Meal Planning {7.4.22} with 4th of July Ideas

Good morning, and happy Thursday! 
It's meal planning time - starting to add to my grocery list of things we run out of and taking a look at our menu for next week.

So here's next week's meals. I have them planned for "days," but I don't always do them on those days. Sometimes I don't even make them in that week - I just circle them on my monthly menu so I know I can add them to the next month's menu. So while it looks like I'm organized, scheduled, and regimented, I'm also pretty go-with-the-flow. Maybe that's part of being a teacher? lol

Each week, I like to have 1 each of:

-chicken

-"taco tuesday" variation

-seafood

-pasta

-sandwich/burger/hoagie

This week, I seem to have a lot of recipes from SkinnyTaste - most of the meals that I make from them end up being really good!

1.  Shrimp & Andouille Sheet Pan Roast - I am a BIG fan of one-pot-wonders, or one-sheet-pan wonders. My husband does the dishes, so he, too, is a big fan of them. lol

2.  Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burgers - take your favorite way to make a burger and just add bacon and blue cheese! Add some purple onion and you have a "red, white and bleu" burger! lol

Creamy summer sweet corn pasta salad - this recipe is a hit everywhere we go! it's so good!!

3. Loaded Nachos - you could honestly make whatever kind of nachos you wanted! But these are the ones that I came across that looked good, so that's what I'm making. 

4. Chili Lime Chicken with Pineapple Rice - this just screams summer dinner to me

5. Bakes Ziti - there are a million and one versions of baked ziti out there, but this is the one that has been in my pile of recipes to try, so I'm going to try it. 

And for the 4th of July desserts!?

I have a few we like to make - 

One is these super cute Burger Cupcakes! We got the idea from somewhere a long time ago, but I don't remember where. It's 1 box of brownies and 1 box of cake mix (you will have more cupcakes than you need, so you could buy another box of brownies if you need more than 8 burgers). We used coconut flakes and frosting and food coloring for the burger toppings. 

Being it so hot out and it's the 4th of July, I actually want to make some kind of Jello dessert though... I saved a few ideas on Pinterest on my Summer Lovin' board. But these are the top contenders!

So that's the menu for this week! I'd love to know if you make any of them and if you like them!

What’s Up Wednesday {June 2022}

1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:

ooh - take a look at what I we have on the menu for this week - I have my meal planning posts where I link up all the recipes. I post every Thursday, so tomorrow will be a new menu!

2. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

oh - my gosh, I'm going through all my memories on FB right now and snagging photos from our past trips to put on the blog...so I'm seeing such "wittle" versions of all the girls. Ever since they were little, we've gone on road trips or flying.

3: WHAT I’M LOVING:

I am LOVING that Autumn has decided to start her own little business to make some extra cash. 

She has started making "beach" bracelets. She has gotten quite an inventory already and is excited to start selling them!

4: WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

Since the girls finished Winshape camp, they have a few weeks of downtime before we go on our family trip. BUT, I've been taking apart the "extra room" to turn into an actual "den" I guess... it's been an office, a workout room, a play room, a craft room, and now? I'm turning it into a media room. I took the ET center from the living room and set it up in there...just need to find a desk and a couch. 

ALTHOUGH... I think I want to paint it! What color should I do? I was thinking a light coastal color...but there's only like A MILLION choices. ugh. lol

 

Also - the new Liift MORE program is launching soon and the sample workout just dropped! So I tried that the other day, too. I am such a weight lifting person, cardio is not my favorite, but I know I need it, so I do it. lol

 If you have Beachbody on Demand, it's right in your homescreen! If you don't have Beachbody on Demand, here's the link to watch it! You can order early access to it, too! 

Also, in addition to changing out den and purging kid clothes, we also decided it was time to put the bunk beds back together (FINALLY - because walking into that room was gave me such anxiety with how cramped everything was.) EXCEPT, it wasn't a quick and easy job, oh no. Never is. It took like FIVE HOURS.  BUT, look at all that room! And it'll be easier to keep clean, too. I'm pretty gosh darn excited. lol

We're back to beach volleyball for a few more weeks, which means I get to enjoy the beauty of the morning beach!

AND I get to have some good beach reading time! I just finished this book yesterday. Have you read it? What'd you think? 

5: WHAT I’M DREADING:

July.... because I'm going back to work this school year, for a local charter school. BUT I have to go to a 2-week training in addition to the 1 week preplanning teachers go to. I don't normally MIND the extra 2 week training...except for trying to find something for the kids during that time. Bleh 

BUT July is also my birthday - and for the FIRST time in like 20 years, I might have to work on my birthday!

6: WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

My den - and cleanging/purging all the girls' stuff and purging some of my closet too! 

I'm also trying to get back into blogging - here and my teacher blog. 

I started both of these blogs back in 2011ish. I started because it was FUN. 

Then it became "work" and not so fun anymore. But I want to get back into both of them... and just have it be fun! 

7: WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

Our Family trip coming up in July! The girls and I take small trips here and there, but we only take 1 or 2 big trips a year with Ron, because of his work schedule. AND we get to take the dog :) 

But also - going back to work in July. I know I said I was dreading July because of work, but I'm also really excited about starting up with my new school!

8: WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

I just posted my June Book Review! I got in some great books last month!

9: WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

Currently? The cicadas. ha! There is no one awake, since I wake up so early, so I just get to enjoy the sounds of nature. 

10: WHAT I’M WEARING:

LOTS of workout clothes lol

It's the Spring Bud pocket light n tights, and the pink copper charge tank. I just keep looking at thinking how happy it makes me. lol.  They're ZYIA - light n tights are their MAIN attraction!

Check them out HERE. 

Tank tops and shorts

This tank is SO good! It's so lightweight and flowy. It's on sale too. 

And these summer shorts are my GO-TO shorts - I will buy ALL the colors. And wear them ALL the days...spring, summer, fall, and even some winter days, because...you know...Florida. lol 

AND dresses!

This sleeveless swing dress is probably one of my new favorite dresses! I also got it in black. It's on sale right now too! 

Oh, and if I'm hiding out inside because it's too dang hot out, but I'm not ready for PJs yet... I"m wearing some comfy joggers and relaxed shirt. 

I wore the code joggers and classic V for the rest of the day, SO DANG. COMFY. 

11: WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

This weekend, we're actually free! Except we'll be getting the house ready for 4th of July dinner with my family. So, we'll be cleaning up the backyard, around the house, decorating and such. 

I got the girls THESE SHIRTS from Kohls. They still really love "flippy" shirts. And they don't really wear tank tops, although they look SO CUTE in them. I wish they would. 

 

Need some more last minute ideas for the 4th? Check out THIS post. 

12: WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

I think I've established... lol. family trip and new job!!

13: FAVORITE AMAZON FIND OF THE MONTH:

Honestly? the 4th of July finds! lol Those earrings have been a HIT with the girls. And I can't wait to decorate the porch! 

That's it for this WUW! I'll be back tomorrow with our menu for next week!

June Book Review {2022}

Oh man, last month, it was May, and I didn't get to read a lot of books...because May. lol But this month, I got in some good books!

Ok, first up...

The Other Mrs. 

Oh man. So many twists and turns! It didn't come together until the end (although some reviews i read said they figured it out early on), and then when Will started telling his side, I definitely didn't see that coming. Once I got to the last third of the book, I couldn't put it down. 

I've also read Local Woman Missing and The Good Girl by the same author, and those were good, too. Although I like The Other Mrs. better, I think. Her style of writing is so unique and different.

 

The Book of Lost Names

Oh my goodness.
This book. I had a hard time putting it down. It's so good! Another book taking place during WWII- apparently, this is one of my favorite genres, because I keep finding books for this subject! Realistic fiction, set in WWII; there are just so many stories to be told from so many different perspectives! This one is told from the point of view of a girl who is helping an underground rescue Jewish children to safety. 

  

Ladies' Night

Oh. My. Goodness. I LOVED this one! I honestly love Mary Kay Andrews and have a few more of her books waiting for me to read, but this one was SO CUTE. I loved it from the beginning. It's about a girl who created a successful blog as her full time job (um, hello?! lol), but her husband's betrayal sent that into a downward spiral. She lost her house, her blog, her money...she was forced into anger management therapy, and she happens upon a new adventure in her life. I was connected to the character from the beginning, and I felt ALL the emotions with her - anger, resentment, frustration, joy, excitement. Seriously so cute. 

The Girls in the Stilt House. 

Hmm.. I don't know about this one. I actually started it a long time ago, but just now picked it back up to finish. It was kind of like a Where the Crawdads Sing, but I didn't like it as much. It was in the 1920s in Mississippi - very rural.... two girls who come from very different backgrounds who are both running away from something, and essentially forced together to survive. I liked the book, and others have LOVED the book, but for me, it wasn't a top favorite. BUT... give it a shot! You might like it!

   

Anxious People

This one was fun to listen to (I listen to it at 1.75x speed, so I think maybe it adds a bit more dramatic to the voice )
I felt myself a little annoyed at some of the characters, but also connecting to them. How the author connects all the characters, such a unique style of writing. I definitely didn't expect this when I started it... I didn't actually read the summary before I listened to it. Do you read the synopses before reading books? Or do you just go based on suggestions, authors you know, or how do you chose books?

I just noticed it's a Netflix series, so I tried to watch it. lol It's a foreign show, so dubbed over in English, which doesn't bother me. But it was SO DIFFERENT. Just in the first episode. I couldn't watch it any more. lol

 

Taste My Life Through Food

I don't know why I decided to read it, but it was such a fun read. I love Stanley Tucci even more now. I love his quirky stories through his life, and love the connection with food he makes as he goes along; how he lost his first wife to cancer, his feelings about Hollywood, his childhood growing up... And he even shares recipes, too. The best is doing the audiobook because he narrates it himself! I love his storytelling. 

One Italian Summer

I finished this book on the way up to St. Augustine. I'm tellin' ya. Audiobooks are a GAME changer.  It's read by Lauren Graham, who I LOVE as an actress, but as a narrator? I'm still on the fence about. 

It's about a woman who loses her mom to cancer right before they go on a mother daughter trip to Italy, but she still goes...partly because she's also confused about her marriage at that time, too. And then something happens...
The beginning didn't really draw me in, but I kept reading and ended up liking the book.
I give it a 3-4 

Have you read any of these? What did you think about them? 

I'll be back next month with more. Do you have any suggestions? I'm always looking to add to my TBR list.

Hello Monday {6.27.22}

Happy Monday! I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly sharing some fun from our weekend. 

The girls finished up Winshape camp on Friday - they had a great time! Brooklynn even said she wished it was all month. lol. And Autumn made some new friends. Unfortunately, they're all up in Viera, so it's not likely she'll see them again, but I like that she's able to make friends easily now. 

THEN, I started off my weekend with a GIRLS weekend at Margaritaville!! I was so honored to be invited, and spending the weekend with this group of girls was just so uplifting. 

This tank is SO good! It's so lightweight and flowy. It's on sale too. 

And these summer shorts are my GO-TO shorts - I will buy ALL the colors. And wear them ALL the days...spring, summer, fall, and even some winter days, because...you know...Florida. lol 

We stayed at a cottage at Margaritaville in Orlando. 

If you know me, you know I have a serious love for Jimmy Buffett. I grew up listening to him and he was one of my first concerts. 

(I blew out my flip flop....stepped on a pop top)

The lobby was SO fun!

Seriously, these ladies made for a fun time!

We spent the whole day Saturday by the pool. And I bought some bingo cards, and we actually won a bucket! Heck ya!

Saturday was supposed to rain all day, but it ended up being such a beautiful day!!

Came home and got right to work with things... cleaning, laundry, feeding the kids...like really? Why do you need eat ALL THE TIME!? lol

This sleeveless swing dress is probably one of my new favorite dresses! I also got it in black. It's on sale right now too! 

Started a new workout calendar. I think I might really like it! If you want the calendar you can download it HERE. 

My workout outfit that day was the flow tank, seamless hustle shorts. 

After church, I decided it was time.

Time to go through the "Hand me down" box. 

I purged that sucker WAY DOWN... fortunately/unfortunately, we're getting to the stage where there aren't a lot of hand me downs any more.... so this box is just the "stuff that doesn't fit yet, holiday clothes, and winter clothes (minus the jackets. They're so poofy, I just keep those hanging up).

The wall of clothes to pass down to our favorite little girl. 

I wore the code joggers and classic V for the rest of the day, SO DANG. COMFY. 

My dad made Autumn a "desk" for her to do her art on - it's more of table, but it looks so great in her room. He loves doing projects - and this was simple, but he just took a piece of good wood, rounded the edges, added some legs, and coated it with oil to make it nice and smooth. 

And last.. but not least, I picked up my groceries for THIS WEEK'S MENU. 

So fun...adulting and such. 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I'm off to do another load of laundry.