Randoms....

Emily had meet the teacher day today at her preschool, and so all kids are almost back in session!  When school starts back up this means, I will be busy again until summer.  I bought a real planner, to assist as I try to keep track of everything.  I just know my iphone one won't cut it....

In true fashion  I have over committed myself this year.  Junior League has started up, I signed on to be a swim team booster, I am co chairing movie night the elementary school, I agreed to attempt neighborhood bible study again, and all this will be taking place as my caseload at work almost triples.  Yikes!  Though is stresses me out, I want to be involved for my kids, and I know I will have some fun along the way, and will just make sure I make myself take timeouts for margaritas.

If you see my husband please remind him that if he wants a happy home, he must abide by a weekly date night.

Anyone know of quick easy possible crockpot meals?  We start swim stuff in another week, and Tball, and I know dinner time will get crazy soon, so I need quick, easy, fun kid approved ideas!  I am stocked up on chicken nuggets, but I know that will get old soon!

Southern Caviar

This weekend I made a fun salsa to take to a friends house, that I first tasted at a neighbors graduation party earlier this summer.  It was super yummy, and they called it Southern Caviar.  I thought I had seen it in a cookbook but I couldn't place it.  My neighbor emailed the recipe to me this weekend, and then told me it was in my JL's cookbook, Very Virginia.  I don't know how I missed this one, but I am certain to make all the time now!

Southern Caviar
1 can black eyed peas (drained)
1 can black beans drained
2 medium tomatoes chopped
4 green onions chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 medium red pepper seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper chopped and seeded
1/2 cup red onion chopped
1/2 fresh parsley or cilantro
8 onces of italian dressing

Combine all in a large medium bowl mixing well, and then let sit in fridge for at least 2 overs or over night.  Serve with tortilla chips!

Truth be told when I made mine I left out the green onions and jalapeño,but it was still fine, though next time for myself I will add the hot pepper for some heat.

First day of school and weekend recap...

Well Laura and Rachel started school again Friday!  They were good sports and let me torture them with a photo shoot in the morning before we left.  I thought the pictures turned out cute, and I figure it's only a matter of time before they refuse to pose for me anymore....

I think they will both have great years.  Rachel has Laura's teacher from last year, I can't sing her praises enough.  I know she is in good hands.  Rachel was a little nervous, but there are about 4-5 kids from her preschool from last year at this new school, so seeing some familiar faces helped to make her feel at home.

This weekend was pretty much a wash out.  It rained, and rained, and then rained some more.  Our area had a crazy amount of flooding. So much that because Rachel's classroom is in the basement, they had flooding so she doesn't have school Monday.  She's not too happy about that!

I did venture out in this monsoon and had my hair done Saturday, and we went to a friends house from the swim team that evening for a fun cookout until almost midnight.  It was a blast, but left us pretty work out Sunday morning.

We ended up in Hampton for a raft building contest which we watched them race, and grabbed a quick lunch.  I ended up at the gym in the evening and put myself through a crazy workout.  I don't know if I will even be content with myself or relax.  When I take a break from the gym for a few days or let myself eat something bad, I can't relax and enjoy it.  I am constantly stressed that I am gaining weight or worried that I will.  I tend to fluctuate between 127 - 131, which is awesome I know, and I don't want to lose anymore, but I still have a hard time just being happy and content with it because I am too worried I will wake up and nothing will fit.  I am hoping that if I make more time for the gym, ( this summer I have been going about 3 days a week rather then the 5 I used to), that I will relax a little and be easier on myself.

Back to school.... and a printable.....

Tomorrow my two oldest go back to school!  I spent yesterday doing a mad dash to pick up the girls physical forms from the doctors office, getting them hair cuts, taking them to the pool for a swim and movie night as a fun activity, and then staying up late making them a first day of school sign to hold for pictures.  The whole sign thing stressed me out more then it should of.  I had the girls hold some last year, that I had found online, and yes I could have used the same source but I wanted something different.  I spent lunch break at work yesterday attempting to upload some that I found that were cute, to Costco's printing website so I could print them in the store. and pick up.  I couldn't get it to work, and figured I could get it to work from home thinking some sort of block must be on the computer.   So in the evening after I got the kids to bed, I was pretty mad to see I that I guess you can't upload items in PDF form, and I have no idea how to convert a file type, so I just ditched it and made my own...  Yes, I probably could have saved a butt load of time and printed the PDF file cute ones I found by just printing them on my home computer, but I wanted a good quality photo print of the sign....I know I am just making this more difficult then it has to be... I still think they turned out cute, and shall be picking them up today after work =) I made mine using the Creative Memories Digital Scrapbook program.  Feel Free to use, and if you need another grade level leave me a comment and I can hook you up.

Now I must prepare for getting them up and out the door, after torturing them with pictures holding the sign  =)

Quick catch up post...

* 1 week from today my oldest babies head to school!  Sniff sniff....
* This Monday I get to wake up at 4am and get in line in hopes to get my kids registered for a year round swimming program, and give them my right arm as well.
* Next month I will start working at another clinic in addition to the one I work at now. I am attempting to do this all in same hours, which should be interesting since it's more then double the work, and commute.  I could always go to working 5 days a week, rather then my current 4, but I am trying desperately to hold on to a "free" day to run the kids to appointments, etc.   Keep me in your thoughts and prayers  so I don't wind up in Eastern State gone freaking crazy.
* I gotta get my butt in gear with my youngest birthday party!  Not much longer!!!

Peanut Butter Cookies...

My three little girls were lucky enough to be invited to a "Good News Club" in the neighborhood.  It's like vacation bible school, but at a neighbors house with neighborhood children.  It was held once a week by my sweet neighbors, and my girls just had such a good time.   We were on vacation last week, so they missed it, and one of my girlfriends whose kids go as well reminded me yesterday that this week was the last one.  I wanted to make something for my neighbors for hosting such a fun activity, and including my three little ones, so tonight we all made Peanut Butter Cookies.
I made this from my JL's cookbook My Momma Made That.  So simple and easy, and pretty darn tasty if I say so myself!'

Daddy Tuck BBQ Sauce

Last year sometime but girlfriend had my family over for ribs.  She makes her own bbq sauce for them, and the sauce was freaking amazing.  Myself, and entire family pretty much licked the plate clean for any remaining sauce.  She kept calling it Daddy Tuck sauce.  I went home and googled it, in hopes of finding it, had zero luck.... I then forgot all about it, until another time we went over and she had some for another meal we had, and in front of her inlaws told her I attempted to find it online.  Her whole family laughed at me, and informed me it was a family recipe from a grandfather they all called Daddy Tuck.  I got it though, and it's become a household staple for pulled pork, ribs, and basically anything you would use BBQ sauce for.

This amount will fill a used ketchup bottle as pictured above:
In a pot on the stove throw in:
1 stick of butter
2/3 apple cider vinegar
6 tbs house sauce
1/2 cup Worsheshire Sauce
2 cups of ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp liquid smoke

stir and allow butter to melt on medium heat, then cook on low for about 5 min after butter fully melts.  Bottle it up and enjoy!

Back to the real world...

Well we are back home from vacation.  Though it was fun, there is just something about coming home to your own house and sleeping in your own bed.  It was relaxing.  I pretty much had a reading binge, and ended up reading 6 books.   Since walking through the door we have been busy with unpacking, mounds of laundry, and then I went into full organizing force to get ready for back to school.... I have updated the calendar with all of our important school dates for the year, have the kids stuff ready for tball sign up, made a food menu for the week, and grocery shopped like a champ.  Monday morning I am going to grab the needed school supplies and be done with that.  We have gotten back to school shoes and needed clothing.

It's going to be a busy fall that's for sure.  So much coming up with back to school, Emily's bday party, DC trip, our anniversary, fall festivals, Halloween, etc etc.   I know summer isn't over yet, but  it helps to prepare early.

Vacation time is almost here!

To say I am ready for Nags Head is an understatement.  Lord have mercy. So looking forward to some time with my family at the beach.  

I booked us another sweet trip to DC for a night with an amazing Groupon getaway deal online, so we have that to also look forward to after our beach trip.  We will be staying here at :L'Enfant Plaza Hotel 

It's in the middle of everything, and I am excited to take the girls to DC for their first time.  I am attempting to plot out what we will do.  We are going to go to a few museums, and I also would like to squeeze in a trip to the zoo.  Maybe a Nationals game as well...  I am just ready to have some R&R that's for sure =)