Whew, these last couple weeks have been busy and yet I can't really remember why. Those hazy summer days are upon us and we feel the pressure of trying to make the most of them as the school year quickly approaches. JP flies to Austria on August 18th for his fall semester, and the rest of the kids start on August 30th. We've still got plenty of summer left (she types hopefully).
I went out to dinner with some wonderful girlfriends to one of my favorite summer spots and had a fish sandwich and a peach/strawberry frosé while enjoying the music, scenery, and conversation. Much needed.
I still haven't had my one lobster roll of the summer, so that's still on the agenda, but we've been thoroughly enjoying the garden bounties that summer brings like...
My dad's tomatoes turned into a caprese salad with my basil.
My bountiful lettuce grown in our AeroGarden on my countertop where no bunnies can steal it besides my hunnybunnies :)
Martha Stewart's Mac and Cheese recipe which includes the three cheeses we always have in our house. I cooked up some chicken sausage and made a quick fruit salad and gave them some lettuce to try as they had been very interested in watching the growing process.
Got zucchini? We were gifted some lovely zucchini and summer squash and I turned some into chili. I just feel like as long as you season it well, you can throw almost anything into chili:
And some into Auntie Leila's zucchini bread (I substituted the nut/sugar topping for some chocolate chips mixed into the bread):
Our handy friend is refinishing our dining room table for us, after years of abuse from little kids and their mother who unknowingly and regularly used bleach spray to clean the table when they were young. I vow to take care of it better once it comes back!
In other news, we sold our swingset that barely got any use and I used the cash to buy my new best friend:
Her name is Zumba (the Roomba) and she dances around our house and keeps the floors clean while I eat bonbons. One day, she vacuumed and I mopped and we were just such a great team and why can't anybody else in my house appreciate a clean floor like we do? Next up, I am going to sell our stationary bike and use the money to landscape the lawn. Watch out kids, nothing and nobody is safe!
Maggie, Xander, Declan and Brendan have been in sailing camp this week, and have enjoyed it so much! There's a lot to learn and they are eager little sailors who can take me out anytime. Well anytime that somebody lends us their sailboat, I suppose!
Phil started the Director of Religious Ed position this week, and we have talked and researched ad nauseum about religious ed programs and what works and what doesn't. If anyone has any helpful advice in this area, we would appreciate it!
I hope you all are savoring your summer days with your friends and family :)
So my new job is the Director of Faith Formation and I am also in charge of Religious Ed! (We are transitioning from a CCD model to a family faith formation model next year so I am just sticking with the curriculum used last year.) I am happy to connect with Phil, does he need to plan an Advent event by chance? Because that is what is currently challenging me.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, how great to have a contact in the biz :) So Phil and our pastor are about to switch to a family model for this year...at least that's the hope...lots of kinks to work through.
DeleteMy parish uses Life Teen and my kids think it's pretty hokey. I think Dead Theologians' Society sounds so awesome but I've never seen it in action. https://deadtheologianssociety.com/
ReplyDeleteThanks for that rec - I think our youth minister would be all over the Dead Theologians Society program!
DeleteThis is just such a feel-good post.
ReplyDeleteI have been debating a Roomba and everyone seems to RAVE about them. I think this will go on my Christmas wish-list.
All the food looks amazing. It feels like all we have been eating is hot dogs and marshmallows and I'm feeling very over this. It's not true - we eat other things...like ice cream. Sigh. It's fun, but we have company coming next week and I have ACTUAL food planned for the week and I think that will be a nice break from all the summer treats.
Sailing sounds awesome. And that picture of the boys eating without the table is hilarious :)
I know what you mean, it feels like all we have been eating is either grilled chicken and pasta salad or grilled sausages and pasta salad. Its been hot and I grill a bunch on 1 day and we eat it for days. I might actually cook this week lol
DeleteYour night out with the girls sounds so fun. The caprese salad- delish. How great that your swing set sale has helped you achieve a clean kitchen floor. Summer days are numbered and busy. It makes me sad. Starting the 13th, we will ve driving 3 kids back to college . . . with the last being Mini on the 19th. Goodness. It will be an undertaking and the house will feel so differently.
ReplyDeletePeter's already back in Raleigh and Sarah leaves for Charlotte next week. Looks like the empty nest phase is here and while I think I will eventually enjoy it, I'm definitely not ready for it! I think Phil will do a phenomenal job in his new role! That frose sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe got a rumba last fall. I was adamant we didn't need it. My husband was adamant that we did and now we both love it lol. We didn't link it to the wifi because we found it creepy that it could basically share a map of the house online but it still works great!
ReplyDelete