Things I Love Thursday // 1.15.15

Hello!

I'm back.

It's been a busy break. I hope to fill you in on some of the highlights eventually… 

For now, here's a small list of some simple things that have brought a smile to my face recently.

• Our new furry family members - The girls each received a hamster from us for Christmas. G named her little guy, Leonardo DaVinci and P named her guy, William Shakespeare. They are very tame, getting fat, and super fun to watch when they are eating things or grooming themselves. We are very hopeful that they never meet Richard Parker outside of their cages. 
  
• The "Egg Muffins" I've been making - These little gems take a bit of prep on the front end but the recipe yields 2 dozen cupcake sized breakfast (or snack) delights. Two or three make a tasty and protein-packed breakfast on the go. It's the perfect quick bite as I'm running out the door to do school drop-off. (Recipe in the link!)
• All of the BOOKS that the girls received for Christmas - This isn't even all of them! They are in heaven! (And it's so quiet around here all the time.) 
  
• My annual Paper Source Wall Art Calendar - This is a highlight every Christmas when I unwrap my gifts from my sister-in-law. I'm so happy she continues to buy this for me. I love it. 
  
• Caviar on a Kettle Chip - I read about this idea in the 12/14 issue of bon appétit magazine. So on NYE, celebrating for the first time with the girls (who stayed up until the ball dropped!) and watching Ghostbusters (probably NOT entirely appropriate), Greg and I kept up our tradition and enjoyed some caviar with our bubbly. I'm not sure I'll be able to go back to toast points or blinis after this… Unless of course, that's all you're offering. 
  
• All the birthday love that came pouring in last week for Piper and I via Facebook, texts, phone calls, cards, and celebratory outings - Makes a girl not mind (so much) having crested the "hill" and begun to make the trek down the backside. 
• Begging For Thread by BANKS - On repeat. 
  
• Playing board games with the kids - We received Monopoly, Clue, Mastermind, Battleship… (I might be forgetting something). The magic number for board games is 8 (years old). We are IN the sweet spot. 
  
• My new workout top from Greg 
• These plates from Anthropologie - Apparently, there is also a FOX plate out there somewhere. Unfortunately, it is no longer available online and my local store is long out. If any of y'all see it--PLEASE pick it up for me! xxoo 
  
• Having a cup of tea in the evenings - We are trying to replace our routine glass (or two) of wine Sunday-Thursday. I'm not going to tell you it's not challenging some days; however, Mandarin Orange Spice is something I find myself looking forward to.
• The satisfaction of finishing a puzzle