rain + raincoats = fun!

It rained everyday day last week and the boys invented reasons to wear their raincoat even after it had stopped. They wore their raincoats everywhere and were happy to have them! Here are some fun moments captured in the driveway last Thursday in the raincoats that Grandma from MN sent home with them when we left there in August. Thank you Grandma...they are being put to good use and have been so much fun!

1st real soccer game

on a real team, with a real coach. At least that is what Xavier talks about all the time- that it is real! Xavier got to kickoff to start the game...I don't even know what it is called when you kickoff but he probably volunteered to do it!

There is real our soccer player....#6, bright blue shorts.

Sorry about the picture quality here. I was excited and maybe just a bit nervous that I really wasn't paying attention to my camera settings until it was too late.












Waving to his "fans."





Going through the "tunnel" at the end.



More than once he or his teammates were kicking the ball the wrong way on the field. It was comical to watch! It seemed as if Xavier was waiting for the ball to come to him and would not get in there to get the ball. We asked him about not getting in there after the game. The conversation went something like this:

Steve: Buddy, did you have fun at your first game?
X: Yes!
Steve: It kind of seemed like you were waiting for the ball to come to you. You know that you can get in there and get the ball away from the other team.
X: Well, that that would be rude.
Steve: It is OK in the game of soccer to do that you know....you are supposed to do that...
X: Ohhhh.

Here Xavier is modeling his team shirt in his favorite color:)





Even though I think that he only moderately understands the game, he really had a lot of fun and that is all that matters anyway:)

cincinnati fun...

stay at home sadness. A couple of weeks ago we planned to go to Cincinnati to see Grandpa and Grandma Noe and for Xavier, Steve and Grandpa could go to a Reds baseball game.... Xavier's first MLB game. Dax and I were going to hang out with Grandma and have some fun. As luck would have it, Dax got sick...the vomiting kind... so Dax and Mommy stayed behind while Xavier and Steve went.





Dax could not understand why he had to stay home....it was VERY sad.



Luckily, his sickness very very short lived and NO one else got it. Here are some happy pics from the following day when they returned. It was a great time so we heard. Grandma went to the game too, they WON and the boys each got a new hat.

This is happy Dax. I much prefer this version:)




Dax was so excited about the hat that he wouldn't even let me take the tag off. It went straight on his head.



On a funny note. I talked to Xavier via phone when they were on their way home from the game.

Me: Xavier, did the Reds win?
X: Yes!
Me: What was the score?
X: The score???
Me: Yeah, what was the score?
X: What was the scooooore????
Me: Never mind.
X: OK. Tell Dax that he misses me!

Silly mommy for asking such a silly question!

shrimp and avocado salad

This recipe is from Tasty Kitchen.... my new favorite place to go for recipes. It was so, so good! I made this for lunch one day when I had a few friends and their kiddos over to play. It was almost as good as the company:)

15 Minute Shrimp and Avocado Salad

•1 pound Cooked Medium Shrimp (frozen And Thawed)
•1 whole Medium Tomato, Seeded And Chopped
•3 whole Scallions, Thinly Sliced
•1 clove Garlic, Pressed
•2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
•1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
•1 whole Large Firm Avocado, Cubed
•1 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro
•1 Tablespoon Fresh Mint
•2 Tablespoons Chopped Pumpkin Seeds
•1 head Romaine Lettuce, Outer Leaves Removed
•Extra Virgin Olive Oil To Taste
•Salt And Pepper (to Taste)

Make sure shrimp is completely thawed if you buy it already cooked. If you buy it raw and cook it at home, make sure it is completely cooled and pat dry with towels. Assemble all ingredients with shrimp in a large bowl (except for lettuce) and mix gently. For optimum flavor, marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve on a bed of romaine lettuce.

I made pretty much as is substituting pine nuts for the pumpkin seeds (because I had them) and added feta cheese because I like it:)

overdone.

maybe? alright- a little!

Here's the recipe for this one.

OD Chicken

1 chicken breast per person

Season chicken to your liking. Place on grill.
Leave on too long.

(this one is for you, Anita!)


Mmmm.... extra crispy.




I don't know what happened...really I don't! The boys did eat this though...bbq sauce covers anything:) I was actually glad that I cannot each chicken for once.

Here is another classic case of "overdone."







Of course, he didn't do it all by himself:)




Unlike the chicken, this one was overdone only on one side!


But...like the chicken BOTH were perfect in the middle:)

the first of many

Xavier had his first day of pre-school today! AND he wants to go back!! I call that a success. We had an ice cream social on Sunday afternoon at school and then dropped of school supplies and met his teachers on Monday evening. Mrs. Pridemore had an assignment for them already on Monday. He had to find his seat that had his name on it and at his seat there was a folder with info for me and a cutout of a paper person that Xavier was to take home and color in to look like himself and bring it back on the first day of school. Yesterday after lunch Xavier was hard at work making a crayon likeness of himself. He did everything himself with exception of the lines on the legs to denote shorts. After he had finished, he was showing me everything he had done. "Look" he said, "I made my eyes and eyebrows, colored my ears, made my shoes into boots and here is my hoo-doo". WHAT!?! You put a hoo-doo on yourself???? I was starting to panic.....should we just start over I thought? Where on earth am I going to get another cutout? Could I make one??? "Yes" he said proudly..."it is right here" as he pointed to a vibrant orange dot on his crotch. "That is really good" I said "but we are only drawing our clothes so let me scrape that off and you can color over it". What on earth have I been teaching him I thought???? I asked him why he put a hoo-doo on it and he said that he just wanted to make it better. I said better as in more real? YES! he said more real. Whew! He drew it out of wanting attention to detail not to be funny or spiteful. That was close! I also reminded him that we don't talk about or draw hoo-doos outside of the house:) This could be a very lonnnng year of learning the "do's and don't's in a social setting...lucky me!





This is the offending picture after the hoo-doo has been heavily colored over!


Here are some "first day of pre-school" pics taken this morning....and subsequently caused us to be a couple of minutes late! Oh well, it was worth it!










If you are wondering what is up with those shorts, it was "gym day" at school so he had to wear gym shorts to school today:)

asian pork wraps

Asian Pork Wraps

2 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (from bottom 3 inches of about 4 stalks)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps chopped
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
1 3/4 pounds ground pork
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 cup hoisin sauce*
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)*
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 heads of Bibb lettuce, cored, leaves separated
1 cup matchstick-size strips red bell pepper
1 cup matchstick-size strips peeled carrot
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lemongrass and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool in skillet.

Place pork in large bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, cracked pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, then fold in mushroom mixture. Using 2 generous tablespoonfuls for each, shape into 18 patties, each about 2 1/4 inches in diameter; arrange on plastic-lined baking sheet.

Whisk hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, chili sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons sesame oil in small bowl for sauce. DO AHEAD: Burgers and sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately; chill.

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat ). Grill burgers until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Arrange burgers on platter; set out sauce. Place lettuce, bell pepper, carrot, and cilantro in separate bowls. Serve, allowing guests to wrap burgers in lettuce and add sauce and vegetables as desired.

I have made these twice. Both times I have left out the lemongrass as it wasn't available. I made the patties into an oval shape to fit on the lettuce better and used leaf lettuce. We really enjoyed these! I found this on epicurious as I was looking for something that would work for a low carb entree. I was bringing a birthday lunch to a friend:)