Instant Pot

Hello!

Hard to believe this is our last week of summer...next Monday we head back to school!

So I had mentioned last week that we finally got an Instant Pot, and though I was a bit intimidated when I first got it, we have used it a few times and so far we are LOVING it!

We got the 8qt Instant Pot, the exact one we got can be found here.  I got ours from Kohls, and between Kohls cash, 10$ off home purchase, and an extra 30% off using our Kohls charge we definitely got a GOOD deal on it!  

I am a huge crock pot lover...it is my best friend, and I wondered if I really "needed" this Instant Pot too....but after just using it a few times I can 100% justify the purchase.  I am sure I will still use my crock pot, but I am thinking it'll be much less now that I have this!  And the crock pot is great, but if you don't have your s*%t together and don't get it going in the morning...well you won't have dinner come 6:00!

I love the whole concept of one pot...I mean lets face it, I don't know anyone who loves doing dishes after cooking dinner, so I really appreciate I can make the entire meal in just one pot...just one pot to clean....YES PLEASE!

I love how quick I can get dinner on the table, some days I have lots of time to spend in the kitchen and cook all day, and some days its a freaking miracle my family even gets fed...so this is a huge help on those days.  So many days 4 o'clock rolls around and I realize I didn't get anything prepared for dinner, and so many times I would say screw it and we would just get takeout.  We are really trying to cut back on what we spend on eating out, so I am thankful that I can still whip up a meal at the last minute.  

I was definitely skeptical of it cooking so fast and still being delicious...the first thing we made in it was pulled pork.  This is definitely one of my family's favorite things to eat...my boys DEVOUR it.  Normally I would make it in the crock pot...the recipe I used the meat had to cook 14 hours, so I would throw it in the crock pot before I went to bed, and then by afternoon I was able to shred it, add the sauce and let it simmer another 2 hours.  Now...it was delicious, but definitely a lengthy process.  So we decided to try it in the Instant Pot...I found a recipe and my boys were definitely not too sure, but we tried it and about an hour later we all agreed it was the best pulled pork we ever ate!!!!!!  The recipe was super simple and it really was delicious!

A few days later we tried spaghetti and meat sauce...I was definitely not sure about this one, but I figured I would give it a try....I wouldn't say it saved any time, but again I loved that I could cook the meat, and do it all in one pot.  It was actually pretty darn good, though some of the pasta did clump a little, so I know how to tweak it for next time.

It was yummy, and I only had that one pot to clean, so it was definitely a win in my book!

We also make Korean beef and served it over rice and it was DELICIOUS!  

I am definitely going to share the recipes later this week, because those 3 dishes really were good and we all loved it!  Not one complaint during dinner...any mom will consider that a huge win!

Now......where I am struggling is with the chicken in the Instant Pot.  I tried two different recipes and both were NOT good....so if y'all have any tips for chicken in the Instant Pot or a good, no fail chicken recipe PLEASE share it with me!

I am definitely going to compile some of my favorite recipes and start to share them over the next few weeks, and please if you guys have a MUST MAKE Instant Pot recipe please leave a comment and share it with me!

Thanks for stopping by today!  

xoxo,

kimmo

Friday Favorites......Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Finds

Happy FRI-YAY!

#truth

So unless you have been living under a rock for the last few weeks I am sure you all have seen, heard, and had your fill of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!  

I am going to share with y'all what I picked up but first I'm gonna vent....lol!  I am not going to lie...I love this sale...I have always loved this sale...I have loved this sale long before every "blogger" and "influencer" shared the shit out of it.  And I still love it, but I will say the sheer amount of women "covering" this sale kinda makes me sick, kinda makes me laugh my ass off. In the weeks leading up to the sale the amount of stories and these women going on and on and on how they work so hard to cover this sale, and it is only right we shop their links so they get the commission for all their hard work had me almost vomitting!  I don't mean to come off as a hater, because I am not, I understand this is how they make their money, but there are literally thousands of these girls sharing ALL THE SAME STUFF....and sharing story after story on how to shop their links, and don't use the app because they don't get credit....talk about over saturation!  I feel like my IG has been full of nothing but "try on sessions" and it is literally all the same stuff...which I think sucks because there really is so much more in the sale other than the booties and cardigans everyone and their mother is sharing!

Anyway.....I shopped the sale the first day it was open to cardholders, I didn't set my alarm and shop the wee hours of the morning, I jumped online when I woke up and was able to get the few things I new I really wanted and then a few other things that caught my eye!  I think the sale is still going on for another week or so, so there is still time to grab some things at discounted prices.  What I love most about this sale is that I can get a good deal on fall and winter pieces, what I don't love is not being able to wear them right away!  

Every year I always grab something Barefoot Dreams....I know everyone talks about them..and in my opinion they are worth all the hype!  They are definitely a little pricey, but in my opinion totally worth it.  This year I got this one in the color Almond.  I ordered it on July 12...and it is not scheduled to be delivered until July 30th...I am not thrilled about that but I am so excited to get this one.  Last year I got the Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan in the blue and LOVE it.  As I am writing this post I see that the ones included in the sale are sold out...but fingers crossed they will get some more...I love the Circle Cardigan..and it is the one that I wear out...with leggings or jeans.  It is super soft but definitely doesn't look like a robe!  And a few years ago I got the Barefoot Dreams Calypso Wrap Cardigan and love it...I didn't see it in the sale this year, but I use mine as a robe and 3 years later it has held up awesome!  These make great Christmas gifts!  

I got this blanket last year during the sale and a year later we are still LOVING it.  It is very soft, washes great and is like $25!  I have the grey one in my cart currently and most likely it will make its way to our house soon.  These also makes great gift...for the price I highly recommend it!

I got this Adidas tank and LOVE it!  I can wear it now and then in the fall with a cardigan or sweatshirt over it.  I got the black one last year from the sale and love the length of these...definitely long enough to wear with leggings!

These leopard mules might be my favorite purchase from the sale!  I love them...and I found them to be true to size.  Sometimes in a shoe like these I size up a half size, but I went with my normal size and they are perfect!

I ordered these joggers in grey, got them in and couldn't believe how soft they were, so I went and ordered the black pair also.  I haven't received them yet, but I am sure they are going to be just as awesome!  I am all about comfort, especially during the fall and winter...so I know I am going to wear these a ton!

I am sure you have seen or heard about these tees, they are $11, they are great for summer and to layer under cardigans in the fall and winter.  They are only $11 so they aren't going to last for years, but I always grab few each year...I love a good basic tee and these fit the bill!  If they are still available you should grab one, or two or five for yourself !

I got these Zella leggings and you just can't go wrong with these!  I love their crop leggings...not a fan of their live in full length leggings.  I am 5'5" and I find the regular leggings are long on me and I don't care for them...but the crop leggings...I love them!  I was hoping to snag the black but when I went to order they were sold out of my size!

I was hoping to find some pajamas that I loved, but I wasn't impressed with any of them that were included in the sale, so this was the first year ever that I didn't buy some pajamas and I was definitely a little disappointed.  I thought the shoe selection, especially the booties, was FABULOUS.  I really didn't need any so I refrained and didn't buy any, but if you need some new shoes I would definitely check out all the great shoes on sale!  I also was not overly impressed with the accessories that were available during the sale...I think the selection was much better in years past.  This was also the first year I didn't order anything for the kids....the boys like to shop for themselves at this point and I browsed the girls stuff but again was not really impressed, and even at the sale price, I still thought some of the pieces were priced too high for the amount of wear that Olivia would get out of them.  She is happy to shop at Target and get a few things from Justice so that works just fine for me!  

If you guys snagged anything from the sale I would love to know what you got!  Thanks for stopping by today...hope y'all have a great weekend!  See you back here Monday!

xoxo,

kimmo

Hello.....

Hello Friends....its been a hot minute since I have blogged....I just checked and the last time I put up a post was back in March!  My intentions were to blog regularly again, but sometimes life happens next thing you know you have blinked your eyes and four months have passed by!

I feel like life has just been crazy over the last few months, but the reality is we haven't really done anything too exciting, but it just feels busy all the time, and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day!

As I sit here typing, I am in COMPLETE DENIAL that next week is my kids last week of summer break...we go back to school here August 6 and I just think that is TOO EARLY!!!  We have been out of school since May 21, which I think is also too early!  I liked it much better when I was a kid....we went back to school after Labor Day and went until mid June!  

After the kids got out of school we headed up to Michigan for a week and we had a great time.  We swam, spent time with family and just truly enjoyed hanging out with each other.  Once we got back AJ started football practice, so our summer plans weren't able to be super elaborate this year since he has had football practice 3x a week since the first week of June.  I still cannot believe he is going to be a freshman...it just doesn't seem possible to me at all.

Olivia did two little camps this summer and Jack did a lot of sleeping and relaxing!  He is going to be a junior and I just cannot believe I only have two more years having him home before he is off to college!  It is no secret that I have struggled with my kids growing up, but I have to say this last year I have really gotten over being sad about them growing up, I absolutely love seeing them turn into young adults, and I am learning to love the freedom that comes along with not having little kids anymore!

Mark and I were hoping to get away for a kid free weekend this summer and it just didn't happen.  We have a trip planned for late October and we are hoping to sneak in a weekend in Nashville in September.  We did go to the Kenny Chesney concert last week and that is pretty much about all we did this summer.  LOL

If you have read here for a while you know that I wasn't a fan of Florida, especially summer in Florida...it was HOT!  So when we moved back in October I was in heaven...I loved every single second of the winter and all the cold weather.....then summer rolled around...and OMG!!!!  Y'all....this summer has been AWFUL....the heat and humidity is unlike anything I have ever experienced...so much worse than Florida.  For us, it has been miserable...its too hot to play outside, its too hot to even walk to the mailbox....we are NOT fans...so it is safe to say that at some point (hopefully sooner rather than later) we will not be here.  There is heat, and then there is heat in the Deep South...and it really is no joke.  LOL. So we have spent most of our days inside in the AC trying to stay cool.  We are literally counting down the days for the cold weather to start rolling in!

I am sure everyone is pretty much OVER the Nordstrom sale and all the "influencers" sharing all the same crap(I know I am)....but I did pick up a few things that I am LOVING and will be sharing them later this week.  We also recently got the Instant Pot and have used it a few times and we LOVE it...I am planning on doing a post about it and of course asking y'all for all the delicious recipes!  

I really am hoping with the kids getting ready to head back to school I can blog 3x a week...I truly love this little space and this community!

Thanks for stopping by today!

xoxo,

kimmo