{36} Summery Picture Books

So, summer is busy.  I don't know if we are all rebounding HARD from 2020 or if I just forget what summer was like before COVID canceled everything last year but this summer has been packed full already.  Part of that might be due to our vacation and then being home less than a week before taking off on a camping trip.  By the time we recovered from both of those, June was gone.

Luke's done vacation Bible school and we're packing in zoo trips before our pass expires.  Trying to fit in bike rides and picture books and scheduling anything we can with anyone takes a lot more back and forths than I remember.  There's a reason that it was summer that finally made me pull out my first Simplified Planner and really start using it. 

At the end of May I posted a list of 30 picture books to kick-off the summer.  I said in that post that I intended to do one of those at the end of May, June, and July instead of doing one big picture book post at the beginning of the year.  WELL.  It turns out my computer time has been super limited, at least if I want to get a decent amount of sleep (and I'm realllllly pushing on what I should consider a decent amount, in bed, late, always).  So, here are the 36 picture books that have been living in our seasonal book basket for a month-ish now.  

I am rather proud of this selection I have curated, based on raiding the shelves in the boys' room for anything that felt even vaguely summer as well as specific summer books I had tucked away and supplemented with library books (we own about 75% of this list).  If you are looking for summer-y books, even if I stretch that definition a bit, here we go!

(I'm writing these in the exact order they sit in my basket, which means by approximate height, shortest to tallest.)

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C is for Camping by Greg Paprocki
Huge fans of Greg Paprocki's alphabet books.  We own quite a few of the more seasonal ones and I've deemed this a summer one.  We even took it on our recent camping trip and Luke read it to Sam as we took down the tent.  It was perfect.

A is for America by Greg Paprocki
Summer feels like the most America-y time of the year for me, with red, white, and blue all over the stores (looking at you, Target dollar spot) by mid-May.  So this is a summer book for us and even Sam learned early on what the Statue of Liberty was.

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
This is about a grumpy old man who reluctantly befriends a girl and her Grandma who move next door to his home by the sea.  We first read this on our recent vacation and then, a few nights later, were walking the beach around sunset when an older gentlemen offered to take our picture (with Matt's phone, not creepy).  After he walked away Sam leaned over and asked "Mom, is that Swashby?" because he did look similar.  It was pretty cute.

The Berenstain Bears Pirate Adventure by Mike Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears take a lot of beach vacations and we own many of them.  In this one the cubs uncover a shipwreck and play they are pirates.  My boys were a little disappointed that they didn't find their own shipwreck on the beach.

The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Vacation by Stan & Jan Berenstain
A classic, before the Bears moved to their beach vacations.  It always makes me feel better about any vacation mishaps we are having.

The Berenstain Bears No Girls Allowed by Stan & Jan Berenstain
My childhood goal was to own all the Berenstain Bear books and this was one of my first and one of my favorites.  Their respective treehouse/clubhouses were just so cool.

The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp by Stan & Jan Berenstain
Sister and Brother manage to pack in A LOT for a week at camp.  Or more than a week?  It's not very clear but also, it's about walking and talking bears that are going to summer camp.  WHO needs clarity??

The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's by Stan & Jan Berenstain
I don't think either set of grandparents are looking to take on our kids for a week (too many other grandkids!) but it sounds like all the Bear family had a lot of fun when Mama & Papa went on a second honeymoon.

The Whale Tale Starring Jim Henson's Muppets by Muppet Press
According to the price sticker still on this book, it was bought at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago for $1.95.  I'm assuming by my parents.  I ended up with it when my Mom was cleaning out and it has fantastic pictures about a sea adventure Kermit has with his friends.

Seashore by Emily Shore, illustrated by Cinzia Battistel
We encountered very little of what is in this book on our seashore trip but I still took this along so we'd be prepared for what might be there!

The Berenstain Bears Lemonade Stand by Mike Berenstain
Yes, a lot of Berenstain Bears on this list.  Luke has been a HUGE fan of lemonade stands in the past although he hasn't asked to have one yet this summer.  Brother, Sister, and Honey have a really profitable one.

The Berenstain Bears Gone Fishin'! by Mike Berenstain
Luke LOVES fishing and Sam keeps asking when he'll actually get a hook on his pole so he can catch something (when he's older than 3).  We're not very successful as fishermen but they like trying.

Look out for Pirates by Iris Vinton, illustrated by H.B. Vestal
Luke was given this (old) book by his godfather many years ago and pirates are just summer-y since they are on the ocean and the ocean = summer (please don't argue with my logic).  There are many holes in this plot but they enjoy it.

Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
Chris Van Dusen is one of our favorite picture book authors, almost all of his books are just outstanding.  Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee just want to spend some time on their boat on the sea but a rouge whale kinda messes up their plans.

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
NOW, Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee just want to go on a little camping trip (in the cutest little camper that always has me wondering if WE should get a camper) when a bear messes up their plans.

The Little Ice Cream Truck by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Bob Kolar
We checked out this book not too long before the library shut down in March 2020.  We read it a lot and Sam realllllly liked it.  With all the extended due dates due to their extending the closure and then we maxed out our renewals on it...we had it close to 6 months and only returned it when we had too.  Definitely a Sam age book (he's 3) and the rhyming is fun.  I have it mostly memorized by this point.

Alfie by Thyra Heder
Turtles also are summery because of the dozens I've seen caught (and released) up at the lake (I have caught zero turtles myself).  Alfie belongs to Nia and thinks he's a smart turtle for trying to get Nia a birthday present to thank her for all she's done for him.  But turtles move rather slow.  This one is really cute.

Ocean! Waves for All by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by David Litchfield
The Our Universe series by Stacy McAnulty is fantastic and we've bought most of them.  This one is, obviously, about the ocean and I'm not going to explain again why the ocean means summer.

Dandy by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Charles Santoso
I have read this one a couple dozen times and it STILL would land in my top 10 picture books of all time (I've read well over 3000 so that's high praise).  I think it's pretty clever and the boys like it too.

Squish Squash Squished by Rebecca Kraft Rector, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
A recently addition from a stop at a bookstore I've long been supporting but never visited (until 3 weeks ago!).  It felt appropriate for our road trip where our Pilot was rather stuffed (there was a reason we took that vehicle and not our car). 

The Box Turtle by Vanessa Roeder
Another turtle book we really enjoy about a turtle that was born without his shell and so he sets off to find something to make-up for that.  It's a very sweet story about personal acceptance and finding friends.

The Berenstain Bears Go on Vacation by Stan & Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain
Yes, more books about the Bears on vacation.  This one is told in rhyme and one of my all-time Berenstain Bear favorites.  It's really perfect for a beach vacation (I specifically remember checking it out and taking it on Luke's first beach trip, we've since bought it.)

Dusk Explorers by Lindsay Leslie, illustrated by Ellen Rooney
This captures the evening freedom I remember so clearly from my own childhood.  It seems like we were frequently having big parties in the summers, either with family or the 4-H club, it probably wasn't as often as I feel like they were but the memories are strong.  My kids don't have quite the space to run around here as at my parents' but I love sharing this with them.

Izzy and Frank by Katrina Lehman, illustrated by Sophie Beer
Izzy is a redhead living in a lighthouse whose best friend is a seagull Frank.  Then Izzy has to move and she's a little lost without her friend.  The pictures are darling.  We don't own this one (yet).

The Great Indoors by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Ruth Chan
We first read this one right after an extended family camping trip 2 years ago and I found it rather humorous to read after a weekend spent in a tent.  I took it along to read on our recent camping trip and I ended up reading it to the boys, in the Pilot, at approximately 10pm while we were getting torrential  rain.  Matt didn't find it's humor as ironic then.  You can appreciate it even without the nightmare camping experience.  (By the time we had been home 2 days and would catch a picture on my phone, I'd think "Oh, camping was so fun!"  When I shared this sentiment with Matt he just gave me a look.  He's not over the rain yet.)

Here Comes Ocean by Meg Fleming, illustrated by Paola Zakimi
A Sam level book about a kid exploring the ocean from the beach.  Very cute and beach trip appropriate (it's still in our basket at home).

Goldfish on Vacation by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Leo Espinosa
Luke & Sam LOVE this book about pet goldfish who get to go on vacation in the Hamilton Fountain in Manhattan.  And it's based on a true story!  If only Luke had his long wanted goldfish AND there was a fountain taking them for the summer.

Explorers of the Wild by Cale Atkinson
A boy and a bear both love exploring the wild but get a bit of shock when they come across each other.  The pictures are great and it seems to take place in the summer so...summer book.

Turtle and Tortoise are Not Friends by Mike Reiss, illustrated by Ashley Spires
There is snow in this book, it is still summer because TURTLES.  This turtle and tortoise are in the same enclosure at the London zoo (notice the changing skyline behind them) and they are NOT friends.  But turtles/tortoises live a long time and so they are long stuck with someone they don't like.

Down Under the Pier by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by Rachell Sumpter
This evokes such a feeling of summer even if I'm not sure I've ever been under a pier (and The OC made it seem like only bad things happened under piers).  It has the "get a kid a present but they want to play with the box" vibes.

To the Beach! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
I just featured this one last week but it was a hit and now it's in the basket to reread until we can't return it!  One Luke declared funny when he read it to himself before I read it aloud.

Randy Riley's Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen
Obviously, baseball = summer.  This about a boy who is NOT good at baseball but is good at robots and maybe there will come a time when he'll make-up for his lack of baseball skills but having a baseball playing robot save the day (it makes sense in the book). 

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Another one of my all-time favorite picture books.  Jabari is going to the public pool with his Dad and sister and is going to jump off the high dive.  He's definitely going to do it.  He really is.  He's going to do it.  Fantastic lesson AND evokes such a feeling of childhoods spent at the pool (which was not my life but I saw it in Stranger Things).

Sun by Sam Usher
The Summer book in a little series about the seasons.  A bit of magic and pirates make an appearance.

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
Another one we just talked about Friday because it's one of Sam's current favorites.  Lighthouses make me think of Cape Hatteras which I visited (twice) in the summer SO, lighthouses = summer (this is also an outstanding picture book).

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
Kate Messner's Over and Under series is just FANTASTIC and this one makes me think of the "lake" attached to our lake where we'd visit once or twice a summer (at idle speed or by kayak), where there is a whole world living over and under the surface.  Perfect for those ponds you don't want to swim in but can appreciate all the life they hold.

There was a point a week or two ago that our summer basket held even MORE books but once it was over stuffed I knew some had to go back to the library so I culled it down to this.  All winners and ones we will pull out again and again this summer to supplement all our newer library check-outs!  

Let me know if you find any winners for you here or have anymore good, summer themed picture books!

Mixed Drink Monday: A Basic Frozen Margarita

 

We're finishing up Mondays in June with another margarita.  I should have been calling this Margarita Monday ALL MONTH but alas, I didn't know at the beginning if I could see it through.  But I did and here we are with a whole bunch of margaritas.  Let me tell you, I have enjoyed them all.  

I had to go back and check but it turns out I had yet to make a frozen, classic margarita.  A LOT of frozen flavored margaritas.  A few classic margaritas on the rocks.  But no classic frozen margaritas.  It felt like about time to fix that.  I cut the original recipe of 8 servings in half and it still only served two with these giant margarita glasses.  Which is good because I only had two people to serve.  

Per usual, I cut the alcohol a bit and upped the ice but these were still pretty strong, especially since we essential had two each.  But we were watching a pretty terrible movie for our first family movie night in a month so a strong margarita really helped!  I finally made my favorite coconut rimming salt which didn't go on the glasses nicely but does taste really good (I have since caught Sam just eating the coconut salt, I also eat it plain from time to time.  I should probably just drink some water but the coconut salt really is that good.)

I'm glad I finally made a frozen margarita at home.  It was easy and with ingredients I almost always have on hand in the summer (frozen limeade, tequila, triple sec, and ice...ice the the one we are least likely to have, thanks to kids who like to eat ice).  That makes them easy to wipe up at a moments notice for any margarita emergency we might have!

One year ago: Honey Lemon Margarita
Two years ago: Red, White, & Blue Margarita
Three years ago: Blackberry Crush
Four years ago: Coconut Pineapple Margarita
Five years ago: Triple Berry Sangria
Six years ago: Peach Smoothies
Seven years ago: Jamba Juice

A Basic Frozen Margarita
Yield: 2-4 drinks, depending on the size of your glasses

Ingredients
-6 ounces frozen limeade
-4 ounces (8 TB or ½ cup) tequila
-2 ounces (4 TB or ¼ cup) triple sec
-ice
-lime slices & rimming salt (optional)

Directions
1) If you are doing the rims, slice a lime and run the juicey party around the top of your glass.  Dip upside down in salt (or coconut salt).  Put the lime slice on the side of the glass.  (I juiced the remaining lime halves but their juice was so little you don't need to make this up with lime juice if you aren't doing slices on the rim).

2) Combine the limeade, tequila, triple sec, and ice in the blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into your prepared glasses.

Enjoy!

Source: modified from Grits and Pinecones
____________________________________________________________
In the summer I aim to make a new drink every week and share them all here, good or bad!  See them all in chronological order by following the "Mixed Drink Monday" tag here or check out my favorites by scrolling down to "Mixed Drink Monday" on my recipes page!  

Things the Boys Like - June 2021

It's the once a quarter where instead of just writing about all the things I like, I write about the things the boys like instead.  Usually books but I'm also doing bigger book posts right now (like here) so a few things besides books this time!  Don't worry, we still have been reading PLENTY of picture books!

Luke
To the Beach! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
I had this book packed to take on our recent camping trip (the beach vacation would have been more appropriate but I didn't know about it then) and when Luke was bored on the drive up (and Sam was sleeping), I gave him some of the books I had packed to read aloud to them.  He really enjoyed reading this one himself and was so excited for me to (eventually) read it aloud to them because he said it was really funny.  I'd like to claim we did much better packing for the beach but our laundry also spent a week in Cincinnati instead of making it all the way to Florida.

Who Would Win? Series by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Rob Bolster
My sister told us about these and I kept forgetting to get them from the library.  Then she was watching Sam and she gave me one they had read before it needed returned to the library and the boys LOVED them.  AND our branch actually owned them all with most on the shelf so on my next weekly library trip and we read all 20+ of them within a few weeks.  They are a bit wordy but very interesting, we learned a lot about a lot of different animals!

Kids' Wake-Up Alarm Clock
We bought this for the boys' room right at the end of the school year, in an attempt to make Luke more responsible for getting himself out of bed in the morning.  He got up immediately the first day, ignored it the next school day, and then the last 9 school days he was up BEFORE the alarm and downstairs in a good mood.  I don't understand how that worked but it was magic.  We don't have the alarm on now but it does turn green when they are allowed to get up in the morning (vacation reallllly helped them start sleeping in).  They've stuck by it so far and now are sleeping later than the green light (it's set for 7:30).  It really helps me though to know I should have until 7:30 at the earliest before kids are downstairs.  Definitely a worthwhile purchase.  Fingers crossed it's still working it's magic in August.

Camping T-Shirts
I don't feel like I've had luck finding matching shirts for the boys at Target until this year.  They have always been in a different size grouping and I feel like the designs frequently didn't overlap.  This year I'm finally having some success and bought them each these Happy Campers t-shirts.  Luke's favorite color is red and I like them having a camping shirt in the summer, especially that we are attempting to be campers this year.  (They DID both wear these most of our camping trip!).  These even glow in the dark so the boys extra liked that.

Dogman Books by Dav Pilkey
I know these were on Luke's list last month but he likes them so much that it is worth repeating.  He's bought FIVE of them with his own money (as well as 2 he was gifted for his birthday) and will read and reread them again and again and again.  He stays up too late reading them nearly every night (something that matters much less in the summer and during the school year) and this is what he reads nearly every time I tell him to do silent reading.  They might not be what I would pick but if they make him want to read and help turn him into a confident reader than I am perfectly fine with them (for now). 

Sam
Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
We've owned this one for a few years, bought it on our Michigan vacation in 2019, but Sam has really gotten fond of it this year.  I think because my seasonal book basket is working so well.  The pictures are fantastic and the story is bittersweet - about a lighthouse keeper and his life until new technology puts him out of a job.  Why this appeals to a 3 year old, I don't know but it is a good book.

Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
Sam LOVED this book about a kingfisher bird who looks like she was falling out of a tree but really needed to fall before she could fly.  I deemed it a spring book so it's back at the library now but we read it almost daily in April and May!

Hello, World! Backyard Bugs by Jill McDonald
Sam has been very interested in bugs the last few months, especially worms as we've spent a lot of time in the dirt getting the raised beds ready for our garden.  This book didn't feature as many bugs as he would have liked but he does like seeing all the other bugs!  He excitedly names all the bugs he can when we see them in the backyard.

Don't Forget to Remember by Ellie Holcomb, illustrated by Kayla Harren
This book was an instant hit in our house for the variety of animals it includes - in particular ring-tailed lemurs (Luke's all time favorite), red panda's (Sam's favorite at the zoo), and Foxes (Sam's favorite stuffed animal).  The message is fantastic too, about God's love.  I bought it pretty quickly after we read the library copy.

Hammerhead Shark Shirts
I got these for both boys for the summer.  Last summer they had (non-matching) shark shirts that they often wore together, this year I was on the hunt for shark shirts in their current sizes when I found these which was PERFECT because Sam has declared hammerhead sharks to be his favorite sharks (for reasons unknown).  They wore these about every other day on vacation since the beach necessitates daily laundry!

I'm always open to picture books recommendations, send them to me if you've got them!

Vacation Ponderings

Two weeks ago we went on our first family vacation in two years.  I had something booked and partially planned for June 2020, had booked that in late February, but our VRBO was canceled by the owner by the end of April and then by the time we thought maybe we'd be ok with going somewhere, Matt's vacation weeks were long past and school was about to start.  So, for the first time in our marriage we didn't take a annual vacation.

It took us until late April 2021 to decide that we were comfortable with going on vacation this year.  We knew when, Matt has to request his summer weeks off nearly a year in advance, but now the question was of where.  It made me all sorts of out of sorts when it came to planning this trip.  MANY places were booked, I looked in EIGHT states for a beach vacation.  It was stressful.  I booked our trip 6 weeks before we left.  That is, by far, the closest I have ever booked one.  I was still planning it up until the day before we left (also cutting it super close for me)!

Here's the thing about vacations and traveling (not always the same thing): they are a lot of work.  I marvel at how my parents pulled it off time and time again with the 6 of us when we were kids.  I spent a lot of time planning and then a lot of time packing and working ahead on things so we'd have food when we got home.  Getting a house sitter, stuffing as many picture books as I could into a box to take along (read every single one, thank you, many more than once).  It's A LOT of work.  

But then we got to get away for a week.  Our longest trip in quite awhile (7.5 nights away - we got home at 3:40am so that definitely counts as ½ a night).  We put 2000+ miles on our Pilot and all those hours in the car definitely came with some stress too.  BUT...being stressed somewhere else can be better than stressed at home!  It was wonderful to get away and to practically (Luke had been out of school just over a week) kick off summer with a big trip to reset all our routines and habits from the school year.

I did a lot of vacations as a kid and now I am dragging my own kids along on trips.  Vacations no longer have that "I'm so excited I can't sleep" the night before energy that they used to.  More "I'm so worried we forgot something that I can't sleep" energy.  (Or, in this case, as I was trying to nap 2 hours after we left Cincinnati a sudden "I definitely know what we forgot at that hotel and I know exactly where it was and how the heck are we going to get it back."  Didn't nap after that.)  As a kid I didn't have to keep an eye on the gas tank and how soon we'd see a gas station or worry about the weather forecast (we didn't have cell phones to obsessively refresh!).  I didn't have to try to sneak in sleep when I wasn't driving so I'd be rested when my turn came (even without driving through the night, naps still required.).  As a kid I wasn't worried about cost beyond the spending money I took for souvenirs.  I was more concerned with carefully allocating the 3 rolls of 24 exposure film that I had brought! (One thing I NEVER worry about now!)  

But, there is still something magical about getting away.  Especially on a good old fashioned road trip.  Being stuck in the car with Matt & the boys brings back memories of so many hours I spent stuck in my parents' Astro van with my sisters, Mom, and Dad.  Matt turned on a playlist of animated musicals from my phone as I was driving through Dayton, a city with many memories from college and beyond, and that playlist featured songs from Anastasia quite prominently.  I sung along to ALL of them, remembering all the times my sisters and I sang the same songs on long family trips. (Sam: "Why you not singing Dad? Why only Mom singing??")

17 years ago my sisters and I lined up, in born order, on these exact stairs for a picture that sat on my parents' mantel for years.  I was determined to find them in Savannah and Matt actual spotted them first.  I asked how he knew they were "the" stairs. "Because I've seen that picture 100 times." (I forgot he was in my life back then.)

On this trip we spent a few days in Savannah, a place I had visited with my family 17 years prior, on the last vacation for the 8 of us, the last vacation I took with my family. (The next year I graduated college, got my first real job, and got engaged.)  I didn't remember much of our few hours in the city back then but this time we did go to the few places I remembered visiting.  It was hard to believe all the time and life that had been lived since I had last been there.  The 6 of us girls were ages 23 to (almost) 10 and now, between us, have 22 (!!) kids.  

The second part of our trip was to Florida, Amelia's Island.  We had taken Luke to the Gulf twice but neither boy had been to the Atlantic Ocean before.  Matt and I last saw the Atlantic from Dingle, Ireland 9 years ago.  The last we had seen of this side of the Atlantic was in the Outer Banks 10 years ago.  11 years before THAT Outer Banks trip I had been with my family there too.  Amelia's Island wasn't quite the same as the Outer Banks but still enough was the same that it brought back ocean memories there too.  Of the walks along the beach, picking up too many shells to carry, the huge waves and and constant of the water coming in and out.   And the usual "Back up! You don't have your swimsuit on!" yells. 

It was a strange sensation of time expanding and condensing all at once.  I've been extra nostalgic lately, I think something to do with a pending big birthday (still 2+ years away but it is lingering HEAVY in my mind, already).  My childhood feels like a very long time ago, and it was!  I graduated high school TWENTY years ago this month.  Yet, so many things happen that make being a kid, in the 8-12 range, seem like not THAT long ago.  It probably has something to do with Luke being 8 with a (slowly) growing independence.  My childhood and teenage years, my life before Matt entered it at 18, has felt extra close lately.  Like if I try hard enough I could just reach through a veil and grab it.  

Maybe it means I'm fostering the same kind of childhood for my kids as my parents did for my sisters and I (doubtful, I will never be as organized or patient as my mother).  But there has to be something to watching my boys live through stages that I mostly (Luke) and barely (Sam) remember.  Knowing that we are packing their little minds with memories and experiences they will pull out long into their adult years.  Maybe in two decades Luke will revisit some of the places we've taken him and have a strange sensation of re-living the time his parents took him there.  

I've said for at least 20 years that the best decisions my parents made when it came to us 6 girls (besides having us and being lucky enough to have all girls) is deciding to homeschool us and taking us on family vacations.  Those decisions continue to impact my life well into adulthood.  Traveling doesn't have quite have the same magic now (homeschooling DEFINITELY doesn't, after our corona school experience last year...I loved being homeschooled but am not good at being the teacher), requires a heck of a lot more time, stress, and money as an adult, but my parents instilled in me a love of seeing new places and having family adventures.

Being stuck in the car together for 2000+ miles has a certain magic to it.  The rain and the traffic and the hours and even the "are we there yet?" and "I'm bored!" all combine to make something we'll remember, even when the details get lost to time. 

(Beach vacations make me introspective, 3½ years ago: Letting Vacation Change You)

Mixed Drink Monday: Frozen Pineapple Margarita

If you are wondering, I have decided to go ALL IN on margaritas this month.  We have this one today and one more next week.  Then July I switch to weekly ice cream posts with maybe a few non-margaritas thrown in.  August will be for whatever is left!  I can't say I'm sad about all the margaritas I've been drinking (although when we were on vacation I bought some hard cider that was delicious and much easier than margaritas, but margaritas still hold a special summer place in my stomach).

These are frozen pineapple margaritas, where I went all in and bought a real pineapple and then I was so stressed out with vacation prep that Matt ended up cutting it.  Pineapple cutting can be done in under 10 minutes.  I don't know why I dread it so much.  Same for grape picking off of stems but the kids will help with that one.  Anyways, bought a pineapple, Matt chopped it up.  I put it in the freezer on a silicone mat lined cookie sheet.  Once it was frozen I moved all the pieces to a gallon ziploc.  Then we left for a week.

It was Sunday night after we got home.  We got home at 3:40am on Saturday (that story, basically just a really long drive and a lot of traffic, will be coming on the blog later this summer (along with maybe our Michigan trip from 2 years ago that I kept saying I'm going to write about but still haven't.)).  Kids don't really let you sleep in (although we managed until 10:30!).  Saturday evening we were still exhausted and dehydrated from the drive (gotta watch those drinks to cut the bathroom stops!).  We didn't have any desire for alcohol.  JUST SLEEP.

Sunday night about 6pm I realized I still had a lot of things I wanted to get done (story of my LIFE) and instead of pack Luke's lunch for VBS, water the outside flowers & garden, do dishes, or any of a multitude of things that needed done...I made margaritas.  We had another busy weekend on the horizon with no chance for margarita making and I wanted to get this post done...so I stayed up waaaaay too late drinking a margarita the night before my first 5:34am alarm in 10 days.  

Vacation brain always leads to wise choices.

However, it was a delicious margarita, helped by the fresh pineapple and mostly fresh limes (I always throw some bottled stuff in too, I just don't buy enough limes to freshly squeeze all I need!).  Icy and fruity and refreshing.  A perfect summer drink, but maybe not 6 hours before you need to wake up.  I wouldn't recommend making these with vacation brain, but about any other time would do!

One year ago: Pineapple Sunset Cocktail
Two years ago: Red, White, & Blue Margaritas
Three years ago: Jamaican Rum Punch
Four years ago: Pineapple Rum Punch
Five years ago: Honey Peach Lemonade
Six years ago: Skinny Pineapple Smoothie & Strawberry Lime Mojitos
Seven years ago: Drinks x's 3

Frozen Pineapple Margarita
yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
-½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
-3 oz (6 TB) orange juice
-2 oz (4 TB) lime juice
-6 oz (12 TB or ¾ cup) tequila
-1 cup ice
-coarse salt for rimming
-lime wedges (optional)

Directions
Rimming (optional): Slice two discs from the middle of a lime or two and set aside for the garnish.  Juice the limes and then run one of the halves around the top of each of the glasses before dipping in coarse salt.

Combine the pineapple chunks, OJ, lime juice, tequila, and ice in a blender and blend until fairly smooth.  Pour into prepared glasses.

Enjoy!

Source: barely modified from The Real Food Dietitians
____________________________________________________________
In the summer I aim to make a new drink every week and share them all here, good or bad!  See them all in chronological order by following the "Mixed Drink Monday" tag here or check out my favorites by scrolling down to "Mixed Drink Monday" on my recipes page!  

Quick Lit - June 2021

Summer reading is my favorite reading.   Ideally, summer reading is when I can do more reading than normal life (other than that blissful week between Christmas and New Years).  That doesn't always work quite as I hope but, in general, I am usually able to do more reading over the summer and that makes me happy.  Especially over our vacation last week (why this is going up 2 days "late"), when I didn't have housework to do during Sam's nap/Luke's quiet time.  I could just read.  It was lovely!

I keep my Goodreads very up to date and an currently a bit overwhelmed by that "TBR" number, I post about books and other things on Instagram here, and am linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy. 

Two other book posts in the past month: 

{13} Romance(ish) Novels

{30} Picture Books to Kick-Off Summer

Now everything else I've been reading!

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
This was a highly anticipated new book from the author of Beach Read which I read last summer and enjoyed enough to put it on my Favorite Reads of 2020 list.  This one was about two friends who have long been close friends but never romantic partners.  Then something happened a few years ago and they stopped their annual trip together and really all contact.  Then things happened to bring them together and they went on another trip, because she made up an excuse for needing to be in Palm Springs right before his brother's wedding.  So, they reunite and we slowly find out what has happened on these past trips.  I really enjoyed most of it although the ending fell a little flat for me, I chalk that up to being very tired and barely able to keep my eyes open but determined to finish more than a lack luster ending.  4 Stars

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly
This one very much reminded me of The Forgotten Room in that is was a story about a particular place (a garden, in this case) that meant something to different women spread over different points in time.  One was the woman who designed the garden, a few who lived nearby during a War, and then the landscape architect who was trying to repair years of neglect.  I was engrossed in all the stories and time lines, especially appreciating a character named Diana.  I had pretty low expectations for this one and ended up enjoying it quite a bit. 3.75 Stars

The Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate Ascher
This book went much more in depth into how a city works (in this case, NYC) than I ever expected to know.  Like, nitty gritty here is what is in the man holes and what those cables are made of.  It was written in 2005, before cell phones completely took over our world so I'm sure some of this is out of date.  It was interesting and very well researched (I'm assuming, I couldn't tell you if any of this was incorrect).  There were a lot of helpful diagrams and drawings.  However, it wasn't the most fascinating read.  3 Stars

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
These authors' books can be very hit or miss for me, I seem to really like about every other one I read and feel ehhhh about the others.  This was more of a win though.  It has to do with a fancy dating app that matches people based on DNA or something genetic and is supposed to be very successful at making matches, or at least predicting if a match will last.  He made the whole thing happen, she's skeptical but hates him already from their mutual coffee shop stops.  Then they turn out to be a near perfect match and the company needs the good publicity before it's IPO so...fake relationship!  That is very likely to turn into something more! (This is a romance book.)  Cliches but fun. 3.5 Stars

Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter
I read his other book earlier this year and was interested to pick this one up too.  I'm a much bigger secondhand donater than buyer (I just don't have the patience to shift through racks) and really have wondered what happens to so much that is donated (from this book it sounds like the world needs zero more bowling balls to be made ever).  It was fascinating to read about where our stuff goes that can sell here, than can be sold in other countries, how second (or third) hand items travel around the globe.  Really learned a lot AND made me want to own no more non-consumable things ever (besides, you know, those sandals I am waiting on Target to deliver...). 4 Stars

Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
Continuing with the Maisie Dobbs series, this was #4 and I'm still not completely sold on them, I am never waiting to pick one up and yet, I always finish them wondering what Maisie will be up to next.  Or maybe just if Maisie is going to start to get more interesting.  There was a mystery in this one I am completely blanking on and I'm sure she solved it in the end...I am taking a break from Maisie for the summer, too many new books on my TBR to get bogged down with old ones!  I expect I'll pick the next one back up in the fall though, I very highly doubt I'll be finishing this series this year! 3 Stars

The Island by Elin Hilderbrand
This has been my Memorial Day weekend read for a very long time and it never quite feels like summer can start until I've started reading this book.  I've read it maybe 6 times now and I am still always eager to pick it up again so that's a good sign!  Two sisters spend the month of July at their family's ancestral home on Tuckernuck with their Mom and Aunt.  All 4 women have romantic problems of different kinds and they are all working through things as they come together and...not talk about their problems.  It is so perfectly summer for me.  4.5 Stars

How to Resist Amazon and Why: The Fight for Local Economics, Data Policy, Fair Labor, Independent Bookstores, and a People-Powered Future by Danny Caine
We have been pondering our Amazon use for awhile now and so this book came at the perfect time to cement those choices.  It was short, under 200 pages, maybe even closer to 100.  Outlined some of the problems with Amazon other than just putting independent bookstores out of business.  They have their tentacles into everything on the internet and that much control for anyone (even the government) is a recipe for disaster.  It's next to impossible to fully avoid Amazon if you use the internet at all (even Netflix uses Amazon web hosting servers something) but we are certainly curbing our spending there, trying to cut it out nearly completely. (I am reassured that nobody talks, yet, about Target being evil, I still have them!). I'd recommend for anyone who uses the internet.  4.75 Stars

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
I loved the concept of this - a light skinned black girl who passes for white, and passes for a licensed pilot, in order to join the WASPS during World War II.  She can fly but the tester wouldn't pass her.  That plus if her actual skin color is found out, she'll be in big trouble but she thinks all the risks are worth it because she wants to help in this war.  You could tell it was a debut novel but I appreciated the story more than the actual writing. 3.25 Stars

Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty by Lauren Weisberger
This was a vacation read and one I pushed through on many nights when I was practically falling asleep holding it.  Lauren Weisberger is most known for having written The Devil Wears Prada, a movie I love but a book I've never read (too many people said the movie was better).  I have generally enjoyed all her other books which I have read.  A bit fluffy, perfect for the beach and/or vacation without being TOO fluffy.  Sisters and comparing and living the life you think you are supposed to be living even if it doesn't make you happy.  Honestly, a lot of the details are fuzzy but I did enjoy it.  3.5 Stars

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
ANOTHER vacation read and one I quite enjoyed.  Birdy knows next to nothing about wine.  Really, very little.  But when she needs a place to stay and a job and her BFF (who is a wine expert) decides to back out of a job in Scotland that comes with housing but expects that you know A LOT about wine well...Birdy takes a chance.  And does a lot of googling.  The restaurant setting reminded me of The Blue Bistro, one of my favorite books.  The Scottish setting was so fun and there was romance.  Also a great vacation read! (Heads up for an open door scene, I think.) 3.75 Stars

Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
I am a completest on Elin Hilderbrand, having read every single book she's written.  A lot are forgettable but I know when I pick one up that I am in for a solid, compelling page turner.  This, like all, is set on Nantucket, featuring complex women with mostly rich people problems.  It had a similar storyline to The Late, Lamented Molly Marx where a recently deceased woman is watching over the life she left behind and the police as they try to solve how she died.  It's told from many points of view but not difficult to keep them all straight.  I started this one on our long drive home and finished it sitting on my couch in the AC.  Perfect for summer reading, even if I won't remember the plot in a month.  4 Stars

Read with Luke
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian #2: The Accidental Volcano by Jonathan Messinger
Luke loves these Finn Caspian books, just as he loves the podcast.  Kids that shouldn't be old enough to do so are flying space ships, making messes, having adventures, and escaping and or/saving weird aliens on strange planets.  The chapters are super short and there are the occasional picture.  I purchase requested the 3rd from the library because Luke likes them so much. 3 Stars

Snowbound with Betsy by Carolyn Haywood
Surprisingly, he also likes these very old Betsy books that are even decades older than me.  This one was set around a few snowy days and we read it in the heat of summer and finished over vacation.  It's funny reading how hands off parents were back when these were written (the 50s?) but how engaged the parents are when they are around.  I am now taking parenting tips from really old books, it's fine.  We just have a few left in the series but we've both really enjoyed these! 3.75 Stars

What have YOU been reading??

Mixed Drink Monday: Kiwi Margaritas

Growing up it felt like we ate kiwi often, at least semi-regularly.  I could very well be remembering this wrong but I remember there being kiwi in the fridge and even picking them out myself at Meijer long ago.  For some reason, kiwi were never something I bought as an adult.  Aldi sells them in clamshells so they didn't grab me as much and I had kinda forgotten about them.

Then I decided I wanted to do some sort of themed meal for St. Patrick's Day.  We had fish n chips (which might not be Irish but we ate that often in Ireland so we are going with it), Irish cheese as an apetitzer, and then green food for everything else.  This meant a green fruit salad with green apples, green grapes, and kiwi.  And then key lime pie.  It was all delicious and ever so slightly on our (loose) theme.

Well, that may have been the first time the boys had kiwi and they both really liked it.  Who knew!  Not them!  Since then we've been buying it semi-often, basically whenever Aldi has them and not much else on sale, fruit wise.  So I knew, when I saw this recipe, that it would be perfect since we are now a kiwi eating house.

The slight problem came when I went to make these margaritas on a Friday evening and saw that the kiwi were supposed to be very ripe, probably after sitting on the counter for a few days.  I wanted to make a drink now and my kiwi hadn't been sitting on the counter.  SO, I pivoted and left some kiwi on the counter and made these the following weekend.  I also had a shaker at home for the first time in a long time and it was nice to actually be able to follow the instructions when it said to use one!  

These were fruity and fresh and rather delicious.  The seeds weren't annoying and they ended up a pleasant green color.  Definitely a winner and worth having again, for all the times we now have kiwi at home.

One year ago: Hawaiian Margarita
Two years ago: Colada Elixir
Three years ago: The Fizzy Flamingo
Four years ago: Raspberry Margarita
Five years ago: Pineapple Cooler
Six years ago: Raspberry Oatmeal Smoothie
Seven years ago: Raspberry Lemonade x2

Kiwi Margarita
yield: one drink

Ingredients
-1 ripe kiwi, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
-2 oz (4 TB or ¼ cup) tequila
-1 oz (2 TB) triple sec
-1 oz (2 TB) lime juice, fresh is best but bottled works in a pinch
-1 oz (2 TB) simple syrup
-½ cup ice
-coarse salt for the rim
-kiwi slice for garnish, optional (cut this before slicing the kiwi)

Directions
1) To make the simple syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar (I usually do 1 cup of each) in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir often, until the sugar has been dissolved. Let cool before using and refrigerate the leftovers.

2) Combine the kiwi pieces, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice in a shaker.  Shake until nicely chilled and well combined.  

3) Run the squeezed lime halves (or water on a corner of a paper towel, in a pinch) around the top of your glass and dip into a plate of salt.  Pour the shaken margarita into the prepared glass and add more ice, if you wish.

Enjoy!

 

Source: Slightly modified from White on Rice Couple ____________________________________________________________
In the summer I aim to make a new drink every week and share them all here, good or bad!  See them all in chronological order by following the "Mixed Drink Monday" tag here or check out my favorites by scrolling down to "Mixed Drink Monday" on my recipes page!  

What to do with Strawberries

It's strawberry time!  Our favorite local u-pick farm just opened up for picking and I got decent (priced and flavor) berries at Aldi last week. One of my favorite things about summer is the amount of wonderful fresh produce (and by that I mean fruit and corn on the cob) we can get.  There isn't much variety or freshness to our fruit eating in the winter but by summer we are nearly drowning in all kinda of fresh fruits and it is amazing.

I am not only buying strawberries for immediate eating (although I am doing that too), but also to save up a bunch to use in the coming months in a variety of ways.  My strawberry buying always starts with me overloading the cart and then getting home and realizing I have to do something with all these berries.  Strawberries aren't the easiest of the fruits I buy like this (that would be blueberries) but they aren't the hardest either (that's peaches).  A little time, some of which I can do at the backyard picnic table while the boys play, and we get to spread out our strawberry enjoyment a little bit longer.  

Here's what I do with them besides immediately eat and enjoy:

1) Freeze them
One of the easier things to do with strawberries.  I wash many pounds up, hull them, slice the bigger ones into small pieces and freeze dozens of old sour cream containers of them in the deep freeze.  The key is remembering to defrost my deep freeze before starting on strawberries because afterwards there is no hope of it getting done for another 11½ months.  

These frozen strawberries we will use in smoothies, mixed drinks, and a family favorite, strawberry applesauce come fall.  It is crucial to have A LOT of frozen strawberries on hand for that one.

2) Make strawberry ice cream
Strawberry ice cream is one of Matt's favorite flavors and so when I have good, fresh strawberries I make a couple of extra batches for the freezer.  These might last until the end of the summer, depending on how much I make and how many other kinds are competing to get eaten.  It certainly doesn't last all year (we only have so much freezer space) but it is one we stock up on a bit when we have good berries. 

3) Make strawberry popsicles
Likewise, these strawberry popsicles are a family favorite and while they are bursting with freshly picked strawberries they also have sugar but not a ton of sugar and I don't feel bad giving my boys these as dessert (or a snack).  These never make it until the end of the summer, I only have so many molds and lots of popsicles competing for them, but I tend to fill all the molds I have with these when we have fresh berries.

4) Make strawberry jam
Sam has been on a real PB&J kick for months now and he likes the homemade strawberry jam so much that I caught him drinking it a few weeks ago (it is really good).  I buy pectin from the store and follow the directions on the box.  It's nothing fancy but a few batches will last us all winter.  Matt & Luke pretty much only eat peanut butter on Fridays in Lent but they'll use this on toast or waffles/pancakes too.  Super easy way to keep everyone happy.

NOW, if you are looking for other strawberry recipes, I've got you covered, at least mixed drinks and ice cream/popsicle wise.  I also rarely turn down strawberry shortcake although I've never posted a recipe for it!  It is one of the delights of strawberry season!

Desserts:

 Frozen Things:

Mixed Drinks type:

 

That's what I do with the plethora of strawberries that come home with me in the summer.  Do you have any great recipes or ways of using them to share?  I'd love to hear! Happy strawberry season!

Mixed Drink Monday: Pineapple Coconut Margarita

It looks like we are sticking with a margarita theme for now!  (Not to spoil anything...but next Monday is ANOTHER margarita recipe).  We have bought pineapples all year round but they are best suited for summer.  I also use coconut scented lotion nearly year-round (I have a different one I use Thanksgiving - New Years) so the scent isn't completely summery but it still seems the most summery of any season.  I think I have years of inconsistent sunscreen usage to thank for that!  (Adult sunscreen is rarely coconut scented, at least all the kinds that are good to wear daily, which is kinda a bummer.)  

There have been many years I have bought pineapples solely to use as photo props (and then we always ate them).  But, we bought so many over this last winter that I decided I am tired of cutting them up.  It takes less than 10 minutes but it's one of those things that I put off for DAYS.  I told Matt a few months ago that he could still buy them on his grocery run weeks but that I wasn't cutting them unless I bought them.  It just seemed like work.  So he bought a pineapple and I refused to cut it.  That pineapple sat on our counter for 2 weeks.  It was almost time for him to go to the grocery again and the pineapple looked pretty bad.  He finally cut it.  

It was delicious.  

I'm not sure who won that battle (I probably ate more of the pineapple.  And, to be fair, he doesn't make me cut the watermelon I buy but then, I don't like watermelon, rarely buy them, and when I do it's only because he asks and I am feeling really nice.  I tell him every time that there is nothing I do that proves my love for him more than buying him watermelon.)  

Anyways, I requested this pineapple so I cut it and then kept the top for picture purposes.  I also ate most of it and froze the rest for another recipe.  I rarely will buy pineapple just for props, the top will have to do!

This is a pineapple recipe that actually just needed pineapple juice which I got from a can that had been in the basement since at least last summer.  The coconut milk also came from a can from last summer or fall.  The limes were a recent purchase.  Those don't keep in the basement indefinitely.

These were good and icy and refreshing after I did a 4+ mile run on a warm day.  I made a tequila-free version for Luke, per his request, and he also enjoyed it so keep that in mind for any kiddos who might see you enjoying this drink!

One year ago: Light(er) and Fruity Margaritas
Two years ago: Colada Elixir
Three years ago: Blackberry Long Island Iced Tea
Four years ago: Peach Lemonade
Five years ago: Strawberry Lemonade Beer
Six years ago: Perfect & East Sweet Sun Tea
Seven years ago: Malibu Drink

 

Pineapple Coconut Margarita
yield: one drink (I tripled for Matt, Luke, and myself, just doubled the tequila after I had poured Luke's portion)

Ingredients
-2 ounces pineapple juice
-1 ounce (2 TB) coconut milk (the canned variety)
-2 ounces (4 TB or ¼ cup) tequila
-2 tsp honey
-1 lime, juiced
-ice
-salt for rim (optional)

Directions
Combine all ingredients except the optional salt in a blender and blend until smooth.  Run one of the squeeze lime halves around the top of a glass and dip it in salt.  Pour margarita into glasses.

Enjoy!

Source: slightly modified from Aimee Mars Living ____________________________________________________________
In the summer I aim to make a new drink every week and share them all here, good or bad!  See them all in chronological order by following the "Mixed Drink Monday" tag here or check out my favorites by scrolling down to "Mixed Drink Monday" on my recipes page!  

Looking back at May

It's June!  Which means the next time I write one of these we will be HALF WAY THROUGH 2021.  Doesn't seem that long ago that we were all just trying to survive 2020!

Busy is not a word I like to use but May had a lot going on.  I got my second COVID shot and my 2 weeks to full immunization was up right about the day the CDC says we can stop wearing masks.  I appreciate them timing that around me!  Luke had his First Communion, an event that made me MUCH MORE emotional than I expected (I cried, I don't know why I didn't see that coming).  We had Mother's Day where we actually got to spend time with our mothers and we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary (a celebration that will continue into July because WHY NOT.).  Luke finished SECOND grade and was able to go TO school every single day (besides maybe 5 "practice" e-learning days and maybe 5 weather related e-learning days).  It really feels like a miracle that he was never quarantined, never got COVID, and that school stayed open all year.

Looking forward to more sleep, more time at home, and NO SCHOOL RUNS for the next 2.5 months! 

Looking back:
1 year ago: Our Quarantine Homeschool Process (SO GLAD I didn't need to reference this at all this past school year!)
2 years ago: {5} Surprising Benefits to the pre-8am School Run
3 years ago: Summer Fun List
4 years ago: Balancing Work and Play
5 years ago: Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
6 years ago: Making sense of our garage mess (perpetually a problem area)
7 years ago: Dollar Decorating: practically free organizing boxes (I still use all of these I made 7 years ago!)
8 years ago: An ode to our (former) jet skis
9 years ago: London day 2
10 years ago: 5 years =)

 

1) A beautiful backyard sunset with the lights!  It's not always dark enough when the sky goes pretty for the lights to be on!
2) Right after my second shot!  It was tough figuring out what to wear since we were going to Mass, then the grocery store, and I wanted to be somewhat dressed up for Mass but also needed short sleeves for my shot AND it was chilly outside (I changed my shirt, with a tank top underneath, in the Target parking lot, in case you are wondering).  I was super nervous about side effects too after hearing horror stories but mostly just tired with a sore arm!
3) Running to pick-up!  I did this at least once a week in May!
4) On my 16th anniversary of graduating from UD, wearing my UD shirt and using my alumni mug.  Also, SIXTEEN YEARS.
5) My parents' beautiful backyard when dropping Sam off one morning.
6) Matt got me some mini-Magnum bars as part of my Mother's Day gift and they were amazing.
7) Beautiful flowers on the walk home from school.
8) Peacocks at the zoo, one always seems to be around the red pandas and WE are stopping at the red panda exhibit every stop so we see them every time.  Their feathers are beautiful.
9) Downtown at The Landing picking up an anniversary lunch for Matt & I to eat in the backyard while not sharing with Sam.  Picking up food to eat in the backyard or at a park is one of my favorite life changes the pandemic brought. 
10) The drive-in for our anniversary!  A lot of plans changed and we weren't sure if this was going to happen until about an hour before we had to leave but it worked out and it was SO FUN to be back!
11) Bike ride downtown on a lovely Sunday!  Luke's doing so well on the bike by himself!
12) There are things GROWING in the raised beds!!!!!  This was a very exciting day. 
13) Flowers in the backyard, I went a bit overboard on the potted flowers but they really brighten things up and make me happy!
14) At the zoo, the tortoises were close! 
15) Ice cream downtown to celebrate the last day of school!
16) And biking through Promenade Park on the way home!  Lovely way to end a weird school year!

Books finished: 11, rather pitiful amount for me, hoping number goes up with summer!
Miles ran: 35.94, over 13 runs, my average distance was up considerably from April!
Currently watching: What ARE we currently watching??  A new season of Ninja Warrior started Monday but as of this writing we haven't actually started it yet (we will soon, it's a summer staple).  I think I am only one episode behind on the most depressing Grey's Anatomy season ever (a bar that didn't need reached).  I will soon start season 5 of The Office to keep up with The Office Ladies podcast.  And I should see if there is anything worthwhile on HBO Max because we might have paid for a month of that for certain obvious reasons...
Most read post this month: I'm starting to think it will never not be Stripping: Laundry Style.  That's followed by Quick Lit - May and then Mixed Drink Monday: The Fizzy Flamingo, for some strange reason.  It's far from the best drink recipe I've made!
Luke's current favorite song:  "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, which SAM remembered when I asked Luke and then Luke agreed.
Sam's current favorite song: "Fun Fun Fun" by the Beach Boys and "Victory in Jesus" as sung by Carrie Underwood

June brings our first vacation in two years, our first solo camping trip of our marriage (we've only ever gone with others), and hopefully knocking out some projects and cleaning up the garage!