LuvMud

This past Saturday Brian and Emi participated in LuvMud. LuvMud is a benefit 5k mud race with obstacles and a mud pit. The race supports Habitat for Hope. Habitat for Hope exists to support, serve, and care for families facing the serious or long-term illness of a child.

Emi did the kids 1 mile run with some of her friends.

Here she is at the start line.

And she's off.....

navigating her way through the obstacle course

the finish line is the mud pit, here she is climbing out - blaaaak!

friends :)

P.S. It took me 3 cycles through my washing machine to wash the clothes/shoes and 2 showers plus a dip in the swimming pool to clean the kid :)

silly boy

here's my boy wearing his sister's sunglasses while "horseback riding". He-he

Apple Cake

I made this the other night for dessert and it was so easy and so good! It's great for dessert with vanilla ice cream and because it's not overly sweet it makes a great breakfast too :) Happy eating!!

pic and recipe from www.laylita,com

Apple Cake

Ingredients

• 6 ounces of sugar (3/4 cup)
• 6 ounces of flour (11/3 cup)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large apples, peeled and cut in small chunks

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees.
2. Mix the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer for about 2 minutes.
3. Use a flat wooden spoon to slowly stir in the flour until the batter is smooth.
4. Mix in the apple chunks, pour the cake batter into a buttered and floured cake mold.
5. Bake for 5 minutes at 400F, then lower to 360F degrees and bake for the approximately 30 minutes or until it turns golden. To test if the cake is done insert a toothpick into the middle, if it comes out clean, then the cake is done.

Loft Bed

Brian recently helped a friend move and in the process they built bunk beds for his kids. After that he was all about building Emi bunk beds and once he told her about it they were ganging up on me and I really didn't have a say in the matter. So, of course, I start thinking about how cute it would be if it was a loft bed with a fort underneath with curtains and a bean bag chair, new bedding and we could hang her pink christmas lights in the top of the fort - oh my! I was starting to get really excited! In my head it was looking something like this

and in Brian's head it was going to look something like this

ummmm NO!!!! This was not going in my little girl's room! So I thoughtfully found some plans for a loft bed on the internet (and yes, they were 36 pages long - big deal!) So nice of me you say? well, Brian had other words for me and my 36 page plans but he gave in because he's awesome that way and I think he just really wanted to play in the fort :)

Here we are at Lowe's gathering supplies

getting started

we recruited Kevin

here is my spot - hey, somebody has to supervise and take pictures for the blog!

assembled what they could in the garage and are finishing up in her room

Emi was helping just like her Momma does - hey, somebody had to watch Tangled!

finished!!! And only after 10 hours of labor, 2 hours of painting and 3 hours of curtain sewing.

She seriously loves it. I can't keep her out of her room.

Tuesdays with Dorie

ok so I have a new obsession - www.tuesdayswithdorie.blogspot.com 
She is h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s! I adore her style and her personality. After I discovered her blog, I sat for 3 days straight and read the entire thing, I was so sad when I finished it. She only blogs on Tuesdays - hence the name Tuesdays with Dorie and I am embarrassed to admit that I was half-way through the blog before I figured that out (Yes, I am a quick one). So, read it - you'll love it!

Losing Teeth

Last night Emi lost her 5th tooth. Losing teeth is quite the ordeal in the Matochik household. She will let them literally hang by a thread and then when we just can't take it anymore, it takes two of us to hold her down and pull it out (I'm sure our neighbors think we are murdering her). She has had this loose tooth for about a week and it kept bleeding every time she would eat anything so we told her it was time to come out. Backstory- she spent all last week at VBS at our church where the theme was Everything is Possible with God. After dinner she got up and pulled the tooth out all by herself and didn't make a peep. Afterwards she told me that she reminded herself that everything is possible with God and she knew that He would be with her. Seriously?!?!? How did I get so lucky to have a sweet little girl like her?

Her new toothless grin

Emi has lost 5 teeth and there has never been a time that she has allowed the tooth fairy in her room. She is totally freaked out by that concept so we leave a note for that tooth fairy that the tooth is on the kitchen counter. Same goes for the Easter Bunny and Santa - actually for those two we have to barricade the hallway so no one can get into her room :)

Look What I Found...

I found this on the fridge - that little girl sure knows how to melt my heart!

VBS

We are doing VBS this week at our church. The theme is Sky: No Matter What Happens, Trust God! Emi calls it Sky High :) She is loving it and is sad that tomorrow is the last day. Here are some VBS pics.

Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

I really wasn't expecting too much from this recipe, it just seemed too easy and from WW but it blew us away. First of all, it was SUPER easy to make and was SOOOOO GOOD!!! It even got rave reviews from Brian and Emi who are super hard to please.

WW Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

recipe from www.weightwatchers.com

2/3 cup lite honey mustard dressing

1/8 tsp table salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 tsp dill, freshly chopped

1 medium uncooked scallion, finely sliced

1 cup cornflake crumbs

1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 425 F. Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine honey mustard, salt, pepper, dill and scallions; remove 1/3 cup and set aside. Place cornflake crumbs in a bowl. Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan. Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink about 15 minutes. Drizzle remaining dressing mixture (the 1/3 cup that was set aside) over the chicken breasts and serve.

P.S. I made this with full-fat honey mustard (shame, shame I know!) and without dill or scallions b/c this was a last minute decision and I didn't have those items on hand and it was still fantastic!!

Slow Cooker Parmesan Honey Pork Roast Recipe

Seriously one of our favorite meals!! It is fantastic and because it cooks in the crock pot, your house will smell yummy for days :)

pic from www.sixsistersstuff.com

Slow Cooker Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

www.sixsistersstuff.com

Ingredients:

1 (2-3 pound) boneless pork roast
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, garlic, oil and salt; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.
Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice roast; serve with gravy.

Low Fat Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice

This is what we had for dinner last night - it was very good. This did not taste "low fat" at all - definitely a keeper!! We ate it with tortilla chips and ate it like it was a dip. Six Sisters recommends eating the leftovers inside a tortilla - we may be trying that for lunch today ;)

Low Fat Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole

(Recipe from www.sixsistersstuff.com)

1/2 c. chopped onion (1 medium)

1 Tbl. olive oil

1 package (6.9 ounce) chicken-flavored rice and vermicelli mix

14-ounce can chicken broth

2 c. water

2 c. chopped, cooked chicken

1 c. chopped, seeded tomato (2 medium)

3 Tbl. canned diced green chile peppers, drained

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp.  black pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  In a saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender.  Stir in rice and vermicelli mix (including seasoning package); cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in broth and water.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes (liquid will not be fully absorbed).

2.  Transfer the rice mixture to a large bowl.  Stir in chicken, tomato, chile peppers, chili powder, basil, cumin and black pepper.  Transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish.

3.  Bake, covered, in a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with cheese.  Let stand about 5 minutes or until cheese melts. 

Holiday Weekend

After being in Muscle Shoals all weekend with the hubs hanging by the pool we decided that we would come home and hang by the pool :)

9 years

 Yesterday was our 9th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been 9 years!!!! It really does seem like yesterday I was wearing that beautiful wedding gown - just look at how skinny I was, ahhh the good ole days :)

Because I am married to the most awesome guy ever, he surprised me with a weekend getaway to my most favorite spot on earth - The Marriott on the Shoals. Love, love, love this place because.....

all you do is this -lay by the pool while the wait staff brings your beverages and food right to your chair. You never have to get up unless you want to head to the basement where the Spa is. It's my little slice of heaven :)