Seizing My Day

On the 4th of July we ate these little babies!

Can you say yum!  I found a new favorite food!  =)

Inspired by Jen @ 3 Little Monkeys

I decided to try making  Turkey burgers again… (after failed attempts in the past!) =)

Not this time baby!  though I did not use Jen’s recipe… her posted recipe helped me overcome my failed attempts and try try again!~ Thanks Jen~

Hubby and I loved them… neighbors asked what was grilling … and my friend Heather enjoyed one with a thumbs up too!  my picky eaters ate them without too much fuss… I will take it!

We also made these .. inspired by Julianne @ From the Beginning

though I added an ingredient… it was her idea!! =)

I will post the secret recipes at the end of my ramblings about our low key boring holiday weekend!  =)

We are really lame parents… and decided to take advantage of the 3 day holiday weekend as a work weekend… since the rest of our month is crazy busy FUN! =) don’t worry the kids were happy despite the lack of plans and fun!~ wouldn’t you if your mom and dad gave you these!?

I think there was a museum and a store involved in their day…???

ha ha~

Our garage was in need of a major overhaul

soon we would not be able to park walk in it

the garage a few hours into “the sort” … Peter Walsh style…

keep, toss, sell, recycle!

mind you bikes, garbage cans, scooters, etc. were already out of the garage at this point.  I should have turned around and taken a pic of that too… *sigh*

so while hubby was cleaning and sorting away outside…

I was cleaning away inside…Remember my bag a day posts… that I failed to keep up with 2 times?  I don’t want to talk about it… just sayin… i didn’t fail this time!  I also sorted through HUGE mountains of KIDS stuff… papers… craft junk… OH MY!…

Oh…  we are getting ready to have a garage sale to sell the kids stuff for them … and donate the rest to a thrift store that supports Children’s hospital!  maybe we will walk away with some funny money for a mini camping vacation down the coast..  =)

here are a few pics of our madness!

um…toys… bye bye toys.

1/2 the kids books… maybe 1/3 ??  Most purchased at Goodwill or Value Village or garage sales… just saying!  we could make some serious money at 50 cents a book… I don’t want to know how much I spent to acquire them~!

the Thomas stuff just needs sorting… not much of this will be parted with! just stored.  it is a sad day when your children stop playing with Thomas.

this area still needs some serious sorting help…

don’t let the bins fool ya!

and so does this area..

good bye hooked on phonics

good bye dvd’s we are ready to part with. =)

Oh look I found more books to part with… my little boy is now beginning to read chapter books… bye bye early readers… sniff…

and this special guy…

is already gone…in last years garage sale!  =)

there is a story behind this monkey lamp…

maybe I will tell it tomorrow…

Do you WANT to hear the Monkey lamp story??  =)

like the box says… DON’T LAUGH … at my monkey lamp! =)

I liked the monkey lamp for many reasons!   ah ha ha ha!

*ahem*

So folks… I NEEDED a work weekend!  b/c the garage sale is THIS weekend… the same weekend I have a very  good friend who loves me dearly and doesn’t mind that I am having a garage sale when she comes to visit me!!  =)  right Corina… you still love me… right?!  I will seek permission to post about my dear friend Corina later in the week !! with pics!  =)

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On the evening of the 4th …We did stop and have our yummy BBQ dinner and then had a couple of friends over (last minute) for drinks and cards.. which ended up being drinks and laughter instead… =)  and we watched a few fireworks in the neighborhood .. before watching a fireworks show on tv… we were spoiling Merlin… not sure how he would do with his first 4th… he was nervous but fine… =)   and then we had a family sleepover in mommy and daddy’s room!  including Merlin!  ha ha!

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Oh.. the good news is… before the garage madness.. hubby mowed the lawn and weeded ALL my flower beds… because he is an AMAZING man!  =)  and guess what… My sweet man found his lost wedding ring!

did I tell you the lost wedding ring story?  3-4 weeks ago.. my man lost his ring… and he was Sooooo upset … he spent HOURS looking for it!  HOURS!  he even rented a metal detector to look for it the next day.  nothing.  he was not a happy camper… which is why I probably did not post about it. His bad wife… oh… that would be me… teased him for renting said metal detector.. telling him it would turn up if it was meant to be… but I knew he loved me without the ring… so cold hearted I am about “stuff”  .. anyway…while weeding MY pathetic flower beds for me… he found it… NO where near where he thought he lost it (in the back near the woods) Needless to say He is Sooooooooo Happy… see that relief!!  =)  Huge blessing!  and I am now in therapy to learn to me more sympathetic to his sentimental heart!

Speaking of my Amazing hubby… (sorry can’t help it… he is amazing!) … he is coaching my little girls soccer team this summer… it was not planned and sad when the old coach  & some players left the team… but it has been a wonderful experience for both him and little girl!  God works in mysterious ways!

Can I brag about praise my little girl for a minute?

Our little girl has been playing soccer for 2 years now… she loves it… and though she started off a very timid player… she has blossomed into a talented little soccer player!! We are very proud of her! She has this fantastic ability to keep her eye on the ball and go where the gaps are …she is good at swooping in and playing the ball!  She quickly developed some fancy footwork that always amazes me… and more recently she has turned into a great sweeper for defense..  AND… apparently has become a fantastic forward…This little girl..

Scored 3 ~ yes 3 Goals for her team last night!!  Way to go Abby!!

the only horrible thing is ~I was NOT there to witness it!!!    UGH!!!

I will NEVER miss a game again!

DANG!  RATS!

We have this little joke… b/c when ever I am not there… she manages to score a goal… but never 3 in one game!  so I told her before she left last night…” you know there is a great chance you will score tonight since I won’t be there”… we giggled, kissed goodbye… and the little firecracker Scored 3 Goals !!!  *sigh*  =)

It is so much fun watching your offspring grow into amazing little people! =)

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are you still here?  would you like me to shut up already and share my recipes?  =)    *ahem*

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Mini Turkey Burgers

1 lb ground turkey breast

1 egg white

1/2 orange pepper

1 scallion onion ( small purple tear drop shaped onion) =)

1 or 2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely ground ‘bread crumbs’ with herbs

a dash of Lawry’s season salt

oregano and basil!

put the pepper, onion & cheese & herbs into a mini chopper and whirl it around until they are very finely chopped.  mix that with the egg white, the meat and bread crumbs.  mix until all the egg is blended in well.  for into small mini burgers.. place on a greased plate and freeze for a 1/2 hour?  then give it to your man to BBQ and don’t thing about that part b/c you are terrified of said BBQ and you don’t go there~!  =)   but hand your man BBQ sauce and mini mozzarella cheese slices for the tops.  and prep the watermelon, corn a a cob, pasta salad if you are not lazy, and some BBQ chips.  Viola!  yummy BBQ dinner!  I only topped mine with a tomato … hubby used an onion also.. lettuce would have been lovely… of course we had mini hamburger buns (whole grain~!) Yummy!  seriously my kids ate fairly quickly and said it wasn’t their favorite… but … they ate quickly??  =)  just sayin… quick and not liking don’t usually come hand in hand!

Nutella Treats

crescent rolls from Pillsbury dough boy

nutella

peanutbutter chips

slivered almonds if you wish..

sugar if you wish

Spread nutella on the rolled out crescent rolls…

add chips

add almonds if you like

roll

sprinkle with sugar if you like

bake as directed

Eat slightly warm… your kids, your neighbors and your friends will be AMAZED at your baking skills and really… for $3. and 3 minutes of your time… You have just become AMAZING!  =)

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Now I must go and feed my littles lunch… they are STARVING!  =)

And we Finally have SUN to enjoy here in Washington!  yippie!