The Start of Summer

I really feel like summer has begun. You know it's here when the things you smell most are sunscreen and chlorine. Remember those blond boys I told you about? We got to have fun with them again this weekend. Most of our time was spent either at a pool or a trampoline, so you know...how hard can it be, right?

When I was little, one of my favorite things about the summer was getting to play with my cousins. We lived several hours away from our cousins and only saw them a couple times a year. That being so, we always had the awkward-get-to-know-you-again kind of time. You know, the time where you re-learn basic things like, "What's your favorite food?" and "What grade are you in?" But then after you get past all that, you start playing again. And you remember how much you love these friends you call cousins.

Today, my two little ones had the chance to not only play with their big boy cousins, but also their precious little baby girl cousin. It was so great to see all of them together. Splashing, jumping, swallowing half the pool...but whatever. They had so much fun. And guess what? We found our camera!!!

kids and DiDi

Little tan bodies all piled on the steps

Auntie Ash and Baby Avery (or "Baby Aaayy" as Asher says)


River loves her "new baby cousin"!

Asher and DiDi

The Little Things in Life

If you can't see, the thing my daughter is holding inches, no centimeters from her face is a cicada shell. She was so excited to find it on outside the other day, and brought it in to give it a home. Even though the cicada's not really there - it's just his old dead shell.

When I was little I lived out in the middle of nowhere. Anyone ever heard of Grimesland, NC?Yeah, didn't think so. Unless you're already from that area, you wouldn't even know you were driving through it. But we loved it. We lived on a little bit of land that backed up to the Tar River. My days when I was River's age were not spent inside looking at DVDs or computer screens. They were spent digging in the mud, romping with dogs, riding horses, chasing my cats, and loving every minute of the outdoors. So, it's neat to see that even though we live in the middle of the city, far away from those country roads, she's not too far from where I was then. Collecting cicadas and digging in the dirt.

Summertime Good Eats!

There are always recipes that I look forward to making every season.    If you couldn't tell by now, I really like categories, and food is definitely categorized (in my brain) by season.    And there are always those recipes that I forget about or don't remember to make until too late, and it's like I missed my chance.   Because, really, I mean who eats cucumber or tomato sandwiches in the winter?    Well, maybe my mom in law.  ;)  Maybe you do, too.   Or maybe you're thinking to yourself, "TOMATO SANDWICHES - that's just gross."   If you live above the Mason Dixon line, that might be your thought.   But take it from a southern girl, they are soooo good!   HOWEVER......

Today when I asked a college student if she was going on any more trips this summer, she said, "Well, I go back to school next week."    It gave me this race to the finish line feeling, that my window of opportunity to stuff all this yummy food into my mouth is almost gone!   So in response, today I made this:

7 Layer Salad  

(My mom used to make this and I always kind of forget about it.   But not this year!) 

layer in order in 8 x 8 (or however big you want to make it) and refrigerate.   serve chilled.

lettuce

celery (chopped)

red onion

cucumber (or green pepper)

peas (frozen works best)

mayo (sprinkled with sugar)

cheese

bacon

Here are some of my other summertime favs in no particular order:

- Peach Pie (my grandmothers recipe is the best in this entire WORLD)

- Rosemary Dill Potato Salad

- Chicken Salad Supreme (with bacon & pecans others pale in comparison!)

- South Sea Island Chicken Salad (so different, tropical and yummy!)

- Homemade Salsa with fresh cilantro

- Peaches and Cream

- Cantaloupe and Blueberries

- Seven Layer Salad

- Fried Chicken

- Pimento Cheese

- Tuna Salad

- Blackberry Cobbler

- Strawberry Shortcake

- Deviled Eggs

- Tomato Basil Tart

- Egg Salad

- Asian Slaw

- Lemon Squares

Anybody else have summer favorites that I should add to my list?   I'm glad I made my list....I have some that I still haven't gotten to.

Pickin' Time

We had a great time picking strawberries this week. It's so fun to see the different personalities of my kids come out in whatever we do. Even picking strawberries. And you might think, what's there to be different about. You go. You pick. You eat. You go home.

Well, let me tell you how my daughter River picks strawberries. She starts by being well prepared with her basket. Then after listening intently to the instructions given to her, she developed her strategy. "Twist and pull." And then she very seriously picks the biggest, reddest, and "BEST strawberries ever!"

(notice Asher waaay down the row behind River)

Then, she fills her basket until she can no longer carry it, and runs with all her might down to where we pay for them. Then, she likes to sit in her seat with "her basket" and eat them all the way home. I don't think she ate one while she was picking, but by her basket was probably 1/4 of the way gone by the time we got home.

My son on the other hand, enjoyed seeing the strawberries at the first plant we came to. He picked one, maybe two, and then ate one or two. Then proceeded to run up and down the aisles, crawl over the rows, go down to the end of the row, and then all the way back to the parking lot. He liked standing up on the covered rows, and then jump off, or roll off, or whatever active movement he was enjoying at the time.

It's so fun to see who they are develop a little more with each season.