Natalie's 3rd Birthday!

Natalie's birthday turned out so great! The balloons were a hit with the kids! lol

Brooklyn and her Papa Joe!

 THE BEST cupcakes I have EVER eaten!

See, I can make a pretty good cupcake, but my very first boss (When I was 16) just started a business making cupcakes, so I figured I would give her a try! She made mini S'mores and Peanut butter ones...

SOOO YUMMY! If you want to check her out and live around me, here is her fb page!

Katie helping me out getting ready for lunch!

Haha! A few little kids in aw with Papa Brett bbqing outside. 

Success!

So, I have been reading on other blogs so much about Pinterest and didn't really know what it was... Finally I asked a friend who posted about it on fb to invite me! I don't have it all figured out yet, but I have a feeling I am going to love it! You should follow me on it! :)

Not sure exactly what that means... but oh well! It looks like fun! :)

Tis the season for PUMPKIN!!

I have never liked pumpkin, or squash or anything like that! Until this year!! For some reason, my buds changed and I want EVERYTHING in pumpkin!! Ha! Once fall showed it's welcomed, beautiful face around here, I wanted everything to do with pumpkin!

I don't usually get Starbucks, but I have been getting pumpkin spiced lattes all the time lately! and I am wanting to bake everything out of a pumpkin! 

We went to E. Wa the other day for a day trip and we drove by a Italian Market and my husband being Italian, we HAD to stop in!

Of course we wanted everything, but settled on some whole peeled tomatoes and pumpkin ravioli! 

Put it on a bag of ice and brought it home for lunch!
I browned some butter, which smells amazing for anyone who has never done this! It was my first time too!

Added some fresh sage from Katie's garden

And drizzled it on the ravioli... it was to die for!!

Here are a few of hubs and I with our youngest:

Who is an avid walker now!!

Daddy and his girls!

 

Nothing makes a mommy more proud! :)

Tonight was Spaghetti Squash! Never heard of it?! Neither had I! 

A friend posted about it on fb and I was like I gotta try that! 

Healthy spaghetti!

Bake a large Spaghetti Squash in the oven with a little water in the pan at 375 degrees for about an hour and a half,

Cut in half lengthwise

Remove the seeds like in a cantaloupe,

And using a fork scrape out the spaghetti noodles!

So awesome!! :)

Then use as you would regular spaghetti!

Tonight I made it with garlic alfredo sauce!

And little personal sparkling cider bottles! :)

Obviously, everyone LOVED it!! I don't think we will be making regular spaghetti again anytime soon!

Of course I wanted to try the seeds...

I fried them with a little butter and salt...

They were OK. Next time I think I will bake them with some seasonings! 

I can see the potential!

If you have any amazing pumpkin recipes, please share! I would love to try them out! :)

(Also, Natalie's 3rd birthday blog coming as soon as I get the pictures off my sisters camera! )

Why Buy Toys?!

If you are a parent, or around kids you know this saying to be true: "They always have more fun with the box then the actual toy". Ha! So, today Natalie showed me how to have VERY cheap (to her) fun! Lol. 

So, tonight for dinner I made Stuffed Green Bell Peppers, Potato Soup and Italian Bread... LOTS of carbs I know! I didn't think we were gonna do the soup, but when I came home from the store, Ryan wanted both still! So we did! The bell peppers are soooo good! 

Awhile ago I made up this recipe (I am SURE someone else has done it also!) I cut off the top of the peppers and scoop out the insides and put a little olive oil on them and pop them in the oven on about 300 degrees. While that's cooking I cook a cup of rice to about 3 cups of chicken broth(I like my rice soft) and grill up and season some chicken. When the rice is done, I put about 3/4 of a cube of cream cheese, bacon bits and your cooked chicken(juice and all) in with it and stir it all up. Take out your peppers and put the mixed rice in it. Sprinkle with Feta cheese(tonight we put bread crumbs on it too-ha! More carbs!) and put it back in the oven until the Feta starts to turn brown. Finito! Sooo yummy!

The potato soup- Bear Creek- Sooo good!

 My stuffed pepper 

And Ryan's stuffed pepper (Oh ya, we added a little crushed up whole peeled tomatoes to his-which is good too!)

To make dinner it took me about an hour or so. The WHOLE time I was cooking, Natalie was in the living room playing with 2 grocery bags and our dehumidifier.... Yes, the whole hour! Laughing and having the time of her life!

(Bad camera- Sorry!)

Haha! 

That dehumidifier has been a "trailer saver" though! We empty out about 10 cups of water everyday!! Not even exaggerating! 

Hope you enjoyed the cheap humor and get to try out the peppers! :)

Brooklyn's 1st Birthday!

Wow! I can't believe it's been a whole YEAR! Brooklyn is walking all over the place now! She loves it! In mid walk she will just burst out laughing! Ha! She gets a kick out of it! 

She had a great time at her birthday party, despite missing her nap! Surprisingly! (I think the cake helped! lol) 

Brooklyn's cakes my sister made for her!

(Awww!)

Sooooooo over tired! haha

Natalie enjoying Brooklyn's new toys! lol

Next weekend is Natalie's birthday! Man! :)