Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend actually felt like a real weekend. It has been a while, a loooong while, since my husband has had two consecutive days off, let alone an entire weekend. I actually don't look forward to weekends; due to the fact that everyone else gets to have their husbands home and Miss A and I are left to figure out what to do on our own. Shopping on the weekends with her stresses me out with the crowds and busy parking lots, so we usually stick to home and stay pretty low-key when my husband has to work on a Saturday or Sunday.

We spent the early part of Saturday finishing up Miss A's very own swing set! Her grandparents (my parents) bought her this swing set as a very early birthday present and it arrived at our house a few weeks ago. I've been dying, waiting for the hubby to have enough time to put it all together. He had the majority done earlier last week and only needed to attach the swings and anchor the whole thing down. I knew she was going to love it.

After Miss A woke up from her nap we all went on the swings. The three of us, with our adult bums being squished from the tiny seats, but any time either of us got up, she'd say, "Dada swing" and "Mama swing." We happily obeyed. :)

Later that evening we decided to head for dinner. We walked around the outdoor portion of the mall (which was packed with girls in colorful, vibrant prom dresses!) and found a place to eat dinner. That's where all the fun ended- Miss A was NOT having it in the high chair and I had to hold her in my lap, somehow managing to eat a burger and fries with her on top of me. By the end of the night we were exhausted and crashed on the couch to catch up on our DVR.

The next day we invited our friends over to grill and check out the swing set! It was a beautiful day, with highs in the 80s. Perfect day to spend outside on our deck. I marinated some chicken, chopped up some veggies, roasted potato wedges, and served slices of bread with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. 

I absolutely LOVE this new outfit I got for Miss A at Old Navy, along with these clear jelly (!!!) shoes. THAT ARE SCENTED. Oh my God I've never loved a pair of shoes more, and neither has she, because she refuses to take them off!

We had lots of fun letting the girls take turns on the swings and play with the balls and cars we had on the deck. Then, I managed to snap this picture.

For dessert I made a no-bake Oreo pudding pie. It was the perfect addition to a grilled meal. Layers of chocolate, cream cheese, and Oreo crumbs! Very easy to make and very thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. I only wish I remembered to take a better picture before we cut into it!

She's definitely my girl, what a sweet tooth! 

Mustard and Herb Marinated Chicken

While the parentals were here, we grilled.

Look at my sweet hubby. The only time he gets involved with food! I guess he feels that it's a part of his man duties. Unless we're making cookies. He likes to help with that.

As you can see on the plate, there's a potato wedge. Don't worry, I got a lot more once I saw how fast they were going.

This chicken is super moist, juicy, and tender. And very tasty. I wanted to get more pictures, but with the all the excitement I barely remembered to snap a picture of my plate. Until someone mentioned, "Hey, aren't you going to take a picture of that?"

That's right familia. I am!

And of you too. :)

The original recipe is used to make kebobs. I don't have skewers yet so I used whole chicken breasts. I poured all the ingredients into two resealable plastic bags and turned the bags around several times, making sure to coat all the chicken with the marinade. I placed the bags into a bowl and marinated them overnight in the fridge. 

Source: adapted from This Is So Good...

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup basil, chopped fine
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds chicken breasts

In two large gallon size resealable bags, pour in the first nine ingredients (mustard through pepper).  Add the chicken breasts, and make sure to coat all of the pieces.  Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

I've bombarded you with things to serve up at your next grill party. And speaking of... has anything caught your eye for the 4th?