I am still in awe of all the things we did and accomplished in May. Our weekends were absolutely packed, but we all had so much fun! Here is our life lately May 2024 and what we have been up to.
Books I’ve Read
- Of Gold and Greed by Chanda Hahn– Rheanon, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville works to combat an evil lurking beneath the goblin infested mountains. This was a better one in the series and I liked her talent for welding. 3.5/5
- Of Secrets and Slippers by Chanda Hahn– Honor is an antimage takes the power of magic from others. She becomes embroiled in a plan to flush out the apprentice of Allemar and finds 12 cursed princesses. This was a bit convoluted at times, but I had to finish the series. I really liked the ending. 3/5
- To Sir Phillip, with Love by Julia Quinn– Sir Phillip and Eloise Bridgerton begin a written correspondence after the death of his wife. A friendship blossoms over time and he invites her to visit. What will become of their meeting? I will be excited to watch this one when Eloise’s season comes to Bridgerton! It really gives a softer side to Eloise. 4/5
- On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn– Gregory Bridgerton believes he has found the woman of his dreams. Except, she wasn’t actually the one because she is in love with another. I liked this story and the twist it has. It really kept my attention. 4/5
Products I’ve Tried
- Glimmer Wish- I received some of this free to try out. There were several positive aspects to this brand. It’s made of non-irritating ingredients. They are dermatologist tested and work well. The color, scent, and bottle shape make it really appealing to my kids. They are super cute!
- Pull-out Cabinet Organizer– Some of our cabinets are pull-out, but there are 2 that are not. I store some cans and pantry type items in one. It has become a pain to find what I need. These were easy to install and seem quite sturdy. They are a great solution! I used 2 for the top shelf and would like to get another one for the bottom shelf now.
- Thermacell Patio Shield- We’ve had this for a while, but finally had the opportunity to pull it out. It worked really well and had no scent.
Recipes I’ve Made
- Tofu Lettuce Wraps– My hubby was very suspicious of this, but ended up grudgingly liking it. I even added a 1/4c. peanut butter to some and it added even more flavor! The girls loved it.
- Poppers in a Blanket– I tweaked this recipe to use larger smoked sausages. Some had jalapeno, some did not. The girls really enjoyed them and even asked for them in their school lunches. Claire was a big fan.
- Bananas Foster Crisp- If you don’t like bananas, skip this recipe. We liked it though. It was especially good with vanilla or caramel ice cream. If I make it again, I would simmer the sauce longer to thicken it. It was a little thin for my liking.
- Deconstructed Wonton Soup– It had great flavor and was very filling. The girls loved helping to put the wonton wrappers into the soup. Leftovers did not last long at all.
- Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls– I subbed in pork for salmon because we had some in the fridge. This recipe is very versatile and full of flavor. I used a pre-made Bang Bang sauce for ease. If you are looking for a healthy, light meal-try this!
Currently
- Loving- I am loving the beams we had put up in our sunroom. They are made from wood from my uncle’s old barn and grandpa’s farm. Not only that, the wood was sourced from the land that has been in my family for over 150 years. They look amazing and it’s been a long process trying to find someone to get them installed.
- Looking forward to- I told myself I would only watch Bridgerton if I was working out. Well, I ended up doing a lot of working out in 2 days! Now I am really looking forward to the next 4 episodes!
- Seeing- Cicadas are everywhere! Honestly, we see them most by locust trees, but they are really starting to get loud.
- Reading- I am currently in the middle of a Kate Morton novel called Home Coming. I haven’t read a book by her in a few years, but she is such a good author. I love the suspense!
- Wanting- I haven’t tried a pair of carbon fiber running shoes yet. Since I have a history of soft tissue injury, I tend to be cautious when trying new shoes. But I am getting more curious about them and want a pair.
Northern lights in Illinois
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Family update
- Aveline– Avie survived her first year of kindergarten, and so did her teacher. Although her teacher retired after this year. Don’t worry, just a coincidence. Haha! She starts summer swim again next week and can’t wait. That girl dives head first into everything.
Mother’s Day matching dresses
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- Claire- Claire will be bridging to middle school and Girl Scout Cadettes. She finished up her last soccer season this spring. Although I’m sure it will all go swimmingly, she thought it best to only do one sport since she keeps hearing scary rumors about the middle school workload.
Flower arranging and ice cream social at school
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- Me- I just accepted a part-time speech pathology position at a nearby high school. Although it will be a big change, I’m looking forward to seeing students and co-workers in person after 3 years of working virtually. It seems like a wonderful district to work for.
- Matt- Matt is all set to don his white polo and khaki shorts as a swim judge again this summer. Or as he refers to the position: dream crusher. Don’t worry it’s all in good fun, unless you are over 8.
Here is the finished charcuterie board I mentioned in last month’s post.
MAY GOALS
- Make a dish with tofu– Done! I posted about it on stories. I made a tofu lettuce wrap. The kids and I really liked it and even the hubby tolerated it.
- Fix blog email notification– Done. This was a pain in the butt and took some tinkering and cost, but I was able to get it set up.
- Work on pace– Done! I really worked hard to do some speed workouts with some miles at race pace. Fingers crossed that helps.
- Review new nail wraps– Done! Check out my review here. Some of my most read posts are my Ultimate Nail Wrap Review, How to Apply Nail Wraps, and The Best Nail Wraps. It’s been a while and some new brands are out. I’d like to try a new one.
June Goals
- Go to an estate sale
- Add window trim to living room window
- Get a pedicure
- Have a date night
LINKING UP WITH WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY, OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS
