Zucchini Bread

I saw a post on facebook by an old church friend and knew I had to try it. I am desperately willing "Fall" to come sooner than later so why not start with a great Zucchini bread.  (Plus my kids devour it and it has vegetables in it...shhhhh, don't tell them.)

I am also interested in photographing food, so after blog stalking a few foodie people I attempted to get a little more creative with this recipe shoot.

 This chair was my first ever Sunshine Acres find...$3 for the chair, leftover primer and $3 for paint and I am in love. It sits at my desk now all I need to do is make a coordinating cushion.

 Fresh out of the oven...I used wax paper which the original recipe writer used as a tip and it does make clean up a breeze. It may become my new tip for my Fall bread baking.

Everything is always lovely with a pad of butter melting on top. Is it wrong that the kids and I have eating several pieces before it even cooled completely?

Oh and one more thing, I used a 9x9 pan instead of a loaf pan and cut 35min off of the time it needed to bake. With the heat still blazing I figured I could skip heating the house excessively and it worked out great!

If this has gotten you in the mood here is the recipe...

http://aprettylifeinthesuburbs.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-ever-zucchini-bread.html

PS Yes, I totally stole the Zucchini pic idea from her...(wink, wink)

Super Fans

Our many Dbacks games over the past 2yrs have turned our kids into great fans and cheerleaders. This past Sat. morning, before the weather was too unbearable the boys starting shooting some hoops and the girls set up the chairs to cheer them on. I loved it!!! I watched the interactions from inside the house for a while then got my camera because frankly most days they some one is irritating some one else and this was a beautiful sight to see.

Beth Moore simulcast!

Hey everyone, we are hosting the Beth Moorse simulcast on Sept 10th!!! If you want to hear one of the most inspiring Christian speakers of our time visit our website and sign up today!!!

rmcchurch.org

Caught up

I have just spent about 30 min getting sucked in to blogs with families who have adopted. Some across oceans and some through foster care. It is sometimes so great to read about peoples lives and seeing they are not any different than our family. One of the mom's talked about not being able to stay on top of laundry and dishes...is she writing about my life. Another wrote a post about the idea of buying the "big van"...you know the one that seats like 12. She was so excited about the possibility of her kids not fighting as they climb over each other in her mini van. I had to laugh at that one because even in a suburban we get the "Hey, he got in before me...that's not fair!" or "I beat YOU getting buckled...hahah!" or "Do I really have to lift the seat to let the little ones out?". Ahhhhhh, yup, that's my life in a nut shell.

I find so much comfort reading about people who have made similar choices to ours and how we are seems to struggle with the same day in , day out stuff. But these moms, these woman, also provide me with wisdom for those 'future' conversations that are bound to come some day. Like, "why is my skin dark?", "How come I don't look like you?", and  "Why did my tummy mommy use drugs instead of taking care of me?". We have been fortunate, if you want to think of it that way, to not be bombarded with these types of questions yet, but they ARE going to come. And I pray...HARD...that I have the answers that God wants me to give, but that will also help them each understand more the love God had for them to rescue each of them.

But for now, I find this adorable girlie, playing in the window next to my laptop while I was reading those blogs and had to capture her smile. She is all 2 that is for sure, and makes me want to pull my hair out some days, but she is also so sweet and goofy and I love that part too.

What a gift she is...

Profound

We all have those moments in life that change our life or thinking dramatically. For most of us, myself included my wedding day, birth of my children and adoption day are all part of those types of moments. But there is another...one that happened 20yrs ago today.

I remember this day almost too much...the details are forever etched in my mind. I had been babysitting for a teacher friend of my mom's and had spent the night since it was easier for the mom whose husband happened to be out of town that weekend. I remember being woken with a startle from the phone ringing a little too early for my 14yr old brain. It was my mom...not sure what the lady said to me but I remember her loading up her young kids and flying me to my house. One image I can see as clear as that day was when my mom opened the front door when I got home. She was hysterical. She was bent over in agony...my grandpa had died.

Everything is a blur until we arrived at my grandparents house. I am not even sure how much time had passed but his body was still there, in the middle of the floor. I remember forming a circle with my grandma, parents and other aunts and uncles, I think, and we prayed around him. I was completely numb. I was is total shock. As a parent now I am not sure I would have let my children participate in being at the house before his body was taken but I am also so very thankful that I was. It is a strange place to be thinking about those events as an adult but seeing it all through my teenage eyes and emotions. It was such a big loss for all of us, but for my brother and I it seemed too much. We lived the closest to them and it seemed like we were there every weekend. (which of course we weren't but we loved going there as much as we could)

The next few days are a blur...the funeral was beautiful and I, along with several of the older cousins we asked to be pall bearers. Again, a great honor and such a heavy thing to absorb. I know I tried out for the freshman volleyball team and the coach was one of my favorites and although I was not very good, she knew even more that I NEEDED to be on this team at this point in my life and I could not be more thankful to her.

I can still hear my grandpa playing Phantom of the Opera on his organ in the early morning hours to wake me up when I spent the night. I cannot hear that song without memories flooding my mind. My sadness today is that my husband never got a chance to meet him...they would have been great, great friends...they are so much alike. I am a better person today because of the love and relationship I had with my grandpa for 14 yrs.

I miss you...almost every day.

PS: I totally have a Pepsi addiction because of him too! It was his favorite drink and I honor him almost daily with a can...hahahahha!!!

She is...

...everything lovely. Love you Hannah Banana

Grilled Chicken with Fondito Sauce

I have had to change some of what I cook based on some newly discovered food allergies in the house. We are having to significantly limit our wheat, oat, and rice intake. I never realized just how much carboholics we were in this family. I went online to try and find a recipe for a fondito sauce because when we got out for mexican Shane loves places with this sour cream cheese sauce. It is very, very easy...and in the heat of the summer I enjoy keep my kitchen cool and using the grill

First I cut a red onion, red and green bell peppers. I saute them in a pan  until they are a little soft but still have a bit of crisp in the center. While I am sauteing the vegetables, Shane is out cooking the chicken breasts on the grill. When they are done I put the vegetables in a pan, layer the grilled breast on top and then cover it all in the fondito sauce. Since I hate heating my kitchen with the oven, we put the pan out on the hot grill until the sauce and cheese is bubbling. Add some black beans and yummy!!!

It is a great meal and makes for even better leftovers. I recently made this meal again and used thin cut breast which I actually liked better. The kids found it much easier to eat and of course they cook a while lot quicker so when you have rug rats pulling on your shorts about how hungry they are it is a great way to speed the meal up.

Fonditio Sauce
4oz of cream cheese (I actually use low fat to help the calories)
4oz of sour cream (again, low fat)
1 small can of diced green chilies (or jalapenos for the love of some heat!)
Sprinkle of garlic salt

Mix ingredient together. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover with Colby Jack cheese!!! Simple and so good!

Outward profession of inward faith...

Our church had their annual swim party and baptism at Shepherd pool. This time Jacob and Samantha both decided to be baptized.  We have talked with them several times over the past couple of years about getting baptized but waited for God to put the desire in their hearts...and this was the time. They both were excited to make this very public profession of their faith. It was a blessing to Shane and I as we have been watching them make their faith in God real. I have seen so much growth in both of their hearts and am assured that they are seeking and following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Shane was able to assist in the baptism which was equally honoring for us.

Family Fun Night

Straight

I have been totally uninspired these days when in comes to Hannah's hair...maybe it is the heat...maybe just what happens when hair becomes your hobby. After talking with my gorgeous sister in law over the weekend I thought I would like to try to a straight look for the first time. She offered me her straightening comb and armed with my flat iron I got busy...

First...washed, detangled and ultra moisturized. Got to tame those curls...

Then I began to section out the hair. After watching a Youtube video I knew I needed to blow dry first, then begin to straighten.

First section blow dried, and straightened with the comb. It was after this that I realized I needed both my flat iron and straightening comb.

Whole back half done. At this point I was really happy with how it was turning out but as time began to move on the hair began to shrink up and some of the curl started coming back.

The final product...she is happy but this mama is not. Sooooo, I will have to do a bit more research and find out what I am doing wrong, or maybe her curls just won't ever be straight.

After I took this picture I pulled it into two puff balls and she looked pretty cute. I will say one thing her hair is super soft right now! It feels great even though it may not be the desired look I was going for.

2nd and 4th grade!!!

Today our big kids went back to school. Samantha started 2nd grade and Jacob 4th. One was way more excited to go back than the other...(it was Samantha). She has a desire to learn, learn and learn some more. Jacob has a great teacher this year I know he will have tons of success and grow in confidence. Oh, and my feet were doing a happy dance.

Our Pre-kindergarteners start after Labor Day...

Hotdog?

I was changing my nephew's diaper and Leah came over to me and asked...

"Mom, that a hotdog in dy-per?

I almost died laughing...

"No honey, that is not a hotdog is his diaper."

A 10yr old's birthday party

Birthday celebration at Chase Field

We were lucky enough to have the Dbacks home on Jacob's birthday so we invited two friends and have a BLAST!!! Those boys were goofy and full of energy...and although we didn't win we screamed "BEAT LA" as loud as we could. The crowd was electric which just made the birthday celebration even more fun.