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Friday, March 28, 2014

Getting an early start.

I am really getting a jump on Xander, Hayden and Lily's birthday party stuff....it is only 3 1/2 months away you know LOL. I am always doing stuff last minute, so I thought I would try to get ahead this time. I'm sure we will still be up until at least midnight the night before...never fails, but I am doing what I can now.

The triplets want a pirate theme, so that is what we are doing. They got to help me with the invites today. I had to borrow tea and coffee from a neighbor...she was so surprised that we don't drink either LOL. Got the kids armed with paint brushes, gave them a mug of very strong tea and another one of extremely black coffee then turned them loose on 20+ pieces of paper. They had a great time...so did I, the last time I made aged paper was for a project in middle school, crazy.

Jericho stuck with us for quite a while...for him, LOL.

Once the paper was good and covered, even with a little bit of excess fluid standing on the paper, I had the kids sprinkle Sea salt on the papers. I didn't do this step before, but it was supposed to be pretty cool.



Now they dry...it took a good 8 hours.

Next I got started on the sign pointing out the restroom. Hayden helped...thank goodness, I was buried in eyeballs.

Thanks Xander, put it down and help.


I posed for a silly picture.

Oh what have I started...LOL.

Silly girls, so funny!


Too much Hahaha!

The girls picked out "Poop Deck" even though that term doesn't have anything to do with the bathroom, they thought it was funny.

Pirate paraphernalia. Is it lame that I love Oriental Trading Company? Hehehe.



That is a lot of goodie treasure chests...and we are 5 short. Of course Oriental Trading Co only sells stuff in dozen's, or more....did I just say I love them? :(

I drew up an example invite, I wasn't thinking was I....20+ invites, this detailed...good thing I have 3 months to get them all done ugh.

I burnt all the edges of the papers...with a BBQ lighter, ouch. Note to self, just because you quite smoking 8 years ago doesn't mean you can't own some lighters. My fingers are killing me.

I got SIX done, six of the 20+ invites done...oh yeah, this is going to take a minute.

The kids love them, my fingers are sore, my house stinks like coffee and burnt paper, and I still have at least a whole days worth of work to go...but my kids love them! Win...and worth all the headache!

I concocted my own "skinny" recipe tonight...well, I am sure it has been done by someone, everything else has been, but I didn't see this anywhere else. Lightened up, crock pot, version of Zuppa Toscana soup.














You need:
1 lb Italian chicken sausage
5 potatoes, chopped...I used medium sized Golden's as that is what I had on had, would be good with russet's too.
6 slices of bacon (cooked and broken up)
1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 cup skim milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped (could use spinach or Swiss chard)
1 carton of mushrooms

Directions:
Brown sausage until done. Drain off all grease, place in a colander and rinse...get as much grease off as possible. Place in the crock pot.

Add broth, onion, potato, cream cheese...chopped up and garlic to crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

After 4 hours cook the bacon, break it up and add it to the crock pot.
Add the mushrooms at the same time.

Let the cup of milk sit out to warm up a little, add the cornstarch and stir. Once combined add the slurry to the crock pot.

Cover and cook for another hour. Half hour before it is time to eat add the chopped kale.

This makes around 17, 1 cup, servings, at 116 calories and 4 grams of fat each. I have never had the Olive Garden version of this soup, or any other version for that matter, but this was awesome...a new fave for the husband even! It is not really creamy like the original version must be but the non-skinny version is 240 calories and 17 grams of fat...I will take a less creamy soup LOL.

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