Weekly Menu June 10

Source: m-i-n-t-leaves

This week we have...

Spicy Honey Chicken

Grilled Mustardy Brussels Sprouts
Buttermilk Scone Muffins (Scuffins!)

Creamy Lemon Tart

For today, June 10...

Outside my window... It's HOT. Some clouds are rolling in, but it's still plenty warm out there. This week is supposed to be in the 90's! The air-conditioner will have to come on soon. I'll miss the days of leaving the windows open and the breezes playing through...

Source: sweetruffles

I am thinking... I've had my head in the clouds lately. Very specific, east-of-the-Atlantic clouds. Wasn't I dreaming of being in Scotland last week? Great Britain is misting up my mind, no idea why. It's hard to explain, or put my finger on.  Just a vague yearning for a stone cottage with an overgrown garden, a patch of berries and veggies, an hour or two from the sea, tea-time, hedges and orchards... Would I give up my big kitchen, granite countertops and air-conditioning? In a heartbeat. I love Colorado. But my life won't be complete till I see that land of my imagination!

I am thankful... My father-in-law had a procedure this past week to open up 3 clogged arteries. There have been many prayers floating around for him in the past month, but he came through with flying colors, and as long as he listens to the doctors (and my wonderful mother-in-law!) he should recover quickly and be better than ever! 

Source: Pinterest

In the kitchen... Ah, healthiness. We're cooking up all kinds of delicious, healthy meals lately! My list of meals to post is constantly growing, for which I am grateful! I'm balancing out all those not-so-healthy goodies. It feels good to have more balance around this here blog, but I must admit, when The Geologist is away, all I want to do is play!! In the kitchen, I mean. With baking. I'm supposed to be sticking to fruits, veggies, and proteins, and "avoiding" carbs... Luckily, I have just been informed that we have a new neighbor moving in RIGHT now, which means another excuse to bake something! Hooray!!

I am going... Hopefully, fingers crossed, I will be going strawberry picking this Saturday! Other than that, we're spending hot mornings at the pool, trying yet again to create a schedule in this un-scheduled summer, and tire these boys out!

Source: Pinterest

I am looking forward to... Jamming. I swear, I have have never so anxiously awaited the ripening of local berries and fruits!! I have no idea where this obsession came from, but seriously, I want to jam and jar and preserve EVERYTHING!! I can't wait!! Debating currently whether to invest in the whole canning set-up or just do freezer jam... but I love the idea of using homemade jam all winter, giving it away as gifts... I think I might have to just go for it! Is it very expensive? What do you need, exactly? I'll have to ask my Mom. 

I am learning... Growing boys eat a LOT. Stephen eats more than I do these days, and Joe eats almost as much as I do! When something else isn't more important than eating, that is. We had one of those parental realization moments this week about our grocery budget. You know, those moments where you realize things like "Oh yeah... They need new clothes! Again!!" or "Huh, I guess kids can't wear the same pair of shoes forever..." or "You mean you're too old for those little kid toys you've been playing with since you were a toddler??" Or maybe that's me. I tend not to think too far ahead; the specter of Joe's teenage years keeps my head firmly buried in the sand... Anyway. Can't plan on them eating half an adult meal anymore. Grocery budget must expand, especially if I'm still going to be feeding them real meat and fresh produce!

Around the house... The Geologist and Stephen are helping the new neighbors move in. I love my husband. He comes home from work, hugs me, then rushes off to change to help complete strangers. He's a keeper. Anyway, Joe is very very focused on whatever it is he's building with Legos, Bracken is supervising, and I'm blogging while fighting the urge to whip up another batch of scuffins and listening to my Enya station on Pandora... which has become awfully Scottish and Irish due to my "thumbs up"ing habits... Not helping the mistiness I mentioned earlier, is it?

Source: Pinterest

One of my favorite things... Bagpipes. Oh yes. No, I have never been in a room with one, yes, I have heard they are ridiculously loud. No matter, I adore them. And no, not just because they're Scottish. But it certainly doesn't hurt! Hmmm, I've got quite the theme going today, haven't I?? I didn't do it on purpose... I make these things up as I go along. One thing leads to another, you might say!

Something new about me... I was on a swim team once. I was pretty good, too! I never could do the butterfly very well, backstroke was my best event. At one meet my goggles broke, so I had to use a spare pair that would not stop fogging up... Missed the flags warning you that the edge is coming up and rammed my head into the side of the pool. Once I stopped seeing stars, I finished the race, and came in third! Grrr. Closest I ever got to winning. I would have kept it up for years, but 5 AM practices did funny things to my brain and I had to quit. If I had my own pool, I would swim every day! Then I could eat all the scuffins I want...

Try your own Daybook! Get ideas here!