BFFs

The "Terrible Twos" are in full force in our house. We have biting, hair pulling, running away, and now Syd's favorite word... "no".  Don't get me wrong, not everything is all madness around here. We have laughing, hugging, learning and exploring. Even when the kids are misbehaving, it can be sweet sometimes. For example, watch the video below ( I pretended to not notice, long enough to document this moment).

 Just when I think I am going to lose it, I get to witness these tender times between best friends that make me smile:)

My New Obsession...

Chicken Cesar Pitas

Now I cannot take all of the credit for this one,  my neighbor told me a while ago how she makes these for her family. You can use so many different ingredients to make it your own! I have to say, that I loved this meal so much that I ate it for dinner two days in a row!

First, I marinated chicken breasts in Italian Dressing. It caramelized the outside of the chicken when I grilled it and gave it lots of flavor. After the chicken was grilled, I sliced it into small pieces. I cut up Hearts of Romaine and Red Onion. I stuffed the chicken into a Pita (I prefer the pitas that have the pockets you can stuff). Then I poured on some Cesar Dressing ( I used the fattening stuff, but I am sure any brand would work) and sprinkled some shaved Parmesan cheese on top. Then I topped it with some Romaine and Red Onion. It was that simple but so delish!

Chicken Cesar Pitas are super easy to make.They are the perfect summer meal. You could cut up cucumber, hard boiled eggs, sun dried tomatoes, croutons and even throw in some pasta. You could even toss all of your ingredients in the dressing before stuffing it in the pita. The possibilities are endless! Pair it with your favorite glass of wine, and you are in for a treat!

Publish Post

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary!

I cannot believe that 5 years ago today we were celebrating our wedding with Family and Friends. It was everything that I dreamed it would be.... I had the perfect dress, beautiful flowers, an amazing band and so much more! It was my dream wedding!

After we said our "I do's" we topped off our dream wedding with our dream honeymoon. We took a trip to the Greek Islands. Trust me when I tell you, they are as breathtaking as they look in photos.

We have accomplished a lot over the past 5 years. We both worked hard and received Master's Degrees. We both started new jobs; Scott landed his dream job as a Manager of a Slot Machine Company and  I left an amazing teaching job for the ideal part-time job, and then recently quit to stay home with the kids. Our biggest accomplishment to date is our family. We are so lucky to have two beautiful kids!  Words cannot begin to express how much I love them!

Happy Anniversary to a wonderful Husband and Father! I look forward to the next 5 years and many more!!!!

Napa

Scott and I just got back from an adult vacation to Napa Valley. We went away to get some alone time and to celebrate our upcoming 5th wedding anniversary! We flew into San Francisco and spent a few hour walking around and having lunch before our drive to Napa. We had amazing Dim Sum (thanks for the recommendation Kathy), walked around the Ferry Building browsing the shops and walked out on the pier. I cannot say enough good things about San Fran. We were there a few years ago for a wedding, and I absolutely love it!

Napa is such a beautiful and peaceful place. Life moves at a slower pace and things are so laid back. We stayed in Yountville, which was the cutest little town. There were beautiful rose bushes and hydrangeas all along the sidewalks. All of the shops and tasting rooms close early, but people start wine tasting at 10 am so I understood why!

We spent two days visiting 10 wineries. We took a cable car up into the mountains to a winery called Sterling. Although we didn't love the wine, the views were amazing!

We tasted some delicious wines and learned a lot about not only the wine making process but also the history of some of the interesting people who own these amazing wineries. I think the coolest thing I saw was at the Rubicon Estate, which is a Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Coppola's Oscar and Golden Globe award from the films he directed were on display.

We definitely ate some amazing food on our trip! Everyday started with a champagne breakfast buffet at the hotel.   We also ate at Chef Michael Chiarello's restaurant Bottega (he's on The Food Network a lot). Everything you eat in Napa is produced with fresh ingredients from the area. So you know your eating great food!

We had an amazing trip to an amazing place. It was a memorable way to celebrate our upcoming anniversary. We will drink the amazing wines we brought back, order more and always remember Napa!

A Few Days Away

We just got back from spending a few days in South Haven, Michigan. The kids had a blast with their cousins. We played, went for long walks, ate a lot of food and went out for Blue Moon Ice Cream! It was like having a giant play date for 3 days!

 

Sydney was not such a fan of the beach. She was a little unsure about the cold water and playing in the sand. I guess she is more of a pool person like her mommy! Ben on the other hand, enjoyed running around in the sand and playing in the water. I imagined the two of them running all over the place and Scott and I chasing after them. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with how well they both did!

This was our first trip as a family and we learned quickly that traveling with kids is definitely not  a relaxing vacation. Regardless, it was nice to get away and everyone had a good time!

In The Doghouse

Silence is never good when you have kids (that are awake). It usually means that someone is getting into trouble. Here is what Ben was up to while I was changing his sister's diaper.

   

Enough Said!!

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays:  food, friends, family and fun! What is not to love? This year was just as memorable. We had a blast at the 4th of July parade. Sydney had fun dancing to the music and mimicking the cheerleaders. Ben was mesmorized by the firetrucks and big monster trucks. I was afraid that they would be too loud, but he couldn't get enough! Here are a few pictures from the parade....

 After the parade (and some much needed naps), we headed to GG's house for swimming and dinner.

When I was little, I loved running up and down the long hallways at my Grandma's house. It was so fun to look at myself as I breezed by in the mirrors. This year it was fun to see my own kids enjoying the same thing. I guess some things never get old!

After all of our fun activities, we enjoyed some delicious food. I spent a few hours (the day before) making a flag cake that I saw on one of the blogs:
http://delectabledeliciousness.blogspot.com/2009/07/4th-of-july-fun.html
It was a huge hit! Here is the finished product!

 We didn't make it to the fireworks, but we will definitely add it to the agenda next year!