Garden Update

My garden is growing!

oh the lovely shades of green

 the tomato plant is climbing

 peas, cucumbers and beans are getting taller as well

 spinach

 swiss chard

 the crazy strawberry plants

 lettuce

 basil

 cucumbers on the left and beans on the right

 carrots

 potatoes (who knew they grew their own trees?!)

 According to my Garden Planner I may be able to harvest some spinach and lettuce next weekend.  We'll see!

Dinner tonight had nothing to do with my garden but it sure was delish.  It tasted much better than the picture below turned out.

Panko Chicken Cones

Panko Chicken Cones (serves 4-6)

(adapted from the Crunchy Chicken Cones recipe from the May/June 2011 Weight Watchers Magazine)

Ingredients:

1/2 c. liquid egg substitute (i.e. egg beaters)

1 c. Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breast

1/4c. mayonnaise

1 T. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1 c. iceberg lettuce, shredded

6 6-inch tortillas

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray or use your Professional Baking Mat.

2,  Pour egg substitute into a shallow dish.  Pour panko onto a flat plate.  Dip chicken tenders, one at a time, into the egg substitute, then into panko, pressing to adhere.  Place chicken on baking sheet.  Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes.  Cut them into 2 inch pieces.

3.  Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Mix mayonnaise, cilantro and lime juice in a small bowl. 

4.  Place 3-4 chicken tender pieces in each of the tortillas.  Top evenly with the iceberg lettuce.  Spoon 1 T. sauce onto each tortilla. 

5.  Fold the bottom portion of the tortilla over the filling and then roll the sides over into a cone shape.  Or fold the yummy mess up however you want!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day

to my Beautiful Mom

I've always admired you but now that I'm a Mom myself the admiration has taken on a whole new level.

Thank you for everything you are.

I love you!

(This post goes out to the other two Mom's in my life as well!  "Grandma Jan" and "MeMa Dyann"  Thank you both for turning Matt into the wonderful man he is and also the perfect husband!)

I love you all!

Happy Birthday to ME!

I don't remember how old I just turned but what I do know is that I am (and always will be) FOUR YEARS YOUNGER than Matt.  And that just makes me feel better!

the family birthday spread

(3 different cakes from the Fresh Market)

Lauren's gift

a fancy white sleeveless blouse

  from Tyler

  a beautiful Summer dress

(when I put this on Tyler told me I looked like a Zebra)

and I'm not sure this is blog-appropriate but I am sure most of us wear some sort of these...

(from Matt, of course)

(Lauren is less than thrilled.)

Mr. Dave (Troy's Dad) watched the kids so Matt could take me out to dinner at a new restaurant I've been wanting to check out.  (Dinner was delish and affordable and I'm sure we'll be back.)

Happy Birthday to Me.

(next week will be Happy Birthday to Matt)

Seven Year Old Girls...Gotta Love 'Em

Here is a video from yesterday.  Lauren was throwing a fit because she got in trouble and had to go to bed before we read our bedtime books. (you may have to turn your volume up a bit but all she wants to do is READ BOOKS!)


And here she is today...
She did NOT want to do her homework and threw another famous fit so I sent her to her bedroom until she finished it.  She decided to take a nap on her floor first.

She was out but was she comfortable?



After her nap she eventually calmed down and was finally able to finish her homework.  But not before losing any and all screen time privileges for the entire weekend.  Lord help us.

My Seven Year Old Girl is a challenge but I love her so much.

Pre-School Bike Rodeo

Tyler had his pre-school Bike Rodeo today. All the kids at school LOVE this day. They get to bring their bikes (and helmets) to school and ride them instead of learning their letters, numbers and bible verses. A child's definition of AWESOME!

The POLICE were there to teach them about bike safety. And also to quiz us parents on the helmet law. (Who knew it is a law for children to wear bicycle helmets until they are 16?)

Bike Rodeo Day is not complete without a break for some snacks.

If this video (recorded from my new iPhone) ever downloads it should show Tyler riding his bike around the chalk-outlined bike trail. Yours truly is actually the artist of the bike trail. I showed up to volunteer and the coordinator asked if I would draw the bike trail. I said, "uh, I guess."

Before I go I should mention our dinner. Matt and I loved it and the kiddos ate about half of their serving. (When they eat half of what I make then it's a dinner worth blogging about.)

Mediterranean Barley

(I had a chicken breast left from a previous meal so I

cut it into strips, sauteed it up and added it to the delish dish.)

May the Fourth Be With You
(get it?...May 4th + Star Wars?!)
(I can't help but be this cool.)

Starrs Mill Park

Sunday was a Family Funday.

We explored the nearby Starrs Mill Park for the first time on this beautiful day.

Tyler was a little nervous on the narrow pathway.

Even though the park did not have a playground I think the kiddos enjoyed themselves.

(especially since we went to McDonald's AND Wendy's afterwards)

And totally unrelated to Starrs Mill Family Funday check out this picture Matt took with my iPhone!

It's either the iPhone that takes awesome pictures or it's the awesome combination of Tyler+Lauren+Dylan.

Whatta Weekend

Whatta Weekend we are having!

My Aunt Betsy (on the right)...

and my Uncle Richie (now on the right) drove all the way from Oregon to visit us as one of the stops on their cross country road trip. It was great to see them again and also to have an Oregon license plate parked in our driveway.

They were only here for one night but they got to see Tyler play his early Saturday T-ball game. The T-ball pictures were handed out at the game. I'm guessing the photographer told all the boys to say "cheese." (Tyler is next to the coach on the left in the back row.)

(Matt caught me taking a picture of the picture and told me I should just scan it. Sorry y'all for the poor quality but it took me 1 second to snap the photo, where as, it would have taken me 20 minutes to figure out the scanner.)

Friday after school Tyler asked me to, "text Troy's Dad and see if he could come play." (Do all 5-year-olds talk like this now?!) Well of course I did and today Troy came over to play and spend the night. Once he got here the boys were off and running.

This drainage ditch has always been on our property but the kids have never once bothered with it. This whole time I've been waiting for the day to come.

And now it has. I'm wondering if I should actually forbid them to play in it (c'mon they're going to anyway) or if I should just turn a blind eye. Suggestions? Today's adventures only involved yelling into the tunnel, "is anybody in there?"
After a costume change the threesome ate their dinner outside.

Lauren could only handle a couple of hours playing with the boys before she asked if Tera could come over to play.

That's better!
(no they aren't looking at me, I just took this picture in front of the Wii game they were playing)

When I said Whatta Weekend, I meant Whatta Weekend!
Matt (who can not keep a secret) gave me my birthday present a week early.

I'm so excited! My last phone was made by Commodore Intl. in 1983 I believe.

I have a new phone number too. I updated it on my Facebook account but you can also e-mail me for the number as well. (Mom...you better comment if you want the new number! (wink))

Cute case, no?

Whatta Weekend!