Suzanne McGrath Photography

Six on Sunday...Back from Spring Break

I'm back!  We had a (mostly) great time on spring break!  If you want a little Breckenridge Travel Guide, I've included it at the end.

1.  When we left for Colorado it had been a gorgeous, warm week.  I really thought we'd come back to full-blown spring.  But nope!  It feels like winter right now which is a major bummer.  Now that we are done skiing, I am ready for spring weather!  (And warm soccer games - not freezing cold games.)  

2.  We received the door knobs for our bathroom while we were gone.  I'm hoping to take photos this week so I can post a proper reveal very soon.  After all, it's been nearly complete for MONTHS!

3.  I think our cat missed us.  We had our neighbor check on her and my friend stayed here a few nights so it's not like she was ignored.  However, she's been very clingy since we got home.  It's rather adorable!  She was following me around yesterday and when I opened the cabinet to put away towels in the bathroom she hopped right in!

 

4.  I went for a 10 mile run today.  Even though I have been doing pretty well with my training I still don't feel good when running long distances.  Ugh!  I am hoping it's because I wasn't properly hydrated today and didn't have any energy chews with me.  I guess I'll find out in two weeks at the half marathon.

5.  Most of you probably saw my post on Facebook where I told you #1 broke her wrist.  Well, here's the story...

She is a really good, beautiful skier.  However, she and #2 wanted to try snowboarding this year.  So, they both went to ride school our first full day on the mountain.  #1 loved it more than #2 and signed up for a second day of ride school.  (#2 switched back to skis.)  Anyway, the second day on the mountain I was back at the condo with #4 (we finished early) and the hubby was somewhere on the mountain with the Middles when I got the call.  Ski patrol wanted me to meet them down at the medical area at the base of Peak 9.  That is never a good thing!

So #4 and I took the shuttle to meet #1 and she did not look good.  At all.  Her wrist was totally deformed and we both knew it was broken.  Major bummer.  Not only did that mean no more ski or snowboarding, but she just started high school swim two weeks ago!  Ugh.'

Anyway, of course the X-ray confirmed a distal fracture of her radius and ulna.  Not only that, it had to be reduced.  (You know, where they put the bone back together?!)  She was given a narcotic and a shot in her wrist to number it before the doctor put it back together.  I didn't watch!  The second X-ray confirmed it was back in place and they splinted her up.  She will get her cast tomorrow.  Luckily, it never really hurt after that night.  She she was a complete trooper.  She hasn't complained once.  The day we went skiing she went to the spa for a facial.  It was the least we could do for her.  

She says she's going to try snowboarding again next year.  We will DEFINITELY be purchasing glove made for snowboarding!  While it is really crappy that this happened, we are just grateful it wasn't a knee or a shoulder.  If she had to break something, the wrist was probably the best thing to break.  

6.  Our menu for the week:

Sunday:  Beef stew (probably the last time it will be cold enough!) + cauliflower rice + asparagus

Monday:  Creamy Italian Chicken + Berry Salad

Tuesday:  Italian Pork Roast + Green Beans + Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday:  Cashew Chicken with Broccoli + Spring Rolls

Thursday:  Hot Dogs and Hamburgers + Roasted Veggies

Friday:  Tortilla Chicken + Mexican Rice + Fruit

 

7.  Breckenridge Travel Review - Spring Break Style!  

I usually do these as more of a "what did we do on spring break" type of post.  But I thought this time I would do it as more of a travel review.  If you're interested in previous trips, you're in luck.  I have a lot of previous Breckenridge, CO posts!  Click on any of the following: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2010.

I think I've mentioned it before, but my kids are big on Tradition.  They like to repeat things and places we've visited in the past.  Of course this trip is no different and we have a ton of Favorites.  So here goes... 

Places to eat:

Colby, KS aka Oasis of the Plains - This is a great place to stop because there is an outside play place for the kids, it's right in the middle of KC and Breckenridge, and it has a Starbucks!

 

Beau Jo's in Idaho Springs - My friend, Vicki, introduced me to Beau Jo's back in 1993.  It never disappoints!  We always hit this place on the way into Breckenridge since it's only about 45 minutes away.  They have the best pizza and honey for dipping the crust.  The salad bar is always a hit and the ambiance is unmatched.  If you like pizza, you have to try it!

 

Empire Burger - This is the second year we've eaten here and it has been fantastic both times.  I had the guacamole bacon burger and it was scrumptious.  I'd say skip the fries and go for the onion rings.  Seriously, some of the best I've ever eaten!  Their chips were a close second.

Salt Creek Steakhouse - We've been eating at Salt Creek since 2010.  Their brunch is unbeatable.  This year the hubby and I tried a Bloody Mary.  Believe me, I know my Bloody Marys and this was AWESOME!  I've also heard their lunch and dinner is just as good, though we've never tried either one.

   

 

The Lodgepole Bar and Grill - This was the bar and grill at our condo this year.  The food was fine; solid bar and grill food.  But the non-alcoholic drinks for the girls were fantastic!  They had Shirley Temples, Lemonade, Virgin Strawberry Daiquiris, and Virgin Pina Coladas.  I'd recommend them just for the kid drinks!  

 

Clint's Bakery and Coffee House - We've visited a few times the past couple years.  We just get coffee, hot chocolate, and ice cream.  But they also serve lunch.  It's really small but a great stop if you have a sweet tooth!  (I think I posted this photo on Facebook.)

 

Kava Cafe - So this is the tiniest place ever but it's adorable.  They make mini donuts and they are delicious and so hot!  You literally get them right out of the fryer.  They also make breakfast sandwiches and serve coffee and other hot drinks.  It's not cheap for what you get, but it's a fun stop.

Downstairs at Eric's - We actually haven't eaten here in several years - not because the food is bad but because it is always REALLY crowded.  But it's a fun spot to hit if you are looking for pizza.  The hubby took the little girls to Eric's this year just to play in the arcade which was super fun.

 

Ski Rental:

A Racer's Edge - We've been coming here for years.  It's not as convenient as renting on the mountain but the pricing and service more than makes up for it!  They are so nice.  We usually rent skis the first day and don't return them until our last day in town.  But they only charge us for the number of days we ski.  This year we picked up our gear on Saturday and returned everything on Thursday.  They still only charged us for 3 days and I think that was only $138.  A really solid deal.  (The hubby and I have our own gear so that is rental for four kids.)

 

Shopping:

Fuzziwig's - This was the first year we ventured inside and it was great!  It's an adorable candy shop which we visited three different times.

 

Fun vs. Awesome - This was a fun little boutique.  They had a lot of Roxy clothes which my kids loved!  And #2 found the most adorable hat.  I'd definitely go there again.

Joy of Sox - We hit this little store every year.  They have more socks than you have ever seen in one location!  Plus, they have other cute little odds and ends.  It's a must-see.

 

Skiing:

We just love Summit County!  You can ski at a ton of different places - all within 30 minutes of Breckenridge:  Vail, Copper Mountain, Keystone (the hubby refuses to ski at Keystone because he doesn't like it - whatever), A-Basin, and Beaver Creek.  We usually stick to Brecky because it's a chore taking all 6 of us and our gear to another mountain but once the Littles get bigger I think we'll able to do it much easier.

 

It started snowing on Monday night and really snowed off and on the rest of the trip.  I think Breckenridge had more than 36" of fresh snow while we were there.  The last day we skied was fantastic!

 

Here's a few random pictures I took:

This was the view from the master bedroom.  I could totally wake up to that view every day!

 

We hit the pool and hot tub every single day!

 

The Littles were dying to play in the snow.  Of course we made it happen!

 

Phew!  There you have it.  Six on Sunday and a bonus Breckenridge Travel Review.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Have a great week!

 

 

 

 

 

Six on Sunday

Hello!  I hope you had a good weekend and had a chance to enjoy the weather like we did.  

Let's get going...

1.  I had a super fun Girls' Night last Wednesday.  Four of my friends and I went to see Vance Joy and Elle King at the Midland Theater.  Neither of them disappointed!  Here's a grainy picture, but you get the idea:

Elle King opened for Vance and she was amazing.  Her voice is reminiscent of Patsy Cline, maybe?  I'm not sure I can place it.  It has a bit of raspy-ness that I adore.  Plus, she chatted with us, the audience, in between songs and I love it when singers do that.  But let me tell you, that girl can sing!  If you have a chance, I highly recommend you see her in concert.  And Vance Joy did not disappoint, either.  He sounds just as good live as he does over the radio.  His set was a bit quiet but I still love his voice and his songs.  Another one I'd recommend.

Not only was the music fantastic, the company was great, too!  It's always fun to spend time with other working moms who "get it".  We were an eclectic bunch but we still had a blast!  Now we just need to find another concert to attend.

 

2.  The weather was awesome beginning last Thursday with the warm-up.  The little girls couldn't wait to get home from school so they could play outside with their friend, Ellie.  For three days in a row, this was the scene around here...

I have to tell you, I think I enjoyed it just as much as they did!

Friday night the hubby and I had drinks in the driveway while the kids played.  My favorite!

I am now officially ready for spring.

 

3.  #2 had two soccer games this weekend - one Saturday and one this afternoon.  I have to say, it has been sheer joy to watch #2 and her team improve steadily since they have been with their current coach.  Not only that, the girls are awesome and the parents are a joy to be around!  

They play with such heart.  Their foot skills have done a 180 in the last year or so.  And they pass so well now.  Seriously - I love watching them play!  I'm really looking forward to next weekend when they play in a tournament.  They'll have a game Friday night, two Saturday, and one more on Sunday.  I just hope the weather cooperates.

 

4.  I am officially training for the Bentonville, AR half marathon on April 2nd.  This weekend I needed to run 12 miles.  Rather than running on Sunday, I met my friend, Sarah, to run on Saturday.  I mapped out the route from Shawnee Mission North high school since #1 had swim practice there at 7am.  I figured - two birds, one stone, you know?  Drop off #1, run, finish just in time to drive her home.  

Anyway, when mapping out the course I failed to really pay attention to the elevation map.  It looked like this:

Pace is the top graph and elevation is the bottom graph.  I'm not sure I've ever run a course with that many hills.  By that last hill I thought I was going to keel over.  But I managed to run up that last hill and not walk.  I was so happy to be done!  But let me tell you, last night and today I've felt like I had never run a mile before.  I am so sore!  Yikes.

(Forgive me for looking rather haggard - I hadn't showered after my boot camp class that afternoon.  I'm classy like that.)

 

5.  We had family movie night last night after dinner at Chipotle.  (Yes, I'm a risk-taker and that burrito was worth it!)  We rented Jem an the Holograms and I thought it was such a cute movie.  Plus, the message for girls was solid.  I would actually recommend it despite the beating it took on Rotten Tomatoes.  We also had brownies for dessert and I swear that made it the perfect night for me.  Dinner out, family time, dessert.  Does it get any better than that?!

6.  I've been catching up on my scrapbooks.  I have a Project Life scrapbook for every year starting in 2009.  I have everything in albums through last fall.  I actually have all the pictures printed out but ran out of page protectors.  I had to insert some pictures into the 2010 scrapbook and the girls and I had so much fun looking through those pictures.  Looking at old albums made me happy I do these scrapbooks.  Just all the little memories printed out for us.  I love it.  (So do the kids - they actually fought about who got to look at the albums first!)

 

Anyway, that's it!  I'll give you a bonus tonight in case you'd like to see our menu for the week:

Sunday: Spring rolls + Beef and Broccoli

Monday:  Salmon tacos (Nachos for the little girls) + roasted sweet potatoes

Tuesday: Skinny Creamy Italian Chicken + Roasted Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts

Wednesday:  Burrito Bowls + Fruit + Roasted Broccoli

Thursday: Crockpot chicken and wild rice soup + Salad

Friday:  Pizza + Salad + Fruit 

Have a great week!

 

Six on Sunday

Hello!  It was a fairly quiet week here so this I don't expect this to be a very juicy list tonight.  Just warning you!

1.  I spent HOURS in the kitchen the past two days.  Seriously, hours.  But it was all good.  I only wish I had actually photographed some of the food.  Oops!  

Yesterday #4 and I started out by making homemade chocolate cupcakes because she had been begging to make them.  They were delicious! (Yes, I totally had one despite Whole 30 because I spent all that time making them!)  Rather than frosting them with frosting we just made homemade whipped cream for the tops.  I have this whipped cream dispenser that we all love.  It basically comes out like Reddi Whip but I control the ingredients.  (2 tsp syrup with 1 cup heavy whipping cream)  Plus, the whipped cream will stay good for days at a time.  Perfect for hot chocolate weather!

What else did I make?  

• A double batch of pumpkin spelt muffins.  I froze half for later.  
• A batch of cheese sticks frozen for Superbowl Sunday.  (They were good - we tested 3 of them last night.)
• A pan of lazagna which I froze to take with us on spring break.  
• A batch of chicken fingers for whenever the girls don't like what I'm making for dinner.  (I don't fry them - too hard.  I just bake at 400* for about 12 minutes.)  
• I tried a new recipe for breakfast bowls.  I taste tested the potatoes and they were awesome.  Can't wait to assemble and eat tomorrow morning!  
• I also made a soup for lunch this week since I doubt we'll have enough leftovers to get us through.  I still love this gingered zucchini soup - very good especially with random leftover meat thrown in.
• Lunch for the girls for tomorrow.  This one is a hit with all four (only two in the picture):

 

They are pizza roll-ups.  I just spread pizza sauce on a whole wheat tortilla and top with pepperonis and mozzarella.  They are super easy and it's great because I can make all four at once!

Of course I also made dinner last night and tonight so it felt like I spent the weekend in the kitchen.  But I didn't mind because I didn't have a ton of other activities and I can't just sit still.

 

2.  Last night we had steak salad and look who was ready to eat before anyone else in the family!

 

3.  I won't be here next Sunday because I leave on my girls trip this Thursday and won't get home until Sunday night.  We're headed to Nashville this year and I can't wait!  I've never been to Nashville and we haven't all six been together since we went to Ft. Lauderdale two years ago!  Any great suggestions?  

4.  The weather was beautiful this weekend.  The Littles spent a ton of time outside.  They rode their scooters, played in their fort, and jumped on the trampoline for hours.  I loved watching them have so much fun!

 

5.  If you read my 2016 Household Goals, you know I was looking for a rug for our music room.  Well, found one!  And it was only $25.  I think that is pretty much unbeatable.  Here it is:

 

6.  I'm not posting a thorough weekly menu tonight because tomorrow is our LAST DAY OF WHOLE 30!!!!  Yes, we are so very excited.  Tuesday's dinner can't come soon enough.  

So, how did it go?  For the most part we stuck to it.  We snuck in a drink at a wedding a few weeks ago.  And last Thursday night I enjoyed a celebratory glass (or two) of red wine.  The celebration may have bled into Friday night but other than the wine, I stuck with the diet.  (Except for the celebratory Thursday lunch.)  So did the hubby.  We were never hungry and we each canned a few LBs.  But more than ever, it was a good re-set for the beginning of the year.  We both needed to get back into a healthy routine and I think we are there now.  

So, what are we eating for dinner?  Here you go:

Sunday:  Third week in a row for beef stew.  What can I say, I just love it!  

Monday:  Baked salmon cakes + broccoli + fruit

Tuesday:  Pizza and beer and/or wine + sparkling juice for the girls + caesar salads

Wednesday:  Tacos + fruit

Thursday:  Whole chicken in the crock pot + mashed potatoes + roasted green beans

Friday:  Chicken taco soup + fruit + chips, salsa, and guacamole 

I'll be gone for Thursday and Friday's dinner, but you can see we aren't going crazy.  I'll still limit carbs.  I'm going to try to make a beer stretch - so rather than two, just stick with one.  Only time will tell if it works.  I hope so, though.

Well, there you go - my six.  Have a fantastic week!

  

     

Six on Sunday

Hello and happy Sunday!  I hope you had a good week.  Even though it was short with having MLK day off, it still felt long.  Oh well.

1.  This kid cracks me up!

Even with single digit wind chills, this is how she leaves the house for swim every night.  Shorts and a T-shirt!  Sheesh.  I know they have to do dry-land (a land work-out before they get in the pool - think burpees and push-ups) but still - Brrrr!  I would be decked out in layers with a hat and gloves.

2.  Did you see the mess behind #1 in the picture above?  That is because last Monday night, after a fabulous 3-day weekend, our dishwasher decided to conk out on us.  It just quit draining and then we had water all over the floor.  Yeah, good times.  Only not really.

We wiped up all the water almost immediately and our floors still warped.  (I hate our floors so I don't really give a shit.  Truly.)  Anyway, we spent last Monday night deconstructing the dishwasher thanks to YouTube videos.  (I actually did most of it.  I was proud of myself.)  After taking the whole darn thing apart we realized it was all fine.  That meant the pump was the culprit.  I found another YouTube video that showed how to install a pump and I was determined to do it.  (The hubby was determined to call a repairman.)  Anyway, long story short - we ordered the part and the hubby installed it.  And I now have a working dishwasher.  Thank goodness!  Six people produced a ton of dirty dishes.  And I hate sticking my hands in dirty dishwasher.  It grosses me out to no end.  The dishwasher has to be one of the top 10 inventions of all time, don't you think?

3.  We got about an inch of snow Thursday morning.  It was so pretty.  I only wish we would have been dumped on but no such luck.  That didn't stop the Littles and our neighbor girl from enjoying it!

4.  I managed to get a 10 mile run in this morning.  The sidewalks were still covered so we did most of our running in the street.  That's definitely not my favorite way to run 10 miles but sometimes you do what you need to do to get it done.  It was the longest I've run in over two months so this afternoon I felt it.  Yikes!  (I recovered with a nice, hot bath tonight.)

5.  I finished sealing the countertop and shelf in the laundry room this week.  After they were done I decided the room needed to be painted because the walls were so beat up.  And if I was going to paint the room, I figured I should scrape the popcorn ceilings, too.  So yep - that all happened in less than 48 hours.

Friday night I scraped the ceiling.  It is a small room but only took about 20 minutes to scrape the ceilings and another 20 minutes to clean it all up!  Gross.  Yesterday morning I sanded the ceiling and the hubby patched a few spots.  Then it was time for the primer and two coats of ceiling paint.  Last night I did the first coat on the walls and two more today.  Phew!  For such a small room it sure took up my whole weekend.  But oh well.  I'm happy.  Here's a sneak peek:

Yep.  I went pink.  It's really close to Pantone's color of the year and so far I love it.  It may be a bit bright but I really have no desire to repaint it.  I'm thinking I can find some chinoiserie fabric for a simple valance to pull in the pink and red.  I'll take more pics once it's styled out and ready to go.  (But I do still want to tile the wall above that shelf.  It's a small area so it should be fairly inexpensive and easy to do.)

6.  How about another menu because I don't know what else to write about?  Ok!

Sunday: Latin American chicken (Make this NOW. For reals.  Only spray the rack before grilling.) + roasted green beans + fruit

Monday: Italian Pork roast (this is a favorite of mine so I make it a LOT) + mashed potatoes with cauliflower in them + roasted broccoli + fruit

Tuesday: Pad Thai (another favorite) + fruit

Wednesday: Fish tacos (trying a new recipe - we won't use shells) + homemade chicken nuggets for the kids + fruit  (I'll link to the recipe next week if it's any good.  Allrecipes.com is not working right now so I can't find it.)

Thursday:  Spaghetti (with spaghetti squash for us, noodles for the kids) + caesar salad

Friday:  Hamburgers on the grill with fun toppings: guacamole, crispy shallots, mushrooms + roasted sweet potatoes + fruit

Have you ever tried any of these recipes?  Thoughts?

 

That's all I've got tonight.  Have a great week! 

    

 

Six on Sunday

I'm blogging early today but will schedule it for later so I don't mess with your routines.  I'm thoughtful like that:)

Anyway, this has been a fabulous weekend.  We've had NOTHING to do.  Nothing.  I've loved it. AND, I have tomorrow off work.  BONUS!  Before I get carried away with exclamation points and all caps, let's get the show on the road...

1.  Darby has found a new favorite place to sleep:

That's right.  She's sleeping on top of the afghan I haven't finished crocheting because I forgot how to crochet.  Womp-womp.  But she looks so cute and innocent, doesn't she?

 

2.  Part of the reason it's been so quiet here is because #1 is in Plano, TX this weekend on a swim trip.  Her aunt and uncle and grandparents were able to watch her swim yesterday which was pretty special!

Unfortunately, she is now on her way home early.  She actually made finals this evening in one event but a migraine sidelined her.  I feel awful for her!  I began to get migraines in middle school (true migraines - with the aura and the vomiting - the whole 9 yards) and remember them like they were yesterday.  They were so awful!  Back then we didn't have any drugs to help with the side effects.  Now I know there are drugs available so I'm going to schedule her an appointment to talk to the doctor about medication.  Poor kid.

 

3.  My mom gave me this book for Christmas:

I love it so far!  RBG is such an interesting person to read about and she was really up and coming back in the 70s while I was just a kid.  The history is fascinating; especially how her work has impacted my life as a mother and a woman.  I would recommend this book to anyone.  In fact, I may see if I can get #1 to read it.  It's definitely not a fast, beach read.  But it's worth your time.  Holler if you want to borrow my copy but this is one I'll want back!

 

4.  I've spent the extra time this weekend knocking out projects on my 2016 Household Project List.  (So that list was supposed to post last Thursday but somehow Typepad not only did not post it, half my writing was lost.  I fixed it and it's scheduled to come out on Tuesday.)  

I started with the easiest - I bought a shelf to put on top of the wire shelving in #2's closet.  I also inserted ribs (really just 1/4" dowels cut to size) in her Roman shades.  And I've continued painting the doors to the bathroom.  They are almost ready to hang back up.  No pictures of those boring tasks.  

Next, I started working on the laundry room.  If you'll remember, it used to look like this:

Yesterday I posted this picture to Instagram while I began working on the floating shelf.  (You can see the shelf above on top of 2" x 4"s but the front of the shelf is missing.)

 

Well, as of now, it looks like this:

The shelf has been finished and stained.  I also removed the countertop so I could stain it.  As soon as it dries, I'll slide it back into place.  It feels good to get these small projects knocked out!

 

5.  I managed to get an 8 mile run in yesterday before the really cold weather set in.  And let me tell you, yesterday wasn't exactly warm.  The windchill was in the single digits!  But we got 'er done and it felt great.  We were lucky to have Carmen set out water and plan the route.  All we had to do was show up.  Don't you runners out there wish you had a Carmen?!

6.  Want another menu as we enter our third week of Whole 30?  Even if you don't, you're getting it because I don't have anything else to write about and I need a sixth item.  You know, otherwise it would be Five on Sunday and that just doesn't have the same ring, now, does it?

Sunday:  We are doing the beef stew again.  I loved it so much I'm doing it again!  + roasted green beans + french bread for the kids

Monday: Chicken gyros (a slight cheat with the sauce but I won't put much on my chicken, if any) + roasted sweet potatoes  

TANGENT:  I need to add a search bar to my blog because I know I've posted this recipe before but it's so hard to find!  Ugh.  I wish I knew how to code or had friends that did.  

Tuesday: Shrimp and Avacado Taco Salad (homemade mac-n-cheese for the girls)

Wednesday: Sesame zucchini noodles with baked fish on top (I'm going to substitute Sunbutter for Almond butter)

Thursday:  Crockpot chicken (I just throw a whole chicken with salt and pepper in the crockpot on low for 8 hours) + mashed potatoes (with a little cauliflower thrown in) + roasted broccoli

Friday:  Pizza for all (paleo crust for us and take-out for the girls) + caesar salads 

Phew!  There you go.  Have a great week and stay warm!

 

 

Six on Sunday

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!
 
 

  
 

Six on Sunday...first Sunday of the New Year!

I'm back!  I never really intended to take a break but it just happened.  So now I need to get you caught up on the second half of our December.  You ready?  Let's go!

1.  The girls got out of school on Friday, December 18th.  The hubby and I had a Christmas party the next night.  And we headed to Omaha on Sunday for a quick, overnight trip.  It was a great opportunity to celebrate Christmas with the hubby's side of the family!

The dinner spread was delish and I didn't have to lift a hand to prepare it.  Win!

2.  The rest of the week before Christmas flew by in a flash.  #1 had swimming every morning from 7 - 9am and doubles on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3 - 5pm.  Thank goodness for carpools!  The other girls played with their friends and did a lot of sleeping in and hanging out.  After all, isn't that what Christmas break is designed to do?!  I loved it - lots of movie nights, too.

3.  Christmas Eve was rather warm by Kansas standards.  We hit the 4pm mass at church.  Don't the girls look nice?

As per usual, we came home and had a seafood dinner for the hubby and me, and spaghetti for the girls.  We had crepes for dessert and watched The Christmas Story.  

It's funny.  If I had realized all those years ago that certain things would become a tradition, I may have put more thought into them.  But I love that the girls are so into traditions - the spaghetti dinner and the movie.  It's all so good!  (And of course PJs for a Christmas Eve gift.)

4.  Christmas morning was equally delightful.  The little girls slept in until 7:30am which I so appreciated!  We opened gifts and ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  (Another tradition!)  Here is the aftermath:

In case you are wondering, here is what the girls received this year:

#1:

Want:  Patagonia vest

Need:  Swim suit (every year!)

Wear:  Jeans, a sweater, and a scarf

Read:  a Book bag that says, I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie and a subscription to Glamour magazine

Santa:  North Face ski jacket

#2:

Want:  Lamp for her desk

Need:  Roman shades

Wear:  Jeans, T-shirt, Flannel shirt

Read:  a book about Malala

Santa:  Instax camera and film

#3:

Want:  Lego set

Need:  Curtains and a guitar hook

Wear:  2 outfits from Old Navy (no jeans!)

Read:  a new series (can't remember and I think I already posted it!)

Santa:  an electric scooter

#4:

Want: a globe

Need:  Curtains (she and #3 share a room)

Wear:  2 outfits from Old Navy - both with leggings as that is ALL she will wear!

Read:  Magic Treehouse set

Santa:  an electric scooter

Phew!  That seems like a lot!  

My mom drove up for the day and night and we had a great time.  We all went to the Dinosaur movie (cute) and came back home and played games and ordered pizza from Casey's that night.  (Who knew anything was open Christmas night?!)  All in all, it was a really nice family day.

5.  We finally got a little bit of snow on the Monday after Christmas.  Of course the little girls wasted ZERO time getting out and enjoying it!

 

They played in it for HOURS that Monday.  It was adorable.  

6.  We enjoyed our time off together and hit the skating rink and the bowling alley last week.  

7.  We let #1 host a New Year's Eve party at our house.  I think there were 12 kids all together?  Anyway, they were great.  For reals.  I asked her to keep everyone down in the basement and she did.  A lot of her friends brought delicious food so they had quite the spread!  She decorated the chalk board wall with fun lettering and then had props for pictures.  This is just one of a dozen of the fun pictures she had on her phone:

Honestly, I didn't mind hosting the party.  It was a great way to make sure they were safe and they had fun.  And honestly, she will only be home for a few more years so why not enjoy it?  The hubby and I will get a chance to go out and party again some day!

Upstairs, we had my sister and her family over for some games and drinks.  The kids played twister:

We also played Rumikub but I can't post that picture because it has a naughty word in it.  (Hint:  I posted it to Instagram!)  But it was really nice to be able to see my sister and her boyfriend because it had been quite awhile!  They stayed until almost 11pm and we all had a great time.

8.  We all converged upon my mom on New Year's Day since that was the only weekend we were all available.  (Aimee and Jason spent Christmas week in St. Kitt's and her kids spent the week with their other grandparents and aunt.)  We had a blast together!

Yesterday we tried to go ice skating in Bentonville, AR at noon but the session was full.  That meant we had two hours to kill.  We headed over to the new(ish), swanky hotel just across the street and ended up having so much fun!  (Because originally we were kind of pissy and didn't know what to do for two hours.)  The hotel is named 21c and it has a museum, which is free, attached to it.  

We toured the museum and then headed to the bar for drinks - wine and beer for the adults and frou frou lemonade and hot chocolates for the kids.  The service was fantastic and they were just so nice!  Also, we ordered french fries smothered in a cajun honey that were TO DIE FOR!  If you ever find your self in Bentonville, I'd recommend stopping in to the 21c for sure!

So let me back up, we kept telling the little kids not to touch the art work.  We were practically beating it into their heads.  Well, come to find out, they have all these plastic green penguins all over the hotel and museum.  And they were specifically designed for kids (and adults, who am I kidding) to move around wherever they wanted!  We had a blast moving them and using them for photo ops.  We just got such a kick out of them:

Anyway, don't you love it when you are able to turn lemons into lemonade?  Such a fun time!

And the ice skating was really great, too.  It was 50* so a bit too warm but we still had fun:

#2 and #3 and my niece stayed extra long and were doing spins by the end of our session.  It was just adorable to watch them all have so much fun together.  I loved it.

9.  I was invited to participate in a New Year's Day run but with staying up late on NYE and heading to Arkansas, it wasn't in the cards for me.  However, the hubby and I more than made up for it with a beautiful run yesterday morning on the trails in Bentonville.  It was a crisp 21* but after about a mile we were nice and warm.  6 miles in the books felt like such a great day to start the year!

 

10.  Speaking of New Years, I should probably tell you my resolution.  It's really more about the kids than me but I am the enabler.  I am vowing to pay them their allowance every weekend.  That way they won't have to ask me to pay them and I won't have to shell out a hundred bucks at a time.  Right now #1 gets $10, #2 gets $5, and the littles each get $3 and $1, respectively.  I haven't actually given them their money yet but it is in my purse!  

I don't require them to do any certain chores to get their allowance because I don't want them to think they get paid to help around the house.  That is just part of being a family!  And if I ask them to do something they don't normally do, I don't want them to think they should earn money for it.  And at the same time, I do want them to learn how to manage their money.  I'm sure not everyone agrees with my philosophy and that's totally fine.  But this seems to work for us.  Now I just have to remember to PAY them!

11.  Can you believe I am at #11??  Wow!  If you're still with me, you are a trooper!  

Anyway, after the last month of eating like crap, the hubby and I are going to do another round of Whole 30.  It's not so much about losing weight (though canning a few pounds would be nice), it's more about a re-set.  So if you're interested, here is our meal plan for the week (and I know I have linked to some of these before):

Sunday: hamburgers on the grill in the green (ie wrapped in lettuce) with crispy shallots and guacamole on top.  We also had roasted broccoli and cut up apples.

Monday: Italian pork roast (I don't cook it for 16 hours - just as long as I can.  Works fine.)  Some sort of mashed potatoes (I can't use dairy - i might try a little coconut milk) with cauliflower in them, and green beans, apples and oranges

Tuesday: Pad Thai

Wednesday: Sweet potato soup with bacon - throw in some leftover pork or chicken or hamburgers

Thursday:  Caesar salad (I'm not making homemade croutons - that's just too hard) with shrimp for us and chicken for the girls.  They'll also get a baguette

Friday:  Pizza for the girls from somewhere normal.  We'll have cauliflower crust pizza with pesto and some other toppings like black olives, spinach. But sadly, no cheese for us.  We can all have a salad, too. 

Wow!  There you have it.  I feel like we are all caught up now.  Have a great first full week of 2016.  Here's to hoping it's a good week and a great year!

 

Six on Sunday

Phew!  I made it through the weekend.  As a single mom.  With four very active kids.  I am totally patting myself on the back right now.  My hat is off to all you single moms out there.  It's hard work!  Let's dive in, shall we?

1.  Last Friday was my definition of a perfect evening.  I didn't have to BE anywhere specific.  I didn't have to run any kid to any event.  It was lovely.  I had a free night with my girls.  (Except #1 who was at swimming for part of the evening.)  

The little girls and I went out and collected hedge apples, acorns, and pinecones.  All items have been incorporated into our decorations already.  They had so much and I'm so glad we squeezed it in.

We capped off the evening with pizza and beer (for me).  I really needed that night to recharge my battery!

2.  This weekend was a bit messy as I had multiple kids needing to be multiple places at the same time and a hubby in Wisconsin. Thank goodness for friends who drove my kids around when I couldn't do it myself! 

Yesterday I drove to swim practice, attended a soccer game, a volleyball game, another soccer game, and had a photo shoot.  Today was a bit more quiet with only two soccer games and another photo shoot.  We had a picnic out at Swope park after #2's soccer game this morning before #3 played out at Heritage park.  I think it was fun for the girls to get a chance to hang out together!

We managed to eat dinner in shifts thanks to the crock pot!  I love that thing.

Speaking of soccer games...here are three friends who all used to play on the same team.  This year they're on two different teams and played (or "versed" as my kids call it) each other.  It was fun to see them all on the same field again, even if for different teams!

 

3.  I am still running every week and I'm signed up to run a half marathon (the Gobbler Grind) in a few weeks.  However, I've been dealing with a pulled or strained muscle in between my hamstring and glute.  It's a major pain in the ass.  Literally!  I think it's getting better and then BAM!  It hurts again.  I haven't gone on a long run in three weeks and it's sore while I run just my short 4 mile runs during the week.

I started getting serious about it Thursday.  I've been doing naproxen every 12 hours.  And I've been trying to ice it and foam roll.  I'm going to be really pissed if I can't run my half marathon.  At this point I could care less about a time.  I just want to be able to run the darn thing!  If you have any advice, I'm all ears!

4.  I haven't shared a menu in awhile, so Jenni, this is for you!

Sunday:  Crockpot balsamic beef sandwiches + roasted broccoli + fruit

Monday:  Black beans & quinoa + roasted asparagus + fruit (I only use one can of black beans)

Tuesday:  Cashew chicken with broccoli

Wednesday:  BBQ chicken quinoa salad (homemade mac-n-cheese for the Littles) + fruit

Thursday:  Hamburgers/hot dogs on the grill + corn + watermelon

Friday:  Pizza + salad

Saturday:  Potato soup in the crockpot + baguette + salad  (Holler if you want the recipe.  It's not the healthiest - think cream cheese - but it is the easiest and yummiest)

5.  Our bath tub has been tested.  And approved!

#4 used it tonight and declared it "Gwate!"  (She still can't say her "R"s.  I love it.)  But seriously, it worked and didn't leak.  I can't wait to use it myself.  Maybe when the hubby gets back and I can spare half an hour to myself?

But do you want to know my favorite part of whole bathroom reno?  It's something you can't even see.  The heated floors!  Seriously, they are to die for!!!  (Yes, that sentence totally deserved three exclamation marks.  Duh.)  It is just luxurious to walk on those tiles at any time of the day and feel the warmth rise up and warm my toes.  I love it and I'm so glad we decided to do it.  Because let me tell you, those floors were a major pain to install!  

6. I know I talked about our timeshare when we bought it a year and a half ago.  If you remember, we bought a single week at The Grand Lodge on Peak 7 in Breckenridge, CO.  Our week can be anytime in a floating 12 week period which is basically January through March.    

I'm not going to delve into the details of how it works but suffice it to say we were not able to reserve the week we wanted for 2016.  The best we could do was reserve the first week in January.  Not ideal as the kids are back in school that week.  And also?  What were we supposed to do during spring break?

Well, this story has a happy ending.  We ended up trading another property owner and now we have the week we want!  We are so happy but mostly relieved.  Seriously, we weren't sure what we were going to do and luckily now we don't have to figure it out.  We'll be in Breckenridge in March.  Yippee!  

And that, my friends, is this week's edition of Six on Sunday.  I'm exhausted and while I should go downstairs to make lunches, I think I'll grab a beer and just sit.  Have a great week!

 

Six on Sunday

I'm back after my two week hiatus!  I was in Paris the first week and simply too tired to blog last week.  So, let's get started, shall we?

1.  My mom, sister, and I had a great time in Paris!  Since I know not everyone will want to see picture-overload and hear all about it, I'm going to do a separate post once I cull through all my pictures.  But suffice it to say, I had a fabulous week.  Not only was it lovely to escape the duties of home such as laundry and cooking, I got to spend a full week with my mom and sister.  How awesome is that?!

We walked MILES and ate LOADS of bread and drank TONS of wine.  The perfect trip, if you ask me.  Here is a bullet-point list of the highlights.  Well, a little more than just highlights; but you get the idea.

• Musee d'Orsay
• Louvre museum
• Louis Vuitton Foundation museum
• Eiffel tower
• Dinner cruise on the Seine
• Day trip to Burgandy
• Versailles 
• Shopping in Bon Marche and in La Marais
• French cooking class
• Luxembourg Gardens

Here we are with our guide after touring a wine cellar in Burgandy:

 

After our morning at the Eiffel tower:

 

Luxembourg gardens:

All in all, a fantastic trip!

Meanwhile, the hubby held down the fort just fine.  I typed up a list before I left just to ensure everything was covered and it went great.  (It didn't hurt that his mom was down for more than half the week, either!)

2.  We landed last Saturday night, the 26th at about 10pm.  By the time I got home and took a shower and finally climbed into bed it was around midnight.  I had left the hotel room that morning 24 hours prior to walking in my door.  It was quite the day!  Flying internationally is no joke!  But, I managed to slip fairly seamlessly back into our routine, so all was good.

#3 had a soccer tournament last weekend.  Of course I missed her two games on Saturday but I watched both of them on Sunday.  And let me tell you, it was some awesome soccer!  She played both games like I had never seen before.  It was so fun to watch her and her team.  They ended up taking second place in their bracket and I couldn't have been more proud.

If we are friends on Facebook you probably already saw this photo, but I had to include it here, too.  #3 was awarded the trophy for her team as the MVP of the tournament.  She was ecstatic!

3.  I've been trying to take pictures of the girls's lunches when I remember.  So here are a few ideas:

This would work for the Littles, but not #1.  The Littles love this lunch, though!  Buttered popcorn, chocolate-covered pretzels, fruit, and a hard-boiled egg.

 

This is something I sent with #1:

A hummus and turkey roll-up with cheese, lettuce, and cucumbers, buttered popcorn, and lots of fruit.

 

This was a lunch for #1, also:

2 English muffin pizzas, pretzels, fruit, and plain Greek yogurt with honey.

 

I would have sent this for the Littles, too.  I just would have omitted one of the pizzas.  And I probably would not have included the yogurt, either.  They are NOT big eaters, those little girls!

 

Another lunch for #1:

2 pita pockets with egg salad and lettuce, fruit, pretzels, and buttered popcorn.  

 

 

4.  The hubby and I joined our friends, Chad and Christi, for another concert.  Friday night we went to see Of Monsters and Men.  Let me tell you, they were fantastic!  I love the Midland theater because it's such a neat, old venue.  And the band was really great.  My only complaint is that they didn't play long enough.  I was not ready to leave!  

Thankfully, I was a good girl and controlled myself so I was ready for a full day yesterday.  Because yesterday was crazy busy!

6.  Last night #1 went to Homecoming with a whole group of her friends.  Aren't they pretty?

And here's another shot so you can see her dress up close:

Aren't the girls just adorable?  And #1 is so TALL in heels.  Yikes!  She was taller than her dad.

Anyway, the dress caused us both a bit of stress.  She had already picked out a dress with her grandma while I was in Paris.  Then last Sunday we went and bought shoes and jewelry for it.  But in the car on the way home from that excursion I could tell something was bothering her.  It turned out she was having second thoughts about the dress she picked.  I have to tell you, I was glad.  Because the original dress she picked just did not do her any justice.  And it was insanely boring.  I think the original dress is what she thought she wanted until she realized it just wasn't very special.

So yesterday, in between soccer games, she and I raced to the mall to look for dresses.  She tried on about 50 dresses. (No, I'm not exaggerating.  AT ALL.)  We had one on hold at Nordstrom's that was better than the original but it wasn't THE ONE.  Finally, at the last store, where we only found a handful to try on, she found it. THE ONE.  I think I heard angels sing.  Seriously.  Formal dress shopping is brutal.  But we came out victorious!

And she had a lot of fun last night.  In the end, that is all that matters.  Phew.

And now you are all caught up.  This weekend was crazy with the concert, a bunch of soccer games, two photoshoots, cooking and prepping for the week ahead, grocery shopping, formal dress shopping, playdates, a volleyball game...you get the idea.  But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Have a fantastic week!