Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips {recipe}

Dylan loves to help out in the kitchen. (Maybe he might be the next Bobby Flay!) This week he grabbed my recipe book, flipped through it and decided he wanted to make Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips. While we didn't have the exact ingredients, we adapted and made it with what we had on hand. You can click {here} for the original recipe, follow our recipe or just use what you have in your kitchen. It is a super versatile recipe!


Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips
{Serves 4}
1 Granny Smith apple, diced small
1 handful of fresh blueberries, whole
2 cups whole strawberries, diced small
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons blackberry preserves

2 burrito size flour tortillas
Cooking spray

Mix apple, blueberries, strawberries, both sugars and preserves in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Cut tortillas into triangles (I use a pizza cutter - it makes it super easy!). Cover a baking sheet with foil (for fast clean up) and arrange triangles in a single layer. Spray triangles with a light layer of cooking spray then immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (aka: Gigi's Secret Ingredient).

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes.

Serve together as an appetizer, sweet snack or yummy unique dessert!

*Gigi's Secret Ingredient is just cinnamon sugar. ;)

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Weekend Wrap-Up

Saturday morning we headed to another birthday party for one of Payton's friends.
It was a gymnastics party held at Let It Shine Gymnastics.
I didn't realize that it was a Christian owned place until I saw this HUGE sign.
"Let your light so shine . . .  Matthew 5:16" Cool, right?
~
Hummmm didn't she look like this LAST weekend? Guess the party was fun. LOL!
When we got home Papa and Sasha showed up (last minute trip) and we headed out to eat at Moe's. {Welcome to Moe's!} It was the first time that I had the kids eat at their own table. That lasted for about 5 minutes and they were climbing up in our table. Oh well, it was worth a shot!
Payton was having issues eating her yogurt at Sweet Cece's.
Dylan mowed thru his!
And Rylan was too busy climbing a pole (with Papa's help).
The kids slumber partied in our room and I snapped a photo of them sleeping in the morning.
I was laughing at Dylan all bundled up, covered up and partly under my bed.
Until I walked out into the living room and realized he was there hanging out with Papa, Sasha & daddy. That pile was just his stuff. LOL!
~
Watching Parent Trap (The original) with Papa.
Thanks Papa & Sasha for spending the weekend with us, we had a blast!

Friday, July 25, 2014

Super Busy Week Part II

Thursday morning, I hadn't heard or seen Ry for a few minutes. I figured that I should go and find out what he was into.
He had gotten out a maze book and a box of coloring stuff.
He knew he had gotten into a no-no but how can you be mad at a face like that? Plus he was coloring so nicely and being quiet.
He's so cute!
Back at the pool for a bit!
My favorite go-to Circulon pan that we got when we were first married (over 12 years ago), it's non-stick lining was coming off. It had a limited lifetime warranty so I sent it in and they shipped me out a new Rachael Ray pan. Score!
We played a round of Battleship (P and me vs. D).
Football & Cheer practice time. I LOVE this picture.
I am trying out different ways to do Payton's hair, and am loving it!
"Put me in coach!"
Late night nuggles (aka: snuggles) and giggles with Little Man.
Finally, 9 weeks into summer the kids FINALLY slept in!
Dylan was usually up by 6:15am and Payton and Rylan by 6:45am. So to have them sleep in until 8am was pure bliss!
~
The made mugs for daddy.
And Ry, for the first time, all on his own, brought me a flower saying, "Momma, here's a flower for you!"
My heart melted into a puddle right then and there.
~
Kiddie pool time.
We made Seven Layer Magic Bars. (Why are they called 7 layer when there is only 6 layers?)
And Dylan's portion is missing a layer because he doesn't like coconut. #crazykid #whodoesn'tlikecoconut?
~
Another hot air balloon!
Water break at football.
Reading Ry's favorite dinosaur book during practice.
I love man in uniform.
Ry is taking after his daddy. Chris is strong and can carry a ton of things at one time. I tell people all the time that I married a packmule. So introducing Packmule Jr.
We survived this super crazy busy week! 2 pool days, 1 evening volunteering at football, 4 football practices, 4 taekwondo practices, and 2 cheer practices. Whew! And next week is almost the same . . .

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Super Busy Week (and it's only Wednesday!)

Aren't my parents so cute? It made my (Monday) morning, getting this text from them.
I love them.
Life is rough I tell ya.
We lunched by the pool.
And played in the pool.
And I got booger-y kiss from Ry Guy.
And we layed out a bit.
Some friends showed up at the pool and the boys (plus Payton and Rylan) were having a blast.
Everyone took turns belly flopping. Even Rylan!
I made a double batch of Meatball Nirvana for dinner and froze half for another time.
And if Monday wasn't busy enough, Dylan started football in the evening.
Tuesday was errand day. We finally made it to Toys-R-Us so Payton could spend her birthday money.
And since we were by daddy's office, he met us for lunch.
Ry was there too - just being uncooperative under the table.
Then it was to Costco with my crazies. (They LOVE going when it's sample time - but then don't we all?)
At Aldi's (we had a LOT of errands to do!) Dylan went missing and I found him in the big bean bag display box.
As soon as we got home Payton put on her new Tangled dress and crown she has just purchased at Toys-R-Us.
Them it was off to football & cheer practice!
Ry was a good sport sitting in his stroller, walking back and forth between watching Payton and Dylan.
I guess we've had a busy week because look who I found crashed out on the couch (and ottoman) Wednesday morning?!?!
We hung out at home for most of the morning then headed to the Farmers Market.
Payton bought this cute ring.
On the way home we stopped to get a snowcone. And I got to post this on a local Facebook community page.
The owner of Snoballs (a food truck that sells snowcones) is an older gentleman (with the sweetest smile) who's wife passed away a couple of weeks ago. Not only is THAT hard enough to deal with, but she also accrued a bunch of medical bills at the end. The community has rallied around him to help support his business and in turn support him.
I really love this community, it's like one big family!