Breakfast for dinner is one of our family’s favorite weeknight meals, especially because we eat the leftovers for breakfast the next morning!
I’ve found that if I make a fairly thick 9″ x 13″ egg dish (I use 12 eggs), at least 2 dozen muffins, and a pound of bacon, I can get a full dinner and breakfast leftovers out of it. I also pair it with fruit for dinner and yogurt for breakfast.
This is just one more way I simplify busy school mornings and still send my family out the door with a hot breakfast.
Prepping breakfast ahead of time might seem like a small time-saver in the grand scheme of each day, but it’s crazy how a few minutes here and there can make or break our mornings.
I share more about time-saving morning routines below — and saving time is always one of my favorite things!
Favorite Moment = Christmas Music on the Radio
I almost never listen to music… except when Christmas music hits the radio, which it does on the first Monday in November.
This means I’ve already been listening to Christmas music for a few days now!
I also broke out our portable speaker and have Christmas instrumental music playing in the background during meals and while I’m working on the computer. (I get loads of free music through Amazon Prime.)
We often play “name that tune” while eating to see who can guess the song soonest with just the accompaniment. I don’t mean to brag — but I’m pretty good at that game! 😂
Favorite Routine = Packing Lunches in the Evening
To be clear, this is not a “favorite routine” in the sense that we love packing lunches…
However, if we don’t pack lunches at night, it makes the mornings so much more stressful and chaotic. The routine of packing lunches has become necessary for calm, chaos-free mornings (which ARE one of my favorite things!)
So while I strongly dislike packing lunches any time of day, I know that packing them in the evening will help the next morning flow more smoothly… so in a way, it’s a means to an end.
I want calm mornings, so I pack lunches before bed. ✔︎
We also fill our water bottles before bed (it saves a solid 10 minutes of kitchen rushing in the morning). We fill them to the top with ice, then water, and they stay cold for the entire school day.
We’ve used the 24 oz. free-sip Owala bottles for YEARS and still love them.
For lunches, we used the PlanetBox system for many years and have recently transitioned to using these 2-part containers as they work better for our older kids (and aren’t as heavy).
RELATED READING: How I Simplify School Snacks and Lunches
Past Favorite = Fingerless Gloves
I don’t know how many times I’ve shared these already, but my fingerless gloves deserve a prominent place on my blog as they’ve made it through many Michigan winters (probably close to 10 now) and they are still going strong — minus a few worn spots on the thumbs.
Speaking of the thumbs, that’s the main reason I love my fingerless gloves so much — because they are also “thumbless”.
They are considered “convertible flip gloves” (see image below) because the fingers and the thumbs flip back so you can easily tie a shoe, buckle a baby into a car seat, find something in your purse, or pick up dog poop. ☺️
I can’t find my exact gloves online anymore (they are that old), but these are very close and come in a variety of sizes.
RELATED READING: How we organize our winter gear.
Favorite Clothing = Heated Vest
Michigan winters are long and cold, and I’ve wanted a heated vest for a while now (it would be especially nice for watching kids’ sports games outside in the fall).
I tried a friend’s vest and loved it, but her brand/style is no longer available.
So… I’m wondering if you have a good brand/style you’d recommend? Or any tips as to what to look for when buying a heated vest?
Feel free to leave the link or brand in the comments below! 🙂
Favorite Book = Little Women
In one of my recent email newsletters, I mentioned that I reread (or re-listen to) Little Women almost yearly as one of my favorite stories.
So many of you responded that you also enjoy this book/story/movie.
It’s LONG, but endearing and always puts me in the holiday spirit. Also, I highly recommend the 150th anniversary edition as it has hundreds of sketches and original artwork throughout!
READ THE BOOK: Little Women
Favorite Convenience = Keyless Entry + Ignition
This month marks 2 years with our new minivan and I’m shocked I haven’t shared this favorite with you yet…
There are so many things about our Chrysler Pacifica we love, but one of my favorites is the keyless entry and ignition system, because it means I never need to take my keys out of my purse or worry about losing them.
As long as I have my keyfob in my bag or in my pocket, the van door will automatically unlock when I touch the handle. And the van will automatically start when I press the brake + ignition button. Also, it’s now completely impossible to lock my keys in the car!
Who knew such a small thing could give me so much joy these past 2 years!?
RELATED READING: How we keep our vehicles neat and clean with kids!
Favorite Recipe = Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
I first shared this irresistible recipe for Caramel Apple Pie Cheese Cake Bars back in 2019, and they’ve continued to be a favorite fall recipe over the years.
Yes, I could easily make them all year long as quality apples are always available in the stores, but I think there’s something special about recipes you only make a couple of times per year — you anticipate them more and they just taste better.
If you’re looking for a delicious fall recipe, give these bars a try!
TRY THE RECIPE: Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars.
Favorite Jokes for Fall
My kids came home from the library with these… maybe you can use them at your next family party or gathering this fall. 🙂
Why shouldn’t you tell a secret in a cornfield? Because the corn has ears.
How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch!
What happened when the turkey got in a fight? The stuffing was knocked out of him.
What is it called when a tree takes some time off? Paid leaf.
What kind of music did the Pilgrims listen to? Plymouth Rock.
Why does Humpty Dumpty love autumn so much? Because he had a great fall.
And one more…
Favorite Archived Post = Make Ahead Thanksgiving
It’s not too late to start planning your Thanksgiving feast ahead of time and eliminate so much of the stress and mess from your event.
This will be my 20th Thanksgiving as a married woman, and most of them have involved a variety of make-ahead recipes, saving me time and energy on Thanksgiving Day.
I promise… everything will still taste amazing (and I’ll walk you through the entire process!)
Read the full posts here.
That’s all for this month. 😆
If you’re interested, you may scroll through all my Favorite Things posts HERE!
Chris says
My favorite Little Women movie is the 1949 one where Elizabeth Taylor plays Amy. I always enjoying reading your FAVORITES post. Your blog is still my favorite blog. 🙂