Just a few more vacation pics...

So we are back - just - and I am still trying to wrap my head around all that must be done after being gone. We did have a wonderful time and I will post more on that later. My sister did get some more "in action" photos from beach vacation so I wanted to share these here. Enjoy!


Swimming


Swimming some more


The food lineup - every meal. :)


Wading


Charlotte being "big sister" to Flannery. Not too sure she was all that into it.


Silly face


Douglass Charles relearning how to crawl with Flannery


Charlotte getting in on the action


Bathtime and more instruction from Charlotte - funny!

Summertime Dinner

(Photo courtesy of The Food Network)

Sauteed Tilapia with Avacado Salsa
So this is so easy, if you can shake a salt and pepper shaker and use a knife or food processor you are good to go!

Tilapia - salt and pepper each side (this is a very light fish - not fishy in taste - can easily buy frozen at your local supermarket).

Heat 1 tablespoon of real butter in a pan to light brown and then place fish in pan. Cook on both sides about five minutes a piece - or until golden brown. That's it. You are done with the fish.

Avacado Salsa:
2 tomoatoes
2 avacados
1/2 of a sweet onion
1/2 of a red pepper (optional)
1 bunch of cilantro leaves chopped
2 limes (juiced and zested)
roasted corn (optional)
1 8oz can of tomato sauce

Chop all the veggies, juice and zest the lime, pour in the tomato sauce and mix together. Do this the day before or the afternoon before and let it sit in the fridge so the flavors can marinate. Serve on top of the fish right after you have sauteed it.

Add some rice, roasted potatoes, or asparagus and you are good to do. Delish! Enjoy!!!

Hooked on Clipping

On the menu this week at my house. So delicious!

So I haven't posted a Lagniappe in a while and I also haven't commented on how the couponing was going. Let's just say I have a lagniappe in the works for later this month and I am hooked on couponing. My best savings yet - saved $90.00 at Publix and I paid about $45.00. Pretty awesome, right? Also, each week I have seen our grocery bills go down. Before I started we were spending around $75.00 to $100.00 a week on groceries. Now my tab is normally $50.00 or less.

While it takes a LOT of work, I am not sure that I can go back. I can't believe what I was paying for so many items that I can get for free or less than .50 cents (i.e. feminine products, toothpaste, deoderant, dish soap, and so much more).

And we aren't hurting in the eating department. Actually, my pantry is fuller than before and I have tons of variety for dinners and snacks. For example: Here is our menu for this week:
Sunday: Hamburgers, baked fries and beans
Monday: Roasted shrimp with lemon pasta (see picture: courtesy of The Food Network) and salad
Tuesday: Chicken Salad with fruit
Wednesday: spaghetti and meatballs
Thursday: Broccoli soup with Cheesy biscuits

Oh, and I won't leave you without some yummy goodness before I head out for my getaway with the hubs. I will post a delicious, summer time menu tomorrow. Fresh, delightful, and so, so healthy! :)

Big Girl Bed

Yelling, "My Big Girl Bed!!!"


Getting sleepy with her Bue (a.k.a. her monkey/security toy)

About a month ago we finally got a big girl bed for Miss Charlotte. We attempted using her crib (adjusting it to a toddler bed) back in February, but Charlotte (and myself), were not ready. Charlotte has adapted well to her little bed and is very proud of her accomplishment. We are too as she has done really well transitioning. The only thing we miss - her sleeping until 8:00 every morning. Apparently she wasn't really waking at 8:00, but just playing in her crib until then. How do we know, at 7:00 a.m. - almost on the dot - I have a sweet little voice at the side of my bed telling me "Mommy, I sleep good!" :)

The 4th

Walking back to the blueberry bushes - I came prepared to let Charlotte pick. I should have known Douglass Charles was going to insist on coming too. Isn't this pic too cute?


Picking blueberries


Mrs. Suzie showing Charlotte how it is done.


Little man walking hand and hand with his daddy. Douglass Charles has become quite attached while Doug has been home this summer.

We spent the long weekend at home. We had a weekend full of activities - dinner with The Kimmels' on Saturday and dinner with the Lazzaros' on Sunday. Doug normally plays golf on Mondays, so they are actually there today. It was a fun and relaxing weekend with lots of wonderful food.

Saturday, Suzie and her husband Brad invited us to her parent's place and we swam, grilled out and picked blueberries. Sunday night we had a shrimp boil with our new neighbors, Adam and Liz, and watched neighborhood fireworks after the kiddos went to bed (sadly the kids were just too tired to wait for all the loud, lighted fun).

One of the highlights of the weekend was picking blueberries. Honestly, in my mind, blueberries are kind of a staple of the holiday and what better way to enjoy a summer's eve. Suzie's parents have a Christmas tree farm (where we will be getting our tree this coming year). Her father grows a wealth of veggies along with a multitude of blueberries. They were generous enough to share the wealth.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed this task - much to my delight. One of my favorite childhood past times. Douglass Charles is our little blueberry addict and he seriously went hardcore over the bushes - literally shoving handfulls of blueberries into his mouth (we are still paying for this indulgence).

We had such a wonderful time and appreciate Suzie and Brad and Adam and Liz sharing part of their holiday with us.

P.S. Suzie will have much better pictures of our blueberry extravaganza in the weeks to come. :) Hope your 4th was a good one.

Moore Family Vacation

The Whole Family - Left to Right: Me, Douglass Charles, Doug, Melissa, Emily, Charlotte, Dad, Mom, Sarah, Owen, Mary Catherine, Adeline, Matt, Lauren, and Flannery


The grandkids - There are also two buns in the oven - Lauren is due in December and Mary Catherine in February. :)


My parents with the grandkids - this is just too funny!


The Moore Kids: left to right (youngest to oldest) Emily (at Auburn), Melissa (in Austin), Owen (in Birmingham), Sarah (in Houston), Lauren (in Dallas), and me


Sisters - I am one lucky girl to have so many!

This is not a play on words. For those of you that have only known me for a short time, my maiden name is Moore. Most of these pictures were taken during our family photo session. Taking pictures with a family this large is one tall task. As you can see not everyone was game. I thought the pictures turned out well considering...

We were also very thankful for beautiful beaches. With the BP oil spill threatening all of the Gulf Coast we didn't have any expectations, but where we were was basically untouched.

With 40% of beachgoers cancelling their vactions to the Gulf this year we wound up with little traffic, rarely a restaurant wait, and plenty of room at the pool. I was saddened for the economy of our beloved Gulf, but it made more enjoyable for all of us.

We did get to hit a few favorite spots - the Donut Hole, The Red Bar if Grayton Beach (thanks Mom and Dad for watching the kids), and put-put golf for the adults along with a late night trip to McGuires Irish Pub for drinks afterward sans kids. We truly had a wonderful time.

1st Time in the Ocean

Charlotte loved the sand


Charlotte's face is classic here - shows her true feelings about the ocean.


Douglass Charles with his Aunt Sarah


Sweet Flannery


Flannery touching the sand for the first time


Douglass Charles LOVING the water with his daddy

Ahhh, the beach. One of my most favorite places in the world. Sadly, we have been unable to vacation there since the children were born. While crossing the bridge into Destin Doug asked, "Why has it been son long since we have done this." I graciously reminded him that since our trip three years ago all of our "extra" money for things like vacations went to paying to have our precious kiddos and paying for the surgical procedures we had within days of one another (not by choice).

So, to say that we were thankful for my parents insisting on taking the WHOLE family (that means 15 people) on vacation this year is an understatement.

These pictures are from the kids first encounter with the Gulf and the sand. Charlotte loved the sand, but was terrified of the ocean (until the last day when she started venturing out there on her own). Douglass Charles loved it all - jumping the waves with daddy, playing in the sand, wading in the water on his own. he LOVED everything about it.

You also see my sweet, niece, Flannery experiencing her first sand and waves. She is such a happy girl she was just content to be where ever her mommy was (isn't she sweet. She is ten months old and so tiny but out eats my children twice over).

We look forward to many more trips to the coast. We seriously cannot wait to get back there. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for treating us to such a wonderful vacation!