As usual, I'm behind on blogging. So What's Up Wednesday is the perfect little thing to catch up a bit.
WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK
Monday night we grilled burgers by the pool. That was a nice little treat for a Monday. Last night Mason had a baseball game so it was taco Tuesday. I did make homemade guacamole though. And tonight we had Hannah Kate's favorite, spaghetti and meatballs. Except Seth and I had our meatballs over zoodles! I recently got a new kitchen gadget (a spiralizer), and I absolutely love it!
I know meatballs over zucchini noodles sounds pretty weird to most, but it actually reminds me of one of my favorite casseroles my mom used to make. She saute some sliced zucchini and onions together and then add diced tomatoes. That would go into a casserole dish, and she'd top it with a little breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. But, really, you should try some zoodles! I highly recommend!
The zucchini we had tonight was a gift from a neighbor. His garden is super awesome, and he's got more than he can handle. So he shares with us. He also gave me a big mess of snap beans and some squash. My father-in-law gave me some more squash, cucumbers, corn and banana peppers. So tomorrow night for supper we are going to have stuffed squash, green beans and corn. I. can't. wait. Veggie plates are my all-time favorite summer suppers. We had a veggie plate last week . . . speckled butter beans, sauteed squash, fried okra (I slice them lengthwise because I just think it's easier and a little less work. Besides, they kind of look like French fries, which means picky eaters just might try them!) and cornbread (a MUST with a veggie plate!).
Besides fresh garden veggies, we'll be grilling a lot this summer. I'm going to stuff those banana peppers this weekend and put them on the grill.
WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT
I can honestly use a little change of scenery these days so I've been thinking a lot about vacations we've taken. I really don't know which was my favorite. They're all my favorite for different reasons. But our Disney trip really stands out. And, of course, we love the beach. I'm still hoping Seth will take me back to Colorado and Wyoming, but I'd really like to go in the winter time. I was also thinking about the anniversary trip we took to San Antonio and another one we spent in New Orleans. All of that is probably because my sweet friend and her husband just got back from an anniversary trip to California, and we have several friends who either just got back from Disney or are there right now.
WHAT I'M LOVING
Veggie plates. And no school. And sleeping a little bit later than usual. I'm also currently loving summertime, but that will change quickly. It's hot, but it's not yet hot enough to make me not enjoy it.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
Well, that's easy. This picture pretty much says it all.
We had to wait a little longer this year before taking our first swim because the liner in the pool had to be replaced. The water table has been really high this spring so it had to go down before the old liner came out. The kids were finally able to jump in the pool a few days ago, and that's pretty much all I hear now. Can we go swimming?
And I told this one that she had to get off the steps this year. Two years ago she was jumping off the diving board. And last year she was absolutely miserable at the pool. But she, too, kept asking when the pool would be ready, and she was excited about the new swimsuits she got for Easter. I told her that if she didn't get off the steps, she would have to go to swimming lessons. And I may or may not have told her that if she went to swimming lessons, they would throw her into the pool without floaties on. So far she's been pretty willing to cooperate with Mommy's swimming lessons. She'll jump off the side if I "catch" her, and she'll "swim" across the pool (which means she kicks her legs while I hold her hands and pull her along). We're making progress. I'm hoping she'll be back to jumping off the diving board before too long.
And I don't even know where this one gets it! She can be a personality plus when she wants to be!
Ellie's new thing today was holding on to the edge of the pool and going around the entire perimeter of it, even the deep end. Hey, I'll take it.
If we aren't at the pool, you can find us at the baseball field. I feel like we're in the baseball season that just won't end. But next Tuesday we have a double header and then that will conclude baseball season. And all the Mommas said, "Amen."
And, in case you missed it, we finished our homeschool year. And the girls had their dance recital.
WHAT I'M DREADING
Really, nothing. We have a lot we're looking forward to this summer. But come July and August and September, I'll really be hating the stifling south Louisiana heat.
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
Tis the season for Vacation Bible School. As quickly as I got my dining room back after a year of homeschooling, it was quickly lost underneath VBS curriculum and supplies. Even though we aren't having VBS until July, I have lots to do so I'll be working on that quite often over the next few weeks.
I finally planted my garden earlier this month. I was very late getting started this year. But my squash and tomatoes are coming right along. I have lots of squash blooms, but the squash I've picked thus far are tiny. I'm not sure why they aren't growing. I bought too many tomato plants this year so everything is definitely too crowded. We'll see what happens. My eggplant, okra and peppers really struggled after I planted them, but they're beginning to look a little better now. Mason's watermelon might do okay. I'm not expecting much from the cucumbers. So thank goodness for friends' and my father-in-law who like to share out of the abundance of their gardens!
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT
Vacation! We're headed to the beach real soon, and I can't wait! We're doing something different this year. We're going to Mexico Beach, which is east of Panama City a ways, and we rented a house this time instead of a condo. We're also going with our sweet friends again. All I want to do is sit there. Of course, we all know that, with three kids, that definitely won't happen. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try!
WHAT I'M WATCHING / READING
I've been saving The Lake House for several months, but I finally started reading it this week. I'm really enjoying it thus far, and I think it's going to be one of those books that I'm sad when it's over. I'm also doing something I never do. I'm reading two books at once. I'm a firm believer in finishing a book before starting another one. But it just happened. I'm reading Parenting the Wholehearted Child. It's been a very long time . . . as in YEARS . . . since I've read a parenting book. When Mason was born, I thought I needed to read every single parenting book possible in order to figure the mom thing out. I also read several books regarding discipline. And, do you know, I still had disobedient children?! With the exception of a very small few, most of the parenting books I read I did not like and did not enjoy at all. Not only that, but the "formula" just didn't work for me. It took me awhile, but I finally realized that all I ever need to know about parenting and discipline and all of that stuff is in the Bible! Duh! I mean, that's really the only book I need. So I quit reading all of those parenting books. But when I was at the Christian bookstore last week, Parenting the Wholehearted Child was on sale for $7.00. I'd heard of it. I'd even had it on a list of to-read books. So I grabbed it. And I'm so glad I did! As soon as I finish reading it, I plan to immediately read it again. It's that. good! But you know what? It's not really about parenting. It's about grace. God's grace. And that's right where I'm at. So when someone asks me what parenting books I recommend, this one is on the list.
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO
LSU is playing in the SEC baseball tournament tonight. Seth turned it on, but he fell asleep. It's still on so that's what I'm listening to but not really.
WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND
For the very first weekend since the second weekend in March, we do not have somewhere we have to be! And I am so. glad. I don't exactly know what we're doing this weekend, but I do know it will involve water and probably the grill. I'm also glad Seth will have a three day weekend with us.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH
Vacation. Vacation. Vacation! Mason will also be heading to kids' camp so I know he's going to love that. And then I'll be chaperoning youth camp this summer, which is at the beach as well, so I'll be spending two weeks of the next month with the sand and the waves.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
I have a 3rd grader and a 6th grader now. Let that sink in for a moment. 6th grade. Do you know what that means? I have a MIDDLE SCHOOLER! How did that happen?! I don't even know. To think I have a child in middle school (well, sort of, since we homeschool) just blows my mind!
It seems like just yesterday he was running around in those sweet little jon-jons and long-alls! Oh, how the years they fly!
