Birthday Bunting

MY BOY

My Boy is officially 15 years old today. I don't know how that happened, or how I could possibly have a child that old, but yet the day is here nonetheless. (insert BIG sigh here).  He's such a sweet smart GOOD boy...or should I say young man...and my hubby and I are both very proud of him. He didn't want a big deal made of his birthday, but he does have cousins and a friend staying over. We're picking up one of his favorites for dinner (KFC) and I'm just grabbing a cake to save time, as I clean up around here before grandparents come over tonight too. So since the cake is not homemade the bunting on the cake will be! 

I simply took black card stock, folded it in half, and cut out triangles. I then took a red ribbon and folded the triangles in half over the ribbon. I used white fabric letter stickers for his name and embellished with some stickers of his favorite sports he plays - soccer and hockey.

I picked the black, white, and red as that is the colors of his favorite team on the planet - the Ottawa Senators! He has loved that team for many years...and quite frankly he loves Canada and talks about moving there one day. We took a trip there last summer and he was sold. I used "the puck stops here" sticker as my son plays defense and so that's how he performs in hockey. To "be a wall" and stop that puck! 

If he cooperates I may try to get some photos tonight too (never know with teenagers) and will share more at a later date. 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday to All! Hope you had a lovely weekend. They feel like they're flying by as summer is soon coming to a close. We had been so busy for many weekends away packing in summer events. It was nice to be home this last weekend, instead, and focus on some projects around the house. Lately, I've been thinking FAll thoughts and have been registering kiddos for school and picking up things for their school supply lists. The geese have been flying over our house and at night I have felt Autumn in the air. 

This past weekend I had my 25th high school reunion and was on the planning committee for it. The event went great and it was a lot of fun catching up with some former classmates. But now I'm ready to focus on the week ahead!

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Sunny and cooler. Only 60's now. It's supposed to hit the 70's today and then the next couple of days only be in the 60's.  A much cooler week and that's fine by me!

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

My MIL and daughter opted for a blueberry waffle. I had 1/2 an onion bagel. We all had some fruit. My MIL and I had some coffee with hazelnut creamer.

  AS I LOOK OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:

I see & hear a wood pecker out doing it's thing on the birch tree outside.  Birds are singing away! A beautiful summer day.

RIGHT NOW I AM:

Sitting in the t.v. room with my MIL watching the news and finishing coffee. I have the window open letting the nice cool breeze in and it feels wonderful! We chat at times and my MIL is fixed on thinking she forgot her shoes and really they're in the other room where she always puts them. She keeps asking me every few minutes: "I forgot my shoes. Do you have some?" Some mornings are more challenging.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE:

The usual laundry needs to be done of course! I need to throw a few dishes in the dishwasher and get the clean clothes to the kiddos' rooms so they can put them away. 

ON TODAY'S TO DO LIST:

I think my MIL and my daughter and myself will go run a few errands and then maybe pick up some subs to have a picnic in the park.  We need to run the teenager to his workout session this AM. Then he has soccer tryouts later this afternoon.

CURRENTLY READING:

I've been having such fun reading some new Fall magazines coming in the mail. I am truly enjoying these final weeks of summer, but Fall is starting to hover in the background ready to jump into my world very soon! I've also been reading some Fall cookbooks and love the Autumn tips as well as the recipes. I can't help myself! It's my favorite season!!

ON THE TV TODAY:

I have some cooking shows to catch up on and the rest of Cedar Cove.

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

Tonight we'll do something simple as my daughter has her soccer game. Then I need to get groceries tomorrow. We'll be celebrating my son's birthday this week and will probably grab KFC for that night (one of his fave's) - and we'll do cake and ice cream. Been looking through a Fall cookbook and trying to decide what I want to make for the in-law's this week. May make stuffed peppers for us one night (don't think my FIL would like it though). Maybe something on the grill or something in the slow cooker. Just not sure yet.

WHAT I AM CREATING AT THE MOMENT:

I've been catching up on more of the school years layouts in the kiddos' scrapbooks. Thinking "back to school" thoughts all the way. Lol!

NEW RECIPE I WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:

I made a yummy pasta salad last week, that I hadn't made before, and the flavors were great! I'll share that later this week. I'd really like to make some stuffed peppers. I've had them before, but have not made them. I think I may try to make them healthier too by using brown rice (I'll flavor with stock) and maybe even turkey sweet Italian sausage.  I also may try a ravioli casserole within the next week or two.

TIP OF THE WEEK:

If you have a CD or DVD that isn't working well - take it out and spray a little window cleaner on a soft paper towel and gently wipe down the back of the disc. If it doesn't have a big scratch that should take care of the problem.

FROM THE CAMERA:

Some reunion classmates

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Great words for anyone but especially for some new students!

I'm linking with Sandra from Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Scraptastic Saturday: Fun Tags

I've been having such a lovely catch up this weekend. It seemed for so long we've been gone and busy every weekend fitting in all our summer events and final traveling summer sports. It's felt so peaceful to slow down a bit, so I've been catching up on some paper crafts and scrapbooking. I decided to work on some tags for the upcoming Fall, back to school, and holiday season. Yep, I've been thinking some of those Autumn thoughts! Here's a peek at some tags I've recently completed.

I love this one as it reminds me of - you guessed it - back to school! Yay!! I have an elementary schooler and she's excited as well. But I also have a teenager and he's less enthusiastic. He loves sleeping in for the summer! Lol! To begin making tags I cut out a tag shape. I made several so I cut out one big strip out of card stock that would be the width of a tag. Then cut that strip into rectangles. Then cut the ends of one side (as you see the 2 angles cut on the left of the tag), and then use my hole punch to add the look of a tag. It's also nice if you want to use ribbon or something similar to thread through it. I then embellished with some ruler washi tape I had and some back to school stickers and letters. I love the bright school looking colors! This will be nice in my daughter's school years scrapbook album with a photo of her first day. 

Here's a peek at all of the ones I've made recently. Now for a closer look at the others:

I think this one would be so pretty on a gift. I'm posing it on my watercolor painting with Fall colors. I cut this tag smaller and more narrow as I had this bird sticker I wanted to use that was more narrow. This sticker already had a hole to be used as a tag so I lined it up with the hole I made using my hole punch. Then I added a Fall leaf brad and a piece of beading sticker. I may need to use this one on the gift basket I'll put together for my step Mom's birthday in the Fall.

I just love love love this one! I have a thing for owls, maybe that's why. That's also why I posed it by the cute owl on my fireplace mantle. I put a ribbon with attached crochet and wax leaf I had through the hole on the left. I then printed up the "what a hoot" on the computer using the "chiller" font. I added the owl sticker and voila! Something perfect for some Fall and Halloween crafting. Maybe on a Halloween scrapbook page. Or I could see several of these as something cute to put on Halloween goody bags for a party.

And not to get too ahead of myself, but I even did a little holiday tag. I used a Christmas label I had leftover from the ones I used to seal my Christmas card envelopes last year. I added a ribbon at the top with some brown in it to match the brown bird in the sticker. I then had fun doodling a little holly at the top and added the year to make it a perfect gift tag for the upcoming season, or to use it in a holiday scrapbook layout. 

I also recently made this tag to go on a scrapbook page I was doing when my daughter visited the zoo on a field trip. 

I really liked these stickers for the title, and they were a little big, so I went outside the boundaries of the tag. That's the great thing about scrapbooking - no rules...just be creative! I added this little piece of rick rack looking paper that was a leftover scrap to act as a "ribbon" look on the page. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Here's a photo of the whole layout that was in progress. So fun to play around with photos, colors, and stickers to figure out where you want things to go. 

So hope this is some tag inspiration for you.  A simple way to embellish a page, add to a homemade card, or put one on a special gift... and many more ideas. Let your imagination be your guide! Happy weekend!! I'm linking with Andrea at Scrapality for Scraptastic Saturday.

My Happy Place

CRAFTING AWAY!

Can you tell what kind of thoughts I'm thinking today? I'm pleased to report I'm in my happy place and getting some things accomplished in my paper craft world. I will share more details tomorrow for scraptastic saturday if all goes well. Happy Friday to All! 

Fresh Peach Salsa

This is a recipe I've had for many years now and is always a favorite in the summer. It's actually one of my Mom's favorite summer recipes in the whole wide world. Lol! Now first I want to start by saying that I usually put cantaloupe in the recipe (which adds lots of yummy sweet flavor), but forgot to get one before I made it - so went without and it's still yummy. The most important thing for this salsa is that you want your peaches to be really ripe and juicy and yummy. Keep them on the counter and not refrigerated to have them at their most ripe and flavorful.

I actually think this recipe is from when I was watching an Emeril Lagasse cooking show long ago and all I did was jot down ingredients. So, unfortunately, I have no actual measurements. I guess that's just how I roll sometimes. But it's never ceased to be wonderful so I think you can't mess it up. I took about 3 pretty big peaches (but probably 4 or so smaller ones would be about right too) and cut them into small bite (salsa size) pieces.

Now again, here I would normally add about 1/2 to a cup of small chopped up cantaloupe as well. Then add about 1/4 cup (maybe a little less) of chopped red onion.

Unfortunately I didn't have the sweetest peaches so I added a little sugar. However, if you have wonderful peaches AND the cantaloupe like you're supposed to - no extra sugar is needed.

Next, add one jalapeno that's been seeded and chopped finely. 

See all those pretty colors coming together. It's really one of the prettiest summer dishes too.

I didn't get a photo, but add salt and then the juice of a lime. I also add ground coriander as that's what Emeril did according to my recipe. It does give it a yummy flavor. It's basically the ground version of cilantro, and fresh cilantro is also added.

Add lots of yummy fresh chopped cilantro. This was right out of my herb pot! MMmmmm. LOVE cilantro!

Then add some blueberries or blackberries. Both are equally delish in this salsa. That's what I love about a condiment like salsa - it's so versatile and you can throw in the flavors you like the most.  Once everything is mixed together I like to let it chill in the fridge for a while and blend the flavors.

Then grab your favorite tortilla chips and dig in! This is also really good with tortillas that have been brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, bake, and cut into chips. Or to be even easier - serve with cinnamon graham crackers for dipping.  This also makes an excellent accompaniment to fish or chicken (imagine yummy marinated and grilled chicken topped with this salsa). Or take a quesadilla filled with  cumin seasoned chicken, monterey jack cheese, and avocado - pan fry or grill it - and then top with this salsa! Add a margarita and it's summer heaven. 

Wednesday Wonder

UNDER THE RAINBOW

The other day at Annie's soccer game, while waiting for it to begin, it started to rain on us a bit... yet the sun was shining at the same time. So you guessed it - a rainbow appeared above the field. And if you look closely you can see it even formed a double rainbow! We thought that must mean a good omen for the game. Unfortunately, though, our team lost. However, my daughter did score a goal! So maybe it was a good sign after all. 

Memory Lane Soccer Layout

I have such fun looking back at some of my completed scrapbooks and going down memory lane. Lots of times I like to do it for inspiration in creating new layouts, but mostly I love reminiscing about the past. It can be so fun to just feel nostalgic sometimes.

I was looking back at this soccer layout from when my son was 5 years old. He played in youth YMCA soccer then and it was in the Spring and it is often COLD up here in the north! My hubby and BIL coached his team (my nephew was on it too). I can't believe those 2 boys in the upper right hand photo (my son and his cousin) are now going to be playing high school soccer. Yikes! Does that make me feel old.

I do my kiddos sports in their school years albums and in my family albums as well. This layout is in my family album. Can you see how cold it is in that background. No leaves on the trees yet. Early Spring in the northwoods can often still have snow! Bbrrrr! I love the layered look with papers - as I did on this page. I used a fun pack that went together with matching papers, stickers and die cuts. I used the cloud back drop paper and then layered a polka dot and striped one on top. Throw in an adorable boy soccer player and it's perfect!

Here's the full layout all together. In a lot of my kids' school or sports scrapping pages I like to use these cute kid packs or stickers. I believe they're "Me and My Big Ideas" brand which have the cute little kids stickers or die cuts and back drops that look like a kiddo drew it. I love that! 

We're big into soccer season now. In high school for my son they've started practices (it's a Fall sport for boys  in H.S.) and my daughter's community youth soccer has begun as well. I really enjoy watching soccer and it reminds me how close Autumn really is now! At one of my daughter's games I've already had to snuggle under a blanket and some geese even flew over. True signs of my favorite season!

Happy Homemaker Monday

Back to Monday after a busy hockey tournament weekend out-of-town. I feel like I'm still playing catch up!  I need to go around to many of you wonderful friends for a visit and see what you've been up to these past several days. I hope tonight or tomorrow to come visit everyone. It was a fun and successful weekend though. My daughter's team took the championship - which of course was wonderful! We also were in a beautiful area with a quaint downtown by the water with lovely shops and restaurants. We walked around and poked into several antique shops and came home with some treasures. We found some goofy things for our holiday door prize game, some gifts for my FIL's birthday soon, and I found some pretty Red wing pottery for myself! Always fun. Hope you friends had a wonderful weekend too and are feeling refreshed and ready to jump into a new week.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Sunny and lovely. Low 70's and may reach upper 70's by later today. Sun, blue sky, a few puffy white clouds. Perfect summer day.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

For my daughter, her sleep over buddy, my MIL and myself (the teenager sleeps) I made cinnamon toast and cut up some apple slices. Chocolate milk for the kiddos and coffee for my MIL and myself.

  AS I LOOK OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:

Watching the sun sparkle on the bay.  The squirrels are extra "squirrely" around the yard gathering up goodies. Does that mean a bad winter ahead? Fall will be here early?? I hope not!

RIGHT NOW I AM:

My MIL and I have been watching the news and she loves the Today show - especially the last hour with Kathie Lee and Hoda and watching about the passing of Frank Guifford. So we've both been tearful a few times.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE:

Already started some laundry, from the trip, last night. Need to load dishes and my daughter and her friend need to clean up their sleepover stuff as I let them bunk out in the t.v. room last night.

ON TODAY'S TO DO LIST:

Thought I'd wait to see what my daughter and her sleepover friend want to do today. If they want to play around our house and outside with Annie's friends we can stick around here. Otherwise thought we'd go out and do something fun like  go to lunch then the park or mini golf or something like that. Annie has piano lessons later and my son has training workout where I'll need to drop him off too. Then tonight is a soccer game. Busy day!!

CURRENTLY READING:

I've been such a bad reader this summer and I'm just not beating myself up. I'm enjoying my magazines and once my kiddos get back to school and activities slow down I'll get back to the books. I'm having fun enjoying the time with them and getting in fun summer activities!

ON THE TV TODAY:

I need to catch up in Cedar Cove. I'm not sure if I had some cooking shows tape too over the weekend. I guess I haven't looked what I've got taped yet.

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

I know we have some leftovers around to eat up for tonight. I'm thinking of cooking on the grill as I want to get more of that in while I'm able! I think maybe something yummy like steak or pork chops and I'm craving some grilled asparagus. Maybe even grill up some fish for myself (the rest of my crew won't eat it - sadly).  And I think sweet corn on the grill is in order too. I'm also going to do a pasta salad of some kind on night for a lighter dinner maybe with muffins or a sandwich.  Or in a pinch I'll throw in a quick egg bake and have it with some fruit. We have soccer and wrapping up some hockey some nights this week - so some busy nights ahead again!  May need to grab something out one night too then.

WHAT I AM CREATING AT THE MOMENT:

I've been missing coloring last week or so and going to get some of that in for myself. I may finish the cross stitch my daughter didn't yet too.

NEW RECIPE I WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:

I have a yummy favorite to share for fresh peach salsa I love, probably later this week.

TIP OF THE WEEK:

As a blogger now I like to keep a little idea and calendar book handy. I jot down ideas for posts and write in each day of the month in the little boxes....either an idea or what I've already posted. It's just a quick reference way for me to keep track of what I've done, or what I'm thinking of blogging about in the future.

FROM THE CAMERA:

My hubby standing with the celebrating winning team!

My hubby and BIL started their own hockey program several years and it focuses a lot on development - not just game after game. Well I guess it's working as my hubby's team he coaches (my daughter is on that one) played my BIL's team he coaches for 1st place! Yep, brother vs brother!! Lol All in good fun as it was so great that we knew no matter what our teams were taking the top 2 places. But hubby's team pulled out the win 5-3 for the championship win of the Combat Cup. Yay!

Annie and sleepover buddy posing with the trohpy.

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

I'm linking with Sandra from Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Hashbrowns

Sorry I'm a little late posting today. With dental appointments and soccer practices it became a busy morning and early afternoon. But today I want to share a yummy hashbrown recipe you can whip up in your slow cooker.

It's always a nice easy thing to throw a side dish like this in the slow cooker. It keeps your oven free if you need to cook something at a different temperature, and slow cookers are just nice for throwing the ingredients in there and then let it do the work. Turn it on and forget about it!

I was going to make baked potatoes to go with the chicken I was making for dinner (for the in-law's too), but then decided last minute to switch to these even easier hashbrown potaotes.  First you'll need frozen hashbrowns (this was a 30 ounce bag), 8 ounces of sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1&1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of melted butter.

You'll also need about 1/4 cup or so of finely chopped onion.

Liberally spray or grease your slow cooker (I used butter).

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. I put the hasbrowns in the bowl first and defrosted them for about 5 minutes (30% power) so they would break up easily. Add salt and pepper after mixing but not too heavy on the salt as the cheese is salty already.

Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and I added a little more pepper on top.

Look at that mountain of creamy cheesy goodness ready to go!  Cook on low for about 4-5 hours or until potatoes are tender and the edges brown. I was silly and forgot to get an "after" photo but I'm sure you get the idea. Creamy cheesy potato goodness with browned edges all done quickly and easily! Enjoy!! 

**I'll be busy this weekend with my daughter's hockey tourney, plus now that there won't be 5 on Friday, so I won't be posting tomorrow. I'll be back for Happy Homemaker Monday on Monday though. Have a wonderful weekend!! 

Wednesday Wondeer

SUMMER RELAXATION

Our last fire table broke so we ordered a new one in the Spring. Due to some shipping damage, other delays, and all around general headaches...we finally received this new one to enjoy for the rest of the summer. I have found my happy place! A cozy fire, a cold drink and view of the bay at sunset....relaxation doesn't get better than this.

Tattoo Tuesday

I wasn't sure if I had shared this information before, but yes I have a tattoo. It got me to thinking if any of my other blogger friends out there have a tattoo or not? What are their thoughts on the whole tattoo thing? If you do have one (or several) I'd love for you to share it as a post on your own blog so I can read your scoop as well. I think tattoos seem to be a fun creative outlet for folks, or a way to share something meaningful.

I found it interesting that at the time I decided to get a tattoo (I was 30 years old) it was becoming the big new "thing" for folks about my age to get them. Professionals and non-professionals alike.I was a working professional at that time as a social worker. I had a new son about a year old. But for some reason I really had a hard time with the number "30" and felt I needed to do something rebellious! Let me tell you, this is about as far from who I am as it goes. My little brother is the rebel. He's the military man and has tattoos and piercings. He's jumped out of air planes and dove off of cliffs. He's the adrenaline junkie and I have a SANE mind. But when I had a hard time with the big 3-0 I thought I needed to do something my brother would do. So I decided to get a tattoo (I was definitely NOT going to jump out of a perfectly good airplane).

So then I had to think about what kind of tattoo and where?? I decided I wanted something small (I didn't want my boss unhappy) and I wanted it to mean something. So I came up with a jewelry plan....a ring to be exact...that would be small and yet meaningful to me.

So I described to the tattoo artist that I wanted a heart in red (my favorite color) but I wanted the "bands" of the ring to make the letters "A" for the initial of my son and husband's first names.

Can you make out the sideways "A" there?

And here's the sideways "A" on the other side. As you can see the outline of the heart and bands are in black. There's a little light blue shading behind the heart for contrast.

I would like to share that getting the top part of the tattoo did not hurt too badly, however the sides on that sensitive part between the fingers was, let's say, not enjoyable. I channeled my inner baby brother and I was tough through it all and didn't cry (although I would have liked to a few times!) Also, the very reputable tattoo artist (I did my research) was very good and I liked his work. He did inform me they guarantee their work but not on hands or feet.  There is so much regular wear and tear on those parts, and constant shedding of skin, it's impossible to guarantee. And as you can see there is some fading on the inner parts. He also had a hard time getting his tattoo tools in between my fingers and had to bend them in crazy positions...which also didn't help with the pain factor.

Now 14 years later, would I do it again? When I look back I think "why did I think I needed to do this?" and feel I would not do it again. However, at the time it did serve it's purpose in my mind and the crazy feelings I had about turning 30. I mostly don't even notice I have it anymore or think about it until at Target the check out girl says, "OOooh cool tattoo!" when I'm running my card. And then of course, there was the fact that my daughter came along about  5 years later and when we decided to name her after my Gram she ended up with an "A" name too. So I now say that the 2 "A"s in the band stand for my kiddos' initials. After all, my wedding band symbolizes my hubby. 

So what is your tattoo story or thoughts??

Happy Homemaker Monday

Well Happy Monday to All! This past weekend I spent time in some other northwoods having a family reunion. My Aunt owns my Grandma's old house and it's on a lake in the middle of the northwoods a little south of us. We try to gather once a summer there like we used to do when my Gram was still alive. It's a big old house (9 kids were raised there) and I have the best memories there! It's such a great weekend of aunts, uncles, cousins, games, swimming, food, laughs and fun! We got in some family soccer, ladder ball, porch board games, pontoon rides, and BBQ. It was wonderful and so hard to leave everyone! 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

A little cooler weather has arrived, but I'm not complaining. In the upper 80's gets a bit warm for me. So I love weather like today...low 70's with nice breeze and partly cloudy. Just lovely! Supposed to be like this all week too.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

We had strawberry scones and coffee. Yummy! Annie and her cousin that slept over had milk - and maybe some peanut butter toast too.

  AS I LOOK OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:

I'm actually sitting outside on my patio table with my MIL while we visit and she throws the ball for Ruby now and then. The Girls (Annie and her cousin) are playiing out in the driveway riding bikes and scooters. The teenager sleeps (what's new) Lol!

RIGHT NOW I AM:

Listening to the wind rustle the leaves all around us on the hill. A crow was just being noisy off in the distance somewhere. The birds aren't singing away as loudly as they usually do. Maybe the crow chased them off? I just watered all of my flowers too.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE:

I threw in another load of laundry from our recent trip before I came outside. The girls will need to pick up their sleepover messes pretty soon before we head out for a fun afternoon.

ON TODAY'S TO DO LIST:

Since my niece is over (& it's her birthday!) thought we'd go do some fun things. We made it back for soccer practice last night and my niece had her birthday on the weekend so Annie had to miss it. So her mom was cool and let her come home with Annie after soccer for a sleepover and to give her some presents. I think we'll head to the library, then go out to a restaurant for lunch and play on a playground that's nearby the restaurant. Then my niece will go with to Annie's piano lesson and get a front row seat! Then the girls have their first soccer game tonight and my SIL is bringing cupcakes to the game!

CURRENTLY READING:

I recently got more fun end of summer magazines in the mail so catching up on those!

ON THE TV TODAY:

I don't know what's taped for sure as I'm still catching up from being gone all weekend.

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

I'm not sure but here's what I have in mind: TONIGHT - cheese ravioli (trying to be healthier and do kind of a meatless Monday thing) with garlic bread and salad. TUESDAY - cheddar bacon BBQ chicken, cheesy hashbrowns and veggies WEDNESDAY -annie's other soccer game so maybe grab Subway THURSDAY- BBQ meatballs I didn't make last week with baked potatoes and salad. We have Annie's final summer traveling hockey tourney this weekend. So at least get a few dinners to the in-law's.

WHAT I AM CREATING AT THE MOMENT:

Nothing new right now but a few ideas brewing for when life slows down and I get to concentrate more on my things. Is it bad that I'm kind of excited for back to school? More free "mommy time" is starting to sound better and better! Lol

NEW RECIPE I WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:

Nothing really new as of yet - but menu may always change! 

TIP OF THE WEEK:

When I'm traveling like last weekend and I know I'll have wet towels and swimming suits I like to bring extra plastic or garbage bags to throw them in. If I bring a big garbage bag it also works as a big dirty clothes bag that we can just keep adding to as the weekend goes on.

FROM THE CAMERA:
REUNION FUN!

soccer games: cousin families playing each other (even us Mom's participated!)

pontoon heading to the dock for new passengers!

cousins swam all day long!

Me and my Gal

we even celebrated one of my cousin's daughter's birthday

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

image from pinterest

We're off onto our busy day! I'll come around and catch up with folks later when I have time. Have a wonderful week!! I'm linking with Sandra from Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.