Birthdays, Sushi, Family and Friends

I had every intention of updating yesterday, but we got home and I was so exhausted. All I wanted to do was lay down! I couldn't believe how tired I was. So, here is what we have been up to the last couple of days!

Friday was Jason's birthday. After the kids soccer practice, we went to dinner with his family! With his family, for all birthdays we go out for sushi. I don't eat much sushi, but I love tempura. We always go to the same restaurant. They have great sushi, with large cuts of fish. The older girls both tried sashimi, which for anyone that might not know (I didn't), sashimi is just the fish. No rice. Jayden loved crab. Victoria loved all of it! She tried, salmon, yellowtail, tuna (I think), and crab. She enjoyed every last bit of it! This really impressed Jason's dad! He didn't think she'd like it at all! She's far and away my best eater. I used to say that she had never met a food she didn't like - which isn't totally true because she doesn't like Mac & Cheese!!! What??? Every kid likes mac & cheese! Not this one! She'll eat sushi, but not mac & cheese! Go figure! We all enjoyed our dinner, and since we go to this restaurant so often, we have gotten to know the owners, and she sent out a complimentary bottle of Saki! Since Jason & his dad don't drink, his mom and I had to drink it ourselves (I'm really not complaining)! It was so good! I had never had cold saki before, and it was fantastic! Also, Jason's youngest brother was with us, which was great, because he just got home from Norway last Sunday, and he's leaving again on Wednesday because... He got a contract to play soccer with a professional soccer club out there! We are all so proud of him and excited for him! I think he's pretty excited too!

Yesterday my dad was playing tennis so the kids and I went out and met my mom at the park, and while my dad was playing, we took the kids to the playground and my mom started teaching me how to knit! She was busy taking pictures of the kids (hopefully she'll send me some so I can share them... hint hint), so we didn't get as much time to practice, and I forgot to get the yarn and knitting needles from her so I could take them home and practice! After my dad was done playing tennis we packed up the kids, and went to my brother and sister in laws house. My mom's close friend from childhood, whom we haven't seen in about 12 years, came over and surprised her! It was so great to see her, and see how happy my mom was to catch up with her friend! They have both been on facebook, and pinterest, so they haven't been totally out of touch, but it's just different to get to see someone in person! We also got to meet her husband and furbabies! We loved them all! 

Today we are taking the kids to the park so Micah can play soccer with a couple of his friends, and then after the kids can go play at the playground! Hopefully I will be able to update tonight with a new recipe! We'll see!

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

As promised, I am going to give you the recipe to the very yummy dinner we had last night. Victoria tells me I don't make it enough! My favorite website right now to find recipes on is Skinnytaste. She has the greatest recipes and they are all low fat! She also includes the Weight Watchers points (old and new system), and calories. The best thing is that her recipes are all AMAZING!! So this is where I got this recipe. I can't take credit for it, but it's so good I have to share! Jason and I both agree that we like this better than regular chili with ground beef! I apologize for the picture, I don't have the greatest camera (great for a 5 year old point and shoot), but I know there are shadows on it. When I tried using my flash it really washed it out so you just weren't able to see the deliciousness of this dish!!

Is your mouth watering yet??? Don't you want to make this RIGHT NOW??? All of the kids LOVE this and last night they ALL finished their dinner! If you know my kids, that is a feat in itself! Micah is a very picky eater, so finding something he really likes is hard! He has been getting better lately though. I'm cooking more, and it seems like he's finding he likes more! So anyway, here is the recipe loosely adapted from Skinnytaste...

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 16 oz can black beans (I haven't been able to find 16 oz here, so I use 15 oz... close enough)
1 16 oz can kidney beans
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels (I usually get a larger bag because I use so much, so I put in about a cup and a half)
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning (this is equal to 1/4 C or 4 TBSP )
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP chili powder
24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breast (I always just throw mine in frozen)

Directions:

Combine beans, onion, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with cheese, sour cream, avocado, or any of your favorite toppings for chili! Scarf it down!

Try it out and let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Pin It

Long day

Today has felt like a very long day. When I woke up this morning to get V up for school, I felt like I just hadn't gotten enough sleep! I left the little ones and Jason home sleeping while I took her to school and when I got home I crawled back into bed hoping to get maybe another hour of sleep before B woke up , but of course she decided to get up about 10 mins later. So I dragged my tired butt out of bed and put dinner in the crock pot. I had every intention of posting the recipe here tonight, but I am so tired it's going to have to wait until tomorrow. Because my parents are gone for about 14 hours every day my mom doesn't have time to cook when she gets home and they were getting tired of eating out every night so I make about four meals a week for my parents so everything I make, I make double of. I made 3 meals today. I left the house only to drop V off at school and pick her up and then to drop my parents food off to my mom. I have been on my feet all day, and I still have a sink full of dishes to do! Luckily J has soccer practice tomorrow night instead of tonight so I didn't have to go to that today! The kids were pretty well behaved until this evening. Then it was like they just lost their minds! It's days like this that make me love bedtime! I have one meal to make tomorrow and it's another crock pot one, so about 10 minutes of prep time and then it cooks all day! I live crock pot recipes! I have two crock pots and neither are very large, so someday I will get a big one! It will make my life so much easier! M goes to pre school tomorrow so after we drop him off I'll come home and put dinner on and then hopefully get some much needed cleaning done! Soccer practice tomorrow night and I will also get a recipe posted tomorrow too! Dinner was so yummy! I am still stuffed right now, and the kids loved it too! They ALL finished their dinner which, if you know M, you know what a huge compliment that is! He is just such a picky eater! I think that's it for now. I need to finish filling out the pre school registration for B for next year! I can't believe my baby is going to be starting preschool! She was just born last week! At least that's what it feels like! At that I will say good night! Watch for my yummy recipe tomorrow!!

Pin It

I'm Baaaaaaaack!!!

Ok, so it's been a long, LONG time since I have blogged! There's really no excuse! I have decided that I am going to put more into blogging, because for me it's a really great way for me to get thoughts out! I can't guarantee that this blog is going to follow any specific format, because frankly, for the last few months that I have been wanting to get to blogging, I have been trying to decide what to blog about. I thought about blogging about hairstyles. There are several wonderful hairstyle blogs that I follow, and in all honesty, I don't think you'd get any original ideas from me, since I take them from other sites, and that just didn't seem fair to me. I thought about blogging about food! Yummy!!! I LOVE food! I just don't take clear enough pictures, nor do I remember to take pictures as I go! I have thought about just blogging with random things throughout my life, however, I'm pretty boring! So basically what I decided is that I will just.... wait for it... blog about EVERYTHING!!! Some days it will be a recipe, some days maybe a cute hairstyle I did on my girls (with a link to where I found it of course)! Some days maybe just some helpful tips that I've found somewhere (ie Pinterest... oh yes, I am addicted! Thank you Mom!) Whatever tickles my fancy (yes I just said that) at the time! So for now, here is an update on us!

The kids are getting big! I can't believe it! Some days it seems like we wake up in the morning, and they are bigger!!! V is 10 now! She's turning into such a lovely young woman. I'm waiting for the day that I wake up and she's taller than me! And I'm 5'10"!!! It will happen though! I'm sure of it! J is 6 and she is such a little spitfire! She makes me laugh! We are working with her on paying attention to how she says things, and how those things can make other people feel. Right now she has no filter! M is 4 and getting ready to start Kindergarten! I can't believe he's that old already! He was just a baby! He is such a sweetheart! So loving and snuggly! He LOVES soccer! He is so his Daddy's little boy! They love to sit and watch soccer together (especially Manchester United)! He cries if they lose, or if they get scored on (I took some video of his reactions yesterday during their game, so I'll have to upload those later)! He himself is a little soccer stud too! He calls himself "Chicharito"! So cute! B is... well... I'm just not sure there are words! She is almost 3. She is stubborn, and funny, and silly, and sweet, and a ball of energy! She loves to pick on the other kids (particularly M), and has to have whatever they are playing with at the time! She thinks she can do everything all the other kids can do, and gets upset if she can't! For the first time in 4 1/2 years, I have no children in diapers! What a relief! It's so nice to not have to always be carrying around diapers, and changing them! It's bittersweet for me, because on one hand, I don't have to change diapers anymore, but on the other hand, my babies are all growing up!!!

I am also part of a community called BzzAgent. This company allows me to try out products and review them! I really enjoy this. They send out full size products for you to try and report back so that the companies get honest opinions on what they can do better! Or just hear back that their products are great! Right now I am part of a Bzz Campaign for Health-Full bread! I got my coupon for my free loaf of bread in the mail this weekend, and I can't wait to go to the store and try it because it really looks yummy!!! Once I try it out, I will let you know how it is!

Well I think that's it for the updates for now, and I'm going to try to be more consistent with blogging! Let's see how it goes! I have a lot to learn! Now to get some stuff done around here (hopefully)!!!

Pin It