Welcome, Summer!

What a weekend…

Today we ventured to the pool. For me, Memorial Day should include some pool or beach time.

It felt great to be out under the cloudless blue, getting some real color for the first time in months. A rainbow of flip flops lining the edge of the pool and at the sides of lounge chairs. The sound of little ones squealing and splashing. Mommies and Daddies getting caught up with their friends while keeping one eye on their little swimmers. Plastic tumblers holding “prohibited” beverages. Orange stained Dorito fingers and towels showing the same. Grilled hot dogs & cheeseburgers, macaroni & potato salads, chips & dips and brownies & cupcakes!

Dive sticks. Boogie boards. Floaties. Goggles. Wet towels piled up on the warm cement. Funny tan lines already emerging and peeling crying kids away from the water promising them another trip to the pool SOON.

Kids that fall asleep on the 3-minute car ride home and still look like this after 2 hours:

And little newly turned 5-year olds that say, “I had SO much fun!”

Now, that’s a good day.

*****

This 3-day weekend was also full of all sorts of summer fare.

On Saturday evening, I made Carolina BBQ Pork again. Along with Down Home Baked Beans. And some Blue Cheese Coleslaw.

I don’t normally get excited about coleslaw, but this stuff is GOOD. Thanks to Hollie for planting the seed by mentioning this to me a few weeks ago!

Note: I only used 1/2 cup mayo as the bag of angel hair cabbage mix was only 10 oz. (and well, because frankly NOTHING should contain 1 cup of mayo). I also used Craisins in place of the grapes and they worked well with the blue. If you need a slaw recipe for your summer, you’ve got to check this one out.

We used some of the BBQ pork and baked beans for some Southern Skillet Nachos on the grill. I layered chips, chopped pork, baked beans and cheese in a cast iron skilled and Jay put it on the grill for about 10 minutes (until the cheese melted).

Traditional deviled eggs were a must this weekend, too.

Jay wanted to do some carne asada this evening…

Time was running out so I just went to Trader Joe’s and picked up some of theirs. It was very lean and super flavorful. We grilled some onions and peppers and made some mini burritos:

We washed it all down with these margaritas:

{Keepin’ it classy with the Keystone Light!}

I would say that we definitely had a well-balanced holiday weekend.

Dance class. Birthday celebration. Hollywood. Pool time. BBQ. A visit from Gramma & Popsi. Games of Twister. Laundry.

Yes, well-balanced!

About a week and a half to exhale and then we have a visit from Lolo & Lola, a preschool graduation and a Mardi Gras themed dance recital.

I have a feeling it’s going to be a summer to remember!

Nighty Night!