Currently: July 2015

Jupiter and Venus Align // June 30, 2015

It's been one of the hottest Junes ever and yet this month kind of went by without all of the regular festivities. My brother and sister are finishing up school, so we haven't done a lot of the extra fun stuff just yet. Last night, we went outside to admire the night sky and to witness Jupiter and Venus lining up. Did you see them?

My Dad's birthday was a hit with ribs, beans, broccoli salad, cornbread, and crockpot mac and cheese. Our Father's Day cook out was easy and a good day for all. We grilled hamburgers and I "made" BBQ beans and watermelon. Julie brought along potato salad and ice cream bars too. The sweet tea has been in steady supply, as always.

My brother has been taking driver's ed and is quickly improving! One day after class, we went into a little thrift shop that was HEAPED with stuff. We found two games that I've been looking for (Mille Bornes and Backgammon) and one that I didn't know I needed (Mise en Place which is a cooking trivia game) - for a total of $5!

They'll be finishing up school in another week or so and then summer will hit us in FULL force! Until then, you'll find me puttering around in my garden, reading a book, or cleaning something during the early evening hours. All of sudden it's July and time to link up with Jenna and Anne to talk about what I'm currently...

Craving: Fruit: salad, trays, salsa, smoothies, everything! Do you have a fruit salsa recipe you love? Also, these Italian Ices which are wonderful! We picked them up at Wal-Mart, just so you know. :) 

Grilling: Pork Burgers, Rib Steak, Top Sirloin ( I only used the steak portion of this recipe, plus I rubbed one side of the steaks with minced garlic), and T-Bone Steak. This grilling guide has been a huge help.

What I've learned so far is that for almost every food, you need to give the grill 12-15 minutes to heat up to 450-550 degrees. Once it's ready, you stick your meat on and in the case of steaks, pull them off before you think they're done (within 6-8 minutes for most cuts). I'm learning!

Listening: I've been studying Galatians this way and listening to John Piper's sermon series on it after I've studied each section.

Planning: A little vacation for July...So far, I've got a coffee shop, a Greek place, and a pizza place that I want to go to. Maybe I should start thinking about something other than food?!? :)

Decorating: I pulled out the summer decorations a few weeks ago! Now, I'm adding fresh cut flowers every now and then. Thanks to Jenna, I know how to keep them looking fresh.

What are you currently craving, grilling, listening to, planning, and decorating?