Today Was Awesome

(this was Tuesday March 31st...I uploaded the pictures and then forgot about adding words and posting this!)

It started with Jake doing his end of the year testing at the library and snapping this picture.  He is a rebel.

And hanging the first load of wash on the line! 

These little beauties were growing in the grass...It is officially spring!

Jake did a little whittling while I hung up the clothes.

Sadie hung out.

We opened the windows and let the amazing spring breeze in...

I am finally starting a gallery wall in the living room...here is the before. 

I finally get to use these pretty clips I found at Target!

I took these pictures at Biltmore Estates and developed them a while ago...and now I have the perfect place for them!

Aaron came home early and we took full advantage of the afternoon by playing some cornhole in the front yard. 

I had to post this because Sadie is adorable.  This is another shot of the beginning of the gallery wall...It still looks like this...

Jake spent some time on the trampoline.

And we used the grill for the first time in 2015!

It was pretty much a perfect day!  I am not ready for hot, hot summer days but I could live in spring for quite some time happily!

Picture's of food...

 For no reason except I like to take pictures of it.


This week I made zucchini lasagna (for me. I made regular for my guys. Aaron and Jake wouldn't even take a bit of mine) and it was soooo good.  The zucchini takes the taste of what you cook with it.  I also made Swedish meatballs (because I love meatballs).  For the guys regular noddles.  For me with spaghetti squash.  Some time soon I am not going to give them an option and they will realize veggies are a great alternative. 

This is not healthy but everyone once in a while won't kill ya!  This is not a great picture of Jake but he is still cute...and he wasn't going to wait for me to take another one! :) Focus: Jake=blurry biscuit...

Focus: biscuit=blurry Jake.

 I read some where that lime enhances the flavor of chicken and I decided to test it.  Why did it take me so long to learn this?!  I was cooking up some cubed chicken (in a cast iron skillet...why have I not used one all my life?) with olive oil and some spices.  When it was partially cooked I squeezed some lime on it and the results were:  DELICIOUS! You don't taste the limes...but you do!  I can't even explain it.  Try it.  You will be glad you did.  So..,I have pictures of limes...but none of the chicken.  Next time.

 My last vice that I am slowly weening myself from.  I put it in the freezer to get it cold and forgot about it.

It was like eating a slushy...I will be making that mistake again-for sure!!!

 I tried a new recipe (if you want to call it that.  No recipe to follow really I just saw it and it is pretty self explanatory!) for Jake this week.  Crescent rolls, ham, and a string cheese.  This is an easy fun lunch that Jake loved and thought I was awesome for making.


One more thing....

 I just had to take this picture.  It is just leftovers for lunch but he is wearing his "tough shirt".  Aaron called red and navy stripped shirts touch shirts when he was little.  I didn't realize Jake still had one that fit!  That is what happens when all the clothes that Jake wears all the time are dirty-he digs deeper into his dresser. 

Food in pictures...it is all part of the memories we make every day!

Mom's Birthday Dinner Tradition

 I have said it before and I will say it again:  Aaron makes the best ribs in the history.of.ever.  I am not a ribs fan and I LOVE these.  That is how good they are.  And this particular batch was the best he had ever made them. 

On Saturday evening we had Mom, Dad, and Aunt Sheila over to celebrate Mom's birthday dinner in what had become the traditional manner: eating Aaron's delicious ribs per Mom's request.  Aunt Sheila made macaroni and cheese which was perfect with the ribs.  The pack of ribs we got at Sam's only had two racks in it-it usually has three!  It was still enough (plus we made some barbecue chicken breasts just in case) of course but we did feel slightly disappointed.

 Here is another pictures-just in case that little one didn't make your mouth water enough...

 This is a heartwarming moment.  Aaron cooking and Jake emptying the dishwasher.  Me just taking pictures.

We ate dinner (we had brownies and ice cream for dessert just in case you were wondering) and then watched a couple of episodes of Duck Dynasty and had a good laugh.  All and all not a bad way to spend a Saturday night! :)  Happy birthday again to the best mom ever! 

A New Recipe...

I am slightly obsessed with meatballs...They make me happy.  Last week I decided to make some meatballs and then try a new recipe for Swedish meatballs I found on Pinterest.  The meatball recipe is just in my head.  The "Swedish" is the new part. :)

As I was squishing and mixing the meatball mixture with my hands and saying how c-c-c-cold it was, Jake decided he just had to try it...

...and who am I to discourage trying new things?

He agreed it is freezing.

But I wouldn't let him stop because it was too fun watching and listening to him mix the freezing cold meatball guts. :)

I cooked some on the stove and...

..some in the oven (that still needs to be cleaned...)

I love the crust and any recipe that wants you to have a lot of crusty brown bits to use in the sauce has to be a winner...

Beef broth...

On a side note: I got all sorts of domestic and reseasoned our cast iron skillet the same day (and the house stunk because of it.  Two hours in the oven melting shortening into the pores of the cast iron will do that I guess....

The meatballs smelled delicious...

This pan baking...not so much!

 So this recipe is super healthy!  After you add in the heavy cream, you then add your cream cheese and sour cream.  See what I mean?  SUPER healthy. :)

It was pretty yummy, but not my favorite Swedish meatball recipe.  It is pretty though isn't it?  I have lots of meatballs in the freezer now so I will test some other Swedish meatball recipes and see which one is the best.  If I can find one that tastes like Ikea's I will be a happy human. :)

Thank you Zucchini...

...for making it possible for me to still enjoy garlic bread in moderation, since you replace the over load of carbs that is pasta. 

Ignore my finger nail polish, and note this fancy contraption I bought at Walmart.  It is now my new best friend.  You just put the Zucchini (or whatever veggie you want) in and twist and out comes the healthy replacement for pasta and you can do it thick or thin!

This is why I am not a fan of cooking all the time.  I love the mess when it is happening.  All the chop, chop, chopping!  But then I hate to clean it up after.  I usually clean as I go but this day...not so much!  Check out the 2 bottles of Febreze..I found them at Aldi (a great, cheap grocery store) for $2-something.  They are usually $4-something at Walmart!  SCORE!

You can boil it (but I always feel like all the nutrients end up in the water...) or saute it.  A little olive oil, salt and garlic...Oh I can smell it again right now! 

It doesn't look that inviting...

but add some other veggies...

....my world famous spaghetti sauce...hahaha!....

...cheese!...

...and stir.

It is sooooo good!  And that makes this girl happy because I could (but I can't!)eat spaghetti every day of my life (in different versions)!  Next time I will put the "zoodles" (you see what I did there?) on a paper towel to soak up some of the moisture.  But it was so satisfying and yummy!  It really felt like I was eating pasta.

I am also loving this because although I love spaghetti squash "noodles" their slight sweetness wasn't what I was looking for in spaghetti.  They are perfect with alfredo sauce or just a little butter and garlic.  The "zoodles" will pair with anything that you would eat with spaghetti noodles.

I am a happy camper!  And I have eaten this again since I took these pictures...and that was just a week ago.  And right after I get Jake to stop reading his book (can you imagine!) and get back to his science test I am going to make some homemade meatballs...that I will put ontop of zoodles or spaghetti squash noodles for dinner tonight!

****Disclaimer for anyone who knows my guys:  I made real pasta for them and they didn't eat the extra vegetables.  Neither of them would even taste the zoodles.  They are not herbivores by any stretch of the imagination and I don't want to lead anyone astray by making you think that I actually talked them into eating this.*******