meatball sandwich casserole

Alright so, the next new dinner was suppose to be French Toast Bake however, I switched some things around and we will have that on Friday. Tonight's dish, Meatball Sandwich Casserole. Not quite as successful as last night's dinner, but still good. Sadly, this isn't a Skylar friendly food so she had to settle with a hotdog. But I covered it in sauce and mozzarella cheese for her :).

Meatball Sandwich Casserole

I got this recipe from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour. There were a couple other recipes on that blog that I also hope to try.

I, like usual, changed something big with the original recipe. You will see it in red. And before people give me a hard time, I WOULD have given in to the onion/pepper mix but I didn't have it and I wanted to make it tonight. Next time I will use it, just to try it the "right" way.

The ingredients...

1 Baguette French Bread, cut into 18-24 slices, 1/4 inch thick {I could not find a Baguette, so I just used a loaf of French Bread. It turned out to be 16 or so slices about 1/4 inch thick}
Olive Oil
1 pkg. frozen Italian meatballs, bite sized, about 1 lb {I used 2 lbs because I used two baking dishes, and 1 lb just didn't seem like enough}
1 pkg. frozen onion & bell pepper mix, thawed & drained {Go ahead and yell. I didn't do this part. But I PROMISE to use it next time!}
1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce {used Prego Tomato & Basil and I used 2 cups}
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

What I used...

Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, slice your bread.

Brush each slice with olive oil on one side. I didn't have a brush so I just used a spoon to "brush" it on. Line the bottom and the side with the bread slices...oil side up...slightly overlapping the slices on the side. You will need a deep casserole dish. The lady I got this from used her 1 qt. Corningware. But because I was using a bigger loaf of bread, I didn't have a lot of room so I used two of my Coringware, a 1 1/2 qt. and a 2 1/2 qt. That's a big reason why I used more meatballs and more sauce too.

Bake bread for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

In a separate bowl, mix meatballs, (bell pepper & onion mix), & spaghetti sauce to coat.

Remove the bread from the oven and spoon the meatball mixture into the dish on top of the bread. Return to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until thoroughly heated through in the center. 

Here's where things didn't go so great for me....25-30 minutes didn't even warm the center. So after probably and hour, the middle was hot (ish) and then I put the cheese on for another 5 -10 min. The recipe never made it clear whether I should have thawed the meatballs first or not. So, next time, I will.

The result....a way too crunchy top and a way too soggy bottom. The middle was good though, and the family still liked it. I was of course bummed, but if I don't try I will never learn, right? Marc probably wonders who this women in the kitchen is and where in the world did Sutton go...but I don't think he is complaining :).

Until next time....

yes, you read that right

My brother, Banner, is here this week while my parents are in the Bahamas (the BAHAMAS). And in celebration of Banner spending the week with us, I am trying not 1, not 2, but 3 NEW recipes this week! Yes, you read that right and yes, you are still on Sutton's blog. I am so excited about this (a miracle in itself) and I can't wait to share with you each recipe and how it turned out.

Tuesday- Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili (this happens to be a Weight Watchers friendly recipe and wheat-free)

Here's the link to original recipe, skinnytaste. I actually got it from another blog which you can check out here. I changed the recipe just a bit, to suit our family. The changes I made are in red.

1 onion, chopped (didn't use, YUCK)

1 16 oz can black beans, drained

1 16 oz can kidney beans, drained

1 8 oz can tomato sauce (used 2 8 oz cans)

10 oz package frozen corn kernels

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (one was with garlic/onion and one was plain)

1 packet taco seasoning

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder (used a teeny bit more)

24 oz. (3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

chili pepper, chopped (optional) (clearly is stated OPTIONAL)

chopped fresh cilantro (what's cilantro?)

This is what I used...

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro.

I also got some shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips to go with it.

This is what mine looked like in the crock pot when it was almost done. Not quite as pretty as the other pics, but hopefully it will taste the same.

Satisfied customers!

So, I did it. I probably wouldn't have added the extra tomato sauce, only because it was a little runny, but other than that, it tasted great! Even Banner liked it, who is a very picky kid. And with each new recipe I try, I gain a teeny bit more cooking confidence.

Tomorrow's dinner, French Toast Bake. Until next time....

a day in the life part 2

The rest of yesterday...is over. I felt the need to post this just to let you know that I should have continued blogging during yesterday afternoon so it would all be fresh. But seeing as I can hardly remember anything that happened yesterday that is worth posting, I'm not. I might try a much more condensed and complete "day in the life of" post, another time. I also realized that blogging every day just isn't necessary. Unless something really great, interesting, funny, or creative happens, I won't feel pressured to post everyday. I also really appreciate those who are reading my silly blog.  

I took some pictures yesterday, assuming I would finish "part 2". They are cute, so I will still post them :).

Lunch Time



Nap Time

Until next time....

a day in the life part 1

So, as requested, here is a sample of a day in the life of little ol' me.

6:18am- Sawyer is ready for breakfast

I take about a minute to check the clock realizing that this is a good wake up time for him. I know that his feedings will line up pretty good today, giving him 5 (maybe 6) solid feedings with good naps in between. Yesterday he woke up at 5 and seeing as I am not a morning person, that doesn't suit me well.

I need to take a moment to give a shot out to Baby Wise...thank you thank you! For some moms, I know schedule feeding isn't for them, but for me, I can't imagine another way. I absolutely love the flexibility of it for me and for baby. Even if Sawyer decides to wake up as early as 5 or as late as 8, I still know that it's no big deal. Every day can be different, but still a schedule. The comfort behind knowing that he will be getting the food, wake time, and sleep he needs is what Baby Wise/scheduled feeding gives me. Plus, it is probably one the biggest reasons having 4 kids really isn't as crazy as it sounds. If my baby was consistently still getting up during the night after 3 months old or feeding around the clock, I know I would have hard time. I would manage, like so many moms do, but being a mom of four and a wife of one is a challenge in itself without adding more weariness and more concern. Sorry, that was a SQUIRREL. But, I could go on and on about how grateful I am for Baby Wise and how good eating habits beget good sleeping habits and how my children weren't just born with the ability to sleep through night early because of their genes (have you met my kids?!). I worked to get them to sleep through the night by 6 weeks daggumit! We are all born with sin nature and nowhere do I see that more than in a sweet, tiny newborn. Bet you don't hear that often. I also bet I just lost several readers. But anyone who knows me, knows the newborn stage is my favorite and that I know they are beyond precious and endearing and unbearably irresistible. However, and I might be sounding harsh, they aren't innocent. I'm sorry if this is news to you, but we are all born of the same nature. It doesn't erupt out of them at 2 years old (or 18 months for my kids), though it might seem to come out of nowhere. They come right out of the womb that way. The world revolves around them. And we love them more than we every thought we could love anything in this world. So we don't want them to experience any discomfort or fear. So we meet every need, every demand. But letting babies cry some (I am talking as much as 15-20 minutes, aghast!) is not going to make them feel abandoned or unloved in the future. Assuming you know they are changed, fed, tired and not sick, it is OK to let them cry. That doesn't mean I am a neglectful mother or I'm scarring my baby's emotional health (and oh my goodness, crying doesn't always mean they are hungry either). It also doesn't mean I don't enjoying rocking my baby to sleep every now and then just to hold on to those precious moment with him. I love and adore snuggling with my children. The one negative (for me) of scheduled feeding is that the "holding your baby until they fall asleep stage" doesn't last as long for me. And I miss that when it's gone. But I wouldn't trade it for the happiness my baby exudes from being well rested and well fed. I find that now a days, scheduled feeding is being harshly attacked, almost like it's cruel (kind of like spanking, but good gracious, I won't get into that!). I just know how it has helped me figure out how I want to raise my children and I'm grateful for it. All I can do is let my children be the example of how I raise them and hopefully, by God's grace (really that is all we can count on) they will grow up knowing God as their Father, whether they were on a schedule or not. Yes, that was a big SQUIRREL!


Should I even continue on with what I had planned for this post...will anybody be reading this anymore? Oh well. I will continue. If I have lost people I am sorry.


6:40am- Good morning Reese!

Marc is rolling out of bed at this point and gets Reese her breakfast. Skylar must hear the cereal in the bowl because she comes quickly down the stairs. For her though, morning juice is the most essential part to the day. It is probably right up there with breathing. She drinks it like there is an apple shortage. Not rationing it out like a practical person (Reese), but taking the whole thing down in just a couple gulps like a juice hoarder. That really does decide the mood of the morning around our house. When we stopped having it in the house as often, it was a bit of a shocker to Sky. She would wake up, ask for juice, and when she was told we didn't have any she would spend the next thirty minutes screaming and crying, searching through the fridge and cabinets. She has learned to wake up more cautiously now, so as to not have her hopes shattered when Daddy tells her, "we don't have juice honey." Now she just turns her head to the ground with a whimpering "OK, can I have water?". My sweet little Skylar. Thankfully, (for everyone) we do have juice today.

7:00am- Marc changes Sawyer for me :) and then goes to work.


7:15am- Sawyer goes down for his first nap of the day.


Skylar says her tummy hurts so she and Reese climb into my bed. I can usually tell the difference between a real tummy ache or not because typically Skylar isn't a huge "lay in bed snuggler". She wants to play when she gets up, whereas Reese would let me hold her all morning long. So I turn on cartoons (one of their favorite things is watching cartoons in our bed) and fall in and out of sleep while the girl's watch and Sawyer sleeps in the pack n play beside us.


8am- Skylar says she has to throw up. Great. I quickly, quietly, and carefully get her out of bed just in time. She proceeds to throw up on the floor (thank goodness for wood floors and dogs...easy cleanup). It wasn't a lot but she takes herself to the toilet in case she has to again. I lay a towel for her on the couch in the playroom where I lay her down. I pop in a movie for her (yes, it's one of those kind of days) and then let Koda out. Since it's nice, he probably won't want to come back in until Marc gets home later.


I then throw a load into the wash and into the dryer, fill up the dog's water bowl, and turn on the computer.


8:30am- "Mommy, I need to be wiped!"-Reese


Skylar has fallen asleep on the couch. I know this is going to be a long day.

9:00am- Reese wants an apple. Now, usually I like to wait until around 10:30 before they get there first snacks. That is because once they have one, they keep asking for more. After they have lunch they know, no more food until dinner. I let her get one though, because it's one of those days.


9:45am- Ephraim's up!
He comes down the stairs with a diaper and his football. What an adorable little boy!


10:00am- Sawyer's up, time to eat!


At this time Reese now wants a slice a bread. Now, that is typically not a "snack" but we have a loaf in the fridge that only has a couple slices left and it needs to get eaten. Plus, it's one of those days.

10:20am- Ephraim gets a banana and Skylar wakes up. She wants an apple. She doesn't have a fever but she still looks so tired. I figure an apple shouldn't hurt her tummy too bad. Ephraim wants one too of course.

Sawyer is spending some of his wake time on his jungle mat. He also like his bouncer, bumbo, or me holding him. He isn't a huge fan of the swing. He will only tolerate it for short spans.

Around 11am I eat my lunch. I usually eat breakfast whenever Sawyer does so I never wait until noon to eat.

11:15am- Sawyer lays down for his second nap of the day.

Poor thing missed almost two entire naps yesterday and I can tell he's feeling it today as he hasn't made any objections to laying down.

The kids do some coloring but it doesn't end well. Only Ephraim is left, while the girls are sent to their room for screaming at each other. They settle down fairly quick and want to be held for a little bit. Ephraim tries to take two princess' from the girl's room during their "settle down time" which then causes another eruption of screaming. More holding. This time it's Ephraim who is heart broken because he can't bring Sleeping Beauty downstairs.

We aren't even at noon so I think I will leave this post for today and let you know tomorrow how this day finished out.

Pic of the day...my new ThirtyOne Casual Cargo Purse!

It came in yesterday and I love it!

Like this purse? Want to know how to get it for FREE?? Just ask!

first mod podge expierence

Yay, my first Mod Podge project! It isn't anything fantastic, but I couldn't stand the color of these boxes (can't remember where I got them) and now they are cute (ish!). It wasn't too difficult either, seeing as I had no idea what I was doing. I did it during naps, fairly quickly. I am so excited to get better at this and turn "bleh" things into cute, colorful things! The only downside to this whole thing is that I was planning on using these old photo boxes to store dvds/blurays in (like PINTEREST said I could do!) but they don't fit. Sad. Oh well. I will have plenty other uses for them, I'm sure :).



Everything I needed

Photo box- already had it

Sponge brush- borrowed from my kid's art supplies

Mod Podge- bought at Walmart

Cute scrapbook paper- have a lot, still bought more :)

Photo Box 1

before/front

Photo Box 1

before/side

I didn't think of taking pictures step by step because I am just learning how to do this. I also did better with my first box then my second, which was a little frustrating. For the first box I put a light coat of Mod Podge on the paper, and a heavier sealer coat on top.

All Done

W/ Box 1



Box number 2 was a bit more bubbly. I tried using more glue on the paper and less as a sealer. I didn't like it as much that way. But still, cute :). I like using the sponge applicator too, but maybe next time I will try a bristle brush. 

Box 2

before/front

Box 2

before/side

All Done

W/ Box 2

This project also was my pic of the day :).

Oh, and if anyone has any Mod Podge tips, please pass them on. I need all the help I can get! Until next time....

bittersweet

Today was a long but good day. I sold Whimsy, my 3 year old Thoroughbred cross to a wonderful trainer from the Richmond area. I have had her since she was 6 months old. She was a Christmas present form my Nana. I am sad to see her go but so happy that she is going be getting the training she deserves!

Meeting Whimsy Christmas morning

12/25/2008

She was such a little cutie pie

January 2009

All grown up

March 2012

I also spent some time at the Hawgs and Dogs Adoption Event at Shenandoah Harley-Davidson...

There were so many sweet dogs looking for homes! One especially sweet and adorable dog is Tigger...who is also still looking for the his forever home. If you are interested in Tigger or curious about any of the other awesome dogs available, just go to Augusta Dog Adoptions or Virginia Paws For Pits websites and check them out.

Tigger

When I got home from a baby shower later that afternoon, I found my girl's in the barn "helping" Daddy get the fence ready for Riggins. They were actually just playing on the tractor which leads to my picture of the day. Until next time....

Today's picture...

Reese and Skylar hanging out on Papa G's tractor

a picture a day

I don't know how normal people blog. I'm sure some people do it all the time. Though I doubt I will have something interesting to say everyday, I might every other day.

Pictures. I will be talking about pictures, at least posting them, a lot through blogging. I love photographs, scrapbooks, frames, and all other ways to display and save family memories. I don't know where in the world I heard or read it, but apparently taking a picture a day can help develop an eye for photography. And I would love to one day have an awesome camera and take some amazing shots. Whether that holds any truth or not, it sounds like fun. Starting now, I will try to post a photo a day. I'm not sure if that should go under an entirely new blog or just be on here, so for now I will just post it at the end of my ramblings. I wanted to start this the first post but I didn't have my camera. And since today I have a lot to do (who doesn't) we have now come to the end of my ramblings. Until next time...

Today's picture...

My beautiful Reese

(I took this because she has been standing here asking me a thousand questions about blogging this whole time. So it was out of pure convenience. Plus, she is wearing a very cute shirt. Oh, and she is cute too)

still getting to know me

In my last post I talked about things that I love. People that I love. I didn't finish with that. I will start today's ramblings with a few other things that I love.

1- My friends. Marc and I have been abundantly blessed with the most amazing people in this world. Yes, I'm talking about you...and you...and you. Thank you for being a part of our lives. I don't know what we would do without you, all of you! Please keep us in your prayers, as sometimes we really have no idea what we are doing in this life God has given us. But because of you and your friendship, our lives will be so much more filled with love and laughter. We love you so much and we constantly thank God for you all!!

2- Football. Yes, I love football. For 17 years there is no football that I love more, than Cowboy's football. Since most of you would probably prefer to not read ramblings about this particular subject, I will leave it at that. I love football. 

3- Movies. I need to mention that I have a love of movies that goes all the way back to childhood. You might hate the movies I love, and love the movies I hate....but don't worry, because I like you either way. My particular genre of interest. Action. A friend once told someone that "if a 13 year boy likes it, Sutton will too". Yes, I am head over heels for most comic book movies. And as any comic book movie lover will know, May 4 can't get here soon enough!

And that can't compare to how seriously I can't wait until July 20...

These two movies have been in the works for awhile, so the fact that they are both opening up in the same year within a couple months of each other is quite exciting.

I was encouraged to start this blog because of two things, movies and dogs. I hope that it goes beyond that though. Even if this blog is nothing more than my own need to get my thoughts out there, well that is good enough for me and maybe even good enough for you.

I also know that I can jump thoughts a lot. I don't proclaim to be a gifted writer (not even close!) but I will hopefully always finish one thought before I start into the next. If you have ever seen the movie "Up", then you can refer to me as Doug. The dog who, in the middle of a thought yells "SQUIRREL" and then continues on with whatever he intended to say. I hope that doesn't drive you too crazy.

Now that I have covered some of my "loves" (there are more to come) I was thinking I would briefly jump into something I was hoping to share through this blog. What God is doing in my life spiritually. The truth is, many times I don't feel like anything is going on. Like I have no idea what I am doing (I hope that doesn't get old). Every day presents a new challenge on how to deal with my struggles. I am not the kind of person who looks back at the end of the day and says, "well, you didn't do too bad today Sutton". Because, I always do bad. Yes, I know God loves me anyway. And His grace pours out over me abundantly (sometimes I feel like I am hogging it from everyone else!). But, I would love for once to just go with the Spirit as opposed to fighting Him tooth and nail. Wouldn't it just be easier to soften and speak kinder to my husband? How much more pleasant would it be if I didn't lose my temper with the kids? It is more difficult for me to let the Spirit do His work in my heart then it is to be a big jerk. Through posting on here, I actually hope to get real with people. Some would say that the Internet isn't a place to get open, real, and honest. That relationships aren't formed here (not real ones anyways). Whether I feel that is always true or not, I feel comfortable to share honestly about my struggles. I hope that if any one has a verse or anything to share with me that you would also be open to do so! Even though I won't be writing about the same things everyday (SQUIRREL!), I still plan on coming back to the same things at different times. Until next time....

the first post

I have no idea why I am doing with this. So many people blog nowadays but seriously, what do I have to contribute to this cyberspace world of too much information? Nothing. So I am not going to contribute a thing. I am just going to talk. That is what I do most of the time anyways. This way, no one has to listen if they don't want too, but I can still say what's on my mind. It's a win win for everybody.

First and foremost, I am a sinner saved by grace. I hope to walk this temporary life God has blessed me with love, humility, and grace. I want to live it to the fullest and have a lot of fun and laughter along the way. I want to love God by loving others. I want to be thankful in all circumstances. I want to be self-less and forgiving. Hmmm, apparently I want a lot of miracles. And as you will see in my posts, everyday is a miracle.

My husband, Marc, and I have been married for 6 years. High school sweethearts isn't the right definition of what we were. We were best friends...we are best friends. We got engaged after he graduated in 2004 (he is a year and a half younger than me) and then got married in September 2005.

We were married for almost 6 months before we found out our lives would be changed forever....

Kids. We have four. I love my kids. Love them more than I ever thought I could love anything. My extraordinary love for my children gives me a glimmer of how my Father feels about me. It is something I will never understand fully. But having kids can give me an idea, even if it's just in the slightest.

My oldest is 5 years old. Her name is Reese. She has blond hair and blue eyes. She is amazing. My next is 3 years old. Her name is Skylar. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She is amazing. Then comes my first son. He is 2 years old. His name is Ephraim. He has blond hair and greenish eyes. He is amazing. And last but certainly not least is my baby boy. He is 5 months old. His name is Sawyer. He has no hair and hazy eyes. He is amazing.
I could go on and on about how each one is extraordinary and brilliant, but as I post more about our little family, you will get to learn about them and how truly special there.

I would have to say the next things near and dear to my heart are 4 legged and furry.  I love dogs. Before the 2 legged bald things came into my world, the hairy, slobbery, tail wagging things were at core of our lives. We had 7 actually, during our first years together. Now we have 3. A 7 year old Rottweiler named Koda, a 6 year old Alaskan Malamute named Kaizer, and a 9 year old Pug named Betty Jo. Betty Jo is not really considered a dog around our house. She is my first born really. Crazy I know, but if you have ever had a dog like her, you know what I mean.

My favorite breed in the whole world, ever since I can remember, has been an English Bulldog. I have never had one (they can be a wee bit expensive) but will one day. In fact, most bully breeds are my favorite. Pit bulls, American Bulldogs, French bulldogs. I love them all. We've had a pittie and an American, but never a Frenchie, which I also hope to have one day. Rescuing is something I strongly support. Dogs and cats are being abused and over bred. Purebreds are sitting in the shelters. Males, females, big dogs, small dogs, even "designer dogs". If you aren't ready to adopt a dog full time, consider fostering. It is one of the best things you can do to help get these sweeties out of the cold kennels and into family environments. Fosters are SO crucial to the rescuing world! A few of our local rescue groups that can always use fosters are Augusta Dog Adoptions and Virginia Paws for Pits.

My love of horses come after that. I have been riding since I was 18 months old. As I got into high school and after being married, I haven't been able to ride as much. But I still love it. My daughter got her first pony last October. Actually, my mom and I got him for my daughter and her daughter (my sister). Below is a pic of me (pregnant with Sawyer) and Reese on the left, and my mom and sister Micah on the right. He is an adorable Quarter horse cross named Riggins (named after one of my favorite shows, but we will get into that later).

We also got our girl's 2 kittens last June. Buckshot and Gunner. I can't say I am a huge cat person, but as far as cats go, they are the best. They love the kids and they keep the mice away. Works for me.

I love just about all of God's beautiful creatures. Animals really are awesome.

Next time I will talk more about my self and my family and etc. Man, this blogging thing is perfect for me. Seriously though, if you did stop by to check out my ramblings, I do plan on eventually contributing helpful things, some day. I absolutely love home decorating, renovation, DIY, etc. I'm not necessarily good at it, but I do love it. I also love movies. Movies. And more movies. In fact, I will probably talk a lot about movies and some t.v. shows. I despise cooking. But thanks to Pinterest, my family is actually getting to eat real meals, not from the microwave! Did I mention I love Pinterest? Yes, yes I do. So I would love to share things that I have actually made and let you know how it turned out. Organization, homeschooling (though I only do preschool stuff), scrapbooking, and all the other stuff I am interested in, I will share on here. Until next time....