Just a few Menu Ideas

I wanted to share a few of my favorite recepies with you guys.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese 
Ever since my Mother-in-Law made this, I have really had a hard time making the boxed Mac & Chesse. This tastes sooo much better!  My family loves it, and it's really easy to make.  It does well as a main dish   or as a side dish to a Ham.

1 1/2 to 2 Cups ( I use 2 cups) uncooked macaroni
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 Cups milk (I use close 2 cups)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 to 2 Cups grated cheese ( again, I use close to 2 cups)

Cook macaroni until done. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk( I do this in the 13x9 pan to eliminate an extra dish to clean).  Add the salt and pepper.  Mix together.  Add macaroni and cheese.  Dot the top with butter (sometimes I forget this step and it still tastes great).  Bake @350 for 30 min.

Cucumber Salad
I love this to snack on throughout the day.  Perfect for these hot summer days!  Might take a couple times to make to your personal liking.

1/3 c. sugar ( I use 2 truvia (stevia) packets instead of sugar and it tastes great!)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 c. water ( I use just a little less)
2 sliced cucumbers
Sliced red onions to taste

Mix the first five ingredients togeter.  Add cucumbers and onions and chill an hour before serving.

A snack my kids Love!!
Those yoplait simply gogurts.  Ever since the 4th of July, my kids have been begging for popsicles.  Of course Neil's solution to this is to go to Walmart and buy the huge economy size of Blue Bunny Orange Dream Bars.  After this had happened twice, I decided to step in.  My solution was these gogurts.  I love them because they are a good source of calcium and vitamin D, have no high fructose corn syrup, and have no artificail colors or flavors.  My kids love them because we freeze them and they taste like a frozen strawberry icecream popsicle.  Children under the age of 4 ( aka Luke) might be a bit more messy eating them, so we eat them outside.

Dinner Time 
My friend Amanda is part of this cooking blog called peachtree cooking, and it has some really yummy recipies.  Try the Black Bean Quesedialls.  They were so delicious, even picky Bailey liked them! The site is www.peachtreecooking.blogspot.com.  Enjoy!

Happy Fourth of July!!

Our family loves, LOVES July 4th! We start the day off with the Peachtree City Parade, where my kids are  as giddy as Christmas jumping after the candy, popsicles, and toys thrown at them.  Logan, of course had an enormous blowout all over his 4th of July outfit within the first five minutes we get situated in our spot with our friends.

Then later, we packed a dinner and camped out with friends and family on the golf course for the fireworks.  Our children played non-stop for two and a half hours with all the other children while we waited for it to get dark enough for the fireworks.  Bailey was covered in sand from playing with her friends in the creek and sandpit.  Luke was running constantly getting dirty where ever he could, and Brooklyn became quite the socialite this year.  She was the peacemaker between her 6 year old group girl drama saying, "I am everyone's friend."  She can also throw a frisbee better than me.  Neil was very proud.  Luke loved the fireworks, as he kept yelling, "Wow! That was a BIG one!"  Logan was so chill the whole time.  Thank you BryAnn for taking care of him at the fireworks.  He was such a cuddle bug to Grandma B. He is so full of smiles these days, and makes the funniest faces that gets us all cracking up. Stop growing so fast Logan!

Neil is so happy, as he finally got his Basketball Hoop up this weekend.

As for me, I was completly in my element this July 4th as I popped in the Neil Diamond CD my Dad got me and didn't miss a word or beat (except for Desiree, which my parents always skipped, and so did I).  Neil was as amazed as at the time when he and I were dating, and Jenae and I rocked out to every word of a Beach Boys song that was playing on the car radio.  Don't mess with the Martin girls! We know every word to the Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, The Sound of Music, The Fiddler on the Roof, and Saturday's Warrior soundtracks.  It was like the greatest gig growing up a Martin! I hope my kids are having as much fun as I did!

Blessing Pictures

Luke, Brooklyn, & Bailey

Logan's Baby Blessing

Here are a few pictures of our family the day we had Logan's baby blessing.  He wanted to be asleep while I was snapping pics of him.  A special thanks to Jerry, Natalie, and Malcolm who all came to the blessing.   We had so much fun with you guys here in Georgia.  Luke especially bonded with Uncle Jerry, while Bailey was still calling him Uncle Adam, even as we were dropping him off at the airport.  We love you Uncle Jerry!

Also, a special thanks to my Mother, who makes the most AMAZING blessing outfits for all her grandchildren.  Logan truly looked like a prince of his Heavenly Father dressed all in white in his blessing outfit.  Looking at my son, when Neil brought him back down from his blessing, brought overwhelming emotion to me.  His countenance was glowing, and I could strongly feel his Heavenly Father's love for him. Neil and I both feel extremely greatful for the family we've been given.