Food, family, and fitness... all with a bit of style.

Show & Tell Tuesday....Steal & Splurge, plus our Weekend Wrap Up

It's Tuesday...that means our weekend wrap up, plus the first topic in this year's Show & Tell Tuesday. I'll share some details on our weekend in a bit, but first a fresh list of Show & Tell Tuesday topics from Andrea over at Momfessionals. I linked up for a few Show & Tells last year too and am excited for this year's topics!
This week's topic is about how we save and how we splurge. I am pretty happy to say that we are more on the saving side than splurgers. #hopemomisproud I do love  to score a deal.... I find it to be a bit of a game!

How our family saves.....
Probably one of the biggest ways we save is cooking at home versus going out to eat. We used to waste sooo much money here!!! I would grocery shop with no real plan and spend money on a random assortment of stuff, then get home and have nothing to make for dinner. So, we would go out....and toss the food that went bad.....ridiculous! So over the past few years, things have changed...
Let's talk about food!  I meal plan & prep. I plan out all our meals for the week and shop according to my list. Then when I get home I prep for my meals and cut up fresh fruit and veggies for snacks.
Much less waste and we are eating much healthier with all our food prepped. I did a post on meal prep that you can catch up on here, and new this year I am sharing 5 meals for your family table every Monday!
Week 1
It's not just dinners... we plan out our lunches better too. Paul used to buy his lunch everyday at work. At around $10 per day... that was over $200 a month! He prefers a "hot meal" as opposed to a sandwich, so I just make an extra serving of dinner each night and he takes it for lunch. No leftover waste & no money spent on eating out everyday!
Water Bottles.... we all have reusable water bottles that we fill numerous times a day. The kids take them to school everyday... that's their drink for lunch & snack. Paul has one at the office he fills throughout the day and I fill up two each morning to travel with for the day. No need to buy bottled water and a much healthier drink for us all!
Paper Products...random, I know, but here's the story. I was a store manager for Target for about 10 years. #bestjobever While I was working there, I decided to give the store brand stuff a try. I must say I have been really happy with just about all the UP & UP stuff I have tried. I pretty much buy all my paper products, food storage, laundry supplies, and others in the store brand. Everything is less than the national brand... plus usually an extra 5% on Cartwheel and another 5% with your Target card. So it adds up over the course of a year.

We try to plan ahead to do fun things during the "off season". We love to visit new places or take fun adventures with the kids, but it can get expensive. I am always on the lookout for a hotel deal or plan to see something during the non peak season, as it's usually less expensive. We also save by making our experiences more about something to see or do....like a hike or exploring a beach or park. Most of which are free!
How our family splurges....
As I think about splurges, it was kind of hard to think of... but I guess a splurge for us would be our vehicle. We have recently purchased a pretty luxurious vehicle, but the last one we had we kept for 10 years and we plan to use this the same way. It will take us on lots of adventures up and down the East Coast, so we think it's worth the splurge!

The other place we splurge is with our time off... And by this I mean we both use all of  our allotted vacation and personal time each year and try to take whatever adventures we can! I hear these stories of people that don't take vacation or the time off they are allowed and it just blows my mind! I mean, we work so hard during the year... there is a reason we need that time...like this weekend!! We loaded up to head out on a weekend getaway to an indoor waterpark!
It was so much fun! We went down lots of slides....


This picture of Paul cracks me up!
Hopped the lily pads with the help of some ropes...
Stopped for a few selfies....
 
Floated down the lazy river....
Took a break for some ice cream....
Tasted a hot donut for the fist time.....
And slept well...
And so much more! I came home with a hoarse voice from screaming down the slides, tired eyes from the chlorine, and an appreciation for my littles to be old enough to carry their own bags!
What are some ways your family saves? Any fun splurges to share? I would love to hear from you in the comments! See you tomorrow for What's Up Wednesday. And Thursday I will be sharing my first book review on the books I read this month. Hope you stop by.....there's always room for one more at our family table.
xoxo 
Genevieve

Five Meals for your Family Table Week 3

Oh hey friends! Another Monday..... another five meals for your family table. Grab a pen, your coffee and write out your grocery list! We have this week's meals covered!

one
I have shared this recipe before and it's just so good on a cold winter night. This Butternut Squash Ravioli is comfort food without all of the guilt. Have your squash chopped and ready on prep day and this will be on the table in no time! You can find the recipe here.

 two
Stirfrys are such a quick solution to get dinner on the table and this Pork Stirfry with Bok Choy is a winner every time I make it! You can use nearly any veggies you have on hand...... the more the merrier! Saute your protein, add your veggies and put it on top of some brown rice! Make it even easier and have your meat & veggies chopped and ready to go.
For this strifry I heat up a couple tablespoons of EVOO in my wok over medium- high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the bite size pork, and season with salt & pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the meat is browned, tossing frequently. Remove the meat to a plate and saute your veggies. I add about 4-5 cups of veggies. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and let the veggies steam for about 5 minutes until just softened.  In this batch, I used broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, bok choy and onions. You can also use cauliflower, snap peas, water chestnuts, spinach, asparagus, carrots.. anything you want to use up! Add your pork back in and I like to keep the sauce clean... a few shakes of liquid aminos and the jucie of half an orange.  Plate some brown rice and top it with your stirfry mix!
three
Pulled chicken taco bar with cilantro lime rice.  I usually try and have at least one meal per week that is set up as a "build your own". I find it helps my kids to make better choices. Just put out a colorful spread of healthy options to load on your taco. They can make a taco or just a rice bowl with all the the toppings. My two love to be involved in cooking and being able to put together their own dinner is a highlight!
For the pulled chicken, place one pound of boneless, skinless chicken in your crockpot and top with one jar of salsa and 1 cup of chicken broth. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, then shred the chicken.... easy-peasy dinner night! You can find some of my tips to making a healthier taco bar and my recipe for cilantro lime rice, by clicking this link, and scrolling to the bottom.

four
So we try to eat fish at least once a week. Salmon is one our favorites, but you can easily switch this out with another fish if your family is not a fan of salmon. Fish cooks very quickly, which is why it is one of my go-to's on a weeknight. This Salmon with Citrus Quinoa is made with some simple ingredients and is delicious!
Start by cooking your quinoa according to package instructions. Then drizzle your salmon with a little EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can either grill it (about 5-6 mins per side) or put the fillets into the oven (on a foil lined pan) at 425 for about 15 minutes. While your fish & quinoa are cooking, you can make a quick flavoring for your quinoa. Mix 3 TBSP of olive oil with juice & zest of half an orange and 2 TBSP of chopped scallions or chives. Pour this over your cooked quinoa and toss to coat. Squeeze the other half of the orange over the salmon when if comes out of the oven. Place the salmon over your couscous and add something green to round out your plate!

five
It's the end of the week and time for something easy! These Mediterranean Chicken Pitas are the answer! You can set it up as another "build your own" and the Tzatziki sauce mixes up in no time! They can be made ahead of time and you can take them on the go if the kids are running to their after school activities during the dinner hour!

What to prep to make these meals easier.....
Chop your Butternut squash & onion.
Chop up whatever veggies you are putting in your stirfry and bag together. Cut the pork for the stirfry into bite size pieces.
Prep veggies for the taco bar.

I hope these meals find their way to your family table this week!  If you missed our first two weeks, you can check them out here
We have lots of fun posts planned this week......
Show & Tell Tuesday... Where we Save & where we Splurge, plus our weekend wrap up!
What's Up Wednesday... a little bit of life lately
Carpool Book Club... sharing my review on the books I read this month
Friday Favorites... sharing favorites from the week!
See you soon....there's always room for one more at our family table.
xoxo
Genevieve


Friday Favorites....Low key week edition

TGIF! This week felt so good to me...I think it was thanks to our Nothing Weekend. I felt really relaxed this week...maybe because we didn't have much going on... but whatever it was.. it felt like a good week! And since it's Friday, I am linking up with  AndreaNarci, and Erika to share some of my favorites from this week!
one
Our new calendar! I love having a calendar hanging in the kitchen. So many people have gotten away from them with fancy planners and apps, but I love a good old calendar filled with all our memories from the year before!  I have a little tip for you if you make a calendar each year. Shutterfly allows you to choose the start and end month of your calendar.  A few years ago I was late ordering and started our calendar for Feb 1. It was the best decision! Now I can fill my calendar with pics from our Christmas and not have to rush ordering it. I take my time in January after the hustle of the holidays to put it together. And my calendar is printed for February-January. It's really a  simple change, but works so great for me!

two
Wednesday date nights. E & L have religion class for an hour on Wednesday evenings and Paul and I take full advantage of that hour! We drop the kids off to class and head to our local coffee shop for a coffee or tea. It's a great chance to catch up with each other... a perfect mid-week treat!

three
My Ipsy shipment! Have you tried Ipsy?? It's so fun! For $10 a month you get a monthly shipment of prestige makeup samples.. some are full size and some are samples. Each shipment comes in the cutest hot pink bubble mailer and you get a new cosmetic bag each month too! I kind of forget I am getting it each month, so it's always a fun surprise to see that pink package in the mailbox.
This month I got a full size gel topcoat nail polish, a great nude lipgloss, the perfect shade of blush, a bronzer sample and a cleanser. Of course it all came in that adorable metallic pouch! If you are not subscribed to Ipsy... you should be......you can find all the details here.

four
Our weekly meal plan....week 2. I have gotten so many sweet messages about the recipes and planning! Thank you so much!
I love to cook and have been planning out our meals for a couple years and am happy to share with you. Anything to help make that dinner hour a little healthier and easier! If you missed the plans, you can check them out here.
And be sure to stop by on Monday, we will be sharing 5 more meal ideas for your family table!

five
This S'mores cheesecake! I made this on Sunday and it was so good! Shay over at Mix & Match Mama shared this recipe last week and I just had to try it.
Paul & I were planning to surprise the kids with a little getaway this weekend, but they seem to fighting a cold 😩. So we will put those plans off for another time! I hope you all have a great weekend. We have some fun posts coming next week.. more recipes, meal planning, and my monthly book review! Hope you stop by.....there's always room for one more at our family table.
xoxo
Genevieve




Mediterranean Chicken Pitas

Sometimes you just need a simple weeknight dinner... or one you can take on the go.. and this fits both!  With the help of a rotisserie chicken, this meal comes together quick and easy!
Ingredients
One Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
Whole wheat or whole grain pitas
chopped romaine lettuce
sliced cucumbers
thinly sliced red onion
kalamata olives
feta cheese
Tzatziki sauce (see recipe below)

For the sauce
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 clove chopped garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 TBSP fresh dill
salt & pepper to taste
Make the sauce first (can be made a day ahead). Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add salt & pepper as needed to taste.

For the pitas....just lay out all your options and build your own!  Kids can put on what they like...I just require at least one veggie in their pita. You can also put tomatoes out as an option in this too. I find that kids love to build their own meals. It makes them feel as if they have a say in what they are eating...just be sure you have colorful, healthy options to choose from!
Top with a little sauce and pair with some fresh fruit! No need to complicate dinner or stop at a drive thru. 

This is also delicious as a salad. You can add a little water to the sauce to thin it out and use as a dressing....another good option!
Enjoy!
Genevieve

What to do in Winter?!?!

Hooray for Wednesday!!! So we are more than halfway through January, which can be a long month!
Here in the Northeast the winter months can drag on..... and we can run out of ideas to keep busy until warmer weather comes. There is no need to hibernate for months....get out there and make the best of your winter! I thought I would share a few things to do during these colder, darker months!
A few of our winter favorites.....
Sledding...

Skiing....

Tubing....

Snowman Building...
Now these are all really fun, but each requires snow. So if it's cold with no snow it can get tricky.... but here are a few ideas...
Ice Skating
...find a local rink.....indoor or outdoor. Most usually offer skate rentals and some have walkers to help new skaters out on the ice.
 Kid tip- if you have a little girl skating for the first time, rent her hockey skates,not figure skates...much easier to learn in.
Nature walk....
Bundle up and get out to a local trail and explore. You can usually see different things when the trees are bare. It's a new way to look at the same trail you might walk in the summer.
If you are not one for being out in the cold in winter,well the Northeast may not be for you! HA! Here are a few indoor ideas for you.
Bowling...
Who doesn't love putting on those fancy bowling shoes??? Bowling with kids is so fun. It's funny to watch them surprise themselves when they actually knock down the pins!
This was Ella a few years ago...she has her own form!
Cupcake Wars....
I have done this a few times with my two. I don't get too complicated.. I just make cupcakes from a box mix, bag some frosting and give them a bunch of random things to decorate with. Give them a theme, a time frame... and see what they come up with.  This was some from our Halloween themed war.
 A Valentines theme or a winter scene would be fun this time of year!
Drawing Wars
If you don't want to deal with cupcakes and the mess they sometimes bring, host Drawing Wars. E & L love this too. Pick a theme and give the kids a time limit to draw something in that theme. Let them present it to you and share why they drew what they did. They love when I act just like a judge from the Food Network!
Fancy Dinner Night
Plan a fancy dinner for the family. Maybe it's going out to a nice restaurant, or maybe making something fancy at home. If you are eating at home.. light candles, use the "good dishes"...make it special.
Last year the kids made their own fancy dinner... they brought random house accessories to the table to decorate it. Ella wore her flower girl dress, and Luke "popped"his collar!
Go out... get dressed up...bring your daughters flowers. Everyone loves a night to feel special!
Visit a Museum
I'm not sure about you, but I really don't take full advantage of the local museums we have. These cold months are the perfect time to explore history, science,art or whatever else your city has to offer. For those local, Albright Knox Art Museum has free admission to certain parts of the museum offered the first Friday of every month.  A fun way to spend a Friday night with the family!
Themed Dinner Night
Plan a dinner around a fun theme. Maybe a favorite movie or a special place. Let everybody give some input and think of food ideas that center around your theme! Have the kids make decorations or placemats that go along with it too. Make up fun names for the food too!!!
A little Getaway
Sometimes it's fun to just get away for a night. Even if it is still in town or just an hour away! During off seasons you can usually score a pretty good rate. I like to find a hotel with an indoor pool option...the kids think they have died and gone to heaven to swim in the winter!

I guess we try to keep busy and make the most of the winter nights. It's too easy to curl up and hide until Spring! What do you guys do for Winter fun? I would love to hear from you... drop your thoughts in the comments below.
Have a great Wednesday friends....see you on Friday for Friday favorites....there's always room for one more at our family table.
xoxo
Genevieve



Tuesday Talk... Nothing Days!

Hi friends!! Today I am linking up with Erika & Ashley for Tuesday Talk. A monthly link up where we can talk about any and everything!
 Today I want to talk about nothing.... as in having nothing to do! November & December were so busy! Super fun, but really busy! The last couple weekends we have not had too much going on and wow....we needed it!
Listen....I get it... there will always be commitments... parties, events, sports games.. the usual life stuff! But a weekend of nothing......it is a great feeling. One I am going to try to make happen at least once a month! We just got to do whatever we wanted...no schedule...no commitments...just take the day as it comes. Here's a little recap....
We had such a great long weekend! The kids started their weekend extra early with a half day on Friday. Not sure about you, but not making lunches on a half day feels like I gain hours into my day! I mean, it takes all of 5 minutes to make their sandwiches and they do the rest... but seriously I feel like it's a vacation day! #tellmeimnotalone
Friday night we finally went to see Sing! They have been asking forever and we just had not made it there yet. Our theater recently renovated to the reclining seats and my crew loves it!
The movie was great...just loved the music!
Saturday was the perfect mix of productive & fun! We did some laundry & cleaning in the morning, I went grocery shopping, we went to Mass in the afternoon and had such a fun night ice skating! There is a great rink in the town next to ours and it's a great place to skate!
 
I was so proud of both kids skating. We only go a few times each year, so it's not exactly easy for them yet. Ella really seemed to get it this year!
And Luke tried like heck for over an hour! He would go along pretty well and then wipe out.. .but he never gave up or got frustrated... just kept at it! I was so proud of him!
We even ran into Mia... the kids' babysitter....
Of course hot chocolate had to follow our skating! There is the cutest coffee shop just up the street from the rink. It's our favorite spot... because of the these tableside smores! 
I mean, how cute is this??? 
There was a local voice studio there with some teenage kids singing live music too! E & L loved watching them sing.. they were all so talented!
Sunday was AMAZING....because we had gotten so much done on Saturday, I really felt like the day was mine! I did some meal prep, a little blogging, finished  reading my second book of the month (yay!), and decided to bake a Smores Cheesecake. Now I know I am tying to give tips and recipes on eating healthy, but life is all about balance! Shay over at Mix & Match Mama shared this recipe on Friday and I heard it calling my name!
Friends... this did not disappoint! You can grab the recipe here.
Ella had a friend sleepover since they had no school on Monday. She had a list of what they would do for the sleepover.....love an organized girl with a list! #shegetsitfromhermama
I am telling you.... we need more "Nothing Days"....they are so good!!! I recommend you put a Nothing Weekend on your calendar soon!
Did you check out our meal planning post yesterday?? 5 great meals to put on your family table this week.
Enjoyed talking with you....hope you will join us again soon....there's always room for one more at our family table!
xoxo
Genevieve

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