Thank you Tina Fey for this quote, so true! I literally look at our family calendar on Sundays thinking, how in the world am I going to survive? Thank goodness for my husband, our parents and extended village or else we wouldn’t survive. There are times when it does feel like the impossible but we’ve survived baby-hood, we’re on the tail end of toddler-hood (potty training… ugh), and now entering the season of extra curricular activities GALORE. It’s going to be messy, I’ll probably be late to everything but my kid will learn independent responsibilities like a boss.
I hope that everyone had a fabulous mother’s day and re-entry back into the workplace today!
Taco Pie is a recipe staple in this household as a go-to meal for The Herron Nest. Oddly enough, I did a post about this recipe back in April of 2010 (pre-kids) and have since updated the recipe. Another “oddly enough” is that I’ve had multiple request for this recipe to be shared so I’m finally pulling my Taco Pie recipe in one easy-to-reach place. Little warning, I don’t have cute Pinterest pictures to go with this post – just this text from another family raving about this yummy Taco Pie.
The Famous Taco Pie (Thanks to my mom for this one)
1 packet of Kroger brand low-sodium taco seasoning
1 package of Kroger brand reduced fat crescent roll
Approx. 1 cup of Kroger brand reduced fat sour cream
Approx. 1-1/2 cups of Kroger brand Mexican style cheese
Approx. 1/2 cup crushed tortillas (I save them from the bottoms of tortilla chips bags or left over tortilla chips)
1 can black beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in 1/2
1 avocado
1 pie plate
Crank up the oven to 350 degrees to preheat while you are browning your meat. Once meat is browned add the packet of seasoning and black beans (rinsed/drained) and let simmer. Press your crescent roll into your pie plate covering the plate in full. Add a bottom layer of crunched up tortilla chips to the bottom of the pie dish then go ahead and pour your meat mixture on top. Once your meat mixture is in the pie, spread your sour cream to cover the meat mixture then top it off with tomatoes and cheese. Let it cook for about 25 minutes until cheese starts to brown! Then serve with a few slices of avocado garnished on the top – this is my newest favoritest addition to the recipe.
For those wondering – NO, Mr. Herron does NOT eat this version of the pie. His version does not include the tomatoes nor the avocado.
Gardening is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite hobbies and one that I love sharing with my kids. Since moving into our new house I’ve struggled to find a great place for our vegetable garden. Out of ease and with my “hurry get it done” attitude, the veggies were planted along the back of the house very close to the brick that gets the afternoon sun. Needless to say this area hasn’t proven to be the most successful for gardening and we decided to make a change for this summer.
Ta-Da!
Look at the beautiful box gardens that Mr. Herron and Rick built for us and we have certainly utilized every last inch of space for the veggies this summer:
Grape Tomatoes
Sun Gold Tomatoes
Big Wonder Tomatoes
Mystery Tomato courtesy of Sandy, courtesy of my Mom, courtesy of my Uncle Tom – this will be a miracle tomato plant if it produces!
Squash
Zucchini
Chocolate Peppers
Orange Bell Peppers
Yellow Bell Peppers
Sassy Peppers (I think these are red bells??)
Garden Salsa Peppers (on the spicy side)
Basil
Rosemary
Cilantro
Cucumbers
My mouth is WATERING just thinking about the yumminess that we are going to produce this summer. All we need to do now is give it some water and love. Hoping to have as much success as we did on Willfleet, I love going back to this blog post to remember my little garden helper and the beautiful plants that surprised the heck out of me. This year my Abbey-girl and Jack were both helping and I think their green thumbs will prove to be good luck. THUMBS UP!
Have you seen this image show up in your newsfeed on Facebook?
It showed up in mine and smacked me right in the face! Just last night Abbey was frustrated with me for not getting her chocolate milk at dinner and here is how that conversation went down:
Me – Here is your milk
Ab – This is white milk, I told you I wanted chocolate milk you idiot!
YEP, she called me an idiot! My reaction might surprise you because I didn’t scream or yell or threaten to beat/spank my child. I simply looked her straight in the eye and before I could say, “time out” she said “sorry” and started walking to the time out area of our house. But damn, where the hell did that come from? George wasn’t home so I immediately messaged him and we were both dumfounded and thought, which show or movie uses that word in that context? Certainly did not come from either of us.
We are not perfect parents by ANY stretch (I don’t believe in perfect parents) but I will say that George and I tend to parent against the typical grain. Here are some of those examples:
We almost always have a meal together as a family and I know this is easier now than let’s say in about 5 years from now but it’s a good foundation that we are proud of!
We are pretty strict about the screen time and WOW is this a hard one….not allowing my kids to have my phone to keep them happy/busy during a dinner wait at a restaurant is stressful on all of us.
We play with our kids A LOT! This is one that I’m really proud of because we have tried really hard to instill pretend play or kicking them outside versus watching TV….but this is HARD WORK on us parents.
But here is where I tend to fail our kids; I’m SUPER guilty for using my phone too much in front of them. I’m constantly taking pictures and video and posting them all over social media like my kids are some damn celebrities. I’m also recently allowing a lot of “screen” time with shows that I have NOOOOOO idea what the premise or content is that they are taking in on a daily basis. When Ab was born I was a huge stickler on this fight and now with Jack (second child syndrome) I’ve been way more lax on this topic. And like the article suggests, even the Disney Channel content/shows are not so great with parents coming across like complete dumb asses. Yes…our beloved Disney is not perfect either!
As parents it is our responsibility to find a good balance – safe versus instilling adventure, protection versus sheltering, too much screen time versus enough to help us all stay sane (yes, I use it as a babysitter), the list goes on!
I guess I’m using my blog as a platform to commit to doing a better job (no more calling mom an idiot) and to do the hard work versus taking the easy way out. Mustering up the energy after a busy day at work to get on the floor and play. Pulling together the last shreds of patience to allow my kids to help with dinner versus shuffling them in front of the TV for the quick distraction. And above else, I’m committing to teach my kids grace, humility, compassion, respect, manners and love through action…..by watching us!
How’s that for a New Years resolution? Whew, Let’s do this Team Herron!
My little boy is OBSESSED with Iron Man to the point where I begged all my family friends to donate toy catalogs just so he could look through them to find his beloved character. Then I found out that Marvel Universe LIVE was coming to US Bank Arena and that was a game changer because now I’m excited along with my little boy.
Marvel fans, assemble! Marvel Universe LIVE! is taking the live entertainment experience to a whole new level, with a mind-blowing show unlike anything you’ve seen before. Watch your favorite Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man and the Avengers (Iron Man, Black Widow, Hulk and more) and threatening villains come to life in an action-packed arena extravaganza, coming to the Cincinnati. You’ll definitely feel the energy with cutting-edge special effects, pyrotechnics, aerial stunts, martial arts, motorcycles and more. It’s being hailed as the most technically advanced live show ever. Join Marvel fans of all ages for this once-in-a-lifetime, monumental performance. The fate of the universe depends on it!
This show is coming to the US Bank Arena December 17-20, 2015. There’s quite a few show time choices for all of the super heroes out there.
Show Times Schedule:
Date
Morning
Afternoon
Late Afternoon
Evening
Thursday, Dec. 17
7:00 PM
Friday, Dec. 18
7:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 19
11:00 AM
3:00 PM
7:00 PM
Sunday, Dec. 20
1:00 PM
5:00 PM
Prices:
These range from $20 for kids tickets up to $120 for VIP Gold Seats. (For the kids tickets, here’s some more information: Not valid on premium seating. No double discounts. Child discount applies to children ages 2-12. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.
Downtown Fun
If you’re planning on heading downtown after Thanksgiving be sure to look for some Marvel super hero fun in and around the square. I saw first hand in the lobby of the Fountain Square Garage (upper level) some super awesome elevator doors decor, pretty cool.
So are you in? I know I am. Would you like a chance to win tickets to the opening night show? Then here’s how you can enter to win a family four pack of tickets to see the opening night performance on December 17 at 7 pm. You must be 18 years or older to enter; and you must reside in the Greater Cincinnati Area. Tickets will be available at Will Call — a valid ID is required in order to pick up your tickets. Here’s FOUR chances to win (please leave a comment for each entry and I’ll use Random.org to choose the winner):
1. Leave a comment below letting me know which is your favorite Marvel super hero.
4. Tweet this giveaway and tag @JesyHerron for it to count!
The winner will be chosen at 8 am on Tuesday, December 8. Winners have 24 hours to respond once contacted via email or another winner will be drawn. If you win, I hope you come to the show decked out in your favorite super hero flair!
I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.
Kids are back to school and the biggest end of summer party is right around the corner. Make your Labor Day picnic into a Bomb Pop Party with these easy steps:
Step 1 – Invite the cutest all-American kids you can find!
Step 2 – Be sure to pick up a box of the one and only, The Original Bomb Pop, from your local Kroger grocery store. They are hard to miss with their iconic rocket shape and three great flavors packed into one delicious Bomb Pop.
Step 3 – Start passing them out to 12 of your closest friends and family while enjoying your time together! My suggestion is to eat them outside when your party guests are under the age of 30 🙂
Helpful tip! Eat all three delicious flavors quickly when it is super hot outside. Oh, and if you make a mess, just lick around your mouth with your newly red-white-blue tongue!
Step 4 – Be kind to your 4-legged guests and share with them too!
Step 5 – Enjoy all the smiling faces (and colorful tongues) of everyone you shared The Original Bomb Pop with at your Labor Day Party.
Hurry…..eat up….. it is dripping!!!
Today’s post is sponsored by The Original Bomb Pop, but my love for the brand + pics are all my own!
When thinking about blankets I automatically go to memories of my favorite baby and childhood blanket that I affectionately called “Blankie.” Now that I’m a mommy, it would be crazy to me if my kids didn’t love to be snuggled with their favorite blankets too. I’m just lucky that my two babies get to snuggle with homemade blankets from their great aunt which they both use daily! My daughter uses hers for more imaginative play while my son still uses his to snuggle with for each nap and bedtime of course.
Why am I sharing Herron Nest blanket details with you? Now you can win a 1 year supply of all free clear by simply sharing a photo of how important your child’s blanket is to them. They are going to select 5 lucky winners!
Does your baby snuggle with the blanket every day and every night?
Do they hide under their blanket from mommy to be silly?
Enter the sweepstakes viasocial media and share how your child’s blanket has become their best friend.
A year supply of all free clear would be a great way to keep your child’s favorite blanket clean and free of residue all year long!
Here’s how to enter the #WithMyBlanket Sweepstakes
Via Facebook: Upload your photo with the hashtags #withmyblanket and #sweeps on theall free clearfacebook page
Via Twitter: Log onto your Twitter account and tweet your photo with the hashtags #withmyblanket and #sweeps.
Deadline: Share your #withmyblanket creations by July 26, 2015 to be eligible to win.
From April 20th until June 25th, Huggies will be accepting all selfies of you and your baby with the hashtag #UltraHug, and featuring them in a collage on the campaign landing page. On July 6th, voting will begin to narrow down the 20 finalists to 10 winners who will win a $2,000 grant from Huggies for their nominated community initiative. For those who know me and my family, wouldn’t it be cool for Butler County Challenger Baseball to win? They could sure use the money to help keep the two wheelchair friendly baseball fields in top shape as well as assist in the construction efforts of the new restroom facilities that are also wheelchair/handicap friendly.
• First, take a selfie of you and your baby and upload that selfie to Twitter or Instagram. Make sure to use the hashtag #UltraHug
• In your same post, make sure to include a text nomination (approximately 100 – 120 characters) including a name and/or identifying description of a community project in the US, which you would like to nominate. Make sure the community project is something near and dear to your heart (mine surely is)!
Laundry is actually not my normal chore around The Herron Nest, but it became everyone’s job once my little boy started to get sick all over his clothes, my clothes, blankets and every thing else in his path. Lucky for us, we have the all free clear laundry detergent to help us do the multiple loads of laundry. I was worried enough about my baby boy with his fever and getting sick everywhere that it was such a relief to know that I was washing his favorite blankie and snuggly pajamas in pediatrician and allergist recommended detergent. Blankie and snuggly pj’s were back on in no time – well, time and time again!
I’m FREE to be a mommy that can snuggle my sick baby!
all free clear is the #1 recommended detergent brand by Dermatologists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for sensitive skin. It’s tough on stains yet gentle enough for the whole family. Plus, it’s safe for use in standard and HE machines. It rinses clean and has a gentle, hypoallergenic formula. Powerful Clean. Gentle on Skin.
NEW From the #1 Detergent Brand Recommended by Dermatologists Allergists and Pediatricians comes all® free clear liquid fabric softener, dryer sheets, OXI mighty pacs and OXI boosters. Use together to make fabrics cleaner, softer, and more comfortable against your family’s sensitive skin. 100% free of dyes and perfumes. Gentle on skin. Safe for all washing machines. Find it in your fabric conditioner aisle!
The NEW OXI mighty pacs give you extra strength cleaning power for 30% less than Tide Free & Gentle pods. Each little mighty pac is full of the concentrated cleaning power of OXI with the gentleness of free clear, providing a powerful clean that’s safe for the whole family.
The NEW OXI booster whitens and brightens clothes. It’s safe on sensitive skin. It costs 15% less than the leading brand AND you can use it to remove stains around the house (it can be used on carpet, upholstery and patio furniture, just to name a few!)
• all® free clear detergent (liquid and mighty pacs), fabric softener and dryer sheets have received the National Eczema Association (NEA) Seal of Acceptance™.
• all® free clear is also 100% hypoallergenic.
• all® free clear has only 9 ingredients, that’s less than half the ingredients of Tide Free & Gentle
Interested in being free too? Go ahead and try all free clear in your home to feel the difference on your kids clothing! Download this coupon for a $1.00 off your purchase when picking up all free clear laundry detergent and fabric softener. Don’t forget to stop by their Facebook page and check out their safety information and allergen resource center.
Thank you to all free clear for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to try all free clear!
The Herron Nest 