food and dates. and dates with food.

I've always enjoyed cooking and baking but in the last few years I've really noticed how it's my true love language. Searching recipes, reading through cookbooks, watching food documentaries and creating meals for the people I love makes me so happy. Someday I really hope to make it my job (2nd career?!?). I'm not the best baker, I don't take the prettiest pictures, I don't post everything to social media or create instastories from my kitchen. Maybe I should? I'm just not there yet. I really just love experimenting with different flours, grains, sugars and fruits. I love seeing the joy on my kids' faces when they come downstairs after waking up and smelling something delicious coming out of the oven on a cool, fall morning. 

Lately I've been all about fall baking! There are so many delicious flavors. Pair that with some great dates with our family and it's been a good month. 

Whole wheat blueberry muffins with local, handpicked berries we saved from the summer. And then an incredibly pretty salad full of arugula, prosciutto, chèvre, roasted sweet potatoes and a balsamic glaze. My absolute favorite lunch!

A date night out for Matt and I to a local wine bar! Our church hosted a parents night out for a fundraiser and we finally had kids old enough they could all go together. We met up with some good friends for a few hours of adult conversation and sharing plates of food. So fun!

Lucy got to have a fancy tea party with a few of her friends from school to celebrate her best friends' birthday so I took the boys on a lunch date and then over to our favorite book store.

Another day date at home making handmade pizza. Lucy was amazing! She did the entire meal on her own including rolling out the fresh pizza dough, putting on all the toppings and cutting it into slices afterwards. Love my mini-me. (Clearly, the boys relaxed while the girls cooked!)

Simon and I did some serious pumpkin baking one day before heading out for a date to the Children's museum. Gluten free cinnamon pumpkin bread, paleo pumpkin spice latte muffins with a warm maple syrup glaze and my favorite honey pumpkin pecan granola. Yum!!

Then it was time for a date at Husky Stadium! We met up with good friends from school to watch the women soccer team take on UCLA. Sadly they lost but the 6 kids had so much fun playing soccer together on the little field next to the bleachers.

Sports days call for early bedtimes which means stay in date nights for us! This huge charcuterie board was the perfect compliment to some cozy sweats and Netflix.

And finally, a brunch date with some out of town friends last Sunday! We headed over to Portage Bay Cafe for their breakfast bar full of fresh berries, maple syrup and whipped cream to top the huge slices of french toast. Thank goodness it was a sunny day so I could come home afterwards and go for a long, much needed walk.

And because every week should start off on a good note Simon and I made these monster cookies as a surprise after school treat for the kids. He just loved putting each little M&M on top of the cookies as they came out of the oven.