Summer Bucket List Update #1

Things are still very much up in the air at the moment. Various places have reopened, but many with heavy restrictions. Our summer bucket list is going to look very different this year. No fun trips and very few outings to places. Instead, we are focusing on activities at home.

1. Visit Heron Haven

2. Comic Book Day

3. Make Ice Cream Sundaes

4. Hitchcock Nature Center

5. Read aloud 5 chapter books (2/5)

   • Oh Say, I Can’t See by Jon Scieszka

   • Amazon in the Afternoon by Mary Pope Osborne

6. Board Game Day

7. Scatter Joy Acres

8. Finger Paint

9. Read 50 books (16/50)

10. Have a Backyard Picnic

11. Weekly Sprinkler Time ✓

12. Go to the Zoo 5x (1/5)

13. Make S’mores

14. Tie Dye Something

15. Hopscotch in Driveway

16. Hike at the River

17. Complete Two Jigsaw Puzzles

18. Make Doughnuts

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Deep into homeschool planning and it makes my little planner heart so happy!

• My picture may be up somewhere in the library. I checked out another 55 books yesterday for curbside pickup. Plus we got our summer reading program prizes.

• I don’t want the Murderbot Diaries series to end! I know there’s another book coming, but not until like next year. I need more now!

• All the grocery stores were out of chicken breasts which means I need to rework our meal plan for this week. Thankfully one had an abundance of salmon fillets, so we have tonight taken care of.

• Lists and piles all over my craft room. That seems normal.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #12

Reading: Network Effect by Martha Wells - I’m so in love with the Murderbot Diaries. So sad that this is the last one that has been published…

Watching: I finally started S7 of The 100. It’s the last season! I’m sneaking in episodes during my workout sessions.

Listening: So many podcasts this past week. I need more music in my life.

Making: I’m working on homeschool curriculum and packets for the fall.

Feeling: So hot and sweaty! Our treadmill was delivered on July 1st. I’m aiming to walk 30 miles in July. So far, I’ve walked over 6 miles!

Planning: As we’re homeschooling this coming year, I’ve been spending a bit of time every day pulling resources, making lists, and working out our plan. I’ve got a ton of stuff, but now I need to narrow everything down for August.

Loving: Walking the treadmill makes me hungry, but I don’t want to eat crap. Instead, I’ve been grabbing a little handful of nuts after my workout. Honey Roasted Peanuts are my treat.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2020 Soups and Stews from Around the World - May and June

Week 18: Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut Chicken) from Iran

I don’t think I’ve ever had anything quite like this, but it was so so good! We might put this in regular rotation.

Recipe used from Simply Recipes

Week 19: Sancocho from Panama

Pretty decent chicken corn chowder. I did have to substitute sweet potatoes for cassava as I could not find any around here.

Recipe used from 196 Flavors

Week 20: Gazpacho from Spain

Incredibly delicious! This is most definitely a keeper! I will be pulling this out when it’s 90 degrees here.

Recipe used from The Suburban Soapbox

Week 21: Miso from Japan

Simple to make and super tasty. I didn’t know that it was so easy to make miso. We will have to do this again when we get takeout sushi next time.

Recipe used from Eat Plant Based

Week 22: Khao Soi from Laos

A Laotian take on ramen? A pork noodle soup? Either way, this was really really good! I think we will have to make it again.

Recipe used from Food & Wine

Week 23: Coconut Sweet Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp from Vanuatu

I had some reservations about this recipe, but it tasted amazing! We loved the sweet coconut flavored broth mixed with the spiciness from the shrimp. Next time, I am going to try to thicken the broth a bit, but overall, this was delicious.

Recipe used from Panning the Globe

Week 24: Butha-Buthe (Spinach and Tangerine Soup) from Lesotho

Pretty bland… the broth was tasty, but the starch really overwhelmed it.

Recipe used from 196 Flavors

July 2020 Life Goals

Let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress.

• Read 15 books ✓

• Create weekly theme units for Arthur ✓

• Next Round of Soups and Stews ✓

• Send out June birthday and pick-me-up cards ✓

• Figure out end of summer ✓

July’s Goals:

• Plan for homeschool through August - We’ve made the decision to pull Arthur for this coming year due to all the uncertainty. I am able to stay home and teach him, so that’s what we’re doing.

• Read 20 books - Need to up my goal apparently.

• Send out July cards

• Make fall plan for home renovations and repairs

• **Added: Walk at least 30 miles on the treadmill

Next up on the TBR list:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• After a few cooler days, the temps are going back up today. Ugh!

• The paper work has been submitted, we are officially homeschooling Arthur next year.

• So I’m now deep into resource sourcing mode.

• Super excited about my delivery of new underwear. I’m such an adult.

• Flat Stanley is not a great book… We need a better choice for next time.

• And finally, it’s not a videos week, but I just had to include this one. Who else is squealing in joy?

Next up on the TBR pile:

Summer Bucket List

Things are still very much up in the air at the moment. Various places have reopened, but many with heavy restrictions. Our summer bucket list is going to look very different this year. No fun trips and very few outings to places. Instead, we are focusing on activities at home.

1. Visit Heron Haven

2. Comic Book Day

3. Make Ice Cream Sundaes

4. Hitchcock Nature Center

5. Read aloud 5 chapter books

6. Board Game Day

7. Scatter Joy Acres

8. Finger Paint

9. Read 50 books

10. Have a Backyard Picnic

11. Weekly Sprinkler Time

12. Go to the Zoo 5x

13. Make S’mores

14. Tie Dye Something

15. Hopscotch in Driveway

16. Hike at the River

17. Complete Two Jigsaw Puzzles

18. Make Doughnuts

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spring Bucket List Final

A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and have loaded up on home activities and schedules. And due to the uncertainty of the near future, I’m shortening the Spring Bucket List to create some manageable goals.

We are still at home and we haven’t really accomplished most of the items on this list. 3/15 items completed. This season of life was really not great at all.

1. Read 50 books ✓

2. Make fun cupcakes

3. Create an Easter Egg Hunt ✓

4. Make a planter for the front porch

5. Find two good parks

6. Tie Dye Shirts with the boys

7. Create a spring Spotify playlist

8. Mini golf family night

9. Go berry picking ✓ - Our local berry farm opened just in time. They had multiple restrictions, but we still got to go and get some strawberries.

10. Sign Arthur up for summer camps - Camps have been canceled.

11. Go on a hike

12. Have a picnic

13. Put together the littles’s room - In progress

14. Monthly Massage - The place the I got my birthday massage and then bought a membership has officially closed.

15. Go antiquing

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• The drop in temperatures yesterday was glorious. I am so over 90-100 degree days.

• I’ve been averaging almost a book a day lately and goodness… My anxiety is manifesting in very weird ways.

• Speaking of, the littles and I are heading to the zoo today for our first big outing since quarantine. There are many restrictions, but we hope that we can see some great animals and have a good time.

• I’ve fallen behind on on the new (and last) season of The 100. I really want to catch up, but gotta find the time.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #11

Reading: I just started When Women Ruled by Kara Cooney. It’s about the six queens of ancient Egypt. I’m only on the first queen, but it’s fascinating. Turns out I knew very little about the First Dynasty of ancient Egypt.

Watching: J and I are making our way through S3 of Broadchurch, but it’s so very heavy. To lighten up our nights, we started watching Holey Moley S1. A mini golf competition crossed with Wipe Out? We’re totally here for this!

Listening: Palaye Royale’s new album The Bastards dropped this week. Oh so incredibly good!

Making: I did manage to make a couple of homemade loaves of bread this week.

Feeling: For the past four days, I’ve really felt off. I’ve had a fever off and on, body aches, nausea, and headache. It’s been terrible…

Planning: Meal planning like every week…

Loving: I figured out the “Over Ice” feature on my coffee maker and have been making iced coffee all week. So nice when I want coffee but it’s 90 degrees.

Next up on the TBR pile:

June 2020 Life Goals

Let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.

• Read 15 books ✓

• Acquire furniture for craft/library room - 50% I now have a bookshelf for all my books so the library side is mostly done. I just need to hang some art over there. The craft side I have to wait for Ikea delivery. They are backed up until late June.

• May Movie Month ✓ - We ended up watching 24 movies this month. Some great, some terrible, and quite a few in the middle.

• Hang curtains and art ✓ - We still have a few pieces here and there to put up, but I got a lot done this month.

• Make a decision about Reading Retreat and end of summer - The Reading Retreat has been canceled until at least late fall. I have no idea what we are going to do about end of summer…

• Acquire summer school materials for Arthur ✓ - I now have an entire stack of activity books and ideas. We’ve started the first book and are figuring out the special projects.

June’s Goals:

• Read 15 books - Keeping this going

• Create weekly theme units for Arthur - We have already done Art History and Farm. I’m lined up 10 more weekly units, but I need to pull resources and make lesson plans.

• Next Round of Soups and Stews - We’ve done so well so far this year. I want pick our selections for the next round or two so I can start fitting them into our meal plans.

• Send out June birthday and pick-me-up cards

• Figure out end of summer?

Next up on the TBR list:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I scored three amazing vintage furniture pieces for only $30 total! Usually I find nothing on Nextdoor that I want, but this weekend I found three great pieces!

• The rain can be dreary, but I do love listening to it while reading.

• Finished another craft project! One down, 50 million to go….

• Thinking I need to send out some more pick-me-up cards.

• We’re having a pretty successful May Movie Month. Hoping to finish strong.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spring Bucket List Update #3

A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and have loaded up on home activities and schedules. And due to the uncertainty of the near future, I’m shortening the Spring Bucket List to create some manageable goals.

Obviously things have not gone back to anywhere near normal. I imagine that very few of these items will be accomplished, but I’m still going for the ones we can do from home.

1. Read 50 books (34/50)

2. Make fun cupcakes -

3. Create an Easter Egg Hunt ✓

4. Make a planter for the front porch -

5. Find two good parks -

6. Tie Dye Shirts with the boys -

7. Create a spring Spotify playlist -

8. Mini golf family night -

9. Go berry picking -

10. Sign Arthur up for summer camps - Camps have been canceled.

11. Go on a hike -

12. Have a picnic -

13. Put together the littles’s room - In progress

14. Monthly Massage -

15. Go antiquing -

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #10

Reading: I’m rereading Circe by Madeline Miller for May’s Girly Book Club. I’m also finishing The Deep by Alma Katsu.

Watching: Continuing our May Movie Month. We just did a string of three YA scifi movies: The Darkest Minds (terrible), Mortal Engines (very pretty, but not great), and Alita: Battle Angel (confusing).

Listening: Lots of podcasts like usual, but I always make time for Corona Virus Daily from NPR.

Making: Working on various Project Life pages. I’m still finishing Arthur’s 2018 album, but have started the family 2019 album and the WITL 2019 album.

Feeling: Life with the teenagers has been pretty tense this past week. Not quite sure what’s going on right now, but hoping we can get to the bottom of this conflict soon.

Planning: Arthur is officially done with Kindergarten, but we’re not going to stop learning. As we cannot really visit various places, I’m setting up weekly theme units to get us through the summer. First up is Art History with lots of hands-on projects.

Loving: I picked up some stacks of rhubarb from the grocery and have really enjoyed the strawberry-rhubarb crumble I made from them.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Forecast is calling for days of rain. I may just kick the kids of the house anyway…. They are really not good staying inside this long.

• The local school district has extended their free meal program into the summer. So excited that kids can still get regular food!

• So excited to do a zoom chat with bookish friends tonight. I need to go pull a stack of books to feature.

• Reading a book about walking the Appalachian Trail has me inspired to attempt more short hikes with the boys once it’s safe.

• It’s Arthur last day of Kindergarten. Very bittersweet day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spring Bucket List Update #2

A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and have loaded up on home activities and schedules. And due to the uncertainty of the near future, I’m shortening the Spring Bucket List to create some manageable goals.

Obviously things have not gone back to anywhere near normal. I imagine that very few of these items will be accomplished, but I’m still going for the ones we can do from home.

1. Read 50 books (34/50)

2. Make fun cupcakes -

3. Create an Easter Egg Hunt ✓

4. Make a planter for the front porch -

5. Find two good parks -

6. Tie Dye Shirts with the boys -

7. Create a spring Spotify playlist -

8. Mini golf family night -

9. Go berry picking -

10. Sign Arthur up for summer camps - Camps have been canceled.

11. Go on a hike -

12. Have a picnic -

13. Put together the littles’s room - In progress

14. Monthly Massage -

15. Go antiquing -

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #9

Reading: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd - One of my Book of the Month selections. It’s a strange story reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes with a dash of actual fantasy thrown in. I’m really digging it so far!

Watching: We’re currently balancing a light show (Making It S2) and a dark show (Broadchurch S2) before we embark on a movie week.

Listening: Randomly picking albums to listen to while making meals. The other day is was Invented from Jimmy Eat World.

Making: Back at the Project Life spreads. I’m so close to finishing Arthur’s 2018 Album. Just about 50 more photos to print. and a few more weeks to journal.

Feeling: Tired. This whole thing has exhausted me daily. Sleeping 8 hours isn’t even touching my exhaustion.

Planning: We’re shooting for the grocery store once every two - two and half weeks. That means I really need to get creative about what to buy and when so things do not go bad before using.

Loving: With all the crazy, I have found time to read daily. Working in at least an hour every day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2020 Soups and Stews from Around the World - March and April

Week 8: Ajiaco (Chicken and Corn Soup) from Colombia

Pretty darn good. Next time we will up the spice factor, but we really enjoyed the flavors in this soup. The capers and sour cream really bring it together!

Recipe used from Closet Cooking

Week 9: Maafe (Peanut Stew) from Senegal

This was a delightfully spicy stew! I added three whole habanero peppers with seeds and it was the perfect amount of heat for us! I paired the stew with homemade Hungarian Fennel Bread and it was delicious.

Recipe used from Nibble Me This

Week 10: Red Curry Noodle Soup from Thailand

Southeast Asian food is always going to be a hit in our house. I really enjoyed this mild curry noodle soup. We decided that it was Thai comfort food. Perfect for a chilly day!

Recipe used from Damn Delicious

Week 11: Cullen Skink (Fish Stew) from Scotland

Very yummy. Unfortunately we couldn’t get smoked haddock so I had to use regular haddock. We agreed that this would be even better with smoked haddock. Hopefully we can acquire some later this year and remake this dish.

Recipe used from Foodie Quine

Week 12: Gulyas (Goulash) from Hungary

This did not have enough flavor. It was like a bland beef stew. Not really what we want in goulash. We’re hoping to try again with a different goulash recipe soon.

Recipe used from Daring Gourmet

Week 13: Lablabi (Chickpea Soup) from Tunisia

Eh…. it was pretty bland and very starchy. We are constantly having this problem with bean soups. The ratio of starch to liquid never seems to be right even when I’m following the recipe exactly. Maybe something else…

Recipe used from Serious Eats

Week 14: Pasta E Fagioli from Italy

This was pretty good. I really enjoyed the shaved parmesan on top to give it just a little something extra.

Recipe used from kitchn

Week 15: Crab Coconut Curry from Mozambique

This was very yummy. Decent amount of spice. The crab did just completely lost in the mix, so next time I might just sub tofu.

Recipe used from The African Gourmet

Week 16: Kulajda from Czech Republic

Decently good. I did like this but it was a very dilly potato soup.

Recipe used from Culinary Goddess

Week 17: Chicken Coconut Curry from Micronesia

So bland in comparison. The curry from Mozambique was so much more interesting and tasty!

Recipe used from Food.com

May 2020 Life Goals

Let’s check in on April's goals and my progress.

• Read 20 books - Fail. I did get pretty close with 18 books finished.

• Paint the craft/library room ✓

• Make Easter baskets for the boys ✓

• Clean up the yard ✓

• Get supplies for a small vegetable garden - Fail. I haven’t gotten around to making a shopping list.

• Every-other-day neighborhood walks ✓

• Go on an Easter Egg hunt ✓

May’s Goals:

• Read 15 books - Scaling it back just a bit to keep moving along.

• Acquire furniture for craft/library room - I think I’ve decided on a library bookcase and hoping to get it soon. And I’m hoping Ikea fixes their stock issues so I can get my crafting system.

• May Movie Month - I’ve compiled a list of movies that I keep forgetting about watching. So next month we’re going to pick a movie to watch every night.

• Hang curtains and art - Putting those things up makes the house feel more finished.

• Make a decision about Reading Retreat and end of Summer - I need to get some tentative plans in place.

• Acquire summer school materials for Arthur - Instruction from his school ends May 14th, but I need to keep him learning especially if we are still going to be quarantined.

Next up on the TBR list:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• My reading is rolling on! I’m so excited to get to a variety of books from my own shelves and from digital loans.

• I think our deck needs to be power washed this summer…

• Here’s hoping I can get at least one bookshelf in my craft/library room soon.

• I rediscovered my Frixion pens and have been using them everywhere!

• Thinking I should make some cookies today.

• Debating on where or not to even buy a new planner next month (mine is ending in June).

• May movie month is looking like we’re going to be watching a ton of good movies.

Next up on the TBR pile: