when something feels out of control for them. One thing I learned was don’t push if something like that happens, eventually it self-corrects (with patience & understanding) and they continue to feel that their choices are within their control (even if it turns out, they are eating exactly what *you* wanted them to, anyway!).
So exciting that you’ll be close to me! Love Davis, such a great vibe! And fun idea with the bucket list, hubby and I did that when we left Florida in 2006 – great way to get your fill of the area one last time.
so aside from baagan, any local vegan faves you can rec?
Thanks for the quinoa recipe. I am new to eating it, and have no inspirational ideas on how to cook it. I love butternut squash too. So I must give this a try.
Sure, there are lots of great Thai and Indian places in the area that offer vegan options. The Plum Cafe in midtown Sac is a fantastic all-vegan place with great Sunday brunches. The Green Boheme is a great little raw vegan cafe in Sacramento too that has a lot of classes. There’s also Sunflower Natural Foods Restaurant in Fair Oaks for great vegan options like nut burgers. This list could go on and on! 🙂 And I’m sure there are great options in Davis too.
Boooo we did not hang out enough since I’ve gotten here. Let’s blame that on the new very important part of your life – obviously takes precedent 🙂
Please fill us in (or just me) on your restaurant bucket list – or places I need to try. I’ve barely been here 9 months but know I have sooo many places to try. I do love Tender Greens, RFD, Cafe Gratitude, Native Foods, TFK and Urth soooo much already. Hard to stray! BTW mr. p is adorable!
oh my that last photo is too cute! Looks like an amazing time in LA, especially the pedicure 😉
love the onsie. love the spa trip. love everything 🙂