SUMMER!!!!!

Well, it's officially summer at Lenton House. And doesn't Wade look so happy? He still has 18 days until his summer vacation starts. The girls finished up school last friday and yesterday was their first day home.

It went pretty well. Rylee and I went through the list of $1 movies at our local movie theater. Rolled our eyes at all the baby movies and put two thumbs up for the ones we want to see. The Lego Movie is at the top of that list. Great, now I'm singing "Everything is awesome!" in my head.

The girls played in their rooms, messed up said rooms, and hung out in the loft reading and playing video games.

Tuesday on the other hand was handed her summer geometry homework and informed that she will be attending a summer class at school that she was invited to. Not the happiest of summer campers was she. Haha. She got over it because she knows me well enough to know *OPTIONAL is MANDATORY* in my house.

Emma and Rylee are learning this lesson this summer as well. Rylee is switching to a new high school next year where the incoming freshmen have no summer homework. Oh the horror! Wade and I decided that she would have to read a book of our choosing. She didn't much care for that so her and I compromised on three books that she would read from an author that she currently loves. Score! Emma's school encourages the kids to keep up with math during the summer online. I just made that mandatory. It's time for this super smart girl to learn that super smart girls learn year round. I did however, make her a cute chart to keep track of the days she needed to do math just to make her feel better about it.

Our Spring/Summer Garden is coming along nicely.

We've already pulled three zucchini's off the plants and another two are just about ready. There are a ton of green tomatoes so, I'm excited for those to get red. I have two jalapeño's that are about ready to pick and the sunflowers are almost going to flower. Here's my current prized zucchini. It was huge and it was delicious!!

And that's about it for now. If you need me, you can find me out by the pool with the girls!

#ProudMom

That was my hashtag yesterday.  My Tyler, age 19, started the Correctional Academy with the Riverside Sheriff's Department. It's been his dream since high school to become a law enforcement officer. Finally the time has come to start that journey. Actually, the journey started last summer when he tested for the job and passed the Physical Agility Test and then the nearly year long background to hire process.

He leaves the house before I'm even out of bed. Before Emma is even out of bed (and that's saying something!). The drive from my house to the Academy isn't that long by BFE standards, it takes about 35 to 40 minutes to get there. And then there's the running, and the Tact Staff screaming, and the push ups, and the sit ups, etc.

His class has already seen two people quit on the first day and one person at the hospital for injury.

He came home last night tired. I enjoyed hearing the things he had to tell us about his day in his slow exhausted overused voice. All the "Sir, yes Sir's" and his voice was so rough. He may not have a voice by the end of the week. He walked in the door too tired to eat dinner and said that once he went upstairs he wasn't coming back down! Haha. When he finally went upstairs, I was a tad worried he'd lay down on his bed and be out for the night.

We did have to re-shave his head. He shaved off all of his beautiful hair on Saturday, much to my mother's dismay, using the #2 guard on the clippers. He looks so different. I hadn't seen him like that since his junior year of high school. His hair was just gone. Haha. Anyways, he was told that his hair was too long so I shaved it using the #1 guard last night. Even balder! It's been decided that his head will be shaved every Thursday night so he'll be clean for Friday inspection.

I do need to say this, Tyler has the two best dad's. Tim was perfect for him growing up when he played baseball. He's an amazing coach and Tyler thrived in baseball because of him. Now that Tyler is on to his next journey, he has Wade. Wade's guidance is so valuable right now and Tyler will benefit because of it. Which brings me to my next picture.

Previously being a baseball family and never having any reason to wear shoes that needed polishing, Tyler was never taught the skill. Thanks to the United States Marine Corps, Wade is a master. It was so fun to sit and watch Wade teach Tyler how to shine his shoes, which has to happen every night. It's a good thing I like the smell of shoe polish. This is my new favorite picture for so many reasons.

It's going to be a long 10 weeks for Tyler and I just know they'll fly by for me and my baby will move out and on to his new life and career. I'm excited and not at the same time. I'm just going to enjoy him  under my roof for as long as I can keep him.

My Grama's Fideo

Yesterday, I posted a picture of the Fideo I made Tyler and I for lunch on Instagram and Facebook.  I had more than a few people ask for the recipe so, here it is.

My Grama Saavedra made the best Fideo and my favorite time to visit was the day after she and Grampa had steak for dinner. All the leftover steak would be diced and made into this wonderful dish.  I was never smart enough to ask her how it was made before she passed and I have been trying to figure it out ever since. I'm pretty sure with this attempt, I hit the nail on the head. I'll have to make some more and pass it along to my Dad for the final judgment.

It's not the best picture and I definitely don't have step by step pictures. I'll update this post next time I make it with those. The recipe I am about to post is not exact, in fact, I didn't measure anything. That's both good and bad, I think. It means that my instincts finally were right, but it also means, I may not be able to duplicate it. Haha!

My Grama Saavedra's Fideo

Fideo Noodles (or Vermicelli)

1 can of chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp *bacon grease or oil

Diced (left over) steak
1 tsp minced garlic

Chile Powder (to taste - I estimate I used 1tsp)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Fry the Fideo noodles in bacon grease until almost all brown. 
2. Stir in steak and garlic and continue cooking for approx 3 minutes. Don't let the garlic burn.
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until liquids cook down by half-ish.
4. EAT!!

Serves 4

*I keep bacon grease in my fridge at all times like the good mexican that I am.

And that is what I think my recipe is. Like I said, I didn't keep track of what I was doing, I just made it and it turned out wonderful. Tyler and I ate this for lunch by itself. You could make it as a main dish and have rice and beans too. 

I hope you enjoy.