one of the best recipes on pinterest

There are so, so many great recipes on Pinterest, and, hello, this is definitely one of them! I made some changes to the recipe and really liked how it turned out. This is so good that I eat it straight up with a spoon. I will post my number 2 favorite, sinful Pinterest recipe soon so I can keep these recipes archived.

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Ingredients
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot (I used red onion)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this. Could add chopped jalapeño or canned chiles.)
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, best quality (I used much less, about half)
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 Hass avocados, chopped
2 large tomato or 4 Romas diced and some of the seeds squeezed out

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired (yes). Serve at room temperature.

tomato worms connect generations

One of Josh's coworkers gave us 18 tomato plants grown from seed. Our soil gave those strong, husky tomato plants 19 tomato worms and counting. Those 19 tomato worms have given their gardener heartburn and the drive to walk through the rows barefoot and hunt their red-horned butts. They have also given one 7 year old a new hobby.

When I was a kid, Granny used to hunt and I used to throw them in the road and wait for the passing cars to squash them. Emerson has become a second generation tomato worm squasher.

Flattened tomato worms are so disgusting, yet, make one feel so good. I think there will most likely be protests when I coat the tomato leaves with this DIY, all natural insecticide spray. I could always leave one plant unsprayed so we will still have the tomato worm hunting/squishing hobby to enjoy together.

chore charts

I made summer chore charts again for this year! I am really excited about them. You remember the ones from last year, right? I decided that, while I liked the painted rocks, I needed something different. I looked through Pinterest to see if I could use something there, and while I found some useful ideas, I ended up making my own.

Ida and Emerson designed them with me. I decided what they should do daily and they helped decide what "extras" were acceptable, with my guidance. Each time the kids do something on their lists they check it off with a marker. I had them laminated at Staples so every morning we can wipe them clean and start again. I over estimated my children's summer brain abilities by requiring 2 extra chores. What was I thinking?! I have modified it to only be one extra now. If they finish everything on the list, they get $.50. To them, that makes me so awesome! Yes!

Urban's chore isn't mowing, he just likes to push the lawn mower up and down the driveway. He is some bionic ant-child, being able to carry twice his body weight, or something like that. The point is that this kid is strong!

Ida turned 6

This little girl of ours turned 6 on a very hot day, totally unlike the day she was born. She is our only girl and the only one in the family with blue eyes. She shares the name Arlene with her great grandma Grau which is so special to all three of us. She is quiet witty for her age and I love being around her.

All of these pictures are my favorite for one reason or another.

Her birthday cake request this year was a "standing up" rainbow with clouds. Well, is it me or do these cake requests keep getting trickier with each birthday?

I used Hostess something or others for the clouds and a 9 inch circle cake pan for the rainbow part.

I think she had a great day.