Rule #35: 35 makes me wanna THRIVE!
Our Life Lately has been a good one! I celebrated the big 3-5, and I’m feeling pretty great about it so far! I love that these cuties are 3 (Brooke) and 5 (Corey) right now. I had to document it because it was just too cute! I’m ready for what this next year will hold for us, and especially for this little ole blog. I’m ready to take it to the next level, babayyyy.
I’ve been living in this cozy cardigan (now 50% off) since I got it. I’m so glad fall is here!
We got to escape to Lake Fork to a friend’s lake house and enjoy a little 35-level party time with some great friends. It was the perfect getaway full of great food, a million laughs, and lots of sleep!
I love these two girls and cruisin’ in the golf cart with them! (We missed you, Allyson!)
My sweet friends got me the most delicious “birthday cake” AKA Birthday Charcuterie Board from Bliss Box & Boards to celebrate! It was all so delightfully perfect.
I think it’s safe to say that Jon Boy and I are very much Lake Life People. We’ve talked about getting a lake house for years, and I think we’re getting close to pulling the trigger.
Jon Boy caught a true monster of a fish, too… it’s all about angles, right?! Ha!
For lunch one day, I made us all a hearty little Tortellini and Antipasto Salad with Italian Vinaigrette. It was a great little easy meal to keep our bellies happy while we played!
Our friend, Reed, made the absolutely most delicious poppers you can imagine as an appetizer/lunch one day. They are a true labor-of-love, and we all look forward to them whenever we’re together. This time, he went all out and used Wagyu beef marinated in his homemade Italian dressing. Then, he stuffs jalapeños with cream cheese and wrap it all together with bacon to grill. My mouth is watering as I type!
Birthday Celebrations Continued for Brookie: This little birthday princess wouldn’t wear her birthday crown at school because it would have “messed up her bow”. I mean, I can’t blame her. It’s a darn cute bow!
Corey’s Fall Baseball is in full swing now! There’s nothing like a gorgeous Saturday at the ball fields.
We decided to make a day of it and took the kids to Fire Ant Brewing for lunch. Corey was digging the fact that Daddy’s sunglasses fit him now. Such a big, handsome man!
Little sassy enjoyed her 2 gallons of lemonade and pretty necklace.
And she enjoyed her traditional “poop-under-the-table” routine like she does every time we go out to eat.
Just look at those classy, highbrow feet of hers.
When we heard Tropical Storm Nicholas was heading our way, we and our neighbors decided to pull together to have dinner and play games to pass the time. School was cancelled Tuesday, so we ended up getting two nights of mid-week fun in! If you haven’t played Jokers Wild, you are missing out. It’s such a fun game! We’re actually going to finish this game up tonight since it’s not done yet – be ready to lose, y’all!
Our neighbor made the most delicious soup one night! Lasagna Soup from Skinnytaste is a definite must!
I had the ingredients on-hand to make a fast caprese salad, so I was all over it! Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze is always a great finisher for caprese.
Brookie got her very first real lip gloss the other day from The Brook Home & Gift thanks to her Auntie K. It’s been a hit ever since it hit her lips!
Corey’s been thriving in kindergarten. He really enjoyed Digital Citizenship Week when they got to dress up in various costumes. I’m so proud of what a big, sweet guy he is.
He still snuggles on sweet Penny the same way he has since he could walk, too. They’re some sweet buds!
It’s fall on our porch, y’all! I finally broke down about bought some real pumpkins after telling myself I wouldn’t cave. They’re just so darn cute at H-E-B.
Jon Boy took me out for a little birthday date at Perry’s last weekend. We so rarely get time with just the two of us, so I soaked it all in.
I made Jon Boy eat a “tapas” style dinner with shared appetizers, soup, and salad. I like eating that way versus one larger entree. We shared the stuffed mushrooms and bacon wrapped scallops. Yum! A great dinner for our Life Lately!
I was a lucky duck and actually got to go out TWO nights in a row! We had a girls’ night at The Chef’s Table, and I cannot emphasize how delicious it was! I had to take an awkward bathroom selfie because a girls’ night isn’t a girls’ night without one, right?
In my Life Lately, I can’t stop, won’t stop wearing this bracelet stack (pictured above also) from my girl @JMDesign1019. She is so very talented!
At The Chef’s Table, we started out with the Spin on your Dip and Vlees Pastei. Both were divine!
Then we all shared the prawn bisque… phenomenal.
The treat of the night was when Chef came and carved this gigantic ribeye tableside. It was aged perfectly and tasted amazing! I ate about 1/8 of it though, so the rest is in the freezer. I plan to make Beef Stroganoff with it soon!
For sides, I had the roasted Brussels sprouts and sautéed mushrooms. Divine!
Speaking of food, Jon Boy was craving some Buffalo Chicken Meatballs a while back, so we had those with some Roasted, Shaved Brussels Sprouts and buttered egg noodles with garlic and parsley. It was an easy meal that left us all very satisfied!
I’m working on a recipe for Greek Meatballs now, and holy amazing they’re good! I think one more round of taste-testing, and it will be ready for posting.
It’s been meatball mania around here apparently. We also recently had Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Meatballs and roasted broccoli with Parmesan (both Jon Boy faves). Perfect for our Life Lately!
A couple of weeks ago, I helped host a live webinar all about Meal Planning. It was such an honor and so much fun! I thought this screenshot was the perfect one to share. Ha! Click the picture to see the video, if you’re looking for Meal Planning tips!
I hope you’ve found something to love in this Life Lately!
Happy Humpday, y’all!