Oh, January.

January is almost over.

...and that's a good thing for me.

BECAUSE that means my Mom is coming HOME!!

She has been in Utah for the last three weeks helping my sister, Cassie.

Cassie had her baby boy, Jameson, Wednesday January 16th.

He is such a handsome little guy!

Isn't he?

Yes, yes he is.

So a BIG reason I'm excited for my mom to come home is because I've been helping Josh with his Home Schooling and it's not the easiest thing in the world.

But also because I miss her. ❤

____________________________________________

February 

❤

-The Month of LOVE-

I'm very very excited for!

❤

Valentines day.

& 

My nephew, Nathan's 1st Birthday

&

Brother in law, Thomas' Birthday

& 

One month closer to Spring & SUMMER!

I don't like the cold.

____________________________________________

Sometime last week James and I put together a "Hale Monthly Bills & Budget" Sheet.

It looks awesome. 

Thanks to James and Excel.

We made it so we could take better track of what we're $pending our money on and to help us get a better idea on how to save more each month.

I think it's going to work well.

We then made a "Weekly Menu" sheet.

This is to help inspire me to cook better meals instead of freezer meals all the time.

So far, it's been working.

Last night I made these Double Baked half Potatoes. 

I don't know the name.. but this name pretty much sums it up!

Sooo, this is how I did it:

I cut the potato in half, then put it back together and wrapped it in foil.

(I do this with multiple potatoes at a time.)

Put it on a pan and let it bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees.

Then take it out, unwrap the potatoes.

& Throw the foil away.

 Then I start digging out the middle of the potatoes with a spoon.

You have to spoon out the potatoes gently or the potato will rip.

Don't spoon all of it out though. :)

I then put the potato that's in my spoon from the potato I just spooned out onto a plate 

& keep it to the side.

I use it soon after.

I added seasoning to the potatoes. (Garlic Herb and Sea Salt.)

I then put strips of Pepper Jack cheese in each potato.

The cheese melts.

Then I added some ripped up lunch meat (roast beef). yum.

& add bacon bits and shredded cheese. Lots of shredded cheese.

  

The next thing to add to the potato shells (spooned out potatoes) 

are the potatoes that were set to the side.

Before I or you do that.. some seasoning need to be added to those plated potatoes and then they need to be mashed with a spoon.

I used Garlic Powder for the seasoning.

Then I put those potatoes into the potato shells and added more cheese and bacon bits to the top.

The next step would be putting them back into the oven.

You can use the broiler to make the outside crispy..

but I just let it bake at 400 degrees for another 20 minutes.

They're delicious.

It's James' new favorite meal.

Oh and sour cream!

They taste better when you have some. :)

Tonight's Meal is sliced potatoes & Meat..

Super excited! I love meat. ❤