5 on Friday!

I have been completely MIA lately.  We traveled to Mississippi for two weeks (just got back Wednesday night) and have been trying to soak up every minute of summer.  So here's what's up this week:

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Already, I am LOVING this 5 year old age.  Jack is hilarious and witty, polite and (mostly) obedient.  He has been a joy.  And traveling with him?  So good!  I would say that the only times I had to correct him were because I couldn't watch Gil (who was not fun to travel with) and help him with whatever he wanted at the moment.  Other than that, he was great!

I snapped this picture at the Atlanta airport during our layover.  Chewbacca book bag? Check! Tintin book? Check!  So of course, this calls for laying on the airport floor to get some reading in.

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Our summer CSA from Intervale Community Farm has been incredible!  This week, we got lots of flowers, two basil plants, parsley sprigs, scallions, onions, lettuce (mixed greens and a head of romaine), squash and zucchini, chard, unlimited green beans, and tomatoes.  Local, organic produce for $17?  That's a great deal!

I've already got basil growing like crazy on my back porch, so I decided to make a big batch of pesto.  I shared this on instagram, but when I make pesto, I freeze it in this silicon mini muffin pan.  When it's frozen all the way, I pop it out and throw it in a freezer bag.  We use it all winter long for pizza, chicken, and pasta.

I'm quite partial to Ina Garten's pesto recipe.  I don't add walnuts, so I just double the amount of pine nuts.

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Thursday night, we went to our first Summervale of the year.  It started back up two weeks ago but we were gone.  Summer vale is down the street from our CSA pickup.  It's a community event with live music and food vendors, plus a face painter.  The kids can run around and I can drink Citizen Cider with friends.  Win win.

Is anyone surprised that Jack is Harry Potter, yet again?

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I took these pictures a few weeks ago but haven't shared them yet.  For Christmas, my grandparents gave the boys a pass to Shelburne Museum.  We went for the first time on Jack's birthday, and we are obsessed!  We've already been three times and I think we are heading there again tomorrow morning.

We always end up spending lots of time at the Owl Cottage.  It has crafts for the kids, lots of toys, and dress up!  Jack looks like a member of the Hamilton cast here.  

Gil wanted to get in on the dress up action too.

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I turned 31 at the beginning of this month.  I decided that for my birthday I wanted to pick strawberries and eat wood fired pizza with some friends.  It ended up being a perfect afternoon/night.

We went to Norris Berry Farm in Monkton for strawberries and Folino's for pizza.

So that's what we've been up to in Vermont.  I just uploaded lots of Mississippi pictures so I will post on that soon!

Aslan is on the move...

It is officially spring here (and has been for a few weeks) and it is GLORIOUS!  

I love snow, I really do.  Perhaps more than most people.  But toward the end of winter, when I see the snow start to melt and the green poke through, I always say out loud, "Aslan is on the move!"  

(No, I don't have a C. S. Lewis obsession...why do you ask?)

One of the biggest differences I have noticed between the North and the South is how excited northerners are for Spring and Summer.  Yes, southerners are excited about summer break, the beach, all of that.  But southerners can be outside for extended periods of time in the winter.  And southern summers are SO hot. 

Up north, winters can be brutal, but late spring and summer are absolutely wonderful.  Sometimes we will have days mid summer that are in the 90's, but usually it stays in the 70's and 80's.  And since everyone is so tired of being cooped up all winter, they spend all spring and summer outside!

We are taking advantage of the beautiful weather.  State College has some ah-mazing parks around the town, and we like to hit them up often.  Plus, we have a great little backyard in graduate housing that we share with other families with young children.  We have been eating dinner outside most nights, sitting out on the picnic table late talking to friends, and just soaking up the beautiful days!

Here is Gil with his best friend, Theo.  They don't actually know that they are best friends (yet), but his family is moving to southern Vermont, so we will keep the friendship alive!

Uncle Hunter (Bech's little brother) stopped by during his move from NYC to Mississippi a couple of weeks ago.  I sent him outside with Jackie-boy to enjoy the weather.

Gil does a lot of blanket sitting while Jack runs around.  Which means that I do a lot of pulling mulch, grass, and dandelions out of his little baby hands!

Another one of Gil's friends, Charlie.  Charlie needs to teach Gil a thing or two about smiling for the camera, because he has got it down!  We are at a local park that is only a few blocks away from our apartment and has quickly become one of our favorites.

Gil is a fan of the swing!

Jack got to take the class stuffed animal home last night.  It's a kangaroo named Joey, whom Jack insists is a girl and keeps calling "Josie."  Most days, after I pick Jack up from school, we hang out here in our little backyard, Gil on the blanket and Jack running around playing.

Ah, it's Pirate Jack.  This is actually a mix of a pirate and Peter Pan.  Jack has decided that this shirt (a screen printed "Everything is Awesome" shirt from one of Bech's students) and these blue and green striped shorts are his official Peter Pan outfit.  I know, there are easy patterns for a real Peter Pan costume, and I plan on making one soon.  But for now, this outfit makes him so happy.  

Also, that face.  He is one little wild man.

We had a cookout with friends two weekends ago and one of the girls snapped this picture of the kids table.  I love these little boys so much!  

I plan on soaking up every bit of outdoor fun time in State College this summer--visiting all of the parks, swimming in the pool, eating Rita's Italian Ice, and sitting outside with food and drinks and friends.  As excited as we are about our next chapter in Burlington, we do love this little community we have found in State College.

July Favorites

Y'all know I can't turn down an excuse to make a list.  

Side note, Bech watched Say Anything the other day on Netflix.  I mentioned how one of the actresses was also on High Fidelity.  He said he has never seen it!  Seriously.  I was obsessed with that movie in high school.  John Cusack and list making all rolled into one movie?  Perfection.  I will be remedying this travesty soon.

Anyway, I'm linking up with the above blogs for my favorite July things:

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I love Too Faced Snow Bunny Bronzer.  This is the perfect summer bronzer for those of us who are tan challenged.  I'm basically just reflecting the sun right now, I'm so white.

I have been using this from an old Too Faced palette of my little sisters, but I just ordered a full size one off of the Too Faced website.  I even got it for 20% off (try Pretty20 for a coupon code).

I've also used Pink Leopard, which is great for paler girls too.  No experience with their other bronzers, but I bet they are great too!

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Rita's!

Sure, this is no Snowhaven snow cone.  But you know what?  It's a pretty good substitute.  And summer and being pregnant are both great excuses to eat Rita's!

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Fresh Fruit!

Finally, I am craving something healthy.  There is so much fresh fruit in the grocery stores right now, and I am loving it.  I am eating it plain, with yogurt and granola, and in smoothies.  Smoothies are my favorite, because Jack loves them (he's pretty funny about texture and doesn't love to eat lots of fruit just plain).

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Hart of Dixie

I know...this isn't necessarily July specific.  But I am just now really watching it.  And, since it's set in the sweltering South, it seems like a perfect summer show.  

Y'all, I LOVE this show.  It is cute and silly--perfect for me right now!  Any other Hart of Dixie fans out there?

What are y'all loving this July?