Ode to A House and a New Adventure

When we bought this house five, almost 6, years ago, I remember thinking this could very well be the house I died in—and I was fine with that. (How’s that for a ray of sunshine?!) Most of my childhood was spent in one house (where my parents still live), and I imagined raising my kids in the same way–in one well-loved, just-right-for-our-family house.

I know a house is just a house, but I really do love this one. It has sweet memories for me, and I have envisioned, many times, our kids growing up here and as adults, bringing back their own families (filling it to the brim!). I have a soft spot for this house because it really has been a refuge for our family in many ways. I’ve loved spending my days here, chasing babies here, filling the walls with art and the house with furniture. I have felt calm (for the most part!), happy and blessed to live here. I truly love this house and now that the end is near, I am nostalgic  and have a lot of mixed emotions. 

But, the truth is, you just never know what God has planned for you.

So we have bought the Warner's house next door to my parents. We have rented the Warner's' house (I am going to have to stop calling it that) to the Graumanns for 18 months. We will live with Mom and Dad until they find a home in Jacksonville. 

And, so a new adventure begins for our family. . . in 18 months, along with a lot of projects.

Meal Planning Monday

I am going to start doing these a week late (if at all) so that I can make notes and remember what worked and what didn't. 

This week I tried 2 new recipes and  both were hits. So much so that I wanted to make sure that they were here instead of lost in all my pins on pinterest so that I can find them easier. 

Via

Pioneer Womans Chicken & Noodle We have made this before and it is always good. We ended up having leftovers from the week before so we ate this for lunch all week. It was nice to warm up and enjoy some comfort food every day. 

Via

Baked Ravioli This actually surprised me at how delicious it was.  I used Publix frozen Beef Ravioli. JJ & I both agree that ravioli is our favorite that we have tried so far. This recipe is really easy to make and with crispy cheese on top is A-MAZING! I had some for leftovers this week. I just put some more mozzarella on top and put it in the oven. Just as good reheated as it was the night of. 

Via

Chicken Alfredo Rollups  This was another surprise.  It is no secret that I am not the biggest fan of chicken. I have to have a lot of sauce or have it hidden in a bunch of ingredients to really like it. This one fits both of those bills. The recipe makes 8 and we at all of them up. I served these with sweet potatoes cut like fries. This is the first meal I have ever made that both kids ate everything on their plates and asked for more. JJ & I loved these as well. I think that next time I will double to recipe and have some for lunch for the week.  I don't think they will be good reheated in the microwave but in the oven should be great. 

Via

Ham & Cheese Biscuit Sliders  I have made these before and they are great and easy. The kids love them because the honey adds a nice sweet touch. I am going to serve these with butter beans on the side for a nice well-sounded-ish meal. 

So, great meals this week. all that I want to make again!

Breakfast Egg Muffins

I saw this on a blog a few months ago and finally decided to make them for JJ & I to have during the week. This recipe is great because it can be personalized to each persons tastes. Mine can have more veggies and his can have more meat. 

These are just as good leftover. All you do is pop them in the microwave. They will last in the refrigerator up to 10 days. 

Via

Healthy Egg Muffins

Cuisine: Breakfast

 

A healthy and delicious breakfast option - Egg Muffins filled with cheese, sausage and delicious veggies.

Ingredients

• 10 eggs
• 1-2 tsp. seasoning of your choice. I use garlic pepper
• 1-2 cups grated low fat cheese. I use co-jack
• ½ cup lean meat, turkey sausage, ham, etc. We like turkey sausage
• Optional ingredients: 2 green onions diced small, ¼ cup diced spinach. Any chopped veggies would be a good addition.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. A silicone muffin pan or cups will work best for this recipe, but a standard muffin tin will work too. Just double your paper liners and spray well.
2. Mix all ingredients together, whisking your eggs first.
3. Pour into sprayed cups filling almost to the top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking often. Some muffins might take longer, depending on how many additional ingredients you add. Eggs will puff up and look like they are over flowing. Dont be alarmed, they will set back down to normal size.
5. These will hold up well in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. I put two muffins in a snack sized bag for the hubs to pop in the microwave each morning for a quick breakfast. YUMMY and a great start to the day!