Menu Monday - Paelo Inspired

So I need to lose this baby weight. period. My body seems so forign to me now!? I know, I know, I just had a baby. But she is 2 months now and I feel like, if anything, I need to get started, just do SOMETHING to try and get back to normal! So I'm going to try a Paelo- INSPIRED diet! I say 'inspired' because there is no way we could give up dairy and a few carbs in this house! I should say we will just be taking a cleaner approach to eating! With a few paelo meals thrown in for good measure. ;)

(ps. This week will not be a great example of our new diet, we will have lots going on with so much family in town!)

 

Monday: Memorial day-- Grilled Chicken and oven baked sweet potato fries

Tuesday: Dinner with family-- ?? No idea what we're having.

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken salad (my new favorite meal for summer)

Thursday: Doterra party... It will be a 'eat whatever you can find' night

Friday: Date Night

Saturday: Lemon chicken and linguine with steamed broccoli

Sunday: Roast Beef, roasted vegetables and fresh fruit salad

 

What are your favorite healthy meals? I need some ideas for next week!

Foto Friday

Friday is here yet again! I'm begining to LOVE Foto Friday! It makes me happy sharing a tidbit of my personal life with all of you! Are you still enjoying it!? Or am I boring you?? ;)

Today may be a bit of a photo overload! :) We had family pictures done last weekend and I finally got them edited! I trade taking photos with another good photography friend, and then we just each edit our own! She did amazing for how cranky both my kids were~!

 

 

And here's a few of my sweet baby girl's 2 month shoot! It was SO last minute! In our backyard! haha! But she's so darn cute, they turned out gorgeous anyways!

Her bright blue eyes get me everytime!

 

How often do you get family pictures!? Are you a stickler for 2-3 times a year, like me? Or do you let your family recover for a few years before torturing them again!?

 

Tot's & Gravy

Since, I started this blog, I've noticed I to a lot of " ______ & gravy" recipes! Like my buckeye biscuits and gravy and Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits and gravy. Well, I do have a reason! I can't stand soggy/doughy food. I am not a fan of regular chicken pot pie, because the topping always seems doughy, chicken and dumplings make me gag... and don't even get me started on under-cooked pizza! So when it came to Tater Tot Casserole, (which I love) I knew there had to be a way to keep those tot's crisp all around! And... Whalla! Here's your answer! the tot's stay crisp and crunchy, while you are free to add as much or as little 'gravy' as you like! It's really the perfect scenario!

 

1 lb ground beef- seasoned to your liking and cooked

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 can short cut green beans

1 T worsh. sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup (give or take) milk

1 bag tater tots

 

Preheat your oven, and begin to cook your tater tots.

In a large sauce pan, add you mushroom soup, worsh. sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add in your cooked ground beef and green beans. Slowly add milk until your reach the consistency you like. I used about 3/4 cup. Heat through and pour over hot tots. Top with cheese (optional)

Menu Monday

Monday: Simple Stuffed Shells, green salad and garlic bread

Tuesday: Chicken Taco Salad

Wednesday: Tilapia, steamed broccoli and wild rice

Thursday: 10 Minute Navajo Tacos

Friday:

Saturday: Taco Chili and cornbread

Sunday: 10 Minute Enchiladas and spanish rice

 

What are YOU having this week!? Have you tried any of these recipes? Did you like them?

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

This is a bread machine recipe, but I'm sure you could adapt it and do it by hand... but I'm not the one to ask about that haha!

We LOOVE pizza at our house! In fact, pizza crust is one of the few foods that my picky little guy will eat! I tired this crust recipe and I loved it! I made a BBQ Chicken Pizza with it, and it really went well with the taste of the wheat crust! I will definetly make this again!

 

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
1 1/4 cups of warm water
2 T. + 1 t. olive oil
1 1/2 cups of Whole wheat flour

2 cups AP flour
1 T. of sugar
1/2 T. of salt
2 1/4 t. of yeast (or one packet)
1 T. Garlic bread seasoning (mix of garlic powder, onion flake, parsley and lots of other seasonings)

Put the wet ingredients in the bread maker
Put the dry ingredients into the bread maker EXCEPT for the yeast and garlic seasoning.
Make a small valley in the center of the dry ingredients and fill with the yeast making sure it does not touch the wet ingredients
Set the bread maker to the dough setting. Let the machine run until it has formed a ball. Add the garlic seasoning and let it run until the seasoning is incorporated and the dough ball is smooth. Stop the bread maker, and place the dough ball into an oiled bowl. cover with plastic wrap and let rise for a little while, until it has about doubled in size. sprinkle the ball with a little flour, pull it out and place on a floured board. Roll into whatever form you want (pizza, bread sticks, calzones) and let the dough rest and rise again for a few minutes before using. Bake at 425 until done (It just depends on what your cooking, anywhere form 15-25 min)

What are your favorite pizza toppings!? I'm always looking for new ideas!

Foto Friday

 These pictures were from Mothers Day! I had a fabulous day! It was actually also my birthday! AND my brother, who is on an LDS mission in the Dominican Republic, got to call home! So it was a great day!

I love my kids more than I could ever express in words! They are my whole world and I absolutely adore being their mother! Sure, days are hard, and I get frusturated (a lot), but I love those sweet (messy) faces

this is my Mom with the kids! I cant even tell you how much I love my mom! She is so amazing! She is my best friend and a fantastic grandma! My kids just adore her and so do I!

My sweet husband took me to vegas for my birthday and let me shop to my hearts content! :) Love that man!

Did you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!?

Crypton Throver {Product Review}

 I think it's safe to say that summer has officially decended upon Southern Utah! In fact, I saw 101 on my cars thermometer the other day! Whew! And summer, for us, means playdates, park trips and picnics! I am always looking for a durable, cute blanket to toss in the car, and this one is wonderful for just that!

Crypton's site describes their product like this...

"The Crypton Throver. Our versatile, reversible, machine-washable, go-anywhere throw blanket protects and prettifies wherever you put it. Turn the patterned side over to reveal a solid suede side. From the sofa to the automobile to the speedboat, it's a beach blanket, a yoga mat and even an impromptu baby-changing station!"

And it truly is all that! We've spilled all over this thing and a quick mashine wash is all it needs! I also left it out one night and it got a visit from the sprinkler fairy! All my other blankets were soaked and took forever to dry, this one actually repelled the water! I was amazed! In fact, I made my husband come out and see! Haha! He was impressed too! 

These really are amazing, along with all of Crypton's other products! It will definetly be a staple for our summer outings!

Find the Crypton Throvers HERE!

HAPPY SUMMER!!

{Updated} Free Printable Menu!

Awhile back, I made up a printable menu for my family! Well, times have changed, and so have I! So a new menu was made! this time though, I laminated it, and so I can use a dry erase maker and just reuse it every week! You'll also notice I added a line for lunch! I use my menu to plan my grocery list, and when I was just planning dinners, I never had anything to eat for lunch... so wah-lah! Problem solved!

 

CLICK HER FOR DOWNLOAD

please excuse my thick marker! I promise I plan on buying a skinny dry erase marker!

How do you remember your menu for the week!?

Menu Monday

Thanks for all your comments on my birthday post and the Foto Friday post! I'll definetly keep those up!

It's a pretty routine week for us! Other than a few play dates and family pictures this weekend, we will mostly be home! So the menu this week is a must!

Monday: Grilled Pork chops, roasted brussel sprouts and fresh bread

Tuesday: Sweet corn and chicken enchiladas with spanish rice

Wednesday: Salmon and pasta salad

Thursday: 10 minute Navajo Tacos

Friday: Beef and Bean Tostadas

Saturday: Date Night/ Family Pictures

Sunday: Mexican Stuffed Shells

 

Lunch Ideas:

Leftover Pizza (from my bday)

Taco Salad

Oven Nachos

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

potstickers

Happy #24!

Guess what? It's 'ma birthday :)

And to celebrate, I thought I'd share 24 things you may not know about me!

(you know... all in my pursuit to make the blog more personal!)

#1. I have never ever wanted a career. Gasp. I know. In high school my answer to the 'What do you want to be?' was always, a Mom. No hesitation. For like 3 seconds in 11th grade I thought I wanted to be a CPA. You know do people's taxes. Then I took the class and realized I sucked at that. I did actually go to school to be a nail tech before I got married. Just to have a fall back, just in case! But Luckily, my sweet husband has a wonderful job than

more than provides for us, allowing me to stay home with my sweet babies!

#2. I am CHEAP. And I mean C-H-E-A-P! I hate spending money, and rarely ever buy things for full price. TJMaxx and Ross are by far my favorite places to shop. And most of my decor comes from yard sales and clearance racks! My sister in law makes fun of me sometimes, but my philosophy is, why buy 1 shirt for $50 when I can go somewhere else and buy 5 for that price!? But don't get me wrong... I shop ALOT. (more on that later)

#3. Date night is SO important to me! We honestly hardly ever miss a week. I'm so grateful that my husband is willing to take me out so often! And that both of our moms are so close and love to watch our kids! Most weeks it's just doing to dinner and target, but just that time together is so beneficial to our marriage! And my sanity! My husband is always telling me that I deserve a break, and that he'll take me out anytime!

#4. I'm not a good housekeeper. 75% of the time, at least 1 room in my house is a disaster. My hubby is a way better cleaner than I am.

#5. I love room temperature water.

#6. The smell of toothpaste and gum makes me gag. Don't chew gum around me. Just don't.

#7. I hate my handwriting and I'm always trying to change it!

#8. Lemon is my favorite scent of all time!

#9. I love to shop. For clothes, for decor, for kids clothes, for office supplies. Pretty much everything except food! (which I used to love, until I had to start doing it every week) I go to town at least 2-3 times a week to shop. My usual stops are Joannes, Target, Ross, Kid to Kid and Old Navy.

#10. I've really never been happy with my body. Especially after I've had kids. I've just never been skinny. But I'm going to try really hard after this baby to get fit.

#11. I do not enjoy singing. In the car, in the shower, in church... or anywhere. But I will bust a move if no one is watching!

#12. I'm a little too addicted to my iPhone. I don't think I could ever switch back.

#13. I would rather have chips than a candy bar. Doritos to be exact, or Ruffles with ranch.

#14. My husband can get me to try/like almost anything. I hated chinese food, ribs, potstickers, buffalo sauce, and a few other things before we met... now, they are all my favorite! the only thing I still can't stand is Mountain Dew. Gag.

#15. I pretty much live in flip flops. Even in snow, which ,thankfully, we don't get much of in So. Utah!

#16. My favorite weather is summer rain.

 

#17. My husband and I dated for  3 1/2 years before we got married. That's pretty much unheard out in Utah! we met in 2005.

#18. My favorite chore is dusting... least fav... bathrooms.

 

#19. I love anything vintage.

 

#20. All bugs disgust me close up. Ladybugs, butterflies, potato bugs... up close they are all nasty!

 

#21. Smells and music are my biggest memory triggers. I make my husband wear the same cologne he did when we started dating because it reminds me of when we met.

 

#22. I hate paying for hotels. I would much rather stay with family/friends. Because I'm cheap.

 

#23. I talk. A LOT.

#24. I am a control freak. But it didn't start until I had kids. Now, I always need to know the 'plan' for the day, or the week. And I have list after list after list all over my house! In notebooks, on my phone, on the whiteboard, on the mirror everywhere!

 

So hopefully that let you get to know me a little better! Do any of you relate with anything I shared?!

{NEW} Foto Friday!

For awhile now, I've wanted to make this blog a little more personal. I love hearing from all of you, and that happens most when I post about my family... and really, what's more important than my family!?

  So I decided to start...

Haha, clever, I know! ;)

So hopefully this will give you a little more insight into my daily life!

 

 Our sweet baby girl was given a blessing in our ward on Sunday! And I have to brag a little about her dress! It is totally handmade by my sweet Mother in Law! With the lace from my Mom's wedding dress! Can you get anymore sentimental? She also wore my baby shoes, and I made her bracelet and headband! 

This chunky monkey is 7 weeks!

 New dining table!

 Me and my sweet little man

He loves his baby sister! (she wasnt crying until I pulled out the camera... go figure!)

 

So tell me... is this something to continue?



Menu Monday

YAY! I'm at it again! I really do love having my family's menu planned for the week! It helps with my grocery list, our health, my weight loss... and my SANITY!! :)

 So I'm going to hop back on the horse and get with it again!

This week...

Monday: Leftover night with cousins.

Tuesday: Steak and Asparagus Rotini

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Thursday: Parmesan Baked Chicken with Pasta and creamy pesto

Friday: Beef and Broccoli with rice

Saturday: Date night-- Out to dinner for my birthday!

Sunday: Happy Mothers Day! AND Happy Birthday to ME! :) Were buying Papa Murphy's Pizza so none of the moms have to cook!

 

What are YOU having this week?

 What are some of your favorite dishes to help drop my unwanted baby poundage!?

Black Bean Confetti Tacos

Thank you for all the sweet comments! We are loving life with our chunky baby girl!

And speaking of... ahem... chunky... :)

I am still trying to drop this stubborn 10 lbs of 'chunk' to get down to my pre-baby weight!

So heres a very filling, healthy recipe from me to you!

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can sweet corn

2-3 TBS salsa

1 TBS taco seasoning

1 TBS chopped cilantro (optional)

8 fajita size flour tortillas

garnishes: cheese, lettuce, salsa, avacado, sour cream, etc.

 

In a saucepan combine blackbeans, corn, salsa, cilantro and taco seasoning, simmer until heated through. Warm tortillas and prepare contiments. Assemble tacos and enjoy!!