Wake me up when September ends

...for some reason that song is in my head...

Anyway.

1. Visit 4 points of interest in the Wilson area (3/4)

Since we don't live in the Wilson area anymore, this is a little bit harder to complete. Last week we visited the Neuseway Nature Park in Kinston. This place was AWESOME! There was a Nature Center which had animals to view, a touch tank and an underground cave with more animals. We saw a parrot who sings HAPPY BIRTHDAY, a cute little fox and a huge snapping turtle! The next stop was the Health & Science museum. They had a huge replica of a stomach that the kids could climb in, and a tunnel heart. I went into the tunnel and it was scary! Not repeating that experience:) We finished our day playing on the huge, totally awesome playground (in the rain). The Park also has a small campground I would love to stay at someday.

16. Read 50 books (28/50)

I read "The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to your Spouse." It was a really easy read, and I couldn't believe how spot on the concepts were. I think Glen's love language is physical touch, and mine is acts of service. I 100% recommend this book to any couple! Gary Chapman also wrote a love language book for kids, I plan on reading that soon!

18. Try 25 new recipes (20/25)

I made these Cookies & Cream Bars a few weeks ago. Super easy & yummy! I smashed my oreos with a can, I think I'll use a food processor next time for a smoother look.

I saw this recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Puffs the other night, and immediately went to the kitchen to whip up a batch. They are really quick to make and an easy snack/lunch. I think they were too salty, I'll probably play with the seasoning next time I make them.

95. Write to 25 companies & request coupons (10/25)

I emailed 3 companies & requested coupons. I received 2 "no" responses already, but maybe the 3rd will send me some goodies!

Being crafty!

Last week my BFF's toddler started a little preschool program on the days we watch her. Caleb was really, really, really upset that he couldn't go to school. So I decided we would do something special while she was at school.

Our first project was about apples. We stopped at Kroger and bought 2 apples, 1 red & 1 green. At home, I sliced them in half and Caleb used them as apple stamps. He had a great time and couldn't wait to show Daddy his painting. I also let him snack on the apples we didn't paint with:)

Our next project was practicing using a glue stick. I found a template online to turn a toilet paper roll into "Boots the Monkey." If you don't know who Boots is, you obviously don't have a toddler. I cut out all the pieces and Caleb used a glue stick to put them in place. Kind of a silly project - but he enjoyed it!

83. Do 20 art projects with Caleb. (7/20)

92. Play outside in the rain

Hurricane Irene came to visit us last week. She was a mighty big storm that severely damaged the outer banks of NC, and up into NJ. Here in Raleigh we only experienced winds & rain. As she was blowing in, Caleb suited up in his rain boots and raincoat for some fun in the rain.

Caleb LOVES his rain boots and is always asking for an excuse to wear them. He had a blast finding the puddles and jumping in them! We came in only slightly wet and very happy!

Where did August go?

I'm not sure where the month of August went, it flew by in a flash! I feel like I didn't accomplish much on my list this month, and what I have done is floating around in my head, not in a post like it should be. Let's see if I can remember everything!


8. Visit the zoo 3 times (2/3)

My sister & I took all 5 kids to the zoo this week. It was an ideal time for the zoo. It wasn't too hot, and most kiddos were in school. It was a really quiet day, no school trips were terrorizing us! We had a great day! All the kids learned something, and I did too! I learned -

1. Ostriches knees are "backwards." (That is, in comparison to other animals. I'm sure an ostrich thinks his knees are just fine.
2. Turtles have a backbone that attaches to their shell. Their shell is actually a bone, and grows with their body. (I knew it grew with them, but I would have not thought of it as a bone.)
3. A male gorilla is approximately 6' tall, weighing 350lbs. This is the same size as my brother in law. Coincidental? I think not. (sorry beth :) )

I also feel that I should mention, I find zoos rather depressing. I love the chance to see and learn about all the animals, but I hate seeing the animals penned up in such un-natural places. For instance, an eagle we saw in a 20 square foot cage flies up to 200 miles a day in the wild. Maybe he likes being lazy and being fed, but I really bet he wishes he could spread his wings and get out a little. Anyway.....

16. Read 50 books (27/50)

I finished the final 2 books in the Hunger Games Series. I really enjoyed the series, but the final book was way political for me. I feel like it lost some of what I loved most about the first 2 books. I would definitely recommend this series!

23. Try 2 new foods from different cultures (2/2)

Glen & I went out for Afghan food for our anniversary! We visited the Unaabi Grill in Cary and had a really great experience. We started with a sampler platter of turnovers, which were all very tasty. Some of the fillings included green onion, pumpkin, potatoes and spiced meat. We liked ALL of them. My meal was seasoned chicken with a red sauce, served with rice. I ate every last drop and it was very, very, very good! Glen had a unique meal of dumplings served with a mint yogurt sauce. It was 100% unique and he really enjoyed it. I'm glad we stepped out of our box and tried something new!

50. Print & hang our wedding pictures

Boo-yah! Finally done! We're been married for a mere 4 years, so I decided its time to print a wedding photo :) I took advantage of a few free photo deals from Walgreens for my prints, and got BOGO free frames from Michael's. I love getting some good deals! I hung a collage of our wedding in the hallway, and an 8x10 in our bedroom. I am super excited to see these pictures up, I love remembering all the details of our wedding day!

84. Take him to a park 50 times (50/50)
Done, done and done! We went to the park a bunch of times this month. We've been to the Airport park for a picnic with friends, the park with Caleb's cousins, a playdate at the lake park and a morning park trip with Daddy!

I think that's it for now! Have a fun Labor Day weekend!!!

Food, books, and more food!

16. Read 50 books (25/50)
I have been getting major use out of my library card lately. I LOVE the library:) Here's what I have been reading!

The Hunger Games - loved it! Even though it is "young adult" the storyline as awesome. I have the 2nd book in the series waiting to be read!
The Help - Hard to put down. The writing style was fascinating, varied and really touched your heart.
Still Alice - Heart wrenching. I loved the perspective that this book was written in.
Groundswell - A perfect beach read! It was a fun chick book :)



23. Try 2 new foods from different cultures (1/2)
Beth took me to "Old Siam" last week. It's a Thai restaurant. The menu was rather intimidating, there was nothing familiar! I ordered the Panang Curry Chicken dish and it was SOOO good! It was made with coconut milk, served with veggies and jasmine rice. I nearly cleaned my plate before my tummy was too full. I always thought all curry dishes would be really spicy, but this had a great balanced flavor.

18. Try 25 new recipes (18/25)
I tried this muffin recipe using some yummy fresh blueberries. The streusel was the best part, but the muffins were pretty good overall.


While visiting my sister last week, she made a yummy dinner, Thai Peanut Pork. I couldn't wait to try it at home! The original recipe is linked, my changes are below. It is super easy and has such great flavor! (and tasted absolutely nothing like a real Thai dish)

Thai Peanut Pork (by Becky)

1 lb boneless pork chops
1 pkg frozen stir fry veggies
1/2 bottle Garlic Marinade (I used the Kroger brand)
3 tbs Peanut Butter

Cut pork chops into small slices. In a medium size bowl, mix marinade & peanut butter. Add pork, and marinade for a few hours.

Heat large skillet on medium high heat, add pork (with marinade) and cook until done. If desired, add in extra marinade & peanut butter. Mix in stir-fry veggies and cook until heated through.

Serve over rice.

Midway through July!

Time is just marching on this summer! We've been making the most of the hot days, still getting out and having some fun! It feels good to check some things off my list.

16. Read 50 books (21/50)
I read 2 books in the "Thirst" series. They were alright. It is a young adult vampire series and at first I found it fascinating. The story got old fast. The first book ended on a cliffhanger, which is the main reason I read the second. My end review - remarkably unremarkable. :)

I read "Girl in Translation" during nap time yesterday. I couldn't put it down. It's about a young girl who immigrated to America from Hong Kong. The book was very well written and I really liked how the story unfolded from her perspective.

18. Try 25 new recipes (16/25)
I finally chose an enchilada recipe to make. It was really good. I plan to try it again using red sauce, I used green. I also want to add beans. Glen liked it but was not super impressed. He prefers his Mama's enchiladas. I'll beat them soon.....haha!

I also tried roasting some fresh summer squash we were given. It was a pretty presentation and I loved the flavor!

54. Organize my recipes into a recipe box
I'm obsessed with Google Reader and Pinterest. These obsessions have led me to "starring" or "pinning" recipe ideas. I have dozens of them. When I'm ready to try one out, I print them and the recipe ends up in a vertical letter tray. This letter tray tends to have a stack of printed recipes, and it just looks messy. I finally went through the stack, threw out the undesired recipes and wrote the rest onto index cards. I was surprised how many recipes are now in my box!

83. Do 20 art projects with Caleb. (5/20)
Last week we met our friends at Klaystation for some pottery painting. Caleb painted a trivet for his grandma. I think it turned out pretty cute.

We also practiced gluing with foam shapes. This was our first time using a glue stick and Caleb thought it was pretty cool!

84. Take him to a park 50 times (48/50)
So close to complete! We visited Laurel Hills park over the weekend. We enjoyed swinging on the swings, then took a walk to the little pond. Caleb got to see dragonflies, frogs, fish and turtles. It was a lot of fun.

Yesterday, Caleb & I stopped at Kiwanis Park. The park itself was super
small, but there was a fun surprise there! The fire department was doing a demonstration for a group of school kids. It was awesome! We got to see the ladder truck in action, a firefighter rode the ladder as it went up 100 feet in the air. Really cool!

This morning Caleb & I met our playgroup at the Wake Landfill Park. It was a really hot morning but it was fun to get out!





Also...if you look at my traffic feed on the left - notice I have a regular reader from Russia! Hello! Leave a comment and say hi! :)

18. Try 25 new recipes (14/25)

Stuffed Tomatoes
My garden is giving us lots of fresh tomatoes this year. I wanted to use a few up for a side dish but was lacking inspiration. This recipe was a good side with grilled chicken & potatoes. I omitted the bacon (only because we were out), I think that would have made them have a fuller flavor. Glen thought they were spicy - that's because I added lots of black pepper:)



Bubble Up Enchiladas
This recipe fell flat, but probably because I didn't use the right ingredients! I didn't have enchilada sauce so I used taco sauce/salsa. It was too spicy but I definitely think this dish has potential. I will be trying it again because it's a really quick meal!