Homemade Sloppy Joes

Ok, I'll admit it...Sloppy Joes are not the healthiest thing in the world to eat...and sometimes, they are not the most appetizing thing to eat...but these are really, pretty good AND they are really fast to make...and I am all about easy and fast!!!

This recipe makes enough for Mitch and I to have a large sandwich each, Luci to have a small one...and then maybe a little leftover...if we don't decide to have seconds... :-)))))

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of ground chuck
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red and green)
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup of ketchup
1/4 cup of water
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp of spicy prepared mustard (regular will work too)
2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt/pepper to taste
whole wheat buns
sliced cheese (we used Muenster cheese)
butter

Directions:
Cook ground chuck with garlic powder, onions, and peppers until brown. Drain any grease. Stir all other ingredients in with browned ground chuck. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Spread butter on buns and toast under the broiler in the oven. Spoon mixture over the buns and top with cheese!!! Yum yum!!!!

Weekend Recap- Nana's 81st, Grammy and Gdaddy, & Sunday

Wow!! We had a busy weekend this weekend!!!!

Friday, we left work a little early and drove down to Paris to celebrate my Nana's 81st birthday!!!! We had a large crowd so we went to The Grapevine to eat and celebrate!!!

The very best Nana in the world!!!

Luci decided she would help her open up her gifts!!

Nana and her kiddos!!

Luci and her second cousin!!!

After dinner, we all went back to my Mom's to hang out for a bit!!!

On Saturday, we woke up early and Grammy and Granddaddy (Mitch's folks) came down for the day for a visit!! Of course right when they got here, we took them out to The Egg and I for breakfast! Everyone seemed to be there on Saturday! When they seated us, we turned around and Quinn and her crew (plus, my cousin Jocie who stayed the night with them) were there!!! We also saw Katie and A.J. and Jenna and Michael there as well!!

After breakfast we went to Wal-Mart where Luci got to pick out some Easter goodies from Grammy and Granddaddy and we bought Easter egg dying materials!!!

Luci had a lot of fun!!

  

 
After Easter Egg dying, Luci went down for a nap and Susan and I went shopping. After shopping, we came back and I made a quick cake and finished up dinner. After we ate, we visited for a bit more and then Grammy and Granddaddy got back on the road and went home.

On Sunday, we woke up to a lovely rain...it was nice to lay in bed for a while listening to it. We finally got up and got ready for church!! After church, we grabbed some lunch at Varsity and Luci and I headed home for a nap while Mitch went to the office to work on his paper that is due this week.

An attempt at a family photo...while driving...but at least Daddy is still looking at the road!! Haha!!

Lunchtime!!

After Luci woke up from her nap, we went over to see Quinn and her crew and eat some homemade chicken noodle soup!! We brought back some to Mitch because he was still working on his paper :-(. He actually took the day off from work today just to try to get caught up.

 So, we had a very full but fun weekend!!!!

A few Easter goodies!!! I love how cheerful the house looks when it is decorated for Easter!!!

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

We love chicken pot pie in our house...it is easy, everything is in one dish, and it is really good!!! I'm sure there are plenty of more complex recipes out there...and recipes that don't use a canned cream sauce...but I am all about ease and convenience...so canned cream sauce it is!!!

This recipe makes 2 pies.

2-3 chicken breasts (depending on how much chicken you like)
2 small russet potatoes cut into 1 inch hunks
1- 1 1/2 cup of baby carrots (I just leave them whole...All 3 of us really like carrots so I usually use a lot)
1 cup of frozen green beans
1 cup of frozen corn
onion/bell pepper ( I probably used 1/2 cup combined)
1 tsp of poultry seasoning
2 cans of cream of chicken
2 pre-made refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts
1/2 cup of chicken broth (you may need more or less depending on how you like your filling consistency.)

Layer ingredients in crock pot. Pour soup and broth over top. Cook on low 10 hours.

Shred chicken with fork and divide pie filling mixture into 2 pie plates.

Top with pie crust and poke with fork...don't pay attention to my pie creases...I was in a hurry!!!

Bake until pie crust is golden brown!!!

So easy and sooo good!!! This is seriously one of our favorite work week recipes. I can throw everything in the crock pot in the morning and it takes just 20 minutes for the pies to bake when we get home!! Supper can be on the table by 6:00...which means more quality Mommy time for me with Luci!!!!! This is a win-win recipe!!!

Tuesday Night Play-Time!

Luci decided to get Maggi Bear all dressed up last night...high heels included! :-)

Such a smiley girl before bedtime!!!

Luci- 33 Months!

3rd Birthday Party Preview

Luci's 3rd birthday is approaching faster than I would like it to!! This year we are having her party at a local bounce house. It is soooo easy on me. Basically, I just show up with cupcakes, a few favors, and of course the birthday girl!!! Because I have a need to have a "theme" at everything....we are having a cotton candy theme. Cotton candy cupcakes, cotton candy ice cream, and cotton candy for favors. Other than that, it will be major play time for the kids!!!! Here is a sneak peek of the birthday girl in her birthday shirt and bow!!! She is sooo excited for her birthday party...only 2.5 months away! :-))))

Weekend Recap- Shower, Movies, and Outside!

We had a great weekend!!!

Friday after work, we dropped off our items at the Growing Kids Sale (while Luci cried and threw a fit begging for her bedding back...really?? I'm surprised she remembered it...she was fine after a little distraction!) and then ate cheeseburgers at George's for dinner.

Saturday morning we got up and drove down to Paris. We ate a quick, early lunch, and then Mitch and I left for Little Rock for a baby shower and Luci spent the day with Mimi and PePaw. Tasha, one of my oldest (as in longest not age! lol!) best friends, is expecting her first baby and I couldn't miss her first baby shower!! I didn't feel like driving myself so Mitch drove me up there and then grabbed a cup of coffee and worked on some homework at Starbucks while I attended the shower! She got soooo many nice things!!! Her shower that I am hosting is in 2 weeks!!! She will be all set and ready to go for Miss P!!!!

Let's talk about Tasha: Tasha and I grew up in the same town and went to the same school since the 5th grade...we were inseparable from 8th grade and on! We played volleyball together, cheered together, ran track together (ok, I ran and she tanned on the high jump mats...kind of like I did when she played tennis :0), worked at the same local restaurant together, and took  most of our classes together. When it came time to choose colleges, we went in opposite directions. We have been in opposite directions for 8 years...and at different times we have been in different stages of our lives together; however, we talk on the phone 4+ times a week, text almost every day, e-mail several times a week, and get together when ever we can!! She has been by my side for the most important days of my life...and I have been there for her!! I can't wait for baby P to arrive...and you can bet I will be there too!! I can't wait to get a pic of us and our two girlies together!!!

My college graduation

Her undergrad graduation

My baby shower

Luci arrives

Waiting on Luci

Wedding day

This weekend at Miss P's shower!!!

Part of Miss P's gift from me...a hairbow holder I made!!! I am so proud of this...because those that know me know that I don't have a crafty bone in my body!!! :-))))

Back to the recap...

After the shower, Mitch and I drove to Russellville and grabbed a bite to eat and then drove back to Paris to pick up Luci. It was nice getting to spend the better part of the day with just my better half!!!

On Sunday, we played hooky from church and went and grabbed breakfast at the Egg and I. After dropping Mitch back off at the house to work on homework, Luci and I made our weekly pilgrimage to the "unholy land", Wal-Mart. After shopping, we went back to the house and cleaned for a bit, and then Luci and I got ready to meet Quinn and Brendon to go to see Dr. Suess's The Lorax!!! It was such a cute movie!!! We loved it!!!

After the movie, we came back to the house and Mitch took a break from homework to join Luci and I outside for a bit!!!

After we played, we got ready and headed to Taylor and Kerri's for a yummy dinner!! They grilled barbecue chicken, potatoes, zucchini, and we provided some green chile rice!!!! After dinner, it was time to head home and wrap up the weekend!!

Things to come this week:

Nana turns 81!!!!

A Typical Day

I am constantly doing weekend recaps, but I never really talk about a everyday, average day. What does a typical Tuesday or Thursday look like for us?

5:50a- 1st alarm goes off.
6:30a- We finally get out of bed. Luci is usually still sleeping. Either one of us will get her a sippy of milk and set it next to her in our bed. Yes, our bed...because by that time she has tiptoed in...or we were too lazy to take her to her own bed the night before.
6:35a- I jump in the shower and Mitch either irons or grabs a bowl of cereal.
6:50a- I am working on getting ready, and we have woken Luci up. She is watching a Dora/Mickey/Max & Ruby and sipping on her milk. Mitch gets in the shower.
7:10a- I am finishing getting ready and getting Luci to go pee-pee, get her clothes on, brush teeth, and comb hair. Mitch is finishing up as well.
7:25a- Mitch is putting Luci's socks and shoes on while I grab a breakfast bar.
7:30a- We head out the door.
7:45a- We drop Luci off at daycare. Yes, Mitch and I both take her to daycare whether we car pool together or not. It is important to both of us to do so, but I understand that not everyone's work situation allows them to do it together. We just happen to be going in the same direction so it works out.
8:00a-8:03a- I run in the door to work!!...Mitch gets to work around that time as well!
5:00p- We leave work and go to pick up Luci.
5:30p- We arrive back at home. Luci gets a snack and then does her 2 "chores"...shoes put up in closet and socks in the hamper...if she has a jacket she is supposed to put that in her room as well.
5:45p- I start dinner.
6:15p- We eat dinner.
6:45p-7:45p- Clean up, play-time, watch a tv show..
7:45p- Bath time for Luci...then books or a Dora show...
8:00p-9:00p- Bedtime for Luci...this varies just depending on how sleepy she is.
9:00p-10:00p- Mitch and I clean up the kitchen or straighten the living room or just relax on the couch for a bit.
10:00p- We usually go to bed.

10:00p- 5:50a- Sleep.

Then rinse, and repeat.

Everyday doesn't necessarily run like this...some week nights we are busier than others...but this is usually a typical day.