The kids are off to French immersion camp for two weeks, and packing can become a long drawn-out saga. Zoey simply could not pack until we bought a new suitcase; something bigger than the green one but smaller than the duffle. She insisted on three pairs of shoes. Kate needed at least 28 envelopes to write letters from camp. Where were the AA batteries? Help! I needed a break, so I decided to bake a pie. It started out as a way to just be somewhere else in the house and do something I enjoyed, but then I devised a devious plan: The pie could be a bribe -- no kid would get a piece of pie until they were packed!

Summer is my favorite season for three reasons- 1) no more school, and the girls can sleep in, 2) the sunny weather, and 3) we use the grill for dinner almost everyday.  Life doesn't get better than that!  Speaking of using the grill, the other day Jeremy and I were invited to a cul-de-sac cookout with a few friends, and it was one of the coolest parties ever!  Everyone (like 6 houses) had tables set up in their driveways, and you could go from house to house sampling food and drinks.  Talk about fun!!!  People were grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, steak, etc.  It was unlike any get-together I'd ever been to.  Makes me wonder whether we should have moved into a cul-de-sac...Oh well! 

  Nothing says summer like fresh corn-on-the-cob.  My dad is a city farmer.  He has a very large garden in his backyard.  One of our favorite “crops” he grows is corn.  My dad’s corn is the sweetest, most tender corn I have ever eaten.  

Well, I'm up late getting ready for a party for 26 kids. It's about this time that a mom asks herself, "So, why was it I said yes to a big party again this summer?" The answer, I believe, is that I love that my kids love to entertain and we do have a lot of fun hosting. The party is entirely outside, and the kids play volleyball, throw water balloons, and generally goof around for about 5 hours.

Ah, cheesecake, how we love to eat you!  It doesn't matter what kind or flavor, we're always ready for cheesecake in our home.  From the big to the small, we all like it the same.  As a matter of fact, when I was pregnant with Taylor (our middle child)  my oldest daughter Sydney, and I would frequent the local Cheesecake Factory on Saturday mornings.  It was a regular pig-out fest.  I would order a piece of cheesecake with extra whip cream on the side and a hot chocolate, and she would have a brownie ice cream sundae with a tall glass of milk.  Those were the days!

Weekday mornings in the office can be hard - especially in the summer! I have a tough time getting myself into the work-groove when I am dreaming of reading a good book or playing outside (why don't adults get summer vacation?). Those are the kinds of mornings that a fresh little pick-me-up is in order to start the day off right - not just for me, but for the whole crew. How, you may ask? Simple: nothing draws people out of their offices and into conversation like food! 

I mentioned on Monday that I recently had my son, Kyle, and a bunch of his buddies over for dinner.  It was a warm night and eight boys were planning to come so I decided it was the perfect night to eat out on the deck.  No table to set, less mess to clean up and lots of room for those big football players.  It was a work night so I wanted to make something quick and easy.  I found just the ticket – Sweet & Zesty Kansas Barbecued Chicken.

My husband is a man of consistency. This is displayed in qualities that I love - like loyalty to his friends and steadfastness in his work ethic. It also surfaces in habits that drive me crazy - like always ordering the same sub, when there are a dozen other delicious sandwiches to try! It's not that he's a picky eater, he just knows what he likes and doesn't want to mess with that.