Today: The Weekend According to Instagram 34

I can’t help but think this beautiful stretch of weather we’re having in Boston is reward for the winter that nearly did us all in.  We certainly earned our beach days this year.  Here’s how we spent some of that sunshine this weekend.

The Weekend According to Instagram 34

1. Technically… this was from this morning.  Also true: The days sort of blend together now that I’m at home.  Bootcamp was canceled this morning, so Grace and I logged a few miles at Castle Island.  Boats, puppies and old people are our jam.
2. We’ve been living out of a beach bag lately.  I’ll share a few of our essentials later this week, but I wanted to be sure to share a little offer from the lovely folks at Block Island Organics.  Use the code ‘elizabeth’ to save 15% on their site this week.  With so many options available for sunscreen and sunblock, I’ve been making an extra effort this summer to make better choices for me and our family.  To learn more about sun safety and how to choose the best sunscreen for you, I recommend checking out their Smart Suncare section. [P.S. I can’t type “Block Island Organics” without singing the Sail away on the Block Island Ferry jingle…]
   
3. Fresh mozzarella + summer tomatoes + basil from the deck = Every, single meal.
4. Nick has been giving our usual green juice a summer kick by topping each jar off with coconut water.  It’s really, really good (go do it).
5. Speaking of drinks, I was super excited (and yes… this is the kind of thing that excites me these days) to find Crescent Ridge milk at Whole Foods Market in the South End this weekend.  Growing up, we had Crescent Ridge delivered to our house each week.  The milk man would leave the same glass bottles in a refrigerator box outside our house.  Oh and for the record: I am 33, not 103… and grew up in a suburb outside the city, not in a little house on the prairie.  I promise this sort of thing really did (and still does, I think?) happen.  Regardless, I had my Sunday morning chai latte with a little Crescent Ridge and a trip down memory lane.  Also: I love those glass bottles.
6. This little lady is my heart in a hat.
7. My younger brother (and one of Grace’s four favorite uncles) celebrated his birthday this weekend.  We love you, little buddy!
8. You can see the full (3 second) video on Instagram, but essentially… this is dog jumping into a pool at a competition across the street from our house.  After seeing the tents and stands set up on Friday for the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge, I knew we needed to check it out.  It was super entertaining… and sort of like Best in Show IRL.
9. Our deck herb plants are officially out of control.  We’ve got Italian basil, purple basil, spicy basil, chives, rosemary and lemon thyme to put to good use this week.  I’m starting with a little green goddess dressing and roasted potatoes with thyme.
10. A little nap time project in the works.  I didn’t get much drawing or painting done this week, but have been sneaking in little bouts of creativity when the mood (and 10 minutes) strikes.
11. When there are giant inflatable bunnies in your ‘hood, you visit them.  No questions asked.
12. Same goes for most animals (real or not, in our neighborhood or not).  Grace loves just about anything with four legs, especially all the friendly farm animals at Drumlin Farm.   I swear our Audubon membership was some of the best money I’ve spent.

Needless to say, we are in love with summer.

Also On Tap for Today:

• Kid-Friendly Recipes for a Healthier Summer via the Whole Foods Market blog
• Just when I thought we had successfully toddler-proofed our condo…
• My plant finally grew a tomato!

How would you use an overabundance of fresh herbs?