I'm Committed to Breakfast.

{a mom cannot live on coffee alone}

One of my rather uninteresting New Year's Resolutions was to eat a proper breakfast every morning.  YAWN.  As in a big boring (and I guess tired, too) yawn.  I decided the resolution needed to be made and stuck to because mornings around here can be......intense.  All the kids are usually up by 5:30 (hello darkness my old friend), and they wake up with enough energy and immediate hunger and other needs to leave the idea of easing into the day with a snuggle with one's hubby and a cup of coffee while chatting on the sofa a laughable, very (veryveryvery) distant memory to this mom.

I admit it: I have edgy, cranky, irritable, impatient, tired in the a.m.  I would have a gorgeous espresso (or two) expertly extracted by the mister, yes, but that made things worse in some ways too (thus the edgy, cranky, state).  What I had been overlooking was a proper breakfast.  Not a piece of toast at 9 a.m. after the kids were dropped of at school.  Something sooner and more substantial and including PROTEIN.  For someone who loves to eat and cook and think about food as much as I do, it shouldn't seem like much of a hurdle, but I don't know.  Breakfast, I'm sorry, but I'm just not that into you.

So, I decided to make a list of some of things that have been doing the trick for me, and I ask that you, in return, give me a few ideas if you have them.  I have a feeling all of our expectations are about the same: fairly simple, pretty healthy (but I am not above occasional indulgence at breakfast!), somewhat interesting.

Steel cut oats with butter and maple syrup

TJ's European wholegrain bread with almond butter and a drizzle of honey (sometimes I put butter on too if I'm feeling sorry for myself)

Greek yogurt with sliced almonds and maple syrup

Half an avocado smashed on a piece of toast with flaky sea salt

Whole wheat toast with butter and Marmite (I feel compelled to eat this with a cup of PG Tips with a touch of milk and sugar...I feel so civilized and well, British!)

Strauss whole milk yogurt (the runny kind) with chopped oranges (I'm loving the blood oranges right now) and almonds

Kristina's awesome buttermilk flaxseed pancakes (I like to eat them plain, out of hand)

These oatmeal muffins (buttered, of course)

An egg or two over easy and some buttered toast "soldiers"

Juju's homemade granola and yogurt and whatever fruit we have

OK, so what about you?  What do you eat for breakfast??  What am I missing?

Olvera Street.

Have you been to Olvera Street in Los Angeles?  Until a couple of days ago, I had not.  We were on our way back from a quick trip up north to stay with B while he was working up there (this is becoming a regular thing I guess!), and had about an hour to kill before the train left.  I ran over with Little E to check it out.  I didn't take any photos, but there are a lot online if you are curious.

Little E and I had a delicious snack of beef taquitos, an icy jamaica tea, and picked up these little goodies for the kids:

The sling shot is for C-Man, the little embroidered purse for JuJu, and the dress and huaraches for Little E, of course.  (I also thought about titling this post "The Best $20 I've Spent in a Long Time.")  The huaraches are killing me in real life.

LOVE.

{one of my very favorite pictures of little e}

Who doesn't need a little more love in their life?  Here's to hoping you have a love-filled day today....and EVERYDAY!

photos by 180/360

Aloha!

{our pretty pink hotel}

Aloha to all!  We are back from a quick trip to the islands.  Little E and I tagged along on B's work trip and had a blast! Below are some super random thoughts in no particular order.

{pretty, but more important... delicious}

1.  The mai tai is one very, very fine drink.  It truly is all it is cracked up to be.  I was relieved to find a recipe for the "Scratch Mai Tai" that they served at our hotel (the best we had by far on our trip).  I know what we will be serving this spring and summer!

2.  Drinking said mai tais and eating chocolate covered macadamia nuts for four days straight does not leave a girl feeling......um..... her skinniest?

{the "greeter" at the hotel}

3.  B and I agreed: we have never seen our baby happier (or maybe any of our kids for that matter).  Little E was blissed out the whole trip.  Don't know if it was because she had our undivided (relaxed) attention, or if the island air was what she needed, or maybe she is supposed to live there one day?  No matter, we loved watching her find her groove.  :-)

4.  I don't believe I could ever ever ever tire of sitting outside in a sundress at 8 o'clock in the evening.

5.  That island air makes for good hair.  And this is coming from a girl who almost never likes the way her hair looks.

6.  We lucked out and found the sweetest babysitter ever!  She helped us with Little E everyday we were there, and it gave mama and daddy some much-needed time away.

7.  I could eat tuna tartare/sashimi/poke everyday and never tire of it.  I think it's kinda '80s or whatever, but I don't care.  We ate it everyday, sometimes multiple times.

8.  Are island people happier?  Simpler?  Don't know any different?  What is it?  If there are any Hawaiians out there, please enlighten.

{lovely sitting area}

{lacy trees}

{lush}

{blurry, happy baby...seriously, this was her demeanor the whole time!} 

{sweet cheeks}

{good hair days were had by all}

{another spot to sit}

Glad to be back, peoples.  xoxo