Burgers and Potatoes!

Sounds healthy, right?

Tonight we are eating Quinoa Black Bean Burgers and Rosemary and Onion Potatoes. Let me tell ya, the house smells amazing. And it isn't totally unhealthy...

I have shared the recipe for Quinoa Black Bean Burgers before here. They were such a huge hit, so I'm not sure why I've waited so long to make them again. I did alter the recipe a smidge. I used Italian seasoned Panko instead of plain bread crumbs, because they were in my pantry asking to be used. I also split the mixture into 6 burgers instead of 4. We like to eat ours without buns to keep the healthy vibe going. Tonight we topped them with avocados and a sprinkling of feta cheese crumbles. Yum!!!

For our delicious side dish, we have a new recipe! I swiped this dish from here. The rosemary was what caught my eye. I adore rosemary. I should probably just grow my own. I could have picked healthier options...but red potatoes aren't just awful for you, right? And hey, we did skip out on burger buns. And, it's not like they are fried. And, there is no butter in this dish.

Ok, now that I've justified eating potatoes for a "healthy" side dish, here is the recipe!

red potatoes, diced (pick your quantity..I went with 4 for leftover options)
1 sweet onion, diced
rosemary, chopped
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
olive oil

I used my cast iron skillet for this dish. If you don't have one, you could just substitute another dish. But you should probably work on getting one. They are awesome. Preheat your oven to 350. Make sure you also pre-heat your cast iron skillet. Once heated, throw in potatoes, onion, and olive oil. The onions will smell delicious immediately if you pour them into a hot skillet. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper to your liking and mix well. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Easy enough, right?

This meal was delicious and filling! Stay tuned for more fun meals next week!

Menu Schmenu

Seriously. What happened to us? I was doing so good with my healthy menus, but we have allowed ourselves to slip a little the past few weeks. I think the cause might be laziness...or just fatigue from being pregnant. Regardless, I am determined to get back on track! I am going to share our menu for this week, and my goal is to post fun recipes and pictures of our delicious, healthy dishes from each night. My hope is that this will help keep me in line and give you some fun new recipes to try!

Tilapia (baked or grilled) with cucumbers and onions
Chicken (baked or grilled) with Asparagus and Artichoke Pasta Salad
Tomato, Basil, and Pesto Quiche with turkey bacon and fresh fruit
Quinoa Black Bean Burgers with Rosemary and Onion Roasted Red Potatoes

Some of these meals will serve us double duty! I've made the burgers before, but the other dishes will be new recipes for us to try out. Call me out if I don't get some recipes posted this week!

Weekend O' Fun with Nana and Pappy!

We had such a fun weekend with Nana and Pappy! Hayes put on quite the show and even pulled out a few new tricks to make everyone laugh. It was hard finding a good time to take some pictures, but I finally got a few this evening.

We will miss you, Nana and Pappy! See you soon!

First Haircut

It finally happened. Hayes had a real haircut. No more curls on the back of his head. No more surfer bangs. No more hair hanging over his ears.

He was this serious the whole time. He let out a few cries, but never cracked a smile.

The place we went was so cute! Each station had a cute "seat" shaped like a car, pony, etc. Each station also had a small tv with cartoons playing.

The girl who cut his hair went super fast. I think she was done in under 3 minutes. That is a good skill to have when cutting a small child's hair. I survived without any tears of my own, by the way. Pretty proud of myself...

Top 10!

1. We had a wonderful Father's Day with family. Hayes and I are so lucky to have the best daddy in the world and some pretty fantastic grandfathers!

2. We attempted to take a few family shots this weekend. Hayes didn't get the memo....I wonder if he ever will.

3. We can't wait for Thursday...Nana and Pappy will be here! I'm excited for them to get the full "Hayes experience" in person.

4. Our flooring project is almost complete! Ryan is putting the finishing touches on the dining room as I type this. He has told me that he will never tile again...

5. Hayes got to see a tiny baby this weekend. He was way more excited about the dog that wandered into the room. I can't wait to see what his reaction will be in December when a new baby moves into his house and steals his mommy and daddy's attention...

6. Today was pool day at daycare. Hayes wasn't really into the pool, but he did enjoy standing next to the pool and dumping a watering can full of water on his head over and over again. Silly baby:)

7. Why don't more stores sell maternity clothes? And, why does it seem like most stores that do sell them all sell the same brand? Annoying!

8. Allergies, will you ever leave me alone? Seriously, I am getting so tired of this runny nose.

9. Okay. I admit, Hayes needs a haircut. Looks like that is on our agenda for this week. I am just so afraid that getting a haircut will make him look like a big boy, and this hormonal mommy isn't ready for that.

10. Thank God for all the fathers out there! We are so lucky to have so many great male role models in our lives!

Hayes has something to say...

We are so excited to announce that McBaby #2 is due December 8th!

I am now in the second trimester and I couldn't have asked for an easier first trimester. We did not find out the gender with Hayes and we are planning to do the same with this baby. We have also decided to keep our names under wraps this time. December is going to be full of excitement and surprises for our family and we can't wait!

Top 10

1. This weekend has been exhausting, to say the least.

2. Ryan and his brother, Dan, have been tiling away in our kitchen and dining room. It has been a slow process, but it looks amazing so far!

3. This means over half the house is not toddler friendly and Mommy and Hayes have had to find other things to do.

4. Did I mention this weekend has been exhausting?

5. Tiling in the kitchen means no stove and limited microwave access...which means way too much eating out for my liking. I am ready to have my stove back...

6. Found out this weekend that most of the parks we live near do not have toddler friendly playground equipment. Too bad.

7. I can't believe Father's Day is next weekend. Ryan already picked out his and purchased his gift...a "Blade Runner." Basically, it's a saw that changes your life...so says the infomercial. I told Ryan that I'm excited about coming up with projects for him to make with his gift;)

8. I was happy to find out that Dan, the bro-in-law, is also a Rookie Blue fan. I may or may not have made Ryan use the tool to scrape up adhesive during commercial breaks only on Thursday at 10 while the show was on. Don't judge. Everyone knows how much I love this show.

9. My new goal in life, to set up Dan and Missy (also known as "Andy" in Rookie Blue). Anyone have any connections to Canada that could help me with this project?

10. Pray for the families and friends of those killed in the shooting in Auburn this weekend. It is such a tragedy when stupid violence results in the loss of young lives.

Sick Day

Mommy and Hayes have had a day home together. I hate for my baby to be sick, but I do love the extra time I get with him. Here is my little blondie...

Top 10...

1. What a busy weekend. I think it needed more days in it.

2. We purchased 1600 lbs of porcelain tile from Home Depot for our flooring project. Somehow, we made it home with all 1600 lbs at once and no damage to the car. Talk about a miracle.

3. I was so going to take before pictures, but Ryan has already scraped off the old kitchen floor. He is just too fast for me.

4. We have a super sick toddler. I am hoping it's just a stomach virus...it is not fun to see my baby this sick.

5. Hayes has officially started using his first 2-word phrase..."Don't bite." It comes complete with a finger shaking in your face. Wonder where he got that from....

6. I'm going to say it again. Rookie Blue. Obsessed. Seriously. And yes, I will probably mention it each week. Deal with it.

7. Ryan informed me tonight that he has lost 13 lbs since March when I started revamping our menu for a healthier option. You're welcome, honey. Now stop rubbing your easy weight loss in my face.

8. I'm counting on Pinterest to help me with my dining room re-do. Now the big question is, white curtains or brown curtains...

9. We had a fun dinner party this weekend with our neighbors...one of them was Hayes's best friend, Oliver. Hayes loves "Olla" and it was fun to watch the two of them run around the yard using golf clubs as swords...or walking sticks. It was kinda hard to tell. Regardless, they are two super cute blondies.

10. Pray for good health for all this week!

Lia Sophia Review!

This post is so overdue....oh well. I had a Lia Sophia party earlier in May and it was a blast! The food was good, the friends were great, and the jewelry was fantastic! The hostess benefits were awesome and I ended up with $1100 in free jewelry! You so can't beat that. I love all of the pieces I got. I think that Lia Sophia has a great variety of looks available for all tastes in fashion. The quality of the jewelry is also great. Here are just a few of my favorite pieces....I didn't want to be obnoxious and post everything I got;)

Both of these are long necklaces, a length I am currently obsessed with. These necklaces dress up a plain top or dress so well.

I loved this necklace in the catalog, I love it even more in person. I love that it is relatively neutral while not being the usual silver or gold.

Here are a few of my fun bracelets. Who doesn't love a bright pop of color?

Earrings! I ordered so many pairs, but I kept them pretty simple. I like to wear earrings to work everyday to dress up my scrubs. I have these in gold as well.

My ring! This ring is the reason I decided to have a Lia Sophia party. Wearing rings that aren't my wedding rings is pretty new for me...but I am in love with this little number.

And here is my jewelry window! I love how it turned out. It is hanging behind my bedroom door and right next to my full length mirror. This project was so cheap and easy to make. I sanded the frame and then painted it. Ryan added the chicken wire and hung it up for me.

That is all for now! Later tonight....Top 10!