Easy Tomato, Garlic & Basil Chicken

So this isn't really a recipe, it's a product.  But it's still great.  Years ago my bro & his wife introduced us to this lovely marinade packet when they barbecued up some of the best chicken drumsticks I'd ever had.  We've used it ever since.  It's so simple.  I just put my chicken legs (of course you could use whatever meat you want) in a Ziploc bag, add water, olive oil, and vinegar, and then shake it up.  We don't have a BBQ so I usually cook these under my broiler, but tonight I baked them at 350 for about 45 minutes and they were just as good.  And Grant actually eats them.  Which is pretty big considering he usually doesn't care for meat, unless it's a chicken nugget or ham.   He's always liked ham....  Anyway, you should try it.  I bet you'll like it, and it's a great easy meal and quite tasty for summer time.

I'm sure any kid would like it.  Even if they don't have a monkey on their back.

Just a few things from last week

Grant wore his sunglasses to school because he said the playground is too bright. 

For family home evening we've been learning basic things about our bodies.
The first week we traced Grant's body on a big piece of paper.
Last week we learned about the digestive system.  Next week...?

Baby Brett scoots now.  He pulls with his arms and pushes with his left leg.  He's starting to get quick and likes to venture all over.

"Fireman boots" a.k.a. mommy's boots

We had a new skylight/exhaust fan put in our bathroom.  It's awesome.  The fan works great and it lets in soooo much light!

Baby Hair

This past Sunday I styled Brett's hair for the first time ever.  It stayed really well.  And we think he looked super adorable.  It's funny how doing something like this can change the look of the kid.  We thought he looked older.  He's especially cute with peas on his face.  Yum!

Weekend sprinkler

We picked up a sprinkler for Grant at Target during our date on Friday night.  It was a hit on Saturday!  The smell of the grass combined with the sprinkler sent me straight back to when I was a little girl and would run through the sprinkler all day long!  I felt like I was almost back in time as I closed my eyes and breathed in that wonderful summer smell.  Ever feel like that?

Our chalkboard door

When my friend Stephanie turned her door to her garage into a chalkboard I had to go check it out.  We'd been thinking of doing the same thing to our door since it's old and really just needs to be replaced.  I really liked her door and she even gave me the rest of her paint!!  So last weekend I painted our door and we really like how it turned out.  

Peach Report

Our report is...they're great!  We had fun picking our peaches and sampling some peachy things.  The peaches didn't seem to be very ripe, but the next day they were ready to eat.  We've eaten some and made some into a delicious peach cobbler.  Now I'm going to go cut up the rest and do something with them...probably freeze them for smoothies.

Thumbs up from Grant & peachy cheeks on Brett

I think the experience is the best part.  Grant just loved it.  He kept finding sticks to use as walking sticks.

Grant felt like a pro posing with the "Cool" bus

My mom came too

They're gooooood!

Mother's Day :: Gilbert Temple Moroni

Some of my favorite parts of Mother's Day were going to visit my Mom & Keith's Mom in the morning.  We brought them both some pretty flowers.  We both have such great Mom's and we love them both so much!  We went back home after that and had yummy pancakes topped with fresh peaches (Yes, from the farm!  More on that later.)  Brett wasn't feeling well, so he and I stayed home from church.  I was bummed to miss out on church and the kids singing and the yummy treat for moms, but Keith was teaching in Young Men's that day so he couldn't stay home.  Brett screamed for and hour and a half before finally falling asleep.  After church was the best when Grant came home with a picture of his face on a paper flower magnet.  It was so cute, and he was so excited to give it to me.  Then we headed to my brother's house for a yummy enchilada dinner that all the men put together.  

2 roses for my 2 boys

Kisses for mommy

Me & my mom

So today I got a text from Keith's sister that the Angel Moroni was going to be placed on the Gilbert temple today at 2:00.  So I packed up a yummy lunch, lot's of water, and a spray bottle full of water (it was over 100 degree today).  Keith was done with meetings for the day so he came home and we went and picked up my dad.  We went to the park across the street from the temple to watch.  We got there just before the crowd hit.  It was really neat to watch.  It would have been a great day to have a super close up lens for my camera. (Hey Keith, my birthday is coming up!)  :)  I cropped these pictures in to get a better look.

Going up

Most of the people watching were crowded together as close to the temple grounds as they could get.  We preferred a shady ramada with a good view.  Just as the statue was set in place there was a cheer from the crowd.  Grant and his cousins were clapping really good.  It was so cute to watch them be so excited.  Then we turned on the AC in the car and drove home.

Brett with his classic tongue pose

Us

My dad

Keith's parents

Keith sister & kids

Happy Mother's Day

Fun photos before school :: Peach Fest!

It's so fun to get Grant dressed and have his hair done almost every day since he's been going to school.  He's so handsome and grown up looking.  I can't help taking pictures of him before he runs out to the bus.

He looks like such a big boy!

Looks like he's going to blow a kiss, but he was really laughing.

His feet look huge!

Can't get enough of that dimple!  See Brett in the background?

Get ready...this week is the start of the Peach Fest at Schnep Farms.  I got me some peaches last year.  They were delicious!  We always have a fun time when we go to this farm.  We will be going early in the morning this year.  Last year it was soooo hot!

Brett is getting so big too.  He had fun sitting on the rocking dog at Keith's parent's house.

Camping :: A Good Book

Grant & Keith went on the Father's & Son's campout this past weekend.  They had so much fun.  Grant enjoyed the camp fire while sitting next to one of his little buddies.  Keith said they (Grant & his friend) were talking and giggling the whole time.  Brett and I enjoyed time alone together. Our campers came home filthy dirty.  After a good scrub in the tub, Grant was ready to run around the house and play with all of his toys.

I read this wonderful book a few weeks ago.  Have you had a chance to read it yet?  AMAZING.  It is so genuine and inspiring.  I love the way it was written.  I love the feeling I got when I read it.  I came away feeling inspired and ready to put more effort into the different roles of my life...to live life more fully.  If you haven't, you should read it.  You really should.

Bus Day 1 :: Brett & Watermelon

Day 1 went well.  Grant was sooooooo excited to ride the bus.   I felt sick to my stomach when it drove away and around the corner with one of my most precious possessions on it.  Then I told myself to just get over it and think how exciting it must be for Grant.  When he got dropped off after school the first thing out of his mouth was, "The bus is soooo fun!"

One of the great things about being home alone with Brett for a few hours while Grant is at school is, well, being at home alone with Brett!  It is so nice to be able to just sit and hold him when he falls asleep eating, and not be interrupted.  Those few moments of quite time with him have been so wonderful.  

This week I started putting watermelon in the little mesh food bag things that I go when Grant was a baby.  Pop in the watermelon, snap it shut, and pop it in Brett's mouth.  He loves it!  And it's so great for when I need a little more time to finish making dinner and he's getting restless.  I highly recommend them.

Have a great weekend!  

Howdy Ya'll

Our ward had a BBQ and silent auction a couple weekends ago to earn money for our youth camps this summer.  We bid on a horseback riding trip that one of our bishopric members was auctioning off.  It was the one thing that I really wanted in the auction and Keith got it for us.  :)  So we went out last Friday afternoon.  It was so fun!  I've been on horseback rides where the horses follow in a line and you don't really have to do anything.  I've never been "free range" riding before.  It took a little time to get used to it, but then it was great.  

He took us up to the McDowell Mountains (north of Fountain Hills).  We were out there for a couple hours at least.  My horse was named Smoke'n North Star.  

Keith rode on Luke.  (May the horse be with you!  hahaha!)

We stopped at the top of a ridge and looked out at the amazing views around us.  Our wonderful guide even brought some Sonic ice and some sparkling cider, pretzels, and grapes.  

We got to do a lot of trotting.  These horses were so lively and excited to be out there, that it took a lot of reminding for them to walk.  Trotting was fun, but walking was much smoother!