Our Summer Deck Project

So we decided in a week to tear up our deck and re-do it with Trex because there were holes in it and that would be dangerous for Adler. Not to mention all the company over the last 2 years that may or may not of almost fallen through. Clearly a great idea when we were in the middle of our basement finishing project. Although it took us about 3 weeks to tear it up and finish the actual deck, it took a while longer for the railing to be ordered and then installed.

Thomas is a beast and did about 90% of it with some help from myself and our friend Mike. My jobs included moving the lumber and then removing the nails. And eventually to hold the Trex in place as he screwed it in.

But now it is complete! Yay for major project #1 being complete before Adler!!!

Here is our photo journey.

We ended up with a new deck, beautiful railing and a new 2 tiered garden bed! Yay!

Nothing better then projects being checked off slowly but surely.

Next up... the garage. And no we didn't build the garage. Between the basement and this deck, we were smart and hired someone else to do it.

Staycation Tacoma Restaurants

Welcome back after quite some time of not blogging here because I have been over at 

The Invention of Tiny Toes tracking our pregnancy.

Here is the outcome of our week home trying Tacoma restaurants while we worked to finish the basement before Adler joins us. 

 

Day 1:

Delicious food. Tied for 1 of the best 2 meals we ate this week.

We split the Seoul Burger and the Bulgogiger. Yum!

South 19th St area

Day 2:

Tried a different Thai food place. Huge portions, but not the best food by any means.

Hilltop area

Day 3:

We have eaten here before, but we wanted to try the 4 course early bird special for $21.95.

It was definitely tons of food, but generally just normal. Nothing extraordinary.

Ruston Way waterfront

Day 4:

Definitely tied for first place with best food. The savory crepes were amazing and the desert crepe was just the right amount of sweet. We had the pulled pork crepe and the chicken sausage sweet potato crepe.

Downtown Tacoma

Day 5:

We met some friends down in Olympia, who now live in Maryland. Food was good, but the company was great! So good to catch up with Thomas' old army buddies!

Irish Pub in Olympia

Day 6:

We had worked all day and just wanted to grab something to go. It was ok. Not my favorite and definitely a bar! But it did have a beautiful water view if we had stayed and eaten outside.

Rock the Dock Pub on Dock St waterfront in Tacoma

Day 7:

We chose this on our way to camping. So I wont recommend it necessarily because it is a ways away from Tacoma. But we did walk away with our stomachs full.

A 50's diner in Tenino

Day 8:

Our last night we just wanted something familiar. So our favorite pizza shop won out.

Sammy's Pizza on I St in Tacoma 

And thus ended our tour of mostly new Tacoma food.  Burger Seoul and Savor tied for first hands down.

Honey Lemon Chicken

 

This my friends, was so good. I intentionally went into my Food: Salty Style! board in pinterest in search of something I could make that night. I loved this meal, because I often cook my meals with meat, veggies, and a starch. So this was a fun recipe to change up the meat, but it let me still make a side of couscous and then I simply steamed the green beans and broccoli and added some seasoning. This recipe is adapted from Gimme Some Oven's Skinny Honey Lemon Chicken recipe.

Honey Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons liquid aminos
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Honey Lemon Sauce (see below)
• Toasted sesame seeds

Honey Lemon Sauce Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• pinch of ground ginger
• Squirt of sriracha

Directions:

Marinate the chicken, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar in the refrigerate for 10 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Whisk the honey lemon sauce ingredients together until combined.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken without the extra marinade and saute for 5-7 minutes or until it is cooked through.

Transfer the chicken to a separate (clean) plate with a slotted spoon.

Pour the honey lemon sauce into the empty saute pan.  Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce reaches a low boil and thickens.  Add in some sriracha if you would like for extra heat, to taste.

Add the chicken back into the pan and toss until it is evenly coated with the sauce.  Remove from heat and serve the chicken immediately, topped with sesame seeds.

This really was a great meal! 

Excited to have something simple to throw together that has a similar flavor to orange chicken with out coating and frying the chicken pieces.