Well I kind of struggled with gettin' it together today!
All weekend has been wonderful, and nothing worth complaining about, I was just in a funk!!!
Don't you hate it when that happens?!
No real reason to be in a bad mood or grouchy...but just because!
I didn't want to "do" anything, I didn't want to go back to bed, I was just NO FUN for a while today. And I knew it! And I was mad about it. 
But you know what, that's okay. Everyone is entitled to just be in a bad mood sometimes, and mine was today - and it will reoccur whenever I'm least expecting it, I'm sure. 
But anyway - my husband argued with me till I laughed, I snuggled with my love bug, and all the grouch eventually melted away!

OH - and HELLO FRESH really helped me GET IT TOGETHER tonight.
I've tried Blue Apron and here recently, Hello Fresh. 
I like both, but I like Hello Fresh's portion sizes better!
Tonight Hello Fresh put a little more FUN in my Sunday Funday!
Parmesan Chicken, Rosemary Potatoes, and Broiled Green Beans.
*Plus the ONLY honey mustard I have ever liked in my entire 30 years*

 

So I left off on the first day of Blue and Red Ribbon Week. 

Monday, check! Nailed it. 

Monday night....I remember (during bath time) that tomorrow is JERSEY day, and we don't have a jersey! Pitiful right?!
Well thanks to our local Hibbett Sports we now do! But we actually got the RAZORBACK cheerleader uniform because it was way cuter. So...

Tuesday, check! 

HUMP DAY!
We've almost made it through the week. After school, "Momma, my throat really hurts". A complaint we've been having for what seems like a month now. Our pediatrician was able to get us in right after school - they're great!
Strep Test was negative. Yay. 
But this is the THIRD time this MONTH we've been in for sore/swollen tonsils....so here comes the "T" Word. 
Possible TONSILLECTOMY. 
Because surgery on your child is always what you want to hear. NOT. But I would rather her have the surgery, have the tonsils removed, if it means less being sick and feeling bad. No one want's their babies to feel bad. So I'm sure this will be in our near future. 
-SEE-

Needless to say we missed Pajama Day on Wednesday. Well we didn't miss it, we just had our own pajama day at HOME. 

Thursday - Back to School!
Superhero Day - And guess what?! This superhero mom forgot to take a superhero picture!
But if you're ever curious of how to whip up a superhero costume with what you have on hand:
Dance Leotard
Leggings
Tall Boots
Cape
(Girl moms)
We totally winged it, and she might have gotten asked if she was Little Red Riding Hood...but whatever!

On a different Thursday note....I had some Momma Time!
For all of you Spa Lovers - you know how necessary this is. 
I've recently been undergoing a regimen to fight sunspots that I'm very satisfied with thus far. 
I am alternating between SRA laser treatments and Silk Peels. 
Which I have no idea why the Silk Peel is called a "peel", because it's not like normal peels, it's more like microdermabrasion, but AHHmazing. As the tool gets all the gunk off the surface, it replenishes with a serum. And the best part - I can SEE the results. This container is filled with clean, clear water when beginning...this was the container after sucking all the junk out of my pores. 

I love a restaraunt that doubles as an "experience", and this place was both! 
Fun atmosphere!
Community table option if you want to make your own pancakes on the built in griddle.
Kind of like a pancake hibachi! (I'm a sucker for hibachi grills.)

The menu is overwhelming, we'll definitely be going back with the kids and trying everything we couldn't stuff in our mouths this time. 

I had the chocolate chip pancakes, with peanut butter, and maple syrup - my all time favorite pancake combo. 
We also sampled: biscuits and gravy, 'World's Greatest Sandwich', and the Pancake Beignets!
All was DELICIOUS


Next up...PUMPKIN CARVING!


This is sad, but before today I have only carved pumpkins one other time in my life...and that was about three or four years ago. 
WHY have I been missing out on this? It's so much fun!!
And the cheap plastic kit I bought from Kroger a month ago worked PERFECT. 
(The husband did have to break out the real knives and cut the tops off for us)
DK, my daughter insisted on wearing sunglasses for "safety goggles", and using her cute little
hors d'oeuvre (yes, I had to google the spelling of that because I NEVER get it right) spoons to scoop the guts out. She found out that wasn't working real quick. 

This wise, Christian, good hearted man turned 89 on Friday!
Eight Nine years!
In his eighty nine years he lives for the Lord, shares his wisdom with his children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren, loves and honors one woman, leads singing at the best little Southern Baptist Church I've ever been to, works full time for the county, on a road grader, gets around better than some people half his age, and today he decided he'd make reservations for his birthday party at a new favorite restaurant of his, an hour away from his house, and drive himself, Grandy, and some of his friends there to meet the rest of us.
Grandaddy is one of a kind, and I know everyone in my family strives to be more like him!

Monday!
Blue and Red Ribbon week at School.
Today is "Hats, Shades, & Crazy Socks" day for "Hats Off To A Drug & Bully Free Life". 
I think we get an A!

What really got the A+ score was the fact that when I woke up this morning, for the second time, after the first two alarms on my phone went off, I THOUGHT about joining in on HAT DAY, but I opted out, and went with Dry Shampoo for day number THREE...in a row. 
It's MONDAY, don't judge. 

But on a serious note - major props to the schools for participating in DRUG FREE AND BULLY FREE activities. I really don't remember these (especially bullying) being a big issue when I was in school, but  the reality of the effects of the two are heartbreaking. It even takes me back to my school days and makes me aware of things I may have done or said that I would never want my own child to do in fear of damaging another child's life or feelings. As nonchalant as it sounds, hurting someones feelings, can have catastrophic results.  The AWARENESS of these issues in today's society is good...and can only keep improving. I vow to do my part and talk to my child about NOT bullying and saying NO to drugs. Let's create the community we want our kids raised in...not just complain about what we're given. 

Well that was fun. Now I have read just enough about creating your own blog to be genuinely confused. HELP needed. I downloaded Word Press...but can't access it from Blue Host...and can't seem to operate Weebly from my iPhone. What did I even just say? That was foreign to me. 

Anyway....back to why I started this in the first place.

ME.

Thank God for Sunday''s. Today has been my prep day. Prep for what, I'm not exactly sure, but a lot has happened over the last two days, so I needed today to let it all sink in. Does that mean I've got it all together for tomorrow? Not hardly...but I had a day - to just be a day - 24 hours to not deal with reality until tomorrow. 

I hadn't planned on posting twice in one day, but I'm finding this to be very relaxing. So I'll share tonight's dinner in hopes of making YOUR Monday a little less stressful. 

SPAGHETTI NIGHT: literally the easiest 'throw it together' meal of all times. 

Ground Beef
Prego - I use Traditional
Pasta - whatever you have on hand
White Mushrooms (optional)
White Onions (optional)
Garlic (NOT optional)
Olive Oil
SECRET INGREDIENT: Spicy Tomato Paste

This is not a cooking blog - let me just be clear about that up front. But I can make some mean spaghetti - and so can you because there is only one secret ingredient I use. 

1. Heat olive oil, lots of minced garlic, and optional diced mushrooms and onions. 
2. Brown and strain ground beef while the above combines. 
3. Pour Prego Spaghetti Sauce into #1. Simmer and occasionally stir. ADD SECRET INGREDIENT.
     (If I have a little white wine left in a bottle, I pour it into the Sauce container, shake it up, and pour the remnants into the      pot as well)
4. Bring water to a boil for noodles. 
     (*At my house we use lots of noodles; our favorite are any noodles that come in "mini" size. Mini bowties, mini shells,          mini penne...)
5. Add ground beef to Sauce. 
     (*Here I take out a couple of spoonfuls of meatless sauce and set aside for my very picky daughter who doesn't eat               ground beef...she says it's "grounded up beef and that's nasty...." )
6. Drain noodles after cooking to al dente, and either combine with sauce, or leave for individuals to mix their own. 

For fun I also did stuffed mushrooms:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Spray baking dish with Pam.
3. Pop stems off of mushrooms caps. 
4. Fill with cream cheese mixture (I used half a stick of cream cheese, and packaged jalapeno bacon bits)
5. Drizzle with olive oil and BAKE!
*I grated a roasted garlic cheese over the top after pulling them out of the oven - any cheese here works!

I skipped the bread tonight but usually I do plain white bread, buttered, sprinkled with garlic salt and parsley flakes. A quick broil in the oven and you're good to go!

Salad would make this complete - but I also skipped that tonight. 

And there won't be any posts about food tomorrow, because we are having spaghetti leftovers. 

Good night y'all - Prayers for a good week!