What's Cooking

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Recipe and photo "stolen" from the interweb

Do yourself a favor and make this for your family. It does not disappoint!

Ingredients:
3 lb pork roast
2 T olive oil
Montreal Steak Seasoning
3 - 4 C Root Beer, Dr. Pepper or Coke
1 1/2 - 2 C Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce
Rolls to serve on

Prep:
Season one side of your roast generously with Montreal Seasoning
Work seasoning into meat with your fingers
Warm olive oil in a skillet before placing meat, seasoned side down, into skillet
Season top side of roast while "bottom" side is searing nicely
Turn roast over and sear side 2
* This will cause your meat to become a bit crusty. You want this as it provides the meat a nice smokey/salty flavor *
Poke roast with a fork a couple times and transfer to crockpot
Pour soda over the roast and cook on low for 7 hours
Shred meat with a fork
Cook an additional hour
Drain juices and pour in BBQ sauce
Cook an additional 30 - 60 minutes
Serve on Rolls

Delicious and perfect for left overs or serving guests

Other recipes worth noting:
No Peek Beef Tips
www.mommyskitchen.net

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake
www.therecipecritic.com

What are/have been of your tried and true recipes?
Please leave links in the comments.
These are all new recipes I've added to our recipe binder recently.

Melt

I really don't have words to describe the joy I feel looking back on this series of pictures.
Our church, Cedar Ridge Christian Church, hosts a Daddy Daughter dance biennially. This years theme was a spin off the ever so popular Disney movie Frozen which we simply titled Melt. Think frozen/winter turned spring. The planning team worked cohesively on theme, preparations, decor, food, set up and tear down which made for a very pleasant experience for all. 

My sweet friend gifted us McKenna's dress which I big puffy heart LOVE!

 I purchased Gabrielle's coordinating dress at JcPenney.
The matching hair bows were found at Children's Orchard.
The pictures below were taken with my DSLR and display a more true to life color of the

dresses. 

 

The girls had a fun time getting ready for the dance getting their hair done, putting on lipgloss & wearing fancy new gold shoes ...

And {overpriced} corsages of course!

It is times such as this that I am so thankful that God gave these two one another. 

Sisters. 

Although there is a six year age gap between them there is an undeniable bond they share. 

Hopefully one day they will call each other not only sister, but best friend. 

Thank you to Melissa McGee Photography for volunteering her talents and for the beautiful image above. 

Spring GOTR

Hey!

Yo!

You Go Girl!

You Go Girl, Go!

Another season has come and gone of Girls on the Run. It was a season chalk full of inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience based curriculum which incorporates a lesson, stretching, warm up (practical application of the lesson) and running. 

It was also a season of seeing the returning girls grow exponentially in their strengths. For some that is encouraging other girls, for others being an amazing team player and yet others interjecting humor into our time together. Each girl grew in their love of running ... or so I like to think they each did :)

{Gabrielle celebrating the completion of our practice 5K} 

Each GOTR teammate was encouraged to invite someone to participate in the practice 5K as their running buddy. Gabi chose no other than her beloved teacher, Mrs. Lindsey. Maci was such a source of encouragement to Gabrielle which I believe strongly factored into her shaving several minutes off her completion time from the Fall season's practice run. 

We had 13 girls participate in the Spring session of GOTR. We will lose two of our participants this coming Fall as they will be moving on to middle school however we are expecting a lot of growth and are already making plans for a 2nd team! 

I spent the better part of an afternoon the week before our season finale 5K race making pinwheel hair bows for the team to wear. The lead coach, Nicole, reverse tie dyed our race tee shirts which turned out great! 

The Friday prior to the season ending 5K run at Corporate Woods we completed a service project. The girls each decorated a dozen paper lunch sacks and stuffed them with canned meat, fruit, chips, granola bar and bottled water to feed the homeless in the KC area. I loved watching some of the girls tap into their artistic side. 

It was a bittersweet ending to our Spring GOTR season. We had an absolutely perfect morning for our race. I am blessed to be a small part of instilling great values and encouragement into these girls. I'm already anticipating the Fall season and new curriculum!

Wordle

To: Mommy

From: Gabrielle 

Happy Mother's Day

{Please excuse the poor quality scanned image}

I treasure this thoughtful gift from Gabrielle and have it proudly displayed in our kitchen.

It encompasses all the words that quickly come to mind when she thinks of me. 

I adore that she included dogs because our family has a shared love for the 4 legged fuzzy friends :)

What I love most about this simple piece of "art" is that all these words also describe her. She is 

Beautiful, Christian, Clean, Fair, Happy, Loving, Organized, Silly, Sweet & Trustworthy. She is also extremely artistic, creative, compassionate and a loyal friend to a fault. 

You can go here to www.wordle.net to create your own. 

I think they would make an awesome gift for any occasion!

Silver Bullets Soccer

This little dude was so excited for the opportunity to participate in soccer again this Spring. Last year we signed him up with Sporting Tykes through the YMCA and it quickly became apparent that he loved the game. We knew this Spring we wanted him to be involved in a more "competitive" league so we chose Kansas Rush Soccer Club. The teams consist of six same age players. Dawson was fortunate to play with three other Meadow Lane Kindergartners as well as two boys from other area elementary schools. 

The red streaks under his eyes are NOT the latest in soccer accessory/fashion.

They're signs of the poor kid suffering terribly from allergies :( 

Dawson plays a mean game of defense but put the ball near him and he gives it his all! He is a hustler and has a fierce determination to win. He scored multiple goals within the season scoring two in his final game. 

Dawson, Brady, Caleb and Christiano

Missing from photo - Noah and Peyton

Meet team Silver Bullets {Christiano missing}. 

Quite possibly the cutest group of six year old boys in the JoCo area. These boys praticed and played with passion. They became fast friends and had a blast together! The coaches and parents are already in talks of getting them together over the summer for a BBQ and possible participation in a summer soccer camp. We are also in high hopes of playing together as a team again this Fall. 

My Special Mom - A Mother's Day tribute by Dawson

My mother is the most wonderful Mom in the world.
She is as pretty as roses.
She weighs 30 lbs and is 1 foot tall.
Her favorite food is pancakes.
In the old days, when my mother was little, she used to do what normal babies do.
I think Mom looks funny when she changes my sister's diaper.
Please note she is fully potty trained and diaper changes are so last year :)
My mother is happy when we clean.
^^^ AMEN! ^^^
I wish Mom would snuggle with me everyday.
I wouldn't trade my mother for a piece of junk.
I'm so glad to know I'm valued more than a piece of junk. Rolling in laughter!


Top Five Reasons Why I love My Mom

1. My Mom gives me hugs and kisses
2. I love my Mom
3. My Mom loves me
4. I love my family
5. My Dad is awesome 

{I'm not so sure how #5 describes the top five reasons why he loves ME, but we will roll with it}

- My Mom -
My Mom is good.
She likes to give me hugs and kisses.
She always cleans.
Sometimes she takes me to the pool.
But the best thing about my Mom is she gives me hugs and kisses.

Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Dawson

These.
Keepers for sure!
I want to remember these sweet, yet hilarious "love notes" from my Boo.
I adore that his primary love language is so apparent in his answers given above. He is my little lover and professional snuggler. I often joke that he needs to stop making out with me or his Daddy will get jealous :) Secretly I hope his affections don't wane in the years to come. I love his genuine hugs and sweet kisses. I love when he crawls in bed with me and isn't satisfied until his arm is underneath my back and his head rested on my chest. I love that he never fails to profess his love for me when I tuck him in even when he is sour at me (or me with him). I love this boy of mine and where he fits in our family. He is rough & rowdy but soft & sappy at the same time and oh so cute! Man alive is he cute!

Embrace the Camera: May 1, 2014

Gabrielle and Dawson with their GG

Easter 2014

Pontoon ride on Lake Lotawana

iPhone 5S