One day off, 5 days about to be ON!
Mid-afternoon cereal + plum jam snack – hunger struck at 4PM!
I worked all afternoon and Matt and mom made dinner – a Teriyaki Shrimp Bowtie Salad with cabbage and peas. I pretended I was involved
I don’t have a recipe – sorry – busy day! But it involved cabbage, peas, bowtie, shrimp, carrots and a sauce made with soy sauce, honey, and spices
Lillian waited outside on the bench for dad to come home from work
Here he is!
The celebration continues – wine is yummy
On the side we had grapes and Great Harvest roll halves broiled with parm cheese
The pasta was great!! Unfortunately I didn’t have much of an appetite since I had cereal late in the afternoon, but I had enough to be a nice dinner
Just a few grapes since we had plans for popsicles after dinner!
Plus a little of this
After dinner Matt and I walked downtown to meet his uncle, aunt and cousins for Locopops!
Always wonderful to catch up with family! These guys are such a fun group -
On the pop front, I got Mango Chili!! 100% mango with a little cayenne (I think!). It tasted like mango but had the heat of spice. Yum!
Mango Chili was something Matt would have normally gotten and he got what I would have: Lavender Cream drizzled in chocolate! His was better 
We traded towards the end
Yummy flavors all around!
I had to leave a few minutes early to regroup with my Summiteers in a conference call and just finished. Gotta get in bed – another big city is on the horizon!
{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
Gorgeous photos! That wine looks so summery and refreshing!
P.S. I like kitty’s name! My puppy is Lily
Those are such crazy popsicle flavors.. I never would even think of cayenne & mango together! Sure looks pretty though
ice cream is what summers are for
Very cool popsicles!
Popsicles are my favorite summer treat!
That pasta looks AMAZING!! I’m seriously craving some Asian food..
I love the idea of Locopops. I wish we had a place like that around here…I suppose one could experiment at home though.
(Wish I was going to the Summit! I backed out of a ticket because I couldn’t afford going to Chicago, but maybe next year.)
Love Locopops! As a Durham resident, they make their way into my life with great frequency. I’m glad you got to try one!
It’s so great to see your Dad’s love of the cat. Such great photos of him with the cat. Matt’s thumbs up poses are getting a little repetitious.
Yes he needs a new pose, LOL! It does make him easy to spot though.
I love the pasta! I bet that was a beautiful night
Oh wow, that dinner looks amazinggg!!
Oh my what sweet popsicles!! I want one!
We have a popsicle place near our home in Texas that is very similar
My favorite is Dulce de leche. Its so good! I love it 
Mmm, popsicles! Mango with cayenne sounds so darn delicious! I’m craving popsicles RIGHT now!
Wei-Wei
Those popsicles look freaking amazing!!
I want one.
Those popsicles look so good! It inspired me to try some new flavors for my kiddo..she loves popsicles (but what kid doesn’t!).
Such a precious photo of Lillian and your dad
Awwwe
Amazing looking popsicles! Also, what a face your cat is making! Cute!
aw love the pics of your dad and the cat. SO sweet!
Billy and I just had a conversation yesterday about how we need to make a cold bow-tie pasta salad. So yummy and summery. And those pops look delish.
haha that cat looks like it’s really peeved……like he seriously wishes he could do something to someone but is too lazy.
It’s a SHE!
Lillian is one terrifying-looking cat. Cripes.
Those Locopops look amazing! I’m obsessed with adding chilli to sweet things, but I’m also a big fan of lavendar in dark chocolate, so I don’t know how I would’ve chosen…
Mango Chili popsicles? LOL!
Hahaha, that is the funniest looking cat I have ever seen! Also adorable
I cannot get over the cuteness of your kitty’s face.
Lillian and her precious little face! Oh so cute!
And chocolate drizzled popsicle looks like something I would LOVE!
ooooh tasty dinner – and what gorgeous dinenr plates
Lillian doesn’t have a very happy expression
That cat is scaring the bejeesus out of me.
Your dad seems awesome.
That pasta dish looks fabulous and yummy like a real asian dish. I will def to have to try it.
What unique popsicle flavors! Sounds really good
The face Lilian is making is pretty awesome. Surly, but still approachable.
I love the idea of a stir-fry involving bowtie pasta, very intriguing!
Also, Mango+Spice+Ice=Nice
i like the idea of bowtie pasta in the stir-fry! sounds like a great way to change it up from the normal rice accompaniment!
Never heard of locopops before but they look amaaaazing!
lillian is the scariest cat i’ve ever seen!! but i know he/she must be super sweet to let your dad kiss his little head
Oh My Gosh! Look at Lillian she is too cute, and your dad and her. I’m a sucker for a guy who likes cats. He gets a gold star in my book. Is she an older cat? She has the look of being ancient and grumpy but still enjoying all her perks of being a cat. Congrats on the exam!
She’s about 16. We got her at a shelter when she was 10 or so. Sometimes I drive myself nuts wondering where she was those first ten years and how she got to the shelter.
I would do the same thing. I work at a vet clinic, am a big cat person and have a soft spot for the “senior citizen kitties”. I adopted a 13 yr old cat from a friend last year, she is lots of fun. Take care and tell Lillian Hello for me.
Those Locopops are such a cute idea! Maybe when I win the lottery I can open one up.
Just out of curiosity…how far did you walk to Locopops?
Half a mile?
A Popsicle shop?!? What a fun idea!
That lavender/chocolate thing sounds awesome!
Beautiful cat colour too
Your parent’s cat is so adorable!! And cool idea, I’ve never seen a Popsicle shop..awesome flavors too! Give me ideas about making homemade one’s for me and my little one
haven’t had popsicles in ages!!! My favorite one when I was a child is made with aduzi beans!
Oh yum! What great flavors!
Lavender cream? That sounds incredible.
That lavender cream popsicle looks so fabulous! Can’t wait for the HLS- have a safe trip!
Those sound like really good fresh Popsicle’s. The lavender sounds amazing.
Good luck with work. I know it is hard planning an event like the Summit, especially not being in that city! Looks like you had a nice family evening! Is it just me or does Matt look like his uncle? Have a great day today Kath!
I agree the lavender pops look great!!! I wish we had a Locopops near us!!
Photos of popsicles are so fun! Especially when they’re crazy flavors like mango chili! I don’t know how I’d feel about a spicy dessert, but it definitely looks like it’d be worth trying.
I LOVE Locopops!!! Probably the thing I miss the most about NC (I just moved to NY). Mango chili is my favorite! The mexican chocolate is good too (chocolate with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) and the mojito tastes just like the drink!
Those popsicles look great.
This dish looks amazing – I can’t wait to try it. Lillian is a beauty!
Okay, so that dinner does look amazing, but what I love the most is your dad’s classic briefcase. That just blew my mind – I loved it!!!
Wow those pops look yummy I may make some homemade ones tonight!
Dinner looked great!
That cat is so adorable
What a sweetie!
That pasta looks wonderful! Ask Matt for the recipe??
i haven’t had a popsicle in forever – i remember once sitting in my car in my high school parking lot, eating one after the other on a hot night when we didn’t know what to do.
I love that your dad kissed the cat when he got home! My dad is the same way with our cat — he’s never liked dogs, but as soon as we got that cat she became his new precious child. So cute!
I love how Matt is always giving the “thumbs up” in photos!
Would love the recipe for the bowtie pasta when you or mom has a chance?? Looks SO good!
What a tasty looking lollipop!
Hi Kath, how big was your cereal serving?
the pasta looks delish! would love to see the recipe when you have time!
Those are some amazin’ popsicle flavors! I want some!
Quick question: what do you do when you reach that point in the afternoon (4:00 or so) and you really want a snack but you know you’re not hungry?! This happens to me a lot. The same thing happens after dinner. What do you recommend doing to get better at listening to my hunger cues?
I get real with myself and find something else to worry about
Just be true to yourself! But if I’m hungry, I just have one.
yes, need pasta recipe..looks delish!!!
Ooh, I definitely would have went for the lavender with chocolate drizzle… Or did they have a coconut one? I probably would have gotten that, if so!
Don’t you just think walks after dinner are the best thing ever? I swear, it’s the ultimate for digestion!
Just starting following following your blog! Very good….inspirational!! Good job!!
we LOVE locopops…we frequent the one in Chapel Hill that is right next to 3Cups (which, by the way, is the best coffee ever) and just this past Sunday we were in Raleigh and stopped in the one on Hillsborough street!
Next time you should try the Mexican Chocolate pop…it’s just rich enough, and it has nutmeg and other spices in it that take it to a whole ‘nother world in terms of “fudgesicles”