Friday Favorites

1. These two. They are two peas in a pod. Sometimes.  But when they are in the pod together watch out!  But aren't they just cute????

2. This week for family night we created our "COLORADO BUCKET LIST".  For those who don't know yet, we are moving to Utah sometime in August.  It's bittersweet. But it's life. So we decided to make a bucket list of things we wanted to do before we left Colorado.  We LOVE Colorado (never thought I would say that!) and there are SO many things that we haven't done yet.  We have all summer to cross stuff off our list!  The kids came up with some good ones.  Andrew wants to go bowling before we leave.  I guess he thinks Utah doesn't have bowling alleys LOL!

3. Can I just say....I LOVE MASTERPIECE ON PBS!!  It's about the only thing I watch on TV (besides Netflix.  And that has gone by the wayside now that they took 24 off.  Boo!!).  They have brought great shows such as Sherlock, Downton Abbey, and now my new favorite Mr. Selfridge.  

4. Studio C has started up again and Rach and Andrew loved the first episode!  This is one that Rach laughed a lot at because she can so relate too!

5. This beautiful cousin of mine!  She's coming to visit me tomorrow!!!  I can hardly wait!!!!  We haven't seen each other in...I don't know how many years.  She just text me one day (a day that I really needed some happy things to happen) and asked if she could come visit me!  I consider her and her two beautiful sisters the sisters I never had.  I love them all dearly! (Sorry Shelly, I took this from your blog. Hope you don't mind.)

Tasty Tuesday

No recipe today. But a product review :)

A couple years ago we were in Utah and had dinner with my Uncle Carl and Aunt Gaye. Aunt Gaye ALWAYS makes delicious meals!  But this particular time she made the most delicious pot roast.  I mean, we are talking mouth watering!  I asked what was her secret and she simply said, "Shirley J's."

If you haven't ever used this I strongly encourage you to order some ASAP. I don't make my pot roasts any other way now.  Simply delicious!!! Go here to order some!

Tasty Tuesday

I thought I would revive this weekly post.  I always enjoy new recipes and sharing ones that our family likes or even loves.

I don't know about most of you, but for the last year or maybe more, our dinners had much to be desired.  Most nights I had absolutely no plan at. all.  The kids would ask me what was for dinner and my answer six days a week was "Whatever." Sundays were the days I actually had a plan.

But that all changed when I came across this website.  Most of the posts are by a wonderful girl that I knew back in my college days, Nancy Griffin. I don't think I ever told her but I looked up to her.  She was just so positive and cared so much for people.  Anyway, I don't know how I came across her blog but I did and it has been so fun to "reconnect" with her.  I love all of the ideas that she has.

Anyway, she had an INCREDIBLE weekly menu plan and it has completely changed my life.  No longer do I answer "Whatever".  It is awesome!  It's simply having a "theme" each night.  I know that's not a new idea, but it was the themes she suggested that have really worked for our family.  You can read about it here.

But generally this is what we do:

• Sunday: Crock-pot 
• Monday: Comfort food
• Tuesday: Taco Tuesday
• Wednesday: Quick meal
• Thursday: Breakfast for dinner
• Friday: Pizza night
• Saturday: Healthy/Asian/Fish (Maybe we will experiment with having fish ;) )

We have tried some yummy recipes lately.  Here are a couple:

French Dip SandwichesOur Best Bites (ourbestbites.com)

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns (or more…6 would be VERY generous servings!)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.

When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onions soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It’s hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. And don’t even think about walking away–things can go from lightly-toasted to on fire within a matter of seconds when you’re using your broiler.

Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chile Verde Pork Roast (sixsistersstuff.com)

Ingredients:
2-3 lb. pork roast (I usually get a shoulder because it is cheaper, but any kind will work!)
1 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2-3 tomatillos, husked and chopped*
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (optional- I usually don't add this because of my kids)
1 (16 oz) jar green salsa
1 (4 oz) can green chilis
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp cumin

*These are like a green tomato, wrapped in a husk. When I first tried one a couple of years ago, I had to ask someone at the grocery store to point them out to me, but I have learned that most grocery stores carry them and they are fairly inexpensive. They are delicious in this pork!

Directions:
Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place your roast in the slow cooker. Add all other ingredients (I just dump them in right on top of the roast). Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Once finished, shred the roast with two forks (it will literally fall apart). Serve on flour tortillas for tacos and add desired toppings.

Our favorite toppings:
Lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, green peppers, jalapenos

And I guess my Mormon heritage is really coming out lately because it seems I can't have a Sunday dinner without some kind of jello something.  This was a hit this Sunday...

Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe: (sixsistersstuff.com)

Ingredients:

1 large package Cook and Serve vanilla pudding (4.6 ounces) (I actually used instant and it turned out fine.)
1 large package orange jell-o (6 ounces) (I used the 3 oz because that was all I had.)
2 cups water
1 16 oz Cool-Whip (lite or fat-free is fine)
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

20 ounce can pineapple tidbits (drained)

22 ounces mandarin oranges (drained)

2 to 3  bananas, sliced (Optional, put in before serving so they don't turn brown in the fridge)

Directions:
Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about an hour). Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit. Chill about an hour before serving.

(Note: I didn't add the pineapple, marshmallows or bananas because I didn't have pineapple or marshmallows and the bananas weren't ripe enough.  We all thought it was really good without.)

So maybe try these with your family or the menu planning.  I'm telling you it has been a lifesaver!!

Oh my Annabelle!

Can I just say how much we all love this girl?  She has brought so much happiness and laughter into our family.  And it has been so fun to watch her little personality emerge, especially in the last six months.  She is sweet and loving, but stubborn as a mule and has the "Johanson wing-ding" trait. Heaven help us with those!

She LOVES to wear tutus!  We were at the store last week and she saw a swimsuit with a tutu and she got all excited "tutu, tutu"! She is such a girlie girl!  In the bottom picture she wanted to wear both her birthday tutu and her Halloween tutu.  Apparently a girl can never have too many tutus!

She LOVES to squeeze into the smallest space possible and must have her "joos" to go with it.  This is her favorite ride around the house.

She LOVES her babies with a true mother's heart.  She is very affectionate with her babies and is always concerned where their "baa" is so that she can feed them.  I can already tell that she will be a very nurturing and loving person.

She LOVES to get dressed up.  Her patent leather Mary Janes are her "go-to" shoe everyday.  On Sunday mornings you can almost always find her in Rachel's bathroom sitting on the toilet watching Rachel get ready for church.  And she always wants Rach to put lipstick on her. Then she looks in the mirror and just smiles like "Yeah, I look good."

She has discovered how to get to new heights.  Nothing is too small to stand on as long as it gets her higher than the ground.  I have even caught her attempting to stand on a glass mason jar in the kitchen. Yep.  Her usual "go-to" step stool is her plastic toy/storage box.  She empties her toys and carries it into the kitchen every. single. morning.

She LOVES to dance.  This girl can raise the roof like no other 19 month old can!  She loves to dance to "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, "On top of the world" by Imagine Dragons, "Roar" by Katy Perry just to name a few. She knows good music when she hears it.

I haven't gotten a picture of her yet, but she LOVES her jewelry.  My mom sent her all of her Mardi Gras beads and Annie takes them off and on all day.  Like I said she's my girlie girl!

We are so thankful she is in our family!

Friday Favorite

I know I am so far behind this wagon, but my "new" favorite show is....

Yep. That's right.  Thank you Netflix for coming to the rescue when nothing else is on!  I am hooked!  Love me some Jack Bauer!

If you haven't ever seen it (which probably you have because as I said, I'm late joining this wagon), then you must!

TBT (Throwback Thursday)

For lack of anything to write about but wanting to post something I give you a Throwback to February 2006!  Cute little Valentines!!!

Pikes Peak

Ryan and I decided to take the kids to Pikes Peak shortly after New Years'.  We reserved tickets on the Cog Railway.  We made it a little vacay to the Springs, got a hotel room, went swimming, ate at Rudy's Bbq and just had a great time as a family.

It was about an hour and a half ride up on the cog and it was beautiful!  The kids were so excited, especially John.  He loved riding the train.  We saw things that we wouldn't normally see if we had driven up ourselves (plus an added bonus...I felt we were much safer. ;) ).

 This was the only time that all six of us were outside at one time.  It was FREEZING and so so windy up at the top.  So the kids and I stayed inside most of the time.

In the picture above you can see to Kansas!

Andrew, John and Annabelle were out like a light within 15 minutes of our ride back down.  I think the lack of oxygen wore them out :)

We had a great time and loved seeing more of beautiful Colorado!

HELLO Friends!

Wow!  It has been over SIX months since I last looked at our family blog.  That is crazy.  But...truthfully that is life.

Just to get you caught up on everything that has happened since July the kids started school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, present.  There you go.  Maybe I'll get around to posting pictures, but who knows. :)

Maybe once a month will be good.  What do you think?  I don't know.  It's just so hard to decide.  Since I'm on Facebook and now on Instagram I feel like everyone knows what we're doing.  But I guess there are some things that I don't post on those two that would be fun to share.  Hmmmm.....

There was a reason that prompted me to post today though instead of posting it on social media.  And it's Christmas related!  Just a preface....Ryan and I have never given Christmas presents to our kids specifically from us.  I don't know why exactly.  We just haven't.  But as Christmas was approaching and thoughts of the new year I really wanted to give them something that would last the whole year and  create memories for our kids.  So we gave each of them twelve envelopes with a date with dad and a date with mom.  I think one of the hardest things (among MANY) of being a parent is making the time to spend with each child.  Especially once you have more than two.  So this gift actually makes Ryan and I stop and spend time with each of them.  I didn't know how they would react to the gift of envelopes.  I mean, it's envelopes you know.  But there reaction far surpassed any reaction to a tangible gift.  They loved it!  And Ryan and I have had a great time so far.

Here are the memories we created in January:

Rachel's date with dad: Go to a book store to pick out a new book and then get a treat.  Instead of going to Barnes and Noble Ryan took her to the Tattered Bookcover, a local bookstore here in Denver.  Of course Rach was in heaven!  She picked out The Maze Runner.  She is so excited to read it (and so am I!).  Then they went to a new cupcake shop down the street from us Milk & Cakes.

Rachel's date with mom: Go to the craft store and pick a craft you can do together.  She has been looking at Pinterest for some fun things to accessorize her room and found the cutest calendar/corkboard/organizer thing.  So we went to Hobby Lobby and got the supplies. It has turned out really cute.  We're not quite done with it, but she loves it!

(Pictures coming soon!)

Andrew's date with dad: Go to the movies or have a movie night at home.  Andrew chose to have a movie night at home and picked The Hobbit to watch.  So he and Ryan got some treats and the movie, set up the living room like a theater and had a great time watching a movie just the two of them.

Andrew's date with mom:  Make a dessert you have never made before.  Andrew wanted to make a super colossal ice cream sundae.  So he made his list and he and I went to the store to buy all the ingredients.  We came home and made a very tasty ice cream sundae.

John's date with dad: Build a small project together.  John wanted a triangle table to put by his bed.  So he and Ryan went to Home Depot and bought a few supplies and came home and got to work.  It turned out really cute and functional :).

(Finished product picture coming soon!)

John's date with mom: Go to the movies or have a movie night at home.  John also chose to have a movie night at home and he picked The Magic School bus.  Not technically a movie but that is what he loves right now.  So we watched several episodes and ate popcorn and treats.  He loved it!

Annie doesn't have "official" dates with us this year since she is still little, but we can't wait to include her.  Probably next year.  Instead we are just taking her on little dates like to get an ice cream cone or play in the park that sort of thing.

The kids got to open up February's envelope on the first.  They are excited for another month of fun dates with mom and dad!