Pumpkin Sausage Pasta

It's pumpkin time! We have been enjoying fall like weather the past few weeks here in Georgia and we are LOVING it.  I came across this recipe and tried it a few weeks ago. Max normally loves noodles, but they have to be plain. Well Max and Kinsley both DEVOURED this meal, as is. So I made it again this week. This recipe comes from Mix and Match Mama. 

Ingredients

1 pound pasta (I used whole wheat penne)

1 pound sausage (I used mild chicken sausage)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped (I left out since mom doesn't like onions, but they would be wonderful in this meal)
1 can chicken broth
1 can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just good old Libby's canned pumpkin)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese...as much or as little as your family likes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper...of course!

Bring one large pot of water up to a boil for your pasta. Drop pasta in and cook 5-7 minutes depending on how done you like your pasta.

In another large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown and crumble the sausage. After sausage has browned, add in onion and garlic and saute 4 to 5 minutes.  Once sausage and onion mixture is sauteed, pour in chicken broth to de-glaze your pan. Lower heat to low and let chicken broth simmer 2-3 minutes.  Stir in your pumpkin and heat through about 3 minutes.

Drain your pasta and add to sausage pan.  Stir in your cheese and that's it!  You're done!

Like Father Like Son?

When we were at his parents house for the birthday party this weekend they brought out this picture of David from when he was a baby. I think he looks Max's age so let's see if you think Max looks like David.

Just picture different eye and hair color.

I made it black and white and choose another one of Max with shorter hair.

I gave Max some brown hair and brown eyes. I should have picked a better brown as this has red in it, but it's pretty funny. What do you think?

Weekend Happenings

We enjoyed our weekend hanging out with Hadley and crew. We had a rainy Saturday but still ventured out to Suwanee Days for a little bit. There were lots of arts and craft booths set up with yummy food.

 

Max had fun hanging out with his cousin.

 

David and I took Max to a doctor appointment on Friday and stopped at Jason's Deli for lunch.  Of course we had to get some ice cream.

  

He approved for the first few bites and then it got really cold and he gave it to me to eat. 

 

He loved starring at all the fun fish! 

 

We had a birthday party for Max's cousin, Kaleb and he kept seeing the big kids with their party blowers and he gave it a shot. 

 

It was a success and he loved it!

 

I made whole wheat chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes on Sunday to celebrate fall. 

 

The low part of the weekend started out with Gigi slipping on a toy and being carted around to 3 different doctors for x-rays and such friday. She got her cast yesterday and will be in this full arm cast for 2-3 weeks as they hope her wrist heals up a bit without needing surgery. Then she will put a smaller cast on hopefully. Thanks for all your thoughts, messages and prayers for Gigi. Thanks also to my sister, Daniel and crew for helping with Max and mom. 

Bad to the Bones-Skeleton PJ Cuteness

Auntie Michelle bought Max and Hadley matching pajamas for Halloween. Of course that meant we had to have a photo shoot to capture how adorable they are!

Max was really interested in Hadley's pony tail.

I just so happened to catch little Miss. Hadley standing ON HER OWN! She's getting so big!

So precious. Here are a few individual shots before their partnership debut.

Happy girl!

Hadley only would clap during the pictures so we got Max to join in.

Sweet cousins.

They were pretty interested in what was actually on their pajamas. Max kept touching his arms and Hadley wanted to see Max's pjs. What they didn't realize was that the PJ's are glow in the dark! Even at bedtime, they weren't distracted (which was a good thing).

I told Max to lay down so I could see his whole outfit and he participated nicely. Don't mind the toys in the background. It's just how we/they roll. Last shot before Hadley quit on the photo shoot.

"We said we were DONE!"

Weekend Odds & Ends

My sister, James and Hadley came to visit this weekend! We also get to keep Michelle and Hadley for the week.

 

Max always wants to do what Hadley does and my mom was helping Hadley walk so Max wanted "help" also. It was cute. We had fun doing a little shopping and running errands together all weekend. They don't have a target or many other stores where they live so we went to the mall and such. 

 

David said he was going to go up and nap with Max and this is how I found them. Not exactly sleeping, but he seemed to enjoy it in there. 

 

While at the mall I decided it was time to get Max another haircut. We went to JC Pennys and we had really great luck with Sun who cut Max's hair. Max was well beyond his nap time (I thought he would nap in stroller, but didn't) so he sat on my lap for the haircut and was almost sleeping through it. 

 

After shot. Such a handsome boy. 

 

Hadley got new kicks when we were at the mall and she looked so darn cute in them. Max opted for no shoes while shopping around at Sams. It was fun putting them in the shopping cart together. Hadley was a little overly friendly at times but they enjoyed it.  David made a comment on how Michelle does Maddie and Hadleys hair the exact same. I wish I had a photo of Maddie, because it's so true.

 

I have been super busy working on embroidery orders as well. I am trying to finish up football/halloween orders this week to make way for the Christmas PJ's that should be here in a few weeks. This is the Falcons shirt I made for Kinsley. Let's not talk about my rookie mistake on the first shirt I did for her... Let's just say I didn't make sure the arm sleeves were out of the way before I kept embroidering. 

 

These are 2 Halloween treat bags for Matthew and Mikayla with the mummy design on them.

Linsey sent us the most adorable photo of Ella in her diaper covers for her 1st birthday shoot. I mean, you can't get cuter than this!! Such a fantastic photo.

 

 We also scored these awesome tables from Dana (who works at Delias at the mall). They weren't going to use them anymore at their store so she thought we could use them. I'm so glad she thought of us as I'm SO excited to use them, possibly in the new craft room to be.

 

They are very sturdy, well built tables. I am loving the design on them and not even sure I want to paint them or anything. I'm digging the look as is. 

Cool right?

We also picked up these bar stools (there are 4 total) for free from someone who was getting rid of them. They have a bit of mold on them as they were stored in a basement that doesn't have a dehumidifier but definitely salvageable. Free stuff gravitates to us lol I don't know what to say, just open up your minds and don't be in a rush to find things?

A day we will never forget

9/11. We will never forget. I'm so thankful we can live in a place and feel safe despite of what happened 12 years ago and I can be with my little buddy. Thank you to all service men and women. God bless all the people and families who were directly affected on 9/11.

Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe

I've tried to make Mongolian beef before and ended up having to throw it away so I am always skeptical when I see a recipe that claims it's easy or only takes 30 minutes. Well this recipe did say it takes 30 mins, but maybe I had more meat and had to cook it up in batches so it took me about 45mins-1 hr from start to finish including cutting meat and such. I would save this for the weekend when you have more help watching the kiddos. This recipe comes from Just a Taste.

Ingredients-

Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 (1-pound) flank steak (do not use any other meat, this is a must)
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 scallions (green parts only), sliced into 1-inch pieces

 

Directions:
Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a small saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and water, stirring to combine.

Stir in the brown sugar and increase the heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces, then toss it with the cornstarch. Place the coated pieces of steak in a sieve and shake off any excess cornstarch. Allow the steak to sit 10 for minutes.

Place a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat and add 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the beef to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes until it is seared on all sides but barely cooked in the center. Remove the steak from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer it onto a paper towel-lined plate. Pour any excess oil out of the wok.

Place the sauté pan back over medium heat. Add the prepared sauce to the hot pan (it should come to a boil almost immediately), then add the reserved steak and cook at a boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add the sliced scallions, stirring to combine.

Transfer steak and scallions with a slotted spoon to a plate and serve. I served with brown rice and veggies. 

Gulf Shores Beach Trip

 

We brought Max to the beach on Sunday to play in the sand and in the water.  Max did not like the water or the sand.  He wouldn't leave our side (which I guess isn't a bad thing).  He stayed on the towel or on my lap most the time.  He enjoyed watching everyone in the water and there were boys skim boarding to entertain him.   

 Family photo on the beach.

It was very sunny and Max couldn't see, but wouldn't keep his hat on.

Flash back to our last beach trip in  Jacksonville Beach when Max was about 8 months old. Yes, I need a new bathing suit, I realize that. Here are a few more flash backs for your Thursday. This year.

 

 

Last year! We were there for an air show hence the ear plugs and airplane shirt.

Max loved watching daddy make little sand castles.

He wouldn't wear his sunglasses either, but luckily it was mostly cloudy so he got some relief.

Love my boys!

This is what I did all morning! No complaints here.

We ate at some great restaurants and enjoyed hanging out with Anslee, Austin, Stacey and Darrin for a few days before heading home.

 

Here are a few iphone pics that I couldn't resist sharing. Max was zonked out in the car here. He has car seat bed head. 

 

We stopped at Firehouse Subs on our way down and Max enjoyed the fireman hat. I guess I should have brought this one to the beach. 

 

 We ate at the Oyster house and Max shared my blackened mahi mahi.  

Happy boys. 

This is how Stacey and Annslee found the guys while Max was napping, they had to get their own napping in as well on the inter coastal. Such a fun quick beach trip. We need to plan one down to see Uncle Chris and Auntie Marla.