Treasure The Moments

Sometimes I find these blog posts hard to write when the news has been full of sad, tragic events. There is something uncomfortable about telling about our lovely Labor Day weekend at our favorite spot when folks in Texas no longer have a spot at all. Homes are completely gone for so many. Or, seriously damaged for many, many others.

But I posted an Instagram photo from this weekend and a friend commented about my "capturing these moments as treasures." And it dawned on me...that is what we should all do. Help the flood victims by making a donation to the most appropriate relief agency and then treasure your own moments and store them up in your heart.

And we indeed had a family weekend filled with memory making times—kayaking on the lake, skiing, riding the "bumpity bump," the large float that is pulled behind the boat, fishing and swimming. Baby Girl had her own water time in the shade. She was just as happy in her pool as the others were in the lake. There was also the great shoe hunt. A dog had carried off a sandal that was left outside overnight. And miracle of miracles, Daddy-O found it in a neighbor's yard. And bigger miracle—it wasn't chewed up.

Thanks to an app and an iPad, Daddy-O got to enjoy watching his team play on Saturday. Our lake house is as simple as can be, which usually is just fine. No WiFi. No satellite TV. But there are times when a little high tech stuff is in order. The opening game of the season was such a moment. And his team won. Even better.

All meals for the weekend were served on the porch. There is more space there than inside. And we had perfect weather the entire time the family spent at the lake. Baby Girl asked at breakfast the first morning, "Is this the same lake I came to last time I was at the lake?" I love three year old questions. Hopefully one day she will have eaten enough meals on this porch to know this is her lake and have deep memories of good times here. She'll know this is the same lake where her Daddy-O played when he was a little boy. The same lake where her mommy and Aunt Jecca slept in those same beds.

Nights at the lake meant s'mores on the "pavilion" (that's what we call our picnic shelter.") And one night after dinner, we put life jackets on over the little girls' pajamas and we took them a moonlight cruise around our cove. 

The lake is still and quiet at night. The lights looked magical as the boat glided slowly on the water. It was obviously a holiday weekend with nearly all houses lit up around the cove.

And when we pulled back up to the dock, Little Sister led us up the hill to the lake house, lighting the way with her flashlight. I had forgotten how much fun a kid and a flashlight can have outside at night.

When the weekend was over, there were cheeks pink from the sun, blisters from the kayak paddles, a few bug bites and scrapes. All signs of weekend adventures. And we had only one near disaster when Baby Girl took a flying leap off the bed after giving her sister a hug at bedtime. A flying leap, but she didn't fly. She landed hard with a loud thud, followed by louder wailing. I picked her up and asked her what she hit. I was asking about her head, her arm or her knees. But she told me between sobs, "I hit the rug and through the rug, I hit the floor." Thankfully, there was no serious injury to her.

I'm usually in charge of keeping people fed at the lake. And I don't want to spend too much time in our tiny kitchen while everyone else is out on the porch. This easy meal is one we grilled at the lake a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious. So good, in fact, that I put the recipe on the side of the refrigerator where I keep a few favorites. I love having these handy for our lake cooking.

This is my version of a recipe from Skinny Taste. I'm sharing how I made it. You can certainly change things up a little to suit your family or to use what's in your refrigerator. Big Sister's words were, "Oh, I'd eat this again anytime." High praise from a teenager. The marinade gives the chicken flavor without being overwhelming. Keep in mind that chicken cutlets cook quickly. Be careful not to overcook.

HONEY BALSAMIC GRILLED CHICKEN w/VEGGIES

8 chicken cutlets (that was 2 packages at my store)
6 tablespoons pesto (I used Buitoni with basil)
2 cloves mince garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 red bell peppers, sliced in strips
2 medium zucchinis, sliced 1/4-inch thick
olive oil, salt and pepper, for veggies

Mix pesto, garlic, red pepper flakes and lime juice in a gallon ziplock bag. Put chicken cutlets into bag and squish everything around to coat chicken. Let chicken marinate for 1 hour to overnight.

Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and salt in a cup and set aside.

Put red pepper slices and zucchini in a bowl and drizzle with a tablespoon or two or oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix to coat all vegetables.

Using a grill pan or basket (designed for use on a grill,) cook vegetables on your grill about 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until edges get slightly browned. Don't crowd vegetables, using two pans if needed. Remove to platter when done.

Cook chicken on grill, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until done, being careful not to overcook. (Make sure your grill grates are clean and well oiled.) Put grilled chicken on platter with the vegetables and drizzle the honey balsamic dressing over everything,

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Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you off.  Get the chicken in the marinade early. You can also slice the vegetables in the afternoon. Mix the dressing. And at dinner time, there is only the grilling to do. And at our house, Daddy-O is in charge of that part.

You can use the vegetables you like best for this recipe. I only had red peppers and zucchini in the lake refrigerator. An onion or some asparagus would have been nice in the mix, if I'd had any.

I cooked a packet of yellow rice to go with the chicken and veggies. Such an easy meal for lake cooking. I'm sure we'll make it again at home, too.

Goodbye, summer.