The Friday Five!!

Oh hey! That's two posts in one week! We've been down and out with some yucky summer virus, which has meant lots of hanging around and a little extra time to blog this week! So I decided it was time to bring back the Friday Five. Besides pushing fluids and binge watching survival reality shows, here's what else we got after this week ....

Reading -- the first book in The Penderwicks series is proving to be such a great family read!

Playing -- Scattergories has long been a favorite of the adults in our family but the kids are finally old enough to get in on the action. We split into kid/adult combo teams and spend most of our time making the case for whatever ridiculous answer we've come up with -- the kids caught on right away.

Making -- Cam's been into sculpting lately and this basic air dry clay is a great starter clay. It dries fairly quickly and you can leave it white and simple or paint it too.

Cooking -- thank goodness I made an extra batch of this Healing Paleo Chicken Soup this week! I'm most PO'd because this virus struck towards the end of my Whole30 and I had to abandon it for need of real carbs. But this soup kept everyone going!

Wanting -- I need some new every day gym shoes and I LOVE this metallic knit pair from Lululemon / APL. I've repeatedly shown the kids in an effort to get them on whatever "gift list" may exist.

The Friday Five!!

So much for my goal of blogging regularly. I blinked and two weeks went by! Somehow even though the kids are now at school all day, I find myself even busier and struggling just to keep all the plates spinning. In any event, here's what we were up to this week ....

Reading -- I love cooking but am not always comfortable coming up with my own recipes. I've been reading Salt Fat Acid Heat this week and LOVE learning about all the science behind cooking. I've always had a general idea of how these four elements work in cooking, but this book is so interesting and has been giving me the confidence to experiment more (there's nothing worse than spending a whole evening cooking and having the entire family have to eat something yucky for dinner). The kids and I are on the second book in the Book Scavenger series and love it! It's especially fun because it's set in San Fransisco and we just visited there this past summer -- I'll eventually finish those vacation posts! 

Cooking -- this Slow Cooker BBQ Beef was a HUGE family fave this week -- I hardly had any leftovers for lunch! I'm about 15 days out from finishing my Whole60 -- it's been going awesome, but I have a bachelorette party coming up right at the end, so I'm still figuring out my strategy for that! 

Making -- Kane has been super into drawing lately and loves these printable comic book template pages from the Picklebums! 

Wanting -- I'm loving these Tai Capricorn Pendants ... I need a Gemini! 

Playing -- now that Cam is more proficient at counting money, the kids have had more frequent and intense games of Monopoly. This week it seems that someone always ends up crying, but I guess they're still getting math in? 

The Friday Five!!

It's been so long since I've done a Friday Five that I almost forgot what to share! We are also smack in the middle of wrestling season, and with both kids wrestling this year, I feel like almost all of our non-school time has been spent in a gym. So we haven't had a lot of creative time lately, which has been driving us all nuts! Nevertheless, here's what we've been up to this week ....

Making -- the kids are PUMPED for the Eagles in the Super Bowl this weekend and have been busy making signs to hang all over the house with oil pastels and decorating all our windows with these amazing gel crayons (they wipe right off, promise!!). 

Playing -- I've finally succeeded in getting the kids to play their math homework games together! We are always looking for dice, so this set of math dice has really come in handy! 

Cooking -- we successfully wrapped up our first Whole30 of 2018 and I decided to extend it to a Whole60 -- I'm just not ready yet! These pork chops with potatoes are a huge family fave and I always wish I had an enormous cast iron skillet so I could cook double the recipe at once! 

Wanting -- not to become that super annoying clean-eating friend, but I tried out Vital Proteins collagen in my coffee this last Whole30 round and kind of love it. Maybe I'm just imaging it, but I do feel like my skin and hair have been better. I always get a bad case of dermatitis in the winter, so I'm willing to try anything! I'd like to kill two birds with one stone and try the Collagen Creamer, but I need to wait until I finish up my canister of regular collagen. 

Reading -- Kane is obsessed with the Adventures of Tin Tin and has a volume with him at all times. I love that he is digging into something himself, but it's impossible to get him to put it down to do anything -- like walk down the street. My mom brought me some of my favorite childhood books on a recent trip and we've all been enthralled with Black Beauty this week. I love the Illustrated Junior Classics version and we are finding all sorts of neat tidbits about the value of treating animals (AND PEOPLE!!) with kindness and respect. Love 

The Friday Five!!

Fall is finally here in D.C.! I've got the fireplace tuned up, my slippers out, and cozy sweaters ready to go. We've been cooking up comfort food, crafting, and holiday prepping. And you know just everyday life too, including ...

Making -- Cam got a chance to test out one of OOLY's new gift sets this week and they are fab! The So Much Color Art Gift Set is chock full of rainbow goodness for sketching and writing and I am ALL for gifting art supplies instead of more toys. So add these to your holiday list!

Playing -- we break out the puzzles when the weather turns cold and Kane is still going strong on presidents.

Cooking -- when Cooking Light called this Magic Green Sauce, they meant it. I could put it on everything, but it is absolutely delish on these Pork Medallions with Scallions.

Wanting -- I'm obsessed with skin masks lately and have been wanting to try a charcoal mask and this one is called a pudding, so ....

Reading -- One of Kane's buddies gave him Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth for his birthday and we are lovinghte quirky characters. And I just started Little Fires Everywhere and have such high hopes!

The Friday Five!!

It's such a gorgeous fall day outside that I don't even care that I didn't get to any other posts this week! I'd promise I would next week, but between the kids and dog, freelance work, planning several celebrations, and just trying to keep up with all the world's WTF moments, it's probably unlikely. I'll try though! We actually had a pretty fabulous week, all things considered. Check out what made our little world go 'round this week ....

Reading -- we just started Chelsea Clinton's "It's Your World: Get Informed, Inspired, & Get Going" and the kids are hooked. Some of the chapters look real meaty for reading aloud, but we're going to give it a try. In an effort to keep it real while also keeping up with Kane's historical reading, I also just started "The Barbarous Years." Not my normal reading choice, but I'm trying to expand my literary horizons too.

Making -- Cam and I got to check out Kid Made Modern's new Sparkle Stash this week and made some super fab clip-on earrings.

Playing -- Kane's kindle access has dwindled down to nothing recently, so we had to resort to old fashioned video game turned board games this week.

Cooking -- this Sausage Ragù over Polenta is defintely a new fall favorite -- it's super easy, everyone loved it, I bet the sauce would be good over pasta too.

Wanting -- our kitchen was built with space for a teeny tiny refrigerator. When the original one broke, there was only one that would fit in the same spot and I hate it. Plus an adult who lives in our home who is not me broke the crisper drawer and I haven't been able to find a replacement. So my veggies are equally unhappy. A major clean out and organization is needed and I think these will help! 

The Friday Five!!

I would say that I'm happy it's Friday, but I feel like each day this month the world is bringing a fresh dose of WTF. At the risk of posting even less than I have been, I just might have to get rid of all technology for a while to reset. But if we ignore all the crazy being slung this week, this is what else we had going on ....

p.s. damn you, Nats. This town just really needed a win in something this year.

Cooking -- in my ongoing quest to try new chili recipes, we checked out this cross-mac-and-cheese version this week. The kids loved it, but I'm still on the fence about whether I like the chili / pasta combo. 

Making -- we haven't have much time to do a lot of making this school year, but I did promise the kids that we could go alllll out for Halloween this year. So we spent last weekend decorating the outside of our house and it's looking pretty spooky! I actually read the directions on the spider webs this time -- who knew!? 

Playing -- one of my favorite 2nd grade math games from Kane last year was Yektti. There are lots of different variations on the basic sorting and guessing game and I'm so happy that it's Cam's turn this year. We've been playing a bunch! 

Reading -- Kane has really gotten into history of the world wars. I'm pretty much history in one ear, out the next. So my mom got him some really fabulous kids history books on WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War for his birthday. He's obsessed. He asked to stay up to read to himself the other night for the first time ever. On that same note, he really likes to get into obscure historical trivia so we just started listening to the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast. 

Wanting -- I left my old leather slip on shoes in San Fran because they were totally cooked after all that walking. I need a new pair for fall and you can't go wrong with rose gold. 

2017 Summer Bucket List Final Update + 2017 FALL BUCKET LIST!!

We managed to knock a bunch of additional items off of our Summer Bucket List since our last update. This was not a banner season in terms of bucket list accomplishments, but I think it definitely marked a turning point in the kids' growth—they are in dire need of free down time and quite capable of entertaining themselves. They'd wake up pumped for an activity but then just ask for time to putter about. That being said, fall is definitely one of their favorite seasons and they were all about creating a new fall list!

First up, here's how we finished up summer:

16. New science exhibit -- we loved the new to us exhibits at the California Academy of Sciences!

17. New historical site -- our report on Angel Island and Alcatraz are still on the way, but I'll note that we had an unexpected amazing trip to historical Angel Island.

18. Have a picnic -- we had a lovely picnic lunch on the top of a waterfall in Yosemite—post to come this week!

19. Find a new beach -- we found new beaches at both Angel Island and in Yosemite.

20. Workbooks -- the kids were total champs at working on reading, math, and writing over the summer and completed several workbooks each.

21. Rock climbing -- Yosemite!

22. Find a waterfall -- Again, Yosemite. Our bucket list thanks you.

23. Baseball game -- G O N A T S

24. Ride in a boat -- boat to both Angel Island and Alcatraz.

25. See sunrise -- we left really early for Cali and caught the sun coming up on our ride to the airport.

26. See sunset -- and then we saw the sun go down behind Golden Gate Bridge our first night there!

27. Watch a meteor shower -- not technically a meteor shower, but I'm counting the eclipse for this one. It was super cool.

28. + 29. Two new museums -- we went to several new museums this summer, but I'll count the DeYoung and San Fransisco MOMA (post also yet to come) for this.

30. New science project -- saltwater taffy slime!

31. + 32. Two service projects -- the kids both helped their grandfather deliver food with Meals on Wheels and Cami also chopped off 10+ inches of her hair for Locks of Love.

33., 34., and 35. -- three new NPS passport stamps in California at Muir Woods, Alcatraz, and Yosemite.

Now, on to the Fall Bucket List!

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The Friday Five!!

I have a whole slate of posts planned that I just can't seem to get to and it's driving me nuts. The kids are happily back in school, but I feel a little bit like a spinning top. I haven't even made it through our August vacation photos and there's been an overflowing basket of clean (at least folded for once) clothes in my office all week. I'm really, really looking forward to the weekend. Here's what went down this week though ....

Cooking -- the kids weekday extracurriculars run a little late for my taste this year so I'm still trying to figure out weekday cooking. I think I might need to shift some of our weekend dining out to at least one weekday, but I also just need to get more organized with slow cooked meals that are ready when we get home. This Jalapeño Popper Chili is a family fave and did the trick for one such late night this week.

Making -- I always keep my eye on Oriental Trading Co. for easy art/craft projects that the kids can do on their own. And since I banned weekday screen time (WHY!?!), we've needed a few more. Cami has loved these Mandala Sand Art Pictures, which turn out amazingly cool.

Reading -- we finally finished A Wind in the Door which I found really heavy to listen to as an audiobook. I think we need to go back and read it together to pick through the philosophical and theological layers. I really wanted to pick something lighter for our next book, but the kids insisted on returning to the Wonder series with Auggie & Me. Cam and I have also been reading Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World. We first spotted it at the San Francisco MOMA gift store (I could literally buy everything in the MOMA gift store), but waited until we got home to check it out of the library. It's great!

Wanting -- I hate taking my FitBit off, but I'm having a hard time finding a fashionable band to wear it outside of exercising. This is the closest thing I've found to what I want. 

Playing -- our Halloween costume planning has the kids all the rage about Egyptians again and Kane has renewed his obsession with Senet.

Kids Reading Lounge

It's a rainy day in D.C., so our new outdoor reading lounge is packed up at the moment, but you can head over to Honest to Nod to see how we roll it out when the sun is shining! So easy and super cozy.

The Friday Five!!

We are just wrapping up our first week back to school! Other than trying to figure out how we ever got out of the house by 7.45 a.m., everything went swimmingly. Here's what else we got after this week ....

Making -- the kids needed to bring a framed picture to school so I picked up a bunch of these wooden frames to have them decorate themselves. 

Reading -- Kane is still hooked on presidential trivia and can't put this one down! I just started Rebel Mother and can't put it down either!

Wanting -- we go through an obscene amount of La Croix in our house. Obscene. This chick claims to have found the best online prices, we'll see ....

Playing -- sometimes you just have to stick with the classics. Cam love UNO and has been crushing me at games this week. 

Cooking -- Cam has continued her adventures in cooking with me. She's really outgrown the nylon starter set of knives we've used for years, so I just bought this kid-sized set of the real thing upon several recommendations. We'll let you know!! 

Interview the Kiddos -- September 2017

The kids finally went back to school yesterday and I have to say that I am totally, totally sad! I'm glad to have the kids back with friends, learning new things, getting into a routine, etc. But we had a great (and really quick) summer and I am absolutely going to miss them while they are at school (and so is Penny!). Kane is heading third grade and Cam will be in second grade, both of which are totally blowing my mind. But in an effort to take a snapshot of them at these ages, I thought I'd do another interview. I asked them these same questions about a year ago (our Interview the Kiddos -- August 2016) and totally intended to do it every three months. No big surprise that didn't happen. But here's what they had to say this year ....

Cameron -- age 7 years, 4 months
FAVORITE COLOR - blue 
FAVORITE BOOK - I Will Always Write Back
FAVORITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL - math
FAVORITE SONG - Charlie XCX—all of hers
FAVORITE FOOD - watermelon
FAVORITE MOVIE - Baby Boss
FAVORITE TV SHOW - Just Add Magic
FAVORITE TOY/GAME - Stare! Board Game and Penny
WHAT ARE YOU SAVING YOUR ALLOWANCE FOR? - to buy stuff for homeless people
FAMOUS PERSON YOU'D LIKE TO MEET - Mommy!
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? - a veternarian
BEST FRIEND - Penny, Kaney, Mommy, Daddy, and Zoe
FAVORITE THING TO DO AS A FAMILY - hike up waterfalls in Yosemite
FAVORITE PLACE TO GO AS A FAMILY - Chicago, New Jersey, California
FAVORITE THING TO DO AFTER SCHOOL - play with Penny and art
FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY WITH KANE - LEGO
DREAM VACATION - Hawaii
FAVORITE MUSEUM - the Color Factory
FAVORITE SEASON - summer, spring, and winter
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS FALL? - have a family olympics and movie night
FAVORITE MEMORY FROM THIS SUMMER - getting Penny
FAVORITE SPORT - swimming 


Kane -- age 8 years, 11 months 
FAVORITE COLOR - green 
FAVORITE BOOK - The Westing Game 
FAVORITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL - Social Studies 
FAVORITE SONG - Shut Up and Dance 
FAVORITE FOOD - oysters
FAVORITE MOVIE - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2 
FAVORITE TV SHOW - Just Add Magic 
FAVORITE TOY/GAME - Monopoly, Etch a Sketch, LEGO, and Pokemon. 
WHAT ARE YOU SAVING YOUR ALLOWANCE FOR? - a toy under $100 and my college fund.
FAMOUS PERSON YOU'D LIKE TO MEET - President Obama and maybe Jimmy Carter (I really like peanuts). 
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? - Can I just say the name of some of the PhDs, MD, JD, or MBA I want? OK, I'd like to be a doctor or a lawyer with a PhD or a civil engineer or an architect. 
BEST FRIEND - Do I have to answer that? Oh yeah, Cami. And Penny. And mommy and daddy.
FAVORITE THING TO DO AS A FAMILY - spend time together 
FAVORITE PLACE TO GO AS A FAMILY - either out of the U.S., a staycation, or a different state. I also just like to stay at home and go to Dave and Busters, the movies, bowling, hikes, and museums.
FAVORITE THING TO DO AFTER SCHOOL - ooooh, that's tough. Maybe spend time with my family. Play with my friends. 
FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY WITH C - we play lots of games—can you be more specific? There are lots of different categories. Monopoly, soccer (not traditional soccer, but the wrestling game we came up with. You could also call it street fighting). 
DREAM VACATION - Turks + Caicos. Or a world tour of all the sunny places with my family and friends. 
FAVORITE MUSEUM - oh that's hard. I'm going to say the California Academy of Science has a good chunk. Also Ben Franklin Institute. The Color Factory was also cool. I also like all the museums on the mall in D.C. except for the Air and Space Museum (but I like the one at Dulles). 
FAVORITE SEASON - fall and summer 
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS FALL? - celebrate my birthday with Giordano's pizza, play laser tag, and eat Eli's cheesecake. 
FAVORITE MEMORY FROM THIS PAST SUMMER - vacation and spending time with family. 
FAVORITE SPORT - swimming, lacrosse, and wrestling.

The Friday Five!!

This was our last week of summer break and while I thought the kids would be charged to take on the Summer Bucket List remainders, they really just wanted to hang at home. There was a little bickering, but for the most part they just entertained themselves and didn't ask to go do anything. I think they can feel school coming! Here's what they got up to this week ....

Playing -- as soon as the kids spotted Halloween decorations this week they were all over picking out our family Halloween costumes. I won't give it all away, but needless to say they were excited to break out Pyramix to get in the mood.

Making -- I often find pre-made craft kits to be lacking, but something about the Kid Made Modern Craft Library always stirs our kiddos' creativity. Cam had it out several times this week making a variety of projects.

Reading -- we finally finished I Will Always Write Back and I cannot recommend it highly enough! It was a truly great book to read together and a great conversation primer for so many topics. The kids asked for a mystery so we just started the first book in the The Forbidden Library series, which is holding everyone's attention a few chapters in. I also started reading the kids the adapted version of An Inconvenient Truth and I think it's excellent. It breaks the issues down well and has wonderful photos and graphics to accompany the text. And the chapters are short enough that we can read just a few at a sitting.

Cooking -- the kids and I loved these Baked Meatballs with Sweet Spices this week -- super easy and so tasty! And after watching Super Size Me this week together, no one complained about eating radishes or kale either.

Wanting -- I need some new studded flats and I've had my eyes on these for years!! Even though I know I'd wear them constantly, I haven't been able to pull that trigger yet.

The Friday Five!!

It's been a fast week back from vacation -- lots of catching up on sleep, laundry, and down time. The kids still have another week off from school, but none of us feel much like getting out and about. I'll take a week (or two) of lazy ....

Making -- we've been keeping activities real simple this week. If the kids can do it themselves, they can do it. Watercolors is still a fave late afternoon activity for them and OOLY is our go-to brand for gorgeous colors.

Reading -- I'm loving this book about a geobiologist. I tried to read it to the kids, but couldn't get them to stay interested. I might try again because I think Cam would love it. But they did both love A Wrinkle in Time, so we're on to the next in the series: A Wind in the Door.

Cooking -- if there is anything I like about coming back from vacation, it's getting back in the kitchen! I love to dine out, but it gets old quickly. We are really trying to cut down on red meat, so I tried a bunch of new chicken and fish recipes this week. An easy fave was Food and Wine's Hobo Pack Chicken Fajitas. It's not life changing or anything, but it is so easy, quick, and the kids can basically make it themselves with some help on the grill.

Playing -- while the kids seem incapable of playing any game for more than several minutes without arguing (that's if they even can agree on how to set it up), they busted out an old fave this week and almost made it through an entire game. Cheers for Catan Jr.!

Wanting -- all I want right now is to detox from vacation eating and drinking. I literally ordered a new case of Dirty Lemon from the airplane home. It's not a cleanse and you won't lose a bunch of weight, but it does make you feel better. I like to do the Detox followed by one or two weeks of the Skin + Hair.

The Friday Five!!

Whew! August came real fast. We are in vacation prep mode this week and, for some reason, the kids have been totally focused on starting to get ready for back-to-school too. But we've still got lots on our Summer Bucket List to tackle, so onward!

Cooking -- I don't really think that these Greek Chicken Sausage Sandwiches count as cooking, but they were so easy and also such a crowd pleaser that I am definitely working them into our regular rotation.

Making -- my seasonal purging efforts have continued which means I actually made accessible and organized space for all our yarn supplies. Cam's been making pom poms again and I love it. We have a few different kinds of pom pom makers, but these are our favorites.

Playing -- I broke out a bunch of board games this week to keep math practice fun. I forgot how much I LOVE Clue (we have the version that has a second side with a Boardwalk setting)! Incan Gold continues to be a favorite as well.

Reading -- we have all been obsessed with I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives. It definitely brings up some really mature issues and I have edited a little bit as I read, but it's been a really great vehicle for conversations with the kids about issues such as poverty and privilege. And the fact that it's a true story just adds layers of both incredulity and credibility that I don't think a work of fiction about the same would have. I highly, highly recommend.

Wanting -- when we moved I got rid of my old non-stick pots and pans and went stainless steel. I love them, but I hate making scrambled eggs in them. I just can't do it without ending up with a filthy pan that's hard to clean. I'm in need of at least one non-stick and I have my eyes on this one. 

The Friday Five!!

We've been having a great week. The kids are back at one camp, which makes for a much easier dropoff/pickup for me. I've been cleaning and purging the house like a madwoman. AND it's Shark Week, which always makes everything better in our house. Here's what's been going down .... 

Playing -- we're having a pool playdate for some of Kane's classmates this weekend and it happens to be float day at the pool, so we had to test out our new floats! Kane picked out a lobster float, Cam went with an emoji, and we had to get a ride-on banana float for good measure. 

Making -- we finally got around to doing our annual collective mural. I love this fizzing sidewalk chalk paint recipe and we use it for the mural even if we don't do the second fizzing step because it dries very quickly and has some staying power! 

Reading -- we've been on a kick with Wonder-esque reads, but I decided to kick it old school and start A Wrinkle in Time this week. 

Cooking -- these Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon are a serious family fave. I always double the recipe, but this week I also tried making them without browning them and was still pleased. The browning adds more flavor, but cooking them completely in the sauce makes for a little less mess. 

Wanting -- I always start back-to-school shopping right about now (yes, I know it's July) and that always makes me excited for fall. I wear my skinny leather pants constantly in cool weather and I'm in the market for a new pair. I love AG jeans, so I'm wanting these! 

The Friday Five!!

We are supposed to be at the beach right now but calamity after calamity struck this week and we are sweating it out in the oven that is D.C. instead. BLAH! We were hot, we were cranky, but the week went on ....

Playing -- with all our lounging and waiting around, the kids have busted out several old favorite games. No Stress Chess has been in serious rotation.

Making -- even though I have a separate "cooking" link, I feel like I have to include these chocolate chip cookies the kids made. I am an awful baker, but they put there heads together to make these chocolate chip cookies.

Reading -- we've been on a roll with great audiobooks this summer and, so far, Hello, Universe is holding its own!

Wanting -- I need a pedicure in the worst way and I'm pretending the excellent base tan I got over July 4th will still be glowing enough to work with a metallic coat.

Cooking -- I didn't cook much of anything this week because I kept thinking we were headed out of town and didn't want to waste groceries. The only thing I made were the dinners we got from Plated -- fortunately everyone loved this Vietnamese Pork Bun dish!

The Friday Five!!

We're back in town for a little bit and are wishing we were still at the beach! This whole week has been hot, humid, and rainy in D.C. Ugh. We're making the best of it and doing lots of lounging around, reading, playing games, etc. Here's what we got into ....

Playing -- Kane pulled Longhorn back out this week and they can't stop playing it.

Reading -- we started Because of Winn-Dixie this week and have been cracking up over how much the doggie reminds us of Penny (who completely and totally smiles just like Winn-Dixie). I also started The Long, Hot Summer after starting two or three other books -- still searching for an easy but good summer read for the beach!

Making -- all this rain is no problem with OOLY's gel crayons -- Cam has been drawing all over our windows (which I allow because she then cleans the whole window when she's done!!).

Cooking -- I'm still not 100% sold on the Plated service yet. I decided to bump us up to four full portions because the kids actually eat a full serving, so I don't how cost-effective it is. But the printed instructions with photos and easy steps mean the kids have been able to help cook easily. Either way, everyone loved this Grilled Chicken Souvlaki dish!

Wanting -- our backyard is teeny tiny and mostly taken up by an unnecessary garage. We're thinking about leveling and patio'ing it. I'd like an outdoor kitchen, an eating space, and a bar. Unlikely, but a girl can dream.

Summer Travel Kit

I don't know about you, but we seem to spend A LOT of time in our car in the summer. From adventurous day trips, rides to the beach, or just the innumerable daily errands I have to drag the kids on, there is a lot of backseat sitting. To help curb the "are we there yet?!" nagging, I put together a Summer Travel Kit with the help of The Land of Nod. Head over to their blog to check it out! 

The Friday Five!!

I feel like I blinked and it's Friday! Between summer camp, nights out, sports clinics, and swim team meets, this week just completely flew by. I totally forgot to post my Friday Five this morning. I'm sure you were devastated, so just to make sure you can head into your weekend feeling complete, here's what we got into this week ....

Making -- the kids' grandparents sent down this Tin Can Robot kit this week and they can't wait to work on it!

Cooking -- I love all kinds of raw seafood, but I really don't like cooking fish at home. And so despite the fact that our kids are fairly adventurous eaters, they also rarely eat fish. I decided to cook fish one night a week and this Halibut with Spicy Sausage had everyone hooked. Plus, it was so easy to make.

Reading -- we just started See You in the Cosmos and everyone is loving it (especially the little boy's dog, Carl Sagan!).

Playing -- no matter how many toys and games our kids acquire, nothing beats a set of fresh cardboard boxes. Our kids played with some giant cardboards boxes outside this week for almost 3 hours. In like 90-degree weather. And they used these paint sticks to turn boxes into offices, vehicles, you name it.

Wanting -- my herb garden is booming and I need a good pair of garden scissors!

Best Dog Treats and Toys for Serious Chewers

So you might have heard that one of the reasons things have been so sparse around here lately is that we adopted a new pup! Our gal Penny Lane is supposed to be around one year old, but I'm guessing she's slightly younger than that. She has a TON of puppy energy and a serious need to chew. She also has jaws of steel and crushes regular toys in seconds. So I've spent a good part of the last two months searching for items that will keep the Mr.'s shoes out of her mouth (she only chews his stuff, which kind of cracks me up). Since Penny is a part of our family and this is a family-friendly lifestyle blog, I thought it would be fun to share a few pup posts now and then. Starting with my top treat and toy finds for serious chewers. Anyone else have a new furry family member?!

1. KONG is the go to brand for tough toys and we use several of the classic ones daily, but this oversized Wobbler food and treat dispenser takes the cake. It's hard plastic but fares well with teething and has held up well with Penny slamming it around to get her breakfast.

2. Penny is obsessed with cheese -- another sign that she was meant for our family. These Himalayan Yak Cheese chews are the perfect way for her to get her chewing fix without leaving gross bone residue all over the house.

3. You say peanut butter, Penny says YASSSSSS. This Peanut Butter Nylabone is textured for optimal chewing too.

4. Cami picked out this wood stick because Penny kept stealing all of her hiking sticks -- she loves it!

5. The West Paw brand has been a consistently good choice. I love to put a treat stick in this puzzle toy and let Penny have at it.

6. We live across the street from a tennis center and have a tennis ball obsessed dog. So you can imagine how that's working out. We kept getting her new tennis balls, but she destroys them almost immediately. This KONG Jumbler Ball toy keeps her occupied for a serious amount of time as she tries to get the tennis ball out. And the handle is fun for the kids.

7. Another West Paw fave, this little treat dispenser is another fun peanut butter or treat go to.

8. Lots of pups like long toys they can whip around and this sweet potato rope doubles as a chew toy too. Penny loves to run long loops around the house flipping it around, then chews all the sweet potatoes off, then chews the ropes to bit. It makes a mess, but it's worth it.