TGIF - Five things

HAPPY FRIDAY.  

I'm back with some random stuff and happenings from the past week!  I'm going to try to get back to regularly scheduled blogging because I MISS it!!  But here's some stuff for now that's just for fun!

{ONE}

If you are going to Wendy's and looking for a more healthy (meaning WAY more healthy than the double stack + fries that I actually wanted to get), you should try their Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad.  I did and was pleasantly surprised.  While I did sneak a couple of french fries from my kids, I'm for sure getting this again if we make a fast food stop.  I loved it!!!

{TWO}

Last weekend was BUSY.  Like we were here to there and then another there constantly.  This weekend is not much different (unfortunately), but the weekends are always fun when we are celebrating with family and friends (it just takes the weekdays to catch up which is easier said than done). 

But last Saturday afternoon, we celebrated my grandmother and granddaddy's 84 and 85 (respectively) birthday's!  They have the same birthday DATE, just a different year, which I think is so cute.  These two love birds have had quite the life journey and what a special thing it was to have all FOUR of their kids in town for this celebration - not to mention a lot of their grandkids that are in KC and even great grandkids. 

The whole family

The great grandkids in attendance!

My sister had just with Maddie and the party favors!

Oh and we busted out the mouth game - which didn't quite fit on Charlie's mouth, but kind of.  HA

{THREE}

Right after the birthday party, Jimmy and I left our kids with my parents (who then shuttled them back to our house where my MIL and Jimmy's grandma babysat them!), to head to his work holiday party.  Seems weird that it's in January, right?  But it's actually pretty awesome because December weekends are always so packed, that it's nice that it's pushed to mid-January every year.

This year they did a murder mystery dinner - which I was SO excited about.  We have never done one of these (and always talked about it) and it was even better when Jimmy was assigned the role of the butler.  Needless to say, Jimmy was disappointed in our table's overall participation (not enough sleuthing going on in his opinion), but he did win the best actor of the night award. Which is NO surprise at all.  He took it very seriously.

And if that wasn't enough entertainment - they busted out karaoke.  Which, as you know, can be a complete flop if no one wants to do it.  Well, his work is full of super fun/brave/drunk people and when the CEO was the second one to go, it kicked off the night just fine.  Jimmy literally sang like 15 songs - some buy himself and some with a group.  And some he wasn't invited to sing but butted in, because he couldn't handle that people were "butchering it".  Haha.  Here he was stealing the microphone when these two guys were singing Frozen's love is an open door. It's his favorite (seriously), so these actions are not surprising at all to me.

Let's just say he might have had a little bit too much fun - as in, he doesn't remember the end of the night at all and almost threw up on the way home.  But I'm an awesome wife and provided him no sympathy and dragged him to 9:30 church.  #adultingsucks

{FOUR}

The Instant Pot.  My new love.  We have been trying so many yummy recipes with this baby.  Including this awesome Chicken Fajita Soup one.  Not kidding - so good.

However, on Monday night this week, we had scheduled to have our neighbors over for dinner, that was long overdue.  I planned to make the easy and delicious crockpot Pork Carnitas (I shared it as one of my family's top 10 freezer meals here).  Easy enough right.  I got everything ready and put it in the crock pot and went to work.  Minor detail - it doesn't actually cook unless you turn it on.

BLAH!  Worst thing ever.  And so embarrassing.  Our neighbors were so sweet about it, but still. AHHHH I hate that.

So yeah, I had a frozen pork butt in the freezer to use, but only had an hour to cook it.  So I attempted the same recipe in the Instant Pot in hopes that it would truly work magic and cook a 3.5lb frozen pork butt in an hour.  Well, it kind of did.  We finally got it (after 2 hours and hungry stomach's) to be safe to eat per the temperature, but it for sure wasn't fall apart pork goodness like it is after spending the day in the crock pot.  Another reason why I really think that the Instant Pot will NEVER replace my multiple crock pots.  Both awesome but different uses!!!

{FIVE}

This is so random - but SERIOUSLY.  Can we have this couch??  Please.  Does this not look so comfy and it's huge and looks like it's like down in the floor.  I love Erin Condren planners, but this takes the cake!!

And can I add a sixth one??  My kids.  I love them and I love even more how much they love each other.  Nothing makes a momma's heart explode than seeing your kids love each other.

Speaking of - one LAST thing.  I'm sharing today on the KCMB all about being outnumbered.  No like life changing secrets, just some funny perspectives!

Cheers to the WEEKEND!

Linking up with:

Sept Farm | Oh hey Friday!

Smidge of This | Five on Friday

Momfessionals | Friday Favorite