Friday Favs

Hey, hey Fri-yay!!!! As always, it is SO good to see you!!!! I'm linking up today with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favorites!

Let's get right to it, shall we?

Wednesday night, DJ and I had a date night to the Carrie Underwood concert! He had told me that her tour was coming here back in November, and he joined the fan club so we could grab our tickets early. I may have a hubby, that's a huge fan! And he's probably dying inside as he's reading this right now. 

Before the concert, we headed to downtown and ate at Main Street Tavern. DJ and I rarely go eat downtown, because we almost always have the girls with us, so we like to take them to family-friendly places. We always kick ourselves for not trying out new places, so this was the perfect opportunity to go! My food was delish! I had their Seafood Mac & Cheese. All of their appetizers sounded yummy, but we were in a hurry and I didn't want a huge meal. DJ had steak, and he said that it had great flavor, but that the meat was tough. Anyway, I'll likely try it again, and if we took the girls early enough, they'd probably enjoy it too! We didn't sit out on their patio, but with the girls, we could! 

We made it in to the arena, in time to watch the last few songs of Carrie's opening act- The Swon Brothers. Apparently their local to Oklahoma and were on The Voice, and they were pretty darn good! But if I'm honest, I hadn't heard of them until last night! 

After the brothers left the stage, Easton Corbin came on. I wasn't sure that I had heard of him at first, until he started to sing, and then I had remembered a few of his songs. 

And, then it was time for Carrie! We were pretty excited! 

We had great seats, but to be honest, the stage was huge and there probably wasn't a bad seat in the house, unless you were way up top! 

Carrie had several outfit changes in the show, which led to some down time of just her band playing music, but her singing is amazing. DJ remarked that it was better in person than on the radio, and y'all, that girl has legs for days. #imaybejealous

My favorite part of her concert was when Carrie sang about her husband and her son. I haven't seen photos of her son, so that was touching to see. 

She sang until 10:30 and we made it home around 11, so it was a late night! 

I found this dress at Target several weeks ago, and I picked it up because 1) I knew it would be perfect for the concert and 2) it's perfect for summer! And, holla' because it's only $25.00! 

And can we all agree to overlook the wrinkles, no shoes, minimal jewelry, and hair up! We had just gotten home from the concert and I was about to change in to pj's, when I remembered to snap a pic to share with y'all! 

Isn't the embroidery at the top just darling?!

And the fun details in the back of this dress. 

So, Gretchen was suppose to have a field trip today, but because of the rain her field trip was cancelled. Her teacher saw me at lunch and let me know that Gretchen was rather upset about it. When I saw her after lunch, she began bawling. Like, red face, hyperventilating crying. So, I let her hang out in my office for a bit until she calmed down and was ready to go back to class. 

A few snap chat photos later and she was good to go! 

I'm blessed that we're able to be there for her during the day if she has a melt down at school. I know that if I have to work (which I do, and I do love working) then there's no where else I'd want to be! 

And, a few weeks ago, Young Living announced a minor change in their Premium Starter Kits! They brought back the home diffuser, and took out the bamboo diffuser, and then they replaced several of the oils with the vitality oils! Vitality oils are marked GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) by the FDA, and can be ingested- add to water, take internally, or use to cook with! Hands down, it's just the best value there is and the best way to get started with Young Living, if you'd like to learn more about essential oils, leave me a comment, or email me here. 

I saw this the other day on Facebook, and it was perfect timing........ while we were at the Carrie Underwood concert, there was a couple sitting behind us (two girls and two boys) I'm assuming they were dating, and at one point one of the boys (I'm calling them boys because at 33, I'm obviously past my prime, but they were at least 21 because they were all pretty intoxicated) Anyway, one of the boy started cursing at the girl sitting beside him, and I was appalled! It took everything I had in me to not turn around and speak my mind to this boy who had just called his girlfriend a F'in B****, and then proceeded to curse at her. Thankfully, it was close to the end of the concert, but as he walked out, and the girl dawdled behind, I reached out to her and let her know that she should not let him talk to her and that he was pretty much scum. I just couldn't let it go that a boy would talk to someone this way, and then it made me think of my own three daughters and how much I'll have to teach them (and let them learn the hard way) but I just pray that if a boy ever talked to her in that manner, that she'd be brave enough to walk away and never look back. 

Happy Friday Friends! 

Thursday Rambles

DJ and I had a late night the first two nights, so I'm exhausted today!!!! Tuesday night, we had tornado sirens going off and didn't make it to bed until past 11, with one little girl who refused to fall back asleep and then the other one in our bed. And the last night, DJ and I had a date night to the Carrie Underwood concert! Tomorrow, Gretchen and I are heading to the zoo for her field trip, and then Friday night, I'm having an oily get together with some friends! It has been a busy week! 

I bought the girls a few school work books from the dollar store last week. Gretchen has been a great teacher and has been helping Megan work her way through her kindergarten workbook! 

And one night last week, I stayed up really late working on a sewing project for a friend. She is making baseball bracelets for all of the senior mom's on her son's baseball team! I can't wait to see the finished bracelets! I just did the embroidery work on them! 

We've been having lots of dinners on the patio at night! The weather has just been gorgeous. 

And Saturday afternoon, we headed to visit a local Cherokee Indian village. It's a reproduction village, but we walked through the Trail of Tears museum, and learned a bit about the Cherokee culture, and I must say- there's a lot that I did not know about Native Americans and their history here in the states. It's so much more than Hollywood represents, and tepees, and battles. Gretchen soaked in the history lesson and took notes throughout our visit. The little girls were hungry after a while, so we decided to call it a day, and grabbed lunch before heading back home. 

And then we made a detour to the lake, and we found ourselves walking around the marina and eating ice cream cones. 

This little lady is the only thing holding us back from buying a boat right now. 

And, I started running again this week. I've completed two miles each day Sunday through Tuesday. I skipped Wednesday since we had the concert, but this time I may just stick with it again. And, I've had my fastest mile in over a year, so there's that! 

And Sunday afternoon, the girls wanted a picture after church. It was windy, and this was the best we got! 

My post run snacks have been a little pouch of Ningxia Red from Young Living. It's packed full of antioxidants from the amazing wolfberry plant, and has other fruits as well, and it's only 15 calories a pouch! It's the perfect sweet reward after a little run. 

Megan's preschool class is counting down the end of the school year with the alphabet. Tuesday was hat day, and she choose to wear a crown. I love that her teacher included this photo in her daily newsletter!

When the girls and I got home on Tuesday night, Addy begged to go for a stroller ride. And she didn't want just any stroller, she wanted our double stroller, which is a pain-in-the-a to push. Megan drove her red car, and Gretchen rode her scooter. We walked about 3/4 of a mile before the car's battery ran out, and I had to push it back while Gretchen pushed the stroller back. We stopped back by the house, changed out Megan's car for her bike, and then went around the block one more time before I dropped the girls back at the house with DJ in order to finish my run. 

Whew, so there are a few rambles for you today!!! Have a great one, and see you back here tomorrow!!!

XO!

What I Wore Wednesday

photo source

 Hey, hey Wednesday!!!! So, yesterday was not fun because we had some major tornado threats in Oklahoma yesterday. I knew it was serious when after school activities were being cancelled across the state, and I had heard that schools over in Moore/Oklahoma City were even cancelled for the day! We may have lived in Oklahoma for 5 years, but i'll likely never get use to the tornado weather. Someone get me a tornado shelter. Stat.

#andstockitwithwine
#andstressaway

I'm linking up today with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday!

Sunday afternoon, I had some time to kill before a get together with the coaches wives. So, I left DJ at home with the girls, and spent an hour of free time browsing through TJ Max and then I headed in to Old Navy. I wasn't really looking for anything impaticular, but I did need a few more things for work and leading in to the summer.

Thankfully, Old Navy had the store marked down and their dresses were on sale.

I started grabbing what I could and made a dash for the dressing room. 

I fell in love with this dress as soon as I walked in the door. it was lightweight and had a great shape- especially near the waistline, where I need it a bit more! After having 3 kids, my shape is pretty boxy!

The dress comes in three different colors, and I think it runs a bit big. I tried this one on in a small, and it fit well. 

I grabbed this Black Maxi, knowing that it could be dressed up or down. Unfortunately, they only had it in a small, and it was a wee-bit small in the mid-section. It was super cute, and had they had it in my size, it would have come home with me!

This tie waist dress is a super soft grey knit and is belted at the waist and has little cap sleeves. I love the midi-length, because I think it's perfect for finishing up the last few weeks of school, and I'll be able to wear it to church this summer. I can't wait to really style this dress and share it again! I kind of debated on getting this dress or a different one, but I ended up bringing this one home with me! The dress also comes in solid black and clementine. 

I grabbed this dress since I loved the color, and I knew I could transition it in to fall with a denim jacket and I could wear it to football events. Anytime, I can find something in our school colors, I try to grab it, since it's multi-functional. I tried this dress on in a medium, and it fit much better than the black maxi. I loved the midi style of this dress too. The picture does absolutely no justice, but it has the cutest hemline. This dress is also available in "rusty", and would have worked perfectly for football too! I ended up not coming home with this dress, but it's on my mind for next time. 

So, I tried on this shirt, because I thought it would look super cute this summer with white shorts or white jeans. It's lightweight and sheer, so I'd recommend wearing a tank underneath! Again, I could wear this to football events and carry it through the fall, and you all know how I love to buy pieces that can transition through every season. I ended up not coming home with this shirt, because I have a similar one at home, but believe me, it's on my mind! 

This dress! Y'all, can we talk about this dress for a minute! It's sort of everything I love in a dress. Yes, I get that it has long sleeves, and we're heading in to summer, but again, it will be perfect for work. It's pintucked at the top giving some feminine detail, and it's flowy, and perfection. We're headed to the Carrie Underwood concert tonight, and I'm so tempted to wear this dress rather than the other one I had purchased for the concert. I ended up grabbing this dress in a medium, and I could probably wear a small. Some of the online reviews, stated that the dress shrank when they washed it, so I'll be sure to hang it to dry. I know I can wear this dress in the fall with booties, cowboy boots, and even in the winter with leggings. I mean, it's seriously just everything. Online, it's only available in blue, and lots of colors are sold out, so head to your local store and grab this one! I promise, it's going to be a must have! 

And finally, let's talk fingernails.

I maybe paint my nails a few times a year. I just don't have time, and then it chips off in a day or two. My friend, and fellow coaches wife, invited us ladies over on Sunday afternoon so we could all try her Jamberry Nail Wraps, and I'm smitten! I've tried them once before and I wasn't sold on them. But, that's because they were gifted to me for a blog review, and I placed them on my toenails because I was too intimidated to use them on my nails. They ended up peeling off,  because I didn't have the right tools. But this time, I've had my nail wraps on for a few days and they look like I just put them on! The nail wraps are available in a variety of prints and designs, and you can even design your own! If nail wraps, aren't your thing, then they have polish and a gel system! 

Okay, I must know- are you a dress girl in the summer time, or are you sold on shorts? Are you one of those girls that wear jeans in mid-July and August!!!! 

This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links and making a purchase, I ma be provided a small commission. Thank you. 

Recipe Club: Blueberry-Banana Muffins with Eikorn Flour

So, last week I shared a super yummy dinner recipe, and today, I'm sharing a delectable dessert or breakfast muffin!

These muffins are by far my most favorite! I love to make a huge batch and then freeze them, and then the girls can put one in the microwave for breakfast, or I can put one in their lunchbox and it's ready to eat by the time their lunch hour rolls around. And, I could probably eat 5 in one sitting!

Yes, today I'm sharing my Blueberry-Banana Muffin Recipe!!! 

I used Einkorn Flour for this recipe, which isn't what it calls for, but in our journey to cut out processed foods, we're working on slowly switching out our old products, for newer ones, and more specifically, those from Young Living. You can read more about our Young Living journey here. 

So, why Einkorn Flour?

First of all, from my research, Einkorn is the purest form of wheat available. It's also one of the most ancient, and it contains only 2 sets of chromosomes. Spelt wheat has a set of 6 chromosomes and our modern wheat is a descendent of spelt. Einkorn also contains a very different component of gluten which is often easier to digest. Einkorn also contains higher levels of protein, and contains carotenoids. Carotenoids have the medical properties in preventing serious disease. 

So, as you can see, it's a much better choice than the wheat flour that most of us use today!!!

Onto the recipe!

1. c sugar

1/2 c. oil

2 eggs

 3 mashed bananas (I take our old bananas that we haven't eaten and freeze them, then when I'm ready to bake, I just pull them out of the freezer to use!)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 c. flour. I used 1 cup of Einkorn flour and 3/4 c. of regular flour (I tend to gradually switch my family over and I find that when mixing our old with our new, my family adjusts better.)

1 c. blueberries. (frozen works)

Mix in order shown, and spoon in to lined muffin tins. Bake 350 for about 30 minutes. 

I sprinkled ours with powder sugar, but you do not have to!

To freeze, just place in a freezer safe ziplock bag, and pull out what you need at a time. If the girls eat these for breakfast, then we usually add a cheese stick, yogurt, or sausage, and heat the muffin for about 1 minute in the microwave. 

I'm not sure about you, but my mouth is watering! 

Enjoy!

Friday Favs

Agh! You guys, we did it! We made it through the week and it's on to the weekend! Now, I'll tell you, I don't have a disdain for the work week or for my kids to be in school. It's just that the weekends are all mine and I can do whatever my heart desires with my little family! I love that we get to spend two days together and do exactly what we want to do. Now, I'll admit- most of my weekends are spent playing catch up, but I'm at least catching up with my favorite people in tow. 

Per usual Friday fashion, I'm linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites! 

Last Friday, Gretchen had a writer's celebration in her class. Each student had to choose their favorite book, and write a piece on it. Then they had to complete a self reflected drawing. The parents were invited and the children were able to "present" their piece to their parent. I am thankful for this special little time the two of us had during the school week. 

Friday night, Addy wore her "I Still Love Zack Morris" shirt! I bought this several months ago on Zulily and I knew that one of the girls needed this shirt. Heck, I knew that I needed this shirt, but I'd probably get the side-eye if I wore it, so Addy was the chosen one! 

Somewhere deep inside, Zack Morris will be remembered as my first love.

And have y'all heard that there's a Saved by the Bell dinner coming to Chicago?? It looks like I'll be making a trip to the windy-city in the near future! 

We headed out for a family dinner, and then ran some errands so DJ could look at a new grill. 

We made it home a little past bedtime, and found Addy asleep at the top of the stairs! 

All of her sisters use to come out of their rooms at this age and fall asleep in the hallway, so it's fitting that we documented the occasion. 

Saturday was spent doing laundry and chores around the house, and then Gretchen and I headed off to a birthday party. Can you believe she jumped off this?! 

#lookslikefun

#idbescared

And after the party, we headed to the baseball game! The girls were so excited to get a picture with the mascot. 

Except Adalyn. She was not a fun of the big furry blue guy! 

We had a few photo ops too.

Most of our Sunday was spent like this. Megan woke up around 4 am complaining of her tummy hurting. She slept in our bed and stayed asleep until 11! We skipped church since she wasn't feeling well, and she just wanted to cuddle. 

While she was resting inside, the big and little were outside playing before the rain set in. 

DJ stayed home with Megan on Monday, and Gretchen grew up before my eyes. I cannot believe she's almost in 3rd grade! 

Tuesday night I had an end of year district wide special education meeting, so DJ took over dance and picking up the girls and then we met at Chili's for dinner. I had chips and queso all to myself before they arrived.

#dontmindifIdo

On Wednesday, I showed a little bit of what I've been wearing. 

And yesterday, I featured this amazing little chicken dish that is super easy to whip up on a busy night! Everyone in my family loved it and they all asked for seconds! The big girls even wanted me to make it again the very next night! Check it out, because I'm sure it will be a hit in your family too! 

Y'all, it rained all week long here. I watched news coverage from Houston and I can't even imagine the insufferable damage going on down there. I suggested that Megan wear her rain boots to school, but she and I have a different idea of what rain boots are. 

And the sun finally came out Wednesday night so we were able to make it to the park. 

And then we came home for some moon & star gazing. Except they weren't out yet, but don't tell my girls. 

Addy P had school pictures on Thursday, and I'm super sad that this Matilda Jane dress is about to be too little for my almost 3 year old! It was one of the very first MJ pieces I purchased! 

So, I had also planned to share some super cute shoes today, but I'm spending my night working on a baseball embroidery project so that will have to do for now!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!! Have a blessed weekend my friends.