Bread with the Brisels

I t is my second official day of summer and I am LEANING IN!  If your children are like mine, I feel as if they are on full-feed the.entire.day.  The second Sammy's feet hit the ground he is ready for breakfast, and by 9AM, he's wondering when it will be lunch. I thought I'd share some lunch inspiration here and there on my blog during the summer for those who are also finding themselves home with hungry kiddos. 😉 Today's lunch inspiration is... Personal Pizzas!  Here's what we did:  We took a can of regular biscuits and I had Sammy press each biscuit flat.  We topped the pizza dough with sauce, cheese and toppings.  We cooked them off in an oven heated to 350 degrees until they were cooked through.  That's it! This was a fun one because it got Sammy involved in the process. 

Happy Thursday! It's a double-post day, since I had forgotten to schedule this one correctly. Be sure to check out my other post sharing a fun lunch idea for kids! Today I'm sharing an easy dinner idea: Chicken Caesar Salad wraps.  This is basically an easy way to bulk up a salad, and make it more hearty for a dinner option. We had this meal for dinner and ate some sweet potato fries on the side. Enjoy! 😊 Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, marinated in Caesar dressing 1 bag of Caesar salad mix, prepared 1 package of tortillas or wraps Directions: Take your chicken breasts to the grill, and cook until they are thoroughly cooked through. Then cut them into bite-sized pieces.  To assemble, place a tortilla or wrap on a plate. Add in some of your prepared Caesar salad, then top with the cooked chicken.  Roll it all up and enjoy! 

In an effort to fully lean in and embrace the summer season, we made a "Brisel Family Summer Bucket List" over the weekend. These are all activities that we are hoping to complete over the summer, and hopefully this list will help us be intentional with our time together.  I had to laugh because Sammy absolutely thought that we were going to be doing ALL of these things in one day. After we made the list he said, "OK! Time to get going!" 😂 Here's what we came up with:  1. Go to an iCubs game.  2. Watch a movie outside.  3. Make s'mores.  4. Go to Maytag Pool. 5. Go to the 4th of July Parade.  6. Look for Lightning Bugs.  7. Make homemade ice cream.  8. Make homemade popsicles.  9. Go to the zoo.  10. Go fishing. I know our time this summer will pass far too quickly. Here's to being intentional! 

We had just about the best weekend celebrating Jack's FIRST birthday! He has a big party planned for next weekend, Dustin worked this weekend, so we decided to spend his birthday at home doing all of his favorite things. 😊 He got this super fun water table  as his birthday gift. It's going to be perfect for this summer! I love that it has two tiers, so Sammy and Jack can both play with it super easily. Both boys splashed in it for hours!  I experimented with making a cake that was made with some of his "safe foods." He was extra excited about the strawberries on top of the cake and ate those promptly. 😉 I can't believe our boy is one! I know that this year will be a year of tremendous growth in all sorts of ways for him. I'd like to freeze time, but I know good things are ahead, too.  Have the best Monday!

One year ago, in the early morning hours, our little boy Jack decided to make his arrival (three weeks early!) to the world. Since then, our house has been filled with even more love and laughter than before. Here's an update of Jackson Nicholas, now that he's officially one year old.  Jackson likes:  He is my little "hip baby" and is his happiest when he's being held by mama. I've learned to complete a lot of tasks one handed.  Jack absolutely loves his brother, and is working so hard to keep up with him. Sammy and Jack belly laughing together is one of my favorite sounds in the world.  Jack loves to be outside! He loves to blow bubbles and swing.  Jackson dislikes: Truly, not much makes him sad. The only thing that might make him upset is if I have to put him down when he'd rather be held.  Eating: We officially made it to a year of nursing, and I'm very proud of that milestone. Jack is a great little nurser and takes his milky very seriously. 😉 Jac...

  It's Friday, AND it's the last day of school before summer break. YAY! I have to return next week for 2 work days, but in my mind, those don't count. :)  I'm linking up with  Andrea  and  Erika  to share a few favorites from my week.  It's been a busy one - packed with tball, and all of the last minute craziness that comes with being a teacher in May.  Sammy had his first two tball games, and oh my goodness was it adorable to watch! When I asked him after the game what his favorite part was he said, "I liked sitting in the dugout with my friends."  Jack enjoyed a stroll through Target on Sunday, and I enjoyed pushing him while he sat up like a big boy! He was so content to sit and check things out around him.  Pasta salad? It must be summertime. :) And one last quick favorite: a "girl dinner" action. Dustin had leftovers one night after tball, but I opted for some sourdough topped with a tomato and fresh mozzarella. Yum!  Have a w...

I made up this recipe over the weekend when I wanted a little something special for lunch. Dip totally constitutes as a well-rounded meal, right? 😉   Dustin took one bite and said, "this tastes like something we'd eat when we're outside on the patio!" Thus, "Patio Party Dip" was born. I hope you try this recipe!  Patio Party Dip  Ingredients: 24 ounce container of sour cream  1 package ranch dressing mix 3/4 package of reduced sodium taco seasoning mix  1 green pepper, diced 3 green onion, sliced finely 1 can of black beans, rinsed and patted dry  1 can of rotel, drained  2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese  1 cup of frozen corn, thawed and rinsed Directions: In a large bowl, combine the sour cream and ranch/taco seasoning mixes. Mix together very well until combined.  Next, mix in the green pepper, green onions, rotel, black beans, corn and cheese, Stir everything together really well.  You can serve immediately, or store in the fridge f...