Feel Good Friday 91
Happy Friday, friends! Week two of Chris being away comes to a close today and we are over here surviving! Between school open houses, a cross country parents meeting, orthodontist appointments, back to school shopping, work and regular motherhood, this week has been busy, to say the least. I’ve hit the pillow by 9 each night and have been asleep by 9:30. I’ve been reading an incredible book which I’d normally breeze through in a few days, but because I crash each night, it’s taken me a little longer. I am looking forward to getting some rest . . . in three weeks when Chris is back for good. OK, enough complaining! Let’s get to the good stuff.
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Terra Cotta Love
One of my best friends sent me a Target gift card for my birthday. I had to take Emmy there to get some back to school needs like clothing, deodorant, face wash, but I was determined not to use my gift card for that. We perused the home decor aisles as well and this terra cotta Jungalow vase caught my eye. I love the color and shape and can’t wait to fill it with something fun this fall.
Gone Fishin’
Last weekend, we decided to grill and selected this cilantro-lime grilled tuna with avocado-cucumber salsa. Weather had other plans and it poured, so we ended up pan-searing it, but it was delicious nonetheless. Chris served his over rice and made it into a bowl. I served mine over shredded lettuce and added green onions. It was absolutely delicious! It only marinades for 15 minutes, but the flavor is incredibly strong and fresh.
A Sorta Fairytale Eggplant Dish
20 points if you got the song reference in that header (from one of my all-time favorite artists). Anyhow, I had a bunch of fairy tale eggplants from the farmers market to use and decided to make this dish with a mediterranean quinoa salad. My spicy yogurt sauce didn’t come out as runny as the recipe makes it seem, but it was delicious and had a bit of a kick. The quinoa salad calls for chickpeas and I opted to remove them from the salad, roasting them instead with putting them on top for a little crunch. I loved this recipe because the salad can stand alone, or you can add any sort of roasted veggies to it.
The Pits
While at Target the other day, Emmy needed new deodorant. I’m always a fan of natural deodorants that are aluminum free and they’ve got a huge selection. Emmy chose Native’s Jasmine & Cedar and it smells so good without being overwhelming. If you’re looking for deodorant that’s safe to use and smells lovely, check it out.
Page-Turner
This is the book I was referring to in my intro. The Maidens is a thrilling murder mystery set at Cambridge in England. A group of students, known as the Maidens, starts showing up murdered, one by one. Mariana, determined to protect her niece Zoe who’s a student and the best friend of the first victim, starts playing detective and is sure she’s found the killer in an off-kilter professor. To be honest, I really loved this book for its quick read, but I had it solved a little early on. I did enjoy the fact that the author has characters from his debut novel, The Silent Patient, make fun cameos!
Pillow Progress
This weekend, we will be completing Emmy’s bedroom mini-makeover, just in time for her to start high school on Monday. I can’t wait to see it come together. The rug has arrived, the pillows are here (as you can see), the bedding is here, and, most importantly, Chris will be here to help me with heavy lifting. If you missed the plan (and want links to the pillows), you can find it here.
Mirror, Mirror
. . . on the wall, who’s the handsomest dog of all? Obviously, it’s Catcher. As you can see, I replaced the chair in the corner of my room with this arched mirror. We had only small vanity mirrors in our house, and Emmy and I both really wanted a full length mirror to check outfits and all that jazz. Our home is limited on space, so I decided to ditch the chair which really just collected clothing. I put the mirror in the corner, and the photo above is Catcher’s first glimpse at it. He sat there staring for a few minutes, not growling or looking at it like there was another dog. I truly think he was admiring himself. After all, he is a pretty boy.
Work Perks
The Wyndham golf championship happens in Greensboro each year and we were given some tickets through work. Last Saturday, Chris took Sawyer and Wilder (giving me a few quiet hours in the house). Of course, keeping a 3-year-old quiet is a little challenging, but Chris did his best. Wilder came home with two golf balls that Michael Kim’s caddy gave him and he told me he had a lot of fun. While I’m sure it wasn’t Chris and Sawyer’s ideal day out, they gave Wilder some fond memories.
We’re Having a Dinosaur Moment
The other evening, Wilder and I were snuggled on the couch, watching Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (his current repeat movie) and he was dressed in dino pajamas, complete with dino undies. He’s into them right now! There was a knock at our door and it was our talented neighbor, delivering dinosaur cookies because she was practicing decorating them. She couldn’t have timed it better! These cookies are insanely delicious and, as Emmy said, it doesn’t look like she needs anymore practice!
Life’s Little Moments
Sunday morning, I went hiking with my friend, Christi. We were the first ones on the trail which had some perks, like spying this little turtle. As you can see, I was a little more excited to see him than he was to see me. You might also notice that I am wielding a stick. We each had sticks to wave in front of us after walking into a hundred spider webs, the downside of being first on the trail. Also, it. had rained the night before and the horseflies were out like crazy, swarming out legs and biting! While that part was awful, we laughed and made the best of it. Afterwards, I thought about how those shared terrible experiences create bonds in friendship. We’ll never forget that morning! And look, here we are after the hike, still smiling!
The other day, my neighbor texted to see if I wanted any tomatoes or figs. Of course, I said yes! The very next day, I texted her and said, “Do you happen to have any basil still?” She told me to come on over and cut some. I roasted the tomatoes with salt, a drizzle of olive oil, basil, and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese for a delicious lunch side!
Sunday, Wilder was having a day with Snowball, just hugging her and cuddling with her any chance he could. He curled up with her under this chair and said, “Snowball is my best. Take a picture of us.” I was making dinner at the time, but I asked Chris to take this because I wanted to capture the moment and the words as well.
At three, Wilder is full of sweetness and unabashed love. The other night, we were snuggled together on the couch watching Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (his current favorite), when he just hugged me, looked into my eyes and said, “I just want to keep you safe always.” My heart nearly exploded out of my chest. I looked at him and said, “Me, too, buddy. I want to keep you safe.” He inspires me to just say how I feel sometimes. Why is it so easy for me to say I’m angry, but so hard to let people know when I am filled with love for them? Seriously, why?!?!
Maybe this weekend I’ll try to use my mouth to make words that express how I feel a little more. Sounds like a good plan to me. 😉 Hope you have a fabulous weekend and use your words well.
