Hello! Happy Friday!

I really hoped to finish a project this week, but it’s May, and if you have kids in school, you know what that means. Our days are full – Mother’s Day classroom celebrations and meetings and baseball practices and sign-ups for new activities – all great, wonderful, fun things that are important to soak in and enjoy and not worry about what’s NOT getting done on the to-do list. The busyness is a reminder to me to stop, be present, and appreciate what’s happening in THIS moment, not wishing away the moment for something else. This is a lesson I seem to have to learn over and over again.

Here are five things on my mind this week:

1. Salad lunches. I promise, this is not becoming a food blog, but I keep finding recipes that are game-changers. (See nachos recipe here and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies here.) Like our Friday Night Nachos, this could be filed under “Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink”. I started these salad lunches because I am addicted to Trader Joe’s Harvest Salad and went in search of a way to recreate it at home. I found this copycat recipe and improvised. Now I make a giant salad out of whatever I can find in the fridge – baby carrots, leftover green beans, corn, green onions – plus the addition of some protein – hard boiled eggs, rinsed and drained canned beans, leftover bacon, small cubes of white cheddar – dumped on a big pile of spinach or mixed greens.

The dressing is key. When I made it the first time, it was really thick, so I added water. The second time I made it, I realized I had forgotten to add the rice vinegar the first time. I didn’t like it as well, so I went back to my first “oops” version.

Here’s my take on the Creamy Dijon dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons mayonaisse
• 2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• dash of turmeric

Blend all ingredients, then add a tablespoon or two of water to thin to desired consistency. Enjoy!

2.This quote. A sweet friend gave me this card several years ago, and I recently uncovered it. It’s hanging by my workspace as a reminder and encourager: “Every single day, do something that makes your heart sing.” -Marcia Weider

3. This house tour from A Cup of Jo. You know, I’m always up for a good house tour, but I love the ones Joanna does because of the stories behind the houses, the thoughts of the homeowners, the inspiration that always comes from them. This one had me nodding along with the similarities of our life right now – the puttering around before the kids get up, the talk about the treehouse, even the chest that serves as a coffee table (ours belonged to my Appalachian Mammaw and was given to me just before Husband and I got married). And I loved the quote by the homeowners’ daughter about French patisseries: “They make things beautiful not just for marketing, but because it’s what should be done.”

4. Coffee meditation. Sounds like a great way to start (restart?) meditating.

5. These never get old. Every time, my face hurts from smiling so much. This one was super fun.

What are you up to this weekend? We’ve got baseball and birthday parties and, oh yeah, it’s Mother’s Day! (BG has talked about a tea party/brunch ever since last year’s, and I heard whispers around the dinner table last night. Can’t wait!) Also, my bedside book stack is getting out of control, so I’m hoping to get some good reading time in as well. Hope your weekend is full of good laughs, yummy food, and delicious rest. Thanks for reading!