Coffee Talk
Woaaah. It’s MAY. Time for another little morning chat: 
If we were having coffee this morning, here’s what I’d blabber to you about:
//It wasn’t the best week in toddlerhood-land. I may have called the husband and bartered my evening out for him coming home from work early. I never even once did that during newborn colicky reflux days, so that’s saying a lot. I ended up surviving on my own but just admitting defeat felt pretty good.
//I have two girls trips this month {and this year probably;)} and especially after the past few weeks with said toddler antics, I’m super super excited and grateful.
//The doctor said I could probably get away with “slipping” occasionally on gluten {but not dairy} without feeling bad now. I did, and when I say I did, I DID. Forget overboard, I went straight off the deepend and it was bad, bad news.
//Some of my favorite April photos a la Instagram.
1. Dairy-free, gluten-free fro-yo at TCBY, made with Silk Almond milk. Word on the street is coconut is coming soon. woohoo! 2. A fave staple dinner {and lunch}, sweet potato chicken patties. Recipe coming next time I make them and don’t consume them before photographing for real. 3. One of the toddler’s favorite lines, “Where’d it go?!” 4. So so grateful for my wonderful friends who can make a bad day good in half a second. 5. My favorite buddy in the whole wide world, blowing bubbles on Easter. 6. Picking wildflowers {aka weeds} – it’s the little things that make life sweet.
What’ve you been up to?
Go here for more coffee talk.
Holidays
Tap tap tap…
Hey, is this thing on?
Normally people abandon their blogs when life gets chaotic, busy, and overwhelming.
I’m pleased to say things have been quiet around here lately for exactly the opposite reason. After a rather rough first 8 months, we’ve hit a sweet spot.
10 months is officially my favorite age. It may {definitely} have something to do with my consistent greater-than-2-hour-stretches of sleep. Much greater than 2 hours. My little one is happy, alert, curious, and complete delight to be around. I’ve just been soaking up as much of that as possible. Things with babies change faster than Lady GaGa’s outfits.
Picture from With Style & Grace
So instead of running to my computer every spare minute, or slaving away in the kitchen while simultaneously trying to entertain the baby underfoot, I’ve been skipping a lot of that stuff. So that’s why during this Thanksgiving week, also known as food blogger heaven, I’m not whipping up creative cranberry sauces, elaborate pies, or healthy side dishes for that deep-fried turkey you know you want to try.
Picture from OhSheGlows
Instead, I’ll rely on some of my favorite foodie experts to provide that for you. I know present you with the greatest roundup of Thanksgiving round ups ever.
You’re welcome.
Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup
Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
Thanksgiving Breakfasts
Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes
Last Minute Thanksgiving Recipes
A Blogger Thanksgiving Feast
Ways to Use Up All Those Thanksgiving Leftovers
And just to round things out:
Thanksgiving Week Workout
Holiday Blaster Workout
Holidays
Ok I really didn’t want to… but I will:
{And no, I haven’t made them all, but they sound amazing. So let me know what you think if you make them. 
}
Breakfast
Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Pomegranate Cream Cheese Icing
Appetizers
Jalapeno Peach Goat Cheese Crostini
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola
Mains
Apple Sage Brined Turkey Breast
Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf
Stuffing
Sourdough Stuffing with Mushrooms, Apples, & Sage
Quinoa Sweet Potato & Dried Cranberry Stuffing
Potatoes
Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Salad
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Sides
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash & Cranberries
Cranberry Pear Salsa
Bread
Cheddar Sage Biscuits
Flaky Crescent Rolls
Citrus Pecan Gingerbread
Desserts
Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake
Almond Cranberry Tart
Gingersnap Bark
Drinks
Spiced Cranberry Prosecco Punch
Hot Spiced Cider
What’s on your menu this year?
Psst… we reached 30 weeks!
Thoughts
My head is far too scattered to post on just one cohesive topic. So you get a bunch of ramblings from the week:
1. Did you hear chronic pain is now officially classified as a disease? You probably don’t care. I do. Why does this matter? It means improvements in treatment.
Researchers have now shown that chronic pain really is in our heads- but not the way most doctors dismiss it. When you hurt yourself- say you slam your back in a car accident- signals are sent from your back to your brain saying ouch this hurts! Those signals continue for so long that they retrain your brain. Then even when the physical source of pain is gone or healed, the pain signals are still being sent to your brain. So for all intents and purpose, the injury is still there- there’s just nothing physical to fix.
Understanding the pain-signal process will make a huge difference in how chronic pain is managed and treated.
Did you know only 1% of doctors specialize in pain? They’re called physiatrists. Apparently doctors can get as little as 1 hour of training in pain when they’re in med school. Is that not the most frightening thing you’ve ever heard? These people prescribe narcotics! That’s less training than they get in nutrition, and that’s pretty low.
2. I think Jennifer Garner and I should be friends. And not just because she’s pregnant and married to Ben Affleck. I flipped on Ellen the other day while getting a snack, something I never do, and there she was, running the show. Anyone that can be funny next to Ellen is a-okay in my book. Plus she talked about accidently getting drunk while filming a segment with Martha Stewart. And stalking her kitchen- literally. I guess she has a Martha Stewart thing.
3. I’m buying paint for the nursery today. That means I have to actually make a decision on what colors we’re using…
4. Please adequately source your recipes if you’re posting a recipe that’s not yours on your blog. This includes saying “adapted from”, posting the recipe and then only subbing one thing, like whole wheat flour. Not cool.
5. I finally tried Love Grown Foods granola and chia pudding. Both fabulous.
6. 
a la the bestest’s pinterest.
7. 
from my friend Emily.
Happy Friday! 
Now on tiny sneakers:
How to Prepare for Pregnancy: the changes I made.
