Project 52: May 17-23

Sunday Snapshot:

 

Sunday night is homemade pizza night.  Tonight was Colt's first time with a bowl of toppings and freedom to 'decorate' his pizza himself.  He didn't quite get the concept....

 

  

 



We started the week off with tea time with Adele and Isaiah over facetime.

 

The kids love when it's time for Daddy to mow the lawn! It means it is hide out time in the fort!

Impromptu after dinner splash pad trip! We didn't even have them change into their swimsuits.

We were blessed by a friend who gave us some work books for Raelynn.  It's a real homeschool curriculum that we are going through a few pages at a time.  We have a special time after the other kids go to nap--she thinks it's super special she gets to stay up so she loves doing her books! She also loves that we have tea time:)  It's our special thing we've been doing because she gets to use my great grandma's tea cups and she knows that that is very special.  She loves it and I love having this special time with her.

 

 

dinner in the play house while mommy and daddy ate on the back porch

Raelynn thought it was picture worthy that the girls both had on their princess shoes.  They posed and wanted me to take a picture.  These girls are such close friends and have so much fun together!

 

 

 

 

she is always in "mama mode"
it didn't matter how heavy they were---she was so determined to pull them! and she does a good job!

Project 52: May 10-16

Sunday Snapshot:

Unfortunately for mother's day this year I didn't get a nice photo with my children, but that's ok.  I still made them pose for a moment so I could get a picture of them while playing in the evening.  For mother's day it was just us, so we went out to an easy Chipotle lunch with some friends so I didn't have to cook:)  

 

 

Raelynn ended up having a high fever later in the day, so my day was spent cuddling with her on the couch.

 

 

We had the cousins over for a few hours in the morning while Ashley had an appointment.  The kids all played so well together and we ended with a picnic and a movie

 

Oh this kid.  He melts my heart and gets away with so much more than his older siblings. I can't help but laugh.  I guess if I don't laugh a little I'd go insane, right?!

 

 

Taking advantage of the nice weather before it gets too hot....bike rides to the park! Brent was moving the ergo and Elliana saw it and ran up with such excitement asking if it was for her.  So she got a ride in there:) Just like old times!

 

Thursday night there was a fundraiser for the youth group at Chick Fil A.  That was a lot of fun to pretty much take over the entire restaurant with San Tan Bible Church!

 

 

 

 Now that it is summer and there is a break in Bible study on Wednesday mornings, we were able to go to the messy play dates again.  The kids always enjoy it!

 

Mama took Raelynn out for an errand and we stopped to make  date of it at AJs.  Mama gets a tea and she gets a cookie.  Everyone is happy:)  We were sitting at the table and she asked me to take her picture in front of the fountain.  She looks so grown up! Love our special outings together!

 

 

 

Any time there is even a hint of a cloud in the sky, Declan asks if it will rain.  He loves the rain because that means we get to play in puddles!! The boys played for a bit out front in the small puddles, then when Raelynn woke up from nap, Daddy took them to the park. 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday night meatballs this week was with our family.  Since Grandma and Tank were out of town, we wanted a chance to have the rest of their household over, and Kory too! The kids sure love their uncles Grant and "Gerbet"!

 



 

Recipe: Crockpot Cowboy Casserole

A friend of mine knows how much I love new recipes that are easy, crockpot, or freezer friendly!  She shared this recipe with me and right away I added it to the meal plan.

It is super easy and the perfect time for us to turn on the crock pot before leaving in the morning on Sunday and having it ready when we arrive home from church.  And to make it even better--I add in a crock pot liner so clean up is super easy!

This is not technically a freezer meal, but I have in fact assembled as a freezer meal (yes, potatoes and all!) and it turned out great.  It was more watery when made as a freezer meal than fresh on the morning of cooking, but still had great taste.

I recommend this one and hope you like it too!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 can corn, drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb red potatoes (about 3-4), sliced thin
1 can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
onion, optional

Directions:
1. Brown meat and drain
2. slice potatoes 
3. add all ingredients to slow cooker
4. cook HIGH 4 hours or LOW 7-8


To freeze: combine all in ziplock freezer bag, label and freeze. 
To cook, thaw and place in sprayed slow cooker.

Top with cheese, then recover until melted.  We like to eat it with tortilla chips or fritos.
 

Recipe:Hawaiian Chicken (Freezer to Crockpot)

Tried a new recipe this week that I found at New Leaf Wellness for Hawaiian Chicken.  It is very healthy and very very easy.  It's great to have in the rotation for a variety and great for the budget because pineapple is often on sale for 99 cents.

Only thing about this was that the chicken was dry, but I think that was probably user error and either it was over cooked or was slightly freezer burned (only because I had used frozen chicken that was all alone in a bag in the freezer.  I was excited to make this and had pineapple so I didn't want to wait until I had fresh chicken).

But, with that said, I'm still recommending it.  Because we did like it a lot.  I just cut up the chicken real small and added a little more soy sauce on my plate and ate it along with the pineapple and it was fine. 

I have another pineapple on my counter right now and plan to make this as a freezer meal again with fresh chicken and see how it goes.  I'll try to remember to update! 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 fresh pineapple, but into pieces (or two cans, drained)
2 T brown sugar
2 T soy sauce



Directions:
1. cut chicken and pineapple
2. add all ingredients to a ziplock bag
3. label and freeze



To cook:
thaw overnight in fridge and cook in slow cooker low 3-6 hours

Serve over rice

 

Project 52: May 3-May 9

 

Sunday Snapshot:

 

All four kids sleeping in the car is quite rare! This is what three days at Disneyland and practically four days of no naps will do!

My fourth child is the first to color on the floor.  When his siblings were this age we didn't have crayons easily accessible for them and they pretty much just ate them.  This guy though, he wants to be just like his big brother and sisters and has to do everything they do.  He loves to color! And when you are the fourth child, mommy isn't always watching super close and you get away with coloring on the floor.  Thankfully it wasn't a dark color and it came off easily!

With the heat in California that lead to sweaty head and hair, Colt's hair was wispy and oh so cute with the curls, but he was due for a hair cut.  Always makes him look so different!
  

 

 We went to the splash pad this week with friends from church

two families here--and the oldest girl missing!

 I had tea time on the mind this week because we were having our church's spring tea on Saturday.  The kids love tea time and sometimes I just forget about it.  I've been trying to be more intentional about it now and leaving the tea set out.  It sure is a fun and special time for everyone.  

 

 

we go straight from bed to Elsa dresses lately.  Note the bed head!

I think  know Declan's favorite part is stirring in the sugar

 

 

Saturday morning I took the boys out for breakfast while Brent took the girls out.  We are trying to be more scheduled with dates with the kids.

Saturday afternoon we had San Tan Bible Church's women's spring tea.  I was in the bathroom getting ready and Raelynn came in and wanted to take my picture because I was dressed up.  I had her get in the picture with me:)

 

 

 

Kacia and I at Tea Time

a few of my favorite people all in one place!

Saturday evening I had the opportunity to take Raelynn to see the live play of Beauty and the Beast.  I found out about it very last minute because a friend was playing music for it.  I was so thankful we were able to get a seat! It was an incredible performance and a very special time for us.