HAPPY FRIDAY, FRIENDS! Depending on what time you’re reading this, odds are we’re ON OUR WAY TO THE BEACH! WAHOOO! After a crazy week of work and baseball, this relaxing time is much needed! To put it mildly, we are EXCITED about a little vaca!
As always, I’m linking up with my girl, Andrea, to share some FAVORITES from my week!
First FAVORITE is THESE BOYS BROUGHT HOME 1ST PLACE in the Gold Bracket! It was a hard fought week but this group BATTLED it out. They went into the championship game without a loss in bracket play. They decided to keep things interesting and lose that game which meant we had to play the SAME TEAM AGAIN {because we didn’t have a loss yet and the other team did}. In game two, we were up 6-2, and let them come back to tie in the last inning. In DOUBLE OVERTIME, we got the WIN!
While it was CRAZY hot and we’d been at the ball field for twelve hours, I wouldn’t trade these kind of days for anything! Tab was out of town for work but got to the first championship game just in time. Poor guy had to watch two games in JEANS!
As we were walking to the car all sweaty and exhausted, Tab said, “We’re running out of these days”. And my heart almost broke!
Some days on the ball field are REALLY hard, and other days all the tough is worth the fight. Proud of this kid! He battled it out this week!
*************************
Check out my FAVORITE pup’s parents! Champ’s parents are expecting another litter this summer and while you guys know I’m a COMPLETE ROOKIE when it comes to all things dog ownership, he’s a FAVORITE in our house. From what I hear he’s a REALLY GOOD dog! {According to neighbors who see him often. In fact, one neighbor wants to get a sibling.}. And other than chewing on one particular chair, he listens and obeys the rules. He’s going to a boarding/training program while we’re out of town and we’re already talking about how much we’ll miss him.
**********************
Friends, this dress is a new FAVORITE! It’s under $35, comes in so many different colors AND the shorts aren’t built in, which means you don’t have to get completely undressed to use the restroom {if you know, you know}. I bought the medium and it’s perfect! I have the navy and both times I’ve worn it to the ball field, I got compliments!
*************************
Another great Amazon find is this new FAVORITE romper! Ebby Lee wouldn’t agree to a pic BUT she got this romper in black and loved it so much we ordered the pink as well. It fits very true to size based on your waist length. Once again, lots of fun colors and a great price!
**********************
Your TURN…I need some HELP PLEASE! On a beach vacation, we’ll do a little mix of eating out and cooking at our house. However, I like the food to be different or extra special so it doesn’t feel like regular food we’d eat at home. Do I overthink this? PROBABLY! But I’m certain some of you guys do the same thing! PLEASE HELP! What do you cook, make, or buy that makes vacation food feel a little extra fun versus making the same…tacos, spaghetti, etc. on vacation? And by the way, there’s nothing wrong with that. When we used to go on a family beach vacation and each family took a night to make dinner for 15-20, I always chose tacos! But since it’s just the six, I think I should make it a little “extra”. Any ideas??
************************
And that’s a wrap on posting in June! Since next week is 4th of July and I’ll be out of town anyway, I’m going to take the week off. Holiday weeks always have lower views here in blog world so I’ll be back on July 8th with some summer fun. You guys have a great week celebrating the USA!
Have the best time away! Enjoy the beach and family!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Thank you!
We spent summers at the beach when my children were growing up. I would always order a big tray of lasagna from Olive Garden or local Italian restaurant. Great for a large crowd and always had leftovers. I also ordered party platters from the deli. I ordered a meat/cheese, fruit and veggie tray. This saved so much time because everything is cut up and ready to eat. Perfect for lunches and snacks. Enjoy your trip!
BRILLIANT!! Thanks so much for sharing!
This is crazy, but when we are on vacation and have a grill, we always make “hobo meals“. For whatever reason, we never make them at home and so it becomes “vacation food“ for us. Other than that, if we are driving, I fill up a cooler with“regular food” that we throw on the grill or in the oven once we get there. I just try really hard not to prep too much while we’re there. I want things premade so I can enjoy my time with my family. With diet restrictions and coordinating everyone/everything, we rarely go out unless it’s (1) pre planned or “spur-of-the-moment” (something looks good, no line, etc).
Have a great week together!!
And congrats on that tournament win – we are Vols so know the heady excitement of a championship right now 🧡
Oh yes! Girl, CONGRATS to you! Don’t tell those Aggies, but we were rooting for you!
I love making a shrimp boil on vacation! It feels very beachy. I make cornbread to go with it, and cut up a watermelon.
DOING IT!! That’s a great idea! Thank you!
Happy Vacation…..we do the same mix when on vacation and I try and change up what I make for dinner for when we cook in. Some of the thing I have done is breakfast for dinner ( eggs, sausage gravy and Biscuits, bacon, homefries), another is we order fried chicken from one of the grocery stories (Publix or Harris Teeter) then we stop at a local farm market and get fresh corn on the cob and watermelon to go with it, and another huge favorite is we make steak or chicken salads Pittsburgh style ( lettuce, tomato, cuke, olives, hard boiled egg and then top with pieces of grilled chicken or grilled steak and then top with some French fries ( this is the Pittsburgh thing…trust me it delicious) and shredded cheese and top with your favorite dressing (Ranch or blue cheese are our favorite)and it’s a match made in heaven.
Have a wonderful and safe vacation
See Amy? That’s what I’m talking about! My kids would get PUMPED about a salad with fries! Thank you!
Buy food that is local to the area. Lots of fresh seafood would be great.
YESSSS!!!
“We’re running out of these days.” STOP IT RIGHT NOW. I immediately got a lump in my throat.
I know! WHY’d he say that?!
Congrats to the boys on 1st place!!
THANK YOU!!
Hi! Go to a fish market and get some local seafood. If you are near Pensacola go to Joe Patties or in Destin Harbor Docks (I think that’s the name). You could do a shrimp broil with shrimp, sausage, corn and new potatoes. Another night we always get steamed shrimp and fresh dips with crackers.
My family can throw down some shrimp! Great idea!
This might be obvious, but a special beach food to cook on vacation is to go to the dock and buy fresh seafood! You can make what you’d make at home, but the experience and knowing it was caught the same day make it special. Another fun thing (anywhere) is to look for soft drinks or snack foods you don’t get where you live and treat them like a dessert. For example, blueberry soda in Maine!
It’s on the menu! Thank you!!
A shrimp boil or fondue night might be fun!
YESSSS!!! Jen! That’s a great idea!
We did a big charcuterie on the countertop for dinner at the beach this year and everyone loved it. we did the regular charcuterie ingredients but included extra little sandwiches and sliders with sauces, too! We also ordered everything for a crab boil from the local seafood store and dumped it all in the middle of the table on butcher paper and everyone sat around it….that was fun, too and we did not have to have reservations anywhere or wait an hour for a table 🙂
LOVE THIS!! Crab boil is on my to do list!
When I am on “vacation” (staying at my sister in law’s house), she makes a lot of buffets (taco/nacho/burger bars) or appetizer spreads. It doesn’t have to be hard, could be as simple as fun charcuterie boards or store bought dips, but just having fun snacks spread out makes it feel more special!
AGREE, Laura! We often do fun snacky boards when we get in from the beach! Everything tastes a little better on vaca!
I heard Tab and Andrew talking yesterday and Andrew hung up and said “Tab had to go to Houston and wear jeans!” and I said “Did he not tell you that he had to go watch two of Bowen’s baseball games in JEANS?”. He was as horrified as I was when you told me. That is a GOOD dad right there! Ha! Happy heading to the beach day! I cannot wait to hear all about it!
FOR REAL! I kept asking him if he wanted to go change but his only option was a pair of used workout clothes. ha!
I know it’s still tacos but how about “walking tacos”? Get individual bags of fritos and doritos and then the usual taco meat and all the fixings. Everyone gets their own bag (or 2 or 3!) and makes their own… Just a fun take on tacos!
LOVE IT, Lisa!!
I love cooking special things when on vacation! If you have a grill where you’ll be staying, grilled homemade pizzas are fun and a big hit with my family. We use the Boboli pizza crusts, which hold up really well on the grill 🙂
Who knew grilled pizzas on vaca are so popular?! Love this idea!
So jealous you are down on 30A!! I have been vacationing there since I was little and all that was there was Grayton and Seaside had just been built! I never cook on vacation other than making beach sandwiches (haha!) but it might be fun to grab all the fixings and pizza dough and your family have a pizza night and throw them on the grill!
Hi Kimberly! We typically don’t cook often but I get tired of eating out! Great idea! Thank you!
If you have access to a gas grill homemade pizza is fun and everyone can make their own. We use the store bought crust at the bakery and everyone picks there own toppings.
What a FUN idea! I never would have thought about it!
One meal we always do on Beach vacations is steamed shrimp from the local Publix. You can buy fresh gulf shrimp and they will steam it with a seasoning of your choice!
Keesha! I’m so glad you suggested this! We’re on our way and Nixon started talking about shrimp! DOING IT! Thank you!