Friday Favorites

Yeah for Friday!  This has been a doozy of a week!  Labor Day Weekend was filled with fun and a little relaxation.  However, these three day weekends throw me off schedule!  Plus, add in a very quick, less than 24-hour trip down to Arlington Cemetery for a family funeral.  We picked the kids up from school early Wednesday afternoon, drove down to Arlington, spent the night at a hotel, went to the burial on Thursday afternoon, stayed a little bit at the reception and then drove the 5 plus hours back home to finish out the crazy week.  The kids have an upcoming four day weekend  because of the Jewish holidays.  Hopefully, we can catch up on some rest and get in some relaxation then!  Here are some of our faves from this past week:

   
1.  Sunday we took a trip to Hershey Park.  Our daughter won the tickets from a local radio station earlier this summer and they expired at the end of this month.  Even though we just got back from Disney World AND we went to Hershey Park last summer, we couldn’t not go, since she was so excited about winning.  Labor Day weekend was our only free weekend to go.  We ended up leaving early Sunday morning and just spending the day there.  It was a relaxed trip where we didn’t feel like we needed to do everything.  Our daughter had finally grown tall enough to ride ALL the roller coasters, which the Weekend Chef was happy about.  In the past, he had to ride the coasters by himself while I waited with the kids.  Even better, although she was a bit apprehensive at first at the height and loops of some of these coasters, she ended up LOVING them!  The Weekend Chef has a roller coaster riding buddy!  Plus, as seen on Instagram, we got some good eats as well!

2. Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week:  These Apple Pie Pancake Rolls.   This will make a tasty breakfast for dinner one night soon.

3.  Netflix Favorite this week:  Last week on a Friday link-up B and M of The Sequin Notebook had mentioned this show on Netflix.  Sing it On is a reality show following five collegiate a cappella groups as they try to make it to the ICCA finals in New York City. Umm, how had I not heard of this show before?  I love a cappella and back in the day really enjoyed going to my college (Cornell University) and nearby Binghamton University’s various a cappella shows.  The Weekend Chef and I watched all eight episodes this past week.

4. The Martian by Andy Weir- This is another book recommended by Lisa from expandng that I didn’t think that I’d like and was pleasantly surprised when I did.  While it was a bit technical in some parts, the story itself was suspenseful.  Matt Damon will be starring in the movie based on the book which will be released in October.

5. Podcasts – We are so late to the podcast game.  I just downloaded my first podcast earlier this week.  I spent some time outside weeding and listening to various podcasts.  It made the time fly by!  Plus, we listened to some on our 5+ hour drive down and back to Arlington.  I know about and have downloaded Serial, which I think the Weekend Chef and I will enjoy.  However, we couldn’t listen to it in the car with the kids!  So far, my favorites are Happier With Gretchen Rubin and The Nosh Show.  But please, if you have any other podcast recommendations, please send them our way!

Linking up with Tif @ Bright on a Budget, Amanda from Meet @ The Barre and Andrea from Momfessionals.  Have a great weekend!

Yeah for Friday!  It’s been a long, busy week around here.  The kids have started school and we are getting back into schedule mode.  Luckily, we have a little bit of time before all the activities start up.  Plus, with Labor Day and the Jewish holidays, the kids don’t have a full week of school until October!  Here are some of this week’s favorites:

1. Disney Mug – I bought the mug pictured above as a souvenir from our recent Disney trip.  They had sooo many different mugs to choose from it was so hard to pick.  Since I don’t really have a favorite character, I thought this mug, which depicts all the parks and many of the classic characters was a good memory of our trip.  However, this is a jumbo mug!  My morning coffee intake has doubled since it just didn’t look or feel right drinking from a half empty mug!

2.  Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week:  These Hoisin Burgers with Peanut Slaw.  I’ve made an Asian Turkey Burger before that we like from a recipe from Cooking Light.  However, this recipe looks like it has a bit more flavor and I love the addition of a peanut slaw.

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3.  This workout plan – Since getting back from Disney, I’ve gotten more serious about starting to exercise and eating a bit more healthy.  I found this workout plan on Pinterest and have been pretty good about keeping up with it.  It’s a small start and I like how it mixes up different exercises and amounts every day!

4.  Netflix this week – I finished up watching the latest season of Grey’s Anatomy.  I had seen a spoiler so wasn’t totally surprised at how the season ended.  The show still makes me cry almost every episode!  The Weekend Chef and I are one episode away from finishing up Season 3 of Orange is the New Black.  I’m continuing to watch Revenge and I’ve started watching Bloodline.  I’ve heard good things about it.  But I’m only into episode 3 and am having difficulty with it keeping my interest.

5.  Hop’n Mad Apple Cider – I bought a variety pack of Angry Orchard hard cider, which is one of my favorite adult beverages.  If you follow on Instagram, you might have seen that we tried a new to us flavor, Hop’n Mad Apple.  The Weekend Chef really likes this cider, with its blend of cider and two different hops.  It wasn’t as sweet as their other varieties, which I prefer.

Linking up with Amanda from Meet @ The Barre, Tiff from Bright on a Budget and Andrea from Momfessionals.  Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Yeah for another Friday!  Next Friday we will be in Disney World!  Woohoo!  The end of summer is speeding by and we’ve been trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible.  I spent the past two days at training for my new job and I should be all set now for September.  We talk to the kids every night before they go to bed and they seem to be enjoying their stay at their grandparents.  Here are some of this week’s favorites:

1.  Regal Summer Movie Express  $1 Movies – The kids were in camp for most of July when I found out about Regal Summer Movie Express.  Each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 AM, Regal theaters show two different movies for $1 each.  The movies are older, but it’s fun for the kids to see a movie on the big screen.  This past week’s choices were Madagascar 3 or Dolphin Tale 2.  The kids had already seen Dolphin Tale 2 so we watched Madagascar 3.  I’m not a big fan of sequels, but this movie was funny!  Next summer we will have to make more use out of this deal!

2. Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week – This 5-Ingredient Baked Spinach and Mozzarella Ravioli Florentine.  This looks like an easy weeknight meal, perfect for once the school year starts and schedule craziness ensues.

3.    Neutrogena sunblock – I bought this sunscreen at Walmart for $10.  I hate the greasy feeling of having sunscreen on my face.  This is the second time I’ve purchased a Neutrogena face sunscreen and I love it.  It absorbs quickly without leaving me with a greasy/yucky feeling on my face.  This is coming to Disney with us!

4.  Garden Tomatoes – Our tomato plants have been finally producing tomatoes.  Almost daily we’re picking ripe tomatoes.  It’s hard to tell from the above picture, but that tomato was as big as the Weekend Chef’s hand!  The kids were amazed!

5.  Kohl’s sale –  I got an e-mail yesterday that Kohl’s was taking an extra 20% off the already low clearance prices.  Add that with my 30% off coupon and the ability to earn Kohl’s Cash…..well, I couldn’t not go!  I needed t-shirts for Disney and picked up sunglasses and some shorts at amazing prices!  I’m not sure if it’s just our local Kohl’s or if it’s nationwide, but it’s definitely worth checking out!

Hope you have a great weekend!  Linking up with Tif @ Bright on a Budget, Amanda from Meet @ The Barre and Andrea from Momfessionals.

Happy Friday!  This was the kids’ last week of camp and then we have a couple of weeks home together before the big Disney trip.  Summer is almost over!  Here are some of this week’s favorites:

1.  Duolingo – I found this app and now the whole family has it!  It’s a free way to learn a language.  As seen above, I am attempting to learn some Spanish.  Seeing that the five years of high school French that I took have been pretty useless, I figured it was time to learn a little Spanish.

2. Neighbors with pools – Last Saturday one of our neighbors had a BBQ, inviting a couple families from our street over for a potluck dinner.  The kids spent the majority of the time in their pool.  Sunday, the kids were invited back to go swimming.  While our yard is not big enough to have a pool, the Weekend Chef and I both have said we wouldn’t want a pool, even if we could have one.  Yeah for our neighbors who are always inviting us over to swim!

3.  Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week – I bookmarked these Grilled Mesquite Pork Tacos with Apple Glaze.  The pork with the diced apple make me think of fall.  While I’m not trying to rush the rest of the summer, these might be making an appearance on one of our September or October weekly meal plans.

4.  Impromptu game night – The other night after dinner the kids wanted to play a game.  After much debate, they finally agreed upon Monopoly Junior.  Luckily, Monopoly Junior games don’t last as regular Monopoly games!

5.   Crossy Road – If you are looking for a mindless, time-wasting game, download this app and then thank my son!  He’s had this game for awhile and since then has convinced the Weekend Chef, my daughter and finally myself to get it.  It’s a never-ending time wasting game reminiscent of the arcade classic Frogger.

Hope you have a great weekend!  Linking up with Tif @ Bright on a Budget, Jennie from The Diary of a Real Housewife and Andrea from Momfessionals.

Happy Friday and last day of July!  It’s sad that the summer is officially half over, as the kids start back at school on September 1st.  We are planning to make the most of it though and have lots of fun stuff planned for August! Here are this past week’s favorites:

1.  Our basil plant – If you follow on Instagram, you may have seen this picture already of our basil plant.  I thought there was no hope of us having any basil since we planted the seeds ages ago and didn’t see any growth.  It’s finally grown enough that we were able to use some fresh basil in a recipe this week.  It sure beats buying a small little bunch for $4 at the grocery store!

2. Netflix – Somehow, this week I have been sucked into binge-watching Revenge.  I never watched the show when it was on but it’s been keeping me hooked.  Since the Weekend Chef and I watch so many shows together (Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, Breaking Bad, The Killing), I’ve had to find some shows that I can watch on my own.

3.  Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week – I found a new recipe link-up swap called “Tuesday’s Recipe Swap” hosted by Green Fashionista and Martinis & Bikinis.  I bookmarked this Summer Pasta from Green Fashionista and have already planned to make it for dinner next week.  I even get to use some of the basil from my plant!

4.  Mommy Dates – I was lucky enough this week to have a dinner date and a lunch date with friends.  Somehow, life has been pretty busy and I hadn’t seen these girls in months.  It was great getting to catch up.  The Weekend Chef and I also got to go out to eat with another couple from Supper Club last weekend and got to enjoy some good eating and drinking!

5.  Currently Reading – Not a favorite book, but I’m currently reading The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza.  I’ll be finishing this book today and will be giving it 3 out of 5 stars.

Hope you have a great weekend!  Linking up with Amanda at Meet @ The Barre, Andrea from Momfessionals and Tif from Bright on a Budget!

The past week we were vacationing in Rhode Island, at my parents’ beach house.  This week’s Friday Favorites is Rhode Island themed!  If you have never been, I highly recommend.  While Rhode Island is the smallest state it’s nicknamed “The Ocean State” for a reason.  There are a ton of beaches and lots of things to do!  So on to this week’s favorites!

1.  Aunt Carrie’s – While not necessarily the BEST seafood restaurant in Narragansett, Rhode Island it’s one of the oldest and well-known.  The Weekend Chef recalls dining here with his family while vacationing in RI when he was a child and we have eaten here numerous times on our various trips to RI.  We ate here for lunch on the 4th of July where I had a hot lobster roll that was pretty tasty! The restaurant was even featured on an episode of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” where Guy Fieri sampled the clam cakes and recommended the strawberry shortcake for dessert.

2.  Clamming – Driving into Point Judith there’s a marsh where we always see people clamming.  I have wanted to try clamming FORVER!  I thought that I needed to buy a rake but discovered that it’s not necessary.  This trip we finally went clamming.  We ended up collecting over 30 clams, as seen above.  We only found one littleneck clam but found a ton of these what we think are razor clams.  The Weekend Chef steamed them in some wine, butter and garlic.  Unfortunately, we didn’t rinse them enough and they were pretty sandy/gritty so most went uneaten.

3.  Fishing – Almost every trip we make to Rhode Island, where my parents are around to watch the kids,  the Weekend Chef and I take a fishing charter.  This trip we went with my sister, her husband and the Weekend Chef’s brother.  Between the five of us, I caught a fluke and two of the guys caught some sea bass.  We breaded and fried them up for some tasty dinner!

4.  Classic Car Show – I saw an ad for a classic car show in Misquamicut.  We got to the show a little early so we decided to take a walk on the beach.  It was chilly and we were in sweatshirts but the kids still had a blast getting their feet wet in the ocean.  While this wasn’t a huge car show, we did walk around and were able to cross of the Weekend Chef’s summer bucket list item.  We had never been to Misquamicut before.  It is filled with lots of family-friendly entertainment with rides, mini-golf, some water slides, a drive-in movie theater (which I would have liked to go to if they weren’t showing Jaws that night – not exactly “family-friendly!!”) though everything is a bit run-down.  Our kids accompanied their little cousins on their first “roller coaster” ride (one of those mini-dragon types).

5.  The Beach – Last but not least!  East Matunuck State Beach is down the road from my parents’ house and was our beach of choice this past week.  The kids would spend all day, every day at the beach if they could. They are old enough where they enjoy boogie boarding or just jumping in the waves.  When they tire of that they love collecting rocks and shells, digging in the sand or building sandcastles.  My idea of a good beach day is sitting in a beach chair with a book!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Linking up with Amanda from Meet @ The Barre, Andrea @ Momfessionals, Tif @ Bright on a Budget and Jennie @ The Diary of a Real Housewife.

Summer is officially here and this week has gone by so quickly!  Today is the first day of the kids’ summer vacation.  So we are sleeping in this morning! Here are some of our favorites from this week:

1.  The last day of school!   The last day of school for the kids was yesterday.  They had a 10:15 dismissal…..but school doesn’t start until 9:05!  Needless to say, my son ended up staying home for the one hour of school.  My daughter was taking the bus to a friend’s end-of-year pool party so she went in.  She was so sad that school was ending!  We take a picture on the first and last day of school every year.  This year, I ended up having the kids make their own signs for the pictures!

2.  Our  garden boxes –  The Weekend Chef wrote a post about how he made our garden boxes.   It’s been several weeks later and I’m so happy at the results so far!  The plants are doing great.  There is minimal care needed to get results like this, which is my kind of gardening!

3.  Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week – These Cappuccino Eclairs from blog Baked by an Introvert.  I really like eclairs but have never made them.  This recipe is making me rethink that.

4.  Winner, Winner!  – A couple of weeks ago I found out that I had won a 4 pack of tickets to Sahara Sams, an indoor water park in New Jersey, from a giveaway that Pamela from blog  A Little Glitter hosted.  The tickets finally came in the mail this week! They are good until next December, so I think we’re going to hold on to these and visit during the winter when it will be a nice treat for the kids!

5. Currently reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.  I’ve read most of her other books and she’s a favorite author.  This is the first historical fiction book that I’ve read of hers and so far so good.  This story takes place during WWII and although I just read All The Light We Cannot See by Alan Derr, this book reads much differently.   You can read the Goodreads synopsis here.   If you are not in the mood for historical fiction and are looking for something a bit more suspenseful I recently read The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson at the recommendation of Megan from MeginTime and You by Caroline Kepnes at the recommendation of Jillian from Just Life: Take Two.  I rated them both 3 stars but they are both suspenseful, page-turners with characters that are a little bit psycho if I do say so myself. They are actually kind of similar in that respect so they may be worth checking out if you’re looking for something new to read!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Linking up with Amanda from Meet @ The Barre, Andrea @ Momfessionals, Tif @ Bright on a Budget and Jennie from The Diary of a Real Housewife.

It has been HOT here in New York this week!  Like, disgusting, humid almost 90 degree hot.  And summer hasn’t officially started yet…..Well, enough complaining.  Hopefully tomorrow will not be raining, as is predicted, since I am supposed to be going with my daughter and her Girl Scout troop to a water park and the Weekend Chef and my son are visiting the Intrepid with his Cub Scout troop.  We will be celebrating my dad’s birthday on Sunday.  So we have a busy weekend lined up!  Let’s get on to this week’s favorites.

1.  Strawberry Picking – If you follow us on Instagram, you saw that last weekend we took the kids strawberry picking.  This was our first time and it won’t be our last.  We have now been spoiled with the ripest, sweetest berries we’ve ever eaten.  Unfortunately, after picking, the berries only last about 3 days.  So, I have a bunch of strawberry recipes bookmarked to make but we ended up eating all of the berries we picked.

2.  China Town in New York City – Sunday we took the kids down to New York City and did our own eating tour of China Town.  We had some really amazing eats ending with this cup of Pineapple and Maple Bacon ice cream from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.

3. Favorite Bookmarked Recipe of the week:  These Grilled Coconut and Pineapple Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos from blog Closet Cooking.  I have made several recipes from Closet Cooking and they’ve all been great.  These tacos look awesome!

4. Trivia Pursuit Junior – My kids have been really into playing games (and having me play with them) and this has been the recent game of choice.  They don’t like that I can answer all the questions (I would hope I’d be able to answer them!) so now they ask me cards from a Disney Trivia Pursuit game that we have that are ridiculously hard…and this way they end up winning!

5. Favorite book:  This week I finished Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen.  It’s been awhile since I’ve read any of her stuff, but I’m glad I picked this one up from the library.  She has written several other Young Adult fiction books, and captures the teenage experience so well.  I recommend this book, which was just released last month.

Hope you all have a great weekend!  Linking up with Andrea @ Momfessionals, Tif @ Bright On a Budget, Jenni from The Diary of a Real Housewife and Amanda from Meet @ The Barre.