Memorial Day Weekend

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We had so much great family time this weekend. Normally, with Daniel working retail, he is working most three day weekends, and I was expecting this one to be the same. By some miracle, he actually had Saturday and Sunday off, so we spent so much good family time together!

Saturday, it was calling for rain all day, so I got the girls to the playground early to get some energy out while Daniel worked on our bathroom renovations. The girls had lots of fun before Caroline's gymnastics class.

 

After gymnastics we headed home and ate lunch and the girls took naps. While they slept, I filled the new pool with air (which was a painful process....I should've bought a pump to go with it, but instead I used a portable tire pump which is not recommended). When they woke up, we got in our swimming suits and played in the pool! The sun even came out for a little bit.

We got the funniest video of Caroline sliding into the pool (using the slide found here). She probably went down it 50 times in a row.

Daniel grilled steaks and corn on the cob that night and I made my twice baked potato casserole. We had the nicest evening at home before the rain finally did come in. 

Sunday morning, I had Daniel take a picture of me with my girls before church. I couldn't resist with the matching dresses!

Emery and Caroline's hairbows//Emery's shoes//Caroline's shoes

After church, we bribed the girls to take a nap promising we would head to the pool if it didn't rain. Well, no rain came, so to the pool we went! It was surprisingly not busy at all. I figured the first official weekend of summer would be packed - but I think the potential for rain scared everyone off (or, everyone was enjoying a tropical vacation while we enjoyed our staycation).

Caroline's bathing suit

We didn't have any beach towels clean, so we used some old bath towels. The water was sooo cold but I was so proud of the girls! They didn't complain once. We use these floaties when we go to deep pools, and Emery happily floated around with them and kicked her feet. 

We had the best weekend, and I hope you all did too! While I certainly enjoy three days off in a row, we also took time to remember what the weekend is really about. If you are a veteran or active military, I appreciate your service to our country!

5 Father's Day Gift Ideas!

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I have my work cut out for me every Father's Day. Not only do I have to think of a Father's Day gift, but our anniversary AND Daniel's birthday are in June as well.

This year, I've actually planned a fun anniversary surprise for us, complete with a dinner to a really awesome steakhouse in Nashville and a couples massage. But that still leaves a birthday/Father's day gift to come up with! Here are some of my ideas for this year:

__one__ Daniel has wanted a Big Green Egg for some time, but he won't spend that much on a grill/smoker. He has a grill now, but I know he'd love a smoker to slow cook meats on his days off. This one looks like it would be easy to use, plus it's got great reviews. I'd probably go with the 18 inch model.

 

__two__ While Daniel is outside sweating in the heat and using his new smoker, he's going to need to stay hydrated. I actually got him one of these RTIC tumblers in his stocking this year at Christmas, and he LOVES this thing. Keeps his drinks cold all day long and holds alot of liquid. I personally have a Yeti, and I can't tell the difference between them.

               

__three__ If your husband is active, a FitBit Charge 2 will help him keep up with his physical activity, as well as other awesome things, like tracking sleep, heart rate, and more. Daniel walks ALOT at work, so I'd love to get him one of these and see just how many miles he's really walking in a day. Although, I don't need a FitBit to know it's more than the 14 steps I walk from my office to the bathroom at work.

                        

 __four__ One thing I love to buy Daniel when I get the chance is new cologne. It's really more for me than him, but I love when he tries out a new scent. One I haven't gotten him before, but I've used the female version, is Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. I'm excited to see how the men's version smells, since I really enjoy my variety!

          

 __five__ Something I've already ordered for him are these Table Topics for Couples. I'm looking forward to sitting on our deck, sipping some wine, and asking each other thought provoking questions without the tiny ones interrupting us every other word.

 

                            

                                    

I would love to hear everyone else's suggestions! What are you getting your guys for Father's Day?

Frito Chili Pie

Yesterday, Daniel asked me what I was planning on cooking for dinner as he stared into the pantry. I didn't have anything in mind, and he said, "What about Frito chili pies?"

I stared at him. The high today was 82 degrees. It is hot and humid outside. And he wants chili pies.

But like a good wife, I said sure. And then I quickly got on Pinterest and looked up recipes. And most of them called for canned chili or were more labor intensive than I was willing to be.

So I came up with this one on my own! Daniel was so happy with how it turned out, and surprisingly, both the kids ate it with ZERO complaints. ZERO. I just want everyone to take in the miracle that is!

Ingredients

• 1 can petite diced tomatoes (or Rotel would be good too!)
• 1 jar restaurant style salsa
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 lb. hamburger meat
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can chili beans, undrained (I used white chili beans, but regular/normal/red(?) chili beans are fine too)
• a few good shakes of chili powder (really, to your own personal taste)
• Fritos
• shredded cheese
• 1 medium onion, diced

Directions

Brown meat together with onion in pan, drain fat when cooked through. Add corn, chili beans, tomatoes, salsa, taco seasoning, and chili powder. Simmer, uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Serve over Fritos and top with cheese.

That's it! So easy and a crowd pleaser! Just do me a favor and don't be like us - wait until it's not 80 degrees outside and you can really enjoy this dish in all it's glory! 

Five on Friday: May 19

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Wow. I feel like if I blink this year is going to be gone. I cannot believe we are getting close to the halfway mark. Life with littles is so fun and exhausting, but it also makes time move at lightning speed. I just want to soak in their ages and personalities right now while I can!

__one__ Saturday, I braved the strawberry patch with the girls and some of our friends and their kids. It was such an inexpensive way to spend time outside doing something different, and both the girls were squealing every time they found a strawberry to put in the basket. I'm thinking about taking them again this weekend, since they devoured all $9 worth of strawberries we picked in less than 24 hours.

(Next time, Emmie is also NOT wearing white shorts. I spent more time than I care to admit getting the grass/dirt/smeared strawberry stains out).

  

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 Caroline's shoes//Emery's shoes

__two__ On Tuesday, I ran to Aldi after my dentist appointment since I had a little time. I don't shop at Aldi too often, but I was pretty impressed with all I got for $13! The eggs were only $.49, organic honey $3.49, and a pint of blueberries were $1.99! Caroline was so excited when I picked her up from school and she saw I had bought her some chocolate milk, which is a rare treat for her.

__three__ Also on Tuesday, I whipped up a new pork chop recipe. All you do is season bone-in pork chops with salt & pepper, sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese, coat with egg, and then coat with breadcrumbs. Lightly pan fry until brown on both sides, and throw them in the oven until cooked through (I left mine in the oven about 10 minutes on 350 degrees). Such an easy weeknight meal!

 

 __four__ These two are so funny. Emmie wants to be JUST like Caroline, and she is perfectly content riding in the car alongside her (similar car HERE), even if she's not allowed to drive. She just wants to sit next to her sissy, while Caroline tells her all the places they are driving to.

 

__five__ I couldn't write a post this week without sharing the hilarious card Caroline and Emery got me for Mother's Day. Caroline actually provided the answers, and Daniel filled them in. 

My girl knows me well though. When we're together, we do love to go to restaurants and shopping! And I do love her so much.

 

Friday Ramblings

Instead of my normal Five on Friday post, and in anticipation of Mother's Day, I thought I would give some perspective into how hard it is to be a working mom.

Now don't get me wrong. I LOVE working and helping provide for my family. But it makes me feel like poo sometimes.

When I'm at work, I focus all my energy on the job. And when I'm at home, I focus all my energy on the kids and hubby and three dogs. But you get stretched thin. And work/home start to overlap - when you get a call that your kid is sick and you have to pick them up and miss an important meeting, or when your work can't be done in 8 hours so you are sitting on the couch trying to finish up a project while your 3 year old and 1.5 year old are running around throwing a bag of their teeny tiny hair elastics in the air and you want to cry because you know that a) they are just bored and b) it's going to suck so bad to clean them up when you get a free 15 minutes to do so.

And lately, every morning Caroline has been saying, "Do you HAVE to go to work? WHY? Puh-leeze just stay home." And it breaks my heart. She loves her school and when she is there she doesn't complain at all, but just knowing that she is taking notice and would rather have me home makes me sad.

Maybe when the kids are a little older, I won't feel quite so conflicted, but for now, it's just tough. And when I get them in the evenings, it's a mad scramble to cook dinner, give baths, have quality time, read books, and get them to bed. Daniel works retail hours, so alot of nights, it's just me at home.

This may sound like complaining, but I'm really not. I know stay-at-home moms have their own struggles, and quite frankly, there is no way I could do it. I love my children more than anything in this world, but I HAVE to get out of the house and have adult conversations. So kudos to all you stay-at-home moms, because you are the true rockstars.

Five on Friday: It's May!

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Can I just say I am SO excited it is May! That means summer is almost here, and the girls, Daniel, and I will spend lots of time outside in our (baby) pool, grilling, drinking lemonade, and growing yummy veggies in our garden.

__one__ Speaking of summer, I cannot wait to pull the water table back out for the girls to play with. Caroline LOVED it when she was Emery's age, so I think Emery is going to have a blast, and I think Caroline will actually still enjoy playing with it once she sees how much fun her sister is having.

Caroline, Summer 2015

__two__Our daycare rented out the Discovery Center here in town last Friday, and since Daniel was working I took the kids solo. Caroline did escape from my sights for about 30 seconds and nearly gave me a heart attack, but I later found her spinning a giant wheel by herself unconcerned that she could've been abducted right under my nose.

Other than me having a nervous breakdown, the girls both had a great time. We had only taken Caroline once before, because I honestly just forget that it is nearby! I plan on taking the girls much more during the summer.

__three__ I did a Day in the Life post the other day about a typical weekend day at our house! I'd love to hear how everyone else spends their weekends. We stay pretty busy with gymnastics/errands/etc., but I am always looking for fresh ideas on activities to do with the girls.


__four__ I've mentioned it before, but I am absolutely loving my rocksbox jewelry subscription service. They send me 3 pieces of jewelry at a time, and I can wear them for as long as I want before sending it back! You can exchange as much as you want in a month too, which for me is an average of 9 pieces total. If you like what you get, you can use your monthly subscription fee ($21) towards the purchase of any item!  I've kept probably 4-5 items so far, but I have the most fun just trying out new jewelry and sending it back for something new :) Use my code kristinjbff1 to try your first month for absolutely FREE here (seriously, no strings attached!). Here's the necklace I got in my most recent box. It's so different from what I would normally pick.

__five__ Daniel wants to get a smoker, and I am thinking this is a great Father's Day gift idea. I found this one on Amazon, and it has decent reviews and isn't terribly expensive. Does anyone have a good smoker they can recommend?

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

This recipe was created due to the fact that:

1. No one in my family likes baked potatoes except me.
2. Twice baked potatoes are two messy to get back into the little potato skin canoes that you are supposed to put them in. And once I realized NO ONE CARES if the ooey gooey cheesy goodness is in tiny canoes, this recipe was born.

The measurements are not exact at all, because I really just dump everything in and taste as I mash.

• First, you need to bake however many potatoes you want. I made 4 medium sized potatoes in my most recent recipe.
•  Next, open the baked potatoes and let them cool just a minute. Then, scoop out all the potato and dump in a bowl.
• Add about a half stick of butter, 3-4 good scoops of sour cream, a handful of cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper. Mash and stir until they are a smoother consistency.
• Add this mashed gooey concoction in a round baking dish. Add more cheese and chives on top. Bake for 15 minutes on 350.
• At this point, while my casserole is cooking, I throw bacon on a foil lined baking sheet in the oven. I made three slices with this most recent recipe, but in my opinion, the more bacon the better.
• Remove your casserole from the oven, and add chopped bacon on top. Enjoy!