“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Bault

Hello! This week it feels like things are getting back to normal at our house after the end of March went off the rails (in both good and bad ways!). So, without too much commentary, here are my favorite five things from this week!

1. Air fryer shrimp poboys – Since I brought home the air fryer toaster oven, Tyler has slowly been realizing the possibilities. This week’s request was shrimp poboys! I found a recipe online and then altered it to what we like. Shrimp went in an egg wash and then a mix of regular and panko breadcrumbs with some Tony Chachere’s mixed in. Before they went in to cook, I sprayed them with a light coating of oil on both sides. The shrimp cooked on the air fryer setting at 400 for about 4 minutes, then flipped and cooked for another 2 minutes. Served them on some toasted French bread with lettuce, tomato, and an aioli we had in the fridge. SO GOOD!
2. New Orleans research – This week I ordered a bunch of book, both fiction and non-fiction, to get my research started for the new book idea. I am so excited to start reading them! Expect the next couple book reports to be New Orleans heavy.
3. Hiking – I’m fully back into hiking season! I look at my hikes as both exercise and meditation, so I’m very excited for it to be a regular part of my weekly routine. Today I’m meeting up with my mom to do one of my favorite nearby hikes. It’s been awhile since just the two of us have spent time together so I’m really looking forward to it.
4. Geraniums – Last year, the geranium that I had kept alive for almost 4 years finally died when I forgot to bring it inside before an overnight freeze. I was pretty bummed. It had grown into this really weird woody stem with just a few green leaves, but it always flowered really well for me. This week I made a run to Costco and they had geraniums! So I bought two! They are currently living in my guest bathroom until they can move outside full time. They are one of my favorite outside flowers, so I’m really excited to have two already. I’m sure I’ll get more as the weather continues to warm up!
5. Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso – Have you tried it? It’s a fairly new drink from Starbucks and I hope they never get rid of it. It’s the perfect amount of sweetness for an iced coffee, which is not too much, and has a hint of cinnamon. The stores around us were out of the brown sugar syrup for a couple weeks but they’re back in stock!