Carrot Broccoli Salad

Sorry, I won't be offering a pretty measured out recipie but try it according to your own ratios and you will probably enjoy it.

Mix:
Shredded carrots (I use my food processor for this and the broccoli)
shredded broccoli
dried cranberries
toasted pecans (put them in a dry skillet and toast until browned, watch them because they burn easily)
top with as much or as little dressing as you like

Dressing:
Mix 3/4c. olive oil
1/4c. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper



It is yummy and a great way to eat some raw veggies--enjoy!

EDIT: Jay added Picture

Lake Nacimiento

My oh so brave parents took Emry, Ayden and Kensely for a week. These photos are from Lake Nacimiento when we picked the children up. The Lake is one of my all time favorite places and I forgot until I got there and took in its familiar sounds, smells and sights. My family has spent so many summers coming here, it is hard to believe I now can share it with my own children.



Brady and Mommy.



Beautiful Kensley Rose.



Brady--just say no to crack!


Jay, Emry and Ayden on Uncle Mike's Sea-Do.



Ayden Joseph

More lake pictures

More pictures of my favorite people and favorite childhood place.


Emry Anne



Kensley with my parents-- "the TUTUs"


Emry and Ayden with my brother Mike.



Kensley Rose



Emry and Ayden on the tube for the first time--what fun even thought one of their turns ended in them both crying.

4th of July

We love our local July 4th parade. It is a good time filled with lots of flying candy, water and sun.


Two good looking fellas.


Daddy and the ladies.


Brady is just fascinated with his tongue.


Emry and Ayden

Brady Michael--Enjoying His First Summer!

A cozy ride and nap during a hike at Emerald Bay.


Brady enjoying a snack at Emerald Bay before the blue jays, chipmunks, geese and ducks have their feast on his leftovers.


All 3 of these pictures were so cute I had to post them all. These were taken at the beach when Emry, Ayden and Kensley were staying with my parents.

Emry's 7th birthday!

Emry's birthday was a birthday with flexibility. I had wanted to do a party at the park with friends but my 100% social girl declined that idea in favor of a sleepover but when her friend got sick it was fast thinking to make her day special. We went with a butterfly theme including a butterfly cake, a butterfly net and a butterfly house. I think she was happy with the day that ended up with us having lunch at a friends' house and a visit to the fun zone at Boomtown.


Emry with her butterfly cake--I got the design idea from Kraft Foods, they really do have some simple and fun cake ideas.


On a carousel at Boomtown. The big carousel is free for all of 2009, for all you locals.


A girl who loves presents.


It was daddy's crepes for breakfast.


And more presents.

Summer Fun!

Daisy Girl--Kensly out in the yard with her favorite "triped dress." The girl loves to wear this dress, dirty or wet, it dosen't matter the chant is the same "triped dress, triped dress!"

Clever Emry Anne--she made her name out of tinker toys.


Yes, this is the old fashioned Lite-Brite. A friend told suggested it to me to work on fine motor skills. Can anyone guess who made this rendition of Wall-E? Ayden.


Have I shown you Emry's teeth or should I say missing teeth?


My favorite picture of Ayden.

The Tour De Nez Bike Race

Every June the Tour de Nez stops in our little town. It is fun evening for the children with bike decorating, racing and watching the clunker race and the professionals race. This year Kensley brought her trike and Jay walked the race with her, she loves to be a big kid like Emry and Ayden.



Kensly and Jay in the little kids race.


Emry taking a moment to smile at me as the racers go by.


The fellas!


Ayden and Kensley looking over the bike decorating choices. Ayden is holding a roll of orange crepe paper, his favorite color.


A bike race and a must have dress.

Tot School

Here is what Kensley has been working on this summer.


A letter matching game using Kensley's name, I got the idea from the Tot School site under tot Tools.



The letter matching tray using our last name. Kensely impressed me with her letter matching, she completed it without a single problem, no she dosen't know the letter but is a proficient matcher.


A color matching activity--again fun and done with no problem.


Kensley sorting the colored pom-poms.


Here Kensley is working on a simple puzzle.

If you need ideas to engage your tot check out the tot school icon and the totally tots icon on our sidebar. Kensley has also been working on "copywork" along side Emry and Ayden. She excitedly gets her pencil box while I print out a block style letter or number for her to color, paint or put stickers on.