Our Weekly Snapshot

 Here's a look back at our week.  

We sign up every year for "Kids Bowl Free".  We talk about how we should go every week since it is free and make plans to do it often just for something fun to do.  Well, this was our first time going this entire summer HA!  We some friends join us and it was a fun, relaxing time.  :-) 

I feel like we had a busy week but apparently nothing else was photo worthy LOL  

Weekly Menu

 As we enter that last full month of summer vacation, we also enter a week of Nana camp :-)  We started this simple tradition last year where my teens go to my mom's for a week of what we lovingly call "Nana camp".  They spend the week at her house playing lots of games, maybe going on an adventure if there is anything fun to do, and just hanging out for the week at her house.  She treats them well with food and fun and it is a great way to make memories! 

Friday - pork loin and broccoli rice cheese casserole 

Saturday - The guys have another bonfire with friends so Darryl and I will enjoy dinner at home - maybe something on the grill

Sunday - Roast in the crock pot with noodles and a salad

Monday - My guys head to Nana's.  Today is also our anniversary so we will get something out for dinner tonight. 

The rest of the week I'm not sure what we will do for meals - I like being able to plan by the day and even go to the store to grab something simple without putting a lot of planning into the week.  It is also a nice break from planning meals for me!  

Recipe Fun!

 Recently we enjoyed a favorite for dinner - well, actually two favorites! 

Years ago one of my favorite restaurants was called Macaroni Grill and they had amazing bread plus they created a dipping sauce at your table for the bread.  I've recreated it (kind of) and we always enjoy it with soups or this pasta dish. I keep the bread super simple and just buy a can of Pillsbury French Bread to cook in the oven.  For the dipping sauce I add Italian Seasoning, Natures Seasoning, and Parmesan cheese together in a bowl and then add olive oil.  Mix it all together and enjoy it with bread.  The amount of seasoning and cheese is up to you! 

This next recipe comes from Skinnytaste and is called Spaghetti Carbonara.  This is one of those recipes that I saw one day but wasn't convinced we would love it because, well, a poached egg?  How weird, right? I was so wrong!  This is one of our top five favorite meals to have.  I would really call it a Breakfast Spaghetti because it has bacon and eggs in it HA!.  The recipe calls for Arugula, which is amazing but also a little pricey and we don't really use it for anything else so I, instead, use spinach as the "green" in this pasta.  Now, don't let the thought of poaching an egg scare you - it is super easy!  My suggesting is to crack each egg into it's own little bowl and then pour them individually from the bowl into the boiling water one at a time. I will also confess that I use more bacon than the recipe calls for because, well, there can never be too much bacon! 

Now, what does that runny egg do to the pasta?  It makes the most glorious, silky sauce!  Slice the egg open and stir the runny yolk into the pasta that already has a "sauce" make from cooking down the small amount of bacon grease with chicken stock.  It is just luscious!  

Enjoy!  

NEEDTOBREATHE - "I've Got A Story (feat. Tori Kelly)"

Our Weekly Snapshot

 Here’s a look back at our week: 

Our Saturday started with Josh playing drums at the Free Fair.  Josh and Nate hung out at the fair with friends for the afternoon. 

I picked Nate up from the fair and we headed to a Josh Wilson concert!  It was so fun! 

Sunday night my teens attended a teen bonfire with our co-op. 

On Tuesday we took a field trip to see our favorite radio personalities from our Christian radio station. 

We also ate ice cream, fed cute animals and took advantage of photo ops. 😊

Then we had dinner at my mom’s with my brother and sister-in-law. 

On Wednesday, Kel and I met for coffee in the morning and then we met for ice cream in the evening with my mom and Deb.  (It was so hot outside!!!) 

On Friday afternoon Nate headed to a friends cottage for the afternoon to swim and kayak.  

It was a fun, busy week! 

T

Weekly Menu

 It is the last week of July . . already.  I think this next week is one of the "slowest" of the summer with very little scheduled.  I might put my to do list aside and just read all week HA! 

Friday - Baked Penne Pasta with Chicken and Smoked Mozzarella and Garlic Bread

Saturday - My teens schedule has been busy this summer (which is great for them!) but it means our Saturdays aren't always free.  So they both have plans - not really sure what we will do about dinner yet! 

Sunday - Potato and Sausage Soup

Monday - Stuffed Shells and Garlic Bread

Tuesday - Pork Roast and Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Wednesday - This is a little odd but I'm going to use this day as a "floater" day - we've had a lot of shifts in meals lately between events and the heat so I have some extra things in the freezer that I can put together for a meal.  If I have used my "recipes up" then we enjoy chicken tacos with chicken cooked in the crock pot! 

Thursday - Homemade Pizza!  

A Few of my Favorite Things

 It's been a few weeks since I've done a "Favorite Things" post so this is what I'm loving currently. 

I was bored one day and binged watched through a season of "Ugliest House in America" which I thought was a dumb show but ,  ,, it was not HA!  I just watched the season finale and it was fun.  These houses are truly, well, ugly.  I find the host very funny and it is always interesting to see what Alison does when she transforms the house that wins. 

My sister-in-law introduced me to two things this summer and they have both become favorites - one a sweet treat and one a salty snack.  

Nerd Gummy Clusters - I love nerds, always have, and now to enjoy them stuck on a sour gummy ball of goodness is just amazing. I just like to grab a few of them when I'm in the kitchen just for a "kick in the mouth".  HA 

Crunchy Roasted Edamame Beans - I tried them thinking I would hate them but they are oddly satisfying.  They are a little earthy but yet remind me slightly of eating pistachios (which I love but boy are they expensive!).  When I'm craving a salty snack, a small bowl of these crunchy beans are just the perfect snack!  

From the time I started this blog I've always shared about books I want to read and books I've read so what am I loving right now with books?  This series by Julie Klassan has been really good.  A few years ago I read through all of Julie's currently published books; I came across this new(er) series on Libby and have really enjoyed them.  

Finally, I love lights . .. especially little twinkle/white "Christmas" lights that just bring a little joy to a corner.  I currently have three strands in my house - and they bring me such joy when they click on each evening.  I love the most in the darker winter months - they click on around 6:00p when it is dark outside and yet they bring warmth to the rooms they are placed in.  They are (obviously) lights with a timer and yes, they do take some AAA batteries but I have found that the batteries last about 2 -3 months before needing to replaced (the lights get dimmer but I like to get the FULL use of batteries LOL) .