Good morning, and happy Sunday! This week included a driver’s license, a lot of golf, and a sheep show! You’ll find all of the highlights from the past few days, along with each of our dinners, in today’s roundup of Our Week in Meals.
For those of you who are new to the blog, Our Week in Meals is where I share a little bit about what we’ve been up to over the past week — as it relates to our dinners each night. This series gives you a glimpse “behind the scenes” at some highlights from our life, shows you how I balance a busy schedule with feeding my family, and offers a few new ideas for your own weekly meal plan.
Now, let’s back up to last weekend…
Sunday included church, a walk at a nearby park,
soccer in the yard, and catching up on outdoor chores after a week of travel.
Dinner was a favorite around here: homemade Chick-Fil-A nuggets, which we paired with waffle fries and fresh fruit. Plus Polynesian sauce and Chick Fil A sauce for dipping.
Book time! While sitting on long cross-country flights for vacation last week, I finished an epic novel: Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. This is a sweeping, decades-spanning love story that follows two separated lovers through the upheavals of Chinese history, exploring how memory, sacrifice, and enduring devotion shape the course of their lives.
Monday morning started foggy and gray…
By the time I got back from a walk, the sun was shining and the sky was blue. Steamy summer days are here!
I ran errands in town that morning, and spent the afternoon catching up on work at my desk. Meanwhile, Keith took Gibbs to the DMV to get his learner’s permit (!!) and Casey played soccer with friends.
We had my 4-ingredient ravioli casserole for supper,
along with store-bought garlic bread and a green salad dressed in Dijon vinaigrette.
Tuesday morning!
I went for a walk and tested a new recipe in the kitchen, while Gibbs played golf and the others entertained themselves outside.
Keith grilled marinated chicken thighs for supper,
which we served with spaghetti salad,
and roasted yellow squash (I subbed zucchini for the squash).
Ashley and I walked our dogs together on Wednesday morning,
Gibbs played a round of golf after lunch, and I took Casey, Spencer, and Spencer’s friend to play pickleball.
A stop at Tastee Freez for corn dogs and ice cream cones…
The kids had a kickball game at a nearby farm for youth group that evening, so we had an early supper beforehand: Dijon mustard salmon alongside Rice-a-Roni, steamed broccoli, and frozen yeast rolls.
Kickball during the Golden Hour…
I met Mollie for a walk on Thursday morning,
and stopped at Yoder’s for some deli meat and fresh produce. They have great peaches, berries, watermelons, and corn at the moment…
Keith took Spencer to the pool and the older two had weight training that afternoon, so we ate a late supper when the kids were all home: pizza! I made one veggie pizza (my favorite, and a great way to clean out the produce drawer), as well as cheese and Italian sausage pizzas for the boys. A drizzle of hot honey and fresh basil for garnish make it taste like it’s from a restaurant!
I was also working on perfecting my honey mustard dressing recipe, so we had that on the side with a simple green salad. Details coming soon…
I went to Pilates on Friday morning, and then Spencer and Casey joined me for lunch at Qdoba in Charlottesville with my Aunt Barbara.
After Gibbs’ golf lesson that afternoon, we had grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for supper.
Plus a few sides — my grandmother’s easy potato salad recipe, a quick vinegar coleslaw, and sliced watermelon and cherries.
And that brings us to the weekend! Gibbs played a round of golf with a friend, while Casey and I spent all day Saturday over the mountain in Harrisonburg. We were there to watch Khloe and her siblings compete at a sheep show…
They did such a great job, and we learned a ton about show lambs!
Back home in time for a really easy dinner: classic double-decker club sandwiches! Served with chips, cut-up veggies, and Ranch dip…
So there you have it, friends — another week of summer dinners. I hope that you’ve found something new to add to your own table in the days ahead. Thank you for being here, and have a wonderful Father’s Day!
Did you know Blue Bunny makes a soft ice cream? It’s not those little sundaes that are dairy free. The soft ice cream is dairy and comes in a tub like the ice creams. I bought the salted caramel. I thought it was good!
Also… Khole showed a black lamb? How did she do? Sallie had a small flock of lambs when she was little. One of them was black…. she named it Baa Baa…. she showed him in 4H shows.
Good morning! Yes, she was showing a black lamb in that photo (“Raisin”). She has won quite a bit with Raisin already this season, but yesterday placed third. Those lambs are so darn cute!
Wow, the boys are young men now!! Wonderful!
Yes, ma’am! It’s wild to me that it happens so fast!
Thank you Blair! Just wanted to let you know that I look forward to your Week in Meals every Sunday and enjoy your daily post. You’re doing a fantastic job and my husband and I really enjoy your recipes. Looking forward to your cookbook coming out soon too! ❤️
Thank you, Christy! That makes me so happy to hear. I appreciate all of your support on social media, too. Have a great week!
Thank you for all your yummy recipes, beautiful pictures and a sneak peak into your & your family’s life.
I enjoy a quiet Sunday morning reading your post for the week. Seeing I only cook for myself, I do have to cut down some recipes. Either full or partial, I ❤️ them all. God bless you & your family!
Thank you so much, Alysoun! I appreciate you following along with us each week, and I’m so glad that you enjoy the recipes. 🙂
Hi Blair – Learner’s permit? And so it begins. It will be nice to eventually have help in driving places, but then again it’s another step out of the house. And those lambs are adorable!
Have a wonderful week!
I know, it’s crazy! We are definitely looking forward to having a third driver in the house, but I know I’ll be worried when he’s out on his own, too. Bittersweet!
The Learner’s Permit and driving is so stressful isn’t it, but part of them growing up. In some ways, it was so much easier when they were babies and toddlers, I always say.
Yep, fortunately Keith is handling most of the actual driving instruction. 🙂 The challenges are definitely different and often the stakes are higher with these older kiddos, but they sure are a pleasure to be around. I’ll take teenagers over toddlers any day, personally. Hah!
Our family celebrated our first school learner’s permit this week! I enjoy your recipes, book recommendations, beautiful photos, and being able to relate to someone in the same life stage! Thank you and keep up the great work!
Congratulations! How exciting. We’re so glad you’re enjoying the content and appreciate you being here. It’s always nice to connect with others.
Wow! You live in a beautiful place and area super busy gal! Thank you for sharing your life and some delicious recipes.
Thank you for following along, Jean! We hope you enjoy the recipes.