Weekly Menu July 7

Source: souljournals

This week we have...

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Chicken & Asparagus Stir Fry with Honey Ginger Sauce

Cherry Blackberry Galette

For today, July 7...

Outside my window... Sunny and hot. 90's this week. I miss the Spring rain!! I know, I'm a whining summer wuss. I hide near the air conditioner when it gets above 85 degrees. Luckily for me, the summer evenings in this glorious state cool down significantly, so we spend our evenings in the yard. Ah, having a yard is still such heaven!

Source: pictureperfectforyou

In the kitchen... Made my dozenth batch of Banana Chocolate Muffins this morning (can't get enough of those things, they're my favorite!!) and whipped up the most ridiculously dark chocolate cake for The Geologist's birthday yesterday! I need to make another one before sharing with you, it was a hair overdone and I wasn't thrilled with my pictures. You're going to love this one though!

I am thankful... I am so thankful that my family is here!! It was a little crazy last week, they arrived on the same day, within 10 minutes, of some of our best friends from BYU who were stopping through on their way to Utah. Six guests at once! It was wonderful though, I knew they'd all get along and we had a great time. And now my parents and little sister are here for a few weeks! The boys are especially loving it, they haven't spent this long with both of their grandparents in... well, ever, I think! Dad is usually working when we visit them, but congrats to him, he just retired from the Air Force! Now they're being nomads, traveling around the country visiting family and national parks until it gets too cold to camp, then they'll stay with us until they find a house. Kate (my sister) is so much fun to have around, and she is carrying on the family tradition and starting at BYU this Fall, cuz she's awesome!

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I am going... Cherry picking!! We have a reservation at my favorite pick-your-own-everything farm to pick pie cherries tomorrow!! Cherries are not one of my favorite fruits. I never got excited about them, until I picked up a bag of frozen pie cherries at the farmer's market, and after ignoring them in my freezer for months, made these amazingly delicious Cherry Pie Crumble Bars and fell in love with those tart-sweet pie cherries. This time I will recruit my family and my children and get bags and bags of them! I'm hoping there will be some red currants left there too, I've never used them before and I'd love to try them out! :)

I am looking forward to... Sometime this month one of my very best friends is having her third little girl! I'm so excited for her, AND me, because I get to watch her other two little girls whenever it happens! I love those two little dolls soooo much, and can't wait to have them here! We're considering a double arranged marriage between my boys and her girls, but they have to at least pass the 6 foot mark before that's an option. Her family is REALLY tall. And while I've got a decent percentage of tall on my side, The Geologist's family... not so much.

Source: pictureperfectforyou

I am learning... I am learning that I LOVE putting rooms together! Color schemes, furniture coordination, finishing touches, I love making it all work together like a puzzle and finding treasures at thrift stores, craigslist, Tuesday Morning, etc. Spiffy bathroom soaps, bedding, perfectly colored and scented candles make me smile! The one thing I am seriously lacking is wall decor... Gotta get creative with that... No, that room above is not one of mine, but I sure wish it was! Isn't it lovely??

A peek into my day... We've been going nonstop since the fam arrived, but today they're down in Colorado Springs, checking in on my sister and helping her gather up some bits and pieces for her new apartment, so the boys and I are taking it easy! They're currently emptying the backyard pool they've been living in for the past few weeks, refilling it, and making a swamp our of my yard. Luckily it's so dry up here that the swamp won't last long! Leftovers for dinner, remaking that epic chocolate cake, and maybe even a nap in there somewhere...

Around the house... I had SO much fun getting ready for my family (and other guests) to arrive! I had about a week to turn our extra bedroom into a guest room, so I hunted craigslist and got some awesome furniture for an absolute steal, and now have two fully outfitted guest bedrooms! AAAAAAND, my new treasure, that gorgeous oval mirror! I've been hunting for a mirror for that spot for months, and my search finally paid off! I was planning on painting it white, but after hanging it and seeing how it brought out the soft gold in the books and that tiny Wedgwood vase, I'm in love with the yellow-cream color and leaving it exactly how it is. Bargain shopping for my house is my new favorite activity! :)

Source: sittinonmyfrontporch

One of my favorite things... Ohhh, I am a sucker for a tall, cold, tart drink of lemonade when it's hot outside! Put me at a fair, festival, farmer's market, or sports event and I'm looking for the yellow glasses covered with dripping condensation. Because if it's not ice-cold, what on earth is the point?? At the farmer's market in Utah there was a stall that made nothing but limeade. No varieties, just plain, simple, limeade, and it was the best drink I have ever had in my life. I used to dream about that limeade all week, counting the hours until I could get another one on Saturday! It's pretty much the only thing that can make me happy to be outside in 90 degrees!

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