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Currently #42

June, where have you gone?! I can’t believe we are at the end of another month. There were certain times that this month felt slow and sweet and then I blinked, and I was planning things for July. These past 30 days have been filled with lots of walks, books, grilling, sunshine, and summer adventures. I have been making my way through my summer bucket list and doing more things that weren’t on the list. As we prepare to flip the calendar. Here’s a look at what’s Currently going on in my life.

What I’ve Been Up To: Through the entire month of June, I have been marking things off my summer bucket list. From day trips, to picnics, walks and time outdoors, I have done a lot. 

This month, I made a trip to Columbus, where I went to the zoo and state park for grilling and a beach day. 

Columbus Zoo!
More animals- I loved the polar bears!
And gorillas!
And finished the day at the beach!

I also enjoyed playing mini golf and trying a new to me pizza shop and park for a walk.

Pizza in the park!

Picking strawberries was on my summer bucket list and I accomplished that and made seven jars of jam in addition to lots of fresh berries to eat.

Strawberry picking day!
Our haul!
Some of the end results!
And strawberry shortcake too!

Another big highlight of the month was my birthday present from my boyfriend, more on that in the coming weeks!

Here’s a tease for where I went…

I rounded out the month with a trip to the beach to visit family and it was so good to see relatives and get some time by the water.

The shores of New Jersey!
The boardwalk!

What I’m Wearing: Besides your typical shorts and graphic t-shirts on days off, I did a big summer clothing haul at the start of summer and have been wearing new pieces to work. Lots of bright colors and patterns, plus quality clothing coming your way too.

One of my new dresses. I have been wearing lots of pink!

I also have been wearing lots of short sets too! Like this one!

 

What I’m Reading: I got a lot of books for my birthday and have been slowly making my way through them.

I started this month with Best Served Hot. I saw this book on display at the library and was immediately drawn in by the plot and checked all the boxes for a good read! Rom-com, takes place in a big city, and talks about food! The story follows a food critique and a food influencer as they try out different restaurants in NYC, first as competitors and then on a collaborators. The best and dare I say, worst part of the book was the details of all the foods they were tasting. The description was so vivid, which just made me hungry while I was reading.

I also read Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng. I really enjoyed her book, Little Fires Everywhere and I was excited to read this book. I will admit, it was a heavier novel, but I learned so much about the Asian American culture and customs. It’s all about the lengths a mother will go to protect her family while doing what she thinks is right. Themes of unconditional love, sacrifice and coming of age are found throughout the book.

I also read Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. This book takes a scientific approach to productivity and time management. I am all about maximizing my time and being as efficient as possible. This book was more research based and didn’t have as many tips or advice about management, but I still found it interesting. I appreciated how the book focused on time management through history and ways we can be make the most of our time on Earth.

What I’m Watching: I haven’t been watching too much tv as I have been doing my best to be outdoors as much as possible. I have watched some good family movies, like Air and A Man Called Otto.

Family movie night!

I also finished the series, Ted Lasso which was really good. I think the series wrapped up very nicely and I like how everyone’s storylines had closure. It was such a fun show to binge and watch week to too.

I also watched The Night Agent on Netflix. This was only ten episodes, with which episode lasting about 45 minutes. It was a mix mystery, intrigue, action, drama, and thriller, those are all good things I’m looking for in a series. I would recommend it if you were looking for a new show to binge watch.

The new season of Outlander is back! I have been making my way through season seven every week when their episodes air. 

Outlander is back!

And Just Like That Season 2. The girls are back with And Just Like That! I really enjoyed season one and have been enjoying what season has brought. It’s also been a fun show to watch weekly. 

What Inspires Me: I’ve been so inspired by summer fun! From outdoor meals, walks, trying new recipes and celebrating milestones.

Walks by the water

I also have been getting my runs in weekly and have enjoyed feeling stronger with each run I go on.

My longest run!
Delicious summer meals!
Picnics by the shore

What I Accomplished: This past month has been all about welcoming summer and really trying to be present in the moment.

Summer grilling and salad

I’m always trying to find time to sneak in time outdoors, whether it’s visiting a bit longer outside after a meal, reading outdoors instead of inside or finding time to go for a quick walk. 

Slow mornings reading outdoors.

Goals from Last Month: I kicked off my summer bucket and have been proud of the progress I’ve made so far which has been a win.

Enjoying all the fresh foods!

Goals for Next Month: Keep enjoying summer! I know it may not seem like much, but I really am trying hard to be present in the moment and soak up the sun, go swimming, grill, go on picnics, and make memories!

More grilling nights with lots of salads and fruits!
And more fresh salads (do you sense a trend here?)

The older I get the more I know how sacred family time is, so I’m doing my best to spend as much time with family as I can!

The beach all quiet in the morning.

I also have a concert planned and plans to visit friends! I’m looking forward to seeing those plans through. Plus, a lot of our local fairs and festivals gets underway in July so I’m looking forward to checking those out too!

Ending June with ice cream.

That’s a look into what’s Currently going on. A whole lot of summer lovin!  How have you been spending your summer? Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Fabulous living

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! 

I don’t know about you but I LOVE a good recipe to kick off my week. Back by popular demand I will be having more of my favorite foods on the blog in the next coming months. This summer my go to order whenever I was out was seafood tacos, whether it was fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or even lobster tacos…I loved mixing my two favorite foods of seafood and tacos together! After I ate and tried A LOT of tacos this summer, I decided to make up my own version of shrimp tacos.

This is a light and flavorful meal, that can be assembled in less than 15 minutes depending on the prep. It was perfect for summer but still could be enjoyed in the early fall or even late spring. Plus, making this recipe now reminds me of the carefree days of summer!

Here’s what you need:

White flour tortilla shells

Grilled shrimp (for extra flavor)

Salsa (I love the peach salsa for something extra fruity)

*Lettuce

*Tomato

*Cheese

*Sour cream

*Guacamole 

*all of these are optional for extra flavor

Homemade Shrimp Tacos

To Prepare:

To begin you need to prepare your shrimp. I typically buy a frozen bag of shrimp and use it when I need it for a recipe. I begin to thaw it the night before I need it, then in the morning I boil them in a pot full of water with sea salt until they turn a light pink, typically between 12-15 minutes, once they are cooked to my liking, I drain the water and rinse them with cold water before storing them in the fridge with a few fresh cut lemons for flavor. 

Now, if you prefer to just have shrimp that’s not grilled you can begin to assemble your tacos, but I personally like extra flavor, so I remove the shrimp from the fridge and season it with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. I mix in a bowl with shrimp and olive oil.  Then begin to grill them for a few minutes into the are golden brown.

Once they are done on the grill, it’s time to assemble the tacos. I personally like a few pieces of shrimp, peach salsa, and a pinch of cheese. 

Who doesn’t love a flavorful taco?!

If you want a healthier version, ditch the tortilla and make a shrimp salad with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and shrimp. 

In retrospect, I should not have been writing this post when I am craving shrimp tacos and can’t make them at the moment. But, if you are a seafood lover or loves to try new tacos then this is the recipe for you!

What’s your favorite meal that’s fast and easy?