Hello and happy weekend!! What’s on your docket for the next few days? We have a birthday party today, meeting friends for a happy hour tonight, then filling the weekend up with 4 basketball games, a soccer game, a Tae Kwon Do tournament… and a partridge in a pear tree.

Then there is Super Bowl of course. I’m cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs, ahem, I guess they call themselves the Rams, now (go Stafford and Michel). But let’s be honest, I’m mostly there for the snacks and the halftime concert. I know my other millennials feel me on this one…

But before we dive into finishing Hailey’s writing assignment for the week and Kaitlyn’s reading, let me share a few things I’m loving lately…

Playing Hooky & Date Night

As I mentioned, the weather has us all feeling those spring vibes so we played hooky yesterday and went for Finley’s first family hike. We did 3 miles on the Lake Shore Trail and Lake Norman State Park. It’s one of our favorite local trails because it’s easy, with a few small bridges to cross and lake views almost the whole way.

Yesterday evening David and I had a date night to a spot that is quickly becoming our favorite go-t0, Zaika Indian Cuisine. The past two times we’ve had our server pick out our appetizer and entrees and both times he has knocked it out of the park. It’s so fun to experience dishes beyond Chana Masala. We had a wonderful time and topped the evening off with a trip to the pet store to buy Finley a travel crate. Ah, romance!

Fresh Herbs, Take 2!

For my birthday back in September, David’s parents gifted me the countertop herb garden I had been eyeing. It THRIVED and I fell in love with the convenience of having fresh herbs at an arm’s reach. Having it, I found myself eating so many more fresh herbs, like adding dill and parsley to my salads. However, I wanted to switch up my herbs (nix the mint that I never used), so before our ski trip, I cleaned out the garden and added my new herbs when we got back. I’m on day 7 and the sprouts are coming up. The ease of use for this thing makes my mostly black thumb so happy.

Kid Stuff

A few things that have been hits for the kids lately include:

• Pippi Longstockings Audiobook – it’s our first time with Pippi and the girls find her antics quite comical. It’s made for more fun errand running.
• Athleta Girl. I’ve loved Athleta Girl for Hailey for years for how well their items hold up and the quality of the make. I’m trilled that Kaitlyn can finally fit in them, too! She wore her new and three days in a row. A bit excessive, but I’m buying her another top because they are on sale, they look adorable, and they’re comfortable. I also got them both , after seeing how well held up through all the use last year! I know it’s only February, but their swim stuff sells out quickly.

Spendrift with Lime

Spendrift is our go-to sparkling water choice and the Costco pack just update to include LIME. It’s quite possibly my favorite flavor, so this was quite an exciting development considering we only buy it from Costco because it’s expensive. It’s the little things…

Super Bowl Snacks

If you’re looking for a tasty snack that won’t have you feeling overly stuffed on a Sunday, I recommend… Greek Layered Hummus Dip (always a crowd favorite), Kris’ Favorite Mexican Dip (for the layered dip lovers), Caramelized Onion Dip (goes great with both chips and veggies), and Avocado Feta Salsa (on hearty pita chips).

What is your favorite Super Bowl snack?

Any spring tease weather where you are?