Weekly Menu May 5

Source: sweetruffles

This week we have:

Super Cinnamon Ribbon Coffee Cake

Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

One-Bowl Chocolate Banana Muffins

For today, May 5...

Outside my window... It's starting to feel like summer around here! It's been in the 80's for the past few days, and looking like it's going to stay there until we get some rain on Thursday. I'm an absolute crazy person... The rainy days already have me wanting Fall... And it's not even really summer yet! My lilac bushes aren't quite the riot of blooms I was expecting, I think I need to consult an expert and do some trimming and fertilizing. Lucky for me, my neighbor's back yard is just brimming with them, so I have some to enjoy anyway!

Source: Pinterest

I am thinking... Jeez Louise, April went by fast! How on Earth is it already May?! My month went by in a blink! I guess I did spend a week of it in DC... But still! Last week was awful. The Geologist was out of town, and I got really really sick. Some freaky cold thing that, oddly enough, my Mom had at the same time (we think we caught it in NYC), and had me sleeping nearly all day! Hence the lack of blogging. Sorry about that. Thank goodness for awesome friends to taxi my boys to school! I'm still needing an inordinate amount of sleep but finally feeling better.

I am thankful... I'm thankful for friends who help, friends who swap babysitting (and dog-sitting!), friends who bring dinner, and friends who let me vent. I'm thankful that The Geologist still misses me every time he leaves, that my boys are getting old enough to be good company when he's gone, and that Joe is such a mellow little guy that he let me nap all day this week. I'm grateful for neighbor's lilacs and aspens, for a Mom with a green thumb, and a ridiculously handy husband. And muffins. I'm always grateful for muffins. :)

Source: Pinterest

In the kitchen... This week I'm definitely making up for the lack of kitchen activity last week! I'm thinking a big classic pound cake for fun, a few meals for a friend about to have a baby, and The Geologist signed us (aka ME) up to bring breakfast for the office on Friday. My lemon-lover self is just dying to lemon-ify everything, because it's getting so warm and summery out! This is not the time for pumpkin and cinnamon, its the time for lemon and berries, am I right? So bear with me, I might go a little crazy here!

I am going... Tis a busy week! Should be getting a call from the carpet guys any day now... *impatient foot-tapping* nah, they've been great. But I want my carpet in!! Anyway. Lots of errands, a few hours down to Colorado Springs to help my sister apartment search long-distance, a dear friend having a baby, dinner for the office, and hopefully planting our very first little garden this week! Friday I'm going to a choir concert, I've been wanting to join a new choir and I'm checking this one out. We shall see!

I am wondering... I mentioned that we're planting our first veggie garden this week. Starting small, because I have no confidence in my gardening skills, with just a few tomatoes, green beans, and carrots. I have a nice little in-ground garden bed that the previous owners left, but I'm wondering... Should I build a raised bed? It would be more work initially, and more expensive obviously, but does it really make a huge difference? What do you think? I'd love any thoughts, tips, or opinions you have! I know a lot of you are fabulous gardeners!

Source: Pinterest

Around the house... Now that everything is blooming and leafing and sprouting and being so GREEN, all of my imaginings are moving outside, planning what to do with our backyard. I definitely want more lilacs, a white bush and a dark dark purple bush. I want raspberries (but I need to learn more about them!). I've always wnated a porch swing, but we don't have a porch, so when I found this trellis swing, that was IT!! I shall make my Geologist build me one and having roses climbing all over it. Or maybe wisteria... clematis... Hmmm...

I am looking forward to... Carpet!! Our wood floors are lovely, but a giant pain. Between two boys and a dog, we're scratching them to death. They weren't in great shape when we moved in, but I'm just not cut out to baby a floor. Not to mention the Beast is creating dog-hair tumbleweeds. Dog hair is a royal pain to sweep. A cinch to vacuum though! Not mention it's just going to be so soft and pretty!! I can't wait!!

One of my favorite things... Old musicals. The classics: My Fair Lady, The King and I, Sound of Music, Singing in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers... Love love love them! I'm actually not a huge fan of modern musicals, it feels like they're always yelling instead of singing to me. "Getting to Know You" makes me teary every time, I bawl through the Sound of Music, and have Singing in the Rain and My Fair Lady basically memorized. I watched a bunch of Judy Garland movies I'd never seen before this week. Wasn't she fantastic? And did you know Yul Brynner was from Russia?! Craziness!!

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