September Happenings + Life Lately

Hello everyone!  It has been so busy around the Christensen house lately.  My parents decided to sell their house and are in the process of packing things up, so that has been keeping us busy on weekends when I usually try and write!  I am SO excited for them to move closer.  Of course leaving the house they have been in for over 35 years is bittersweet, but we are so excited for more memories in the new place.  I plan on posting soon about all of my "treasures" that I have found during the move.  It is so fun to see everything mom and dad have kept over the years.

Mom has been finding old dresses from when my sister and I were little and also some of her own dresses.  It is so fun because the girls fit into most of the outfits that were saved, so I have been trying to get their pictures in as many of those outfits as I can!  The pictures below are of the girls in my mom's dress and my grandmother's dress.  Libby is wearing my mom's and Daphne is wearing my grandma's.  I will always cherish these pictures!

This weekend was our big in-state rivalry football game.  It didn't end up going in my favor.  My husband and I actually root for opposite teams, so one of us ends up mad every year--usually me.  We had my family over for the game.  I cooked up a big pot of chili and made some cinnamon rolls.  If you have not tried the chili/cinnamon rolls combo, you MUST!  I never make chili the same and rarely ever follow a recipe.  This batch turned out pretty good.  I ended up using a ground beef/ground turkey mix.  I also used up the rest of the onions from the garden and most of the peppers (I have jalapenos, mini bell peppers, and banana peppers).  One thing I did differently this time was add in a can of Busch's brown sugar/bourbon flavored baked beans.  It was so good!

We are still elbows deep in house projects.  Right now, we are working on clearing out a couple of rooms so that my parents can have their own space while they live with us until their new house is ready.  About a year ago, I was in their back shed and found this old door sitting in there.  It had beautiful etched glass in perfect condition.  The door needed a little TLC.  Tate has sanded and stained it for me and I am in the process of cleaning the hardware.  We are going to make it into a sliding barn door that goes from our eat-in kitchen to the dining room.  I cannot wait for it to be done! I love adding old pieces to our home.

I kind of like the distressed look.  I have been using Brass-O to clean these.  I should have taken a before picture because they were pretty black!  I will try and remove a little more of the grime, otherwise I am pretty happy with them.  I like the mixed metal look.  I can't wait to show pictures of the finished project!

We have been trying to eat pretty healthy here during the week.  Tate started the same exercise program as me.  I am so proud of him!  He's been really committed and it's been paying off.  I can't wait to see his progress pictures at the end of this session because I think we will both be surprised.  Every week, I have been planning healthy suppers.  I have found that meal prep doesn't really work for us for a couple of reasons.  1)  I cannot eat the same thing all week.   I just can't even (said in the most basic girl voice).  2) I don't think my kids would enjoy that.   Meal planning has really worked for us!  I write down 4-5 suppers each week and then write out all the ingredients we need.  Tate usually does the shopping.  It has been working out great.

On this week's menu:  

• Shrimp Fried Rice
• Thin Crust Breakfast Pizzas
• Spinach/Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with a side of pasta
• Tacos
• Baked Fish & Sweet Potato Fries

I know what you are thinking...that menu doesn't sound that healthy.  But there are ways to make your favorite dishes better for you!  For the fried rice, I will use brown rice instead of white.  For the pizzas, I will use these thin crust protein crusts + egg whites.  In the pasta, we have switched over to wheat or whole grain pasta and I will add in spinach to the tomato sauce.  There are a lot of little changes we have made over the past several months without feeling restricted.  And that works for us!  After all, we are not trying to be body builders...just trying to live a healthier lifestyle! :)  

That being said, fall is my favorite time to make allllllllllll the comfort foods.  I hear apple crisp calling my name.  Weekend splurges are good for the soul, right?  Hope you all have a great week.  XOXO--Chels