***Summer Freebie Favs***

Each summer, I look forward to some freebies.  Here's what's happening so far:

I L-O-V-E Shakespeare in the park (though I don't have quite the same feeling for the mosquitoes).  It's free.  You can show up when you want.  You can donate the amount you choose.  Even if the acting isn't always top-notch, it's still a fun night under the stars with a cool outdoor amphitheater :)

The Bible.is app.  Love it!  There are many different versions of the Bible, all easy to find.  I play the KJV with drama for my girls when I put them to bed.  Each voice is different and sound effects, such as streams and nature other nature sounds, go along with the exact words of the Bible.  Lovely asks each night if I'll play it for them and asks that it be as close as possible to their bed so she can hear it better.

Summer Reading Club at the local libraries.  Free.  Inspires your kids to read.  Free drawings.  Free coupons.  (Ok, I love the coupons).  This summer, the prizes don't look quite as exciting, but they're still cool and my girls love the libraries!  I go to two different ones, actually, so they get plenty of reading done.  I was super excited to hear Lovely reading (w/ hardly any pauses!) to her sister in the car...sweet. 

So what are your favorite freebie?

Meal Planning Monday

Eeek...another post without pics   Just a quick update so I can stay organized and perhaps share some inspiration for your upcoming meals.

Monday:  Asian Glazed Drumsticks, side salad, Baked Seasoned Fries w/ Skinny Garlic Aioli

Tuesday:  Asian Turkey Meatballs w/ Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce, Brown Fried Rice

Wednesday:  Possibly leftovers.  Otherwise, Cilantro Lime Shrimp, baked lemon-peppper asparagus, corn-on-the-cob

Thursday:  Definitely time for leftovers.

Friday:  Searching for inspiration.  I'm going to have to dig through my freezer, so I'm still thinking. 

*Note:  On any night, we made have smoothies to boot.  I've been addicted to strawberry-blueberry smoothies lately.  Lastnight, I added watermelon, but I wasn't as hip--but I think that was because I used more Greek yogurt.  I'm still a bigger fan of traditional, low-fat yogurt, but please, whatever smoothie recipe you may have, please share!  Here's mine:

Strawberry-Blueberry Iced Smoothie

10-15 strawberries

2 handfulls of blueberries

1/2 lrge container low-fat vanilla yogurt

1/4 C granulated sugar

Sometimes a dash of lowfat milk

All the ice I can fit in the blender

Obviously, I don't like measuring, so adjust where you see fit.  First puree the berries, next, mix in the sugar and yogurt.  Last, add the ice and crush thoroughly.  Add a dash of Reddi-whip to each glass if you feel daring.  Makes 4-5 12 oz. glasses.  Add a colorful straw for treat. 

So what's in your fridge this week?

A Bit of a Repreive...or Work

I know I haven't finished my vacation posts, but the calendar was finally forced in front of my face and I realized:  I have a culminating project (in order to receive my MA degree) due Aug. 1.  However, I still need to make time for revising, etc. and reading turnaround time with my advisor. Long story short:  I probably won't be posting for a few days.  So, sorry for the lack of pics, but this is what's been going on in my life:

1.  Made a guinea pig cage.  Bought gp supplies.  Realized gp can get kinda pricey.
2.  Adopted a gp from a gp rescue lady.
3.  Noticed a green/black mark on my wrist from my watch--perhaps I'm lacking in iron? 
4.  Switched out the shower curtain--I read somewhere that plastic ones are made with materials (obesogens) that leak out during steamy showers and can add to cellulite/weight gain.  No wait, that was on Dr. Oz.  Silly me.  Well, it looks nice anyway.
5.  Took Lovely to Strings in June, a 4-day, 1.5 hrs per day plus a concert, orchestra workshop.  Laughed at Lovely's fake/pre-performance at home.
6.  Signed Lovely up for violin lessons.  She better like it!
7.  Attempted to pick-up my teaching materials for next fall only to find out they weren't in yet, but I got to laugh at Lovely as she ran/sashayed down the college halls.  Have I ever mentioned she runs like Phoebe off of Friends?  She's not that bad anymore, but well...there's still a resemblance.
8.  I found Lovely, fully clothed, taking a bath...in our bathroom sink the other day.  She claimed, "I never took a bath before!"  Hmmm.

Ok, off to write now...

Ever Have One of THOSE Vacations? Pt. 1

See the bag?  Pay attention; it plays an integral role in this story.

So we took Sunday and Monday for a "let's celebrate being finished with school (Mama included) vacation day.  We got up early, ate breakfast, made great time, and arrived on-time at our destination.  Our room wasn't ready yet, so S decided to find the nearby Bass Pro Shop, which I was fine with, because it's within a big mall.  Well, it used to be.

We arrived to find Bass Pro, with no doors leading to the mall, and once I found my way into the mall, there were only 4 stores left, one of which was closing.  Yay.  At least we found 10 for $10 at Claire's and the girls (Ok, it was really me) went crazy. 

As we were finishing up, Snugglebug started complaining of a headache.  I gave her Children's Tylenol and prayed for her, but she still was acting funny.  As we were walking to the next store, she began crying...like major crying, crying she hasn't done in years.  However, S was in another store and wasn't answering his phone, so I had to bide my time. Finally, we were able to leave, but we stopped at a Perkins to eat something fast (and cheap) before going back to our room (they called about 30 mins after we drove away to say the room was ready).  We shouldn't have stopped.

Right as the food was delivered to our table....bluck.  You guessed it:  Snugglebug got sick.  Ick.  We left and headed back to our room, already deciding we would take turns taking Lovely out to play in the water while the other watched Snugglebug.

We got to our room and I began to get unpacked.  I grabbed our swimming suits and--no wait.  I didn't grab our swimming suits.  Hmm.  Where did that black bag go?

Honey, did you bring in everything from the car?  You did?  EVERYTHING?  Did you forget to pack the black bag?  You know, the one with the swimming suits?  No, I didn't pack it.  Ummm... 

Over two hours.  That's how long it took me to drive back from our room all the way home again, by myself while S stayed with a grumpy Lovely and a sick Snugglebug.  Where was the bag?  Remember that picture above?  It was right there, in front of my closet.  My bad.  Two hours:  that's what it took to get back to the hotel.  The water park closed at 10 p.m., I got there at 9:54.  Lovely only cried for...a while. 

Now, you ask, why did I have to drive ALL the way home again?  Well, I'm not the kinda gal who can just go to the nearest store and get a swim suit (as I'm sure many of you aren't, for various reasons).  I'm extremely modest, so I have the swim suit, a swim dress cover-up, and a swim skirt that I sewed from a pair of men's swim trunks.  Yes, I wear all that and I'm quite pleased with the results.  Then, I would still have to find swimming suits for the girls and S.  Not an easy task on a Sunday night at 5:30 p.m. (with stores closing at 6 p.m.).  Sigh.  Oh well, at least I got a good dosing of lotion while rifling through my purse for the car keys--my lotion's lid came off somewhere on the trip and doused the contents of my purse. 

First lesson learned on vacation:  I would make a pretty good truck driver, if only I had a sense of direction.   Thankfully, my GPS got me home again, even though it freaked me out when it told me to cross a river on "ferry street."  (Previously, it directed us to non-existent ferries, which developed into a fear of ferry directions.)  At least I was able to laugh!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp & a Smoothie

Doesn't this look yummy?  From Gina's recipes, as usual.  I didn't have scallions, but I added chives.  It's flavor wasn't overwhelming, and it could have actually used a little more curry paste, I think.  To testify to the flavor:  S came home and said, "You know, you just have to be in a mood for some foods."  Well, I guilted him into eating it and before you know it, he said, "Wow.  I was more in the mood for shrimp than I thought."  Lovely had to be controlled because she wanted to keep eating it, but Snugglebug doesn't like shrimp. 

I made this over risotto, but I could have used regular white/long grain rice. 

After the Thai shrimp, I used the leftover coconut milk to make cherry-strawberry-banana smoothies.  Yumm! (and yes, that's a dash of RediWhip on the top!)

What have you been whipping up lately?

Let's Take a Hike

The other day, S decided to go on a difficult hike to one of his hunting spots.  Since the girls and I were told we "couldn't handle it," I offered to take them to the local state park to go on our own hike.  Won't you join us?  We're taking Trail 2, which is only 1.4 miles and defined as "moderate," so it shouldn't be too much for all of us to handle!

Watch out!  A very nice buck just jumped out in front of us before we even get on the trail.  It has a nice "spread" as S would say, in beautiful velvet.  Next, the bushes crackle and shake as Lovely spots a white bunny. Whew! The heat is a little much, but I think we can keep going.  Let's stop first and get a drink.

Look!  A box turtle!  Isn't it cute?  Lovely, quit holding it!









Lovely, I said let it go.  I know you don't want it to leave, but it doesn't look too fond of you right now...











One doe and many spiderwebs later, we find a water fountain.  Quit splashing!  On second thought...Keep splashing!  Mama is hot, too!  (no call for jokes on that one, please!) 

Lovely, is that going right up your nose?  And Snugglebug, are you dancing again? 

Ok, we'll end this hike with a sweet pic of the girls.  Aren't you exhausted?  I know I am!

Local Events: Schimpff's Confectionary 120 Year Birthday Party and Jeff Fest

Heads up for all you candy and old-time candy store fans!  This Sat., June 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Schimpff's Confectionery will be hosting its 120 yr birthday celebration!  They'll provide cake, Cokes, candy, ice cream, and giveaways.  There will also be a huge bouncy for kids and several types of candies for sampling.  For those looking for super savings, there will be a 12% discount on in-store purchases to celebrate 12 decades of business, and their famous Red Hots will have the original 1891 price:  2 cents/.25 lb with a min. purchase of $2.50. 

Schimpff's has remained at the original location of 347 Spring Street in downtown Jeffersonville (right across the river from downtown Louisville) and is now owned by the 4th generation, Warren Schimpff and his wife, Jill.  It is more than just a candy store; there's a 1950s soda fountain and lunchroom, a candy museum, and candy demo tours are given regularly. 

On the same day, Jeffersonville is hosting its annual Jeffersonville Entire Family Fun Fest (Jeff Fest) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  There will be free inflatables, free pony rides, free face painting, an art show, a plant sale, and more.  The Jeff Trolley will be running people between events as areas of downtown will be blocked off. 

Be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  They're calling for 90 degrees with a 40% change for scattered thunderstorms. 

Monday Meal Planning...on Tuesday

The sweetness of summer....this mouth-watering bowl of fruit is about to be turned into a smoothie...

Here is my version of Gina's Baby Past Shells with Asparagus and Marinara: 

I used rotini shells because I wanted something fun and whole grain...the baby shells at Kroger were all white pasta.  I also added 1/3 lb. lean hamburger meat for the predator in my husband.  And...I'll admit, I didn't remember my grocery list, so I forgot the crushed tomatoes to make my own sauce, so I had to turn to Ragu...sorry :*-(

It still turned out very good and S had two huge helpings.  Additionally, I made garlic bread for a side.  I'll be putting this recipe in my "keeper" folder!

This week's meal plan (thanks, Allison, for the idea!):

Monday:  Chicken Parmigiana, without the crunchy coating but with Angel Hair Pasta, green beans  

Tuesday:  Pasta Marinara with Asparagus, garlic bread, fruit smoothie for dessert

Wednesday:  Venison Tacos, refried beans, Spanish Rice

Thursday:  Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp, rice, steamed veggies

Friday:  Most likely leftoevers.

Sat. & Sun:  We are usually bad and eat what's left in the fridge, grill, or eat out.  We'll see what this week holds! 

I'm currently working on a Meal Plan Planner.  I'm TERRIBLE at planning ahead (at least for food, that is), so I'm really looking for something that works.  I've adapted a worksheet from a couple different sources, adding my own spin on it, and so far, it's worked this week.  Except the part about forgetting it at home when I went to the grocery store--it also serves as my grocery list.  I'll put a downloadable copy on here as soon as I get it finished, or almost-finished-still-tweaking. 

So, what's your game plan this week?

Lovely's Last Day of Kindergarten

The above pic was taken in my bargain Strausburg dress from Dillards...but I seriously think the kid makes the dress ;-)

Above is the first day of Kindergarten.  That same skirt is now way above her knees.  I'm claiming it's dryer shrinkage, 'cause my girl isn't growing THAT quickly...right?

This is the last day of Kindergarten.  She is turning into such a little lady (even though she may not sit like one).  Overall, I've been extremely happy with her school.  Her teacher is probably the best teacher I've ever seen (and I used to substitute teach); Lovely knows so much more than when I enrolled her, even though I had already gone through Abeka Kindergarten with her. 

Lovely opened her envelope packet (for summer work) after school on Monday, breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and exclaimed, "Yeesss!  I get to go to 1st grade!" (Her teacher had told the class that if the packet was yellow, they had to stay in Kindergarten.  If it was green, they could move to 1st grade.)  So....yay! to neon-green summer work packets! First grade, here we come!!  And...um...Kindergarten all over again since Snugglebug will be in it!

Prankster Dad

I just happened upon this Yahoo article and clicked to visit the blog.  If you haven't seen it, go there for a few chuckles...

http://waveatthebus.blogspot.com/

Wonderlab in Bloomington, Indiana

Back in April, Lovely's teacher used a Target grant to take the class to Wonderlab in Bloomington.  It is a pretty cool science museum for younger kids, complete with a 2-story climbing vine for the kids to crawl up.  There were bubbles to form, water to splash, water critters to observe, heat to understand, and demonstrations by Wonderlab staff to help kids understand solids vs. liquids. 

The water station was pretty cool as the plastic balls popped up through a water machine as the kids played. 

Below is Lovely's impression in one of those push-the-plastic sticks-to-form-a-design-thing.  (Don't you love my creative name for it?)

 

If it wasn't for the 2 hr drive, I would love to go back...but 2 hrs there & 2 hrs back...You really need to have other things to do there and make it a couple-day trip. 

So where will you be traveling this summer?

Catching Up on Birthdays: Smokin' Shrimp, Ice Cream, Frogs and Butterflies

Ok, I know my birthday and Snugglebug's birthday was a couple months ago, but remember, my computer imploded right when I was going to blog about them! 

For my birthday, Hubs (hereafter known as S) & I tried Eddie Merlot's near 4th Street Live in Louisville.  (They are also in Columbus, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Ft. Wayne.)  We arrived early, so after paying $5 for valet parking (what I considered a steal), we walked around, waiting for our reservation time.  Lesson learned:  I am too old for 4th Street Live.  I am not a fan of loud music or smoking in general, so S & I walked quickly and were still a little early for our reservation.

I scheduled our dinner for their all-you-can-eat lobster special, a special each year on Fridays that includes salad and new potatoes for $39.99 per person.  The restaurant is a little pretentious, but the wait staff is pretty friendly.  I was a little disappointed that no birthday special was offered, other than the waiter's joke about singing clowns coming out to greet me.

We ordered Eddie's Smokin' Shrimp Cocktail for an appetizer, consisting of four shrimp, each the size of half of my hand and super yummy.

Next, we ate lobster...I had 2.5 and S had 3.  I only ordered the third because S pressured me into it...shame, shame...All were good, but the first was a little overcooked.  The second lobster was the best.  The waiter said they had gone through 500 lobsters the previous Friday night.

Last, I ordered an apple and peach dessert with ice cream, which was too sweet for my taste.  I should have ordered the coffee S ordered; it came with brown sugar cubes, shaved chocolate, fresh cream, cinnamon sticks, milk, and I forget what else. 

Overall, I enjoyed the experience and our dinner, but I think I enjoy the Melting Pot even more--I'm looking forward to our anniversary in August!  Rating for this restaurant:  A- (due to price)

Below are the cupcakes I made for Snugglebug's b-day.  They were mini strawberry and chocolate cupcakes decorated like frogs and butterflies, or "blutterflies" as Snugglebug says.  Thankfully, the frogs didn't mistake the butterflies for everyday houseflies, who knows what would have happened!

Here's what I did:

Frogs: cream cheese icing, marshmallows for the eyes (cut into 4ths), M&Ms for the iris/pupils, and fruit roll-up for the tongues.

Butterflies:  Cream cheese icing for the base, purple prepared icing for the body, M&Ms for the head, licorice for the antennae, and pretzels for the wings.

Review: Louisville Nature Center

I went on another field trip with Lovely last week, to the Louisville Nature Center.  I didn't even know it exhisted, but sure enough, it's located right around the corner from the Louisville Zoo.

The class was divided into four groups that took turns hiking a shortened version of a trail, meeting insects, and playing peeping toms with birds.  Here's one of the many critters that I didn't touch:

I learned millipedes are OK to touch, but stay away from those nasty biting centipedes...someone better restrain me...NOTE:  the hands above are the guide's hands.  I didn't want the millipede to "get nervous" on me.

Below is Lovely playing with her pet snail.  For some reason, it looked like it was breaking free from its shell just to get closer to her--maybe she smelled good...or bad...

After the critters, we snuck up on the birds and learned about cardinals (what the guide referred to as our state bird, but she meant Kentucky's state bird--good thing both states have the same state bird--talk about copycapts!), nut hatches, blue jays, chipmunks, finches, and a lot more...

Last, we went hiking.  Honestly, I was glad it was the shortened version of the trail.  We ventured through the mud and muck, but I didn't mind too much--I wore my old tennies.  Anyone visiting can hike in the 41-acre Bear Creek State Nature Preserve.  They only have 2+ miles of hiking trails, but it is pretty hiking.  They also offer other education programs, party/event room rental, and summer camps with camp scholarships. 

Considering the drive (I live a bit far to visit too often), I probably won't be back anytime soon, but if you are in the area, it's a nice place to check out!

Score! At Tickled Pink

I finally made the journey to Tickled Pink in Louisville yesterday.  Let me just say...I'm in love... 

Below are a few samples found in one of the many rooms of the store, which is basically an old house filled with goodies in the basement and on the 1st & 2nd floors.  I ran out of time to shop and didn't have a chance to look out in their loaded garage--drats!  I just drove past it as I was leaving and drooled...

Don't try to go to their website--you won't find one.  They have been in business for years and years, but they don't like to take pictures of their stuff because they claim 90% of it will be gone within a week.  Next on my list:  go to the owner's sister's store in Ireland, Indiana, 4 miles west of Jasper--where there is more furniture :D

They are priced to sell...and I was in a mood to buy (but not too much, of course)!

I'd invest in more glassware, if only I had a place to store it (sigh). 

 

This is what I actually bought:  a book for me, a book for the girls, a handy-dandy blue plastic case with brass latches, an embroidered handkerchief (to sop up the drool as I drove away), and a vintage apron (I LOVE vintage aprons--have I mentioned how much I love vintage aprons?)

I haven't decided what to do with the case yet, but I'm sure I'll find something since it was a whopping $0.94.  I'm thinking of decorating something with the "M"--or framing it somehow. 

I also bought Courier & Ives framing prints from 1961.  I just loved the color, and I figure I'll find something to do with them since I got all 12 months for $3.95. 

So, who wants to go shopping with me next week?