Flashback Friday

I have several friends who do this on Facebook .. sometimes called "Throwback Thursday" or "Flashback Friday"

I'm going with the Friday one- since I already have a post on Thursday (Thursday Things) that I try to do every week. 

Some weeks the pictures won't be too old - maybe some from when Tyler was a newborn. But this one is from when I was a kid! 

As you can tell, I didn't grow up in the digital world (obviously, ha!). My Mom found this picture a few months ago and we got a good laugh about how much Tyler looks like me! This was taken on Halloween. I'm not sure what I'm dressed up as- maybe a farmer?! 

I love looking back in the past- kind of fun! 

Along with "flashback Friday", I'll post a short preview of our weekend plans too! 

This weekend... 

Friday- no plans! 

Saturday- My Grandma's husband, Jim's birthday! So happy birthday to him! No plans all day! 

Sunday- no plans, once again! 

I love weekends like this! I do have some things that I want to accomplish- but other than that it should be a good weekend! 

Oh, I almost forgot, I won't be at work Monday- so three day weekend for me! I have a doctors appointment in the afternoon and took off the whole day to have a few hours to myself in the morning! Not sure what I'm going to do after I take Tyler to Rata's house.. going to try to relax and not get caught up in projects- which is what usually happens : ) 

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! I'll most likely won't be back until Tuesday! 

Happy Friday, Ya'll! 

Weekly Tyler

I haven't done one of these in forever! 

This one will be mostly pictures, but here are a few random things that I could think of.... 

* Tyler was playing with his Thomas Train set the other night. Mose was right in the middle of it (as usual) and Tyler demanded that we put Mose out because he was messing up his "train party" .. we both thought it was hilarious! I guess you had to be there! 

* Tyler is excelling on the potty! He even went #2 this week (gross, I know). Every time that he sits on the potty at home he goes pee- if only a small amount. The other night, Matt was working late and he was sitting on the potty. I asked him if he wanted to take a bath and he said that he was sitting on the potty. So I told him I was going to take a shower. He continued to sit there for 30 minutes! side note: I was only in the shower for about 10 minutes though- I never take showers longer than that :) 

One last thing for today! 

*When we were at the auction over the weekend, he picked up a play truck trailer and wanted to keep it. Matt was there at that time and we both told him that he had to put it back. He resisted at first and Matt was going to take it back and then Tyler said that he wanted to take it back. So he grabbed it from Matt and took it back to where he found it! I was so proud of him! I thought that he'd throw a major fit! 

Here's some pictures!

Mowing with no pants on! HA!

He loves to pretend that he's driving our cars!

Helping Mama outside!

Playing little people and trucks!

He has been loving the fans! We don't have the air on yet at home. And if we open the windows at night and close them early in the morning, it will be like 68 in the house when I get home! Who said a small basement house was a bad thing?!! 

He kept yelling "It's windy!!" 

Carrying his chair to the "tall grass" as he calls it! He said that Matt needs to mow it! 

Yelling at one of the animals, I'm sure!

Love this one. He's just so darn sweet!

Showing off his umbrella! He loves that thing!

Hanging out with caterpillar!

Popcorn- yum!

He built a car with some blocks!

These were all taken from when Matt was gone- can you tell?! Since he's eating cookies straight out of the package?! Ha!

Getting sleepy!

We love our popcorn! 

Notice the white stick by him? It's a glow stick from the Dollar Store- and believe it or not, it lasted the whole time Matt was gone!

Helping Daddy mow! Aka: taking a short ride with the blades off because Mom is paranoid and reads too much news! Like this story for example!

As you can tell, Tyler LOVED it!

Passed out on the couch! I love how his little legs are crossed! 

He still loves his truck! Probably his favorite outside toy!

Being goofy before bedtime!

Lasagna Skillet

I tried a new recipe a few weeks ago: Lasagna Skillet! It was really good and so much easier than making real lasagna. Plus we didn't have to use the oven, just the stove top! Seeing as how we're getting some warmer weather right now, the fact of not using the oven was a selling point! 

Lasagna Skillet 

Recipe Adapted From: Pink Parsley 

• 3 (14.5 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes (or 1.5 28 oz cans)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 10 (curly-edged) lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces - I stupidly didn't break the noodles, next time I'll make sure that I don't forget to do that :) 
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese- I skipped the Parmesan cheese and added cottage cheese along with the ricotta. 
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim is fine)
• 3 Tbs chopped fresh basil - didn't use fresh : ) 

Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely ground and no large pieces remain, about 12 pulses.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground beef to the skillet.  Cook, stirring often and using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's no longer pink.

Scatter the pasta in the skillet, then pour the tomatoes over the top.  Stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and cover.  Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 20 minutes (if you don't stir it, the pasta will clump together and stick to the bottom and sides of the skillet).

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.

Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in half the mozzarella and Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the ricotta.  Dot the remaining ricotta over the noodles in tablespoons, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.  Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and is starting to brown.  Remove from oven, sprinkle with basil, and serve.

I plan on making this again very soon!

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This might be the easiest cake ever! 

I've made it before- but never to where you could see the layers. I usually just stuck it in a 9x13. I love it this way better! 

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake 

Ingredients: 

1 box ice cream sandwiches 

1 8oz Cool Whip 

hot fudge sauce and caramel for drizzling 

1 small bag M&Ms 

Directions: 

Put tin foil on a cookie sheet (to help keep the sandwiches from sticking to the pan).
Layer 8 on the pan.
Spread a layer of Cool Whip.
Drizzle with hot fudge and caramel.
Add another 8 sandwiches.
Another layer of Cool Whip.
And then top with hot fudge, caramel and M&Ms.

And you're done! 

SO easy, and very good too! 

We all agreed that we liked it better than the traditional ice cream cake that we make- only because it was lighter. 

I plan on making it many more times over the summer! 

Playground Fun!

Tyler and I have spent the last two evenings at the playground! I thought that I'd be nice and let Matt watch some of the season finales of his favorite shows in peace :) 

No pictures from last night though. I brought my camera and everything and forgot to take any- so not like me :) .. mom went with us and we had a good time visiting and playing with Tyler! We went to two different ones last night- the one pictured below and the preschool playground. He loves the preschool one a lot! The equipment is more his size! 

Here are some pictures from Monday evening! 

Tyler said he made up a game. It was were you held the sides and moved back and forth. I guess you had to be there, because it was pretty funny! lol

Sliding!

Gpa and Granny stopped by too! 

Tyler making Gpa swing with him! ha!

Swinging to Tyler is him pushing one and you swinging on the other one! Ha!

His favorite part of the evening- sliding hot wheels down the slide! ha!

"Come here, Mom"

He loves the Geo Dome! I remember playing on the same exact one when I was a kid. 

He could of put them down the slide all night- lol

He was all over the playground! 

He wanted me to get under the Geo Dome too! I had a good laugh about that! HA! And not because I'm pregnant- but because I probably haven't been able to fit under there since I was in 6th grade! ha!

I can't wait to go again soon!