{outdoor decor}

Sadly summer will be coming to a close shortly :(  Luckily, we still have a tad longer of the warm temperatures - at least around this part of the country! One of my favorite parts of summer is being able to entertain outside and I'm glad to be able to do it for just a little longer before winter sets in! 

Early this summer we said goodbye to some of our dearest friends. They ventured hundreds of miles away to a new home but before they left we threw them a large farewell to say goodbye, let them know how much they are loved, and to ensure they knew how very much they'd be missed!

The decor was simple and cheap yet super cute. A basic tablecloth I already had (bought on clearance) provided the main pink and green pattern. We paired it with mason jars found in my kitchen cupboards, small strips of burlap and ribbon were tied around the jars, and finally they were polished off with fresh cut hydrangas from my yard.

We did a sundae ice cream bar and the rest of the decor was also stuff found around my house! Metal buckets from my staircase housed the bowls, napkins, and cups. Small white dainty ikea metal buckets were perfect for holding sprinkles, chocolate chips, and other toppings.

The party turned out perfect and the decor was easy yet added a cute touch to a backyard gathering.

 

Enjoy!

{summer schedule}

 I love summer for the laidback lifestyle we can have throughout the week - but I'm also one who longs for some type of structure. 

For the summer I came up with little to-do lists for our family for Monday-Friday. Some of the things are already scheduled  and others are things we'd just like to, want to, or need to get done throughout the week. 

Do we do everything every day? Absolutely not. But I love having the daily lists out in my kitchen as a reminder of things I'd like to get done (laundry, mop, teach a math concept, read stories, say family prayers, etc.) I also left enough room available in between that allows me to write in specific things (i.e. teach continents, work on addition, etc.) 

To make one of your own:

1. Use Word to make your own daily lists in separate columns. (I used the landscape mode and divided the page into 5 columns).

2. I printed it, cut it out, distressed it, mounted it on cardstock, and then added it to scrapbook paper that I lined an old picture frame with.

3. Now I just use some white board markers and windex to write all over it :)

Enjoy!

{grout cleaning)

I absolutely love Pinterest. The only problem is that I'm blindly trusting other's links to be correct/useful/yummy/etc.

We have a very light tile in our entire entryway, hallway, and kitchen. Needless to say the grout didn't stay bright white for long! I've hated it but haven't found a way to clean it. I've tried some cleaners and even tried sealing it afterwards but it just didn't do the trick.

Then came along Pinterest and I found a suggestion for a grout cleaner. The formula: mix baking soda and peroxide until it forms a paste. Then apply it with a toothbrush, wait a few minutes, and wipe clean. 

Ta-da! It worked (and made my dirty grout look especially gross)! It came clean quick and was super cheap - I think it's now my go to grout cleaner. Give it a shot!

Now if only I can motivate myself to do the rest of the kitchen!!!

Enjoy!

{kid's bags}

In the last 6 months we have taken two road trips (each being longer than 16 hours each way). With summer here I know many others will be experiencing that same thing as you go to visit new places or see far away family and friends.

If you have kids there always comes the question, "How do I keep them entertained in the car?" Although DVD players are absolutely wonderful they usually don't do the job the ENTIRE time - so you usually have to have a few other tricks up your sleeve!

This year I made each of my kids their own car bag. I found these cheap plain black bags at Goodwill for $2 bucks. The straps were just long enough to fit over the headrest in our car. So each kid got their own bag, slipped it over the headrest in front of them, and then got to fill it with goodies. Anything from snacks to coloring books to dolls got piled in the bag and it was a perfect solution to keeping all their car trip goodies in one accesible location. 

Here's how to make your own:

1. Buy a cheap bag.
(I got mine at Goodwill but I've seen these same types of ones at Walmart for $5 bucks or under).

2. Print out a large letter in your favorite font from your computer.

3. Cut out the letter or name and use it as a stencil for cutting out your fabric and Heat 'n' Bond.

4. Iron - follow the directions on the packaging of Heat 'n' Bond.

5. Put it over the headrest and load it up!

 Not going on any trips? Fill it up with church stuff, Halloween candy, towels and suncreen, etc! Kids love bags to tote around - I'm sure they'll love these no matter what's in it :)

Enjoy!

{asian turkey meatballs}

I am always on the lookout for new recipes - especially asian and mexican dishes that are on the lighter side. Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring - and this recipe proves that. If you look you can find millions upon millions of delicious and oh so flavorfal foods that are good for you as well!

One of my favorite spots of find these kinds of recipes is from Gina at Skinnytaste.com. I'm a big fan of Weight Watchers and have used its program several times in the past to lose weight - so a year ago or so when a friend referred me to this site to check out - I did - and LOVED it! She is so creative in finding tons of healthy ways to make classic as well as not-so-traditional dishes healthy and figure friendly. Go check her out!

This dish is a simple and fast asian meatball - paired with rice and roasted green beans the meal turned out yummy and quick. Try it out :)

Asian Turkey Meatballs Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

• 1/4 cup panko crumbs
• 1-1/4 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

• 4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh scallion

Enjoy!

{lemon cookies}

Summer to me encompasses many things. One thing that makes the top of my list is fruit. Almost everything in the produce aisle is screaming my name - sweet strawberries, juicy watermelon, succulant berries, etc. I could go on and on. I swear almost half my grocery budget is spent on fruit (particulary grapes) at this time of year.

My craving for fruity desserts is always rappant at this time of year as well. Strawberry shortcake, peach crumble, and anything with lemon.

Last year my good friend dropped these delicious cookies off at my house before a big training run and they have been a favorite ever since. So good that they made it to my top 3 cookie recipe list.

They are the perfect texture and stay super soft - the most important part of a cookie in my opinion. Go ahead and give them a try - you and everyone else will love them!

White Chocolate Lemon Cookies

 

1 c. butter

½ c. white sugar

½ c. brown sugar

1 egg

2 ¼ c. flour

¾ t. baking soda

½ t. salt

2 T. grated lemon peel (about 2 lemons)

1 ½-2 c. white chocolate chips

 

Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix. When you get a dough consistency, mix in the lemon peel and chocolate by hand. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on a wire rack.

 

*You can substitute orange or lime instead of the lemon.

Enjoy!

spaghetti squash

I've seen this veggie roaming around blogland lately. Until last week I had never eaten it or even seen it before in my life. It just so happened that it was on sale a few weeks ago in our local grocery store and I decided to venture out and give it a try.

Guess what? I'm in love and will DEFINITELY make it again.

Here's what you do:

1. Cut this bad boy in half. It looks like a pumpkin on the inside so scrap out the seeds and stringy things.

2. Wrap each half in saran wrap and pop each half in the microwave for 6 minutes.

3. Unwrap the squash and take a fork and scrape it out. The insides will be spaghetti like.

We served it with our favorite sauce - grandma's homemade spaghetti sauce:





Ingredients:
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 celery stalk
1 Tbs. minced garlic
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. ground hamburger
2 Tbs. Italian seasoning
8 - 15oz cans of tomato sauce
3 - 6oz cans of tomato paste

Directions:
1. Cook meat in skillet with Italian seasoning.
2. Add onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, and oil.
3. Once cooked thoroughly place in large pot with sauce and paste.
4. Cook all afternoon.

Makes about 6 quarts



Try something new and give it a try!

hanging files

This is a project I did for Kierste's Back to Basics party!

I have to admit my heart went pitter patter when I first found out she wanted me to post about back to school. I used to be a 2nd grade teacher and I secretly {heart} all things school related. The new clothes, school supplies, backpacks, classroom decorations, etc. all get me a little giddy this time of year!

But from my teaching turned mommy perspective I now know about all the PAPERS sent home (and my little one is only in preschool) - there's newsletters and book orders and worksheets and fundraisers and more book orders - what the heck do you do with all of them???!!!

Here's the solution. Or just my solution ;)

I {heart} Goodwill. Cheap. Good prices. Returnable. My mom is also a fan so when we get together complete with my grandma in tow- we're a force to be reckoned with. Here's the goodie I found last time we went -

This past trip I managed to snap these babies up for 99 cents. What are they? Hanging file holders.

So you didn't just happen to run across these as well...no worries - you can probably find them just about anywhere - Walmart, Staples, online, etc.

I took those bad boys and some trusty brown spray paint and went to town! I used my handy dandy silhouette to cut a vinyl initial and tada - everyone in our family now has their own file holder on the wall.

Gone are the days of papers strewn across the countertops or just a huge neat stack of papers in a corner in the kitchen. When the backpack/mail/anything comes home the sorting begins - some goes in the trash, their own papers go in their holder, ones mommy and daddy need go in ours. Keeps everything and everyone organized and the papers and mess to a minimum.

Hopefully our new set up will help my little kids participate in keeping our house more organized and maybe now mommy will be better able to keep track of all those school papers!

enjoy ~

It's well over 1/2 way through the year and I made one New Year's Resolution -
find balance & moderation in my life.

In my quest for finding {moderation in all things} one of the changes I've made has been to stop faithfully following Weight Watchers. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Weight Watchers and it has helped me lose 20lbs three different times in my life. But since I've been in a maintenance phase regarding my weight for the past year I've decided to tuck it all away for now and just follow and trust my instincts. I was getting way too obsessed and I realized I didn't need it any more to keep my weight. I know how to eat, I know what's healthy, and I really don't need to track or count points or follow a 'program' at this point in my life. Will I use Weight Watcher's again? Who knows? Maybe after I have another baby and am trying to lose that baby weight. Maybe I won't need it at all. But for now, I'm trying to have enough confidence in myself that I can do it all on my own.



Part of maintaining a healthy weight for me is to be aware of my body and what I'm eating. I try to find {moderation} in all the different foods I choose to put in my body. Here are what my typical dinners {try} to include: 1/2 plate full of veggies, 1/4 lean protein, 1/4 carb. Does it ALWAYS look this way? No. But this is what I aim for.

In the summer we do A LOT of grilling. Here's what dinner looked like on this particular night - 1/2 large baked potato, a skewer of marinated chicken, a couple of skewers of peppers, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini. A nice balanced plate full of healthy yet delicious foods!

stir fry

Now that the weather is starting to cool down my oven & stove have been getting a little more use. Although I absolutely love watermelon, cold salads, and the grill I'm actually kind of excited for the crisp cool air, hot bread out of the oven, and warm soups.

Here's a pretty simple and basic dinner we had the other night. I love stir fry's because they are an easy and yummy way to have a dinner jam packed with veggies. I try to make sure our dinners include these 3: a lean protien, veggies, and a carb. This one fit the bill perfectly!

I found the recipe at Annie's Eats - go over and check out all her other yummy goodies!

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. dry sherry (I used white cooking wine)

2 tsp. water

4 tsp. peanut oil (I only used about 2)

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (I only used about 1/2)

1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger (I used dried)

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 package fresh snow peas

1/2 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems removed and caps cut into 1” pieces

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil

1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

(I added 1/2 an onion and a can of water chestnuts)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, sherry and water. Set aside.

2. Preheat a wok or deep, heavy fry pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp. of the peanut oil and carefully tilt and rotate the pan to distribute the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are bright pink but not yet cooked through, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Transfer to a plate.

3. Return the pan to high heat. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tsp. peanut oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the snow peas and mushrooms and return the shrimp to the pan. Stir-fry until the snow peas are bright green, 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Pour in the stock and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more.

6. Briefly stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then pour it into the pan. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes.

7. Add the sesame oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

Chocolate-Banana-PB Protein Shake

Ever since the hubby and I did p90x together in the winter he's maintained a more protein rich diet which includes protein powdered. Mixing the stuff with milk just doesn't do it for me. Then one day a running partner told me about this combo she makes - chocolate protein powder, bananas, peanut butter, and milk - UM - YES PLEASE!

So I went home a few days later and tried it out using the recipe I found here

It was delish and I will definitely be making it again - beware it's definitely not a super low calorie drink but is perfect for after a long run or meal replacement.

Ingredients:

- 2 bananas (sliced and frozen)
- 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 cup fat free milk
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder

Directions:

1. Blend and serve!

enjoy~

Pesto Panini

Salads and sandwiches have been my staples this summer. Oh - and the grill. Can't forget the grill. That's probably my number one.

Anyways - I've been having fun creating some yummy combinations for our panini's. Here's the latest.

Ingredients (for two):

- about 4 tablespoons of pesto (I buy it in a jar - you go girl if you make it yourself)
- 4-6 ounces of shredded chicken
- 8-10 leaves of fresh basil
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 2 slices of provolone cheese (I use the Sargento reduced fat kind)
- 4 slices of sourdough bread (of whatever other yummy carb you want to put it all on)
- a few slices of red onions

Directions:

1. Spread both sides of your bread with some pesto. However much your little heart desires.

2. Mix the chicken with the basil, sundried tomatoes, and a little more pesto.

3. Slather it on your bread and top with sauteed red onions and a slice of cheese.

4. Stick that bad boy in a panini press (or for us that means the George Foreman grill) until hot and sizzily.

enjoy~

strawberry salad

+

=

Perfection

I love salads! The summer for me is a time for new yummy creative salads! The freshness in the hot weather is just perfect. I have two favorites and this is one of them.

Throw all these things in and I promise it will be pretty tasty -

- romaine/spinach

- chunks of grilled chicken

- sliced almonds

- crumbled feta cheese

- dressing - Brianna's Homestyle Blush-Wine Vinagrette (the big strawberry on the front - my momma introduced it and now it's the hubby's new FAVORITE - he eats it on all salads now)

enjoy ~

monogramed towels

My kids fight. Do yours? It drives me up the wall so when I have the chance to try and eliminate the bickering I jump at the chance.

When I saw these towels at Target I fell in love. Some blogger out there probably has already made these bags and added a ruffle and whatever else. I opted to just buy them. $9.99 for a towel + plus an already made bag complete with a ruffle - SCORE!

To help keep the fighting to a minimum I decided to #1 - buy my kiddos the exact same towel. #2 - I put their initial on them.

I had just purchased the Silhouette and so I quickly bought and tried out the heat transfer but was disappointed when I learned it wasn't washable. Perfect for other projects just not this one. So I went back to my trusty Heat 'n' Bond! Love it - works like a charm and holds up perfectly running through the wash a million bagillion times :)

If you haven't tried Heat 'n' Bond go get yourself some - you'll love it!

enjoy ~

grilled pizza

I am trying to live up every last second of summer eating. In our family summer eating means ice cream, salads, fresh fruit, and the GRILL! We love the grill. Usually it's just steak, chicken, kabobs, hot dogs, etc. But this year I saw a couple of grilled pizza recipes and knew I had to give it a try. Man an I glad I did! It was fabulous and will definitely be repeated again.

I found this recipe for pizza dough over at My Bizzy Kitchen. It seemed easy and quick - and that was exactly what it was! I ended up using 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour and it was delish!

Then I used this tutorial from Meals&Moves.

1. Basically make and roll out your dough.

2. Spray your grill with non-stick spray.

3. Lay the dough on for 2-3 minutes.

4. Take it off, load the non-grilled side with toppings, and stick back on the grill!

We made one side with just pizza sauce and shredded mozzerella for the kiddos. The other side was jared pesto, chicken sausage, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, red onion, and fat-free mozzerella. Both were delish!

We can't wait to try more combinations! BBQ chicken, chicken and feta, the list could go on and on and on. Hopefully we'll find more favorites!

enjoy ~

keepsake notebook

I consider blogging a way to keep track of our family memories, milestones, and definitely a journal of our family. As my children grow more and more each year I'm reminded of how quickly time passes by. Especially at back-to-school time I'm more and more recommitted to recording all the funny, cute, special things my children do and say that make our day-to-day lives so enjoyable and that I want to remember forever.

For Mother's Day I gave my mom a cardstock covered and embellished notebook with the title "Words of Wisdom from Grandma". I wrote to her on the first page and left the rest blank for her to record anything and everything she wanted for my kids. My mom had a very special relationship with her own grandma and I want my kids to have that same thing with my mom. This is her little notebook to record things she wants them to know, advice, funny things that happen or they say when they're with her, etc.

One day my mother will give my kids this and I hope it's a special token and reminder of their grandma's love for them and something they'll end up cherishing forever.

enjoy ~