Happy Birthday Matt!

We had an awesome BBQ for Matt yesterday.  He turned 30!  About a week and a half before his big day, he sent me an e-mail asking me to do a BBQ for him.  I made pulled pork sandwiches with the best spicy slaw.  I also had a fruit salad, a veggie tray, summer sangria adn the rest of the fixings.  Matt said it was the best birthday he's had in a long time! 

Some sweet decor!

The 3 Musketeers.  Jimmy decided to keep the shades on for the pic, despite my pleading.

YUM~!  I am craving these NOW!  Click here for the recipe.  I used jalopenos from our garden.

The luau themed party would not be a luau without the drinks with umbrellas!

Jimmy got Matt a sweet smoker grill!

A pinata stuffed with candy!

We improvides on the pinata and Matt swung at it home run derby style!

Happy Birthday Grannaran!

Callin and Ava were so happy to celebrate Grannarans birthday with her.  Callin even got to blow out the candle on the cake!  We had a festive family barbecue complete with smoked tri tip and all the fixins.  The only thing we didn't get to do was go swimming.  Maybe next time.

Happy Fathers Day

Phoenix and Rosie wished Jimmy a Happy Father's day on Sunday, 6/19 with kisses and love.  We got the mist system running just in time for blazing temps.  If you look closely in this pic you can see Jimmy getting soaked.  I was enjoying it thoroughly.  We had the whole family over as it was also Aranna's Birthday- that's the next post.

D-backs vs. White Socks

Jimmy and I got to see the D-backs play the White Socks last Saturday.  We met up with our friends, the Wilke's.  It was great to see them and catch up.  The D-backs lost that game but we did manage to get these shots after the game.  Pretty soon it will be All-Star central around here.  Better enjoy the calm before the storm!

Welcomed Invader

Our Garden has reached it's peak and we now have this guy.  I think it's  sunflower.  WE DIDN'T PLANT SUNFLOWERS.  But that's okay.  It sprouted up amongst the monstrous zucchini plants that are STILL PRODUCING!  Want some zucchini?  Let me know.  I also have the most beautiful tomatos coming out of my ears.  I want to make some salsa with those.  Up next:  Homegrown, homemade salsa.

Caprese Salad

I have had this for dinner for the last 2 nights.  If you grow your own tomatoes and basil, this is a MUST.  I sliced the tomatoes and chopped the basil, added the mozzarella, drizzled it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and seasoned it with salt and pepper. 

Here's a pic of the raw materials.  Our little garden has been producing like crazy.  We are worried that now that it's heating up, our crop will die.  James  has put so much sweat and effort into it and we are learning what to do better/different next year.  We are toying with the idea of building boxes to grow a garden in. 

Perfecting Eggrolls

Asian Smorgasbord

Last week, we had an asian potluck.  Friends came over and brought asian dishes and I made eggrolls and vietnamese noodles.  I was pretty impressed with them and I have a batch of filling marinating as I write this.  My step mom taught me how to make her recipe when her and my dad visited in March.  Here's some pics. 

Phoenix gets snipped

Guess who?

It's Rosie and ........  Nope that's not Phoenix.  That's Dolce, one of Phoenix and Rosie's puppies that were born in December of '07 (I think).  She is a gorgeous boxer that looks so much like Phoenix.  She's big like Phoenix and just so precious!  Phoenix was absent (locked up in the bedroom) so these two could play.  James didn't want Phoenix to get over stimulated after his neuter surgery last Wednesday.  Phoenix is recovering well and him and Rosie and sleeping lazily as I write this.

Happy Summer!

The pool is still a little too chilly for me to get into it.  The kids came over and wanted to test it out for themselves.  Ava LOVES the camera and her new sunglasses.  Callin was too busy to look at the camera.  They are both getting so big.