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On the Road Again, A Military Journey!
What a journey life has taken me. Right now I’m in the passenger seat, in more ways then one. Learning to be the mom that lets their children make their own choices, loving letting Hubs set the pace for this stretch and taking in the beauty of life as it whizzes by. I am very content in the passenger seat of the family mini van, the toddler fast asleep, Boy 1 intently watching a video on the DVD player and Boy 2 plays with a new stuffed animal and filling his face with goldfish crackers. We are off to see Josh, our oldest. He graduates from Basic at Ft Leonard…
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Summer Meals and Menu for Children of All Ages!
Camp Grandpa! It is July on our calendar and fireworks are getting to explode in my heart as the grands are getting ready to arrive. Activities are on Grandpa’s plate. Their hunger for adventure, outdoors, hammering, mud and total movement are insatiable. Therefore, Grandma is getting ready to find some ‘fuels’ that are kid appropriate: lunches and dinners. We have a bread lover, a meat on bone lover, a thick steak fan, and one who isn’t too certain what is the best… well ice cream is there, but not on my meal plan! The secret plan that Grandpa and I have is to keep them so active and involved that…
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Tasty Tuesday: Steak Marinade
There is something extra delicious about a steak fresh off of the grill. If that steak has been marinated for a couple of hours in a favorite dressing, mouths begin to water with the sounds of the steak sizzling on the grill. Mustard Beef Marinade 1/3 c of Olive Oil1/2 c of soy sauce2 T of lemon juice1 T of Worcestershire Sauce (a small tangent – I love that word! Every time I say it I have to let it roll off my tongue thinking about a succulent piece of steak melting in my mouth.)1/2 T of mustard powder from your spice rack or 1 T of mustard from your frig1 garlic clove, pressed Mix all ingredients in a…
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Summer 2012 Bucket List
Summer Vacation is soon upon us. A time of year I LOVE! The lack of routine is so refreshing but amazingly enough becomes a little old after only a few weeks (and depending on the moment, sometimes only after a few days). So this summer my boys and I have created a ‘Bucket List’. Things we all want to do in the course of our lazy-days of summer. Somethings are things I want to do as a family. Some things are dreams. Others are already being planned. This is our list of plans, ideas and joys for the summer: Ride our Bike to Tasty Freeze Have a backyard game of kickball Catch fireflies…
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Personal Goals
New Years Resolutions. A yearly tradition. A list we come up with to make us feel good, look good but easy to forget all about come March or April. So instead of New Years Resolutions I have come with a list of Personal Goals. I make them and keep them for my work-life at MilitaryAvenue.com. It makes sense to do lay them out in my personal life; not just a way to make me feel better or look better but a means of lifting myself up. These are five of my personal goals for this year: 1. Stay in better touch with my grandparents. Send Pop an email every week. Send a letter to…
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Tasty Tuesday Basil Butter and Corn
In Michigan it is corn season. Some call it summer, the rest of us know that it is fresh corn on the cob – roadside stand season. The varieties are out there, one field is a bit different than an other. I suppose it is like wine vineyards… the soil content, the water, the hours of sunlight and temperature of the ground give the grapes their subtle taste value… so I am told. I can just tell you that here, each stand is a marvel. Then to top it off, Fridays in Middleville is Farmers’ Market day. So, a stroll down the booths lets one see different color ears, price…
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Our Pepper Plants are A’Popping: Ready for Nacho Topping
No luck this year with green beans… at least not since early July when we got our first harvest. Then the bugs, or elements or something came in and wiped them out. Ugh. Little luck with tomatoes. We have walnut trees, so I know the tomatoes have to fight for survival. Other rows of plants have flourished… and I love it. Ball jars or Mason jars will never go out of business as long as I am in control of the pressure cooker. That big old pot goes nonstop during this time of the year. But what to do with peppers. Can’t can them; chopping and freezing work well.. but…
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Leftover Pork meets Fresh Blackberries and Feta
I love to cook… that being said… I love to entertain. Sometimes I make a tad bit too much for the folks! That’s OK, as it just causes me to think of ways to stretch what I have and make a new dish. Fresh Vegetables with Pork and Berries2 T. olive oil1/2 c sliced onions1 cup fresh green beans, snapped into 1 inch pieces2 ears of cooked corn on the cob, kernels removed1 T basil1/2 t salt4 oz cooked pork sliced thin2 T wine vinegar1 t Dijon mustard1 T olive oil2 cups fresh beet greens1/2 c fresh blackberries1 oz feta cheese, crumbled In a heavy skillet saute onion until softened,…
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What is in your Garden? – Military Family Life Question of the Week
There is stress relief for me found in getting down and getting my hands dirty. It starts in very early-Spring and extends through the beginning of Fall. I feel capable. I feel healthy. Wielding a shovel makes me even feel *a little* stronger as I work arm and leg muscles. I swear at the weeds and talk baby-talk to the very-capable vegetable plants. (I’m quite certain that’s why they ‘produce’ for us!) Summer time equals a small (yet growing every year) garden for us. This year we have: Cucumbers in abundance Peas, their season has passed, but blessed us with lots of early Spring munching Carrots that need to be…
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In the mood for some Mexican Food?
I was in our local grocery store last week and eyed the tomatoes, corn and other fresh items that were on sale. Soon it will be our local products sitting in the bins. (Small store, with lots of local flavor!) I don’t know, but the picture I took in of the vegetables just put me in the mood for some good Mexican food. Right there, sorting through the red peppers was a good friend with a recipe card in her hand. She volunteered to share it with me… and said it was good to pass it on. I love getting tried and true recipes. This one is great, give it…
