We are headed out on a Day Trip to the little nearby town of Avila.
Being here has been really good for our family and brought us all a lot closer together. I'm realizing that at home we would find ourselves caught up in the daily routine and don't set aside specific time to give our family experiences. I love being in a routine and I think that is important for stability but this time here has made me realize how valuable it is to prioritize making memories with the ones you love. We plan to keep this focus when we get home, and it doesn't always have to be road trips but even just picnics in the park or family walks etc. Things that let us all disconnect and just focus on making memories as a family.
Is this something you are already doing! How can you get out and make some memories today (or this week) with a friend or a family member?
I don't typically love cooking with cast iron, despite the excellent results they can bring. It's messy and smells up the house. Add to that, the one we have is super old and not very good. We were recently gifted a really good one from Lancaster Cast Iron so today I decided to give it a try. We have a side burner on our Weber so I could do it outside. I sous vide a steak, then seared it in tallow on the new pan. Man it was incredible. What a difference it made from our old one. Super easy clean up too. Below is the pan, of course I forgot to take a picture of the steak haha.
Do you love using cast iron? What are some favorites you make in them?
Yesterday we surprised the kids and brought home a puppy!! They have been begging for one for years and we felt like the time was right to bring one home.
Meet Angus 🐕 He's a Golden Retriever/King Charles Cavalier Spaniel mix. He's 11 weeks old and currently weighs about 8 pounds, he should be around 35 pounds fully grown. I know it will be an adjustment for a while as he gets potty trained etc but we are so excited. 😂 Wish us luck! 🤪
Cheese is good! I ate a block of chipotle oven baked cheese with lunch yesterday and it was divine. I love it, but know that it halts any progress I'm making, and will even trigger eating in excess to where I'll gain weight. It's sad but I have accepted it. If I eat it in small quantities with a meal, it's ok, but I really have to work to keep it in check.
What's your favorite cheese? How do you incorporate it? Do you see negative results when eating it?
Happy Halloween! Hope you are having some fun today. Passing out treats to anyone? The first picture is the costumes my kids have for this year. (Penelope's was just to help at Jiu-Jitsu).
Here are some my favorite costumes my kids have had over the years. Share below any costumes you have had from this year or previous years.
I’ve been ignoring this pork belly in my freezer for while. Last time I tried to make it I did NOT like it. The small pieces that were crispy were good. I did not like the bigger pieces so I’ve cut them smaller and they’re back in the air fryer…
Happy Friday!! We are supposed to have a VERY rainy weekend here in Arizona, which is very rare for us. It might even mean that trick or treating is cancelled. 🎉😂 I always trade the kids for their candy anyway so fine by me if we don't even have to go out. Plus Penelope said she's too old for trick or treating and said she'll just skip it and take the money. 🤪😂
Other than that and church we have no plans this weekend, which I am excited about after a busy week. I might go get a day pass at a new gym that has a fancy steam room/sauna and cold plunge.
What are your plans for this weekend?
