This Week On Tap | July 28

Here we are at the end of the week and nearly the end of the month, and halfway through the summer, and… the year.  Given than this January in Boston lasted 45 years, I’m praying summer slows down just a bit.  We are enjoying the sunniest, warmest stretch here on the Cape… and I’ve got the freckles + sandy floors to prove it.

THIS WEEK ON TAP | JULY 28

MEALS

• Chopped Greek salad
• Caprese salad (with heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market)
• Entire pints of blueberries (not a meal… but worth mentioning)
• Corn and tomato salad with black beans

Clearly the theme here is effortless summer food.  In truth, I was extra snacky this week for some reason (everything felt a bit off this week… can I blame last night’s lunar eclipse/full moon?)– so my goal for next week is to stick with my intended menu plan and get that meal prep done.  

Speaking of snacks… Grace has been really into cooking videos lately (there is a cooking for kids series that she watches on her kindle), and was super excited to “do some recipes” with me at the start of the week.  We made the following together:

• Banana + strawberry ice cream from Nom Nom Paleo (I froze it in these awesome pint containers I found at Homegoods)
• Flourless peanut butter chocolate chip mini blender muffins from Averie Cooks
• Oatmeal green smoothie muffins from the Natural Nurturer 

WORKOUTS

• 4 Peloton rides (aka basement spin with an audience of spiders): 30 minute 80s pop ride//Denis Morton, 30 minute pop ride//Cody Rigsby, 30 minute 80s ride//Hannah Marie Corbin, 20 minute pop ride//Cody Rigsby
• 3 Peloton “off the mat” workouts (10 minute abs + 5 minute full body stretch)
• Mama Beasts summer challenge tabata workout, planks + mileage — I love this summer challenge.  It keeps me motivated/accountable when I’m away from class for the summer.  And speaking of classes, there is a new session starting in Milton this fall!  I’m happy to drive to West Roxbury for class (Dedham in the winter), but I’m excited to have an option that’s a little closer to Southie.  Check out the website for details — there are a bunch of locations now, and I pretty much think every Massachusetts mom should join.
• 1 very legit nature hike with the whole family: we’ve had some great outdoor adventures this summer, but this is the first time we’ve gone without the running stroller (we have this double, which works great on trails).  We took the Wing Island trail from the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History across the marsh and Quivet Creek to the mudflats.  Both kids did such a great job on the 1.5-ish mile loop, including the sand trek.

READING

I’ve finished a few books so far this summer:

• The Nightingale — loved (I had started it a few years ago but, um, lost my copy and then found it in an overnight bag)
• The Alice Network — wanted to love… but didn’t, likely because it wasn’t The Nightingale 
• American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land — so good

…and now I need something lighter… so I’m planning to start When Life Gives You Lululemons tonight.

WATCHING

• Last Chance U on Netflix (one of my favorite Netflix originals)

LISTENING TO

• The Happy Folk playlist on Spotify
• The usual podcasts
• And lots of whining (…let’s be honest)

WORKING ON 

• Our bucket list (or August fun list) for the second half of the summer
• A to do list (or Friday semi-fun list) for a quick day trip back to the city
• A better system for summer laundry (right now I don’t really have a system… I just do sixteen loads of laundry a day, dump each on to our guest bed, reach in to the abyss and hope to fish out a bathing suit)

CURRENT FAVORITES

I made a couple purchases during Amazon Prime Day + the Target one day sale, but nothing too wild.  I’ve been eyeing the Instant Pot for a while, but ultimately bought the Crock Pot version… mostly because it’s non-stick and I am non-motivated to scrub things.  I stocked up on my favorite hair mask and shampoo, as well as a few pots for our deck. 

I also grabbed my favorite tee shirt dress on major sale (it was $10 at the time) — I’ve been wearing these dresses literally daily (in black and stripes).  And last, but not least, some BeautyCounter sunscreen, lip gloss, and mascara (I’m forgoing lash extensions this summer, what with the salt water, sweat, sunscreen and all…).  Did you have any great finds during the mid-summer sales? 

Alright… time for a snack.  Or an entire meal of food.

Also On Tap for Today:

• Solo time with Grace at the beach (and we got to see Robyn + her adorable family!)
• Cleaning up after a fun + messy weekend
• Consulting The Kitchn’s Next Week’s Meal Plan for inspiration

What are your favorite Instant Pot recipes?  And what are you looking forward to this week?