Polenta with Veggie Marinara

This is great as a main dish or side to your favorite Italian meal. It can also be gluten free and is perfect for a leftover meal the next day.

Polenta with Veggie Marinara

1-2 tubes polenta cut into 1/2 to 1 inch rounds.  Dredge each round in a mixture of bread crumbs and herbs (can be made gluten free using gluten free bread crumbs). Heat a few tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown each side of the polenta rounds, about 5-8 minutes per side. Place browned rounds in a large casserole pan. While the rounds are browning, in a separate pan saute veggies of your choice with garlic and onions. When veggies are soft stir in 1 jar of your favorite marinara and some fresh basil and italian parsley. Pour veggie mixture over the polenta.  

(Top with shredded parmesan or mozzarella if desired, with or without cheese it’s great!) Bake at 350F until hot and yummy ( about 10-15 min.) Can be made ahead and reheated.

Gutierrez Family Reunion 2012

We just got back from a fabulous week in Lake Tahoe at the Gutierrez family reunion. Every 2-3 years different members of the family organize a giant gathering in different locations, so that this large family can stay connected. So neat. I enjoyed getting to know people better and hearing some more family history! There were around 65 of us! My favorite part was watching the little cousins play together in this amazing spot. We were walking distance from the beach and gathered each day in a spacious house next to the hotel with a fun yard and plenty of room to hang out and chat (and of course eat!)

The first night we had dinner together and celebrated little Matthew's 2nd birthday- Andrew did the pinata :)

Then we headed to the beach before the sun went completely down to check out our beach for the week. The water was super cold, but that didn't stop the kiddos from splashing around

This was the darling meeting house

The hotel came with free breakfast- here we are with Papa and cousin Ike

Weston loved all the attention from his uncles and aunts- thanks Uncle Fred for doing this about 100 times!

Such a perfect beautiful spot

One night a big group of us went out to dinner. We left the boys home to go to bed on time ( thank you Sarah and Allison) and I enjoyed a date with my hubby and my nieces

The highlight of the trip for Weston was hearing Uncle Mike play the saxophone- which he called the tuba. The Gutierrez family is very musical

I think the highlight for Andrew was taking Weston miniature golfing for the first time to the same place that he first went miniature golfing :) and that weston chewed a piece of gum the whole time without swallowing- Weston thought he was big stuff

Just slow dancing with Uncle Richard

Aunt Janet's coffee was a hit, poor thing was constantly brewing coffee for us!

This is what the yard looked like every night, full of kids playing. LOVE

Gabe and Sophie were quite cute together. She taught him how to play ring-around-the-rosie

Jackie and new baby Eden

Squirt guns!

It was sad to leave and Andrew and I are already planning another trip back. Thank you to Katie and Brian for planning this great reunion. It was relaxing, fun and we loved that we had time to talk and just be together. 

On our way...

With these cuties for a week in Lake Tahoe for a family reunion. We have been enjoying the beginning of summer and having daddy home a little bit more :)

Swimming Lessons

Last summer we had a drowning scare with Weston, so we wanted to be better prepared for this summer and all the pools that come along with it! He hated every moment of it, but learned and improved none the less. His teacher Macie was so sweet and patient and by the end of the week was able to swim all by himself to the wall and the steps, and come up for air instead of sinking to the bottom. We have lots of practice before he his really pool safe, but it is a great start!

So proud of him!

Los Angeles Arboretum

So poor Gabe ended up catching hand foot and mouth as well, and we got a little stir crazy at home- so we headed to the Los Angeles Arboretum for some fresh air and a place where no one would get too close to us :) It was an amazing adventure and more beautiful than I could have imagined. Check it out! It will not disappoint!

Here's poor Gabe with his yucky rash :(

Recently Heard ( and seen)

I LOVE the stage my little guys are in right now- even though I feel like I am chasing around two tiny tornadoes all day- each day is filled with funny and heartwarming moments! (And I just love this old pic of Gabe, he has the sweetest smile.) But I thought I would share some of their recent shenanigans.

"Mommy, please can I lick you?" - So polite, but the answer is no

"Mommy, can I taste my poo poo?" - Sorry, still no

"Mommy, you look so pretty and shiny"- Precious he noticed I finally took a shower

 Weston- "Mom, can we go to the park please?"  Me-" after Gabe wakes up we can go"  Weston- "let me go wake him up."

Weston screaming, crying and stomping his feet says "my heart is not black, it is happy!!!!" - Yes, I can see that

And the little Gabe has his hands into everything and is usually holding a treasure in his mouth that shouldn't be there such as - rocks, bugs, leaves, sticks, etc. Thankfully he hasn't swallowed anything too bad that I know of! He loves the toilet though right now and in the past week has thrown his toothbrush into it, was caught dipping his carrot stick into the water like a sauce and licking it off and good old splashing in it. UGHHHH so gross. He's super quick and super sneaky, so we are working on those areas right now :)

Had to share!

A great read - "Competitive Mothering"

http://www.challies.com/christian-living/competitive-mothering

This is a great short read and an awesome reminder for all of us moms. Please take a few minutes and check out the link above and let me know what you think!