A Belated Weekend Recap + This Week's Menu + An Announcement!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

I'm coming to you with a belated weekend recap and this week's menu because I left my main laptop in Lancaster when we visited on Friday. Oops! So I'm borrowing Steve's to make do, and because I've had a ton of ideas floating around in my head for blog posts that need to get down on "paper" before they float right out of my distracted mind. ;) 

PLUS! I'm making a little blog-related announcement at the end of today's post. Check it out and let me know what you think!

So, how was your weekend? I hope it was a good one. The weather was nice where we are, and we've had a mostly-rainy July, so we took advantage and kept busy with the girls. On Friday Steve took a half day and we headed "home" to Lancaster to visit with one of my dear friends (hi Shannon!) and her family for a few hours. Our kids played while we chatted, and it felt so good to catch up. This is one of those families that just makes you feel comfortable, loved, and accepted from the moment you step in their home, and Shannon has been such a strong support for me in my career and otherwise.

After our visit, we headed to Steve's parents' house where we ate homemade spaghetti and meatballs (thanks Momma T!) and let the kids play on the piano and with a few of Steve's childhood toys, like a giant airplane. A huge storm rolled through and when it seemed like the rain had tapered off a bit, we headed back home to NJ. Along the way we spotted a rainbow, which C was so excited about: "Mom, can we go over there to the mountain so I can check out what's at the end of the rainbow?"

On Saturday we relaxed and played (does anyone else tend to start out their weekend mornings on the slower side?) and then had swim lessons. After nap time for H, we headed to hibachi for dinner (the girls' first time). If you've never done this with kids, it's actually pretty great because the initial soup/salad comes out right away and then, of course, the meal itself is cooked right in front of you so the kids are completely entertained (it's all about distraction -- and snacks -- I've found, haha!). 

On Sunday we surprised the girls with a trip to Storybook Land, which is a super cute kids' amusement park about an hour away from us. The weather was beautiful and the park was mostly shaded, and surprisingly we didn't have to wait in any lines. It was perfect! We got there at opening, ate a packed lunch in the car so our bellies would be full, enjoyed the park for a couple of hours, and left at 2pm so H could nap on the way home. 

All in all, it was a fun weekend with our little family. We don't have too many of these summer ones left, so it felt good to fully enjoy it. Now... on to this week's menu!

This Week's Menu

Monday - Pizza party (I've taken to calling every night we have pizza a "pizza party" -- I'm not sure why, but it works. #momlife)

Tuesday - Copycat Zuppa Toscana soup (potato, kale, and sausage) & garlic bread

Wednesday - Cheeseburger pie

Thursday - Grilled chicken, rice, and broccoli

Friday - Caesar salads with leftover chicken

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Out

Announcement time! Ending on a fun note, I'm excited to announce a new monthly series I'll be bringing to the blog starting in August! It's called "Women Who Inspire" and will feature a profile of/interview with an inspiring woman each month (I mean, really, what woman isn't inspiring?). I'm so excited to share it with you all. AND, if you feel compelled to nominate a woman who inspires YOU, please do! I'd love to keep the series going for as long as possible. I believe we all have a lot to learn from each other.