Fare Thee Well

I really can't even believe it… We are no longer residents of SoCal. I'm in a haze of denial that we won't soon be returning to Sunny Cali back to our church, our friends, and our lives. We had our sweet baby boy while living here and leaving has hit me hard, I'm saying goodbye to the most wonderful hello I've ever experienced. I mostly eat chocolate while crying in bed, I may or may not be clothed, but that's neither here nor there… We are currently in a state of homelessness while we wait to close on our first house and that's making things a little harder to digest. I feel a bit lost. I know this is the best thing for our family and I AM excited, but I'm finding myself needing to lean a bit more on God as he guides us through this transition. I hope I can remain open to new friendships and a new season of life. It's just when you have had it so good, it's hard to see better.

I can't believe how lucky I have been to meet and know the beautiful people I call friends. Some of the most caring and giving souls I've ever met. Thank you. To all of the amazing friends that in their own way changed my life. Made me better. Made me stronger. Made me funnier. Made me happier. Made me, Me.

Thanks Boos.

All things San Diego, Part II

So here it is folks… My giant list of all things food in San Diego! The Captain and I are passionate about food and we pride ourselves on being the people you text when you are looking for a new spot to eat! Note: I should say I am a vegan, so every single restaurant on the list, while it might not be a vegan establishment, does offer vegan options! But I assure you, this is not just a list for veggies!!! In fact, out of the 26 spots listed, only 5 are entirely vegan or plant based! Meat eaters, rejoice! I have been compiling this list for weeks!! I am actually salivating after editing this post… I need some tacos… or noodles… or pizza… or falafel… or sheesh, I don't know, for love of GOD GET ME SOME FOOD! Best Coffee Drinks: Cafe Gratitude

Weird answer, I know, but the coffee beverages at CG are among the most original and delicious I’ve ever tried. Their Mocha!? Shut. Your. Face. Their teas and other libations are equally tasty!!

Best Breakfast: Coffee Cup

Not only is the best breakfast in San Diego, but also my favorite restaurant. The rosemary potatoes will change your life. I order the Papas Loco, no diary, add tofu, with corn tortillas. EVERY. TIME. I ate here the day I went into labor and I’m pretty sure it was the jalapeños that did the trick... We eat here... A LOT. Needless to say, the servers have my order memorized and I love them and I will miss them.

Best Pancakes: Moncai Vegan

These pancakes will change your life. Change it. The Captain stands firm that these are the BEST pancakes he's ever eaten in his life!! HIS ENTIRE LIFE!!! You non-vegans will be like WHAT THE HELL!?! I don't know how it's possible to get such giant, fluffy pancakes with no milk or eggs… I don't know how the chef does it, but he does and it is spectacular.

Best Vegan Breakfast: OB's People Co-op

Not only is this the best value in town, these biscuits and gravy are the things dreams are made of! With an entirely vegetarian market beneath, this small kitchen whips up some tasty and simple food that will leave you satisfied and happy! I wish I lived closer to it because I would eat there daily… seriously, I'd do it.

[my beloved avocado roll from Lil' Tokyo]

Best Sushi: Ebisu Sushi Lounge

I love this place. We found this when we first moved out because they had a small, but interesting vegan sushi list, but we quickly became regulars. Their fish is always fresh and prepared in unique ways! The place is rarely packed, but always buzzing and they serve food way past your bed time. [special shout out to Little Tokyo in Carmel Mountain, this place makes me happy. Nothing super special, but it's yummy]

Best Cocktails: WhisknLadle

Fancy and unique cocktails in a fancy and unique setting. Boom.

Best Chinese: Golden City

So after years of looking for a decent Chinese restaurant we stumbled upon Golden City and it is authentic and delish! With a completely separate veggie menu, it was a clear winner for me! Their salted garlic string beans are a thing of beauty!! Note: the portions are MASSIVE and definitely for sharing!

Best Döner: The Kebab Shop

Now, maybe you are thinking, come again!?! But if you have never had a döner you are in for quite a thrill! It's like a Mediterranean burrito and it tastes like heaven! I order the falafel diner, no garlic sauce, add spicy hummus, add fries or rice depending on my mood. [3/19/18 I've been informed that the rice is loaded with butter. True Vegans, skip the rice!] The wrap is soft, almost like a thin naan bread… It is delicious! There are now locations all over San Diego, so no excuses get thee to The Kebab Shop!

Best Salad: NaPizza

The superfood me salad with tahini dressing is literally a thing of the gods!! Their pizza and [always vegan] soup are both magic, but I don't stray from my favorite salad! With locations in Little Italy, Hillcrest, and 4S you are covered!

[delish offerings from Cafe Gratitude. Top to bottom, I am: warm-hearted, awesome, & surrendering][Trilogy Sanctuary, just being awesome. Top to bottom: Nachos and bfast crepes.]

Best Healthy Eats: Tie Cafe Gratitude and Trilogy Sanctuary

Cafe Gratitude makes the list twice. I've eaten at the LA eatery a handful of times and at the recently opened San Diego locale 23,293,090 times. Slight exeggeration. I love love love everything on the menu. It's vegan plant based goodness and I'm gonna miss them like WHOA. And then there's Trilogy, a newer find, located in La Jolla on a rooftop with angels and fairies. OR flying aerobatic yogis. Close enough. The menu is small, but heavenly. I love their buckwheat crepes and the nachos!! OH THE NACHOS!!! Both of these spots are winners, for vegans and non-vegans alike!

Best Thai: Amarin Thai

My buddy Christina took me to this restaurant years ago and I fell... hard. Their Tom Yum Soup is AMAZING. They have an entire separate veggie menu that’s even fish sauce free! And good news North County, Siam Nara in Mira Mesa and Nok in Scripps Ranch are pretty much the same menu from owner Suree! Winning.

[Top to bottom: salad pizza from Luigis and a vegan pie from SDBC]

Best Pizza: Tie Pizzeria Luigi and San Diego Brewing Company

So Luigi's was an early find, after watching a San Diego episode of triple D Guy Fieri swore he'd eat it off of a flip flop, we had to try it. To my delight, I found out that they will sub vegan cheese and even make vegan calzones. The calzones are AH-mazing. But even more surprising is their cheese-less salad pizza. This pizza is the bomb. And dude, all of their cheesy pizzas look amazing!! Oh, oh and when I was very pregnant and wanted to get another slice, the so sweet pizza maker gave me a slice on the house. Two thumbs up. A more recent find is San Diego Brewing! This spot has a crazy amount of vegan offerings along side all of your typical pub grub. They have vegan hot wings AND vegan pizza!!! Who knew!? It is the lightest crust and I just can't say enough good things. The marinara is delish and the toppings are fresh. It's so yummy.

[vegan mezzaluna and the special from Civico1845]

Best Italian: Bencotto

Yummy, fresh Italian food in the chicest building. I love this place. Their arrabbiata sauce and zucchini soup really make me happy. A newbie that I’ve only tried twice is Civico1845, but it is really shaping up to be a winner! An entire authentic vegan menu, um dreams coming true.

Best Indian: Delhi Kitchen 

This is a hole in the wall if ever there was one, but Delhi Kitchen in Carmel Mountain is a killer find! It's super inexpensive and the family who runs it is so nice!! Their Chana Masala is spicy, full of flavor, and oh-so-good.

Best Ramen: Underbelly

Holy. Giant. Bowls. of. Soup. Batman. This spot is legit. They now have 2 locations, but if you can try out the original in Lil Italy it is totally worth it for the experience. The veggie ramen with truffle oil is lip smacking good!

Best Tacos: Don Carlos Taco Shop

One of the first joints we found when arriving in San Diego. Don Carlos is a hole in the wall if ever there was one! The owner is full of personality and with a tag line like “what would Jesus eat?” this place has to rock! And with multiple vegan options this joint is sure to please. We used to pick up food and bring it to the cliffs and watch the sunset with the rich people! Highly suggest it!!

Best Frozen Yogurt: Paradise Yogurt

Best vegan yogurt ever!!! They always have at least 2 vegan flavors and it constantly rotates. Their toppings are genius and they have the chillest employees. Love this spot.

Best Vegan Junk Food: Veggie Grill

The Buffalo Bomber has comforted me many, many a night... or day... or mid-morning. I ate here, nearly, twice a week when I was pregnant. The whole menu is awesome. And I'm gonna tell you right now, you will be surprised that vegan "chicken" tastes, well, pretty much like chicken!

Best Spot for a Group who can't Decide: True Foods

This is the perfect restaurant for a group of folks who just can't get their shit together. It's deceptively healthy, but will please a variety of palates! You can get a bison burger, a seasonal squash pizza[amazing], or [my favorite] the Mediterranean chopped salad. There's an option for the gluten intolerant, vegan, or meat eater in your group. And on top of all of those reasons, simply put, it's a delish and thoughtful menu!

Best Meal with a View: Cordiano Winery

Our amazing neighbors suggested this spot a few years ago and we have been frequent visitors ever since. It's nestled atop some impressive hills in Escondido, but you feel like you are in another world. The Italian owners are the sweetest and their pizza is out of control yummy! The wine is okay, but what you are really there for is the view! I could have sat there for hours!

Best Beach Front: Ki's Restaurant at the Beach

I love this spot in Cardiff. It's the utmost in chill dining spots! We love to go for breakfast and I just love all of their healthy options and there is nothing that can beat the view!!

Best Date Night Spot: Alexanders on 30th

Now there isn't much for a vegan to eat, but the few dishes you can have are totally delish and worth it for the wonderful and sexy atmosphere! It just feels… romantic!? The truffle mac n cheese is a favorite among my friends!

Best Brewery: Ballast Point

We’ve been to a few breweries and this is both mine and The Captain’s favorite. It’s not as touristy as Stone, but is on the larger scale. But with a super tasty menu, DELICIOUS beer, and a beautiful locale. It’s a winner.

Does it even matter???

via

So I haven't blogged-- hell- I haven't written anything in quite some time. Been busy on a little something called living my damn life… Can I get an amen!? I don't know how mommy bloggers with tiny ones do it. Stay connected to their kids, spouse, friends, work, and find time to care about writing a blog. More power to ya sistas.

After many a long talk with The Captain it's become pretty obvious that my issue isn't really time or content, it's wondering if it really matters… Like who really cares?! I have a small and loyal following so it's not to dog on you, but seriously, does sharing my thoughts on food, fashion, and mommyhood even matter... What I've come up with is... No. In the grand scheme of important world shit, it's tiny. But at the end of the day writing makes me happy. I enjoy it. I don't really get the time I once had to write daily or even 3 times a week! Dude, I now write blog posts in the privacy of my bathroom on my cellphone. Life is just different. And it's good. Heck, it's great.

So this isn't happening in a week or even a month. We bought our first home via FaceTime 2000 miles away. So the next few months are gonna be filled with packing, adventuring, and soaking up all our amazing city has to offer before we hit the road. But I'm excited to get back to posting quick healthy meals for the whole fam, showing you our new home and how decorating can be fun and chic even with a toddler and minimal budget, and oh-so much more.

2016 is gonna be a blast.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

I’ll start by saying I had a wonderful and hilarious post completely finished when Wordpress screwed me over and deleted it forever. Now I am rushing to rewrite everything with the same humor and detail in the 6 minutes I have before Mohawk wakes up. I hate you Wordpress, go eff yourself.

I am not an entertainer. Every time we move I find myself uttering the words, “oh this is a great space to entertain.” Why?! I have no idea. I am never going to throw a party. I like small gatherings 3-5 people. I can cook a really nice meal, get a few bottles of really nice wine... I love cooking lunch for friends. I just think small, I suppose. So I’m not entirely sure what enticed me to throw a “yay we aren’t homeless/surprise The Captain birthday” party. But alas, we did it and I’m pretty sure it was a success.

The Food. Let me start by saying I am not a meat eater. Like, I’m the opposite of a meat eater. Now I’m not an ethical vegan or at least I didn’t start out that way, so I don’t refuse meat in my house or berate a waiter if my falafel is fried in the same oil as something meaty... I’d rather not have my food in contact with meat, but I try to remain reasonable. I would rather take the hit and leave someone with a positive memory of a vegan than some cray person who made them feel like crap. I like to keep an open dialogue about the way I eat. Anywho, I’ve lingered too long here. You get it. Well, I decided on a taco party and scoured Pinterest for the easiest taco recipes and moseyed over to the grocery store. I sailed through the veggies, beans, salsa. I didn’t even bat an eyelash at the cheese and sour cream. But then... The meat counter. Oh. MY. VOM. Beef!? Yikes. I literally haven’t purchased raw beef in over 13 years... I was pacing back and forth for at least 15 minutes. I googled “does brisket have another name?” I had to finally ask a stranger to help me find brisket. He looked at me like I asked him to help me find Narnia. He did, however, eventually point me to a brisket. A 7+ pound brisket. Ew. I tossed it in my cart wrapped in plastic away from anything I would be eating... I moved on to the chicken, which wasn’t as foreign, I ate chicken up until about 6 years ago... I quickly eyed what I wanted and picked it up only to find it was covered in chicken juice. CHICKEN JUICE ALL OVER MY HANDS. I started looking around desperately for a paper towel or hand soap, then I started dancing about like I was going to pee myself. I eventually calmed down and double bagged that shit like a boss. As I was walking away I heard a women say to me, “chicken is so gross, isn’t it?” as she hauled a few cartons into her cart. You have no idea lady. NO. IDEA. Now luckily The Captain put the meat in the crock pot for me and shredded it, so all I had to do was fill the crockpots with veggies, veggie stock, and whatever else they called for that was veggie friendly. Everyone said the food was amazing and I am inclined to believe them because it was almost entirely gone at the end of the night. I made this chicken, this beef, this rice, and this bean recipe as my staple items!

The Booze. Since I had requested that people surprise The Captain with a boozy delight and an entertaining note, I knew we weren’t going to need as much liquor, so we opted to keep our drink list small yet plentiful. We made this delicious sangria via my food spirt animal the Minimalist Baker. We had Mexican beer, Mexican coke, and bottled water all in galvanized tubs along with cups of sliced limes. I would have photos, but all of our guests were ridiculously on time and I was barely able to snap shots of the food before it was destroyed.

The Fun. We rented a few lawn games which everyone seemed to enjoy! We have a huge yard so it was perfect! Oh and the piñata... that’s right I bought a monster truck piñata and filled it with mini bottles of booze... because I love my husband and this is ‘merica where you can do whatever the hell you want!!  We also had a cake. An ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins!?!? Who the hell am I!?!?

The Drunks. Well the party started at 4, people were pleasantly buzzed and The Captain had completely succumbed to the dark side around or before 8:30. I was surprised to find the next day that even the “pleasantly buzzed” were actually closer to the black out/vom the night away drunk than I had thought. They just hide it better than old man river, I suppose. I think it was an exciting evening, even sober people were locking themselves in our guest bathroom. Par-TAY!!!! We put The Captain down for bed around 9 and people started filing out around 10, I had the intention of kicking everyone out around 10:30. What?! I was gonna be up by 6 the next morning. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.

The Hostest with the Mostest. I will say, it’s not easy to entertain for a large number of people. Cooking, cleaning, introducing, and trying to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves is hard!!! I didn’t have one drink all night long, but I really did have fun. It’s absolutely exhausting, but so gratifying to see people talking and laughing and having a good time!!! I finished all the dishes and cleaning before 11 and I definitely ate 4 or more gluten free/vegan chocolate chip cookies, in bed, while looking back at photos of the party. And I’m happy to report that Mohawk went down around 7 around stayed asleep through drunkards slamming the bathroom door, yelling over FaceTime, and Mariachi music blasting. That’s my boy. But I think we will pass on that massive first birthday party... Momma’s partied out.

Let there be Cupcakes

Well hello there! Nice to see you! I’ve missed our little chats. Over the past 2 months I’ve spent a little a lot of time focusing on what’s important and less no time blogging. Don’t you worry I’ve written some hella brooding and serious mommy posts that I may or may not one day share with you all. Cue unbridled excitement. Calm your pits, Becca, I probably won't… I’ve also been working on a little, nay, huge project with a few of my favorite people, can’t wait to share that with you soon! Oh yeah, and we are moving. 2 thumbs down. But mostly, I’ve been watching Rocco grow and learn and eat and sleep through the night!!! #WINNING So after many a disappearing acts, I’m back. With cake. Yes, that’s right. This sugar free health nut is back WITH CUPCAKES. A few months ago I met the lovely Cori Larsen of Heaven Cupcake at a baking lesson and I watched her make beautiful fluffy cupcakes that I couldn't eat. I was, of course, filled with sadness. We decided to have a cupcake making party and try our hand at vegan baking. We all know I'm not a baker, which Cori, a seasoned Cupcake Wars pro, can attest to but we basically filled in vegan ingredients to her perfectly delicious recipe and we arrived at a kid-approved and man-approved finished product. I call that a win. Check out our recipe!!!!! Makes 12 regular or 24 mini cupcakes.

[Cori prefers mini cupcakes, perfectly pop-able]

2.5 cups of flour

1.5 cups of sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/3 cup oil

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 cup almond milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 teaspoons egg replacer mixed with 4 tablespoons warm water [enerG brand is the bomb]

Preheat oven to 355. Mix dry ingredients and then wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Cori is a HUGE fan of her Kitchen Aid mixer, so if you have one bust that puppy out and slowly pour the wet to the dry ingredients until well combined. Don't over mix!!!! Then [using a tiny ice cream scoop, genius!] fill the lined tin and pop in the oven for 15-18 minutes rotating the pan around 6 minutes. See!? The brilliant tips keep coming.

Our attempt to recreate her famous cream cheese frosting with vegan cream cheese was sad… I didn't think it tasted awful, but it was a pretty yuck texture, so we opted for a basic buttercream. Cori googled a few Food.com recipes and we came up with this.

Vegan Buttercream | 2 ways

4 ounces Earth Balance, softened

3 tablespoons almond milk

1 cup confectioners sugar [more if you like it super sweet, I do not]

1 teaspoon vanilla

[For a special something, something add a pinch o cinnamon and a splash of almond extract]

[Optional] 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder! We added it after we iced half of the cupcakes with the vanilla. I personally LOVE the chocolate/vanilla swirl!

Cream all ingredients together with a stand or hand mixer. To make your cupcakes look oh-so-pretty use a frosting bag and a star tip to instantly elevate your creations to PROFESH levels. It also doesn't hurt to strategically place your sprinkles… That's not at all what we did… Okay, it totally is.

Enjoy and be sure to check out Cori on Insta, Twitter, and her site Flour & Coco.****

Journey Back to Confident.

Lately I feel like my confidence has been taking a good swift punch to the nuts, like daily. I look in the mirror and see a body I just don't recognize. It's hard to explain, but I just lack the muscle and tone that made me feel strong and sexy before Roc was born. I also feel blah and tired and bleh like ALL. THE. TIME. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for my body. It created, carried, and birthed my favorite little nugget. It's amazing, but as anyone who's housed a tiny human can atest it does some GNARLY stuff to your parts. I always had something negative to say about my pre-baby body and now I'm like, "dude, that body was the shit!" But here's the thing, feeling uncomfortable in your body and feeling like you want to be better is not reserved just for those who've had babies. As women, we are constantly wishing we had smaller this, bigger that… I don't want my son to hear me talk about my body that way. I want him to have a strong and confident mama no matter what size my jeans are! But here's the thing, I also need to feel good and for me that's getting back to eating clean [vegan with no refined sugar or wheat] and exercising regularly [20-40 minutes daily].

I know it can be tiring and time consuming to meal plan but for me that is the secret to lifestyle change success! Planning so you don't ever find yourself in a place where you are starving and without good options. I need a plan, I need lists. I am old school, so I use cookbooks. Like a TON of cookbooks. I love Gwyneth's It's All Good, Giada's Feel Good Food, detox4Women, and any and all Kimberly Snyder books. I also have some favorite recipes from my favorite blogs and Pinterest, some of which I will be sharing with you! I have a membership to The Dailey Method which is amazing and an unbelievable way to slim down quickly in a super fun class surrounded by wonderful and inspiring women!! I also have a child that doesn't like to be predictable and likes to nap through any plans I make so I am using online resources like the brilliant FREE videos from the Tone It Up babes and my trusty Tracy Anderson dvds so that I can get my sexy back without having to wake nugget from a much needed nap [le sigh].

Every week or so, I am going to be checking in with you to let you know my progress, set backs, recipes, workouts I've loved, workouts I've hated… The whole shebang. Maybe we do this together. I would love for this to be a place were we can openly share our struggles and triumphs of feeling confident in the bodies we have!

Sloppy Joe, Slop-Sloppy Joe

As promised, here's my own little take on the lentil sloppy joe! I have been craving these suckers big time which is super weird because not only have I never had one, I thought they looked disgusting when I was a kid. I mean, have you ever seen It Takes Two!?!? They are so messy and ground beef is the worst… But alas, while cray sloppy [hardy har har] they were also quite delicious. I was going to make everything from scratch via this recipe until I realized ain't no body got time for that, so here' s my super easy recipe.  [Sloppy Joe Innards] 

1 cup red lentils

3 cups water

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon of dry mustard, garlic powder, and salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional [my sauce was a bit tart, so I wanted the sweetness]

1.5 cups of your favorite bbq sauce

Slider buns

Start with the onions and red peppers on medium heat in a dutch oven. You can use a touch of olive oil or water until soft. Once onions are translucent add mustard, garlic powder, salt, and brown sugar. Add 2 cups of the water and red lentils. Cook covered for 25 minutes. Stir add additional cup of water and bbq sauce. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes until nice and thick!!

[Slaw]

1 quarter of a red cabbage, shredded

1/2-3/4 cup Veganaise [personal preference]

1 tablespoon dijion mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients and pop in the fridge.

[HomeFries]

2 potatoes, cut into large wedges

tablespoon dried thyme

lotsa salt

olive oil

Preheat oven at 425 degrees. Drizzle with olive oil, thyme, salt and coat all of the potatoes. Make sure they are all touching the pan. Cook for 20 minutes and then flip, cook for another 15 or until crispy.

You can add Tabasco, Pickles, more BBQ, Slaw, the options are endless!!!!!!

In Pinning News…

So every few weeks I thought it would be fun to catch you up with my latest Pinterest obsessions because, as it turns out, I'm a superiorly talented pinner. I wish I could make it a job… Does that mean I should be an editor?! I think yes. Anywho, a few years ago I even won a Rachel Zoe Pinterest contest and besides my wedding day and the birth of my child, it's my proudest moment. You think I'm joking. I'm not.  My handwritten note from Rach is most definitely framed on my dresser… No shame. She's Bananas. BA- NAN- NAS. Moving on, here are my top pins from last week!

[I never actually had a sloppy joe when I was a kid. I mean, ew. But lately they sound delicious. I'm gonna share my own red lentil sliders recipe later this week.]

[Vegan Snickers Ice Cream Bars, literally one of my favorite things in the world pre-veg!! Can't wait to try these. The Minimalist Baker is my hero][This is my top repin of the past 2 weeks. I love the all white with the boxy gray coat. The black bag and nails are perf.][I'm currently obsessed with moving and buying a house. A house, hopefully, full of subway tiles]

[How much fun is this!? I want to make one in a fun color to hang on the all white walls of my new imaginary home!!]

[1][2][3][4][5]

But First, Coffee

So part of me feels like people don't want to hear about how effing tired I am, but there's this other part of me who A. doesn't care and B. feels like it's complete bullshit if I pretend to have a perfect baby who sleeps perfectly and shits perfectly… I don't even know what that means, but I've seen bloggers with beautiful family pics of their amazing baby who not only brings joy and perfect piles of perfect poo, they sleep through the night and even started working a part time job to pay for diapers… It makes me mad, like, rullll mad. I know a ton of moms read these blogs and think, Shit, what am I doing wrong?! Nothing, you're doing nothing wrong!! Around 4.5 months MohawkRoc completely forgot how to sleep. So for the past month or so we have gone back to the basics of getting him sleeping through the night. We are dealing with "the rolling over" phase and he's yet to master rolling back so he wakes up on his tummy very angry-like… but enough of that, here's what has been sustaining us during our sleep fast. [1] Fuel. There are a variety of must have beverages: h2o, coffee, and beer… not necessarily in that order. Hydrating is super important and La Croix coconut sparkling water is my favorite thing in the world. I toss back these things like a boss. Donut Shop's Coconut Mocha coffee is INSANE delicious, I mean so good. I've never needed coffee before, but that is not the case any more. I don't do cream and sugar, but lately I haven't been digging my usual super bitter black coffee. Enter this coffee. It's so crisp and yummy you don't need to add anything. Then there's the booze. Banquet Beer. Cheap and tasty. Perfect when you just need a light beer with dinner to relax your brain from thinking about how you probably aren't going to sleep tonight either… le sigh… Oh and let us not forget to eat. We live off of Chipotle. Brown Rice. Beans. Veggies. Gauc. Lettuce. Relatively healthy, cheap, and fast. Boom. Enjoy with cold Banquet beer.

[2] Wardrobe. It's imperative you have stretchy lounge pants acceptable to be worn in public and a good hat… Boom. Pair with a cute tee or tank and you look like you give a damn, but we all know the truth... Not only do you not remember when you last gave a damn, you also put your underwear on inside out this morning and can't be bothered to fix them… not that I'm speaking from experience...

[3] Beauty. So eye cream is my new best friend. I've actually been using the whole line of Renée Rouleau products and I'm really impressed with the results, but this eye cream is brilliant. Total Eye Repair. Because, DAMN, we need to repair those eyes. And forget wearing your hair down, your kid is gonna pull all that shit out, like giant chunks of hair, and then they are going to try and eat it… Weirdos. I love these Emi Jay hair ties, they help you avoid hair headache!

[4] Entertainment. Our attention spans are pretty pathetic these days, but once the monster nugget is asleep we like to snuggle and laugh our asses off. Currently, we are obsessed with Blackish and The Mindy Project. We also love Modern Family, New Girl, About a Boy, and Brooklyn 99.  All VERY funny and while we might not know much, we know funny. We also watch The Walking Dead, but we right now we are a few episodes behind. CARRLLLLLLLLLLL.

[5] New Challenge. Journaling. I opened up to a wonderful friend about how the exhaustion was really weighing on me. I feel tired to my core. It's so hard to do anything well when you are that worn out and that can really start to affect your mood. I had been praying for rest for Mohawk and for The Captain and I and was just really feeling unheard, my friend suggested journaling and just keeping all those thoughts fresh in my mind and having an open and honest connection to my feelings and to God.

Hope this helps in some small way!! It helped me just to right it out!! So ladies, I want to know what are your must haves when you are utterly exhausted!?!