Crockpot Spaghetti & Meatballs

3.27.2014

Crockpot Recipe #13 is spaghetti and meatballs!  This one is a real kid pleaser!

Crockpot Meatballs
Ingredients:
Desired amount of frozen meatballs (can be homemade, but I normally use Costco)
1 jar spaghetti sauce OR
1 jar diced tomatoes and 1/2 jar marinara


or


Directions:
Place meatballs in the crockpot
Add desired sauce/sauces
Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours
Make sure they're heated through
Serve with spaghetti noodles or spaghetti squash (see recipe here)

Theodore: 22 Months

3.26.2014

Theo boy,

You are 22 months old!  Becoming such a little boy!

-You weigh around 23.5 lbs. and about 31" tall.

-You wear size 18 month pants, 18, 24 and 2T tops and onesies.  Still in size 5 diaper.

-Some of your favorite foods are banana, cookies, bread, spaghetti, strawberries, nutrigrain bars and cheerios.

-Still drinking only water and milk.

-Napping between 1-3 or 3:30pm in the afternoon.  Going down around 7pm at night and waking around 8am.

-You still love balls and throwing them along with everything in sight.

-You follow sissy around everywhere and want to do everything she does.

-You love cuddles and us holding you close in the rocking chair.

-Your incisor teeth are still coming in.  This has caused some crankiness the past couple days, but teeth meds and Tylenol seem to help a little.

-You love to swing and slide and play with dirt outside.

-You helped mommy and sissy celebrate birthdays this month.  You LOVE cake and anything sweet.

-Still enjoy chasing Daisy around and giving her toys to chew on.








Love you forever.
-Mommy and Daddy

Madelyn-Matthew 19:14

3.25.2014

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me.  Do not keep them away." 

Madelyn's 3rd Bday Party

3.23.2014

When asking Madelyn what she wanted for her birthday this year, she responded "cupcakes and go to Chuck E. Cheese".  She's never been to Chuck E. Cheese before so we aren't sure where she got that from.  But, we decided to take her there.
We invited a few of our friends to join us and celebrate the birth of our baby girl.  We ate pizza, sang Happy Birthday (which she loved!), had cake, opened gifts and played some games.  This is the first year she really understood what her birthday was all about and loved every minute of it.  We topped it off by taking cupcakes to her Sunday school class today!  
This is the day before MJ's birthday.  Her Auntie Heather (Tee) took her to build a bear! She named her rainbow ballerina bunny, "fluffy" :)

The morning of her birthday!



Thanks Gigi and Pops!

Chuck E. Cheese!

Checking out the music

Eating some pizza (minus Tata and Katub)

Tee and bubba 

Grandma Izzy and the birthday girl

Birthday buddies!

Our little family

Enjoying some cake!


Present time

For those of you whose kids watch "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse", this is Toodles! Tamara made it! They watch the show on Thursdays when Tamara(Ta-Ta) babysits. Madelyn was so excited :)


Thanks Mimi and Papa! Now she can do her own check-ups

Some ski-ball :) I'm surprised Theo didn't take out any kids throwing the balls! 

Riding with Chuck E.


Boys playing guitar

Amelia and Theo :)

Jammin' with dad

Dancing with Chuck E.

Madelyn's 3 Year Old Questions

3.21.2014

Questions to a 3 year old....

What is your favorite color?  purple

What is your favorite toy?  bouncy glow in the dark balls

What is your favorite fruit?  pineapple

What is your favorite TV show?  "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood"

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Pepperoni, cheese and crackers

What is your favorite outfit? dress

What is your favorite game?  singing the ABC's

What is your favorite snack? string cheese

What is your favorite animal?  elephant

What is your favorite song?  Jesus medley..."There's Just Something About that Name", "Jesus Loves Me", "Jesus Loves the Little Children"

What is your favorite book?  cars book

Who is your best friend?  Theo

What is your favorite dinner?  pepperoni pizza

What is your favorite thing to do outside?  swing and slide

What is your favorite drink?  water with ice

What is your favorite place to go?  Evie's house (I asked her these right after Evie's bday party :)

What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  bunny and piglet

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?  cereal

What do you want on your birthday?  go to Chuck E. Cheese and eat cupcakes

Crockpot Pesto Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

3.20.2014

Crockpot recipe #12 is pesto chicken with spaghetti squash.  Tim and I like this.  It's something a little different.  The chicken is made in the crockpot and I made the spaghetti squash in the oven.  I'll give you the recipes for both.  Spaghetti squash can also be made in the crockpot if you'd like (I'll do another post on that soon)

Crockpot Pesto Chicken
Ingredients:
4-5 Chicken breasts (frozen)
1/3 jar of pesto (you can use more if you'd like, but I think this is enough)
1 pkg. ranch mix
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Place chicken in bottom of the crockpot
Pour chicken broth, pesto and ranch mix over the chicken
Cover
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hrs
Shred chicken when done



Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients:
Spaghetti squash
Olive oil
Garlic

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Cut squash in half lengthwise (this is the hardest part!)
Scoop out seeds and toss in the trash
Place each side of the squash in a 9x13 pan
Pour a little olive oil on each half
Sprinkle desired amount of garlic on each half
Place in the oven uncovered
Cook for 40 min. or until tender
When done, cool for about 5 min.
Use fork to scrape out the spaghetti squash, it should look like pieces of spaghetti
Done!


-Megan

Madelyn: 3 Years Old

Madelyn Joy,

You are 3 years old!  How did you become so old?  We are so in love with you little goose.  You have grown up a lot in the past year.  Talking up a storm.  Surprising us with something new everyday.

Some of our favorite phrases you say are:

"Whatcha doing?" or "Whatcha watching?" or "Whatcha eating?"
"I love you."
When mommy's cooking you pull your stool from the bathroom over and say, "I'll help you cook, mommy"
Saying all your bible verses and being so very proud of them.
Repeating our prayers and then adding in your own thoughts

Here are some of your 3 year old stats:

-You weigh  30lbs. and are 35" tall

-You wear size 7 shoe, 3T tops, pants and PJ's

-Some of your favorite foods are chicken chili, pizza, mac and cheese, goldfish, cheese/crackers/pepperoni, apples, any sweets

-Still drinking just water and milk

-Potty trained during the day and very good about getting up on the potty if you need to go.  Still wearing a pull-up during most naps and at night time.  You are pretty dry during naps, but still wet at night.

-Getting in the last of your molars.  Hooray!

-Talking all the time.  It takes you forever to eat because you're normally talking the whole time.  We love listening to you little girl.

-Napping in the afternoon for around 2 hrs.  Going to bed around 7:30pm and getting up around 8am.

-Still poking and pushing your brother a little bit.  I'm sure this will continue throughout life.  You're not a fan of time-outs though!

-You started dance class last fall and absolutely love it!  You are so precious to watch and really like your teachers, Miss Megan.

-Your favorite TV shows are "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood", "Dora" and "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse"

-You have a strong opinion on what you wear and how you do your hair.  You're finally coming around to mommy fixing your hair in something other than a headband.








Love you baby girl!

-Mommy and Daddy

Madelyn-Psalm 119:11

3.17.2014

Psalm 119:11


"I have hidden Your Word in my heart so that I won't sin against You."

Crockpot Ham & Potatoes

3.13.2014

Crockpot Recipe #11 is ham.  Again, very easy and tasty!  I serve this with potatoes and a veggie.  The potatoes are also made in the crockpot!  I have 2 crockpots so I make the ham and potatoes at the same time.


Crockpot Ham
Ingredients:
2-3lb Ham (or whatever size desired)
2/3 c. sugar free apple juice (can use regular as well)
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard (optional)


Directions:
Place ham in bottom of the crockpot
Add apple juice, brown sugar, honey and mustard
Spread over ham
Cover
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hrs
Slice ham when done




Crockpot Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
4-6 Potatoes
Aluminum foil


Directions:
Clean off potatoes
Wrap potatoes in foil
Place in the crockpot
Cover
Cook on LOW for 7-8 hrs