Husband + pug + beer + grilling on the back porch = a winning combination! 
Mal, Murphy, and I had a nice time hanging out and enjoying the evening last night. The unseasonably warm weather puts me in the BEST mood—it actually puts us all in a great mood. There were lots of laughs on the porch last night!
While Mal and I sipped beers, chatted, and grilled-up the chicken for dinner, Murphy enjoyed a Peanut Butter Kong. We add peanut butter to his Kong toy and then freeze it, so it takes him quite awhile to lick it all out. He loves it.
Check out that pug talon! Murphy has huge paws for a pug. Actually, he’s just huge, in general, for a pug.
Ha! Love the face, Murph.
Dinner
When we realized the weather was going to be so gorgeous last night, Mal and I nixed our plans for Balsamic-Ginger Lettuce Cups and did our own thing. We still had lettuce wraps for dinner, but we used grilled chicken, brown rice, scallions, and tomatoes in the mix.
I also added Caramelized Onion Dip to my lettuce wraps (I ate four), and Mal added soy sauce to his. They were so delicious, and we decided that we need to eat them more often. Lettuce wraps are such an easy meal—pretty much any ingredient works in them!
After dinner, I enjoyed a Butterscotch Oatmeal Bar. Love.
Be back soon with a fun post—it involves an interview and a giveaway!
P.S. CVS shoppers: Check out this sweet website! Lots of great deals and coupons at CVS! I’m obsessed.
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Seriously, I never get enough of the pictures of Murphy
This morning was super warm and I was very happy to see that every treadmill at the Y was taken, thus forcing me to run outside. The run made me insanely happy, and then seeing that it is going to be near 80 this week – giddy. So excited for the weather!
The Butterscotch Oatmeal Bars look so good! I’ve gotta check out that recipe and make myself a batch!
@Jana @ Newly Wife Healthy Life: I was thinking the same thing, except I will probably end up using both butterscotch chips AND raisins since I love them both!!
What a nice Sunday! My husband and I went for a walk last night before dinner and were talking about how badly we wished we had a grill and backyard… Perfect night for it!
wow, Murphy is huge! he looks like a tiny dog in the pictures of him by himself but then next to you he looks like a monster. LOL! so cute!
I’m loving the nice weather right now! So amazing!
Lettuce wraps are such a good idea for a weekday meal, I’ve never thought of doing that.
Those lettuce wraps looks delish! Light and tasty. And, I wish I weren’t at work because now I want a nice cold beer too. LOL
“Pug talons”…that’s hilarious!
Love lettuce cups, so versatile and makes you feel dainty. You could have a side of beef in a lettuce cup and feel lady like.
In the picture where he’s sitting on your lap, Murphy DOES look larger than the average pug!
oh wow I really like lettuce wraps too! and those in particular look delicious!
I love the picture of murphys paw! I have a tea cup yorkie who weighs about three pounds but I swear at least a pound of it is his ginormous paws! he looks a bit weird but hes my baby and I love him haha
This weather is amazing!! I hope y’all enjoy it all week!
I hear ya on the beer in the warm weather. They go together so well!
But I must say Belgians go so well with cold weather, too.
Beer year round.
Murphy is one of the cutest pugs I’ve seen! Not that I don’t love all dogs and think they are cute.. but sometimes pugs can be kind of goofy looking- which is why they are cute I suppose! But seriously though- he is adorable! Looks like a perfect way to spend a Sunday
Those oat bars looked super yummy! Love the pictures of Murphy too, so cute!
Looks like a blast! I love warm, almost summer-ish nights and grillin’
Do you like your Master Forge grill? We were just looking at them at Lowed yesterday. Would love to get your opinion.
@kes: Yea, it’s great!
this weather puts me in a great mood too! can’t believe its going to be almost 70 today!
I am loving this beautiful weather! I hope I can grill this weekend at my birthday party.
Did you use butter lettuce? I love making lettuce wraps, collard greens hold up well but butter lettuce I have found tastes the best.
@katie @ KatieDid: Boston lettuce!
We are LOVING spring!!! Yay spring!!
Sounds like a great, relaxing evening!
Murphy cracks me up!
Love the face!
The lettuce cups look super easy to make, and delicious.
It is GORGEOUS out. I am loving it!
I am going to check out that carmelized onion dip – I made a fantastic dip this weekend with avocado and greek yogurt. My husband used it to make tuna salad today for lunch.
I love dips!
All of those eats look delicious! So much fun to relax and grill.. that’s a good idea to freeze the pb in the kong. I’m gonna try that!
Those wraps make me think of the lettuce wraps at PF Changs, so good!
You guys are such a cute family! Sounds like an amazing night!
I love butterscotch bars. It’s a real problem.
I’m in NY, it was so nice here yesterday too! I wish I would have grilled out but the grill didn’t have it’s cover on during last weeks blizzard so it needs a little cleaning!!!
Mmm lettuce cups. I keep meaning to make these for dinner! They look great!
Even here in ND the weather has been amazing! It feels like we’re usually in the middle of a blizzard in March, but this weekend it was in the 70′s–perfect since my sister was visiting from dental school, so we could all enjoy the day outside together. And we definitely fired up the grill for some corn on the cob!
I’m a total wimp in cold weather (even when its only slightly chilly), but I feel like I should have done some grilling last night myself! The lettuce wraps look great.
What kind of lettuce do you use for the cups? I’m trying to find some that will stand up to heated or warmed foods.
@Shana: Boston lettuce!
Good weather instantly lifts my mood!
Oh, the feeling that spring/summer is on the way…yay! You better believe I clicked on the link for the butterscotch bars…and bookmarked it. Yum.
those lettuce wraps look so good and healthy. you’re so right, they are so good for dinner when you want to eat fewer carbs and then finish it off with dessert. can’t give up dessert!
I agree, the warm sunny weather makes me very happy. There’s nothing better than soaking up the sun on those first arm days of spring!
That dinner looks great! And Murphy is adorable : )
{ 2 trackbacks }