Happy Monday!

Here is a glimpse into our weekend (and a few of my favorite tips for you too!)

[line]

1. CARD GAMES WITH LITTLES

• I grew up playing card games and board games. One of 5 kiddos, these types of games provided cheap entertainment. And to this day I get all nostalgic when I think about such games. After a fun-filled and busy week of spring break staycationing, Friday was a slow day at home. It was awesome. We had a friend over to play and kept ourselves busy with Legos, basketball, flying remote control helicopters, light saber battles and, my favorite, card games!
• TIP 1: Have easy access to board games and cards. Because we want to create this culture in our home, we have a wooden checkers set, tic-tac-toe set and a few deck of cards all on the coffee table. This was an intentional decision to continue the development of community within our home and it has worked beautifully. When people are over the games immediately come out! It’s so fun to watch my 8 year old dominate in checkers. 😉
• Question: What’s your favorite card game?

2. HEALTHY BREAKFAST

• The tendency can be to not eat healthy on the weekends, to indulge on the things you forbid yourself from during the week. The problem is that, for me at least, unhealthy foods directly affect my mood and my emotions. For example, sugar and certain grains make me more anxious. So, my thought is, I want to be at my best on the weekends, when our family is together, so we still try to eat healthy (with the exception of a donut run every now and then. ;))
• TIP 1: Have healthy meals planned for even the weekend, you will be more apt to actually cook them if you have a plan and appropriate ingredients on hand.
• TIP 2: Remember, healthy doesn’t have to be hard or complicated! We do healthy by keeping our favorite Whole Grain Pancake Mix on hand and serving with fresh blueberries!
• TIP 3: A favorite Green Smoothie Recipe:
  1. 2-3 cups spinach (add water and blend thoroughly)
  2. Add 1-2 cups frozen strawberries, 3-4 clementines, and 1 cup almond milk
  3. Blend thoroughly. Add a touch of honey if it’s sour. 😉
• Question: What’s your favorite weekend breakfast?

3. SETTING A MINIMAL EASTER TABLE

• I decided on Saturday morning we should have a family Easter dinner. So we took a family trip to the grocery store and picked up the ingredients for a simple meal (ham, potatoes, brussels, green beans, salad, and rolls). And after an amazing Easter morning with my church family (Aletheia Tampa) I put the ham in the crock pot. While the ham cooked I set the table. I used materials I had on hand to create a beautiful table that was simple to execute and essentially free.
• TIP 1: Flowers go a long way. I picked up a bunch of hydrangeas and that made a gorgeous focal point in the center of the table.
• TIP 2: Layer plates and napkins to create visual dimension.
• TIP 3: Use what you have. The decor pictured above, except the hydrangeas, were leftovers or found in my yard. Don’t overlook items that you already have that can be repurposed to create a minimal and beautiful table setting.
• Question: What’s your favorite tip for setting a minimal tablescape?

Have a great week friends!