Read a little blurb in the July issue of Real Simple…
“Slurpee turns 44 this month”
Well, according to Wikipedia, Slurpee was born in 1967 and if I’m doing the math correctly, that makes it 43….just sayin’.
I guess it’s Real Simple vs. Wiki.
I’m sure Slurpee would enjoy being a year younger anyway…
All age discrepancies aside, July 11 is “7-11 day” in the US and apparently they are giving away FREE 7.11 ounce slurpees this Sunday.
The flavor combos have come quite a way since I was a kid.
Back in the day it was either Coke or Cherry.
I always did half and half since I couldn’t decide!
{SlushinessX2…Google Images}
So, in an attempt to cross off “Get a 7-11 Slurpee” on our summer list, we will head to the nearest convenience store and fill up a cup with some wild concoction this Sunday.
I know the title of this post sounds like I am in the last trimester of pregnancy, but I am referring to my 40th Birthday.
In 3 months from today, I will no longer be 30something!
Jay has been asking me what I want to do.
Well, what I WANT to do and what we will end up doing are two different things.
Obviously, I would love to take a family vacation to Paris to celebrate, but that is just not an option.
No matter what we do, it will be wonderful I know.
Vegas maybe?
This little vase of flowers made me think of my life ~ bright, cheery, flourishing and drinking everything up ~ and there is one bloom for every decade!
*****
Flip Flop Fitness Update ~ Thursday, 7.8.10
{This week has been OFF with Monday being a holiday and Jay being out of town for a couple days. I have not been to the gym in a week….no excuses, I know!}
2 cups coffee with 4 tbsp. coconut creamer: 4 points
3/4 cup Kashi cereal with 1/2 cup lowfat milk: 4 points
Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken frozen meal: 7 points
1 cup blueberries: 1 point
Chopped Chinese Chicken Salad
1 chicken breast tender: 1 point
1/3 cup mandarin oranges: 1 point
1/8 cup sliced almonds: 2 points
2 tbsp. toasted sesame seed dressing: 2 points
Total points: 22
Workout:
30 minutes on elliptical @ 10 resistance: 320 calories
On Friday Jay and I took the kiddos to see Toy Story 3.
A small fortune…
3 tickets to TS3 3D: $40 (apparently 3 year olds are FREE…thank goodness!)
1 Large Popcorn and 2 Large Diet Cokes: $18.50
Cute movie, but don’t waste your money on the extra 3D charge….
{Super cute grainy cell phone pic}
Later that evening 3/4 of the Sullivan gang joined us for dinner ~ Teriyaki Burgers, dogs for the kids, BBQ Potato Salad (which I added chopped jalapeños to!) & grilled sweet white corn.
For the burgers I just added some Montreal Steak seasoning and teriyaki sauce to the meat before making the patties. Jay basted the burgers with the same sauce while on the grill. We also grilled some pineapple slices to go on top! King’s Hawaiian buns ~ YUM!
Grilled peaches (with brown sugar & cinnamon) and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert!
*****
On Saturday we headed to Venice Beach and Santa Monica for the day.
I was immediately reminded 2 minutes after arriving why I haven’t been to Venice in over 15 years….
But at least we visited and can check that off the list now.
Being entertained by the plethora of hilarious t-shirts for sale:
Waiting for Holdy to zip up his sweatshirt “by myself!”:
I think this is my “let’s get out of here” face:
By the time we got to Santa Monica the sun was out and it was gorgeous.
Jay was craving wings, so where did we go for lunch?
Think orange shorts. Super short orange shorts!
It was actually nice…we sat out in the patio along the street and people watched, sipped ice cold beer, dipped fried pickles into spicy horseradish sauce and shared HOT (as in 9-1-1 hot) boneless chicken wings dunked in Blue Cheese and Ranch.
{The fried pickles here are the best!}
The street entertainers were out in full force so we strolled up and down, listened, watched and dropped dollars in their buckets.
My fave for the day was a twentysomething girl who sang Andrea Bocelli’s “Time To Say Goodbye” half in English, half in Italian and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic. Cheesy, I know, but I just enjoyed listening to her and we even followed her after she shifted her spot to the other end of the promenade.
Jay ducked into Sur La Table to pick up this, and I took the kids next door to Yummy Cupcakes for a couple minis. I finally sampled the Coconut one….new fave!
The 4th of July was greeted with some Krispy Kremes:
Later that afternoon we joined Emma and her family for some pool time, chips & salsa, margaritas, and a BBQ before heading out to catch the fireworks with The Sullivans.
As American as apple pie:
We parked our chairs across the street from the mall and waited for the show to start.
Spotting one:
It was a great show once it got started!
Enjoying some ‘mallows:
*****
Yesterday it was a small dose of reality.
Jay and the kids dropped U-Rod at the airport. I stayed home and straightened up. We lounged around and kept it classy watching episodes of “Operation Repo” on True TV!
To close the weekend, we made Pink Lemonade Ice Cream and visited with some old friends from Gilroy…Gina, William & Matthew visiting family here in Valencia.
{Emilie, Elliott, William, Dominic, Matthew & Holden}
They played out in front for a bit after the street lights came on.
Summer at it’s finest!
*****
Back to the old grind today.
Counting points.
Doing loads of laundry.
Heading to the gym this evening to start working off the the yumminess of the last 4 days.
Hope your entering the week with wonderful memories of another 4th!
A couple summers ago my good friend, Melanie, introduced us to her “Gram’s” pink lemonade ice cream.
I was instantly hooked and I think that is when I longed to purchase our own family ice cream maker.
2 years later….
Beverly’s Pink Lemonade Ice Cream
1 can pink lemonade frozen concentrate, thawed
5 cups half & half (I used 2 cups h&h, 3 cups whole milk)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
On the stovetop, dissolve sugar & salt in 2 cups of h&h/milk in a saucepan (takes just a few minutes). Combine concentrate and the other 3 cups of h&h/milk and refrigerate for 2 hours. Pour into ice cream maker for about 20-25 minutes.
{The amount above had to be done in two batches}
Enjoy the taste of yesteryear!
The perfect blend of tart & sweet.
*****
As I prepared the mix for this ice cream, I couldn’t help but think how special this recipe is. Not one that I googled or read about in a current magazine, but one that probably is still written in an old leather book with yellowed, musty smelling pages…bent, torn and wrinkled over the years.
The kind of recipe that makes it’s way from one generation to the next.
It put a smile on my face thinking that Mel’s Gram enjoyed this same tart, yet sweet creamy goodness years and years ago.
I am honored to try this recipe and excited to file it away in my book of keepers.
I hope that Elliott and Holden will enjoy these tried and true recipes in years to come out of my special book…
…also sure to be tattered, sticky, spotted, dog-eared, but most of all LOVED.
Kickin’ off the weekend with “The Blueberry Tart”…a cocktail I discovered on the blog of Shawn Rabideau, Event Planner/Designer Extraordinaire.
For those of you who haven’t gotten hooked on Bravo’s new series “Bethenny’s Getting Married?”, good for you. I, on the other hand, am a faithful RHofNYC fan and am enjoying the spin-off starring “Skinnygirl” Bethenny and celebrating her entrance into married life and parenthood. I am in love with her wedding/event planner, Shawn. Can’t wait to see the “wedding of the year” this Thursday night.
Ahhhh, summer TV!
I’m loving this libation ~ light, refreshing, not-too-sweet, not-too-tart & super summery!
If you love all things blueberry, you must mix up one of these.
Today we got together with some friends we hadn’t seen in awhile…
Chloe, Addison & Baby James (who we met for the first time!)
Addison & Holden
In a mood…
Running off some energy:
Chloe & Elliott:
Checkin’ out the wild {t}urkey:
Trying to get all FOUR to look:
Another day at the park…
*****
Check out these super cute festive {T}ootsie Rolls:
Edited to include:Tootsie Rolls are from Dollar Tree!
*****
When we turned onto our street on the way home, a couple cute little neighbor boys were having a Kool-aid/Otter Pop/Hershey Bar Stand to raise money for The Painted {T}urtle.
We stopped and cooled off with a couple Otter Pops and made a little donation.
{Two soon-to-be 4th graders and one soon-to-be 1st grader!}
So cute.
Made me excited for our little lemonade stand down the road.
*****
Alas, {T}aco Tuesday…
Take that, Taco Bell!
Fancier tacos coming up this weekend…
*****
Flip Flop Fitness Update ~ 6.29.10
2 cups coffee w/ 4 tbsp. creamer: 4 points
Kashi with 1/2 cup 1% milk: 4 points
1 cup red seedless grapes: 1 point
1/2 banana: 1 point
Turkey & light swiss on sandwich thin: 5 points
1 cinnamon graham cracker: 1.5
3 crispy tacos with 1/2 cup meat, 1 tbsp. light sour cream, 1/8 cup shredded cheese (lettuce & salsa): 9.5 points
Total points: 26
Workout:
45+ minutes @ 1o on elliptical: 4.26 miles, 500 calories
