{Summer Activities} #101 - Go Berry Picking

Another item from "101 Almost Free Things to do with Kids this Summer" has been checked off the list. #101 - Go Berry Picking.

 

 

About 15 miles away we have this U-Pick farm that has blueberries, blackberries, peaches, and vegetables at different times throughout the year. The other day we went with a few friends to go blueberry picking. The kids LOVED it. Along with weighing the blueberries we picked (to buy them), the kids should have been weighed too... I swear they ate every other blueberry that they picked.

 

 

For all other posts in this category go here: {Summer Fun}

5 months... slow down please!

What activities did Lizzie do during month 5?Day trip to SeaWorld with friends
Watching sissy's 1st soccer games
Went in the pool
Went to Busch Gardens
Went to the Spray Park

How is Lizzie sleeping?
- Goes to bed between 8 and 9 and wakes up once around 4/5, eats, and sleeps a little longer until maybe 8 or 9

What is Lizzie eating?
- Mommy milk
- Started oatmeal... not so much a fan.
- Tried banana... BIG fan!

What "skills" has Lizzie mastered?- Trying to sit up
- LOVES the jumperoo and exersaucer
- Kind of over the Bumbo seat, but will tolerate it in small doses
- loves to be pulled up to a standing position
- blows raspberries/bubbles

Plans for month 6 include...
Lots of pool time
Busch Gardens
Memorial Weekend fun


Happy 5 months Lizzie!

{Pinned there, Done that} Cheeseburger Soup

I came across this recipe for Cheeseburger Soup over at The Recipe Critic (pin) and decided to make it. During dinner, my 4 year old said "Mommy.. this is a such good dinner mommy!"... no joke!  Score!!

I followed her recipe to a T.

My picture isn't as pretty as hers... but it was still yummy!

Cheeseburger Soup
(src)
Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef (use 1 pound)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed (I used 16 ounce)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

1.  Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery.  Saute until tender.
3.  Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4.  In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour.  Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.  Add to the soup and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.  
Yield 8 servings
Recipe Adapted from: Taste from Home

{Pinned there, Done that} Spicy Chicken and Pepperjack Pizza

I came across the recipe for this Spicy Chicken and Pepperjack Pizza from My Baking Addiction while I was searching for new pizza night recipes. (pin). Hubby and I LOVED it! We made a simple pepperoni flatbread pizza for the girls this night because we thought it may be too spicy for them, but our oldest had some and thought it was pretty good.

We are definitely making this one again.

In case the recipe gets lost online, here it is...

Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Pizza

(original src)

Yield: Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
3 cups diced fresh red, yellow and green bell peppers (I used green and red)
1 (13.8 oz.) tube refrigerated pizza dough (I used 1lb of dough from grocery deli department)
1/2 cup salsa (I used fresh salsa)
2 cups (8 oz.) Pepper Jack Cheese
Chopped cilantro or dried oregano (optional)
1 ½ cups cooked and shredded chicken

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add bell peppers; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Meanwhile, unroll pizza dough onto a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray; press dough evenly to all edges of pan. Bake in preheated 425°F 8 minutes. 3. Stir salsa into cooked vegetables; spread over partially baked crust. Top with chicken and cheese.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Cut into squares; garnish with cilantro or oregano if desired.

Notes:

- adapted from Sargento

{Summer Activities} #53 Plant a Garden

I have started on my Summer Activities list and #53 has been checked off (on my refridgerator list)... 

 

On Mother's Day when my mother-in-law was over, we planted a garden (I posted about this the other day). Here we are on day 1:

 

and HERE is after 1 week... (I haven't killed the garden yet!.... not to jinx myself or anything)

 



 

For all other posts in this category go here: {Summer Fun}

Weekly Meal Plan #63

Phew I just completely missed last weeks meal plan! It was a crazy week for us. Swim lessons Monday and Wednesday; ballet practice Wednesday, rehearsal Thursday, and recital Friday; poor Jillie had tubes and her tonsils and adenoids out on Thursday morning; and soccer game Saturday!

SUNDAY was...
Tortilla Chicken Soup

MONDAY
Leftover soup

TUESDAY
Date night :)
Heading out for Trivia!

WEDNESDAY
Grilled Pork Tenderloin

THURSDAY
Out to dinner after soccer practice

FRIDAY
Pizza Night

SATURDAY
Marinated Flank Steak

Last 2 weeks recap

Inch by inch and row by row...

I mentioned in my Mother's day Post last week that we put in a garden...

Well I am excited to announce that my green beans have started to sprout. Hurray!

 

Also, the tomato plants that we transplanted have managed to come back.

 

We planted zucchini squash, a few different types of tomatoes, green beans, some herbs, and marigolds around the outside (which, as I'm told, will help keep the bugs away!)

Now, I am admitting it now, I do NOT have a green thumb, so send your well wishes my way that I can keep this small garden going!

Happy {be-lated} Mother's Day!

I hope all you moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day! I had a great weekend.

Saturday we had Charlotte's soccer game (which hubby and I are the coaches for), usually my mother-in-law joins us for games and practices so she can watch the younger two, but she said she would watch the kids at home on Saturday since with picture day it would be long. Liar :) We got home to see 4 cars in the driveway and my mother-in-law and helpers setting up storage racks and organizing my garage! Awesome!

To make it even BETTER... she and her helpers managed to bring our HUGE non-rolling, rusted, grill from the old house to our backyard. Oh. Happy. Day! I have been without a grill for WAY too long.

Saturday night we grilled out as a family, got slightly rained out on the back porch, then played in the puddles out front, and ended the night watching baseball with a neighbor while the kids played upstairs.

Sunday, we got all dressed for church and I got some shots of the girls and I.

 

Had lunch at home, then we went to the park. The girls actually let me lay down in the shade with the car seat while they entertained themselves (score!)

Then we came back to the house and the girls played in the silly sprinkler thing...

and then we went in the pool...

we planted a garden with the help of my mother-in-law...

 

and ended the day grilling out and having dinner on the back patio as the sunset.

I am a lucky mom!

{Summer Activites} 101 Almost Free things to do with kids



My girlfriend shared this list with me from Stay a Stay at Home Mom and I decided that it was a great list of things to try to do this summer. Some of these are going to be done A LOT (playground, pick flowers, etc) and some will probably not be done at all (double dutch with my 2 year old? ya never know!)

 

What are you planning this summer?
Here goes! Happy Frugal Fun!

{Pinned there, Done that} S'mores Bake

I made this S'mores Bake (pin) for a Happy "Noon" Years Eve party that we celebrated, well... on New Years Eve, at the park.

Happy "Noon" Years Eve

Super easy, lay down graham crackers, spread cookie dough over crackers. Bake according to package instructions.
Once baked, put chocolate and marshmallows on top and bake until puffy.

The link says "Bake until brown and puffy"... I had NO idea how puffy they would get.

YIKES!

The marshmallows calmed down and these were a HUGE hit.

Weekly Meal Plan #62

Sunday was...
Taco Night! Happy Cinco de Mayo

Monday was...
Date night

Tuesday
Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits

Wednesday
Pork Tenderloin with Quinoa Broccoli Casserole

Thursday
Crockpot Ravioli

Friday
Pizza Night

 Split Chicken Breast with wild rice and broccoli

Quick Shepherds Pie

 Cheeseburger Soup

Tilapia 

Spicy Pizza