I Feel Like I Should Say Something. . .

I just don't have much to say at the moment.  .  .I know--weird!  Honestly, I'm not much of a small talker and sometimes my day to day just seems boring and uneventful!  So if I don't post it's either b/c I'm so busy I can't think straight, or it's b/c there's simply not much happening!

We definitely had a busy September.  Evan started school, I had my first stint of being the PTA Treasurer during his preschool consignment sale--thankfully we've got a great team and my part of it was not as intimidating as I thought it was going to be!  Braelyn has been sick at least twice--she's currently running a fever, but thankfully sleeping at the moment.  Evan started and ended soccer.  Camden started Boy Scouts and flag football (last week), and he's almost completed his first 9 weeks of first grade.  I've popped a toe on my right foot.  . .and had to end my running until I can figure out what's going on with this old body--haha!  Let's see, let's see.  .  .I mean, really--that's it!!  I've been told my facebook posts are not up to par, so I've been working on that.  I have lots of video of Braelyn NOT walking, she'll get there--no rush!!  Jason and I just had a much needed kid free weekend.  The boys went camping with Nana and Mopa and Braelyn spent the weekend with Grandma & Papa.  We caught up on a few chores and SLEEP!!  We did get to finally try our new local restaurant The Graft and it was FAN-TAS-TIC!  I can't wait for my next visit!!

That's really it people--it's all I've got!!

Throwing in the Towel. . .

.  .  .Pulling the Plug.  .  .we had to do it-we had to pull Evan out of soccer this weekend.  He has been unhappy with it since his very first practice.  I'm not one to let my kids quit--I'm really not.  This was a very tough decision for me, I hate when people pull their kids out of stuff just b/c they whine or say they don't like it.  We have tried everything with this one, bribery, making it a "different game"-I told him to pretend he was spying on the ball when he wasn't kicking it, making sure it goes in the right direction, I've asked him to just sit on the bench and hang with his buddies-after all part of being on a team is camaraderie right?  He had no interest in any of it. .  .

  

I mean--this is how he spent his games, and for those of you who know Evan, you know this is out of character.  He did participate in one practice, but we took his OWN ball.  They played games--which he LOVED--but he yelled at anyone who came near his ball.  .  .uh sharing issues??  geez kid!  Of course he won all of the games b/c no one would go near his ball for fear he would beat them up!  So.  .  .we pulled the plug.  .  .it wasn't worth having to drag him there every time to have him cry, and have the coaches trying everything to get him on the field.  Most of the time it's just me b/c games are kind of early on week nights and Jason has been out of town the past 2 weekends--it's just too much!  Do I think he's too young?  NO--I really don't-so please please please don't tell me he is.  The hardest part is he really was pretty good at kicking that ball, and he really does love to play--he just couldn't figure out how to mesh with his team.  He loved t-ball and I'll let him play again, but for now we'll just watch Camden play flag football and kick the soccer ball on the sidelines.  .  .

Tuesday after Labor Day

YAY!  YAY!  YAY!!  The first day of preschool is here!  Evan has been asking when it's his turn to go to school since Camden started at the beginning of August!  I am super excited for this new year--I know he's going to have a blast.  He has a wonderful teacher, and a class full of his friends-even more exciting than that -he has GERBILS in his class.  I'm super excited that they will STAY in his class-haha!!  It's bittersweet that this is his last year at SUMC, but B will be gracing the halls next year so we've still got a few more good years there!

First Day-he insisted on his "cool seabee shorts"

Hanging with his buds!  He found his name and got to it!

Regarding my pot roast.  .  .I'm really bad at pot roast.  I don't know if I just pick up the wrong cut of meat, or if I just don't prep it right--I'm open to suggestions!  That being said-this recipe was really very good.  Jason loved it!  You have to thicken the sauce so when I pulled the meat out I just cut it up in chunks-it did not fall apart as you would expect it to!  I did use the ranch packet in the grits, I wouldn't do that again, I think they are fine just cooked in chicken broth and cheese!

Until next time.  .  .

This Really isn't a Cooking Blog

It really isn't.  .  .BUT--I'm trying another Pinterest recipe tonight and I wanted to share!!  I've been dying to try this ever since I pinned it, but the weather just hasn't been right!!  It's kind of gloomy, and it's September, so even though you could cut the thick humid air outside with a knife I'm going to go for it!!!

Source: plainchicken.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Doesn't that look DE-LISH-OUS??  I know!!  I may not do the "ranch" part of the grits, it seems a little strange.  .  .other than that I'm not changing anything.  I was going to serve with creamed spinach, but I'm thinking steamed broccoli might be better-just b/c it already seems like such a rich meal.

I'll report back with my findings tomorrow!  Evan is FINALLY starting school and we are ALL.  VERY.  EXCITED!!

RESULTS

Alright--so the results are in and dinner was.  .  .okay.  .  .

It was just okay, but we did clean the dish out--so.  .  .it must've been pretty good.  I put together a panel of experts to test this dish out--my experts are all good at eating, and they all love to eat good food.  We were already critiquing it before I pulled it out of the oven.  There were some frantic group texts going back and forth--due to the amount of water in the dish.  I was expecting some, but not quite as much as what I saw when I turned on the oven light!!  Adam assured me that it would reconstitute once I pulled it out to cool, and it sort of did!  I served with a slotted spoon.  .  .

The next thing we noticed is that it definitely needed more salt, and we all like a "saucier" lasagna.  SO.  .  .maybe next time we will drain the tomatoes and add in some spaghetti sauce.  Also, next time I would cut the broccoli even more--the bites were a bit large, and I would add more of the yogurt/goat cheese mixture.  Dad suggested I salt the zucchini and squash next time too and let it sit to absorb some of the water, and Mom suggested adding some italian sausage or fennel.

The last thing I changed was I used moz, parm, and some goat cheese on the top.  I like cheese.  :)

SO--with all of that being said, it was good and I would make it again--with some of the above changes.  I'm sure this makes it no longer paleo or good for you, but whatever.

Before it went in the oven

This was the photo I snapped of my "water" issue!