Milestone Week

This week was a milestone marker for our family: Our first since I started work where all three of us were scheduled to attend work (or school) all five days. And we made it! Granted, Marshall was well on his way to being sick by the time he got home Friday evening, but we still survived the week itself. Friday night was rough, but by Saturday we all felt chipper enough to head out to the Grove to see Santa, just like last year.

Honestly, the wait was ridiculous, but we had a wonderful time. We walked around, took some photos, laughed a lot at Marshall's antics, checked out the decorations, grabbed a snack at the farmers' market, and eventually made our way in to see Santa. Best of all, Marshall gave us a really great smile for the photo! We came home, let the little one settle in for a (very late) long winter's nap, and got to work on some Christmas gift baking and assembling.

Today, we had a voucher for brunch for four at the Beverly Hilton that needed to be used, so we left Marshall with family and headed out with our friends Amanda and Jenn, who weren't about to turn down free brunch! The deal came with unlimited trips to the buffet (including an incredible assortment of desserts), endless prosecco, and a side entree.

Thanks to my mom for gifting us the voucher! XOXOXO We also wandered around the lobby to spy on the Christmas decorations, including a 13-foot gingerbread tower!

Some other happenings lately:

Some awesome workouts! I'm thrilled about that because it feels like it's been awhile since I've really pushed myself. Yes, I've gained consistency in my 18 months postpartum, but "consistency" doesn't always translate to intensity. I've enjoyed cranking up the challenge lately!

Here's a tough leg and plyometric workout from PB Fingers. I did it yesterday before the Grove and I was huffing and puffing (Terry was concerned...shows how out of shape I am for that kind of workout!). I'm trying to compile a post with more recent workouts, but it's slow going. They're good, though!

Obviously we're all decorated and loving the cheer of our cozy apartment this season. I'm currently watching Love Actually (second time so far) as I write.

Marshall's shown some interest in writing on paper, so we let him try crayons. He's really awful at drawing so far. ;-)

In preparation for the holidays, we're doing our best to eat healthy and have lots of easy options for meals at home. (Full disclosure, I also recently saw my doctor, who told me he'd like me to lose a few pounds to get back to my pre-baby weight, so that's helping me stay motivated.)

So yesterday I made this butternut squash soup from Giada (my mom made some and let us try it over Thanksgiving, so I wanted to make some, too). Marshall LOVED it. (I added peas to his, which was a wise choice, apparently.)

Speaking of the little dude, I mentioned that we're trying to find ways to get him involved in the kitchen. He likes playing with real kitchen tools, like measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoons, bowls, etc., but I think he's excited to help with actual tasks, too. He can take potatoes out of the bag and put them into a colander for rinsing. He can kiiiiind of stir. He can shake up a bag of vegetables to get them coated with olive oil. And this weekend we tried a new one: separating the silicone baking cups into the muffin tins!

Another favorite: wearing oven mitts.

He's also working on mastering chopsticks. (He actually managed to get three or four bites of food into his mouth with chopsticks!)

And though it's rare now, we do still go to the park. Here are some photos from today:

And with that, I'm off to fight the cold that Marshall gave me this weekend. Here's hoping we can make it through this week, too!

I hope your holiday season is starting off beautifully. Be sure to enjoy some time to yourself and cherish the time you have with others. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and to-do lists, but it's important to keep the spirit of the season alive, too. Enjoy in whatever way feels best!