Hello! Are you watching the Golden Globes, too? I watched for a bit but then I stopped to put the Littles to bed and now I'm blogging. I'm not sad to be missing them, though. Let's hop to it, shall we?
1. I did it! Two weeks in a row! I paid the girls their allowance. Yeah, me:)
I decided it's not that hard, actually. I just get cash back at the grocery store on Saturday and that way the girls each get paid. I'm really hoping this is a trend that sticks. And I think it will.
2. I never showed you the results of the play kitchen I started way back before I went to Paris. It's so cute!
Seriously, didn't she turn out so well? And for so CHEAP! I will dedicate a Thrifty Thursday to how I put her together in case you are ever so inclined. Hint: It has a diner station on the back and the girls have actually gotten a ton of use out of it whilst playing Restaurant. Love that.
3. The hubby gave me a book for Christmas. (Want, Need, Wear, READ) Anyway, at first I hated it. I loathed the main character. But it got better and the end made up for her at the beginning. If you're looking for an easy, speedy read then this is it. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. Also, if the New York fashion scene is interesting to you (think: The Devil Wears Prada), I think you'll get a kick out of this one.
4. I finished my 2015 December Daily. I also put the finishing touches on my 2013 book! And my 2014 book is about halfway finished. Ideally I would finish it in December, but the month is such a whirlwind and I would rather enjoy movie nights with my family than work on my album. So it's all good. But I just feel so darn accomplished so I had to share!
5. One of our very first summer nannies got married last night. Out of all our nannies, Ashley worked for us the longest and we simply adore her. The girls were thrilled to be able to watch her as she married the cutest, sweetest man. Here they are with Ashley:
It was a lovely wedding and reception and it was so special to be a part of it!
6. So, Whole 30 has been going really well. (We did slip and each of us had one drink last night. A beer for the hubby and a glass of wine for me. But considering we were at a wedding reception, that took MAJOR willpower!) Anyway, the best part of eating this way? I've found a couple new "keeper" recipes.
First off, the cauliflower crust I made was great! (I know some of you "wink wink" are waiting for this review.)
Of course PInterest came through for the win with this recipe. I only used the crust and skipped the zucchini part she talks about in her blog post. But truly, the crust was a win. We topped it with pesto (so good!) and my side had spinach, black olives, and extra pine nuts. The crust does not have a ton of flavor so the pesto was a must. But I am already planning on making this pizza crust again for sure. Holler with questions but it's really pretty darn easy.
Our menu this week:
Sunday: Beef Stew + roasted broccoli + french bread (for the kiddos only):
This was seriously so good! I only wished I had been able to sop up the stew with bread (like the girls did). But I WILL DEFINITELY make this again. Hint: If you are like me and do not like chunks (so gross), you could do what I did and use an immersion blender right before you throw the meat back in the pot. (I didn't use carrots because none of us will eat cooked carrots.) We had the delicious onion flavor without the disgusting chunks. WIN.
Monday: Spaghetti with spaghetti squash for us and noodles for the kids + caeasar salad + leftover french bread for the kids.
OK, side note. I made this caesar dressing from scratch and it seriously tasted like it came from a restaurant - meaning delicious. And SO EASY! You should totally try it.
Tuesday: Taco salads (shells for the kids) + fruit. )We made our own salsa this weekend using this recipe (go for two jalapenos - trust me - and leave in a few seeds if you like a little heat) but omitting the sugar. So good and so, so easy.)
Wednesday: Salmon cakes + roasted green beans + fruit
Another side note. I plan on doubling the recipe but only putting in one can of sweet potatoes. I am thinking I'll like the flavor of the salmon cakes even more this way. I'll let you know!
Thursday: 5 Spice Slow Cooker Ribs + roasted broccoli + healthy mashed potatoes (they have some cauliflower thrown in there)
Last side note: I made mashed potatoes last week using coconut milk and Lawry's seasoned salt. Verdict? Make them. Make them now. And use Yukon Gold potatoes but don't peel them. Just cut 'em into chunks and throw them in a pot. Seriously so good and easy.
Friday: Pizza night (every Friday). Sadly, no beer for a few more weeks but I think we'll survive.
7. BONUS! This is SEVEN. I'm not even ending in SIX.
Every year - around this time - I make up a list of things I'd like to accomplish around the house. Well, today I went through the house snapping pictures to give you photographic proof that some of those projects were, indeed, accomplished. I will have an update on 2015 posted Tuesday night. I have also created a list of goals around the house for 2016 as well. I'll post those Thursday night.
And here is a sneak peek of the bathroom reno we went through for oh, nearly a year!
Phew! That felt long. I hope you enjoyed reading. Have a great week!
