Vaughn's Polka Dot Party...with a dash of Hello Kitty!

I can't believe my sweet little gal has turned 6!  Vaughn has grown up so much over the past year that I can't believe this beauty that lies before me is the same little girl that walked into kindergarten about a year ago.  She is so smart, sweet, empathetic and of course, beautiful.  I just love her to bits and can't believe how much my life has changed for the better because she is in it.  I tell her all the time that she is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I do mean that.  Being a mom has been such a blessing in my life and has really caused me to look at everything differently!  I wish they'd just stay little forever, time goes by way too fast.

My little birthday girl requested a Hello Kitty party for her 6th birthday.  Being the Tiger Mom that I tend to be from time to time, I tried everything I could think of to talk her out of it because of my lack of love for all things "character".  I went through the same thing with Beau and his love for Mickey Mouse this spring...but my husband reminded me that it is not my birthday.  You would think I learned my lesson with him, but no...I had to try to talk Vaughn out of Hello Kitty!  

I thought I had really made some progress when I showed her the invitations that I purchased on a major deal from Inviting Company's warehouse sale in Little Rock last year.  They are super cute...and I loved the colors, the polka dots - I knew I could come up with something REALLY cute with this invitation as a starting point.

Invitiation...check.  I can work with this!  We were really lucky to find a location for the party after striking out on a couple of other fronts.  In my frantic search for a party spot after realizing our pool was booked on the evening we had planned the party, I stumbled across the Thomas Splash Park.  It is a public facility maintained by the City of Carrollton at the site of an old swimming pool and I thought we had scored - no fee for use, completely age appropriate and it could handle the number of guests we needed to accommodate.  If that didn't make it perfect enough, they also had grills, great seating areas and it wasn't ever super crowded on my scouting adventures.  This was a major bonus considering you can not make reservations or book the facility.

So...we have the site...a color scheme...easily planned menu thanks to BBQ grills...

BUT NO HELLO KITTY.

UGH.

This became a major bone of contention with my sweet daughter.  Afterall, she asked for a HK party so she should get it...right?  RIGHT.  You see, we have always made birthday parties and general birthday celebrations a big deal in our family so she had every reason to expect that I would work with her desired theme as I have always done in the past.  And, as my darling husband reminded me once again, it was not MY birthday...cue retraction of Tiger Mom claws. 


Luckily, my friend, Anne, came to the rescue and provided a solution to incorporating HK into the party theme without causing my gag reflex to go off due to character overload. By the time party day came, I was ready.  I had crafted the printables that Anne created...

Another first for this party, I made the cakes by myself.  I had made cupcakes for Vaughn's parties in the past but had never attempted a cake or fondant for a birthday party.  I think it turned out pretty cute!

All in all, we had a great party with family and friends.  The birthday girl was happy, Mom was happy, everyone had fun - we couldn't have asked for a better day!

WWDT - What Would Dave Think?

 

Rich and I decided to take the plunge and signed up for Financial Peace University at our church.  We started the program and the beginning of June - and WOW, what a difference it is making for not only our finances, but our marriage!!!  Admittedly, I kind of registered us under the "ask forgiveness later" operating procedure and begrudingly, Rich went to the first class with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.  His attitude totally changed by the time the first class was over.  Afterwards, we could both see the difference this was going to have on our life.

Anyone that knows me is aware that I am a shopper, but I am also a bargain hunter.  I don't like to feel ripped off when I purchase anything and I suffer from frequent buyer's remorse.  I also tend to be pretty frugal about certain things but not so much about other things.  I also think I NEED a lot of things I don't - and I also tend to think the kids really need a lot of things they don't because I love buying them things.  As the person in my marriage primarily responsible for finances, or the "nerd" according to Dave Ramsey, I have been diligent about setting a budget for our family each month - BUT we do not always follow it or update it as the month progresses.  WE ALMOST ALWAYS OVERSPEND.  A few months ago, we started doing one piece of the FPU plan, the envelope system.  We created envelopes and started using cash from them for some of our purchases such as groceries, dining out, entertainment, fun money, etc...we could see a difference.  After seeing the impact that minor change had on our spending, signing us up for the full monty was a no brainer for me and the natural next step toward what we need to do. We should never feel strapped for cash with the amount of money that we make.  And we will never feel that way again.  It's worked for family members and close friends, there is no reason it can't work for us too!

I feel like we survived one of the biggest hurdles, our first budget committee meeting.  As forewarned, there were arguments, accusations and some very tense moments, but we made it through.  And I can honestly say that after the meeting, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders for many reasons; one is that I am no longer the sole person involved in our finances and secondly, we have a plan.  We know where we want to go and have a plan for how to get there.  That is something!!! I know it will get easier...and now that it is over, we are both actually EXCITED about the budget - isn't that WEIRD?  We are going to be able to enjoy a lot of the things we love to do and not have the remorse that has plagued us in the past about overspending.  We now have the tools we need to fall back on and are already asking ourselves "What Would Dave Do?".

So today, 3 weeks into FPU, I can tell you we have accomplished a few of the Baby Steps and are making significant progress on others.  But, the biggest realization that we have both come to is that it is weird to be financially secure in this day and age and that most people aren't.  In our small discussion group at our FPU class, we have every end of the spectrum - a young, engaged couple that don't even balance their checkbooks all the way to parents of older children drowning in debt and overspending.  It has been very eye opening to listen to their stories and realize what we need to do and what we need to stop doing.  As of now, our three major goals in the next 18 months are:

1.  Pay off all debt

2.  Save at least 6 months of living expenses

3.  Purchase Rich a car that gets good gas mileage with CASH
4.  Implement a commission system rather than the chore chart we have been using for Vaughn so she can start earning money for the extra jobs she does around the house.

The fact is, today, in this country it is normal to be broke!  As Dave Ramsey says (I confess that I thought this was cheesy at first), you have to "live like no other so you can LIVE like no other".  So, 18 months of sacrifice and the shift in our attitude about how we make our money work for us is well worth it.  

I will keep you posted on our journey!

Nachos Italiano

Looking for a quick, easy yet family friendly dinner? Here's my creation inspired by seeing some Italian chicken sausage at my local grocery store.

Nachos Italiano

1 package whole wheat pita bread,
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage
1 jar sugar free Ragu tomato basil sauce
1 jar black olives
1 cup shredded part skim mozerella cheese

Cut pita bread into chip-like triangles, place on a cookie sheet.

Brown Italian chicken sausage in a pan, drain.

Pour tomato sauce, sausage and olives over pita triangles. Top with mozerella cheese.

Broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional info coming soon!

Crockpot Beer Chicken

Pinspiration:  Crockpot Beer Chicken

I didn't really make major modifications to this recipe...and it was SO easy.  Definitely a repeat!!! Here's how we did it:


Large Package of Chicken Drumsticks (frozen)
2 cans of light beer (we used Miller Lite)
1/2 tsp of paprika, basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Combine ingredients in your Crockpot, cook on low for 8-10 hours.

THAT IS ALL!  And it was SO good!!! Rich cooked this one and we started it on Mother's Day morning before we headed to church and brunch.  We served it with a simple green salad.  It was so tender that it literally fell off the bone.  The kids even loved it!

This recipe was a great way to end a week of trials...some passed the "repeat test".  The "repeat test" is how I know if a new recipe was a hit with my family...I always ask if it is a repeat while we are eating.  Rich and Vaughn give me thumbs up or thumbs down.  This one definitely got the thumbs up for a future dinner!

ENJOY!!!

Balsamic Pork Chops

In my menu plan for this week, Pinterest was a huge source of inspiration as I wanted to try new things.  One great thing about this is that trying new recipes in my house usually equates to me cooking more!  So, the percentage I gave you regarding who does the bulk of cooking in my house this week has totally flipped.

For Tuesday night dinner, I decide to try something new since we had nothing going on that evening (which is really a rarity these days with Vaughn's schedule).  I saw a delicious looking photo on Pinterest for Balsamic Pork Chops on a bed of yummy wild rice and I knew it would be a hit with my family.  Once again, clicking on the pin did not take me to the recipe, so I was forced to improvise since it was on the menu plan and that was THE option for that evening's dinner.  After scouring the internet, I found a recipe that I had what I needed to make and I was off!  

Balsamic Pork Chops

From About.com Lowfat Cooking

Ingredients:

• 4 5-ounce boneless pork loin chops, trimmed of fat
• 1/3 cup flour
• Pinch salt
• 2-3 twists freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth

Preparation:

Dredge each pork chop in flour mixture.
Heat oil on medium heat in 12 inch skillet . Add garlic and cook gently for 1 minute. Add pork chops and cook for 4 minutes each side. Remove and place on a plate, then cover loosely with foil.
Add balsamic vinegar and broth to skillet, stir to deglaze the pan. When liquid has reduced by half, return pork chops to the pan. Cook for 3-4 more minutes, turning once.
Serves 4

Nutrition Info
Serves 4
Calories 239, Calories from Fat 75, Total Fat 8.3g (sat 2.4g), Cholesterol 89mg, Sodium 80mg, Carbohydrate 10.1g, Fiber 0.2g Protein 30.8g

On a side note...the picture above is not the picture of chops I made but this is pretty similar to how they looked minus the juicy stuff.  The picture on the link to the recipe does not look at all like it!  They look glazed and oh my goodness, they were FANTASTIC!  I served them with a quick long grain wild rice and some green beans.

Grilled Chicken with Perfect Salad

Pinspiration:  Perfect Salad
Old Stand-by:  Grilled Chicken Breast

Our dinner tonight consists of the boring old stand-by grilled chicken breast.  I don't really know what Rich does to it, we usually don't use a marinade, just dry seasonings.  The fun part of our dinner is this beautiful, colorful summer salad I found on Pinterest.  It has been sitting on my "For Eats!" board for a while waiting to be made!  My kids LOVE strawberries and 75% of my family of four LOVE avocado, so we are good.  They can be picked around if they are found to be THAT appalling. My husband and kids HATE spinach salad so we usually use green leaf lettuce instead.

Unfortunately, like some recipes I find on Pinterest, this one sends you to what I like to refer to as the "Black Hole of Pins" or pins that bounce from one pin to another and never take you to the actual recipe.  Luckily, this one is pretty self explanatory so I am going to wing it. This recipe willl not be precise, just kind of talking ingredients.

Perfect Salad

Ingredients:
Green Leaf Lettuce, rinsed and chopped
Strawberries, rinsed, stems removed and cut in half
Avocado, sliced
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Pecans

Put all ingredients in a bowl or on a plate, serve and enjoy!

Yes, I see the little green things in there that look like little Wasabi peas but we are by passing them today.  As for dressing, it will be a pick your own kind of deal.  I usually keep a few standards around but I will probably whip up an easy Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette.

Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
Inspiration Recipe from Crisco.com  

1c lemon juice, from about 4 lemons
1/2c apple cider vinegar
2tbsp organic blue agave syrup
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
Salt to taste
1/4c extra virgin olive oil

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds and salt in small bowl until blended.

Chill and serve.

De-lighter-ful Taco Salad

Inspiration Recipe:
Crowd Pleasing Taco Salad
Taste of Home

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it looked so good! After looking at it, I knew I could make a few tweaks so it would work for us.

De-lighter-ful Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, diced
1 avacado, sliced
1 can of large black olives, cut in half
1/2c 2% shredded mexi cheese

Optional Indulgences:
1/4c light sour cream
1c Fritos


Brown turkey and add taco seasonings and water according to package directions. Set aside.

Place lettuce, tomato, black olives, cheese and Fritos (optional) in a large bowl. Add turkey mixture and mix well. Top with avacado slices and sour cream (optional).

Serve immediately.

Note: My husband, Rich, also added a little salsa to his for some extra kick. I didn't think it NEEDED it but it was a nice little addition.

Nutrition Info:
Serves 6
139 calories per serving with Ingredients.
232 calories per serving with Ingredients and Optional Indulgences

New Focus...for now...

Howdy, strangers.

Yes, I know...it's been ages since I have blogged.  I really want to be a blogger, but life seems to get in the way.  Maybe rather than make all of these new promises, I realized I should try writing about things I do regularly.  I was thinking about this very thing today while I was doing my meal planning and decided that it would be a great thing to start blogging about so here I am! 

As a busy mom, the ship runs more smoothly if I do menu planning for my family each and every week.  My husband is very into dinner...and he has requirements for dinner.  The plus side of him being this way puts the responsibility on me to plan meals that are well balanced (ie: he requires "square meals" - a meat, carb and vegetable).  The down side of it is that he doesn't do things easier things like breakfast for dinner - which is one of my favorites.  I find that we often eat the same things and it gets old sometimes.  Luckily, Pinterest is a great source of menu inspiration.  I am a notorious pinner and I don't always try many of the recipes.  Blogging my menu plans may hold me more accountable AND help me diversify what we eat.  I plan to start by blogging meals we are having throughout the week, however, if I happen to have readers and they would rather me provide the entire menu plan once a week, I can do that too!

Before I begin, there are a few general things you may want to know about how my family works and my philosophy about feeding my family of four.

• What's for dinner is ALL  we are serving - kids don't get special meals in this house!  I try to make things that Vaughn (5) and Beau (2) will enjoy but that does not always happen.  Sometimes they take their "no thank you bite" and that's it.   
• I'm all about healthy choices -  but this does not mean that I am 100% organic and don't allow any indulgences.  We do eat a lot of organic food (mostly meat, produce and dairy), whole or multi-grain at the very least and tons of fresh fruits and veggies.  I keep processed food to a minimum and primarily shop the outside of the supermarket.  I feel that one of our responsibilities as parents is to teach our children to make healthy food choices. 
• My husband is the primary chef in our house.  I can cook, pretty well I've been told, but Rich is home before I am most days.  As a working mom, it is so nice to have a husband that is willing to take on the task of about 75% of the cooking.  However, menu planning is my responsibility because I need to make sure that what we are eating works with whatever calorie plan I am on and fits the needs of our family.  Rich is a great cook but I also need to be sure that the recipes I select are pretty easy to follow or he gets really frustrated and calls me with tons of questions.
• I love food!!! Unfortunately, I am a Southern girl and I love Southern food - food in general for that matter.  I may or may not have been known to say that gravy should be it's own food group.  However, I know this greasy, rich and delicious food isn't always the best for you.  Occasionally, I bust out the iron skillet and go to town but not very often.
• I usually stay very on track with my workouts and eating plan Sunday - Thursday but allow myself to indulge here and there on the weekends.

So, here we go, I hope you guys like this new feature on The Everymom.