Hi everyone! As I mentioned, Friday was my birthday. The day began with a sweet tradition: breakfast in bed. Matt and I do this for each other every year. The tray was a wedding gift and comes with interchangeable paper inserts for different holidays.
Matt took the day off so we could spend it together as a little family, which felt like such a treat. After some morning playtime with Riese, I headed to a yoga class and brought back coffee for the two of us. Matt made egg BLTs for an early lunch—simple and delicious.
Our plan for the afternoon was a hike. The morning rain cleared by noon and left cool, cloudy weather—perfect hiking conditions. It was so nice not to be overheated on the trail.
Last time I carried Riese; this outing Matt wanted to test his hiking backpack. We have two carriers: a women’s fit one we found at a yard sale and a men’s fit hand-me-down from a friend.
The trail was quiet and felt almost private. Riese loved the fresh air, and our dog Freyja had an absolute blast too.
We can’t wait for more family hikes now that the weather is cooling down. The woods are so peaceful and restorative—I always feel calmer among the trees.
After the hike we relaxed at home and played with Riese in the late afternoon. Around five we headed to our friends Heather and Mike’s place. They had invited us over for an early dinner and a baby play date—their little one is just a couple months younger than Riese. It’s amazing how quickly those early age differences disappear; they were already interacting like peers.
When we arrived, we dove right into bubbly and snacks.
The babies played together, crawling and exploring, which was adorable to watch.
For dinner, Heather prepared homemade salmon empanadas—so inventive. I wouldn’t have thought to make empanadas from scratch, but I’m inspired to try now.
The filling was especially clever: pan-seared salmon, flaked and mixed with canned green chilies, combined with finely chopped Brussels sprout leaves that had been sautéed with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper. The textures and flavors worked wonderfully together. Riese sampled some plain salmon before it was mixed with chilies—she absolutely loves salmon.
Dinner was served and it was delicious.
For dessert we had a fruit tart. Heather was thoughtful enough to check my old posts to see what I usually enjoy for birthday dessert and chose something I love. While I was in the bathroom, they surprised me by bringing out the tart with candles—such a sweet gesture.
It was a lovely birthday. A huge thank you to Matt, Riese, Heather, and Mike for making the day so special—you all made me feel very loved.
I’ll be back tomorrow to share the rest of the weekend’s food and fitness highlights. Have a great day!