Homemade Pizza. We’ve had some friends over for dinner these past couple weeks, and my go-to has been homemade pizza. I made a prosciutto and caramelized onions pizza, and a mushroom one. The mushroom one is a new recipe I tried out. I used shiitake and bella mushrooms, made a light chili garlic oil for sauce, used mozzarella and havarti cheese, and loaded it up with lots of herbs. Ben and I both really liked it, so I think this pizza will be added to our go-to pizza recipes. For dough, this is the recipe I always use.

Vietnamese Pork and Rice Noodles. We love this recipe! In fact, we ate it for 3 days straight. It has a nice balance, since we use a lean meat and throw in a lot of vegetables. We have ours with swiss chard from our garden.

Week of 6/29 – 7/3
Monday: Easy Pasta
Tuesday: Korean Tacos
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Fish Tacos
Friday: Tilapia Ceviche

It will be weird only cooking for 2 kids this week. I have a feeling this week’s menu might change.

This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…

Ben and I dropped off our biggest gals in Texas. They will be staying with their Grandmama (Ben’s mom) for a month, and while we will miss them like crazy, we are excited for the memories they will create with her. I’ve seen her all the activities she plans on doing with them, and they will be completely engaged and loving it. They will learn calligraphy, crocheting, and beading, just to name a few. They promised to write us lots of letters, so I look forward to receiving them!

“You Can’t Serve God and Entertainment” was rebuke to my heart.

Listened to this sermon on repeat this week. I want joy and want to be satisfied by the cross alone. Everything I do to try and fill the hole will leave me empty and only wanting more. #onlyJesussatisfies

I want to make the girls a playhouse like this.

I don’t know why I have never thought about making peanut butter chocolate waffles. I plan on making some soon because it sounds so delicious!

I’m thankful for truth in scripture that renews my heart and transforms my mind.

We had some good conversations with our oldest gals this week. I’m thankful for moments we can share grace and gospel with them, and point them to love Jesus above all.

I did end up sewing myself a black dress like this with black linen (there’s not as much drape, but I’m still happy with the result). I’m thankful for being able to sneak in some restful sewing time.

Our tomato plans are growing like crazy, I think this might be a good tomato year. Anyone else experiencing the same?

Happy weekends friends!

Wonton Soup. I had chicken broth from making chicken enchiladas the week before, so I made soup with it. Since I discovered how easy it is to make wontons, I made those and threw it in, along with some chard and kale we have in our garden.

Week of 6/15 – 6/19
Monday: Pizza
Tuesday: White Bean with Spinach and Sausage
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Grilled Pork and Rice Noodles
Friday: Tilapia Ceviche

This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…

We survived another year of homeschooling… hooray!

We got more steel I-beams put into the backyard this week and I’m really excited to see all our garden plans come together.

Can’t wait to tackle the next thing on our garden to-do list… put pea gravel in. I want to set up a little area like this on the side where the pea gravel will go.

I ordered these lace-up sandals, but couldn’t decide which color, so I ordered all 3 colors to try on. The problem is I love the sandal and all 3 colors! Now, I’m trying to decide which one to keep.

I’m in the mood to make baked chocolate cake doughnuts.

I want to buy some black linen fabric and make an easy dress like this.

The weekender bag I’ve used since college (and traveled throughout Europe with me), finally bit the dust and now I’m looking for a replacement. I like this one for its price point, but I love this one.

“When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned,” was a post my heart needed to hear.

When our neighbor dropped of these peaches, it reminded me of how much more intentional and grace giving I ought to be, and I can do so because grace was first given to me through the cross of Jesus.

Happy weekend friends!

This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…

I got rid of my blonde ombre, and since my sister wanted to ease me back into the dark-haired club, she did an ashy-brown. Soul said, “Mommy, you don’t look like you anymore. I like the yellow hair.”

Strawberry Caprese with Pistachio Pesto looks like the perfect thing to snack on once that summer heat sets in.

I think this space is gorgeous!

I love the embroidery on this dress.

This 1930’s toddler dress is absolutely sweet.

We have some summer plans, but nothing major going on unlike last summer when we went to Singapore and Williamsburg. We have lots of garden things we are working on, so that’s where we are putting our pennies towards right now.

Thankful for how God uses my daughters to teach me grace and the gospel. Grace and gospel is the most important thing I can ever teach them, but it seems that the teaching and learning is a two way street between children and parents.

I have lots of things on my current prayer list, and there are some things God has said no to, but there are other things that are being answered. It’s always in His time, isn’t it?!

This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…

I’m so happy my baby sister is finally home! I’ve been so blessed by seeing her love for the gospel increase, and there’s been a heck of a lot of family time this week. I even slept over one night (with the girls), so I can wake up my sister the way I used to in the good ol’ days! She wrote this letter to herself, and again, my heart is deeply encouraged by how my sister has grown in her knowledge of grace and the gospel. There is much to be learned from her.

Last Saturday’s #dancingman party with the Dance Free Movement was so freakin’ fun! I could have danced the whole night away, but we had 4 children to pick up and get to bed, so we called it quits at 10:30pm (we got to bed at 12:30am, so that’s pretty wild in our book).

I’m so excited about this colorful basket bell toys my sister brought home for me from Nicaragua!

Love this jumpsuit, but hate the slit in the back.  Argh!

I’d like to make this burger. It’s a simple recipe, but it seems the addition of fish sauce may add some depth to it.

Ben ordered me Saturate by Jeff Vanderstelt. He’s listening to the audio version, and he knows I still love having the actual book in my hand.

This Instagram post by Jess Connolly really resonated with my heart… “This is it. This is life. One shot. To worship and love and laugh and be poured out for the Kingdom.”

I think vintage 1970’s necklace is pretty.

The two big girls had their second piano recital for the year and they nailed their pieces. They have a theatre performance this week, and we are almost at the end of the school year and ready to chill out for a bit.

Thankful for the reminder that God loves me with no strings attached. I need to remember to respond with grace when my children mess up, just as God does the same with me.