Good morning, and happy Monday!
It’s currently 10:00 am, and I just got back from a four-mile walk with Leo. Kyle and I have been waking up at 5:30 every morning to walk Tux, but I want to make sure Leo still gets his long morning walks. Tux has been doing amazing on morning walks, and we’ve been adding more distance each time. He has to get into shape before we take him on the longer walks with Leo. I’ll feel safer taking him when it cools down a bit. The great thing is that Tux is running to the leash in the morning. We don’t have to pick him up anymore to go outside, and he’s excited about walking as a family. We still have to work hard and be patient about earning his trust, but you can tell we’re going to get there soon!
By the time we got back this morning, the temps were already at 85-degrees, and I had to take a cold shower before hopping on the couch to do the recap. I love summer, but I always feel like August is miserable when doing anything outside. Not only is it hot, but the humidity is unbearable. I may try to sneak to the pool later this evening, but for now, I’m content staying inside with the house at a comfortable 68-degrees. 
After my morning walk with Leo, I made a yogurt parfait with homemade granola, fresh fruit, and peanut butter. I bounce back and forth between protein oats and yogurt parfaits. I spent most of Monday working on the computer catching up on emails, writing a few blogs, and getting sidetracked.
Later in the day, I went grocery shopping and then got the guest room ready for Meighan! I was so excited to see her because it had been since Christmas. My brother actually moved back to D.C. this past weekend, so I’ll get to see her more often when I visit him. D.C. is my favorite!!
Meighan was the first person other than the vet/groomer to meet Tux! He did so well. He actually left his bed and went up to her, which was incredible! We are slowly introducing him to things in the world, but we will probably do that more towards his first month here. He’s still settling in, and his constant routine has been such a help.
I know Meighan is a huge fan of salmon, so it was another excuse to make my favorite air-friend salmon recipe! I have the recipe on my TikTok and also have it on my Instagram reels. It’s the best way to make salmon at home, in my opinion!
We had a relaxing day on Tuesday! It finally stopped raining, so we did a trail walk, grabbed coffee at Starbucks, and headed to the pool for the afternoon! I packed some fresh fruit, sparkling water, and vegetables with hummus.
For dinner, we did my favorite sushi spot, Akahana! They have such a delicious menu, and the BOGO sushi rolls never disappoint.
We took Tux to the vet for a second check-up on Wednesday morning. His ears are looking better, and we put him on a new medicine to help with everything that’s left of the infection. We also got a new mousse to put on his coat to help with his skin infection. He gained 1.5 pounds (yay!) and is doing better each day. We will take him back in a month to get his skin checked and do another round of deworming to be extra safe.
That afternoon, the end tables we ordered back in January finally came in! We’re still waiting on the matching coffee table but hoping it comes next week. I really like how they look! I wanted something easy to keep clean and something modern and minimal.
Wednesday afternoon, Meighan and I went for a trail walk in the neighborhood. It was actually so nice out, so we took advantage of the weather. We also headed back to the pool for a few hours to cool down.
We headed to Knowledge Perk for coffee later in the afternoon. I ordered an iced americano with oat milk. We walked around the Mercantile next door for a bit and then headed back to the house to relax before going out to dinner with our friends.
I got Meighan hooked on one of my favorite books, The Invention of Wings! Speaking of Books, my order should be in today! Hello, August book club
We all met up at The Fish Market in Baxter Village. It’s one of my favorite spots! It looks like a big white cottage with a white picket fence, and it has a ton of outdoor seating. This was the first time seeing each other since December. We were excited about celebrating everything going on in each other’s lives.
The food is ALWAYS good.
We started with the fried green tomatoes and the stuffed oysters.
I ordered my favorite, the Market Green Salad with blackened salmon! It comes with mixed greens, goat cheese, berries, pickled red onions, spiced pecans, and a white balsamic vinaigrette. It’s so good and fresh!
We ended dinner with the flourless s’mores brownie to celebrate Caitlin’s birthday. It was one of the best desserts I’ve had! We all headed over to Grapevine to sit down and chat more after dinner!
I was up bright and early for a walk with Tux and Leo! I love ending our walks with coffee on the porch when it’s still a bit cooler outside. The sun rises in the backyard, and it’s so pretty to watch it shine through the trees. I feel so relaxed after taking some time outside before starting the day.
I headed to the airport later in the morning to drop off Meighan. I was sad to see her go, but I know I’ll be able to see her very soon with upcoming trips to D.C.
He’s the cutest little sleeper ever!
I spent the rest of the day working on my travel guide to Scottsdale. I am SO CLOSE to finishing! I got sidetracked when the photographer sent over our rehearsal dinner photos. Also, she texted me this morning to let me know that our photos are in for the wedding, but it’s killing me not to look! I know I can’t until my work is done, or my day will be over!
But the Scottsdale guide with OFFICIALLY is up on Wednesday! It’s ready to go.
On Thursday night, I made cod in the air fryer. I make it the same way I make my salmon. It’s so tasty, and I need to start eating it more often! We get our fish at Whole Foods or Earth Fare, but only when it’s wild-caught. 
On Friday night, I made air-fried buffalo cauliflower wings from Birdseye! I was SHOCKED at how restaurant-style these tasted! I’m adding these to my regular grocery list. I put habanero ranch on top, and it was amazing!
