Simple Sloppy Joes

I wanted to share another very simple recipe with you guys. This has been a go-to quick dinner for our family for years! It's so simple and yummy. You only need a few simple ingredients and it's ready in about 15 minutes. 

Ingredients:

Manwich Sloppy Joe

Ground beef (or turkey)

Ketchup

Hamburger buns

Sliced cheese

Red onion *optional

Instructions:

1. Add meat and chopped onion to large saucepan

2. Brown meat on medium-high heat over stove

3. Add Manwich sauce over cooked meat

4. Add ketchup (I use about 1/4 cup)

5. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes

6. Serve over hamburger buns and top with sliced cheese

If you'd like, you can toast the buns in the oven to get them warm and crispy. I put the buns directly on rack for a few minutes (@425).

I typically pair our Sloppy Joes with a vegetable or salad. This time I paired with roasted broccoli. I chop up the broccoli so it is a better bite-size for kids. Drizzle the broccoli in garlic olive oil and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Place in oven for 20 minutes @425. (**I get the veggies in oven before I start to cook the meat on stove top so it's timed close together.)

It's so simple and everyone goes back for seconds! I would love to know if you guys try this super simple dinner. Tag me on the gram @whatsup_buttarcup

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Wednesday.

Cheesy Chicken Tots & Purposeful Family Meal Time

I make an effort to have the family sit down together as often as possible each week to eat a family dinner together. I keep it simple. Super simple, haha. Usually we are eating with paper plates and the water bottles the kids have been using throughout the day. The point of this meal together isn't to be impressive or fancy. It's just to be together. The kids help set the table and we always use (easy to clean) placemats and have a candle. These are things I need for it to feel like a "family meal" that isn't rushed and feels purposeful.

When we sit down to dinner, we all talk about our day. We go around the table and talk about our "favorite" part of the day and our "least favorite" part of the day. This is SO simple, yet somehow it always sparks further conversation and I'm often surprised by everyones answer. It's great to know a bit more about every family members day. If this part of the conversation goes quickly, then we will also go around the table and say something we're grateful for from that day in particular. This conversation is easy and playful with the kids. And they love it!

Studies show that families who eat together three times a week - minimum - are likely to have closer relationships, better grades and reduced stress. (See articles here and here. There are so many benefits to eating together as a family!) I want nothing more than to be purposeful with our time together as a family. This is one way I try to make our time together meaningful and special.

RECIPE:

This recipe is so easy and loved by all. I cook the chicken breast in crockpot with chicken broth (HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours). Use enough chicken broth that all the chicken in crockpot is covered. Once this is cooked, I take the chicken out of the broth and shred it.

I cook veggie tots in oven for 18 minutes at 450. Once those are cooked, I top with the shredded chicken and shredded cheddar cheese. The amount of chicken and cheese is whatever you prefer! I put this back in the oven for about 5 minutes and then top with avocado ranch dressing. That's it. So easy!

Would love to know if you guys try these easy recipes. Tag me on the gram (@whatsup_buttarcup) or DM me. Hope you guys love this easy meal. :)

Here is FOOD SCALE I use to measure my food.

Cranberry Meatballs

Good morning! I got so much feedback asking about my *super* simple recipes. I will be saving them on my stories on the gram, but thought it may be easier if I posted them to blog for easier access for you guys? Let me know which is easiest for you.

I have never been a big fan of cooking. I honestly wish I didn't feel that way, but it's just not my thing. I mean, I love to EAT! Haha. But if a recipe has more than about five ingredients (or too many ingredients that are foreign to me) I'm out! Ha. It just stresses me out and I can't tell you how many times I have planned family meals and then backed out (after a lot of time and money spent on groceries) because it's legit stressing me out.

So I have made it a priority to find very simple meals for my family that I can throw together in a hurry. My requirements are 1. easy and 2. kid-friendly. That's it! And the less time I have to spend "prepping" the meal, the better.

This cranberry meatball recipe is so easy and delicious! It's seriously a hit! I pair it with sweet potato fries or mashed potatoes. But last night I paired it with roasted veggies (I'm seriously just learning how to cook veggies - so embarrassing ha).

I just chopped up two potatoes with baby carrots - some olive oil with lemon pepper and garlic salt and POOF - the kids ate up them veggies! #winning

What you need for Cranberry Meatballs:

1. Frozen Meatballs

2. Heinz Chili Sauce

3. Cranberry Sauce

And of course, the Crockpot.

(I have these linked so you can see the exact ingredients I purchased. Because if you're anything like me, I get easily confused with recipes and need to know exactly what to buy - haha.)

Directions:

Stir together chili sauce and cranberry sauce. Pour over meatballs.

Cook on HIGH 2 hours or LOW 4 hours. Enjoy!

I hope this is helpful! And makes dinner time easier and yummier for you and your family.

Let me know if you try it and tag me on insta! @whatsup_buttarcup

Hope your family loves this simple meal as much as mine. Much love!

Swimsuits from Cancun 2020

Getting back to reality after a wonderful week away in Cancun with friends has been rough! Blakely got sick the day after we got home. So it was lots of snuggles, laundry, unpacking, grocery shopping, etc. HALLELUJAH for grocery delivery.

Can I get an amen?!

Anyway, I had several people reach out asking for links to suits I was wearing. So I thought I would link that quickly. I will leave descriptions under the pictures describing fit, etc. I hope this is helpful!

This top was one of the online suits I order from Dokifans. I loved the tops but most bottoms didn't fit quite right. Lots of the styles I ordered were "cheeky" which basically means your bum hangs out more than normal. Ha! I actually like this look, but knew I would want a bit more coverage with the kids around and tugging at me.

I am a big fan of mixing and matching suits, so I didn't mind the bottoms not fitting perfectly - the suits on this site sell together so if you order a large, both the bottom and top are large. And I find I often need a different size top and bottom. Another great thing about this site for suits is that the price is great! So I wasn't overly stressed buying suits because I knew I wasn't dropping more dough than necessary.

Anywho, I paired the top from Dokifans with floral bottoms from Rad Swim. I love this bottom! And it's also reversible. I also got it with the peplum top a few years ago, but never loved the top. I LOVE the cut and style of the top. I do not like the bra pads that cannot be removed. I always feel the shape looked odd on me. (I always prefer to remove the bra pads.) But this suit is really great quality!

This straw sun visor was worn almost 24-7. I felt like my brows (which were recently micorbladed - blog coming soon) were completely protected from the sun and I love that the back has velcro so you can make it at tight as you want. This may seem random, but I also really like to have my hair off of my neck when I'm hot and in the blazing sun. So I loved that this hat allowed me to put my hair completely up in a high pony and get it off of my face and neck. I seriously felt like me entire face was protected from the sun! It was great. I highly recommend this hat.

These Prada sunglasses were a Valentines gift from Tooth this year. I love, love the detail on them!

Dokifan top -  straw sun visor

 heart-shaped sunglasses

high-waisted black rushed bottoms

Same straw sun visor here. Lived in this thing! It also got wet multiple times and held up perfectly! These heart-shaped sunglasses are a hit! I get so many compliments on these babies. Haha. I have red and black - they're so much fun! Blakely also has the kids heart-shaped sunglasses. So cute.

This pink bikini top was from another set. I love the color and the ruffle straps! I paired this top with high-waisted black rushed bottoms from Amazon. I love these bottoms because they obviously can go with any top and they aren't the "cheeky" style. So more of my bum is covered!

Here I am wearing a black top from another set. I paired it with floral bottom from Rad Swim - linked above. This top is so fun! I saw someone at the pool wearing the white version and it was so cute. This black top came with black bottoms - but they were super cheeky so I opted for the floral bottoms for the beach day.

Again the heart-shaped sunglasses and fedora beach hat. Highly recommend both!

This kimono is so lightweight and pretty! I also always travel with a beach bag to carry around all the toys, sunscreen, etc. I love a bag like this because it's waterproof and also lightweight and super easy to pack! These Tory Burch flip flops are a must! I wear them out and replace them when needed - haha. I love them and always reach for them.

Also:

 heart-shaped sunglasses

fedora beach hat. 

 floral bottoms

Blakely's sunglasses are my favorite! And shocker, they got broken on this trip. Sad. But I ordered another (similar) pair. They are honestly so dang cute! And this mermaid swimsuit was SO SO much fun for her and Quinn. They had matching mermaid suits and tails - what kid dreams are made of! Haha.

Also:

 heart-shaped sunglasses

fedora beach hat

 kimono 

Some kid links here:

Blakely's flipflops - Blakely's slides

Ryder's slides - Ryder's solid trunks

Ryder's rashguard - Pineapple trunks

Blakely's leopard suit

Rainbow one piece - SO CUTE

Pineapple tankini

Blakely's floppy hat - blush cover up

Other links to things I took on trip and *loved*:

over-sized square sunglasses - fit so well!

leather backpack - have been *LOVING* this thing!

Coola repair cream - saved our skin from so much sun.

pill traveler case - we each have one of these. I put our gummy vitamins in them.

"drinks well with others" tank

studded flat sandals - so comfy!

Tory Burch flip flops - my favorite "fancy" flippy floppy :)

pom pom cover up - have this in a few colors
retro round sunnies

So much fun and wonderful memories made. Grateful mama.

(See our trips from APRIL and MAY 2019)

Mothers Day Shoot @ Sugar Hill Studio

We did this shoot a couple weeks ago at Suger Hill Studio. Suger Hill Studio has themed setups at this beautiful location. I've always wanted to do it! This is the Mothers Day theme here and I'm SO glad I did this shoot with Jenna. The shoot is obviously set up early so several photographers and people can use this location and set up (I realize Mothers Day is still a couple months away).

I love, love these gorgeous shots and can't wait to frame them to hang in our home. Other than our quick mini shoot with did for Christmas photos (see here), I haven't had time to make my blog or photos, in general, a priority. Now that life is starting to settle down (with getting my job hours figured out and adjusting to our schedule with three kids in new schools, sports, etc) I am excited to have more time to get back into blogging. I have missed this creative outlet so much!

I will link Blakes dresses below (both from Amazon). Setting aside time to get pics with kids is harder now that we have new (longer) school hours and I'm also working two to three days a week. It also takes a lot of energy to plan and do the shoots! Ha. But obviously having up to date pictures of my kids is my love language. ;)

Sugar Hill Studio has this location all set up for shoots! So you literally just show up and it's all ready to go. Quick and easy - and so pretty! Huge thanks to Jenna for making the trip to this studio with us and capturing my babies so beautifully. When I saw these pictures my eyes filled up with tears because I can't believe how lucky I am to be their mommy. My heart is so full!

Photos by Jenna Spark Photography

My lace dress is a few years old from Nordstrom

Similar looks here + here

My pom pom dress

Blakes lace dress // Blakes feather dress

Ryder's blue button-up // Ryder white button-up