Recipe: Honey dijon chicken breast with sautéed veggies.

Those who truly know me, can tell you that I don't like to cook. 

Part of it is because my husband is an AMAZING cook and the other reason is so we don't starve to death around here.

But this last weekend, while browsing Pinterest, I found some really good looking recipes that I really wanted to try.

So I loaded the kids in the car and headed to the grocery store, to get my ingredients.

This first one was really good... I promise.

The original recipe was actually chicken breast topped with bacon, sauteed mushrooms and cheese, but as I was in the middle of making it, I changed it up a bit.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast

4 handfuls shredded mozzarella cheese

1 package white mushrooms

1 yellow bell pepper

about 3 cups chopped spinach

salt/ pepper

olive oil

3 cloves garlic

Sauce:

1/2 cup Grey poupon dijon mustard

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. vegetable oil

*{combine all these ingredients and set aside in the fridge}

First, heat up oven safe skillet with 3 tblsp. of olive oil and preheat oven to 375 degrees. After rinsing chicken breast with water, place in skillet and cook all sides until golden brown {remember to season with salt and pepper}. When finished, place chicken in oven, while still in the skillet {if you don't have an oven safe skillet, transfer chicken to glass pan}.

While chicken is cooking, sautee in skillet mushrooms, bell peppers and spinach. Add 3 cloves of garlic and a little bit of salt. Set aside when done.

After about 20 minutes of chicken being in the oven, grab your sauce and brush on a generous amount on each piece. Put the rest back in fridge. And put your chicken back in the oven to finish cooking.

Meanwhile, start your rice.

After about another 25 minutes, your chicken should be cooked all the way through. If not, leave it in for another 5 minutes or so.

When chicken is fully cooked and is still in the skillet, add generous amounts of the sautéed veggies on each piece and top veggies with a handful of cheese. Put back in oven and let sit for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

When rice is ready, place rice on plate first and top with a piece of chicken breast. If you'd like, garnish with some fresh parsley {I didn't do this step}. Remember to add a little side of the honey dijon sauce to dip your chicken in. I don't normally like anything honey dijon, but this sauce was REALLY good!!!

When your all finished, this is what your plate should look like...

I gotta say, I was really impressed with myself and proud that I made it a bit healthier by substituting the bacon with more veggies. I'm not a big fan of bacon anyway, so this was an easy step for me.

You could alter this recipe in so many ways, but I was pleased with the ingredients I chose and it was absolutely delicious.

Hope this picture made you drool and inspired you to make something yummy... Especially if you don't like to cook, like me. It'll make you feel that much better about yourself!

Happy cooking, friends!

Happy fathers day.

Just wanted to pop in and once again wish all the dads a wonderful Fathers day!

We are so thankful to hubby/ daddy for who he is and how hard he works for us... We love you, baby!

Have a fantastic Sunday!!!

Summer photoshoot & Happy Fathers day.

As I planned out my day yesterday, I was clueless as to how I was gonna keep the kids entertained, since hubby ended up working.

A friend and I planned on doing breakfast together, but since we both had all of our kids, we decided to just invade a donut shop with all 6 of our kids. The donuts were amazing and the kids kept themselves entertained. Win-win.

Later, I drove to the inlaws {had to pick something up} and decided I would do a photoshoot of the kids, since I haven't taken any pictures of them since last Fall. Knowing me, as soon as I took the first 3 pictures, my battery died. So, it's either my battery dies or I forget my SD card. I just don't even know. 

So I grabbed my phone, but obviously wasn't capturing what I wanted to. So I decided I would come home, feed the kids while the battery charged and then head into the country and scour a perfect location.

Well, I found the location, we took the pictures, the kids ran around for a little and I headed home. Long story short, we ended up going back after dinner cause the first time just didn't turn out great since there was lots of sun and the kids' outfits just weren't doing it for me.

I guess third times a charm, right? It was in this case!

The pictures turned out exactly how I envisioned.

Here's the location...

The weather was absolutely perfect, with the sun setting and a slight, warm breeze. 

But the best thing is when I'm able to get all 4 kids to look at me, at the same time AND even manage to smile! Yay!!!

Here's a couple more...

I wasn't planning on being in the pictures, but asked hubby to snap a few just for kicks... They ended up being really cute, with Charlies natural smile.

Thankfully, today we get to enjoy hubby to the fullest, being appropriate since it's Fathers day.

Hope all of you dads are blessed and be given strength to be the men God intended you to be.

Happy Fathers day!!!

Instalife.

Is everyone else excited that it's finally the weekend? I am!!!

We will probably take it easy and try to relax. Supposedly it's suppose to be in the 80's today and tomorrow and then rain all next week, so I've got my fingers crossed. Summer weather would be amazing for Fathers day!

Don't got anything particular to share today, so here's a dose of instagram love.

{from top left to right}:


1. Wild sweet pea.
2. Manicure for my princess.
3. First fruits of the season in our backyard.
4. Laundry folding party.
5. Good reminder.
6. An official 1st grader!
7. New color {which I'm not crazy about} OPI "Suzie says Feng shui".
8. Isabelles self portrait from school. It deserved the fancy frame.
9. Kisses for #1.

Hope all you dads have a fun and blessed Fathers day!!!

Lavender fields.

In order to celebrate Summer break, I decided to take an impromptu trip to the lavender fields, not far from our house and have a picnic with the kids. Although two kids woke up with fevers, it was gloomy and a bit chilly outside, I was determined to make it work. So after stopping by the grocery store, we headed straight there.

Again, when we got there, it was much cooler than I expected {the sun was a teaser} and the wind wasn't helping, but since we didn't need to use the blanket I brought, I was able to cover myself with it and stay warm. Thankfully I put sweaters on the kids so I didn't have to worry about them. But with all that said... It was absolutely gorgeous there!

{I know, with all the pictures I took, I totally forgot to take one of the scenery}

Here we are enjoying our yummy food {Charlie was napping in the car when we first got there}.

I even managed to have a friend come with me, last minute!

I'm hoping that once the kids are a little older, that they will remember these sporadic trips we went on.

 Here's Charlie all wrapped up after his nap...

You can see the thick clouds in that last picture. We were there for about an hour and luckily it stayed dry while we were there and started raining as soon as we left. 

It's funny, cause last year when we came, it was smoldering hot out and this time it was cold... Seems like I can never get the in between. Someday.

It's actually been raining for the past couple of days and I'm so ready for the sunshine to come back. It's much easier to entertain the kids when it's warm out and we're not all stuck in the house.

But I am excited that tomorrow is Friday and it's Fathers day weekend! Hopefully we'll get a little bit of dry weather on Sunday.

Hope you had a delightful week and have an even better weekend!

Ciao!

Instalife.

So far, we've had a pretty lazy weekend. Poor hubby had to work Saturday, but got to relax afterwards and took it easy today.

I, on the other hand, had a really peaceful Saturday. 

I was able to drop two of the kids off at my moms and the other two were with their cousins, so this mama got to go have breakfast outside, in the sunshine at French Press and then go thrift shopping. It was much needed and although I felt weird, eating all alone, it was beyond glorious.

Here's a little sneak peak into my weekend, via Instagram.

{from top left to right};

1. Saturday morning breakfast.
2. "Wy are you not cuming to tayce my tooth!" -Isabelle. #momfail #hertoothfelloutaweekago
3. Tea, granola bar and an at home pedi.
4. Morning snuggles with #3 and #4.
5. A cousin and friend.
6. Another good reminder.

There it is.

Hope you all enjoyed your time off and had lots of sunshine, as well!!!

Product from my Instagram shop.

I mentioned a few weeks ago, that I decided to open up an Instagram shop, to list some of the fun things I find.

But I know that not all of you have the Instagram app, or just don't have the time to check it out, so I decided I would share some of the things that are still available, to whomever sets their eyes on them!

I will post the pictures and if you need more info on the item, go ahead and leave me a comment and I will be happy to reply. The prices listed do NOT include S&H, so if you'd like something shipped to where your at, please let me know!

Enjoy!

1. Vintage, blue genuine leather, clutch with tasstle. $10     2. Vintage Ganson, red genuine leather, clutch. $8

1. Vintage Beuno, Nude genuine leather, clutch. $10 2. Vintage Nordstrom, blue genuine leather, purse. $15Vintage, black genuine leather, clutch. $8

 1. Brand new Cloudwalkers, black genuine leather sandals {made in Italy}. Size 8, $15

2. Brand new Envy, brown genuine suede booties with gold stud detail. Size 8, $10

 New Chloe K, sheer top. Size S, $9. {Sorry the picture is a little blurry}

There are a few other things, but these are my favorites and most exciting items I've got so far. I've got a couple more pair of shoes I need to list, so once I do that, I will let you know!

I also wanted to show off this really pretty, vintage dress I found at Goodwill last week. It might of been the most exciting $5 I've spent in a while :)

The length, the ruching at the shoulders, the color... It's just perfect. 

{I'm modeling it with the Nude, leather clutch thats available}

Hope you find something you love... Cause as much as I'd love to, I just can't keep all those pretty bags for myself!

Happy shopping!!!

A little surprise.

I know, you probably thought I was gonna tell you I was pregnant, with that title, didn't you!

Absolutely NOT!!! :)

Wednesday afternoon, while I was at the beach with the kids, I got a phone call from the principal at the kids' school.

I'll be honest, when she first said who it was, I thought she was calling to ask me why the kids hadn't come to school that day, but thankfully that was not the reason for her call.

After breathing a sigh of relief, she proceeded to ask me a strange question... She asked me if Gabe had a bike. 

Before she told me the reason why she's asking me this, I told her, that no, in fact he didn't {the one he had just broke and was too small for him anyway}.

During the school year, the students receive character bucks, sort of like little rewards for behaving well, doing something nice, helping, etc.

The students then use the character bucks to cash in for little prizes. After they cash 'em in, the principal saves them in a big jar. Then, at the end of the year, she draws two names, a boy and girl and they each win a new bike and helmet.

After explaining this to me, she tells me that she pulled Gabes name!!!

I was shocked, amazed, but most of all thankful.

The Lord just keeps providing in the most unexpected ways, I am just overwhelmed!!!

So the trick was, I needed to keep it a secret til Friday morning, for when they presented the bike to Gabe at the all school assembly. And you bet I was present. And you bet I took pictures!!!

Here is the principal pretending like she pulled Gabes name out of the box...

He was SO excited, his face was bright red and he wouldn't stop grinning. I was teary eyed I was so excited for him.

 Not to mention this other award that he got...

I promise you, that talent did NOT come from me. I hate math, was bad at it all through school, better now, but still hate it. He is my smart kid and I told him that pretty soon I won't be able to help him with his homework.

Who know's, maybe he'll teach ME a thing or two!!!

It was definitely a fun Friday and a great way to start the weekend, I can't lie!

The kid is a happy camper and I can't blame him.

Now, I'm off to enjoy some family time... Happy Sunday!

Peony garden: Trip #2.

This week, I was feeling a little adventurous with the beach trip and all, so I decided I would take another trip to the peony garden {with my SD card, this time} and take some 'real' pictures, of these beautiful flowers.

This year, I had a hard time trying to time my trips. The first time, most blooms weren't open yet, this time, most of them had already bloomed and withered. Oh well, I still managed to get some pretty shots.

Yes, I had two of the boys with me, but I was able to let them play in the car, with all the windows down, while I stayed in sight, to snap pictures. It worked out well, considering I was only there for 20 minutes.

It was a another gorgeous day, with the sun beaming rays of warm, warm heat.

Here's what I was able to capture.

These blush peonies are definitely my favorite.

You can't really tell in the pictures, but these blooms were almost as big as my head!

And the center of these pretty ones, were one of a kind.

Thankfully, I don't suffer from allergies, cause I would of been dying, with all the pollen right in the center.

And on the way home, I had to stop and capture a really pretty wheat field.

What an absolutely stunning day.

 It's so easy to miss such small, but amazing details of where we live, with our busy lives, but I've learned to make special time to appreciate my surroundings.

When you're purposely attentive, you learn to be more thankful... Amazing how that works, right?

Even taking a little walk around your neighborhood might trigger some appreciation, you just never know.

Hoping your all having a warm and relaxing weekend!!!

An eventful Wedensday.

Not sure about you, but we had a pretty eventful, regular 'ol Wednesday. 

I've been wanting to take the kids to the beach for a while, but couldn't get any of my girlfriends to go with me, so I decided I would just wing it and take all of mine and head on over by myself!

I'm not one for letting my kids skip school just because, but I did JUST that... Naughty mom.

We were so sad that hubby couldn't come with us, but he just couldn't take time off work. Poor guy.

And man would it have been a million times easier if he was there, cause there was nothing relaxing or easy about going all alone, with 4 kids {which I knew}.

But the joy on the kids faces was priceless.

They had such a good time playing and running around in the freezing water!

And the weather... it was perfect. A little sun, a little wind and the muggy, salty air.

 I even got fed with pretend sand food by little #4, hee hee.

We didn't stay too long, but long enough that the kids were completely soaked with sea water and the carpet in the car was sprinkled with sand.

After we got home, I bathe the kids, to rid of all the sand that was covering their body and then had to get ready myself, for a surprise birthday we were throwing for a dear friend.

I haven't thrown a surprise party for a while and I forget how exciting it is when the person, really has no idea of all the plans.

A gorgeous friend who deserved every bit of it thought I was crazy when I, out of nowhere, showed up at her house and told her to get ready... Little did she know we had a whole group of ladies waiting as soon as we got to our destination. It was so much fun!!!

I was out til 11pm, which isn't too bad, but man am I tired this morning!

I just need to come to terms with the fact that, no matter how hard I try, I will NEVER be a morning person. and thats that.

So thankful that we were really able to take advantage of the beautiful weather... I think summer might actually be here to stay and in Oregon, that is a big deal!

Here's to summer dates outside!!!