Seven on Sunday Summer Challenge: Week 5!

Day 1: Sunday--My BFF's little boy and Sarah having a little moment :)

Day 2: Monday--We went to the pool but when we got there it was FREEZING! So we all hung out in the hot tub instead!

Day 3: Tuesday--Brookey had tutoring at the library, so Sarah played a little on the computer! Buddy built a block tower!

Day 4: Wednesday--It's been somewhat of a tradition for me to take the kids to the little Napa Town Fair. It's such a cute little fair, perfect for the kiddos. We saw goats, pigs, a dance performance, rode a few rides and ate ice cream as big as our face! It was a fun time :)

Day 5: Thursday--We spent pretty much all day Thursday shopping and getting ready for our camping trip. I think they are ready!!

Day 6: Friday--Camping with their friends..they were in heaven!!!! We had so much fun!

Day 7: Saturday--We took a train ride through the a Redwood forest. What a treat!!

I'm pooped from our camping trip but we had sooooo much fun! I'll post about the whole trip soon!!! Have a great week! XO

Recipe Wednesday: Thai Takeout

I loooove Thai food. Unfortunately, there are no great Thai restaurants close to us where I can grab a quick pad thai, curry or noodle dish. I love this recipe because I get my Thai fix, but it's quick and easy. Not to mention, I'm sure it's more healthy than take out. This recipe can be mixed and matched with any veggies you like, and it's great with chicken or shrimp, too!

Thai Vegetable Curry
- 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk (I usually use the "lite" version but I am telling you, the regular kind is MUCH tastier!)
- 3 teaspoons red curry paste (on the "Asian" aisle, see the brand I use below)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (key ingredient, can't skip it!)
- 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 3 cups of veggies: Frozen peas, edamame, snap peas, corn, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, snow peas, sliced onion....sky's the limit!
 - Fresh basil

1. In a medium skillet, slowly warm coconut milk; whisk in red curry paste until dissolved.

2. Add in all other ingredients and stir until heated through.

Serve over white or brown rice, and top with fresh basil!

Does it get much easier than that? I didn't think so :)

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Here's the recipe for the chocolate chip bundt cake! It's actually a spin-off on a chocolate-vanilla swirl bundt cake I got from my friend's mom years and years ago. I make this cake all the time! The other day, I was set to make it but I picked up the wrong flavor of cake mix. I had some chocolate chips in the pantry, so substituted here and there and the chocolate chip bundt cake was born! It was delicious...as you can see, the kids approve, even when it's unbaked! :)

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

- 1 box of chocolate cake mix
- 1 small box of instant chocolate pudding
- 1 small container of sour cream (I always used reduced-fat, because this is a low-fat recipe...HA!)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups of water
- 1 cup of chocolate chips (the "mini" ones work really well)
- Powdered sugar for the top (optional)

1. Grease or spray your bundt pan well. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl or mixer, blend first 5 ingredients well.
3. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake about 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. If you see the top getting too done, just cover it with a piece of foil for the remainder of the baking process.
5. When cool, turn cake out onto a plate, dust with powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!!!

Seven on Sunday: Summer Challenge Week 4

I can't believe we are 4 weeks into summer already! The weeks are just flying by! It's been a fun summer so far with much more to come!! We did well with our Summer Challenge this week!

Day 1: Sunday--Today we said goodbye to my dad's house in Fresno--the house where we moved when I was in middle school. Lots of awesome memories in that house but I'll be glad to know my dad has a place that's easier for him to take care of. The kids will miss the pool!!! :(

Day 2: Monday--Today we made a chocolate chip bundt cake. Sooooo yummy! Recipe coming soon :) I thought it was so cute how Will was sharing spoon-licking duties with Sarah. And yes she's wearing a big hair bow and no pants...because that's how we roll in the summer here :)

 

Day 3: Tuesday--We went to Michael's to pick a "craft" for the kids to do. They picked giant coloring posters!

 Day 4: Wednesday--One of the places the kids wanted to go this summer was the Lindsay Wildlife Museum. They LOVED LOVED LOVED it!!! We also had a picnic in the park. Such a fun day!

Day 5: Thursday--Riding bikes and scooters to the little sand park down the street. At 2 years old, Sarah is already a professional scooter rider!

Day 6: Friday--Free Slurpees at 7-11 on 7/11...enough said :)

Day 7: Saturday--My bestie of 30+ years came to visit with her beautiful family. We all had sooooo much fun! The kiddos had a blast playing together and got along so well. Here are our daughters....I love this pic. It's just sheer JOY. Friendship at it's finest :)

 30 year besties!

 

Recipe Wednesday: Chicken Tacos

Happy Hump Day!

I try to do "Taco Tuesday" at my house each week. Which basically means some form of Tex-Mex, chips and salsa and avocado are involved! This is one of our favorite taco recipes!! It's super easy and healthy...and....it utilizes the poached chicken method from last week! I love how simple it is--very few ingredients, so it can be easily whipped up on a busy weeknight (which I have done several times)!

Chicken and Spinach Tacos

2 cups of shredded, poached chicken--click here for the method

1/2 packet low sodium taco seasoning

1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa (fresh is great if you have it--i tend to use just the regular jar salsa)

1 cup of frozen, chopped spinach (thawed)

1/2 cup water

1-2 cups of your favorite cheese (sharp cheddar and pepperjack are our faves)

6 "stand and stuff" taco shells

- Preheat oven to 300. Place taco shells in preheated oven for about 2 minutes or until barely crisp.

- Place shredded chicken, taco seasoning, salsa, spinach and water into a large skillet and simmer until flavors are combined (about 5 minutes).

- Spoon chicken mixture into warm taco shells and top with cheese.

- Place tacos back in the oven for about 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted (if you leave them in too long the bottoms will get soggy). You can also put them under a 450 degree broiler for a minute or so.

Done! You can eat them as-is or top with additional salsa, sour cream or avocado.  I love to serve this along side black beans and chips and salsa! Such an easy, easy meal....especially if you have the poached chicken on hand.

Ole to Taco Tuesday!

Seven on Sunday: Summer Challenge Week 3

It was 4th of July Week!!! Hot weather, yummy food, swimming and friends & family were the themes for the week!

Day 1: Sunday--Sunday was super hot so all the neighborhood kiddos were out riding their bikes at 8pm! (even Sarah came out in her PJs!) My kids LOOOVE these kids! Even more than their school friends! They are so cute!!!

Day 2: Monday--Monday was hot again so of course it was a pool day! So I just discovered these little floatation devices...I swear they didn't have them 3 years ago when Brooke and Will were little! This little device keeps her 100% upright and is Coast Guard approved! She LOOOVES IT!! She just loves the water. Period. No fear.

Day 3: Tuesday--Tuesday we tried out a new homemade ice cream recipe. Huge hit!!! Did you ever know making ice cream could be so exciting??!! Here's the recipe we used for homemade mint chip ice cream: Recipe

Day 4: Wednesday--This was another epic fail day...we had a lot of random stuff going on, but the day ended with Will's football practice. He goes with one of our friends from down the street so the girls entertained themselves for an hour taking selfies.

Day 5: Thursday--Swimming lessons are done! This kid went from a non-swimmer to an "expert" in a matter of a few weeks! So proud of him!! Then it was off to Fresno for the 4th and the Shanks Family Reunion. I still have to master the car selfie,...

 

Day 6: Friday--It was 104, so the pool was pretty much all that was on the agenda. My kids get Coke ("pop") twice a year, 4th of July and Christmas Eve. They enjoyed every sip!!!

 Day 7: Saturday--It was quality Second Cousin time at my dad's! They hated me chasing them around with the camera but someday they'll appreciate it :)

There were lots of other fun pics from the weekend that I'll post next Sunday!!!! Have a great week!

 

July Goals

I meant to post this July 1st but got a little behind. What else is new?? Anyway, we all make New Years resolutions but I've decided to make monthly goals-- which I feel are a little more short term and attainable. I could go crazy but I'm keeping it to five this month:

1) Read. As in, books. I need  to read more than my stupid phone and the iPad. I'm reading one faith-based book and two "just for fun" books:

Love the One You're With: I love Emily Giffin! I used to read all of her books BC (before kids!) when I actually had time to sit down and open a book. It's just fun, sit-by-the-pool reading and sometimes it's just what I need!

Redemption: This author and series came highly recco'ed by a BFF and I can't WAIT to read it! The Amazon description had me hooked. A great, sentimental story about family relationships with a Christian overtone. Sign me up! I immediately ordered this on on Kindle.

Unabridged Christianity: This is my "faith-based" book and it is NOT a sit-by-the-pool romance novel. It's our church's current "book club" book and it takes some thought and reflection. I can only read it in the morning when everyone else in the house is still sleeping and I can completely focus. I've read the first 3 chapters and it's awesome what I am learning about faith!

 2) Drink more water. Sounds weird and easy but I really need to do it. My skin has been so dry these days! I know drinking water will help all-around!

 3) Say "I do" every day. When Scott and I renewed our vows last year, our priest told us that saying "I do" is not just for our wedding day. It should be said every single day as a reminder of the commitment you made and your promise of making it through the day--together-- "for better or for worse." We did it for several months after our vow renewal but have since slacked :)

4) Make sure to spend one-on-one time with Brooke. As Scott says, at 8 1/2, she's half way out of the house! Yes, she'll be going to college at age 17!!! She's growing up so fast and it's important for us to have one-on-one time at least once a month. Last month we went to lunch and it was so nice to spend time with her without any interruptions.

5) Get more organized with dates and birthdays via and old-school paper planner. I've tried to keep my Google calendar up to date but I'm not always on my computer and for me, it's easier to write things down on paper. Here's the planner I'm getting-- Erin Condren Life Planner (only mine won't say "Michelle!" LOL!)

It's perfect for me and my crazy life!

There are my 5 goals for July! Wish me luck!!! What are your goals??