Monthly Musings June 2018

It’s time for Monthly Musings June 2018! It is officially summer in our household, which means summer camp, pool time, and beach trips!

What is on your calendar for June? Take a look at some of these recommendations. 

 Monthly Musings June 2018: What to Do

I am planning a long weekend trip to the North Carolina coast right now. We love all of the beaches in our state and often have a hard time choosing which one to visit, but plan to a head to a family spot at Holden Beach in the near future. Don’t you love the pic above from five years ago?

Holden Beach, NC is where my husband grew up visiting his entire life due to a family property there, so this is the beach of his childhood. We love the laid back and family-friendly style of this location.

We pack a cooler of sandwiches and snacks to hit the beach most mornings and fish off the dock most afternoons. There is something nice about visiting your favorite restaurant, ice cream shop and fishmonger every year. The kids crave the tradition and memories of this place.

The hubs and I also fill a cooler full of shrimp each visit to take back to our storage freezer. We buy approximately eight – ten pounds of shrimp and vacuum seal them to pack for home. There’s nothing better than having wild NC shrimp to pull out of the freezer at a moment’s notice. Expect lots of shrimp recipes in the coming months!

Monthly Musings June 2018: What to Eat

Our family loves to grill out during the summer months to avoid overheating the kitchen. I try to create full meals using the grill, including a protein, side and even dessert occasionally. My Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad is great with grilled chicken, shrimp or steak or on its’ own with a simple green salad and grilled bread.

Also, try grilled fruit with ice cream or sorbet for a simple and light dessert to take advantage of  all of the fresh fruit this season.

Monthly Musings June 2018: What to Read

I’m reading Stephen King’s On Writing and have been thoroughly entertained thus far. The stories I’m currently reading are about his life experiences that influenced his writing career. He writes in such an authentic voice that I feel like I am experiencing events alongside him. King is a true wordsmith and storyteller!

Our summer plan is to also begin reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Ring Series with the kids as a book club. The goal will be to read a certain number of chapters per day. It should be fun to read separately and come together to discuss on a regular basis!

Be sure to also check out my last post regarding the summer transition with kids. I have listed lots of tips for tackling the transition from school year to summer break!

Monthly Musings June 2018: What to See

Speaking of stories, the world lost a great global storyteller this past week. Anthony Bourdain was a master chef who traveled the world to bring different foods and cultures to the masses via television. We have lost a great human being and I highly recommend watching his series, Parts Unknown, to experience the world and food through him.

Monthly Musings June 2018: What to Listen To

Have you heard The Complete Trio Collection album featuring Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris? I recently discovered this album and am blown away by how well these ladies sing together! While I knew they individually have beautiful voices, it has been so nice to listen to how well they harmonize together. Even if you are not a fan of country music, I suggest listening!

Monthly Musings June 2018: What to Make

Now that the kids are out of school, we have been doing a lot of baking. It is great to have them in the kitchen with me and baking is highly motivating to get to the end product!

I developed a great Gluten-Free Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie and we have made about five batches in the last week! Last night we enjoyed them crumbled in vanilla ice cream; yum! Another cookie recipe is in the works this week, so keep an eye on the blog, Instagram and Pinterest for the recipe!

Monthly Musings June 2018: What to Wear

We live in our swimsuits at this time of year. I bought the cutest one piece recently at my local Anthropologie store. It is so comfortable! I was unable to find it online at Anthropologie, but did locate it here.  I continue to get so many compliments on this suit as well!

I alternate between one pieces and bikinis depending on my mood, but have not been loving any of my two pieces lately. Any suggestions?

If you are looking for a male swimsuit, my husband owns several pairs of Aftco trunks and loves them! They also just launched a women’s collection.

Let me know some of your own Monthly Musings for June 2018 in the comments below and be sure to repin these ideas for later!