Wordless Wednesday: Fall

My Wordless Wednesdays are never wordless. Oh well. I took this picture a few days ago we drove through a local state park. I would like to build a house right in the middle of this road!!!

Fall in Tennessee is GORGEOUS!

One Year

We sold almost all of our belongings and left our home in California for the open road one year ago! I can't believe we did it. I never thought we'd ever move out of California. I was born and raised there and although I always dreamed of moving away I never thought we would. The timing never seemed right and I was worried I'd miss my family too much.

Most days I'm happy about the decision. Our kids got to see so much and learn more than I could ever have hoped while we were traveling. Some day, though, I feel guilty for taking them away from their friends. The girls had such good friends in California I worried they wouldn't find such great people wherever it was we ended up. So far they've made a few good friends so that makes me happy. But, the guilt some days makes me want to load up our car and drive back to California, plop back down on the mountain we lived in and try to go back to "normal" life.

I try to remember that people move. Sometimes you can't stay in the same place forever. I think about my sister-in-law. Her husband is in the Army and they have moved all over the country during his time with the Army. They just moved recently from Georgia to Missouri and before that I think they were in Florida, before that Texas. It makes me thankful that Rob isn't in the Navy anymore, I couldn't image having to move over and over again with really no say in where you go! I am thankful that we chose to move to Tennessee and if we want to, we can choose to leave Tennessee.

Camping in TN, when we fell in love with the state (Nov 2012)

I love Tennessee and I'm so glad this is where we ended up. I love waking up each morning and looking out the windows. I love that it's Fall right now and the leaves are the most beautiful colors I've ever seen. I love that it's cold outside, so cold I have to wear a sweater. I love that we go outside as much as we can here. We live by so many parks, lakes and rivers that we never have a hard time finding something to do. Back in California we lived in the mountains so the weather back home isn't too different than here. Only back home we got tons of snow, here not so much. I will miss the snow!

Nashville TN, our home 2013

Sweet Halloween Fun #JELLOHalloween #sponsored

The girls have been begging me to decorate for Halloween. I'll admit, when it comes to decorating for holidays I'm pretty lazy. I finally gave in and helped the girls decorate a little bit around the house. 

I surprised the girls with a fun snack to eat while decorating. While they were at school I made JELL-O's Halloween JIGGLERS Hands. The girls love theme snacks so I knew they'd get a kick out of these hands! 

I modified the recipe just slightly. I used Raspberry and Strawberry flavors since those two flavors are the  favorite flavors around here. I've never mixed flavors before so I was nervous but I will say it was probably the best tasting JELL-O I've ever had! I will forever mix these two flavors.

I was worried that cutting the JIGGLERS without a cookie cutter would be hard but it was fairly easy. The hardest part though, was getting the JIGGLERS out of the pan. I used a glass pan, it would have been much easier to get the hand out had I greased the bottom of the pan. I thought about doing that but since the directions didn't say to, I didn't. I also had a hard time seeing where I had cut.  I was able to get all those little hands out of the pan and on to plates for the kids.

 

I cut up the scraps and called them worms. C really loved the worms, she had fun putting sprinkles in them to give the worms eyes. G chopped up her scraps and called the mess a brain.

The brain got me thinking! I'm going to make green, slimy zombie brains for Halloween. I'll use Lime JELL-O and I will make it in the glass pan, once the JELL-O is set, I'll chop it up, or let the kids do it, and make little brain piles. We can stick some bug candies in the brains to make them look extra creepy.

All of the JELL-O JIGGLERS recipes are quick, simple and fun. Which makes them perfect for me, I love fast and easy!

If you're interested in the rest of the JELL-O JIGGLERS Halloween recipes you can find them here:
  

Creepy Crawly JIGGLERS
MMMMonster JIGGLERS
Halloween Cat Eyes JIGGLERS
Halloween JIGGLERS Hands


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Welcome to Tennessee

Guess who is following in my footsteps and now living in Tennessee?? MY PARENTS! Yep, they loaded up their RV and left Arizona in the dry, hot dust!

My parents came with their RV, boat, car and a small trailer. Dad drove the RV and towed the trailer, Mom drove the car and towed the boat. They made excellent time considering they got a flat tire on the RV in New Mexico, a cracked windshield on the car in Texas and they got lost in Oklahoma. They left Arizona late Sunday night and arrived at our house Wednesday afternoon.

It has been awesome hanging out with them and I am so glad they are here. We've already gone to a parade and ate a few dinners together. We are taking them to Cracker Barrel tomorrow for their first time and then the zoo this weekend.

I hope they will not regret their decision to leave my brother alone in Arizona. He has a girlfriend, chickens, dogs and a rabbit to keep him company.

I feel pretty cruddy about him being there with no family. We aren't close- we don't talk, or hangout, or text, or anything. I don't know why, maybe because we are extremely different and five years apart. I love him and I wish we were close but I don't think it will ever happen, he doesn't care enough to make an effort. Who knows, maybe he'll end up out here too and then he'll be forced to be around me and my crazy kids! At least on holidays...

Kid-Friendly Tablet Accessories Giveaway -Free eBook with Entry

Kid-Friendly Tablet Accessories Giveaway
Get a FREE eBook When You Enter!

Hosted By: KiteReaders

Co-Hosted By: Jen Loves Life and These Amazing Bloggers

Sponsored By: KiteReaders

KiteReaders is thrilled to host and sponsor a Tablet Accessories Giveaway! We have an amazing selection of some of the most popular kid-friendly accessories available for your tablets out in the market today! We all know how difficult it can be to maintain your tablet when you have a young child who always wants to use it. Whether you want to protect your tablet with a kid-friendly case, use a handy stylus instead of your fingers to touch the screen, or simply accessorize your tablet with some awesome headphones, we’ve got you covered! 

When you enter the giveaway, not only will you have the chance to win one of these highly coveted prizes, but you will also be able to immediately download one of our award winning titles…for FREE! Simply enter the giveaway below and read more to learn all about our 20+ amazing prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway Rules: US Residents, 18 years and up only. 1 entrant per household. Winners will be picked randomly through the Rafflecopter entry form. Winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. 

All winning entries are verified.  

Prizes Include: 

Gumdrop Kindle Fire Case (Valued at $49.99): 1 Winner

If you’re looking for the most rugged, durable yet ultimately affordable Kindle Fire protection, you found it in the Drop Tech Series Kindle Fire Case. Shock Absorption, drop protection, extreme ruggedness and hard-core readiness for all adventures, the Drop Tech Series Kindle Fire case specifically conforms to the shape of the Kindle Fire and offers multiple layers of protection. This transformer case features a unique, snap-on integrated screen for maximum protection. (http://www.gumdropcases.com/kindle-fire.html)

iPad Smart Cover (Valued at $39.99): 2 Winners
Snap the Smart Cover into place and it wakes up, stands up, and brightens up your iPad. It magnetically aligns for a perfect fit. It wakes and sleeps your iPad on open and close. It’s a handy stand for reading, watching, and typing. And it’s a way to make your iPad as personal on the outside as it is on the inside. (http://www.apple.com/ipad/accessories/)

iGuy iPad Case (Valued at $39.95): 2 Winners
Say hi to iGuy. He’s fun, free-standing and kid-friendly. Designed to fit all full-size iPads – even the new iPad 4! (http://www.speckproducts.com/iguy-for-ipad.html)

Fisher Price Kindle Fire Kid-Tough Apptivity Case (Valued at $29.99): 2 Winners

With a Kid-Tough rubberized casing and a clear film over the screen to protect against drips and sticky fingers, the next time your child asks to play with your Kindle Fire, you’ll be much more likely to say “sure”! (http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/kidtough/products/67522)

Griffin Technology Cinema Seat (Valued at $24.99): 2 Winners

CinemaSeat turns your iPad into the perfect in-car entertainment system. CinemaSeat’s wide, adjustable strap routes around your car seat’s headrest to perfectly position your iPad for backseat riders. Without sacrificing access to Multi-Touch display, controls or headphone jack, CinemaSeat lets them watch video, listen to music, play games and more. CinemaSeat gives your riders the best seats in the house. Or car. (http://store.griffintechnology.com/cinemaseat-2-for-ipad)

KaZoo MyPhones (Valued at $19.99): 2 Winners

KaZoo MyPhones have built-in-volume-limiting circuitry that keeps the sound pressure down to levels recommended as safe for young ears. Exposure to excessive levels of sound is more than a nuisance. It’s a health issue, especially for children. KaZoo MyPhones use a built-in, always-on sound-control circuit to cap peak volume levels at 85 decibels. That’s the maximum level recommended by many auditory health organizations in the U.S. and abroad. And, of course, KaZoo are kid-friendly with fun animal designs and durably constructed. (http://store.griffintechnology.com/kazoo-myphones)

Felix TwoHands Stand (Valued at $19.99): 2 Winners

When you want to use your NOOK hands-free, this ingenious accessory is the perfect solution. Made of sturdy molded plastic, it opens with a gentle squeeze and securely grips the edges of your NOOK, while the base rests on a flat surface to form a sturdy stand. The spring mechanism is both strong and flexible, so the Felix will hold your NOOK in either landscape or portrait mode; when closed, it’s only 7″ long, so it will easily slip into a pocket or bag. Add in the sleek, distinctive look – enhanced by a “felix” logo script printed in silver – and this is truly a must-have item for every NOOK owner. (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-twohands-stand-in-black/25719436)

Crayola Color Studio iMarker (Valued at $15.99): 2 Winners

iMarker is the key to unlock limitless discovery and play on your iPad. It’s a digital marker, crayon, pencil and paint brush that interacts with the Crayola ColorStudio HD app to create all your favorite Crayola colors on the iPad’s Multi-Touch display. As you color, animated characters, music, sound and visual effects bring scenes to life, and surprises await on every page. (http://www.griffintechnology.com/crayola/colorstudiohd)

Marware UpSurge Speaker (Valued at $9.99): 2 Winners
The Marware UpSurge Mini Speaker delivers crisp, distortion-free sound from virtually any media player device. The UpSurge travels with you wherever you go, providing rechargeable, long-lasting audio enhancement in the palm of your hand. Its compact design twists and extends when in use for enhanced bass and sound quality. The UpSurge Mini Speaker is the perfect solution for your portable audio needs, whether you’re watching a movie, listening to music or playing a video game. (http://www.marware.com/upsurge-mini-speaker)

KiteReaders Stylus (Valued at $5.99): All Winners!

The KiteReaders Stylus is the perfect accessory to use on any of your touch devices! With a pen on one end and a stylus on the other, this stylus is a great tool to have in your pocket or bag at all times! 

KiteReaders is a multi-award winning digital publisher of children’s books. With over 100 titles and 30 best sellers across Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks, KiteReaders aims to provide quality content for children and their families and increase literacy around the world. Visit KiteReaders at http://kitereaders.com and like them on Facebook at http://facebook.com/kitereaders!

Shredded Chicken Enchiladas

We love Mexican food here. I think at least half of what we eat each week is some sort of Mexican food, or takeout pizza.

I make simple chicken enchiladas for the family. The girls all eat it up and they usually don't complain. Almost every dinner we eat someone has something to say about something they don't like that we are having. This is one dinner I don't have to modify or make different versions of for the girls.

If you know me, you know I hate measuring so I'll do my best to give you the correct measurements.

Shredded Chicken Enchiladas:

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 white onion
a few shakes of salt
a few shakes of pepper
a pinch of red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons taco sauce (we use mild)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 small can of sliced olives
1/4 cup of green onions, chopped
28 ounce can of enchilada sauce (we used to use La Victoria but we haven't found it out here, now we use   Las Palmas. I like La Victoria better)
Corn tortillas, about 20-30 (we buy a small pack and use almost all of them)

Directions:
Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Place in CrockPot. Top with taco sauce. Allow meat to cook on low 6-8 hours.

Once the meat is cooked, remove from slow cooker and allow to cool for 15 minutes. While meat is cooling warm tortillas on a baking sheet in the oven at around 250 degrees, about 10 minutes. 

When chicken is cool, shred with two forks.

Pour 1/3 of the can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.

Place a tortilla flat on a plate or cutting board, fill with a small amount of chicken in center (about 4 tablespoons worth) and roll. Place in the baking pan. Continue rolling tortillas until you run out of meat or tortillas. Place rolled tortillas in the baking pan. Sometimes we use more than one pan because we make so much.

Top enchiladas with remaining sauce so that all tortillas are covered. Layer cheddar cheese on top. Then, add olives and green onions. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Enchiladas are done when cheese is fully melted.

Makes approximately 20-30 enchiladas.

Savannah, Georgia

We wanted to do an end of summer trip to the ocean. Since we didn't have much time (school started the following Monday) and our budget was tight, we chose Savannah.

Now we can say we have officially made it coast to coast. We can all say we've swam in all of the oceans surrounding the U.S. We have spent countless hours in the Pacific Ocean (shoot, I spent my whole childhood in the ocean), we have splashed in the Gulf of Mexico and we have now swam in the Atlantic Ocean.

Downtown Savannah

this was near our hotel. I think it's closed down but I loved it anyway

Savannah is beautiful. It was a gorgeous drive from Tennessee through Georgia. Here's the thing though, I will never live in Georgia. The reason? The humidity is murder!! Oh my gosh, the air was so thick it felt like I was being suffocated by the air every time we were outside. I wanted to curl up on the ground and say "please stop hurting me!" It was terrible!! I hate being hot and I hate sweating even more. As soon as we would step out of the car or hotel room I would be drenched. Poor C walked around with a permanent red face because she was so hot. Now I know why my friend in Georgia spends her summers back in California (aside from all of her family being there)!! Almost all of the photos I took were through the car window! It was just too hot to spend much time outside. I must say, the humidity in Tennessee (at least where we live) is nothing compared to Georgia!!

Very old cemetery. Downtown

The humidity sucked so we didn't spend much time outdoors. We went to the beach thinking we'd get some relief. Ha!! The ocean in the East is nothing like the ocean in the West. Back in California you get the cool coastal breeze, sometimes it's cool enough to need a sweater, even in the summer! Not in Georgia!!! We were dripping in sweat from the short walk from the car to the ocean. And the sand was so hot it felt like we were walking on hot coals!!

I loved this beach house! I wish it was mine (but maybe somewhere less humid!)

The beach was beautiful and the water was nice and warm. That should have triggered the signs we saw when we were in Texas. The signs warning about jelly fish. But, it didn't. We all bounced around and played in the water. At one time, I looked at the crowded sand and thought "why isn't everyone in the water?" Then, about five minutes later I felt like my foot was going to fall off. The pain was so bad, it felt like a million tiny needles stinging my foot. I freaked out, screamed and ran out of the water. G and Rob both got stung by jelly fish, too. Luckily the rest of the girls didn't get stung. A jelly fish sting is a weird thing. After, I felt like I had earned some rite of passage, like I had joined the jelly fish stinger club. I also thought that everyone should be stung at least once in their life, it's such a strange feeling that it's hard to describe if you haven't felt it for yourself.

When we were leaving the beach we noticed a girl getting sprayed by a lifeguard. She had been stung by what looked like a thousand jelly fish. Her whole body looked swollen and red, I felt so sad for her. She was probably in her 20s and she was in tears from so much pain. I don't want anyone to feel that! Just the sting I felt on my leg :)

Rob's sister lives in Savannah. We tried to meet up with her but we had such a short window of time down there that we didn't get to see her. I'd like to say we'll see her next time but I'm not sure I can handle that heat ever again!! 

enjoying a peach before we left for home

she fell asleep on the way home