Post title courtesy of Ryan. I had nothin’ tonight and this was his suggestion. I think it rivals his last suggestion….
Work, Work, Work
As I plowed through my backed up emails and to-do list at work today, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking about having all evening with Ryan and Sadie to finally spend some quality time with my favorite duo.
After picking up some groceries for the week after work, I headed home and was greeted by a psycho dog and a loving husband. It feels good to be home!
Walk + Dinner
The three of us went for a long walk in the gorgeous 78-degree weather before dinner. When I left for Europe, the weather was already sweatin’ hot, so I was quite excited to see more temperate temperatures on my return to Orlando.
Since it wasn’t too hot outside, a hot dinner sounded good to us when we arrived home. We relied on one of our favorite go-to healthy dinner recipes and made sloppy joes.
We used a whole large onion in the mix which I really liked. Both Ryan and I are huge onion fans and love adding extra onions to recipes when we can.
Our side of the evening was roasted broccoli.
I also ate a mini box of Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal that I received as a sample through Clever Girls Collective.
Okay, fine, I ate both of the mini boxes because one just wasn’t enough for this cereal monster.
I loved this cereal. It was slightly sweet, hearty and so, so delicious. I think it would be great mixed with Greek yogurt, served with almond milk and sliced bananas or tossed with some nuts and chocolate chips for a make-shift trail mix. Straight out of the bag was pretty darn good, too.
I’m signing off for the night to spend some quality time with Ryan and Sadie. Ryan has a video of an “amazing dunk” from last night’s Bulls game that he’s currently bringing up on his laptop because I “just have to see it.” Unpacking will just have to wait!
Europe Vacation Q&A
One more thing before I go… I’m thinking of doing a Q&A post about my trip to Europe to answer some of the common questions I’ve received relating to our vacation. If you have any lingering questions, feel free to post them below and I’ll include them in the roundup! If you already posed your question through the PBF Facebook page or via Twitter, I have it written down!
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I have Europe trip questions! Next time you go 🙂 would you do a tour again or set out on your own? I feel like tour groups are a bit too restrictive but it looks like you had a blast on yours!
I LOVE those Oatmeal Squares! I haven’t had them since I was a kid, but now I am 100% craving them. I’ll have to search them out next time I’m at the store!
I just got that cereal in the mail also! I haven’t busted them open yet, but I’m tempted! Enjoy your night with your family! 🙂
I freaking love making homemade sloppy joes. Ah now i’m hungry…
Yes, oatmeal squares are the jam!
Have a great night with the fam 🙂
Enjoy your first night at home!
Those oatmeal squares are awesome, used to eat them all the time in college.
Europe question: What was your absolute favorite food you ate while you were there?
Quaker Oat Squares in Greek yogurt is my faaaavorite mid-afternoon getmethroughthisworkday snack!! Definitely a must-try 🙂
I really like onions in recipes too, even though you have to pop some minty gum in your mouth after eating it 😉
Can’t wait for the europe post!
I’m not a traditional Sloppy Joe fan, but those look really good!!
I have a Europe question, too:
I think shoes are always the hardest to pack – too many pairs will weigh you down, but the ones you bring need to be cute AND comfortable for serious walking! What kind of shoes did you bring, and did they work out ok?
I’m leaving for Italy next week! I need to figure out my packing sitch….
78 degree weather?! Us New Yorkers are jealous 😛
I love oatmeal squares! I’m craving a big bowl of them with milk now 😉
I’m leaving to study abroad in Paris in a couple weeks with limited packing room so I was wondering what clothing items and shoes are a must have!
I always need at least two extra boxes of Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal squares in my storeroom…they’re my favorite. And yes, they are delicious with yogurt (greek, plain, or vanilla) and bananas.:) Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Can’t wait to see the Q&A!
My husband and I love onions too. And garlic. Good thing we like each other so much. 😉
Glad you enjoyed your trip! I’m going on a tour next month and was wondering what you thought of the clothing/shoe (especially shoe) choices you brought – anything different you’d bring or not bother bringing? Thanks!
I love your sloppy joe’s since they’re so simple and require so few ingredients!!
And I’m obsessed with the Quaker Oatmeal squares. I always add them to my yogurt bowls, and they give the perfect crunch.
It must be so good to home–even after such a fun vacation 🙂
Bahaha, I laughed out loud when I clicked over to “I worked out and had dippy eggs.” Love it.
Oatmeal squares are DA BOMB.
PS I went on almost exactly the same trip you did (EF Tours) with my graduating senior class, and as uh-mazing as it was, I can’t tell you how happy I was to be home when it was all said and done. Welcome back!
As much as I have enjoyed your European Adventures, it is great to have the routine of PBF back. Welcome home 🙂
Amen!
i have a question: would you do a tour again or go on your own?
i love that cereal!!!!!
that dunk was amazing!!!
Welcome home!
I keep seeing that cereal in commercials everywhere! I want to try them too.
I have a question! Did you end up buying your Longchamp? Did you find that they were cheaper in Europe than here in the states?
I havent seen your pictures from the trip yet I just got back from mexico but I cant wait to check it out… I would love to see a q&a post though I love learning about travel!
Ohhh i can’t wait for your Q&A! I actually have a few…
It’s already been asked a bajillion times, but if you had the choice to do the trip on your own rather than the tour… would you do it on your own so you could have more freedom in choices (ahem, food!)?
Did you find traveling from hotel to hotel was exhausting? I remember on my tour of NZ i was in a new hotel nearly every night, and I always looked forward to staying in a hotel more than 2 nights SOO so much, it was like “home” when that happened. With that said, do you think a cruise would be a good way to tour Italy?
And last question… did you get close to the other people on your tour? I came to see the people on my tour like family! Just wondering if you had the same experience since you were with your own family…
Oh, and more of a statement rather than a question… but i totally think you should pick up some type of travel job where you get paid to blog about where you go and eat… you’d be so good at it!
Do you and your family speak Italian? My family is headed to Italy in a few weeks and I am worried about communicating!!
What was your favorite place to visit in each city? I’m going to London, Paris and Rome in September and want to know what I absolutely cannot miss.
Loved all of your pictures!
Quaker Oatmeal Squares are my JAM (oh shoot, Julie, you’re starting to rub off on me!) 😉
But seriously…they’re my favorite. And yes, they’re awesome in Greek yogurt, too!
YOU were missed—and I am now officially addicted to smoothies—glad to know you are safe and sound. How did pack and look so cute all over Europe? e
I LOVE oatmeal squares! They are my absolute favorite! I sometimes dip them in nutella:) yummmm.
sounds like a great day back to the states!
My only question is how you packed so many cute clothes!
I used to LOVE onions, but lately have been really weird about them. I think i’m finally sick of how pungent red onions are. I love yellow onion though, especially cooked as above… those look delish. I could eat them plain.
I love Quaker oatmeal squares! My favorite cereal 🙂
Welcome Home!
my question to you is about your TOMS shoes. I know you were skeptical at first about their style and making you look like a grandma, which by the way they most certainly don’t 🙂 . How did you find their comfort level when walking around Europe?
I just ordered two pairs and I CAN’T wait to receive them! Im a full time bartender/waitress and I’m thinking they will be the perfect shoe to keep my feet comfortable during the long hours.
Here’s one: If you’d wanted to work out, would you have been able to do so? I’ve heard that gyms aren’t as common as they are in the US. (They must be somewhere, though- or the Jersey Shore cast wouldn’t be GTLing in Florence)
I too am a huge onion fan and add it to foods as much as possible!
Ok gelato, pizza, nutella, macaroons, and everything else consumed—> what was the BEST?
I bet he means Gibson’s dunk. It was so exciting..Go Bulls!
Oatmeal squares is my favorite cereal – with some Wheat Chex thrown in 🙂
Yes! That was the one!
What can you tell me about Roasted Broccoli? I’ve never done that… any tips? Sounds yummy!
Would love the Europe Q&A! I’m going to spend the month of July in London {working on a study abroad program} then going to Paris. Have no idea where to stay/what to do…..and my French is horrible.
Questions for Europe Q & A:
-What did Ryan and Sadie do while you were gone?
-Did you enjoy taking a long break from the gym?
-During my last family vacation, my sister and I used to always get cranky and irritated with each other. (Perhaps it was the long bus rides.) Did you and your sister have any sibling frustrations?
I wish my boyfriend liked onions!! I love them and usually have to sneak them into things, but there’s nothing I’d love more than to chop up a big ole onion & put it in a sloppy joe. Yum!
For a Europe question — what’s your favorite thing you had to eat while you were there?
Your apartment is adorable! I’m looking forward to your Europe Q&A post, I leave in a little less than a month for Europe for three weeks with my sister and best friend! I can’t wait!, and all of your posts while you were over there made me even more excited 🙂
Oh, I forgot to ask my question! Silly me. If you had to pick your absolute favorite restaurant, attraction, and thing to do in each location, what would it be?? (I’ll take note of it so I can visit each of these places on my trip!! 🙂 )
I’d love a comprehensive post from you about your trip – favourites (places to see and things to do) in each location. 🙂
I have a Europe question! How did you deal with language barriers while ordering in restaurants, shopping, and exploring?
I LOVE THE OATMEAL SQUARES!! everytime i go to the states i go to TOWN on them.. wayy tooo addictive!
It;s true what they say “There is no place like home!”
I’m definitely interested to hear what you thought of the tour! We’ve never done one because my parents always say they’re too much of a whirlwind, but it looks like yours was really well-organized an you had a lot o fun!
So glad you get to spend some time w/ Ryan and Sadie!!! 😀
were you okay with not working out?
did you gain any vacation weight?
you wore cute shoes for walking around, did they kill your feet?
would you do a tour again? would you recommend going on one?
did you use your own hair tools or the ones in the hotel?
(i went to europe a few years ago and had to buy a straightener in london cause my hair kept frizzing from the hotel’s dumb hair dryer!)