Summer Living

What I'm loving about living in Michigan again...

* Having a bag packed and ready for the beach at all times
* Trees and rolling hills (that my 5-year-old thinks are mountains)
* Watching my children playing with their cousins
* Lower grocery prices
* Fresh fruit and veggies available along the roadside
* The feeling of sand in between my toes
* Watching my boys fishing off the dock with hotdogs
* Sunsets glistening off the water
* Running into people in the store that I knew from way back when
* Puttering around in my mother-in-laws flower gardens (until we get into our house next month)
* No plains for the wind to come sweeping down...

What I have not missed about Michigan...
* Rude drivers
* Summer road construction & pot-holes
* Earwigs & Mosquitos
* Humidity
* Long drive times

It's a good thing that the first list far outweighs the second.  While it is great to be "home" again, I sure do miss the amazing people of North Dakota that we met. It has been much more of a difficult transition than I imagined, but God has been good to us each and every step of the way. We've made amazing memories this summer already, and there is a lot more left to come.

The challenge is to soak in these moments, to be grateful for each blessing as it flies by, to capture each moment and experience the gift that it is.

Mango Salsa

Here's a lovely sweet and spicy mix that tastes like pure summer. This works great with chips, in a salad, or with chicken.

1 Mango, finely diced
8 Roma Tomatoes, finely diced
2 Jalapenos, finely diced
1/4 t Salt
1/2 Fresh Lime, juiced
1 t Sugar
1 T Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Give this about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together. But yes, it can be eaten right away if you can't wait and it still tastes good.