Friday Favorites | Food

When will the snow end?

Just when I think we have turned a corner we get blasted with 4 or more inches of snow and ice.

And the negative temps with the wind chill are insane!

Apparently quite a few of you are going through this too, so it doesn't feel as bad this week .

#sorrynotsorry

Anyways, let's get on with my favorites from the week!

To be honest, with all the winter weather we have had we haven't done much other than work, eat, and sleep :(

#mustleavethecountysoon #cabinfever

Working with your spouse can definitely be good and bad at times.

Friday, was a good day :)
We ran out and grabbed some Mexican for lunch!

 Boy do I wish Mic liked Mexican more!

I could eat tacos, chips, and salsa about every other day and be completely happy :)

Since I didn't layout anything for dinner, #momfail, we decided to hit up Cracker Barrel on Friday evening.

Chicken & Dumplings and Sweet Tea = Happy Vanessa!

 Of course my boys opt for the pancakes almost every time we go!

 No visit to CB would be complete without sitting by the checker board table.

This kid does not care that it was like -15*!

Saturday we were basically snowed in.

 My day was spent playing in our bedroom.

X did not want to leave that room!

I think I need to make it less comfortable for him so he wants to hangout in the family room or basement from now on!

I took no pictures on Saturday because I was instructed to put my phone down and play cars & trucks.

So I did just that! #bossy3yearold

On Sunday morning I tried to get X to help me bake some muffins so Mic could sleep in a bit.

He stood on the chair next to me and was excited to "help", but then wasn't thrilled when he couldn't actually do everything :(

#3yearoldproblems

If you haven't tried Shay's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins you are seriously missing out!

3 ingredients people! So simple, and so good!

Once we devoured our muffins for breakfast, it was time to hit up Kroger for Starbucks and grocery shopping.

For a moment I actually considered bringing X with me...thankfully that moment passed.

I picked up one of the rotisserie chickens to have for lunch and really throughout the week.

Do you ever buy these bad boys?

They are so good!

On Wednesday night we headed to Outback to celebrate my FIL's birthday.

Afterwards, we headed to their house for cake :)

X decided P was moving too slow and decided to blow out the candles for him.

The rest of our week has been pretty low key.

However, this weekend we are heading north to celebrate my mom's birthday and catch up with a few friends :)

Hoping the weather is my friend while traveling.

What are your favorites from the week?

Are you getting snow in your neck of the woods? How much?

What cold weather activities are you doing to keep you your kiddos from going insane?

Linking up with the following ladies on this freezing Friday!

Narci/Erika/Andrea

Amy/Karli

Happy Friday!
And one last thing before I go...

Happy Birthday Mom!
We love you!!!

TOL | YouTube

Thursday is here again and that means it is time for #ThinkingOutLoudThursdays with me and Penny's Passion.

You can write about anything under the sun really. Just make sure to link back to me and Penny.

And don't forget to add the link to your Thursday post below!

#ThinkingOutLoudThursdays

To be honest, I pretty much fall asleep every night while putting X to bed.

Meaning there is no way I am up for Jimmy Fallon, or able to watch much more than the Disney Channel when I am awake.

#keepinitreal

To keep up on what is being talked about/tweeted/etc. I turn to YouTube.

Here are some of the latest videos I have truly enjoyed :)

She was spot on with her Britney impression!

Not a huge fan of Lady Gaga, but you can't deny the girl can sing!

And so can this kid! 15? Seriously?

Loved this! #childhood

If you didn't laugh at that video I don't know if we can be friends anymore.
#hilarious

So what are some of your favorite YouTube videos?

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

I was looking for something to add some flavor to our chicken breasts the other night, so where did I turn?

Pinterest of course!

I found this recipe for Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken and it turned out better than I imagined!

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So the horrible blogger that I am never took one single picture of it :(

And of course it turned out amazing!

The chicken was so moist and had so much flavor!

It might have even been better the next day!

Here is what you will need for 6 servings.

(If you click on the recipe link above you can adjust the measurements based on your servings)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup dry bread crumbs

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dry basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Ok, so I cheated a little on this recipe for our family.

I used minced garlic out of the jar and added more than a clove -- we LOVE garlic!

I also didn't have any basil leaves on hand so I just subbed some parsley.

And lastly, I had 4 chicken breasts instead of 6.

We still have plenty for leftovers.

Now that I got my confessions out of the way, here are the directions.

Preheat your oven to 350*.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In one bowl, mix the olive oil and garlic.

In a second bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil leaves (in my case parsley), and black pepper.

Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture followed by the crumb mixture and place in the baking dish.

Top with any remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

This was super easy to make on a week night after work.

Serve with some green beans, broccoli, or your favorite side and dinner is done!

It was really good on our salads the next couple of days for lunch too :)

What is your favorite chicken dish to make?

What is your favorite 30 minute meal?

Have you tried any new Pinterest recipes?

Linking up today with Andrea @ Momfessionals for

X-tremely V is Two!

If you are new around these parts than you may not have noticed I got a blog upgrade over the weekend - Thanks Erin!

I have been wanting something more clean, simple, and fresh.

And I think she did a great job of achieving that look!

And what better time to do it than X-tremely V's 2nd Blog Anniversary!

Saturday, February 21st marked 2 years that I have had my own little space on the web.

I can't believe I have been doing this for 2 years!

I love the people I have met, and the true friends I have made on this journey :)

And to thank you all for being such wonderful readers and friends I am putting together some fun prizes for a giveaway or two for next week!

And since I am celebrating my anniversary, I am taking the day off from new content. #sorrynotsorry

But feel free to check out some of my posts over the last couple of years to get to know me better or reread the fun!

Random Things About V

Blueberry Croissant Puff

S'mores Party

X's 1st Camping Trip

Pretzel S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

My 1st Small Group Dinner

I realize most of those posts talk about food, but they include some recipes you won't want to pass up!

Happy Tuesday all!

Linking up today with Sweet Little Ones for

Favorite Things...@ Target

Let me just start off by saying that if you don't like Target we can't be friends.

Just kidding :) Kind of! lol!

While I absolutely LOVE Target,

I am proud to say that I can easily walk in and out of Target and not spend $100!

And I can also say..

Believe it or not, I have gone to Target and actually walked out with nothing!!!

I have also walked in and out Target in a red top and khaki pants/shorts multiple times.

Maybe I am subconsciously telling myself to go to Target by wearing that combo.

But enough with the ecard fun!

It is time to link up with Erika & Andrea for

And you may have guessed from the title of my post, it is all about Target today!

Honestly, what don't I love about Target?

It is always clean, the displays always look nice (except the $1 spot), and they have fresh popped popcorn!

While my specific Target doesn't have a Starbucks in it, (I know some do) I think that would be like Heaven :)

So here are some of my absolute favorite things @ Target.

~one~

 The kids clothing section is awesome!
I can pick up so many pairs of pants, shorts, tees, etc. for under $5 a piece!
And when you have a growing little guy that price point is right what my wallet needs!
We of course load up on X's favorite items too!
Anything TMNT is a huge hit in our house :)

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While his face doesn't show it in the above pic, this kid loves that hat & "glubies" set :)
We picked this up 2 winters ago (this photo is from 2 years ago) and thankfully it still fits perfect on him!

~two~

$1 spot
Located right at the front of the store it just sucks you in!
Most the time I walk away from it with nothing, but when I am in need of a fun little something for X it is perfect!
Coloring books, gift wrap, holiday socks, stocking stuffers, and more!
All a buck!
Looking to give a simple favor at party or send a note to friend just because?
The $1 spot has just about anything and everything you may need!

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~three~

I don't know about you, but I love the women's clothing and shoe options!
They hands down sell the very best tanks I have ever owned!
They are seriously cheap, but good quality!
And when they are on sale? You better believe I pick them up in every color available!
They are long and lean. Hold their shape. And can be worn and washed over and over.
These tanks have my heart :)

~four~

If you shop at Target and aren't using the Cartwheel App you are crazy!
There are new deals all the time that you can select to have extra savings at the checkout.
My favorite part is the scanner option.
I pick up the items I need and then scan them using the bar code reader within the Cartwheel App.
If there are extra savings to be had, it pops up and I can add the "coupon" to my Cartwheel savings.
Now can someone tell Kroger they need this feature for their app please?! :)

~five~

The Target Red Card is another thing you need to take advantage of if you shop at Target regularly.
And you don't have to get the credit card version if you don't want it.
I have the debit card version and it is perfect for me! I think it keeps my shopping there in check ;)
You get 5% off your total bill every single time you shop.
And if you are shopping online with your red card you get free shipping...always!
AND an extra 30 days for returns!
Get it now!

~six~
I love popcorn.
Like maybe have a problem I love it so much!
I could it eat literally every.single.day!
But it has to be good. Fresh popped is my hands down favorite.
I tried the popcorn at Target several years ago and was hooked!
At one point I seriously couldn't leave the store without buying it.
A few times it was the only thing I purchased :) #popcornlover
It has the right amount of butter flavor to salt ratio.
Just wonderful!
For years I picked up this giant size snack for $1....now I think it is $1.25.
I quite possibly would spend $5 on that bag it is so yummy!
I have turned X onto as well :)

I think I will stop there, but there are so many more things to love about Target!
I would to hear what you enjoy!
What are some of your favorite things @ Target?
Do you stop at the snack bar for some delicious popcorn or a soft pretzel?

And one last ecard to end my post today.

#sotrue

FF: Toes, Watermelon & Journey

How it is already Friday?

I feel like the cold we are experiencing in Ohio has changed the way I think this past week.

Since it is Friday, it is time for my favorite moments of the week!

Last week was pretty darn busy, but especially Thursday evening. Between work, running a few errands, and eating dinner at my in-laws I didn't get started on X's Valentine's for school until about 10:30pm!

My lack of creativity and time showed in my opinion, but at the end of the day all the kiddos loved them.
They also loved the fruit tray I sent along for the party as well :) #thankyoukroger

I literally stapled the free printable to the bag of minion graham crackers...and DONE!

When I picked up X after work he had this gift for Mic and I...

Love those hands and foot!

He just melts me :)

He also made a paper heart necklace earlier in the week, but I forgot to take a picture of it :(

Speaking of X, I am about to keep things really real right now.

The kid has decided he doesn't like me. Or at least likes his dad much more than me.

He is fine if it is just him and I in the car, playing together, etc.

However, if Mic is around I am chopped liver!!!

He actually asks tells me to leave the room they are in.

The worst part is that I pick him up from daycare/school every day.

He has now started crying when I get there. Full blown tears running down his bright red face, and even running away from me.

While I try to act as if this doesn't bother me, it has really taken a toll on me these last couple of weeks.

I know he loves me, but boy he sure doesn't show it at school.

Have any of you been through this (fingers crossed) stage with your little ones?

Is there hope for me?

Enough of the sad talk!

On Saturday morning we exchanged Valentine's before heading out into the blizzard to drop X off at my in-laws house.

Later that night Mic and I headed out for an adult dinner and beverages :)

Amaretto Sour, you will always be a favorite of mine :)

Sunday I picked up some juicy watermelon at Kroger and am loving every last bite of it!

With so many events coming up in the next few months I am pushing myself to make better choices and workout a little bit harder.

Why I don't choose watermelon for a snack all the time is beyond me! SO DELICIOUS!!!

It is one of my favorite summer time foods!

 While I am not Catholic, I do enjoy the idea of giving something up for Lent.

My initial thought was to give up pop (soda for those of you outside of Ohio), but then I realized I have a bachelorette party to attend between now and Easter. Mixed drinks will be consumed. #keepinitreal

I am going to give up pop during that time frame, and choose to cheat on that day.
Who knows...I may end up drinking wine all night instead :)

I am also choosing to declutter during this time frame and workout harder.

Why do I have to give up something for Lent? 

Why can't I make myself do something good?

Don't worry about answering those questions since I have already made my mind up ;)

Another favorite from the week have been that Spotify has been spot on (see what I did there) when it comes to my workout music.

I usually just shuffle play 80's. 90's or Hip Hop (keeps me running) so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Journey back to back!!!

#goodworkout #bettermood #favorite

And after seeing things like this all week...

I am looking forward to this weekend, or at least Saturday for one reason...

It is actually supposed to be above freezing!!! I will take it!

How was your week?
Don't forget to check out How Mic and I met/got engaged, WIWW, and my Thinking Out Loud Thursday posts!

And finally, if you are looking for a cold weather activity for your kiddos this weekend take them to see the new SpongeBob Movie in theaters now!

Click here to see the movie trailer!
And check out the SpongeBob website for fun games too!

Linking up today with some of my favorite bloggers listed below!

Happy Friday Friends!