I love salt sprinkled on my watermelon.

Bonfire.
(@ Target I found these papers you throw in the fire to make it turn colors)
Red & White checkered table cloths.
Watermelon slices.
Paper Lanterns.
Water Balloons.
Smores & Smores Cupcakes.
Fireflies in Jars. (Its a contest. And yes, we will set them free)
Pinwheels.
Green Punch with plastic bugs.
Flashlights. (with hide & seek)
Glow Sticks.
Huge score @ my girl Erin's...five awesome tree stumps for around our campfire.
Tents.
Aluminum Cans (clean & with smooth edges) for the bug juice.
Silly String Fight.
Aluminum take out pans for the plates.
Bing turns five.
Its a camping party.
This is where I've been.
Lots to do!!!
:)

Lots.

I have neglected the ole' blogarooski.
There has been lots going on.
Lots of new artwork.
Lots of Lego building.
Lots of book reading.
Lots of wet bathing suits hanging in the bathroom.
Lots of fresh fruit stickers added to the side of the fridge.
Lots of parties & homemade cupcakes baked by the hubs.
Lots of fresh oranges.
Lots of fresh asparagus.
A whole lot of living.

xo,
aw.

Let Me Help You With Dinner. (BBQ TurkeyLoaf Muffins)

1 2/3 to 1 3/4 pounds ground sirloin ( I used 1lb.ground turkey)

1 medium onion

2 ribs celery from the heart of the stalk

1 green bell pepper

1 egg with a splash of milk

1 cup plain bread crumbs (I had Italian on hand, so that's what I used)

2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick - this can be found in that section of the grocery store with all those packets of seasonings and marinades)

1 cup smoky barbecue sauce

1/2 cup tomato salsa

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil


Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Put ground beef into a big bowl.

Chop Onion, Celery and Bell Pepper up very finely or put into a food processor.

Then add the veggies to the meat bowl.

Add egg, beaten with milk, bread crumbs and grill seasoning to the bowl.

Next, mix together the smoky barbecue sauce, the salsa and the Worcestershire sauce.

Pour half the sauce mixture into the bowl with the meatloaf mix.

Mix the meatloaf together with your hands.

After washing up, brush a 12-muffin tin (1/2-cup each) with vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil.

Use an ice cream scoop to help you fill meat into a each tin.

Top each meat loaf with a spoonful of extra sauce.

Bake about 20 minutes.

I am constantly trying new recipes...Most are ones that are OK, but not out of this world. Every now and then I stumble upon one that is a keeper and that I will forever use. THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

I love that its a little muffin shaped portion - which helps me not to eat more than I should.

I added up all the ingredients and divided it by the serving size for a Weight Watchers total...its 4.5 for anyone that is doing WW.

This recipe would go AMAZINGLY with some mashed potatoes...but since I'm trying to be a good girl I served mine with a small baked potato.

And the next day...I cut one in half and had a cold turkey-loaf sandwich. (YUM)

I'm sharing this because you will thank me. I'm no cook...but when I find a gem that is a recipe...I want you to know.

xo,

aw.

Order a Pizza so you can make this Mini.

This was a mini tutorial that I put together a while back for SIStv that I was saving for a rainy day. I came across it this morning, and thought I would share. (at least I don't think it was ever used...I could be wrong, my memory sucks unless its a celebrity baby name)

Pizza Box = Crazy, Messy, Funky, Cool Mini Album.

Cardboard is the coolest.
One of the most versatile products.
And all around us.
It doesn’t matter what it was originally – with some paint slathered on it can be anything you want it to be.

Supplies Needed:
Pizza Box/SIS box that all your goodies come in
Paint
Paintbrush
Pen
Photos
A Few Embellishments
A Jump Ring

Using a pizza box and just a FEW supplies I made this rocking little mini.

I used all the photos I had of random sugary things. (jelly belly display, cupcakes, bubblegum)

I started by taking the top of the pizza box. I didn’t figure the grease, wilted bell pepper, and crusty cheese worked well with what I was going for. So I simply ripped the top part away from the bottom part. *smile*

Next, I folded the box into three sections. I was very tough on the creases – so that it would tear it easily. *Note if you wanted to make an album that would accommodate larger photos you could tear the box in half…as opposed to three sections you could do just two. Actually it could be as big or small as you wanted it to be.

After I creased the box I tore it into the original three sections – and then also tore the three sections into three sections creating a total of 9 pieces.

I then painted my 9 pieces in various colors. Since my album was candy/sugar themed I went with bright and funky colors to go along with the mood of the album. Don’t be scared to get messy.

When my paint dried it was time to add the photos, embellishments and journaling. (you know…the FUN stuff!)

So after I added all the goodies – I hole punched the top left hand corner. Ok – if I’m being completely honest here I hole punched both the left and right sides in the middle only to discover that the jump ring wasn’t big enough for the bulk and the pages wouldn’t turn. So the beauty that is the article is that you can learn from my mistake and only punch the top left side.

Voila – an amazing, unique creation made from something that would have gone in the trash or to the recycling center.

Variation- The Scrap In Style Box that all of your scrap love comes in – is both big enough and clean enough to make THREE separate minis. Using the top, bottom, and the sides you will create three different albums. Talk about efficient.

This was super fun to make and is a formula you can use as many times as you wanted with different paint colors, different theme etc.

xo,

aw.

*note...it was inspired completely and totally by one of my favoritest scrappers Amber Skolnick.

Crunching, Digging, Volunteering, Loving

Volunteering @ the school...will continue this until Julian no longer thinks I'm insanely cool.
I'm loving grinding up coffee beans in the morning, for a nice fresh cup of coffee.
Absolutely digging my kitchen's bright yellow walls.
Crunching on an apple as I type this.
Proud new owner of an iPhone.
*sigh*
I'm not a materialistic person...but I love that thing.
L.O.V.E.
I would have been just fine without it had I not bought the iTouch.
But the iTouch just turned out to be a big iPhone tease.
Loving the new FroYo shop in my neighborhood called Menchies.
Sean is way more adventurous than I...
I stuck to Mint Yogurt with little tiny chocolate chips...he added everything but the kitchen sink.
Its such a cool concept...and you pay by weight.
Just rented Season One of Arrested Development. It seems like my kind of humor...plus I have a mini crush on Michael Cera.
He could say apple pie and its just the way he says it...that I dig.
Started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred today.
Its extremely difficult for me to work out at home and not the gym. Two Reasons. #1 Marley Jane. #2 Sandler.
So I let them work out with me today and as Sandler and I are breaking a sweat he says: "Mom, can Jillian see us?" to which I replied "I sure the heck hope not son"...I still went to the gym and got some cardio in.
Mother's Day brought me being soooo lazy and staying in jammies all day, French toast in bed, canvases painted by the wee ones, items to re-do the bathroom, lots of snuggles, lots of reruns of Bridezillas, and all the laundry washed and put away.
Played vetinarain with Sandler today.
We performed a route canal on a T-Rex, treated a puppy for a belly-ache, and bandaged up a teddy bear.
*Note to self: Play longer tomorrow.
I wish I had a subscription to People Magazine.

Later Alligators,
aw.

Gonna Try to Live this today...

in regards to weightloss, snapping @ the kids, being a crappy emailer back, with everything I beat myself up over...

The past does not define you, the present does.
—Jillian Michaels

Twittering Bananas.

I'm here.
We've had an extremely rough time this week with my middle. (Sandler AKA Bing)

I pride myself in being able to say that my kids never, ever go to the Dr. Sandler is almost 5 and has been twice. (Both for a simple cold)

But this last week tested me. Broke me down. Made me humble. After a series of x-rays, blood tests, urine tests, and more it seems that it might be an ulcer...but also its possible that its something more mild. I twittered the whole day at the Children's Hospital...just because I wanted to remember.
I will spare you all the details, but to all of you that have shown concern - I appreciate it. From all these miles away, thank you for sending me little tweets & emails.
Bing is doing beautifully now. I am one very grateful & happy momma.
He is back to driving me bananas. :)
*************************************
Other than that...We have been...

going to amusement parks,
running in a boosterthon fundraiser,
filling the sandbox up with new sand for the summer,
licking mixing spoons,
riding new scooters,
walking the neighbors pugs,
using new toothbrushes,
a freshly painted kitchen (yellow),
newly painted (turquoise) metal shelves from the thrift store to go in the freshly painted yellow kitchen,
finishing Water for Elephants today, (must discuss w/book club now)
twittering, (and for those that think its lame - anytime that i can unload a piece of my mind, my day, a snippet I want to remember...i think its pretty cool. its not so much about sharing for me as it is documenting. and thats what I'm all about)
really yearning for scrapbooking,
searching for a new shower curtain,
firing up the grill at least 4x a week,
preparing to celebrate 8 years of marriage on Saturday.
Just living.
I've got a headful of things I want to do, change, see, become...
I got to take it one day at a time.

xo,
aw.