Shrimp Beignets!

Wow!  Our dinner tonight was amazing!  So yummy that I am probably going to regret buying that box of popcorn shirmp this week at the grocery store.  We had Shrimp Beignets and I highly reccommend you try them.  We did not make the sauce for them, just used some cocktail sauce.  Probably not the healthiest dinner, but no one said we were trying to be healthier!  :)  Kyle said I did good AGAIN!  2012 is going pretty good so far!

TRY THEM!

Tara

Shrimp Scampi

Last week we made a new shrimp scampi recipe.  It isn't from Red Lobster, but it turned out pretty good.  Not gonna lie, as I was making it I was a little worried.  Now that I think about it....this seems to happen alot when I am cooking!  :)  Anyways....the sauce was supposed to thicken...and it wasn't.  In the end I don't think it thickened like it should, but the flavor was amazing!  We will be making this shrimp scampi again!  FYI--If you are looking to make it a little healthier...we didn't think it needed all the butter the recipe called for.

Try it....you will love it!

Tara

New Year = Organization!

Now that we have the crazy holiday season past us, we have had some free time for some organization.  I have been meaning to clean out our spare bedroom closet for probably about 4 months.  It was much needed!  I should have taken before and after pictures, but this is the after picture and it is a HUGE improvement!  And the pile to the right will be going in an under the bed bin once I buy one!

After getting that closet cleaned up, I was in the mood to spring clean!  So we continued on with Riley's closet and our closet!  My wonderful husband even installed shoe racks in our closet! 

And we even had some time to get the crawl space cleaned out!  We just cleaned it out back in October, but somehow with the busy holiday season it got very cluttered and needed a spring cleaning too!  I don't have a picture, but trust me; it looks 100% better!

I think I like to do my "spring" cleaning in the winter because who wants to be in the house cleaning in the spring!?!

Happy cleaning!!

Tara

Wool Dryer Balls.....Ah-mazing!

So apparently I am turning into a "green" freak.  While researching training pants for Riley on the internet I came acorss Wool Dryer Balls. 

I thought they sounded so neat!  The thought of not having to remember, "did I already put the dryer sheet in?" or "do I still need to put the dyer sheet in?"  You put these fun bright colored balls in the dryer and LEAVE them.....for years!  On lady said she has had hers for 8 years and they are still going strong! I paid $23 (including shipping) for 4 of them.  I wasn't sure this would be enough, but thought....why would they sell just 4 if it wasn't enough?  They said you can use anywhere from 2-12!  The more you use the better they work.  I figured I would start with 4 and if I liked them....I could add them to my Christmas list next year!  I ordered them earlier this week and luckily they arrived on a day when I was doing Riley's laundry; so of course....I threw them in!!  To my delight....they worked like a charm!  Riley's clothes had less static in them then when I use a dryer sheet.  And it is supposed to cut down on the drying time too!  Since I have only used them once I haven't confirmed that, but either way....I am totally excited!

Check them out!  And ENJOY!

Tara

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

It wasn't perfect, but I would say it was a success!  The recipe said to make the chicken, noodles, and then the sauce for it all seperate.  The chicken was complete and moved to a plate and covered with foil...just like they said. The noodles were easy, but complete before the sauce.  I put some butter on them and covered so they wouldn't stick (might have been a mistake). It said to make the sauce mixture in a large skillet.  After adding the ingrediants it was supposed to thicken.....it never really did.  In the end, we just threw in the chicken and noodles and mixed it up.  When we ate it the noodles and chicken were covered in sauce, but when I came back to the left overs the sauce had all ran to the bottom of the pan.  Maybe it was the butter I put on the noodles, or maybe the mixture was not thick enough.  Either way....it still tasted good.   AND I got the ok from Kyle to make it again! 

I know I said one new recipe a month, but we are starting out BIG!  I am making a shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta dish this week too!  Hopefully it turns out just as good!

Tara

Christmas 2011

WOW!  Christmas in our household is a little overwhelming!  In total, we spent 4 days celebrating Christmas with various family!  One good thing is we have that much family to spend our time with, but it also means ALOT of running around.

The weekend before Christmas on Saturday we headed down to Tuscola to spend time with my mom's side of the family.  Riley loves spending time with Cooper and it was even warm enough they got to go for a walk in the "forest" with Uncle Ronnie!  And we got to play with some of Uncle Ronnie's toys!

Also the weekend before Christmas on Sunday we had Christmas with my Dad's side of the family.  Of course Riley got to play with more kids so he had a blast again!

  



On Christmas Eve we headed to Kyle's parents house to have Christmas with Kyle's Mom, Dad, & Grandma B.  By this point Riley was almost "over" opening gifts, but he did such a good job!  After his nap, Kyle's Dad's side of the family came over and we got to visit with all of them too!

Christmas Eve night we headed home to spend the evening with just the three of us.  We made steak & lobster.....and Riley had a turkey sandwich!  :)  And then of course we ended the night watching a Christmas movie.  It was the year to watch White Christmas!  Growing up we always watched White Christmas on Christmas Eve, but Kyle and I decided we would only watch it every other year and on the opposite years we would pick another Christmas movie. 

And then there was CHRISTMAS DAY!  Riley got a trampoline from Santa (which happens to still be in the family room!).  He LOVES it.  He jumps in it at least 3 times a day!  Sometimes he lays on it to watch TV.  After we all opened our gifts we headed on our merry way!  We were off to my Dad's house to have Christmas with my Dad, Patty, & Patrick!  Then we headed to Kyle's Grandma P. to have Christmas with Kyle's Mom's side of the family.  And then we headed back to my Dad's house to have dinner with Patty's family.

Whew....So as Riley would say, "Tree Gone" until next year!  I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Tara

Riley's 2nd Birthday!

Riley's 2nd Birthday celebration started on Tuesday the 20th because Kyle had to work nights on Riley's actual Birthday (the 21st).  On Tuesday night my Dad and his wife Patty, Kyle's Mom & Dad, and Kyle's two grandmas took Riley to Chuck E Cheese.  We had some pizza (which surprisingly was delicious!), played some games (ok maybe Kyle & I played the games), opened presents, and had some cupcakes!  Overall it was a success!!

Here are some pictures from our night out at Chuck E Cheese!



After Chuck E Cheese Riley and I headed home while Kyle went to Party City to get Riley's balloons.  When he woke up on his Birthday the family room/kitchen was filled with balloons!!  He was so excited....."balloons mommy, balloons!"  He even wanted to hold them while watching his cartoons. 

At lunch time we had one more surprise for the little man!  We were having pancakes and his was shaped like a 2!  He looked at it like, "Mom, what is this?"  We even put his #2 candle on it for him to attempt to blow it out (the night before he didn't understand the concept).  But to our surprise, when we said "blow out the candle," he didn't even hesitate.....he just BLEW it out! 



Now I have a whole year to think of some more fun ideas for his 3rd Birthday!!  If you have any cute ideas let me know!

Tara



Happy New Year!

We have had a crazy few weeks with the holidays and Riley's 2nd Birthday (I know....can he really be 2 already?).  I am excited for the new year and all it will bring! We have alot of little family events planned like going to the beach, the waterpark, a Cardinals game (with amazing seats thanks to Kyle's parents!), Allison's wedding! So much to look forward too, but first we have to get pasted winter!  :)

My new year's resolution is to make one new recipe a month.  We are starting tonight with white cheddar chicken pasta!  Wish me luck!  I will be sure to update you on how it goes.  I have been a stay at home mom for just over 6 months now (but I feel like it has only been 2 months).  Time sure flys!  Since I am home alot now I have this desire to learn how to cook.  Kyle and I are very simple and our menu for each week usually involves frozen pizza and hot dogs!  Hopefully I can get us to having at least a few real meals a week.

PHOTO UPDATE!

Cousin Colt (plus Aunt Amber & Uncle Jason) came to visit!

Riley went to his 1st hockey game!  GO WOLVES!

Kyle took me to VEGAS for my BIRTHDAY!!  He even surprised me with tickets to the American Country Awards!  Best husband ever!  And the Christmas decorations in the hotels at the holidays are amazing!

We celebrated Riley's 2nd Birthday with a small gathering at Chuck E Cheese!

(We are having a big party in June for him---with a bounce house!!)

Here is a picture we took on Christmas night!

I am going to try and blog more often instead of one huge blog every now and then.  Hopefully everyone enjoys!

Keep your eye out for my blog about Riley's 2nd Birthday & Christmas 2011!

Tara