We Made It

Things are moving along just as they should this Summer. Mom and I finished up on our projects for 2013 and then promptly packed the car for the Cape. Unfortunately the weather was not that great for our long ride up but we all survived.  Just about twelve hours in the car and I didn't have to sell a single child.  Pretty good if you ask me!

And for the record I want the blogging world to know how lucky my kids are, they had the pleasure of traveling from NoVa to the Cape in an air-conditioned car with a DVD player and cell phone filled with games they enjoy. I might have only had to make the trip from NJ to the Cape when I was young but I never traveled in the lap of luxury that my kiddos do! Ok end of rant and on to the fun stuff.....

After a good night's rest we headed to Skaket Beach in Orleans. Skaket Beach is on Cape Cod Bay and is just the perfect beach for families with small children.  The Bay waters are very calm and great for exploring the natural sea-life.  M spent a ton of time with his head underwater looking for hermit crabs. I might have gotten worried a time or two that he was going to go brain dead from lack of oxygen. But maybe I should have just been happy that he has very healthy lungs?

I just wish that I had a pic of when M placed a hermit crab in L's hands. As soon as the crab came out of its shell and started walking on L's hand, he just froze. The poor boy didn't know what to do! But as soon as I told L that the crab was just tickling him he was fine with it.  Before long, M and L had filled a bucket with hermit crabs and thought they were the coolest boys ever.

They even tried to sneak a couple of crabs into a family pic.  Notice how cool they think the crabs are and how grossed out B is.  Got to love that the boys vs girl factor even comes on vacay!

Calico To The Rescue

We got new slipcovers for our sofa in our family room so of course I needed to give the room a little face-lift.  But I have not been very inspired.  Or I should say that I have been very inspired by Pinterest only to find out that the fabric, Chiang Mai Dragon in Mocha, that I pinned is over $125 a yard.  While I might love the fabric, I know that three kiddos plus expensive fabric equals an irresponsible purchase. So it was back to the drawing board...

Thank goodness Calico Corners came to my rescue!  Calico is one of my most favorite shops for fabric inspiration.  I love how they always new patterns and bright colors.  And there is just something about being in their store rather than just looking online.  I am sure it is just me but fabric is one of those things that I cannot buy if I have not seen it in person!

And as always Calico did not disappoint!  I walked away completly inspired to freshen up our family room with three different fabric patterns.  Best part was that Calico was kind enough to have a sale!

You can also find me at From My Front Porch and Savvy Southern Style.

Painting - Done!

For the past six Summers my mom has been coming for a week of projects and this year we painted the my living room and dinning room.  This project took a lot longer than I though it would due to sanding.  While I found all the prep work to be boring, I am very happy with the out come!

Here is a photo of the living room before we painted.

And here is the room after a new coat of paint.

I might have had a hard time picking out a color but I very happy with my choose.  Benjamin Moore's Indian River works well with my curtains and furniture.  Plus I really am enjoying the contrast between the wall color and crown modeling.  

Now I have to start planning new years project!

You can also find me at From My Front Porch.

TGIF V

I have one thing and only one thing on my mind this Friday...

{1} Cape Cod

I have been vacationing on the Cape since I was a little girl and I never bore of it. I love how the more my life changes the less the Cape does.  And I love that my children and I share a love for this beautiful place!

{2} Sundae School

The whole family is looking forward to our walks up to Sundae School for a sweet treat.  I am a big fan of their Mint Chip on a sugar cone.  But if I am really feeling like indulging I go with a Mint Chip Hot Fudge Sundae!

{3} Nauset Beach

I know that a lot of you would find the water too cold up on the Cape but not my kiddos.  No matter how cold we always go in. Crazy, I know!

{4} Lilly Lover's

If you have been reading for a while you would know by now that I am a preppy gal through and through.  So you should not be surprised to know that it makes me smile to be surrounded by Lilly Lover's. And if I am lucky I might get a good deal or two at In The Pink this year!

{5} Photos of Happy Kids

There are an endless amount of shops on the Cape that will sell you a little something to remember your trip. But I prefer to remember our trips with photos of three children with smiles as big as the moon!

Here's to all of us having wonderful family vacations this summer!

You can also find me at A Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello! Happiness and The Good Life Blog. 

Chocolate Can Fix Anything

L's stitches were supposed to dissolve on their own in a week.  Unfortunately they did not and they were starting to cause him some discomfort so I made an appointment to have them cut out yesterday. You can imagine how excited L was to have a doctor come at him again with a sharp object.  Poor boy was not happy at all!!!

So I hope that you will not think less of me but I promised to make him a sweet treat if he would just try and be brave.  He did try but his hair was caught in the stitches which caused him a bit of pain.  By the time all of his stitches were out I was in need of a treat just as much as L was!!!

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoon cocoa powder 

1 metal bowl, place in freezer one hour before

In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar and cocoa.  Mix well with a folk.  

Pour cream into metal bowl.  With an electric mixer whip cream until very soft peaks start to form. Then add the sugar and cocoa mixture, one tablespoon at a time.  (You might not be able to add all of the mixture depending on the humidity.  It was hot and humid in NoVa yesterday so we only added three tablespoons.)  Keep whipping until firm peaks form.  Enjoy!

L gave the recipe the thumbs up.  I am happy to report that he is healing well and finally got the green light to swim again.  I am not sure who was more over joyed to get that news.  I already have the pool bag packed and ready to go!

Grilled Pork Chops

I am a very lucky gal for many reasons and I count my blessings everyday.  One thing that I am very grateful for is that my parents and in-laws get along and enjoy each other's company.  Whenever my parents come for a visit I make a point to invite my in-laws over to join all of us for dinner.  So of course we had them over for dinner this past week while my mom is here for our "week of projects".

Hubby was sweet enough to grill pork for the whole gang.  Everyone, adults and kiddos loved it so I thought I would share the recipe with you...

Peach-Mustard Pork Chops

Peach- Mustard BBQ Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup minced onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup whole-grain mustard

1/2 Dijon mustard

1 1/2 cup peach preserves

3 tablespoons bourbon (Hubby's note- And a shot for the chef)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Melt the butter in a sauce over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic then cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the vinegar and boil until almost completely reduced, about 4 minutes. Whisk in both mustards and preserves.  Simmer while whisking until the preserves melt completely. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the bourbon and kosher salt.

Pork Chops

8 to 9 pork chops, thick cut

Olive oil, for brushing

Kosher salt 

Fresh ground pepper

Prepare ourdoor grill with a high heat for both direct and indirect grilling.  Position a drip pan under the grate on the cooler side of the grill.

Brush the pork chops on both sides with olive oil.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Let rest for 15 minutes.

Grill chops over heat until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.  Move the chops to the cool side of the grill and brush them with some of the Peach-Mustard BBQ Sauce.  Continue to chop the chops, covered, turning and basting with the sauce every 5 minutes, until your thermometer registers 145 degrees F.  Let the chops rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

Totally unrelated to pork chops, I am not sure if this happens when your parents and in-laws get together but when mine do all they talk about is how awesome it is to be a grandparent.  They go on and on about that fact.  To the point that I fear my parents would have skipped over raising their kids and gone right to the grandkids!!!

The Other Mary Kay

Not too long after we moved from the North-shore of Boston to NoVa I discovered a Southern author that never disappoints me - Mary Kay Andrews.  Her books are delightful reads filled with sassy humor and wit.  And I adore the "Southern voice" all of her leading ladies have!!!

So when we headed to Woodloch Resort at the beginning of the month I was so happy that I was taking Mary Kay Andrews' latest book, Ladies' Night with me.  It was the perfect read for vacation!

Amazon says: Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool.  Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style.  Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal.  So is attending court-mandated weekly "divorce recovery" therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality.  When their “divorce coach” starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday "Ladies' Night" sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined.  Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there? 

I personally loved this book.  It was a quick read filled with Mary Kay's wonderful sense of humor. Plus it's main character was a home decor blogger.  How could I not love this book!?!

Painting Ain't Pretty

God knows that it has taken me way too long to pick a paint color for our front rooms but it was really stressing me out!  The first time these two rooms were painted the rest of our house was still builder's white so it seemed like it was the "right color".  But as our home evolved it was not right at all! So I was very fearful that I would make a mistake again which meant spending way too much time on Pinterest and at my local paint shop.

My first two paint options did not pass the Hubby test so it was back to the drawing board.  Thank goodness my mom was on her way down to Virginia for her yearly "week o' projects"!!!  There is nothing like having my mom around when making home decor decisions.  I am not sure if it is just me but I really like having someone around who knows me well enough to talk about all of my options.

Without further ado....I went with Benjamin Moore's "Indian River".  And if I was being really fair, I would let you know that Hubby was the one who picked it.  I got it down to three colors but then just could not make a decision so I left it up to Hubby. (Hubby's note- Which is funny when you consider I have to ask her every night if my work clothes for the next day match.) 

If you know Hubby and I well enough you would know that I have a tendency to narrow choices down to three and then count on Hubby to make the final decision.  And you would also know that I think Hubby makes great choices.  He did marry me, right!?! (Hubby's note- Thankfully she was more decisive choosing a husband than she is picking paint colors.)

So now it is all hands on deck as we paint our living room and dining room!  

Note to self....start taking yoga classes again Eileen!  You look like the Hunch Back of Notre Dame!!

Lessons Learned

I am a girl who knows her limits! So when I started my blog in November, I was smart enough to know that I would have to buy a blog background.  (I might be able to manage my children's gluten, peanut, tree-nut and egg free diets but I can barely work our computer!) So I turned to DesignerBlogs.com for a Blogger Template when I first started my blog.

While I loved the look, my blog title did not fit into the banner.  So I did what I thought was logical think to do...I started to mess with the code.  Big mistake to say the least!!!!  God bless you all for putting up with the mess that has happened to my "blog-look".  The fault was all mine!



Thankfully DesignerBlogs.com was willing to work with me again after I made a big mess of their pretty work.  I am happy to report that I am beyond delighted with the new design. And I just love how easy they made it for you to connect with me on FaceBook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Hopefully you are enjoying the new look of Lobster Meets Peach as much as I am!  And I promise to never mess with blog code again....cross my heart!!!

Greek Salsa

One of the best parts of Summer is all of the fresh produce.  And this Summer has not disappointed at all!  We have had a plethora of grape tomatoes and cucumbers from local farms that have just been delicious.  The other week I decided to chop up of some of our tomatoes and cucumbers then combined them with some olives and tzatziki for a super easy Greek Salsa.

Greek Salsa

1/2 of a cucumber

3/4 cup grape tomatoes

6 kalamata olives

2 tablespoons tzatiki

Dice the cucumber, tomatoes and olives into small pieces.  Add the tzatiki to the veggies and mix until everything is evenly distributed.  Serve with pita chips for dipping.

I have to be honest, I just eyeballed it when I whipped this dish up.  But don't let its simplicity fool you! It is a perfect summer appetizer.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!

Beating The Heat

Unfortunately due to L's stitches we will not be going to the pool for the time being.  So in order to beat the heat today I took the kiddos to the movies.  I am not sure if I am the only one that feels this way but I think that movie theaters are the coldest place on earth!  Whenever we go to the movies I also pack a cardigan and man was I glad I did today!!!

Since the kiddos are big fans of Monsters Inc, we decided to see Monsters University today.  I think it is fair to say that we all just loved the film.  I wish I could have taped my children's reactions during the movie.  Their over the top laughter always makes me giggle!

Thank goodness there are a bunch of family movies out right now!  I have a feeling that we will going to the movies a couple more times before we get the green light for L to swim.  But I am happy to report that he is going well and on his way to being good as new.  

Thank you all for your sweet comments yesterday!  It truly warmed my heart that so many bloggers were thinking of L!!!

It Was Like Deja Vu All Over Again

Yesterday, my birthday, was going just the way that I wanted it to go.  As a girl that makes list after list and plans upon plans, I can tell you that I was over the moon that things were going my way. The sun was shining and the day was hot so the kiddos and I spent the afternoon at the pool.  We all had a wonderful time!

I got a call from Hubby that he was on his way home from work.  Hubby was kindly picking up some fixins for an easy summer dinner so the kiddos and I packed-up and headed home.  In the car ride home the kids suggested that I have the first shower since it was my birthday.  Not sure about your home, but first showers after the pool are a big deal. But as sweet as that offer was it was not meant to be!

In an act of helping his mom out once home from the pool poor L tripped and need a trip to not only the urgent care but the ER.  My sweet boy needed two stitches.  B pointed out that I need to stop having special days since Mother's Day did not go well either.  So I am happy to report that I will no longer have a B-day. At least none of my children get hurt again!

Could be like a fountain of youth right? 

Anniversary Dinner At Home

Day in and day out, I know that I am beyond blessed to be married to Hubby.  Just ask my brothers and they would let you know that Hubby is a saint for staying married to me for all these years. (Hubby's note- And my siblings would say the same about Eileen.) Hubby is the best friend I could have ever asked for and an awesome father.  But this weekend I found out something wonderful about him- he is an unreal cook!

For our twelfth anniversary we decided to dine at home and Hubby offered to cook dinner.  And man did he outdo himself!  Hubby and I knew that we were in the mood for scallops so I went through all of my cookbooks for a recipe that seemed worthy of an anniversary.  One recipe stood out to me, Ina Garten's Scallops Provencal from her "Barefoot In Paris" cookbook.

Even though I found the recipe in a cookbook that I had already owned I "Googled" the recipe and was glad that I did since Hubby and I had never cooked scallops at home before.  Ina's recipe was on the Food Network's website and had glowing reviews.  I find that the best part of reviews are the suggestions that others make online.  The best suggestion was to make sure you do all the prep work ahead of time and Hubby definitely agreed with this.

Hubby followed the recipe to a "T". The only thing I wish was different was that there was more! These were so delicious that one pound of scallops split between two people didn't seem like enough! 

Not to rub it in how lucky I am but Hubby did the dishes too! So glad I said "I do" 12 years ago! (Hubby's note- I'm glad she did too!)

TGIF IV

I am so over the moon that it is finally Friday!  After a week of endless "vacation wash", I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

{1} Boy Crafts

If you been reading this little blog for a while you know that B and I enjoy a good craft. Not so much with my boys.  But a book from a used-book sale is changing all that.  Turns out my boys do enjoy a little craft time as long as it involves pirates!

{2} Ikea Hack

Speaking a little projects, I am hoping to try my first Ikea Hack this month.  Kelly of Olive Lane has really inspired me!  I will let you know how it goes...

{3} Date Night at Home

My sweet in-laws are watching the kiddos a night this weekend so Hubby and I can have a date-night. Since we where gone last week, we decided that we would really enjoy a relaxing night at home.  I am looking forward to making Ina Garten's Scallops Provencal.  Her recipes are a go-to for me!

{4} Happy Birthday to Me

My birthday is next week so I should get myself a little something.  I think this tunic would be perfect. Don't you agree!?!

{5}  Sidewalk Chalk

When the weather has worked with us the kiddos and I have been getting outside as much as we can to play.  For what ever reason my children never seem to bore of sidewalk chalk.  I let them go all out on our driveway.  I just love seeing what they create!!!

Thanks so much to Hello! Happiness, The Good Life Blog, Carolina Charm and A. Liz Adventures for hosting this weeks link party.

Woodloch Resort - Part III

I am happy to report that nobody put Baby in the corner on our trip to Woodloch.  But Woodloch did ask that all guests "dress" for dinner.

I might be the only one that feels this way, but in a world that has gotten too casual it was so nice to have my family dress up for dinner each night!

Woodloch Resort - Part II

When describing Woodloch Resort to friends and neighbors, I say that it really reminded me of the movie "Dirty Dancing".  We had a family table for breakfast and dinner.  There were endless activities.   Plus the Social Team held contests everyday which really spoke to my competitive side!

B and myself had hoped to win big in the "Woodloch Record Breakers Contest" but the weather did not work with us.  But we had no need to worry since the Social Team had another contest, "Cake Boss" ready to go inside.

Each team was given one sheet cake, a bowl of white frosting, two secret ingredients (that had to be used) and twenty tickets that could be used to "buy" other cake decorating items.  Then the teams were told that they had 25 minutes to make a cake based on "The Wizard of Oz".  

It was a crazy 25 minutes that were over before we knew it.  While B's teen did not win, she was smiling from ear to ear the whole time.  If you ask me, that was better than any awards!!!

The sun did shine for "Family Double Dare" so of course Hubby and the older two had to join in the fun.  Even though Marc Summers was not the host of Woodloch's Double Dare it as close as you could get to being on the Nickelodeon set.  I thought it was a little bit gross but the kiddos just loved it!

After observing a week worth of Woodloch contests, this gal has taking notes and is ready if we ever go back.  Game on!!!!

Woodloch Resort - Part I

I have to admit that even though I grew up about two hours away from Woodloch Resort I had never even heard of it.  Neither had my parents but we might have been the only ones! Better Home & Gardens, Family Circle and Parents have all give Woodloch awards and glowing reviews as one of America's best all-inclusive family resorts.  And I am happy to report that Woodloch completely lived up to all of the hype!!!

There were plenty of lake activities for the whole family.  Swimming, diving, paddle boats, kayaks, sailing and watering skiing were just some of the many ways you could enjoy the lake.  And if lakes are not for you, Woodloch has two outdoor and indoor pools.

When we were not having fun in the water we were far from bored!  There was so much to do.  In fact at times it felt like we did not have enough time to do it all!

My older two really loved the go-carts!  On a side-note, I am not sure that we should let M get his drivers licence.  If he had a bit of a lead foot at 8, how fast will he drive at 16? 

The bumper boats were a big hit with all of the kiddos.  And Hubby too!  He and L really had a blast "getting" everyone else.  It was pure entertainment for me to watch.

I also found out that I was not a bad shot.  Some members of my family might be sick of hearing all about my bulls eye.  And for some reason none of them thought Merida was a good nickname for me.  Personally I think it works!  I have the crazy curly red hair and all!!!

Hopefully I have not bored you to tears and you will come back to tomorrow to hear more about our trip to the Poconos.

Back To Reality

I hope that y'all had a wonderful Fourth of July.  I know that our 4th was one that we will not soon forget!  My sweet in-laws treated their family to a wonderful week at the Woodloch Resort located in the Poconos.  All I can quickly say is that this award winning resort did not let a single one in our group of 14 down.

And as soon as I sort through a ton of photos and get a handle on our laundry I will give you all of the wonderful details.

PS....I did not have much time while we were away to read your blogs but I promise to catch up with all of you this week!

Happy 4th!

I hope you and your families enjoy a happy and safe 4th of July!

Strawberry Heaven

I don't know about you but one of my favorite things about summer is all the delicious fresh fruit.  And strawberries are right at the top of my family's all time favs!  In fact Hubby and B have been known to eat a whole bowl of strawberries while I turned my back for just a minute.  The two of them didn't even have the grace to act like it was wrong they didn't leave any for the rest of us. (Hubby's note- B and I are in the right according to the "finder's keepers, loser's weepers" legal theory.)

Since this has been such a great year for strawberries (it must have to do to all the rain we are having) I decided to make a sweet treat for everyone the other night.  Simple yet yummy strawberry short cake. I can't think of another dessert that says Summer more than a plate of strawberry short cake.  Plus it is the easiest thing to make yet it is so pretty!

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberries - 

1 pound fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced

1 lime

1 teaspoon sugar

Zest the lime and them squeeze the lime juice into a bowl.  Add sliced strawberries and sugar to the zest and lime juice.  Gently combine all the ingredients and set aside.  (I know that it is tempting not to add the sugar but it a must if you want to have strawberry juice to put on your biscuit.)

Biscuits -

1 1/2 cups Reduced Fat Bisquick

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a bowl add the Bisquick and sugar.  Mix to combine.  Then add the milk.  Gently stir the milk and dry mixture together.  Be careful not to over stir as that will make your tough.

Drop four heaping spoonfuls of the dough onto your lined cookie sheet.  Place cookie sheet into your oven and bake for 10 to 12 minute, or until the tops are slightly golden.

Allow biscuits to cool before slicing in half.

Sweet Cream -

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl (I use a chilled metal bowl) combine all three ingredients.  Then using an electric mixer, beat until the cream come to soft peaks. 

Now you are ready to assemble your shortcakes.  Simply fill your split biscuits with the whipped cream and strawberries. Enjoy!!!