Hiii! Oh my goodness, where does the time go? I’m so sorry to have gone dark on ya’ for a little bit! These past two weeks have been the craziest they’ve been maybe…ever? That said, I’m anxious to fill you in on the exciting news that’s been taking up a lot of our time very soon. (Spoiler alert: our family is not growing by fingers, toes, nor paws! ?)

Anyway, how have you been? We’ve been dodging severe weather all week but managed to squeeze in a nice bike ride, plus BBQ and outdoor fun with my family for the holiday. My Mom served a delicious, summery feast that included burgers and brats, Classic Potato Salad and, OF COURSE, Judy’s Baked Beans. WHAT IS A SUMMER COOKOUT WITHOUT JUDY’S BAKED BEANS? Give me Judy’s Baked Beans or give me nothing! Except more Judy’s Baked Beans. Have I mentioned how much we love Judy’s Baked Beans?

Ahem. 

We are heading into the last few weeks of Lincoln’s school year and, while we’re bummed that Kindergarten has to end at home without an official celebration with his classmates, we’re also ready for summer. Plans have been made to open, well, geez pretty much everything around here – in some cases in phases and with crowd restrictions – but we’ll likely continue what we’re doing for the foreseeable future: taking walks, playing at home, and exploring trails in nearby state parks. Shrug. Definitely have reached the acceptance phase over here. Life is what it is right now!

Truly I hope you are staying very well, happy and healthy. I’ve missed you! I have a HUGE list of recipes to test, make, and share with you but it’s just been slow going around here. In the meantime, thought we’d continue the catch up with an edition of Currently!

Obsessed with: Big Girl Gwen. Little Miss is no longer a baby (hold me) but we are in a totally fun toddler phase right now. I love this age – she’s old enough to run, jump, and climb but still young enough to snuggle, carry, and spoil. (By the way, I have always outfitted my kids in Keens during the summer – they are FANTASTIC!)

This little thing has us all wrapped around her pinky finger, and she knows it. The boys and I are in so much trouble. ?

Crafting: Mother’s Day Card. A couple weeks ago the kids and I made a Mother’s Day card for our wonderful neighbor, who isn’t able to go into stores right now, to give to his wife. Well, I decided to double up on the cutting and make a Mother’s Day card for myself! If that isn’t motherhood in a nutshell, I don’t know what is. ? Anyway, it turned out SO cute – maybe keep the idea on hand for a homemade birthday or Father’s Day card?

Mood.

Laughing: FootDocDana. Girl, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. I’m not going to do it, girl. I was just thinking about it, I’m not going to do it…I DID IT. In related news, I joined TikTok. ? I will NOT be posting, but oh my gosh, what a fun app! My very favorite TikTok(ker) is FootDocDana. You read that right. Go check her out – love her sense of humor.

Wearing: Madewell Ruffle Sleeve Tank Top. Don’t ask me why I purchased this top because I have absolutely nowhere to go, but this sweet and feminine tank is suuuper cute. I mentioned in this post that ruffles don’t always look great on my body shape, but these are very understated. Cute with white jeans or even casual jean shorts.

Anticipating: Marine Layer Alison Pant. Consider me influenced! After seeing these pants in Instagram ads for a year plus, I finally broke down and ordered a pair last month. Just got the notice that they’ve shipped – I’ll let you know what I think. Have you seen these pants floating around too?

Craving. I’ve been craving the following three recipes something FIERCE lately! Starting with Tuna Melts. My parents have been making these on repeat – they’re obsessed with the seasoning mix I use. (Me too.)

hot tuna and cheese sandwich with a bite taken out of it

Pickle Wrap Dip. Maybe it’s the hot, sticky weather, but this dip has been CALLING. MY. NAME. lately. So good! Perfect to dig into on the patio with an ice cold margarita.

Close up photo of a bowl of pickle wrap dip

Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce. I think about this homemade red enchilada sauce at least once a day. It really is that good, and this dish really is that dreamy.

Overhead photo of a baking dish of Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Playing: Bubbles. Here’s a fun idea I’ve had the boys do countless times over the past couple of months. It’s self cleaning and takes 10 seconds to set up. Step 1: Fill a cup halfway up with water then add a squirt of dish soap. Step 2: Put a straw inside. Step 3: Blow. BOOM! Such a fun activity. Did I mention it’s self cleaning?

Watching: Disney+. Let’s be real, homeschool looks a lot different today than it did two months ago. Lincoln reads for 30 minutes every afternoon, and we’ve been playing card games as “math” – but I don’t want to push or sour things with him now in case we have to do this again in the fall. Anyway, in addition to all the classic Disney movies Disney+ offers is a whole SLEW of earth, nature, and animal documentary type programs. Dolphin Reef and Elephant have been our favorites. It’s been a great way to educate the kids without them feeling like I’m educating them.

Sipping: Truly Lemonade. I was on the hunt for these babies FOREVER before finally locating them at HyVee. Have you tried? Thoughts? They’re very sweet so one usually does it for me. Very refreshing after yard work, I must say!

Covering: Alex + Nova Masks. I have a narrow face so not any ol’ mask will fit my face. That said, I ordered these Alex + Nova masks and, after washing/drying, they’re the perfect fit! If you have a teenager, these would be great for them. The listing says Mommy+Me, but I just ordered a set of the Adult size.

Pick a “Currently” category and fill me in!