Bread with the Brisels

Happy Halloween! Our town had Beggar's Night last night, so today I'm sharing a photo of the boys in costume. 😊 Sammy went as a Broncos football player, and  Jack went as a skunk!  Before we left for Trick-or-Treating we had some friends over for dinner. We kept things really simple with hot dogs, brats, and chips. Then out we went! Our little skunk stayed in his cocoon of a car seat while big brother gladly went door to door.  Happy Halloween, everyone!

Happy Monday! It's Halloween Eve and I have the perfect recipe for a weeknight meal: Skillet Beef Stroganoff. It's easy, it only takes one pan to make everything, and is the perfect comfort meal. Here's how to make it:  Skillet Beef Stroganoff Serves: 6        Prep Time: 30 minutes Ingredients:  Olive Oil 1 lb lean ground beef 1 white onion, chopped finely 1 tablespoon of minced garlic 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 carton low-sodium beef broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce  1/4 cup sour cream Salt/Pepper Buttered egg noodles to serve  Directions : Heat a large skillet to medium heat, and add in a drizzle of olive oil.  Brown ground beef, leaving in quarter-sized pieces.  When beef is almost fully cooked, add in onion and garlic and cook until the onion begins to soften. Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup of all purpose flour over the beef mixture, and allow to cook for about a minute.  Stir in low-sodium beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Let cook until th

Happy Friday! It's the LAST Friday in October which absolutely baffles me. I can't believe next week will be November! I'm linking up with  Andrea  and  Erika  to share some Friday Favorites.  I have to share my new favorite family photo. Everyone is looking at the camera - including baby Jack! This was taken at a family wedding last weekend. We had a great time! I'm certain Jack will hate this picture when he gets older. Haha! Obviously we had to put him in a pumpkin for his first pumpkin carving. 😉 Sammy got a full Broncos football uniform for one of his birthday presents and he absolutely loves it. In fact, he loves it so much that it may be his Halloween costume. Look at these sweet brother smiles! Always a favorite of mine. Another favorite is a matching PJ moment. Every night Sammy will run into Jack's nursery following his bath to see if they can wear coordinating pajamas. I know this time that they can match is fleeting, so I am fully embracing it.  Pumpkin

I always try to match my cooking to the seasons, so having a meal with pumpkin in it is truly a no-brainer this time of year. Pumpkin is a member of the squash family, so it is something that can be enjoyed in sweet and savory ways. I hope your family tries this recipe and loves it!  Pumpkin Sausage Pasta Prep: 15-20 minutes     Serves: 6-8 Ingredients: 1 lb pork sausage  1 drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 lb dry pasta (I used fettucine noodles) 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced  1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 can of pumpkin puree  1 tsp Italian seasoning  Salt and Pepper to taste 1 cup pasta water (reserved) Parmesan cheese Directions: Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add in a drizzle of olive oil.  Brown sausage, scraping the brown bits as you cook. When sausage is almost cooked, add diced onion.  Add in garlic and seasonings until sausage is fully cooked.  Mix in your can of pumpkin puree, and add in about 1 cup of water from the pasta pot. Mix

How is October coming to an end already?! It's been a quick, whirlwind of a month. Today I'm linking up with  Sheaffer  and  Shay to share a little bit about "what's up" in my life right now. What I'm Eating... Give me all the cozy, fall foods! In the past few weeks we've enjoyed plenty of crockpot meals. I just love when I get home after a busy day to the smell of dinner cooking.  We've had chili (+ a cinnamon roll - is that an Iowa-specific thing?)... We've had sausage/kale/potato soup... We've had sausage and pumpkin pasta... Here's what's on the menu this week:  Monday: Sausage and Pumpkin pasta  Tuesday: Tacos  Wednesday: Chicken cutlets in the air fryer + sweet potatoes Thursday: Ham and Cheese sliders Friday: something easy! What I'm reminiscing about... Last week by oldest son turned five! I took a little walk down memory lane. I don't know why, but 5 feels really big to me. I can't believe he will be starting kinde

My little family had such a great weekend together! With Dustin's work schedule as a police officer, weekends off are few and far between. Last night was his "Monday," so we were off the entire weekend together.  On Friday we went for a long walk and Sammy rode his new bike. He was a little wobbly at first but was much more confident by the end.  We carved pumpkins and finished the day with a fire outside.  I cannot with this picture of Jack - it is TOO CUTE.  On Saturday, Sammy had his last soccer game of the season. It was so fun watching him play while Dustin coached him this fall.  Saturday evening, my cousin got married. Look at this family photo - everyone is looking at the camera. It's a miracle! 😂 And on Sunday we had a little family birthday party for Sammy John. He requested pizza and a chocolate cake with race cars on top. Done and done! I loved all the family time this weekend.  Have a great Monday! 

Happy Friday! Today I'm off school as our teacher compensation day following conferences, and we have professional development on Monday. I am PUMPED about a three day weekend and a "short" school week next week. I'm linking up with  Andrea  and  Erika  to share some favorites from the week.  Easily my favorite - it was Sammy's birthday on Thursday! We've been counting down the days to his birthday basically since his last birthday. He woke up on Thursday ready to celebrate! My mom dropped off a birthday donut in the morning complete with a "5" candle.  He was so excited for his present - a Spiderman bike! He's in a bit of a Spiderman phase right now.  He brought birthday treats to preschool and Dustin picked him up. Then they met my great grandma for lunch at a restaurant in town.  Since I was late at work for parent-teacher conferences (boo 😓) the boys brought over dinner and we had cake in my classroom. It was a sweet ending to a fun day! Thi

Our biggest boy is celebrating his FIFTH birthday today! He is so excited to finally have his turn to celebrate, and it is so easy to celebrate him.  From a newborn... To a one year old... To a two year old... Then he was three years old... Then he turned four years old... And now he is five. Time absolutely flies!  He LOVES his baby brother, Jack. His adjustment to having a new brother at home truly couldn't have been more seamless.  He has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know...besides me. 😉 He is active and competitive. Sammy participated in a soccer camp, football camp, and soccer league this year. He loves to be outside.  He loves to ride his scooter.  He loves to be cozy in his pajamas.  He hates to wear "church clothes." (Even though he looks adorable in them).  He is really interested in writing, letters, and numbers. He is constantly pointing them out, and trying to write them down on paper. Right now his favorite number is "100." I often see him g