So, our house is in Christmas overdrive! I still need to finish decorating the house...and if you must know it is in Autumn/Winter limbo. I have worship team practice tonight at our home and I know they are all going to think, "what is going on?!" It's like Autumn and Christmas had a bunch of kids and some look like Dad and some look like Mom. So, I guess John is Autumn and I am Winter...our kids are all so different! Anyway...that was random and weird! Sorry, I do that sometimes! I am so glad I have friends and family who love me! As I am preparing to finish decorating this weekend I was perusing Pinterest and found an AWESOME link to 35 free Christmas printables from Sassy Sites. They are all so cute, I had a hard time choosing which ones to print. Here are 3 that I chose for our home:
Christmas Tree Scripture from Betty Crocker Wannabe...this one is so adorable:
http://adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-scripture-word-tree-
Simple and Elegant. From Simple As That Blog:
http://www.simpleasthatblog.com/2010/12/free-christmas-printables.html
Subway Art from Eighteen25. I am SO into these lately!:
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-subway-art-banner.html
They have so many cute things on their blog. Including these amazing Glitter Christmas Trees:
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2010/11/glitter-trees.html
I want to make them...I think I might HAVE to make them!
Here is the link from Sassy Sites to all the great printables:
http://sassysites.blogspot.com/2011/12/35-free-christmas-printables.html
Ok, and I know this is totally random and has nothing to do with Christmas, but I found the perfect way to boil and peel eggs! I have been eating a lot of these lately because I went back to my Paleo diet since the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays. So, I was trying to find out the best way to cook them and came across this info from Mom on a Mission. You have to try this! So, so easy and they peeled perfectly! I did not even do the ice bath, just soaked them in cold water. It is EGGmazing! ;)
http://momonamission.me/?p=649
Hope your Holidays are starting off with a bang! Remember to Count Your Blessings...and Your Boybarians!
~Gillian
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Catching Up...
Remember my last post and all that I mentioned I had to get done? Well, I did get it done...but it wore me out! So, I took a bit of a break, but, I am back now!! So, today to catch up here are a few cute things the Boybarians did or said during the month of October:
Paxton: He grew! :) And Laughed! And melted my heart more and more! He is true joy.
Reichen: He says and does the cutest things! One day at lunch he had smeared his PB&J all over his sweet face. Hubby asked him what was on his face?! He replied "Makeup!". :) So cute! I guess he watches me more than I thought. ;)
Knox: Knox amazes me at his brightness. Trust me I can say that he totally gets that from his Daddy! He is so smart and so quick to learn new things. He still loves to be on Daddy's "Soldiers" though! :)
Asher: He is my little artist! He made this art book on Enrichment days and it is amazing! He is so talented...again he gets that from Daddy! He was telling us all about the different artists he emulated including Picostco. Lol! I guess you know where we shop...a lot! :) Love him!
Owen: When we drive to my parents we come out of the mountains and come upon the desert. Owen shouted "Look boys! We are in the Goopey Desert!" Love it! Can't believe how tall and big and crazy that boy is.
We also enjoyed our first field trip to the Pumpkin Patch and our Annual GBC Hoe-Down!
More posts to come! Until then remember to....
Count your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
~Gillian
Paxton: He grew! :) And Laughed! And melted my heart more and more! He is true joy.
Reichen: He says and does the cutest things! One day at lunch he had smeared his PB&J all over his sweet face. Hubby asked him what was on his face?! He replied "Makeup!". :) So cute! I guess he watches me more than I thought. ;)
Knox: Knox amazes me at his brightness. Trust me I can say that he totally gets that from his Daddy! He is so smart and so quick to learn new things. He still loves to be on Daddy's "Soldiers" though! :)
Asher: He is my little artist! He made this art book on Enrichment days and it is amazing! He is so talented...again he gets that from Daddy! He was telling us all about the different artists he emulated including Picostco. Lol! I guess you know where we shop...a lot! :) Love him!
Owen: When we drive to my parents we come out of the mountains and come upon the desert. Owen shouted "Look boys! We are in the Goopey Desert!" Love it! Can't believe how tall and big and crazy that boy is.
We also enjoyed our first field trip to the Pumpkin Patch and our Annual GBC Hoe-Down!
More posts to come! Until then remember to....
Count your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
~Gillian
Monday, October 8, 2012
Monday Musings
Well, it is Monday...again. This week is going to be unbelievably crazy! Our car is in the shop (we only have 1 right now), I have meetings and errands, the boys have school and Enrichment, I have to drive to the AV to drop off the Boybarians at my parents. I have a church to decorate, a rehearsal to coordinate, a wedding to attend, church, worship team, going to try to sneak in some alone time with Husband, and a final trip to the AV to pick up the Boybarians. Whew! How I am going to get this all done...I do not know! But I reminded of my post last week about being still. Although I won't be able to be physically still this week, I need to be spiritually! So, if you think of me this week, please pray for peace of mind and a still heart that is relying solely on God's strength. I will not be doing much posting this week, but next week the boys have a bit of a fall break, so look forward to some great things! Drugstore beauty items, Fall Décor tips and DIY How-To's, Wedding Pictures of my ceremony and reception styling, and a World Market haul...I LOVE World Market! Until then....
~Gillian
"Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!"
~Gillian
"Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!"
Friday, October 5, 2012
Fun Decor Ideas
I have been wanting to decorate the house for Fall...my favorite season, and I of course, as a budget minded mom, wanted to find cute, inexpensive ways to revamp the house. I did an online search for free printables and I found so many! Too many to actually use! So, I wanted to share a few of my favorites and some that I have used or plan on using. All you need to do is download them and save them, then you can print and frame them or decopauge them on a wooden letter, or whatever your crafty heart desires! Hope you enjoy!
A simple, encouraging Bible verse from Southern Traditions Boutique:
http://www.printabledecor.net/2012/be-still-and-know-printable/
An adorable Autumn printable from Thirty Days Handmade:
http://www.printabledecor.net/2012/fall-subway-art/
A wonderful reminder from A Step in the Journey:
http://www.printabledecor.net/2012/give-thanks-chevron-printable/
My favorite one for Fall from Saved by Love Creations:
http://savedbylovecreations.com/2011/10/fall-printable-keep-calm-count-blessings.html
Have fun creating!
~Gillian
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
A simple, encouraging Bible verse from Southern Traditions Boutique:
http://www.printabledecor.net/2012/be-still-and-know-printable/
An adorable Autumn printable from Thirty Days Handmade:
http://www.printabledecor.net/2012/fall-subway-art/
A wonderful reminder from A Step in the Journey:
http://www.printabledecor.net/2012/give-thanks-chevron-printable/
My favorite one for Fall from Saved by Love Creations:
http://savedbylovecreations.com/2011/10/fall-printable-keep-calm-count-blessings.html
Have fun creating!
~Gillian
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The Important Things!
I saw this article that my friend posted on Facebook and in reading it I knew I needed to share. This is from Allison Tate via Huffington Post:
"Last weekend, my family traveled to attend my oldest niece's Sweet Sixteen party. My brother and sister-in-law planned this party for many months and intended it to be a big surprise, and it included a photo booth for the guests.
I showed up to the party a bit late and, as usual, slightly askew from trying to dress myself and all my little people for such a special night out. I'm still carrying a fair amount of baby weight and wearing a nursing bra, and I don't fit into my cute clothes. I felt awkward and tired and rumpled.
I was leaning my aching back against the bar, my now 5-month-old baby sleeping in a carrier on my chest (despite the pounding bass and dulcet tones of LMFAO blasting through the room) when my 5-year-old son ran up to me.
"Come take pictures with me, Mommy," he yelled over the music, "in the photo booth!"
I hesitated. I avoid photographic evidence of my existence these days. To be honest, I avoid even mirrors. When I see myself in pictures, it makes me wince. I know I am far from alone; I know that many of my friends also avoid the camera.
It seems logical. We're sporting mama bodies and we're not as young as we used to be. We don't always have time to blow dry our hair, apply make-up, perhaps even bathe (ducking). The kids are so much cuter than we are; better to just take their pictures, we think.
But we really need to make an effort to get in the picture. Our sons need to see how young and beautiful and human their mamas were. Our daughters need to see us vulnerable and open and just being ourselves -- women, mamas, people living lives. Avoiding the camera because we don't like to see our own pictures? How can that be okay?
Too much of a mama's life goes undocumented and unseen. People, including my children, don't see the way I make sure my kids' favorite stuffed animals are on their beds at night. They don't know how I walk the grocery store aisles looking for treats that will thrill them for a special day. They don't know that I saved their side-snap, paper-thin baby shirts from the hospital where they were born or their little hospital bracelets in keepsake boxes high on the top shelves of their closets. They don't see me tossing and turning in bed wondering if I am doing an okay job as a mother, if they are okay in their schools, where we should take them for a vacation, what we should do for their birthdays. I'm up long past the news on Christmas Eve wrapping presents and eating cookies and milk, and I spend hours hunting the Internet and the local Targets for specially-requested Halloween costumes and birthday presents. They don't see any of that.
Someday, I want them to see me, documented, sitting right there beside them: me, the woman who gave birth to them, whom they can thank for their ample thighs and their pretty hair; me, the woman who nursed them all for the first years of their lives, enduring porn star-sized boobs and leaking through her shirts for months on end; me, who ran around gathering snacks to be the week's parent reader or planning the class Valentine's Day party; me, who cried when I dropped them off at preschool, breathed in the smell of their post-bath hair when I read them bedtime stories, and defied speeding laws when I had to rush them to the pediatric ER in the middle of the night for fill-in-the-blank (ear infections, croup, rotavirus).
I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them. Someday I won't be here -- and I don't know if that someday is tomorrow or thirty or forty or fifty years from now -- but I want them to have pictures of me. I want them to see the way I looked at them, see how much I loved them. I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother.
When I look at pictures of my own mother, I don't look at cellulite or hair debacles. I just see her -- her kind eyes, her open-mouthed, joyful smile, her familiar clothes. That's the mother I remember. My mother's body is the vessel that carries all the memories of my childhood. I always loved that her stomach was soft, her skin freckled, her fingers long. I didn't care that she didn't look like a model. She was my mama.
So when all is said and done, if I can't do it for myself, I want to do it for my kids. I want to be in the picture, to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are.
I will save the little printed page with four squares of pictures on it and the words "Morgan's Sweet Sixteen" scrawled across the top with the date. There I am, hair not quite coiffed, make-up minimal, face fuller than I would like -- one hand holding a sleeping baby's head, and the other wrapped around my sweet littlest guy, who could not care less what I look like."
"Last weekend, my family traveled to attend my oldest niece's Sweet Sixteen party. My brother and sister-in-law planned this party for many months and intended it to be a big surprise, and it included a photo booth for the guests.
I showed up to the party a bit late and, as usual, slightly askew from trying to dress myself and all my little people for such a special night out. I'm still carrying a fair amount of baby weight and wearing a nursing bra, and I don't fit into my cute clothes. I felt awkward and tired and rumpled.
I was leaning my aching back against the bar, my now 5-month-old baby sleeping in a carrier on my chest (despite the pounding bass and dulcet tones of LMFAO blasting through the room) when my 5-year-old son ran up to me.
"Come take pictures with me, Mommy," he yelled over the music, "in the photo booth!"
I hesitated. I avoid photographic evidence of my existence these days. To be honest, I avoid even mirrors. When I see myself in pictures, it makes me wince. I know I am far from alone; I know that many of my friends also avoid the camera.
It seems logical. We're sporting mama bodies and we're not as young as we used to be. We don't always have time to blow dry our hair, apply make-up, perhaps even bathe (ducking). The kids are so much cuter than we are; better to just take their pictures, we think.
But we really need to make an effort to get in the picture. Our sons need to see how young and beautiful and human their mamas were. Our daughters need to see us vulnerable and open and just being ourselves -- women, mamas, people living lives. Avoiding the camera because we don't like to see our own pictures? How can that be okay?
Too much of a mama's life goes undocumented and unseen. People, including my children, don't see the way I make sure my kids' favorite stuffed animals are on their beds at night. They don't know how I walk the grocery store aisles looking for treats that will thrill them for a special day. They don't know that I saved their side-snap, paper-thin baby shirts from the hospital where they were born or their little hospital bracelets in keepsake boxes high on the top shelves of their closets. They don't see me tossing and turning in bed wondering if I am doing an okay job as a mother, if they are okay in their schools, where we should take them for a vacation, what we should do for their birthdays. I'm up long past the news on Christmas Eve wrapping presents and eating cookies and milk, and I spend hours hunting the Internet and the local Targets for specially-requested Halloween costumes and birthday presents. They don't see any of that.
Someday, I want them to see me, documented, sitting right there beside them: me, the woman who gave birth to them, whom they can thank for their ample thighs and their pretty hair; me, the woman who nursed them all for the first years of their lives, enduring porn star-sized boobs and leaking through her shirts for months on end; me, who ran around gathering snacks to be the week's parent reader or planning the class Valentine's Day party; me, who cried when I dropped them off at preschool, breathed in the smell of their post-bath hair when I read them bedtime stories, and defied speeding laws when I had to rush them to the pediatric ER in the middle of the night for fill-in-the-blank (ear infections, croup, rotavirus).
I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them. Someday I won't be here -- and I don't know if that someday is tomorrow or thirty or forty or fifty years from now -- but I want them to have pictures of me. I want them to see the way I looked at them, see how much I loved them. I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother.
When I look at pictures of my own mother, I don't look at cellulite or hair debacles. I just see her -- her kind eyes, her open-mouthed, joyful smile, her familiar clothes. That's the mother I remember. My mother's body is the vessel that carries all the memories of my childhood. I always loved that her stomach was soft, her skin freckled, her fingers long. I didn't care that she didn't look like a model. She was my mama.
So when all is said and done, if I can't do it for myself, I want to do it for my kids. I want to be in the picture, to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are.
I will save the little printed page with four squares of pictures on it and the words "Morgan's Sweet Sixteen" scrawled across the top with the date. There I am, hair not quite coiffed, make-up minimal, face fuller than I would like -- one hand holding a sleeping baby's head, and the other wrapped around my sweet littlest guy, who could not care less what I look like."
Allison Tate with her little guys!
Wasn't that so true? I often do the same thing! Our culture has ruined us so much that we neglect taking photos of with our little ones. God said that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made!" Why is it so hard to remember that! This encouraged me that although I may care that my hair is flat, my jeans are baggy, my skin is bare, my eyebrows hairy and my legs unshaved...the Boybarians don't! Just like they don't care that the bathroom is scrubbed and I made a cool new home décor project on Pinterest. They care that I love them, snuggle them, wipe their tears, clean their scraped knees, read to them, hug them, kiss them, be silly with them and so much more. So go and make some important memories with your littles!
~Gillian
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monday Musings....
Habits...habits can be a blessing or a curse. I had been in the good habit of running and I slipped out of that good habit after resting my knee for 2 weeks. I am now in the bad habit of avoiding 5:00 am at all cost. How can I get back into the good habit? Self-discipline! Another good habit! So, this week, I am going to try and make running my habit again...and that means waking up at 5:00 am will also be a good habit...how is good and 5:00am even in the same sentence?
Musings....I have so much going on the next few weeks and I am starting to feel like it is going to cave in on me. I am hoping to do a home décor haul and a drugstore beauty challenge, but we will see if I can get to it. I also still haven't forgotten about the fall tutorial and some more recipe reviews. Hopefully, it will all come together and if it doesn't I will remember that I need to rely on this verse:
"Be Still and Know that I am God". I am tired, weary, and overwhelmed, but I know that all that matters is this...I need to be still. I need to trust in God in the way I say I do. I need to believe that although my house is a mess, laundry is piled up, I have 20 things on my to-do list, my eyebrows need waxing, and my toes need painting, that God wants me to do 1 thing...Be Still. Be still and glorify Him. Be still and love my husband. Be still and cherish my boys. Be still and serve others. Be still and TRUST Him. Be still. I encourage you to join me on this quest.
~Gillian
Keep Calm and Count your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
Musings....I have so much going on the next few weeks and I am starting to feel like it is going to cave in on me. I am hoping to do a home décor haul and a drugstore beauty challenge, but we will see if I can get to it. I also still haven't forgotten about the fall tutorial and some more recipe reviews. Hopefully, it will all come together and if it doesn't I will remember that I need to rely on this verse:
"Be Still and Know that I am God". I am tired, weary, and overwhelmed, but I know that all that matters is this...I need to be still. I need to trust in God in the way I say I do. I need to believe that although my house is a mess, laundry is piled up, I have 20 things on my to-do list, my eyebrows need waxing, and my toes need painting, that God wants me to do 1 thing...Be Still. Be still and glorify Him. Be still and love my husband. Be still and cherish my boys. Be still and serve others. Be still and TRUST Him. Be still. I encourage you to join me on this quest.
~Gillian
Keep Calm and Count your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Date Night Ideas on a Budget!
Good Morning! I am so excited to have my amazing friend over at Everyday Circus guest blogging for me today! She is an expert on date nights, party planning, and sewing the Boybarians favorite blankets. It's Friday and I am sure that most of us would love to go on a date with our man tonight. But if you are like me, you think that there is just too much that goes into planning to steal away for 3 hours and there is no way it can all come together. Well, you can have date night tonight, and it will be a date night to remember! Take it away friend!
Hello! I am Kendra over at Everyday Circus. I am a busy mom of four, wife to the love of
my life, lover of anything sweet, and am ecstatic to be guest posting for my
dear friend today on one of my favorite subjects: Date Night.
Before we had kids we did not have to call it date
night. We called it going to dinner and
the movies. When you were dating every
night was date night. Now you are tired,
money is tight and a good babysitter is hard to find. While all those are very
reasonable obstacles, Date Night is worth fighting for. Why you ask?
To reconnect with your best friend. Life gets busy and overwhelming and
it is easy to go day in and day out and not connect. Also to keep your romance
alive. When you come together for a set apart special time with the Love of
your Life you remember why you fell in love and why your marriage is worth
working for. When your children move
away, it is you and the man you married.
Make sure that he is still the “love of your life” and your “best
friend”. Never stop dating, you won’t
regret it...I promise. With all that said, I want to share with you some date
night ideas that won’t drain your wallet and a few that don’t require a
babysitter. No more excuses.
1)
Dessert Date:
Dessert only Date! Start your date a little later in the evening
and eat dinner before you leave. Go out for Dessert. Desserts are
cheaper and something that we usually don't splurge on when we go out.
Share a couple of different desserts and an espresso.
2)
Night at the Museum: Museums have a way of
sparking conversation and many are free.
3) Pizza
and Beer: May seem simple, but I guarantee that if you put
on some great jeans and fantastic heels it will be the best pizza date ever.
While you are there sit and reminisce about some of your very
first dates, when all you could afford was Pizza and you were too young to have
beer.
4)
Pack a
Picnic: A bottle of wine, crackers, cheese and some fruit all
packed in a pretty picnic basket during sunset the beach or a local park is a
relaxing way to spend date night! What is better than a sunset and a
picnic with your love?
5)
Redneck Spa:
Fill a backyard baby pool in your backyard and enjoy a glass of
wine. Enjoy the laughs that are sure to
happen and the starry night sky.
6)
Order Take Out and Set a Fancy Table: Pull out
all the stops. Make sure you put all the
food in pretty serving dishes and light candles. Dress up and put on Frank Sinatra.
7)
Write Your Love Story: Get everything you need
to make ice cream sundaes and then sit together and reminisce. Write everything down in a journal.
8)
Bubble Bath and Massages: Pampering one another will be a stay at home
date that will not be soon forgotten.
9)
Have a Staycation: Wherever you want to go, steal away in your
own living room. Say Italy is your dream
vacation. Make a delicious Italian
dinner, buy a bottle of Italian wine, set the table how you imagine an Italian
Café to be set and watch “Life is Beautiful”
10)
Go
Camping: In your living room. Make a
fort in your living room and make indoor s’mores over a candle. And no electricity!! Makes it a little more exciting!!
11)
Game Night:
Naughty or nice a little competition is always good for a relationship.
12)
See a game: Go to your local high school and
watch a football game together.
13)
Go to the bookstore: Grab some coffee and sit
together at a local bookstore. For a fun game to play while you are there check out this link.
14)
Play 20/20 for a Little Pillow Talk: Prepare 20 questions for your spouse and have
them prepare 20 questions to ask you.
Lie in bed and question away.
15)
Coffee Date: Remember the days when you had all
the time in the world to sit at the coffee shop, sip your drink and talk?
Sometimes it is the simplest pleasures in life that make us reconnect.
16)
People Watch: Go to a local park and take a
walk. As you walk past people create
stories about them. What super human
power they might have. Have fun with
it!!
17)
Only $10: Here is the game. Go to Target.
Each of you gets $10 to spend on the other. Split up and purchase something for $10 that
must be used that night!
18)
Read Out Loud: Start a book together and read to
one another in front of a fire with some hot chocolate.
19)
Movie Night: Rent the first movie that you ever
saw together and buy all your favorite movie snacks.
20)
Create a Masterpiece: Buy two canvases at your local craft store
(Don’t forget your coupons) and paint a masterpiece to hang in your home.
Wow, Kendra! These are awesome! I can't wait to have a date with my hubby very soon!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
~Gillian
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
~Gillian
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Monday Memories...on Wednesday...
I once again have failed to keep up with my posts. So, today "Monday Memories" will be "Witty Wednesdays". I guess it work out this week, because the things the boys said this week, were pretty witty! :) I will also catch-up on a few recipe reviews...so prepare for a lengthy post.
Owen (6): As we were enjoying a family breakfast on Saturday in celebration of my Mr. Townsley's birthday, I was astonished that I have 5 boys! 5 boys! I was just looking at them and thinking "how on earth do I have 5 boys? If you know me at all, I am very girly and it is almost comical that I have 5 dirty, gross, loud, messy, barbaric boys. So, I said in a teasing sort of way, "I cannot believe we have 5 boys! Why, Why?" Owen then said in a very confident tone, "Mom, you know why, God gave them to you"...slight pause..."and you need to be thankful". We of course started laughing as it sounds like something I frequently say...then he kind of laughs at himself at his great accomplishment of erupting laughter from Mommy and Daddy, smiles, puffs up his chest and says "I'm a Smart Aleck!". My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. He certainly is that and so much more. That boy cracks me up!
Asher (5): Can't think of anything in particular, but there was a moment in the car, where we was very sweet and kind to one of his brothers. That always warms my heart.
Knox (4): I can't believe he is 4! He always has this sweet, joyful smile and it just kills me! He also is constantly asking me for a drink or a snack...quite annoying...but then he smiles...and it's all ok. :)
Reichen (2): We are teaching our boys chatechisms and they are so good at it, it's crazy! We also try to do them with Reichen, but most of the time it just goes over his head. Well, I asked him, "Who made you?"...his response, "God". "Good job Reichen!,what else did God make?"..."ummm"..."Target!". I guess I have a problem?! Yep, I do. If Costco and Target are your 2 year olds favorite places, you might too. :)
Paxton (2 months): He is just a love bug!! I can't get enough of his sweet face!
Ok...on to recipes!!! Here were the recipes from Pinterest that I still needed to review:
French Dip Crescents
Easy Creamy Enchiladas
Garlic and Lemon Chicken
French Dip Crescents: These were a snap to make. However, they were a bit mushy and salty for mty taste. The kids weren't thrilled with them either. I think if you were to try them, I would double up on the crescents, by pressing 2 triangles together. I would use a different cheese...maybe cheddar. I would add some type of spread...the recipe called for horseradish, but most children and some adults don't care for that. Maybe a mustard/mayo combo with some thyme? Or this yummy spread from Trader Joes...
http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Aioli-Garlic-Mustard/dp/B00714H77W/ref=sr_1_78?ie=UTF8&qid=1348679659&sr=8-78&keywords=trader+joes
Overall they were just ok.
Easy Creamy Enchiladas: These were fantastic! Full of flavor, easy to prepare, tons of leftovers, and taste better the second day! I did add some Salsa Verde to the sauce for more flavor and it gave it the perfect zip. I use TJ's Salsa Verde.
http://pinterest.com/pin/20195898299840260/
Garlic and Lemon Chicken:
This was pretty easy and very flavorful. A quick, healthy weeknight meal. I might marinate the chicken beforehand though, just to add a bit more flavor. But all in all, you can't go wrong with roasted chicken and veggies.
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pan-roasted-chicken-lemon-garlic-green-beans-10000000780291/index.html
That's it for now, but I have a few more recipe reviews, some beauty product tips and tricks, a guest blogger, and a really neat fall tutorial all in the works. So stay tuned! Until then...
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
Owen (6): As we were enjoying a family breakfast on Saturday in celebration of my Mr. Townsley's birthday, I was astonished that I have 5 boys! 5 boys! I was just looking at them and thinking "how on earth do I have 5 boys? If you know me at all, I am very girly and it is almost comical that I have 5 dirty, gross, loud, messy, barbaric boys. So, I said in a teasing sort of way, "I cannot believe we have 5 boys! Why, Why?" Owen then said in a very confident tone, "Mom, you know why, God gave them to you"...slight pause..."and you need to be thankful". We of course started laughing as it sounds like something I frequently say...then he kind of laughs at himself at his great accomplishment of erupting laughter from Mommy and Daddy, smiles, puffs up his chest and says "I'm a Smart Aleck!". My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. He certainly is that and so much more. That boy cracks me up!
Asher (5): Can't think of anything in particular, but there was a moment in the car, where we was very sweet and kind to one of his brothers. That always warms my heart.
Knox (4): I can't believe he is 4! He always has this sweet, joyful smile and it just kills me! He also is constantly asking me for a drink or a snack...quite annoying...but then he smiles...and it's all ok. :)
Reichen (2): We are teaching our boys chatechisms and they are so good at it, it's crazy! We also try to do them with Reichen, but most of the time it just goes over his head. Well, I asked him, "Who made you?"...his response, "God". "Good job Reichen!,what else did God make?"..."ummm"..."Target!". I guess I have a problem?! Yep, I do. If Costco and Target are your 2 year olds favorite places, you might too. :)
Paxton (2 months): He is just a love bug!! I can't get enough of his sweet face!
Ok...on to recipes!!! Here were the recipes from Pinterest that I still needed to review:
French Dip Crescents
Easy Creamy Enchiladas
Garlic and Lemon Chicken
French Dip Crescents: These were a snap to make. However, they were a bit mushy and salty for mty taste. The kids weren't thrilled with them either. I think if you were to try them, I would double up on the crescents, by pressing 2 triangles together. I would use a different cheese...maybe cheddar. I would add some type of spread...the recipe called for horseradish, but most children and some adults don't care for that. Maybe a mustard/mayo combo with some thyme? Or this yummy spread from Trader Joes...
http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Aioli-Garlic-Mustard/dp/B00714H77W/ref=sr_1_78?ie=UTF8&qid=1348679659&sr=8-78&keywords=trader+joes
Easy Creamy Enchiladas: These were fantastic! Full of flavor, easy to prepare, tons of leftovers, and taste better the second day! I did add some Salsa Verde to the sauce for more flavor and it gave it the perfect zip. I use TJ's Salsa Verde.
Garlic and Lemon Chicken:
This was pretty easy and very flavorful. A quick, healthy weeknight meal. I might marinate the chicken beforehand though, just to add a bit more flavor. But all in all, you can't go wrong with roasted chicken and veggies.
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pan-roasted-chicken-lemon-garlic-green-beans-10000000780291/index.htmlThat's it for now, but I have a few more recipe reviews, some beauty product tips and tricks, a guest blogger, and a really neat fall tutorial all in the works. So stay tuned! Until then...
Keep Calm and Count Your Blessings...and your Boybarians!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Monday Musings & Memories...
Well, I know that I am horribly overdue for a recipe review post and I promise I will get to it this week...I hope! :) With this week including homeschooling, 2 birthdays, wedding planning for a dear older lady in our church, and the normal everyday things that are required with 5 boys, blogging gets pushed back sometimes. Although, I so thoroughly enjoy it, so I will get to it...just not maybe as quickly as we all wish. And when I say "all" I am not sure if I am even talking to someone. I sometimes dream of my blog and a little group of loyal followers...followers, are you out there?! If you haven't followed me yet, make my blogging dreams come true, and do it! Follow me! Subscribe! Ok..my rant is over. On to more important things. :)
I decided to do a weekly post of the cute and memorable things that the Boybarians do and say. I think that in addition to recipes, tips, decorating tips, and the so many other ideas I have for my blog, that it is also a great way to remember my life at this time. I am so bad at writing down the cute things, but for some reason, "writing" here doesn't seem so daunting. I think it will also give my readers/followers...see the above for my crazy woman blogging dream.:)...a chance to get to know my family and by boys. So, without further ado:
Owen (6): This week, he went to his first Enrichment class at the charter school we are involved in. When I asked him if he had made any friends, he said yes, and that he told him jokes. I asked him what jokes he told...of course they were silly, boy jokes, so I told him that it wasn't appropriate to joke that way (potty humor :)). He said: "Oh, no Mom, it's ok...he (his friend) didn't think it was inappropriate, he laughed!" I of course laughed too, at the wittiness of my 6 year old. :)
Asher (5): When asked what he wanted to be when he grows up, he responded: " A Tiger!" :) This made me laugh SO hard! You would too...if you knew Asher and his "famous" voice! :)
Knox: (4...tomorrow!): He received some birthday gift cards today and when I told him how much he had to spend he said: "Wow! I can get the bottom shelf toys?!" So cute!
Reichen (2): He does or says something cute on a daily basis. Lately he loves to pray. So, he prays in a mumbly, sweet way. He also will "pray" when someone else is. So, while one is praying, Reichen is mumbling in the background usually just saying..."Dear Gawd, "mumble, mumble" Amen". It is VERY charismatic of him...and cracks me up!
Paxton (2 months): He is starting to coo and smiles all the time. His sweet little face lights the room and melts my heart.
I am so thankful for the blessings of my memory makers!
I decided to do a weekly post of the cute and memorable things that the Boybarians do and say. I think that in addition to recipes, tips, decorating tips, and the so many other ideas I have for my blog, that it is also a great way to remember my life at this time. I am so bad at writing down the cute things, but for some reason, "writing" here doesn't seem so daunting. I think it will also give my readers/followers...see the above for my crazy woman blogging dream.:)...a chance to get to know my family and by boys. So, without further ado:
Owen (6): This week, he went to his first Enrichment class at the charter school we are involved in. When I asked him if he had made any friends, he said yes, and that he told him jokes. I asked him what jokes he told...of course they were silly, boy jokes, so I told him that it wasn't appropriate to joke that way (potty humor :)). He said: "Oh, no Mom, it's ok...he (his friend) didn't think it was inappropriate, he laughed!" I of course laughed too, at the wittiness of my 6 year old. :)
Asher (5): When asked what he wanted to be when he grows up, he responded: " A Tiger!" :) This made me laugh SO hard! You would too...if you knew Asher and his "famous" voice! :)
Knox: (4...tomorrow!): He received some birthday gift cards today and when I told him how much he had to spend he said: "Wow! I can get the bottom shelf toys?!" So cute!
Reichen (2): He does or says something cute on a daily basis. Lately he loves to pray. So, he prays in a mumbly, sweet way. He also will "pray" when someone else is. So, while one is praying, Reichen is mumbling in the background usually just saying..."Dear Gawd, "mumble, mumble" Amen". It is VERY charismatic of him...and cracks me up!
Paxton (2 months): He is starting to coo and smiles all the time. His sweet little face lights the room and melts my heart.
I am so thankful for the blessings of my memory makers!
Friday, September 7, 2012
The Arrival of Autumn
Autumn...my favorite season! Although it is not here yet, it is September, and in my house that means we begin the preparations that usher in the beauty that is Fall. Yesterday it was overcast and drizzly and even though it was still 88 degrees outside, it felt like Fall inside. So, I got the hankering for Pumpkin Bread. Pumpkin Bread is one of my favorite things to eat in the Autumn. It is yummy for breakfast paired with a warm cup of cinnamon coffee. Perfect in the afternoon with a hot cup of tea...best enjoyed with a book and napping children! And one of my favorite ways is for dessert smothered with my buttercream frosting! The problem that I have come across with most pumpkin breads is they are too dry, too bland, and don't scream Pumpkin! So, after a few tries I have come up with what I think is THE BEST Pumpkin Bread ever! It has the perfect balance of sweetness, pumpkin flavor and is perfectly moist. This is achieved from using a mix of butter and oil and a good amount of pumpkin. The spices are not overwhelming but accentuate the pumpkin flavor nicely. Citrus peel adds depth while the cinnamon adds heat. It is like eating a slice of Autumn! So start the season off right with a big slice of this and a cup of hot cider! Enjoy!
Gillian's Pumpkin Bread
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. Trader Joes Pumpkin Pie Spice (their version has citrus peel, which is key!)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. salt (don't skip this step because it's a sweet item! It adds flavor!)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup water
2 1/4 cups pumpkin
1 cup nuts...optional (I did not use nuts this time)
Preheat oven to 350*. Stir together the flour, sugars, soda, and spices. Mix in the eggs, butter, oil, vanilla and water. Stir in the pumpkin (and nuts if using). Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter softened
2-3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. 1/2 and 1/2
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
Whip the butter until creamy. Add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the 1/2 and 1/2, vanilla, and salt. Spread on cooled, sliced pumpkin bread.
Gillian's Pumpkin Bread
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. Trader Joes Pumpkin Pie Spice (their version has citrus peel, which is key!)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. salt (don't skip this step because it's a sweet item! It adds flavor!)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup water
2 1/4 cups pumpkin
1 cup nuts...optional (I did not use nuts this time)
Preheat oven to 350*. Stir together the flour, sugars, soda, and spices. Mix in the eggs, butter, oil, vanilla and water. Stir in the pumpkin (and nuts if using). Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter softened
2-3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. 1/2 and 1/2
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
Whip the butter until creamy. Add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the 1/2 and 1/2, vanilla, and salt. Spread on cooled, sliced pumpkin bread.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Meals Continued...
Ok, so it took me a bit longer to get back on here to update my meals from last week. Due to an unexpected visit to my parents over the weekend, I didn't end up preparing what I had planned...which was so nice, because my Dad made an amazing dinner of Fried Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, and Green Beans! Yum! My Dad sure knows how to make me smile...Gravy! So for now as I salivate in remembrance of Saturday night dinner, I will update you about the Forgotten Chicken and the Creamy Tomato Pasta.
The Forgotten Chicken was just ok. It ended up being a bit dry and bland. The dryness could entirely be my fault as I left it in the warm oven a little longer than planned...but then again, that's why it's called Forgotten Chicken...right? :) I think that I am going to attempt it again with the following changes:
Add an extra can of soup...Cream of Chicken
Add 1/2 can more liquid...I will use milk this time
Mix in and extra packet of onion soup to the rice mixture
Drizzle the top with some butter
Turn the chicken 1/2 way through
Make sure to not "forget" it!
Here is the recipe:
http://www.darlingdoodlesdesign.com/2012/04/forgotten-chicken.html
The Creamy Tomato Pasta was delicious! My Mr. Townsley (what I affectionately call my husband...well one name anyway), loved it and said it was "a make again" item! He said it tasted like Olive Garden (in a good way), which I concur...although fresher. The preparing of the tomatoes for the sauce, and making 2 separate sauces was a little much for a regular weeknight rotation, but once in awhile it will be in the mix of dinners! It was even better the next day! I think you could use the leftover sauce and bake it with some chicken, throw on some parmesan and basil and that would be a yummy leftover dinner too! Here is the recipe:
http://kitchentrialanderror.blogspot.com/2010/08/creamy-tomato-pasta.html
Here is what is on the Menu for this week:
French Dip Crescents
Easy Creamy Enchiladas
Garlic and Lemon Chicken
Beef Stroganoff
Stay Tuned.....
The Forgotten Chicken was just ok. It ended up being a bit dry and bland. The dryness could entirely be my fault as I left it in the warm oven a little longer than planned...but then again, that's why it's called Forgotten Chicken...right? :) I think that I am going to attempt it again with the following changes:
Add an extra can of soup...Cream of Chicken
Add 1/2 can more liquid...I will use milk this time
Mix in and extra packet of onion soup to the rice mixture
Drizzle the top with some butter
Turn the chicken 1/2 way through
Make sure to not "forget" it!
Here is the recipe:
http://www.darlingdoodlesdesign.com/2012/04/forgotten-chicken.html
The Creamy Tomato Pasta was delicious! My Mr. Townsley (what I affectionately call my husband...well one name anyway), loved it and said it was "a make again" item! He said it tasted like Olive Garden (in a good way), which I concur...although fresher. The preparing of the tomatoes for the sauce, and making 2 separate sauces was a little much for a regular weeknight rotation, but once in awhile it will be in the mix of dinners! It was even better the next day! I think you could use the leftover sauce and bake it with some chicken, throw on some parmesan and basil and that would be a yummy leftover dinner too! Here is the recipe:
http://kitchentrialanderror.blogspot.com/2010/08/creamy-tomato-pasta.html
Here is what is on the Menu for this week:
French Dip Crescents
Easy Creamy Enchiladas
Garlic and Lemon Chicken
Beef Stroganoff
Stay Tuned.....
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Meals
So, my hubby and I decided to re-format our budget to make saving a little easier and spending a little harder...or should I say more mindful. :) I now get "my" cash budget from my working man once a month...or every 4 weeks to be exact. This eliminates multiple grocery store trips and impulse spending. So, I planned out a month's worth of meals, shopped for it, and filled our pantry, fridge, and freezer to the brim. It was a lot of work for 2 days trying to make lists, shop ads etc., but now it is done for 4 whole weeks! I am anxious to see how this plays out in the months to come and not only stay within our budget, but maybe trim it a little as well! So, I thought I would post my meals for each week and tell you if it was yummy or just so-so...a lot of this months meals are new ones from Pinterest! :)
Chicken Spinach Salad w/Dijon Dressing
*This was light and flavorful! So easy to throw together in a pinch! I changed it up a bit and swapped feta for the goat cheese and almonds for the pine nuts.
http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/04/02/spinach-salad-with-chicken-avocado-and-goat-cheese/
Slow Cooked Beef Fajitas
*This was so easy to prepare! In fact, I made 2 batches in about 20 minutes. One to eat and one to freeze for later.
http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-meals-part-2.html
Forgotten Chicken
*Made this in less than 5 minutes today! Will update on taste!
http://www.darlingdoodlesdesign.com/2012/04/forgotten-chicken.html
Still to come:
Easy Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Beef Stroganoff
Creamy Tomato Pasta
Hope you find this helpful! Happy Tuesday!
Week 1:
Chicken Spinach Salad w/Dijon Dressing
*This was light and flavorful! So easy to throw together in a pinch! I changed it up a bit and swapped feta for the goat cheese and almonds for the pine nuts.
http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/04/02/spinach-salad-with-chicken-avocado-and-goat-cheese/
Slow Cooked Beef Fajitas
*This was so easy to prepare! In fact, I made 2 batches in about 20 minutes. One to eat and one to freeze for later.
http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-meals-part-2.html
Forgotten Chicken
*Made this in less than 5 minutes today! Will update on taste!
http://www.darlingdoodlesdesign.com/2012/04/forgotten-chicken.html
Still to come:
Easy Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Beef Stroganoff
Creamy Tomato Pasta
Hope you find this helpful! Happy Tuesday!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Beginning again!
Well, I have been inspired again...by my best friend Kendra to start blogging again! Hopefully with our new schedule in place I will find the time. A lot has been going on in our lives since my last post, so I will try and give a quick update!
In April we moved!! We are finally in a home! The boys now have a backyard, I have more storage, and John has a garage and a shed! We love our sweet little home in the vintage neighborhood of Westchester. It is filled with huge trees, picket fences, and abundant flower gardens. Our mailman even walks around and delivers the mail to our door! We are so blessed!
In May, Owen turned 6!! I can't believe he is 6 already! Where did the time go?
In July, we welcomed another BOY into our family! Paxton Roarke Townsley! 8lbs 9oz and 20.5 inches. He is a sweet boy that looks like a cross between Knox and Reichen and we couldn't be happier or more blessed with the little men the Lord has entrusted us with.
In August, Asher turned 5! Why are my boys growing up so fast?!
Well, that is the quick version of our crazy lives! More to come as schooling begins in the coming weeks!!
In April we moved!! We are finally in a home! The boys now have a backyard, I have more storage, and John has a garage and a shed! We love our sweet little home in the vintage neighborhood of Westchester. It is filled with huge trees, picket fences, and abundant flower gardens. Our mailman even walks around and delivers the mail to our door! We are so blessed!
In May, Owen turned 6!! I can't believe he is 6 already! Where did the time go?
In July, we welcomed another BOY into our family! Paxton Roarke Townsley! 8lbs 9oz and 20.5 inches. He is a sweet boy that looks like a cross between Knox and Reichen and we couldn't be happier or more blessed with the little men the Lord has entrusted us with.
In August, Asher turned 5! Why are my boys growing up so fast?!
Well, that is the quick version of our crazy lives! More to come as schooling begins in the coming weeks!!
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