Today is our first day back at school.  After home schooling 4 kids at once 2 should be a walk in the park.  It is still a challenge, when you are doing two grades, I have a 5th grader and a Freshman this year.  As I do every first day of school, I will be making our favorite dessert, Oreo Surprise, find the recipe below.  My sons had fun at the Sidewalk Chalk drawing contest, no winners this time, but they had fun.  Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!!

Linking-up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Looks like a great week.  Today is much cooler, and we have nice strong breeze coming in through the windows.

CURRENTLY READING/HAVE READ:
I am just finishing the 3rd book in the Aegis Security Series by Elisabeth Naughton.  These are really good Romantic Suspense books, based around the Security Company run by Jake Ryder.  The male characters are all former military guys, black ops, and other special secret military groups, and one book has a former female CIA agent.  The missions are action packed, and the romance…ahem…equally action packed. 😉 (not a PG-13 read) The three books are:

Extreme Measures
Lethal Consequences
Fatal Pursuit

NEW RECIPE I TRIED OR WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:
I will be trying Carrie’s recipe for BBQ Bacon Cheesy Chicken which looks delicious!!   Here is the our favorite dessert, and the one I make every first day of school.

Oreo Surprise

Most people probably know this as “Dirt” but we have added a little twist to it, and make it Oreo Surprise, (sounds a little more appetizing too) 🙂

1 pkg Double Stuff Oreo Cookies
1 pkg Regular Oreo Cookies
12 oz. tub of Cool Whip
5.1 oz. Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 cups milk
Maraschino Cherries
Bananas
Pecans

Put Oreos in the freezer for about 45 minutes before you crush them, makes it a little easier.  Use a blender or a food processor to crush them until they are fine crumbs (that resemble dirt).  I usually use one whole package of Double Stuff and about 1 ½ rows of regular Oreos.

Mix Cool Whip, Vanilla Pudding and Milk with electric mixer

In an 9 x 13 cake pan, start off with a thin layer of the Cool Whip mixture, then layer the Oreo cookies on top.  Next layer a thicker layer of Cool Whip mixture and Oreos two more times, and finish with a layer of Oreos.

Put in fridge uncovered, it is ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

When serving add maraschino cherries, sliced bananas and pecans, or any combination of the three.  Store uncovered in the fridge if you have any left.  This usually serves about 10 – 12.

When we have described this to people with the cherries, bananas and pecans, most people are a little skeptical about the combination.  But when they try it, they are like, you know you’re right this is really good.  I personally don’t eat it with the pecans, but the people that do say the pecans just add a little something to it.

FAVORITE VIDEO/BLOG POST:
With getting ready for school, I haven’t read many posts, or watched any videos lately.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA:
This is the view we see if we walk about 350 yards from our backyard to the beach. (That’s the Chicago Skyline).

© 2015 Liv’s Photography

 
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES (PRAYERS OR DEVOTIONALS):