Saturday, September 15, 2012

Beating the system

We have had a crazy week around here and it looks like it will continue for a while.  I think I over committed us.  However, we are having fun!  We are just all exhausted.  So we have had a good, relaxing calm Saturday which has been good for the Stroh souls!
Some one even made me breakfast this morning. 
See how excited he looks?
We started watching this show called "Breaking Amish" on TLC...it is SO interesting.  Auntie and Uncle T live in Amish country in Ohio.  Every time we have been to see them I have been so intrigued with the Amish way of life.  I would ask Jean all sorts of questions.  She is my Amish expert!  HA!  Anyways this show is very interesting.  However, the men don't do ANYTHING in the home.  They are served by the women in their homes.  Nate said that since he had to make my breakfast this morning that he would be shunned from the community.  Thus, the happy face! 

In my defense, I could not make breakfast at the moment he wanted it because I was feeding this little face:
Which brings me to my second point of this blog.  I have been beating the system!  And the system being expensive, over processed foods!  I have three new finds that aren't ground breaking, but they are cheap and they are easy and they are healthier!!!!  Love it!

First is this:
Which is what was getting fed into that happy little mouth!  I was spending probably about $10 a week in yogurts.  Yogurt for me (mainly for smoothies), for the boys and a separate one for Caroline.  Well my beating the system has been buying non-fat plain greek yogurt for everyone!  AND using it for sour cream...shh...don't tell Nate...it freaks him out.  I've tried replacing mayo, but it doesn't work well.  But i don't think you can tell at all with it as a replacement for sour cream.  Anyways. CJ's new favorite breakfast is this!  I am smashing up fruit and adding it straight to the plain greek yogurt.  So I am saving $7 a week.  That is $28/a month people!!!  And it's not bad!  For the boys I blend it in with a touch (and i mean tiny touch) of honey and use it straightt up for my smoothies.  So not added sugars, no sweeteners, more protein and less money!  GREATNESS!

Here is numbers 2 and 3
First - oatmeal.  We eat a lot of oatmeal around here.  I normally buy the strawberry instant kind.  Problem - I bought a box a week, it was high in sugar and it never kept anyone full.  I saw on pinterest someone bagging their own.  So I tried it.  It.is.awesome!!!!  I put 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a baggie add 1/2tsp brown sugar.  It is much more filling and get this.  one box of the premade has 8-10 bags for 2.50.  I can make 30 bags for the same price!  Plus it's whole grain...plus no additive...plus less sugar!  WIN!

And lastly - popcorn.  We eat popcorn once a day in this place.  It is Blake and Owen's favorite snack.  I was getting the 100 calorie pack for 10 for $3.50ish.  I was watching a show recently and they had a health expert on it.  She cut open a bag of popcorn and showed how much yuck was added in it.  So she suggested buying the kernels, putting 1/4 cup in a brown paper sack, folding it over twice and making it in the microwave for 3 minutes.  Then you can add how much salt and butter you wanted.  HELLO!  I got that bag for $.80!!!  And it makes 10 servings.  However, I think we could easily get away with using 1/8 of a cup. So we could have 20 servings!! 

I love beating the system!!!!

Lastly, here is my sweet lady who beat the hierarchy system in our house and worked her way to a bean bag chair this morning.  She's like her mama :)

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Night at the Gaylord

We took the big boys for an overnight trip to the Gaylord Texan for labor day. They have a fun "water park" that was just the right size for our little sharks. We had a blast! Swimming,eating, NASCAR in a king size bed and getting to ride a shuttle bus! Don't feel bad for CJ- she had some quality one on one time with granma and granpa!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

CJ is ONE!


We had such a fun time celebrating our sweet Caroline turning ONE on Satuday.  We went back and forth for a while over how big of a party to do.  We opted for family only and I am so glad we did.  She's not really use to being the center of attention :).  There were 18 people in all so still plenty of people to celebrate.  She is such a joy and Neil Diamond got it right, "Sweet Caroline, good times never seemed so good!"

Here she is right when she woke up.  Every one has tired eyes!

Birthday breakfast - bananas, eggs and cheerios!

Her birthday outfit.  Made by ME!  Yes, even the tutu!


This is right as every one was getting there.  Then a slow progression of being overwhelmed began happening!

Insert fingers - this is my happy place

With Grammy

We were going to do a sunshine theme, but threw in a little blue with it.  You can't see very well but I made little sunshines with a picture from each month of her to see how she's changed.  We also spray painted some old vases (the kind you get when you get flowers delivered) white and put in yellow roses and white daisies.  I even sewed a burlap table runner!

Keep being impressed.  Homemade cake with homemade icing!  There were three layers and they even alternated yellow and white!!!  (on a side note - it was good!)

Birthday lunch - Ranch Style Chicken, Packet potatoes and layered fruit salad.  YUM!

The kids eating with the princess at the head of the table!

We started opening presents and the meltdown was on the horizon...

See the banner...made that TOO!

Loved my swing from Grammy and Papa Ric

not so entertained...

This was her face while we sang her happy birthday...again, not used to being the center of attention

 Family shot!

And this was how the cake ended.  Ready for a nap!

 I'm one!!!!


Sunday, July 8, 2012

Happy birthday Nate-dog!

My sweetie turns 33 in a few minutes. Hard to believe. We will celebrate more this weekend but for now a birthday banner and 33 reasons we love him!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Birthday Partying

We had such a good time celebrating the boys real birthday.  The day consisited of waking them up with a birthday song, a few more presents, a trip to the donut shop, (to eat as many as they could), haircut, trip to walmart to pick out a new toy with birthday money, home to play, nap, Cici's for dinner, a trip to the movie theatre for arcade games, mini bowling, and go karts and then ending the night at sonic to play and have some ice cream.  Whew....no wonder we are all tired.


Owen said, "You tricked me with that birthday song!!!"



They were big buddies all day.  telling each other "happy birthday" and then "Thanks!"



Please note the outfit - Superman shirt and camo rain boots...could that say "I am a 4 year old boy" any louder?

A little air hockey.  Blake won!

Not sure who was having more fun.  Daddy or the boys

Caroline came too!
What a fun way to celebrate our sweet boys.  Can't believe they are 4!!!