Friday Favorites - Denial

I'm starting off today's post with this picture because 1.) it's beautiful and 2.) I'm in (forced) denial.

You guys.
There's only three weekends of summer left.
I'd like to slap the person who is the bearer of such bad news but since that person is me I'm gonna do my best to restrain myself.
Oh, nevermind.

Nick Miller, I love you. 

I've spent the past week with the kids and the cats here at the happy place, and while I'll admit I'm having a hard time staying present in the moment and not being depressed about the impending ending of my time here (I have a problem, I realize), I'm telling myself it's only July 4th and so I've managed to stay in the moment and collect a few favorites to share.
It's been tough, but I've managed.
Shut up.


1.  Ramen Salad -
A couple of summers ago I was at a friend's backyard BBQ and she served this salad that I instantly deemed "trough-worthy" — as in, "scoop it up by the shovel and into your piggy pie-hole" kinda eatin'.
She'd bought it at the local gourmet grocery store in town and over the past two years I've bought it maybe twice when they've had it in stock at their deli.
And then last week I found it >>HERE<< on Pinterest.

It's ridiculously easy to prepare...and ridiculously easy to consume by the bucket.
The key is to make it the night before you plan to eat it — so, yeah, preparation and some planning need to happen, which I totally understand may make you strike this one from your list....but if you remember what kind of a cook I am, it might make your decision easy.

Again, since I didn't come up with the recipe and I'm not a stealer (or if you prefer the more literate term, thief) , go to THIS SITE for all the deets.

And if you want to follow my "summer dinners" Pinterest board with other easy salads and easy grilling ideas (eventhoughsummerispracticallyovershutupnevermind) , click >>HERE<<


2.  Orange Is The New Black -
A year or so ago I read this book and loved it:

And about a month ago I started hearing a lot of buzz about a new Netflix show with the same title that people could not get enough of.

I totally didn't make the connection.

Doh.

And then I did and I was all, "OMG I loved that book - we should totally watch this show!"

So this week Husband and I gave it a try, and although we're only two episodes in and now that I remember that I totally know how it's gonna end, we (I) love it. 

It's funny and shocking and scary (in a holy-hell-I-don't-ever-want-to-go-to-prison kinda way). 

And it's got that so-funny-he-becomes-cute boy from American Pie with the pubic hair for hair. 

Oh, and something for you (me) to file in the 'good to know' drawer:

If I were ever to be incarcerated, I'd be killed for sure in the first week — either by my own hand or someone else's. 

But I do look decent in orange, so at least I'd look good when I died. 

If you have Netflix, check it out.

At least check out that clip above so you understand why it was included in the favorites. 

3. A Hundred Summers - 

Wednesday I told you about a book I read in ONE DAY that you should totally read.

After I read it on Sunday, I had nothing to read.

So I watched a few episodes of Felicity (season 3) before bed instead and stayed up way too late (in related news for Felicity fans; BEN BUGS THE CRAP OUT OF ME). 

Yesterday I utilized the "Recommended for you!" tab on my Kindle app and downloaded the sample of this book:

and I was hooked.

I'm only about 50 pages into it, but it's a fun and beachy and summery kind of read (eventhoughsummerisalmostover) that takes place in the 1930's on the east coast.

50 pages in and a favorite?

Yeah...it's a slow week.

4. Paddle Boarding -

Tried it for the first time on the lake this week and loved it.

It's not nearly as hard to stand -- and stay -- up as I'd always thought.
Of course it helped that it was mid-week and that the lake was empty and calm, but I'm convinced I could one day tackle the big waves in the ocean.

Nah, think I'll stick to my little lake.

It's a pretty perfect place for all of us to play.

Oh, and that picture right there of my lake girls?
One of my new favorites from this summer.


*Things That Happened Around The Blog This Week*

Monday I wrote about Costco's disgusting chicken bakes and posted this list of things you only need to experience once in your lifetime.

I got a lot of good additions in the comments, like camping, drinking Everclear, home perms and KFC.
There's gonna be a follow up list soon (probably), so if you want your idea included, get your buns over to the post and leave a comment.

Over on Facebook, I was telling my friends how my 12 yo will be making a super first impression in a few weeks (blog post coming soon)--

and about why I became a (brief) sprinter --

And Twitter?

Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I suck at Twitter. 

That's gonna do it for this Friday, my friends.

If you need me, I'll be the one in the Fourth of July shirt planning what to do with all the summer days still ahead.

Sigh. 

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