May was a hot month cram-packed with things to do. Between preschool graduation, traveling to visit family, and lots more activities and events, the month went by very quickly. It pretty much felt like summer, weather-wise, all month, but it’s hard to believe that summer is officially just about here. Here are some of my favorites from the month of May.
 |
| My favorite picture this month – look at that cute face! |
Favorite dinner – Dumping Meatballs with Sesame Green Beans from Dinner a Love Story. We love both dumplings and meatballs around here, so these were a big hit. I made some rice to go along with them, and drizzled the dipping sauce over everything. I did cut back on the green onions, since I’m not a fan of too much onion flavor.
Favorite breakfast – Strawberries and Cream Smoothie Bowl. I’m not a big smoothie person, but for some reason I love smoothie bowls. I think it’s the crunchy toppings that do it for me. I like this one because it’s banana free, which is hard to find in a smoothie bowl. I can’t stand the taste of banana in a smoothie, and there isn’t anything I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot!) that covers it up.
Favorite dessert – bars. Dessert bars are my favorite thing to make for pot lucks or anytime I need a portable dessert. I had a few occasions this month that called for just such a thing. A few of my favorites are Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars, Monster Cookie Bars, and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. Yep, these are all from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. Mel, you’re my hero.
Favorite podcast episode – What Should I Read Next Episode 132: The books we can’t wait to read this summer. Summer is pretty much my favorite time for reading, so listening to two of my favorite readers-extraordinaires, Anne Bogel and Annie Jones (of From the Front Porch podcast), discuss the books they’re excited to dive into this summer made me even more eager to start checking off my summer reading list.
Favorite book – A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. I’ve been meaning to read this book for the last few years, but for whatever reason I never picked it up. I read Beartown last year, and since it was one of my most favorite books of 2017, I made it a priority this year to read Ove. I’m so glad I did; Ove, despite being crabby and unlikeable, really grew on me and I became very attached to him. I love it when I finish a book and miss the characters, and I definitely did with this one.
Favorite picture book – The Littlest Viking by Alexandra Penfold. A little viking, known for being the fiercest and loudest, gets some competition when a warrior princess arrives and she’s even fiercer and louder. I love books that show a positive sibling relationship, and I especially loved how this one was portrayed.
Favorite post on Shea Lennon – Knotted Chambray with Striped Skirt. I really loved this outfit and plan to repeat it quite a bit this summer!
Favorite blog post (elsewhere): Form Over Function at Chic on the Cheap. Not only do I adore Lydia’s pretty spring look, I also loved what she had to say about wearing those “special” pieces rather than saving them for the right occasion, or waiting so long that you never wear them at all.
Favorite wardrobe addition – Gibson Red Floral Top from Trunk Club. I shared my Trunk Club experience and review here, and I’m so happy with this top I kept.
Favorite milestone – Preschool Graduation. I can’t believe my baby is going to kindergarten in the fall. How is that even possible??
Favorite outing – Union Station for the Art of the Brick exhibit. Jona is becoming quite the Lego enthusiast, so we took him to this exhibit that features amazing art by Nathan Sawaya, completely made of Lego bricks. Of course, I’m sure he had the most fun playing with Legos at the end and visiting the gift shop, but we were all wowed by what Sawaya could do with Legos.
Favorite surprise destination – McPherson, Kansas. My grandparents used to live in this small Kansas town, but these days it’s usually just a destination we pass through to get to Hutchinson to visit my in-laws. We decided to go a bit off our usual route to check out a little sandwich shop, and not only was the food delicious (I had the Caprese Hoagie), it was charming as can be. In fact the whole downtown area was adorable and it made me want to go back and visit soon.
Favorite sandwiches – Notorious P. I. G. at Blind Box BBQ and Cali-BLT at Grinders. Why are these lists always dominated by food? I can’t help it, I love to eat, and I ate well in May. We went out for a kid-free dinner for a friend’s birthday last weekend, and I had an outstanding sandwich at a new-to-me Barbecue joint. Piled high with smoked sausage, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and onion straws, this sandwich isn’t a healthy choice. But sometimes, you have to indulge, and I’m so happy I did. Not too long after that I had another sandwich that knocked my socks off, the Cali-BLT at Grinders. What made this sandwich was the candied bacon. Mixed with the chipotle aioli and the fried egg (which you bet I added!) it was a flavor explosion. Man I love food.
