Backyard Fun (and Debbie's Delicious Shrimp recipe!)

A couple months ago I asked Court to buy the kids a larger blow-up pool for the backyard and he came back with the shark pool. The kids love it. You can actually hook the sprinkler up to it and it'll spray out the top of the shark. The kids have talked me into getting in the pool a few times. It's amazing how something as simple as a shark pool can provide hours of entertainment! When Christian wants to swim, he takes off his pants and says, "Swim diaper!". Ella just strips down naked wherever she is until I tell her to please go in her room and put a swimsuit on (we're currently working on teaching her that it's not appropriate to strip down naked in front of company...).


The baby pool gets placed at the bottom of the slide and voila! Instant water park!



We keep several riding toys on the back porch. The kids like to play McDonald's drive-thru with the chiminea.


I leave you today with the most delicious shrimp I've ever had. This recipe is one my favorites and Court and I are glad that we can eat it on the Atkins Diet (I've lost 10 pounds already - yea me!). The recipe comes from Court's grandma but Debbie said she spiced it up a bit so I'm giving her the credit.

Here's whatcha do:

2 pounds of frozen shrimp, thawed and peeled
2 bottles of beer (we used the low-carb kind in keeping with our diet)
1 cup of vinegar
1 cup of water
Old Bay Seafood Seasoning
Whole mustard seed
Your favorite hot sauce

Pour beer, water and vinegar into a pot. Add as much Old Bay Seasoning and mustard seed as your little heart desires (I use a LOT). Boil. Add shrimp. Cook shrimp and add a few drops of hot sauce. Once shrimp is cooked, transfer it to the pretty dish of your choice (be sure to include some of that good juice!).

Court and I will usually eat a salad on the side or cook up some asparagus to go along with the shrimp. It's absolutely delicious! Maybe Debbie will make some when we come visit in September (hint, hint!).