Bring it on Summer!

Show us what you've got! (and PLEASE no more snow....okay?)

So back in early February I learned how to make cute little door wreaths out of coat hangers and strips of fabric. I originally made a heart shaped one for Valentines, then I made a round one with pastel fabric for spring. I wanted to figure out how to make more interesting shapes. I mean, hearts are good but you can only use a heart for a small part of the year. Circles are nice but wouldn't it be fun to have a Shamrock? Or a Star? Well I figured it out- too late for the shamrock but I will definitely make one for next year. Instead of using a hanger I used some bendable plastic coated wire that I found in the Wal-Mart Home Improvement section. 

Here is my Summer Time/ Fourth of July Star! I thought Red, White and Blue in a flag type pattern would be cute. I think I was right!   

I put it on the door around Memorial Day, in the hopes that it would help the weather figure out that it was Memorial Day and the kids would be out of school for summer soon. I think it has helped. 

Yesterday we had a Picnic. That is the kind of thing you do in the Summer, right? I think this may have been our very first family picnic and it was lots of fun. We found a park with a pretty huge play structure and J played while the rest of us ate. I made some oven baked chicken and potato spears. I gave Ken two options, Oven Baked Chicken or Teriyaki Chicken Wraps, Ken thought I had said both options were wraps and he picked Oven Baked Chicken Wraps- it was a very tasty mistake. I cut the chicken into strips, breaded and baked it, then we ate it wrapped in tortilla's with lettuce and tomatoes. It was very good, we will have it again. The potato spears were pretty good too, I cut about 5 potatoes into 8ths, then put them in a bowl with a Tbls of Olive Oil, a 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and some garlic powder, salt and pepper, mixed to coat the potatoes well and I baked them at the same time as the chicken. Yummy and pretty good for a small picnic.  

We were able to get J away from the playground long enough to eat 4 French fries 

 Baby B enjoyed the French fries as well

 In fact, B enjoyed the picnic so much that he gave the experience "Two Fists Up!" It is like two thumbs up, only better!

Ken and I both agreed that we should go on more picnics, I am thinking one a week, at least during the summer. It was lots of fun.