Kelli at There Is No Place Like Home

gave me a great idea for a

simple summertime salad.

Taking Kelli's lead, I plated some salad greens and tomatoes.

I cooked up some chicken

and seasoned it

with McCormick's Caribbean Jerk seasoning

and lots and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

I added some freshly grated parmesan cheese and topped the salads with one of our family's favorite dressings ~ Ken's Steak House Sweet Vidalia Onion.

The sweet dressing was just perfect with the spicy chicken.

The family really enjoyed it. :-)
Thanks Kelli!

"Don't hurry, don't worry.

You're only here for a short visit.

So be sure to stop and smell the flowers."

~Walter C. Hagen

Supper Menus
June 29th - July 4th

Monday
spaghetti, garlic bread sticks
Tuesday
caribbean jerk chicken salad, sour dough bread, chocolate cake
Wednesday
kung pao chicken, white rice
Thursday
out for supper
Friday
invited to bbq supper with family, taking sugar cookies
Saturday
invited to 4th of July bbq supper with family, taking baked beans and apple pie

4th 5K

The fourth Saturday in June, means that it is time for the Polish Day Festival and the Polish Pickle Run!

Held in the charming town of Bremond, Texas.

You pick up your bib number from The Bremond Press office building.

The run begins "down town" and winds through through the small town's streets, with plenty of folks out on their front porches to cheer you on. :-)

Hay bales mark the finish line tunnel.

After catching your breath,

a stroll through the vendor booths is definitely in order.

This year, Miss Hollywood was in attendance to see Mom finish. ;-)

I was disappointed that I had to walk some during mile 2,

but I did shave six minutes off my best 5K time

and eight minutes off my first Pickle Run. :-)

I'm improving ~ and that's what counts! ;-)

"For I know the plans I have for you,

declares the LORD,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Sunlit Daisies" by Ron Jenkins

"Celebrate each tiny goal achieved! Don't think about the big, impossible sounding goal in the future. Think about today and the goal you reached that you hadn't been able to reach the day before. One day, all the tiny goals will get you to the big goal!"

~ Mrs. H. :-)

front yard crepe myrtle

in bloom

Texas Heat Wave

"What dreadful hot weather we have!

It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

~Jane Austen

Thank goodness for watermelon! ;-)

Supper Menus
June 22nd-27th

Monday
summer sub sandwich, potato chips, pickles, watermelon
Tuesday (father's day/birthday dinner for father-in-law)
steaks, peppers, zucchini and corn on the grill, baked potatoes and toppings, green salad, dinner rolls, peach cobbler
Wednesday
chicken tenders, mashed potatoes and gravy, green peas, dinner rolls
Thursday
steak and chicken fajitas, spanish rice, pinto beans, tortilla chips and dips
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
out for supper

Father's Day at Heritage Schoolhouse

Mr. H. is pretty easy to please.

All he requested for Father's Day was...

chicken parmesan for Sunday dinner,

the new Mark Levin book,

and a restful afternoon.

He got all three...of course! :-)

Happy 1st Day of Summer!

It's felt like summer here in Texas for weeks now,

but today is the first day of summer

according to the calender. :-)

I have listed some wonderful things of summertime here .

What are your favorite things about summertime? :-)

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Summer Rental" by Susan Stallman

Happy Father's Day

to my Daddy

and to my husband

Two terrific fathers! :-)

There's only two things that money can't buy...

...and that's true love

and home grown tomatoes! :-)

These weren't home grown,

but it won't be long.

I counted six little babies out in the garden tonight.

And lots of blossoms! :-)

Since summer began ~

our family has taken a trip to Galveston

I've started boot camp

my daughter has had a week of art camp

my son has had a week of cub scout day camp

we've completely redone my daughter's room

my husband has worked many hours on our rental property

we've had a slumber party

and

we've hosted family for a weekend!

During that time I think

something's gotten a little bit lonely...

And next week,

it's going to have my name

written all over it! ;-)

"He who has so little knowledge of human nature

as to seek happiness

by changing anything but his own disposition

will waste his life in fruitless efforts."

~Samuel Johnson

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Summer Daisies" by Astrid

Supper Menus
June 15th-20th

Monday
out for supper
Tuesday
leftovers from Sunday dinner
Wednesday
jalapeno chicken enchiladas, guacamole, salsa, tortilla chips
Thursday
hamburgers, spicy potato wedges, baked beans, coleslaw
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
breakfast for supper - waffles, sausage links, potatoes o'brien, strawberries and bananas

Flag Day

commemorating the adoption of the flag

of the United States of America

on June 14, 1777

Now Showing...

Last year my daughter enjoyed a pool party celebration.

For her birthday this year,

she requested a "movie night". :-)

a "popcorn" theme

movie theatre candy :-)

plenty of popcorn

the required jelly bellys
no party is complete without them ;-)

and a sweet puppy

Miss Daisy is getting lots of attention

and having herself a very good time!

"Nobody trips over mountains.

It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble.

Pass all the pebbles in your path

and you will find you have crossed the mountain."

~Author Unknown

I like my first Miley Cyrus song. ;-)

Have you heard "The Climb"?

It's in my play list, #31, if you'd like to listen to it.

Love it!

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Summer Journey" by Dudley Slay

Look what's growing!

Aren't they cute?! :-)

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken
4 servings

4 cups water
2 cups rice
2 tablespoons oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup peanuts
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon hot chili sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 chicken breasts, diced
2 eggs, whisked thoroughly
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
oil for frying

Bring 4 cups water and rice to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, saute garlic, peanuts, pepper and onion in oil until peanuts and garlic have browned and pepper and onion are tender.  Combine soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili sauce, and pepper flakes.  Combine cornstarch with water until smooth and add to soy sauce mixture. Pour into pan; stir. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened; keep warm.  In a separate sauce pan heat oil for frying.  Mix flour with cornstarch.  Coat chicken in egg and then toss in flour mixture until coated.  Fry chicken in two batches.  Drain chicken and add to warm sauce and mix well.  Serve chicken over cooked rice and enjoy!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

In the Good Old Summertime

My Summertime Friend :-)

Where I go, it goes.

Where it goes, I go.

My water glass...with a straw.

A summer slim down's best fried. ;-)

Supper Menus
June 8th-13th

Monday
angel hair pasta with marinara sauce, caesar salad, sour dough bread
Tuesday
kung pao chicken, white rice
Wednesday
crispy tacos, spanish rice, refried beans
Thursday
hamburgers, baked beans, coleslaw, french fries
Friday
take out pizza
Saturday
out for supper

65 years

Several years ago my family had the privilege of visiting the beaches of the Normandy Invasion at the sites of the American D-Day landings - codenamed Omaha Beach and Utah Beach. The following pictures were taken by Mr. H.

June 6, 1944 D-Day

"a mighty armada crossed a narrow strip of sea from England

to Normandy, France and cracked the Nazi grip on western Europe"

Omaha Beach

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War II cemetery and memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, that honors American soldiers who died in Europe during World War II.

The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel. It covers 172 acres, and contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. The graves face westward, towards the United States.

Pointe du Hoc is a clifftop location on the coast of Normandy. It lies 4 miles west of Omaha Beach, and stands on 100 foot tall cliffs overlooking the sea. It was a point of attack by the United States Army Ranger Assault Group commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder, "Rudder's Rangers".

Utah Beach

THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO ITS SONS

THAT LOST THEIR LIVES

IN THE LIBERATION OF THESE BEACHES

JUNE 6, 1944

There aren't words to describe the feeling of standing on the very ground were so many brave Americans gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Galveston, oh Gal...ves..ton :-)

I love the beach! :-)

My family didn't understand the title of this post, do any of you??