Mixed feelings

Kyle's work threw a huge party up the canyon last week.

It was there that we encountered the big blue slide.

McKayla is our ultra cautious kid.

We have a rule at our house that you have to try it at least once.

This goes for food, park swings, swimming pools.

Pretty much anything that is new or different.

Even big blue slides.

She is such a silly girl.

We would be perfectly fine going up the steps.

Then when we got up to the top, and she saw how high it was, she would be crying and crying.

Then, we would go down and by the time we reached the bottom, 

she would be saying that she wanted to do it again.

Which would repeat the cycle.

I think she had fun though.

I know I did!

The Pinterest Experiment

We are Mexican food lovers.

 One of my many goals for the summer was to learn to make carne asada.

I know an actual Hispanic lady and she gave me her recipe.

So I bought the meat from the mexican market.

It was the 2.99 per pound kind.

Because I just couldn't get myself to buy the 5.99 per pound meat.

The recipe is to cover both sides of the meat with season all,

and then let it marinate in orange juice and onion slices.

Once it has marinated, you throw it on the grill and there you go.

Carne Asada

The second half of this meal is the beans

The recipe comes from here.

I have tried crockpotting beans before but had never really been successful until I tried this recipe.

I loved how low maintenance it was.

I would say that overall, the meal was pretty good.

Easily a six, maybe even a seven.

However, I did have a few things that I would do differently next time.

The biggest problem for me was that the entire meal seemed really salty.

Next time I will probably simmer down on the season all and still make the beans,

only put in the salt and the onions.

I think that all the rest of the ingredients really added to the salty flavor.

As for the carne asada. 

It was good, but probably not good enough for all the time it took.

Now my goal is to find a good place to buy it from.

Any ideas?

It's raining it's pouring

Last week it actually rained.

That hardly ever happens here in the summer.

It has been over 100 degrees here lately.

So the rain was a very welcome change.

So welcome, when it started we all went outside.

 Enjoying the cool.

Much to McKayla's dismay, I made her run out in the rain.

This was the rain storm that happened later the same day.

Much to Kyle's dismay, I made him run out in the rain.

The pinterest experiment-- plus some

 I took the girls to the freedom festival one day while Kyle was at work.

McKayla wanted to get her face painted again- of course.

And then I remember the first time she get her face painted.

She was almost exactly the same age Avery is now,

and she was wearing the exact dress Avery was wearing.

So then we had a star put on Avery's cheek, 

just like the one on McKayla's nearly two years before.

I used to think they looked similar.

But now I'm not so sure.

McKayla

Avery

This recipe is called the 

Skinny Poolside Dip.

Unfortunately it wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.

Don't get me wrong, it was okay. 

We ate maybe.... half of it and then we were done.

I just couldn't help but to think that there were so many other ways

 I would rather eat a block of cream cheese.

To make it you mix:

1 red pepper

2 jalapenos (unseeded)

1 can corn

1/2 can diced olives

1 block cream cheese

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch.

Eat with crackers

I would probably rate this at a 5

Glad we tried it.

We enjoyed it for a while

But probably wont make it again.

Our pre- 4th of July

I think I could safely say that P-Town has some of the best pre 4th of July activities

Between Colonial Days, Home tours, hot air balloon launching, marathons, bell concerts, firesides and SO much more; there is a lot to keep you busy.

One of our favorites was the freedom fest.

One of the only saving graces for this little dump that we live in, is that it is so central to everything so we never had to drive or find parking places anywhere.

We went to the freedom fest two nights in a row.

What can I say, it was all free and they gave out mini dreyers ice cream.

It doesn't get much better than that.

First, we met a Princess.

*We actually saw several princesses this week. When they would talk to McKayla they would ask her if she knew she was a princess. To this she would say, "I know, my mommy and daddy tell me all the time." It was pretty sweet.

 Getting fingernails done, which she LOVED! I rarely do fingernails because it is so hard to get her to hold still. So this was a treat for her.

 Face painting

Hair done

Wand making

Bracelet making.

Happy girl with her new bracelet.

The Pinterest Experiment

This recipe is called

Pizza Rolls

Here is the link

I was actually pleasantly surprised with this recipe.

It was the perfect lunch.

Quick, easy, not a sandwich and pretty good tasting.

I think that I would rate this recipe at a solid 7.

If you want to make this recipe, remember that it wont taste exactly like a pizza because of the crescent rolls.

I loved how easy this recipe was. 

I cut the string cheese into thirds. 

It didn't seem like that would be enough to begin with, but I was happy with the result.

Try it, you might like it too.

P.S.- Even though it seems like it, McKayla does not wear that orange shirt everyday.

It's just a current favorite.