I love a weekend with nothing on the agenda. As a busy business owner, new mom, and introvert to top it off, I crave turning inwards on the weekends, connecting with my husband, and feeling fully present with my baby. However, I have a tendency to swing too much in this direction sometimes, which is why I love when Alex and I make our happiness lists. We used to do this by the season, but have reimplemented them on a monthly basis instead. With the holiday season on our heels, we lumped November and December together. More on this below!
Friday night was spent in my favorite way: staying in, cooking, and watching a good movie.
I made Green Chef’s paleo barbecue beef chili. The flavor profile was on point! It was also so easy to make, that I plan to recreate it. Recipe coming soon!
I also enjoyed a cocktail I’m loving lately: mezcal, Waterloo Peach, juice from one lime, plus a splash of kombucha.
Per the usual, I was the first to wake up on Saturday morning, but instead of turning to my regular routine, I took my cup of coffee and kindle back to bed. It always feels good to get out of a habit and do something different.
Mason joined the pajama party shortly thereafter! We spent the morning reading, writing, and eating breakfast in bed. I compiled three posts about what I am doing to maintain self-care in motherhood (see Nutrition, Movement, and Mindfulness).
After a yogurt bowl, I did a 30-minute Peloton pilates video. I am really trying to strengthen my core, and this was just what I needed!
The rest of the day was spent watching college football and taking it easy.
Thanks to Alex’s mom, we were able to have a date night that evening. We have only been out a handful of times without Mason, so it feels special to spend time with just the two of us. We headed to Quirk for some cocktails followed by Helen’s for dinner.
At Helen’s we ordered a small plate to start (crispy Brussels and artichokes). I then got the sea scallops entree
On Sunday morning we wrote out our November/December happiness list. I absolutely love this activity and the 30 items came easily to me.
My November/December Happiness List:
- Decorate the Christmas tree
- Walk down Monument Avenue to see the lights
- Go wine tasting with friends
- Go wine tasting at Saude Creek
- Bake chocolate chip Christmas cookies
- Go see Santa
- Read The Night Before Christmas with Mason
- Go to the Lewis Ginter GardenFest of Lights
- Make cinnamon rolls for breakfast (from my cookbook)
- Bake a pumpkin pie
- Make a cheese board
- Have a game night
- Go to a brewery
- Make chili and cornbread for dinner
- Make hot cider
- Buy a toy for a child in need
- Make grilled cheese and tomato soup
- Go to Pop’s
- Have a fun Thanksgiving
- Have a Merry Christmas
- Plan next Healthified Travel trip
- Pumpkin pancakes for breakfast (see below!)
- Watch a Christmas movie
- Date night to a new restaurant
- Bundle up for a coffee walk
- Go out to dinner with friends
- Go to Birdie’s at the Common House for oysters
- Get a couples massage
- Have a chill New Year’s Eve
- Do yoga together
That morning we tackled two: Bundle up for a coffee walk and Pumpkin pancakes for breakfast!
These pancakes were so good, and Alex made the comment that might be my best batch to day. That might be a bold statement, but they were definitely delicious, hearty, and healthy. I typically make my pancakes grain-free, but a recent food intolerance test showed eggs are an issue for me, so I opted for a gluten-free and vegan version instead:
Gluten-Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Equipment
- High-speed Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup dairy-free milk**
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons ground flax
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- coconut oil for cooking
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender, and process on high until smooth and creamy and all ingredients are combined.
- Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour pancake batter of desired size and cook 4 minutes. Flip and cook 3-4 more minutes or until cooked through.
Notes
Another slow day ensued, watching movies and vegging out. Alex cooked chili and cornbread for lunch, we had Green Chef pork chops for dinner, and I of course topped off the day with a low sugar sweet treat. More Happiness List items to come!
