Is it Friday yet???

Some weeks just go on forever...or at least it seems that way.  This week started off like it was going to be a perfect summer start.  The kids were in great moods, we were getting out and biking or running daily and we had the pseudo empty nest while the boy is visiting his grandparents.  I can't put my finger on where it all went wrong, but I think it's the daycare kids just getting a tad bit out of control.  My kiddos are creatures of habit and two days of busy summer play was great but movie day in the middle of the week put them over the edge.  I hope they settle into the routine soon and we all get back to just enjoying our days and each other!

I tried yesterday to cajole them into better moods with their favorite side dish for lunch.  Apple Carrot Raisin salad.  No dice. It was a good effort though.

They ate it up.  And still grumped.  How is that possible with such a cheery salad??  Oh well.  I had a secret weapon that I deployed once the house was quiet and the hubby and I grabbed a few minutes of peace...

Homemade vanilla ice cream, homemade strawberry syrup and some yummy granola to top it all off!  I swear, I have dubbed this combo "Faux Strawberry Scooter Crunch" because it tastes JUST like those ice cream bars I used to down in middle school with my leftover lunch change I saved up.   Do you remember those?  Well, this brings back lots of memories of how good those bars were.  Worth scrimping to save up!

Speaking of scrimping to save up...the hubby and I have seriously been talking about changing our finances much in the way we've done our food.  Quality vs quantity is definitely something that can apply here as well.  We eat better, but eat less and enjoy our lives more as result.  I think the same principles can be applied there as well.  I think it will be a great journey and well worth the changes we will definitely be going through but we want to change our lives.  We may be worried to the extreme, but we've just become distrustful of the banks and the government and I don't want to feel that we have to rely on either one.  Is that crazy?  I don't know anymore.  It seems that there is just so much going on that the people aren't considered in.  I don't want any debt and all of the strings that come with it.  I will try and share our journey as we make these changes as well so that maybe somebody else out there will be blessed and encouraged by it just the same.  I know that God is in control, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing what we can to be where we need to be.

Okay, now on to the recipes.

Apple Carrot Raisin Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot; peeled and julienned or shredded


• 2 medium apples; peeled, cored and chopped


• 1/4 c organic raisins


• 2 T poppy seed dressing

Directions

1. Toss all ingredients together and serve

Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 c heavy cream


• 1 c skim milk


• 1 c almond milk


• 1/2 c sugar


• 2 t vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together until sugar is dissolved


2. Pour into ice cream maker and process until no longer soft

Strawberry Syrup

Ingredients

• 2 c strawberries, capped and either whole if small or quartered if larger


• 3/4 c sugar

Directions

1. Put ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil


2. Stir frequently to avoid boiling over and cook for about 10 minutes


3. Remove from heat and cool before using