Meal Plan 3/17-3/21

Happy Monday & Happy St. Patricks Day!! I hope everyone has a great start to their week. FOOD… I can't think of a better topic to kick off a new week! 
I'm sure this is a pretty boring topic/post for most people to read but I love typing out what we are having for the week! I can easily go back and see what we have had (& enjoyed) if I am in a cooking rut! Here is our plan for the week… keeping things pretty simple.
Last night we had 3 Ingredient Citrus Onion Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Recipe from Six Sister's Stuff).

Tonight, we are having Croissant French Toast (Recipe from The Pioneer Woman). We will also have bacon and eggs! 

Tuesday: My famous meatballs, rice, and gravy!! I do not have this typed up but if enough people request it, I will type it up!! Here is a picture I took the last time I made them…

Wednesday is our night out! It breaks up our week and gives us some quality time during a busy week. We have been going to Pappasitos for the past few months (only missing 1-2 weeks) and I love it!!
We are heading out of town Thursday night, which means a 4 day work week for me!! We will enjoy meals with our family and friends that we do not get to see very often! Can't think of a more perfect way to get back into reality! 

Week(end) Recap

I have a good reason for my blogging absence… I shouldn't say a good reason because it wasn't good but more on that at a later time. Instead, I sit here in denial that my spring break is over! :-( I was so excited this time last week and I can't believe it has already been a week. Instead of being sad that it is over, I am going to focus on how much fun I had!! 
Monday was a me day! After everything that has gone on this year, it was really important that I relaxed this past week. I slept in and went to have a 2 hour massage. It was amazing!! When I got home, I played with the dogs in the backyard for 20 mins. or so. When I came inside, I looked in the mirror (as I was washing my hands) and was so surprised at how burnt I got! Later that night, H got home and we made homemade pizza and cooked it on the BGE. The pizza was really good and will definitely be made many times this spring/summer! Here is a little before and after picture for you..

Tuesday, I went to lunch with a great friend and then met some other friends at a local place for some fresh air and drinks! We sat outside and ended up having to move under an umbrella because yet again I (& all the others) were getting burnt. Clearly, we are not used to this 80 degree weather. *Doesn't look like we will be getting used to it because it is make in the 50's now. gross.

Wednesday was low key! We had dinner with a couple that we had not seen in a really long time. I think I laid in bed the majority or the day and jumped back in bed shortly after we got home from dinner!!

Thursday, I went to lunch with my team!! It was so good to spend time with them and not talk about school stuff or kids! I got a facial later that afternoon and it was amazing!!

Friday, I went to dinner with another great friend.  We tried to get a few different people to take a picture of us at lunch but our selfie skills are better than their picture taking skills!!

I had not shopped since the end of January but we can't help it when we get together!! I didn't go crazy but did get a new pair of jeans and 2 shirts!! 

Chris and I decided we wanted to try a new recipe on the BGE. We made blackened catfish and dirty rice. It was so good!!

On Saturday, Chris and I spent the day together shopping, having lunch, and enjoying each others company. We made it home just before a huge thunderstorm came through. It was so nice to sit on the couch and listen to the storm. I love a good, spring thunderstorm! I am also loving all of the fresh fruit that is in season… I may or may not have eaten lots of these this weekend…

Today has been a day of errands, laundry, making dinner, and getting ready for the week. Meal plan will be posted tomorrow!! Goodbye spring break, back to reality I go...

1st Meal Plan of 2014

Obviously I haven't posted my goals for 2014 but one of them is to meal plan every week. I was really good at meal planning for a few months last year but then started slacking. It makes the week nights so much easier when you know what you are having and don't have to go to the store every day! I have a few blogs that I love to get recipe ideas from but most come from pinterest. If you meal plan and post it, leave a comment so I can go check it out and get new ideas!! 
Here is what's on our menu for this week:
Sunday-  Bubble Up Breakfast Bake

I have never made this recipe but I have made the bubble up pizza, bubble up BBQ chicken, and bubble up enchiladas and they all are amazing!! This is such an easy week night recipe and I definitely recommend any of the above!!
Monday-  Chicken Enchilada Soup

I have never made these either but I have seen it pinned a ton of times and it sounds really good!!
Tuesday- Meatloaf Muffins w/ BBQ sauce

I have never made these either (Do you see a pattern lol I am kinda nervous about trying all new meals but it's a new year so we shall see!) but they look and sound amazing!!
Wednesday- 

Week night out! This is one of my favorite restaurants ever and they have half price fajitas for two on Wednesdays.. even better!! YUM!
Thursday- Oven Baked Beef Tacos

Guess what... this is a new recipe too!! A good friend swears by them so I hope they don't disappoint! 
Friday & Saturday are normally dinner our or my husband grills something. I will definitely be back with reviews for these meals!! Happy first full week of 2014, make it the best! Tomorrow is my first day back to work in 2 weeks. I am kinda in denial about going back but really ready to see my kiddos!!

Christmas Recap!

Better late then never right.. 
We had a WONDERFUL Christmas with our families (much better than Thanksgiving when my husband was sick). It's hard to live away from family but even harder during the holidays. Thankfully we are within driving distance and are able to see all four of our wonderful families. We had such a wonderful visit but there is nothing like coming home to your own house, space, and bed. I am up to my ears in laundry and needing to find new places for our new Christmas goodies! Once I get off this computer it is go time... this house will be clean and put back together before I go to sleep tonight!! I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking...
We celebrated our first Christmas with his mom a few days before Christmas. We would be seeing her Christmas day also but it would be a little crazy so we did Christmas with them early.  We spent Christmas Eve afternoon at my mom's house. Her having a tree up and lots of goodies underneath is huge! We have had a rough few years and it made me so happy to see all of this out! 2014 is a new, happy beginning for this fam! This is the tree at my mom's house!!

One of the few pictures I have of us (or people in general).

We went to my dad's house for Christmas Eve night. We have finally figured out a system to get to all houses on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day!! Who knows what next year will bring though?!? Love their tree, it is super tall and always decorated so pretty! We had an amazing dinner that I should have taken a picture of but instead I stuffed my face and then fell asleep.             

We made our way back to Chris's dad's house and went to bed pretty soon after. I didn't get a picture of their tree but it was the only real tree of the 4 and smelled amazing!! We spent Christmas morning there before heading to his grandma's house. 

Unfortunately, Chris had to work the next day so he had to head back home later that night. I headed back to my dad's and spent the night playing with my little brother and sister. 

We were unbelievably blessed with gifts but it was so much fun to watch the others open their gifts that we really put thought into. We have some new exciting pieces for our house that I will take pictures of soon. My sister put together one of the most creative gifts I had seen!! Needless to say, it went over really well with everyone that saw it and I really didn't want to take it apart!

Coming up is our snow skiing trip recap... Stay tuned!! 

Five on Friday!

Whew! A teachers favorite days of the year are the day of Christmas break and the last day of school. I promise I absolutely love my job (more than I could ever express) but when I woke up this morning, I was happy that it was the last time with an alarm clock for 2 weeks!!! I will definitely miss my sweet kids and wonder what they are doing but I will also relax and enjoy this much needed break. 
I am linking up with Christina for 5 on Friday today!!..

1) Although I said I am ready for a break, this week started off better then I ever could have dreamed... I was crowned teacher of the year. To say I was excited, overwhelmed, honored, thankful (& lots of other feelings) would be an understatement. I do not teach for recognition but it was nice to be recognized!

2) I have a few New Year's resolutions for the new year but the biggest one is to start meal planning again. When I have a meal planned and the ingredients ahead of time, the night goes so much smoother.  Look for that come the new year!! 
3) I have school on my mind still (& promise to cut it off sometime tonight) and am so thankful for such an amazing team of teachers that I work with. These 5 make the good days better and the hard days easier!

4) I am getting so excited about all of the quality time we have coming up with family the next 2 weeks. The craziness of reality will slow down and I can't wait to soak it all up!
5) STARBUCKS! I have just discovered how awesome some of their drinks are which is a BAD deal! I have an addictive personality and have enjoyed 1 too many Carmel Brulee's lately. Who can really say no to the little red cup (which I thought was super over-rated a couple weeks ago!)

I hope to be back soon but in reality family trumps the blog! If I am not back before Christmas, I hope that all of my followers have a very Merry Christmas!!

Tis the Season!

I absolutely love this time of year!  
Our house has such a homey feeling and it has been so nice to curl up on the couch with my husband, dogs, hot chocolate, and a nice fire in the fireplace. Friends are posting on FB that they are starting to get cabin fever...had you asked me yesterday, I would have said I was fine but I am getting a little antsy now. Since Thursday night, I have taken a couple showers and then put on a new pair of pajamas/comfy clothes. I did go work out on Friday and we just got back from getting pizza but I am done with the cold!! 
Our district just made the call that school is yet again cancelled tomorrow... I may have to get out and do some shopping! Speaking of shopping,  I have had a lot of time over the past few days to make my Christmas list. Here is what I have my eye on this year...

I'm off to make some spiked hot chocolate and enjoy another relaxing night in front of the fire with my loves!! Hope you all had a great weekend!! 

Fingers crossed for some sun to melt all this ice tomorrow!!

Five on Friday!

I am linking up with Christina on this unexpected day off!!

1) Living in Texas, we get so excited, anxious, panicked, and scared when there is a slight chance of ice/sleet/snow. Being a teacher, we have been watching the weather like CRAZY all week! One of the larger districts in our area cancelled classes for today early yesterday afternoon. I was hoping and praying that we would get the call last night...and... we DID!!! I have enjoyed laying relaxing all day so far and really am not sure what I am going to do the rest of the day. Here are a few pictures.. we didn't get near as much as others but roads are bad. 

2) I don't like cold weather so I do not like this upcoming forecast... I live in Texas so that I don't have to deal with the above and the below cold temps. 

3) I am halfway finished with my Christmas shopping! This is a big deal because I normally wait until the absolute last minute. I may have to do some more online shopping since it looks like we will be iced in for a few days!!
4) It is baby boom central in blog land! So many of my favorite blog friends are posting that they are expecting. I am so excited for them and can't wait to follow. Baby fever is HIGH over here..!!
5) Meal Planning... I need to get back into it. I love coming home every night having a plan for dinner and feel very stressed when I don't have it planned. Here are some meals that I am wanting to try. You can find them all on my Dinner pinterest board. FInd me here!! 

Be sure and link up for Five on Friday and check out the other blogs that do! I have found so many new reads through this link up!!