What's Up Wednesday :: June 2016

It's the last Wednesday of the month, that means it's time for our What's Up Wednesday Link Up!

Link up with  me, Sheaffer & Shay the LAST Wednesday of each month so we can read about What's Up with YOU!

Here we go!

What We’re Eating this week..... 
Summer means we BBQ or Grill almost every day! Lots of fresh ingredients are consumed during the summer months! Yum!
Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday -  Chicken Taco Salad:

Wednesday - 
Zucchini Lasagna

Thursday -  Grilled Salmon and Avacado, Bacon & Corn Salad:

 Friday -  Friday Night Pizza Night!

Saturday -Tri Tip and Caprese Orzo Salad (I will be blogging this next week!! So good! I am also making it for a 4th of July party)

Sunday - 3rd of July Party at a Family Friends house...they are making Ribs!


I also like to bake something each week & since it's summer I am baking more than 1 thing each week. Because I have so much zucchini from our garden, yesterday I made my Chocolate Chop Zucchini Muffins.
I love using this cookie scoop to make muffins!

Using a cookie scoop makes it so easy to make muffins & cupcakes!

I also made a batch of my Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

 I actually left out the chocolate chips because the zucchini muffins have chocolate chips & I wanted a non chocolate chip muffin :)

What I'm Reminiscing about.....

 My friend & business partner Bridgette's Lexus Party. Bridgette is the one who got me started with Rodan + Fields and she just earned a Lexus from R+F. We had a big party to celebrate. It was so fun & I am so proud of her!
These girls are some of the amazing women on my personal team who are local. We are missing another 20 girls who live across the US & Canada.

 It was such a fun night! Love our team!

 My dress // Shoes // Earrings

What I'm loving.....

I am loving using Reverse....especially during the Summer!

It helps get rid of sun damage, age spots & pregnancy melasma.

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melissa_larson17@yahoo.com

What We've been up to.....
Crossing things off our 2016 Summer List:  

The girls had Lego camp the first week of summer & last week they had VBS.

Luke started daily swim lessons last week & this week.

We had a family reunion this past weekend with my Dad's side of the family.

Monday we went to the American Girl Store & today we are going to the Fair! 

We have been busy, busy, busy this summer & it's only been 2.5 weeks!

What I'm Dreading.....

I am dreading training for Half Marathon #4 in during the hot summer months. I forgot what it's like to run in the summer with temps in the high 90's-100's. Eek!


What I'm Working On.....

 I am working on Luke's 4th Birthday Party!
It's a Construction Theme...which is fitting since our backyard is a construction zone.
Luke picked out this theme a few months ago & can't wait for his "Diggy party"
(He calls diggers....."diggy's")
His birthday isn't until August, but I am working on the invites this week.
I just ordered these items for his party:

Shirt:

{HERE}


Fondant Toppers:

{HERE}

I love planning parties :)

What I'm Excited About.....

We've been re-doing our backyard...it's under construction & looks like this:

We are getting rid of some grass & we ripped out some of our old patio. The new one is getting poured by the end of this week!

I am VERY excited for phase 1 of this project to be over...so much dirt everywhere! 
Phase 2 will be in a few weeks...getting a structure built off our house for some shade since our backyard is the hot zone with no shade.
Phase 3 will be ripping out the dead grass and putting in new sod.

Phase 4 will be the outdoor kitchen.
 

What I'm Watching........

 I got the girls THESE DVD's for Summer, so we have been watching them. We are almost done with Season 1. 

Full House DVD's {HERE} 


I am also watching The Bachelorette

 Who is your favorite? I have no idea who JoJo is going to pick!

and because it's summer and no new epsiodes are airing with regular shows, we have been watching  HGTV...especially Fixer Upper!

 Love this show!


What I'm Reading.....

I have read 6 books this month:

The Boys in the Boat

This was a great book...4.5 out of 5 stars!
I love books based on true stories!


Inside the O'Brien's

Heartbreaking.....4 out of 5 stars!



Bossy Pants

This was just okay for me.....3 out of 5 stars

The Beach Trees

This book was boring, I couldn't get into it....2.5 out of 5 stars


Pretty Girls

If you liked Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, you will love this! 
 I give it 4 out of 5 stars

The Nightingale

I heard this book was AMAZING.
It took me about 100 pages to get into it...and then I couldn't put it down.
5 out of 5 stars....it was bruti-ful...Brutal & Beautiful.


What I'm Listening to.....

I am still listening to Pandora's Top hits on my runs.
In the car, my kids make me listen to the VBS sound track from VBS last week. I am SOOOO sick of it.  Who else feels my pain?!? LOL.
 
What I'm Wearing.....

Summer is when I am lazy with my clothes since I don't have to teach.
I am wearing a lot of this....Running clothes & running shoes:

If I'm not wearing running clothes, I am most likely wearing a bathing suit & a swim suit cover up & these flip flops:

What I’m doing this weekend.....
4th of July Weekend!!!!

 My dad's birthday is on Saturday (Happy Birthday Jimmy!) and we are all going out on his boat on Saturday. My kids are so excited.
On Sunday our friends are having a 3rd of July party and then of course it's a 3 day weekend because the 4th of July is on Monday! Yeah!

What I'm Looking Forward to next month.....

 There is so much to look forward to in July:
4th of the July, Going to Lake Tahoe, Performing Arts Camp for the girls...
I love July!


What else is new.....

I got a new Stitch Fix this week and I LOVE it. It's so patriotic!

 I kept the white shorts, blue shirt & paisley tank top.
 I would have kept the stripe shirt & white skirt but I already have things similar to them :)

I LOVE Stitch Fix
It's like Christmas morning every time the package arrives!
I get one every month, but you can adjust if you want it monthly, every other month, etc.

Not only does it come with 5 items, but it comes with a note from your stylist (so nice!) and it comes a print out of different ways you can style the pieces they sent you!

And, it tells you what brand they are. It's like your own personal Pinterest.
Sign up for Stitch Fix if you haven't already! So fun!

Question of the month is:
What is your favorite 4th of July Tradition and/or Recipe?
We are going to our friends house for their annual 4th of July French Toast Breakfast.
Then, we walk to our town's 4th of July Parade.
Then, every year we host a 4th of July Pool Party & Sausage Fest (although we didn't have it last year  because our kitchen/back patio was under construction replacing some things because of a water leak) And, this year our backyard is totally under construction, so we will probably do something with our neighbors!

To see our 4th of July Traditions from years past, click HERE!
It's one of my favorite days of the year!

My favorite 4th of July recipe is hands down Jimmy's Homemade Ice Cream. Every year since I can remember, my dad makes his homemade Ice Cream for the 4th of July.
 My favorite flavor is Cookies & Cream:

Jimmy's favorite is Butterfinger:

 It is the best ice cream ever.
HERE is the recipe & step by step tutorial.

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Feel free to follow along! 

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Can't wait to read about What's up with all of YOU!

Margherita Pizza

As you may know.....pizza is my favorite food. 

I could eat it everyday.

  At Christmas I got THIS pizza maker.

(It is also on sale HERE with an extra 20% off this weekend)

We have been making pizza for dinner a few times a month since we got it! 

I have been experimenting with different pizza toppings/recipes and there have been some REALLY good ones!

Once a month I am going to share a new pizza recipe with you.

You don't need the pizza maker (you can use your oven) but I am letting you know that using this pizza maker gives your pizza an authentic pizzeria taste! 

I am planning on sharing a new pizza recipe the last Friday of each month in honor of Friday Night Pizza Night that we have every Friday night at our house :)

Today, I am excited to share my:

Classic Margherita Pizza

This is the perfect summertime pizza!

Here is what you need:

- Pizza Dough (I use pre-made dough from Safeway or Trader Joes.  I like Safeway's better because it so much easier to work with & tastes better! You can make your own dough, but when the pre-made dough is only $1.50, this is a no brainer!

- Fresh Mozzarella

- Tomatoes

- Fresh Basil 

-Homemade Tomato Sauce (Super easy, you need whole canned tomatoes, olive oil & salt)

I use a mini food processer (this one) and add some drained whole canned tomatoes. I drizzle some olive oil & sprinkle in some salt)

Then I pulse/blend the tomatoes until it is smooth:

Super easy & fresh! You can also had some minced garlic if you want :)

Directions:

If using the Pizza maker, I split the dough in half and then roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface & then I put my dough on a piece of parchment paper.  

(I cook it on the parchment paper for a few minutes because then I can slide the pizza off the parchment paper without messing up the crust or making all the toppings slide off. I like cooking it without the parchment paper because then it gives the crust a pizzeria taste! If I had a pizza peel, I wouldn't need to have the parchment paper because then I would have the pizza peel to transfer the pizza to and from the pizza cooker...but I don't have one of those yet.)

 Add some fresh pizza sauce:

Add slices of fresh mozzarella:

Add some sliced tomatoes:

Add some fresh basil. (I roll the basil in a ball & then slice it, that is how I get the chiffonade basil look)

Yum...so fresh!

Bake in your pizza oven (or regular oven at 450 degrees) for 8-10 minutes 

(I bake mine on parchment paper for 5 minutes & then slide it off the parchment paper & bake it on the pizza stone)

This pizza is very "light" compared to other pizzas

It is perfect to make during the summer because of all the fresh summer flavors:

Everyone loves a classic Margherita Pizza!

Enjoy!

In January I shared my BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe {HERE}

In February I shared my Fig, Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza {HERE}
In March I shared my my Pesto Chicken, Sundried Tomato & Artichoke Pizza {HERE}

In April, I shared a Sweet Italian Sausage, Pepperoni & Bell Pepper Pizza {HERE}

In May I shared my Pepperoni, Pineapple & Jalapeño Pizza {HERE}

Happy Pizza Friday & I hope you have a great weekend!