Treepee or teepee?

Check this out! It is a floating playhouse for the munchkins in your life. Then again I want one for me! This relaxing little oasis comes in green, khaki, and pink. They also have a UV protection factor of 50+! They can be hung higher in a tree as well. What a great alternative to a full fledged tree house! So cool!

Hummus among us.

As the season of parties is quickly approaching I thought it fitting to post an easy dip to make that is supper quick.

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 Tbsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp fresh

3/4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Saute the garlic in a Tbsp of olive oil until it is just a little browned. Place the beans, garlic, rosemary, lemon, and cheese into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times. Now turn on the food processor and drizzle in olive oil until it is smooth and creamy but certainly not soupy. It should be easy to hold on a chip or carrot. Should be very thick. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Refrigerate until serving. I like it with pita chips, tortilla chips, carrots, or red peppers. Easy. Easy.

image via exclusivelyfood

Stylish Tykes

I promised fashion for the entire family, didn't I? Well here is a boy and girl outfit for the end of summer. I really enjoy Gap, Old Navy, and Crewcuts (all of the sales are great!). I think children's clothing should be affordable but also stand up to be hand-me-downs. Shop clearance sales and sign up for emails from your favorite stores, online stores send out coupons almost weekly.

Girls Summer by urbandwellermom featuring GAP

To be clear, it is a lunch box, not a man bag.

Man Bag by urbandwellermom featuring GAP

Outfit of the day

Here is another summer outfit option. This one would be great from day to night. Chic mommies rule!

Summer day to Evening by urbandwellermom featuring Forever21

End of Summer Outfit

Let the fashion begin! Ladies, do you remember before kids? Your hair? Your clothing? I want to go back to that. I never want my girls to think I looked frumpy or disheveled. I will be a chic mommy! We all deserve to be chic mommies so get rid of those ill fitting capris and toss the cheap Old Navy flip flops! They are not making you look good. You have seen those women while you are out, it's not pretty. I found myself in a fashion slump after pregnancy, I don't want it to happen again!

Summer Day by urbandwellermom featuring Chanel

Grapes

Yep, we are starting here. I can hear you saying, "C'mon, this is hardly an unknown fruit to me or my family." Stay with me here, folks! I promise it will pay off!

While the summer draws to a close why not have one last picnic? Find a park, a zoo, or even the back yard to have your picnic. My preferred picnic basket is not a basket at all. In the above picture you see a layered melamine dream from Pearl River. All three layers come apart and could be refrigerated or left room temperature with their contents. This model is listed at $31.50 but there are many different varieties including insulated ones and stainless steel. I must say the stainless smaller ones would be great for the "Hubs" lunch. At only $15.50 I think it's a bargain!

Now to the grapes!

Chicken Salad With Grapes and Almonds

-I realize it may be unorthodox but try it once, if you hate, at least you tried it! The almonds provide monounsaturated fats (the good fat) and the grapes will provide a serving of fruit for the day.

Serves 4 hungry people

Ingredients:

2 cans of pre-cooked chicken, drained (found near tuna, I use the canned stuff as a huge time saver and pantry staple!)

2-2 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half or quartered if they're huge

1/2 cups sliced or slivered almonds

1 1/2- 2 cups Fat-Free Mayo or Miracle Whip (I don't like all the fat, but it's your call)

3/4 TBS fresh tarragon, finely minced (it's still summer, use fresh)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

sea salt (there will be a post on this later)

Fresh Ground black pepper (again, a post will come later as to why this is so vital)

Whisk together your mayo and all the herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a medium to large mixing bowl with grapes and almonds. Pour mayo mixture over chicken mixture and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate overnight for the best flavor. Keep cold until serving.

I would take some store bought croissants, the remaining grapes and maybe some baby carrots to complete this picnic.

image via Pearl River