Tomorrow is Dr. Seuss's Birthday!! Check out how we celebrate.

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday! Dr. Seuss has always been a man that I admire for his fun writing and humor. How could anyone not admire a man that created so much inspiration in children and instilled a love of reading in them?
Dr. Seuss's birthday is also recognized as Read Across America Day. Many elementary schools participate in this as a week long event. It's so much fun for the kids, and again, it really reinforces the importance of reading for pleasure.
While I'm still deciding what to do tomorrow, here is how we celebrated last year:
I started the day by making Green Eggs and Ham for my kiddos.

My boys spent the afternoon at their grandmother's house, so I became inspired and decided to surprise them by  throwing a mini birthday party for Dr. Seuss!!
While they were gone, I got busy making our celebration dinner (as colorful as I could, just like a Dr. Seuss book!) and cupcakes. I printed out Seuss games, coloring pages and activities.
When they got home, we read Seuss books and watched Horton Hears a Who. Then we had our little birthday party. Here is what we ended up with.

Dairy Free Mac & "Cheese"

Ah, Monday, we meet again. All of last week I was planning on posting this recipe and I just never got around to it. It seemed that this blog and myself were at odds last week. On that note, my kitchen stayed relatively clean and my laundry backlog is less than usual.
Recently I posted about how my daughter and I have started the journey into a dairy free lifestyle. You can read about that here if you missed it.
One of the struggles of having a two year old that is dairy free is that two year olds love cheese. Seriously. Tot-friendly foods like grilled cheese, quesadilla's and macaroni & cheese really cannot cease to exist in the life of a two year old. So what's a mama to do? Well, make those tot-friendly foods of course!
I decided to make some Mac & "Cheese" for my Little Lady, and didn't feel like getting caught up for hours browsing recipes on the internet, so I just made my own version. I mostly eyeballed it as I went, but the following recipe worked well for me.

Ingredients:
1 c. Elbow Noodles
1 Tb. Earth Balance Butter Substitute (I used the whipped spread, but there are several variations of Earth Balance that would all probably work equally as well.)
1/4 c. Almond Breeze Original
3/4 c. Daiya Cheddar Shreds

Directions:
In pot, bring water to boil. (No set amount, I just eyeballed this. Dash of salt if desired.)
Add 1 cup  elbow noodles to the boiling water.
Once noodles are soft, drain the water.
Add 1 Tb. of  Earth Balance spread and 1/4 cup almond milk. Stir.
Add 3/4 cup of Daiya cheese shreds. Stir until mixed well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and Enjoy!!!
Photograph your happy tot.

 Do you have a favorite Dairy Free recipe?

*********************************************************************

 Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there! 
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? 
Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna! 
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Going Dairy Free~ A Lifestyle Change Experiment

Back in November I was out with girlfriends to see part 2 of Breaking Dawn. I met a mother who also had a special needs child (though hers is quite older than mine.) She mentioned how her daughter becomes non-verbal when she eats meat. Then another lady there chimed in and said that she's heard that if a person seems "addicted" to any specific type of food, that they could actually be very sensitive to it. And I thought to myself "Hmmmm... Little Lady is pretty hooked on milk. Like, REALLY hooked on milk." After that night, I mostly forgot all about it.
Early in December, I stumbled across some information that made me consider it again. I'm not 100% sure what I started researching (probably the term "developmental delay") and I found something regarding dairy being a contributing factor to delays in some children. Again, I gave thought to my Little Lady's ultra-love for milk.
Further research triggered an experimental lifestyle change. She was going Dairy Free, and so was I.
(The males in this household aren't on board with making the change themselves, however, they are consuming less dairy as a result of the cooking changes I've made. Baby steps.)
I realized that December is a very challenging time to make any type of dietary changes so I gave us that month to use as our "phase out" time. During those four weeks, we worked on the elimination of dairy and dairy by-products in our diets.
Within a week of starting this change, my daughter propelled herself forward in her gait trainer for the first time ever!

She's still working on the movement in the gait trainer, but I feel that after she gets new braces she'll improve even more! Also, her vocalization has increased, as well as her floor movement (she rolls from room to room regularly now!). Her struggle with constipation has improved considerably as well.
This has been a learning curve. Dairy, and dairy derivatives are in A LOT of food. Especially processed foods, or restaurant foods. Even "non-dairy creamer" has dairy derivatives in it (casein).
After we have mastered the dairy free diet, I'm hoping to move us into a gluten free lifestyle as well. But one big change at a time.
To read some of the findings on why dairy is no good, check this out. And this. And this. Here is an interesting article.
The change has been much less challenging than I was anticipating. She drinks almond milk now instead of cow milk (so do I). One day I made her some dairy free creamy potato soup. I've also made dairy free blueberry muffins, dairy free pancakes and dairy free mac & cheese. I found a relatively nearby health food store that has many dairy free and/or vegan options.
I'm looking forward to sharing our new adventure with you.
If you have any special dietary lifestyle choices (dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, etc.) I'd love to know what they are & why you chose to take that route.

*********************************************************************

 Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there! 
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? 
Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna! 
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Complete, hearty meal for only 93¢ a person

If you're anything like me, you're always on the lookout for ways to feed your family a meal of substance, while still staying on a budget. Today I am going to share with you a meal that everyone in my family enjoys (really, everyone!) that is balanced and inexpensive. And super easy to make as well!
The approximate breakdown of this specific meal was about 93¢ per person. Now THAT'S what I call a Dollar Menu!
Ingredients:
Potatoes (98¢ per bag at Fresh & Easy)
Smoked Sausage or Kielbasa (I used two packages of John Morrell Smoked Sausage. 99¢ at the 99¢ Only Store)
Biscuits (Store Brand. 89¢ at local grocery store.)
Green Beans (Canned. Store Brand. 79¢ at local grocery store.)
Total for meal= $4.64
This fed a family of 2 adults and 3 children with some leftover. Often when I prepare this meal, I will add onion or bell peppers to the pan as well for added flavor with minimum cost.

Start by cutting up your potatoes and sausage. Put in a pan with a small amount of oil (your choice) and whatever seasonings or spices you wish to use from your pantry. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until potatoes are cooked through.

Warm your green beans and biscuits according to directions.

Serve and enjoy! To make it even more balanced and healthy, serve a green salad on the side.  

*********************************************************************
 Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there! Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna! I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

A Christmas Tradition That I Love

This morning I sent out the invitations for my 4th Annual Gingerbread Party. This is an event that I started in 2009 where the women and children of the family come together to have a fun and festive afternoon of gingerbread decorating and a warm lunch of creamy potato soup and french bread. (I mean, men could come too, if they wanted. But they're all at work.)
The Gingerbread Party is one of my favorite events leading up to Christmas. It's so fun, and so full of cheer.

Some snapshots for the 1st annual event. 2009.

Over the years, we've had several new additions to the family, and many variations of gingerbread. We've seen houses, men, trees, trains.
We usually oooohhhh and ahhhh at each others creations.
And sometimes laugh at them.
But we always have a wonderful time. It fills my heart with joy.
Do you have any Christmas traditions like this one?
*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife    

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the first link up in the December Kindness Challenge hosted by Danette at All My Love for All My Days and myself!!! Even if you don't have a blog, you can list your kind acts in the comments section for all of us to read! And if you haven't started participating yet, it's never too late!

Pumpkin Spice Cream of Wheat

The month of October is when every Pumpkin Spice recipe on Earth finds it's way out of the recipe boxes and cook books and onto our plates. I've made a few batches of pumpkin muffins already, and they were yummy! But I was craving something hot for breakfast. I've seen a few different recipes for Pumpkin Oatmeal floating around the internet, but I wanted to mix it up a bit.
I decided to pull my box of "Cream of Wheat" (ok, I used the store brand, but same diff) out of the cupboard and to try my hand at creating a Pumpkin Spice Cream of Wheat.
Cream of Wheat is a  hearty, filling breakfast food. Add to it healthy, low calorie pumpkin and that's a good deal! This breakfast will keep you full for hours, isn't too bad on the calories, and feels almost like an indulgence. (To learn more about some of the health benefits of pumpkin, click here. Good info!) 
I started with my hot cereal mix, and my Pumpkin Pie Spice.

I began to prepare the cereal as directed. For this instructional, everything is based on a single serving of the hot cereal. To make more, you would simply adjust your ingredients appropriately.  I took 1 1/2 Tbs of pumpkin puree and to that I added 1/2 Tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice.

From there, I added 1/2 Tbs of milk, and 1/2 Tbs of brown sugar. I blended the puree, and added it to my hot cereal (which had just finished).

I gave it a good stir, and then put it in a bowl to eat. It was very tasty, however this recipe does produce a pretty mild "pumpkin" flavor. If you like it more bold, then feel free to experiment with your measurements.

All in all, I am very pleased with my experiment. I enjoyed it, and so did my Little Lady, so I do have plans to make it again. Next time I make it, I may even double the amount of pumpkin I add to it. Also, I wanted mine a bit sweeter, so I sprinkled it with a half packet of Splenda after it was in the bowl.
Give this a try if you're in the mood for a hot, tasty fall breakfast!
*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife  

Getting More (Produce) Bang for Your Bucks!

There have been several times here on the blog where I've shared with you how I use the 99¢ Only store to supplement my regular grocery shopping. (Here and Here)
Today I want to share with you what a valuable asset the 99¢ Only (and other similar retailers) can be when it comes to buying produce.
Just LOOK at all of this great produce!! Last week I put a huge dent in my produce shopping at the 99¢ store, and all of this cost me just a fraction of what I'd pay at the regular grocery retailer. I purchased a watermelon, a container of Artisan lettuce, strawberries (1lb), 3 bell peppers, 2 (1 lb) bags of green beans, a bag of sweet peppers, a 3 pack of zucchini, a twin pack of yellow squash, and a bag of carrot chips and only paid about $12.00 for all of that!

All of it was good, fresh produce. None of it was over/under ripe.
The other weekend, I made these Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers using the sweet peppers, and still had some left, and the same night we polished off that watermelon. The rest of the produce was used through the week.
So next time you're on a tight budget, remember that you don't have to compromise healthy eating due to lack of funds. There are avenues for getting more produce for your dollar.
Do you have a 99¢ Only Store or other "dollar retailer" near you? Do you utilize it?
*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife         

Salted Chocolate Caramel Cake Pops (Balls?)

Good Morning. I wont even try to act chipper this Monday morning, so you don't have to either.
Monday came far too quickly this week (as always), but nonetheless, I hope that all of you had a delightful weekend.
On Friday I got a new oven. WhooHoo! My oven has been out of commission since July and that was not fun. Especially for someone who loves to cook and bake.
In any case, this weekend, I had to break it in a little bit. Last night for dinner, we had meatloaf. It's a family favorite around here.
On Saturday, The Hubs smoked a gigantic brisket. That was yummy. So while he was tending to the meat, I decided it was time for me to bake a dessert.
I've been wanting to try making cake pops for quite some time now, and if you remember last week, I mentioned how I'm loving Salted Caramel these days. One of those Salted Caramel items being the cake pops from Starbucks.

So it was only natural that I would want to try to make my own, right? I made my cake pops using the instructions that Little Miss Momma shared here, changing and tweaking a few steps along the way to better suit me. Plus, I didn't plan ahead for these, so I kinda did a quicky version. I had no drying place for them, so made them upside down, and I only had toothpicks, no lollipop sticks (they were more like cake balls than cake pops). For the chocolate coating I used CandiQuik. The flavor is great, but next time, I'll put it in a deeper dish, instead of the shallow pan. For the white chocolate, I used Toll House white chips, but next time, I'll use CandiQuik, as it's easier to melt and dries faster/nicer. For the caramel, I used Hershey's Caramel Topping, and I was happy with that. Then I sprinkled them with coarse sea salt.

They didn't turn out as gorgeous as many I've seen. And they surely weren't as perfect as the mass produced ones from Starbucks. But let me tell you, they were yummy! I also made some with no salt, because The Hubs can't deal with salty-sweet. I'm really anxious to make some when I have a bit more time available to put into them and have planned ahead better. I'm thinkin' pumpkin cake pops for a gathering later this month!

*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Eating at Home Instead & Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers

Hello everyone! Over the weekend The Hubs and I made an effort to eat at home and to not throw any money down the toilet on eating out. Our efforts were successful, no meals out all weekend! However, him and I both know that there are a few keys to us staying home eating.

1) We need to feel like we aren't missing out on anything. So that means, the meal needs to be something we would order if we were eating out. But since we're eating at home instead, the cost is substantially lower.
2) We have to plan for it, and the effort it entails. Together, we'll plan out a fun and tasty meal and make a date of cooking together. On weekends, when we're smart enough we decide to stay home and eat, we enjoy cooking together.

This past weekend, we had a "cooking date" on Saturday night. I'd say, all in all the meal cost our family of five under $20.00. Compared to the dinner out we had the weekend before, that cost us $89.00 before the tip. YIKES!! We made baby back ribs, corn on the cob, baked beans, and dinner salad. Super yummy. Super cheap.
Before our meal, we whipped up one of our newest favorite appetizers. We made these about a month ago and loved them, so decided to go for it again. We didn't get the recipe for this anywhere, we just sort of whipped it up with what we had in the fridge, (doing an internet search did turn up several results for similar recipes) but it turned out so great!
I got a whole bag of sweet peppers at the 99¢ Store on Friday (more on that later in the week!).

So we took our peppers, and sliced them in half, lengthwise, removing the seeds. Then put them on a baking sheet.

After they were all spread out, I took some fresh Mozzarella cheese pearls, and put them in the peppers.

After that, I shredded some Colby Jack cheese and put that in the peppers. The Hubs fried up some bacon, and crumbled it. I put the bacon on top of the Colby Jack.

To finish them up, a light dusting of paprika and chili powder over the top.

Then The Hubs tossed those babies on the grill for a few minutes to soften the peppers and melt the cheese to ooey gooey perfection.

And finally, I topped them with some freshly diced tomatoes from our garden.

 No utensils needed, just pop these tasty morsels right into your mouth and enjoy!

These were even more enjoyable as we reflected on how much money we saved by not going out that night!
What's your favorite quick and easy appetizer?

*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Back to School: Lunches

*sigh*
It's that time again.
Back to Chaos School. I know a lot of moms look forward to the kids going back, but I'll be honest with ya here; I love having my kids home. I love lazy mornings. I love the lack of committed schedule.
During the school year, my schedule is so rushed and so hectic. It fatigues me. And this year, I will have 3 kids at 3 schools, with three schedules. I'm kinda dreading it. What about you? Are you looking forward to the start of the school year? Or do you love summer vacation as much as I do?
Today I want to talk about lunch. To cut to the chase, most school cafeteria lunches are junk, plain and simple. They either taste bad, don't offer a nutritious selection, or are a waste of money. I prefer to pack my children's lunches. By packing their lunches I know exactly what they are getting, and for the most part, I know what they are consuming as well. Not to mention costs. My homemade lunches certainly cost less than three bucks a pop!
I think the Bento lunch trend is super cute, however, I can't see myself taking the time to cut out all those artsy shapes and molds and whatnot for the bento type lunches.
What I love to do, and what my kids love, is a fun, nutritious, kid-friendly lunch. My Little Boy calls them "homemade lunchables" (Lord knows, they are only a fraction of the cost of a real Lunchable!). They are kid-friendly, and usually get eaten because they are so fun!
Here are a few examples of lunches I have packed:

Kebabs. Kids love them. Bagel crisps. Sliced Veggies w/ Ranch. Homemade Trail Mix. Sliced berries. Yogurt and a drink.
Snack Break would be the pretzel/cheese dip. One drink.

Kebabs, again. It's a favorite. Homemade Trail Mix. Dried Bananas. Sliced Veggies. Bagel crisps. Pretzels. Probiotic Yogurt Drink.

Chicken Roll-Up (made from leftovers!) Wheat Thins, Shredded Carrots w/ Olives. Probiotic Yogurt drink. Trail Mix.

Olives (my kids love them!). Lunchmeat. Carrot sticks, sliced string cheese. Pretzels. Homemade banana bread bites. Raisins/yogurt covered raisins. Drink. Snack break= homemade trail mix & drink.

Homemade chicken nuggets w/ Ranch. Half banana. Oatmeal cookies. Carrot sticks. Drink.
Snack break= Quaker Stila Bits and drink.

Beef jerky. Ritz Crackers. Olives. Cheddar Cheese. Ranch Goldfish. Probitic Yogurt drink. Grapes. Trail mix. Drink.
Snack Break= Applesauce & drink.

My kids attend a Charter School, and the school gets out early (in exchange for short recess, and no lunch break). Kinder schedule is typical (release at 11:45am), but the upper grades get out about 1pm. So I don't have to pack lunches often, except for the days the kids have electives, field trips, etc.
Do you pack lunches for your children? Or do they get the cafeteria lunch? Does your cafeteria offer nutritious and yummy choices?
*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Craft Supplies + New Food= Fun Day

Oh, yesterday was a good day! I dropped The Boys off at my grandma's because I had to take Little Lady to her occupational therapy appointment. Grammy told me to "have fun" and I scowled, because more often than not, going to therapy is NOT FUN!!! She asked what was wrong, and I said "I just don't feel like going". But whatever, off we went.
I literally got to the corner of her street when my phone rang, and it was the therapy office, cancelling our appointment for the day. Ha! What luck! (Of course, we make the therapy up by working at home, but at least we can do it on our own terms).
I turned around and went back to Grammy's house. I told her what happened and we decided to go out. I needed a few items from JoAnn's, so off we went. We shopped for a while, The Boys begged her asked her nicely to buy them things (and she did) and I got the items that I needed. (With the exception of hot glue sticks, which I can't manage to remember to buy. Ever.)
After we were done shopping, Grammy suggested that we go to lunch. Of course, I love food, so I agreed. We crossed the street to Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The kids and I had never eaten there before (have you?), and of course the kids where whining that they didn't want to go there. But once we got in, they were pleasantly surprised, and it ended up being a fabulous lunch trip! They ate their food, behaved appropriately, and we all had fun.
The Boys favorite part was the serve your own peanuts. This was what saved us from a horrid experience.

Big Boy loved that they had a bacon burger, because he lives by the philosophy that everything is better with bacon. Little Boy loved the customizable soda machine. Little Lady loved that she was allowed to have a cheese sandwich (cheese is kept to a minimum in her diet.) I loved that the kids were eating and being well behaved.

It was pretty tasty food, the kids had fun, and it was a new experience. I would go there again, and I know the kids would be more than happy to. Plus, I got to do my craft shopping, so we all came out ahead.

*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Menu Monday: How Much TIME do You spend menu planning?

How much time do you spend menu planning? Sometimes it takes me only 10-15 minutes, and other times (like yesterday) I spent 1-2 stinkin' hours on it. Still worth it though. By planning what we'll eat in advance, I spend less money at the store, and we get less take-out, which also saves a ton of money. I know some people plan for a whole month at a time, but I haven't gotten that brave yet. How do you menu plan?
Do you do food prep in advance? I typically don't, but I always have intentions of doing it. Yesterday I did a small bit of food prep for the week, and I'm hoping that it'll make a bit of a dent in the time I spend cooking meals each night.
Here's what's on our dinner menu for the week:

Monday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Green Salad

Tuesday: Taco Salad (The Hubs favorite meal, for his birthday)

Wednesday: BLT's, carrot sticks, homemade fries

Thursday: Sloppy Joe's, Carrot sticks, melon, tater tots.

Friday: Put me down for a big fat "I Don't Know" for tonight.

Saturday: Little Lady is turning TWO!! We're BBQ'ing with family and having cupcakes!

Sunday: Chili with ground turkey and tortillas.

Share with me where you post your menu plan too!
*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!

I suck at blogging this week. Here is my "Fun Friday" post

Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. C'mon, you know you wanna!

I guess I fell off the face of the earth this week. I haven't done a whole lot of posting here. With the holiday mid-week, it just kind of threw off my mojo.
Anyhow, last night The Boys spent the night with my parents, because it was my turn to host BUNCO. The Hubs stayed inside with Little Lady all evening while the BUNCO babes and I hung out on the deck enjoying drinks, and rolling dice. Good times.

 Little Lady woke up this morning at 4am needing a diaper change (really? 4am? Who poops at 4am???). She fell back to sleep, but I didn't. So here I am, 2/3 of my kids gone, and no sleeping in this morning. Booooo! That's craptastic. So I'll write here instead. I needed to anyways.
Because it was my turn to host Bunco, I was going to have 11 other adult women over to my house. Which meant, I should probably clean it (dang!). Because I'm SURE that all of them have spotless houses. Okay, maybe not. But you know how easy it is to be delusioned into thinking that.
Here was me yesterday:

Image Source

 Have you seen this image floating around? I am telling you, I could have totally designed that card myself. True Story. I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off, cleaning my house, prepping the dessert, putting out snacks and so on. The funny part was that I put all that work into cleaning the house when we were playing out on the deck. But still, the ladies would have to walk through my house to get to the deck. In any case, the house got clean, and we had some fun rolling dice, imbibing in some adult beverages, and snacking.
By the end of the evening though, we'd all had a great time, and I got to fall asleep knowing my house was clean with the exception of all four bedrooms.

This drink is called a Fuzzy Wuzzy. It is my favorite summertime blended beverage, it's *just* sweet enough and *just* tart enough, and very refreshing. Fill your blender with ice. 1/2 can of frozen pink lemonade mix, 1/2 (lemonade) can vodka, and 1 sliced peach. Blend until it's the consistency of a margarita or daiquiri.

 

For dessert, I made Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits. I just love the layered look of a parfait. It's such an easy way to make something look like you put way more effort into it than you really did. This was such a simple dessert. I simply purchased some sliced angel food cake, cut them into squares, layered with strawberries and whipped cream, and repeated. Then topped them off with a strawberry garnish. I used "water glasses" from the party section of the 99¢ store. They came out beautifully, and I love food that is presented nicely. And perfect for a refreshing summer dessert!

This is one of the rare weekends where we actually don't have any plans. Blissful I tell ya, blissful!

Whatcha doin' this weekend? Anything good?