Catching Up With The Kelnhofers -7

Hi Friends – this week on Catching Up With The Kelnhofers – how I always get stopped at the airport, I won a trip to Austin, TX, the kids are super cool in rock star gear and what I stocked with fridge with before I left (make-ahead meals).

• I use my purse for work/kids/a catch all and I love it (this is the purse I have used for 3 years now and it still looks good as new). 
• There’s one pocket on the inside that has a zipper and I always forget to look inside the pocket. 
• Guaranteed, if I’m traveling I’ll get stopped going through security and they go through that one pocket. There’s been everything from lip gloss to tweezers to a water bottle in there (don’t ask me how I didn’t notice it, lol). Is there something you always get stopped for when going through airport security?

Howdy from Austin, TX! This week I traveled to Austin for something super neat that I haven’t mentioned before. April was small business month, and I entered a small business challenge giveaway Noah Kagan of okdork.com was doing. Noah shares business advice and has a podcast I enjoy – and he started AppSumo (which is a site that is basically Groupon for geeks and business owners) and Sumo(website tool to automate growth) – hes a very smart guy! Anyway, five winners were chosen and I was one of them! So I won a trip!! I don’t talk a lot about the business side of things, because my business is about sharing recipes and other tips and tricks to help you out, but the truth is, I have turned sweetphi.com into a business that I am super proud of. I do have a ‘blogging as a business’ resources page if you’re ever interested in seeing what types of equipment or apps I use to run my business. More on the trip coming next week-always feel free to ask me if you have any blogging as a business questions! 

New on the Blog:

• Sweet cream iced coffee – I literally start my day with an iced coffee every day, and this is the homemade coffee creamer I use. It’s so simple, and so delicious. Making it at home is literally half the price!
• Easy chili con carne – made in an Instant Pot or slow cooker (total time saver on busy nights and such a delicious meal!).
  
• Catching Up With The Kelnhofers – what do you think about this new blog series so far? I’ve been hearing that you guys love that I turn the newsletter into blog posts so that you can go back and look at them.

What to make this week:

Since I’m traveling, I made recipes to keep at home for Nick and the kids. I love to stock the fridge to help even a bit while I’m out. Below is what I made for them to enjoy (these are all great make-ahead meals!):

• Grape tomato tarts
• Summer veggie lasagna
• Almond butter date pepita granola bars
• Sweet and spicy turkey sloppy joes

Reader Comments:

A sweet comment for a sweet treat! This is a lovely comment on an older recipe of mine – salted caramel blondies that can be made in only one bowl (less dishes for the win!)

• “I needed something quick and easy for an Easter dessert to take and I knew I wanted caramel in whatever I was taking. I bought just the regular caramel that you put on ice cream. OMG, we all fell in dessert heaven with these. Yum!!! So easy to make too!”

Things I’m loving this week:

• I was talking to my mom (which I don’t do nearly enough- she’s such an amazing woman) and I was telling her how I do crafts with Ben at the kitchen table and how I remembered she used to have these heavy duty plastic tablecloths she’d put down for us when we were kids. Then a week later I get home after work and there’s a package waiting for me…she had sent me one of the tablecloths we had used! How sweet is that? Here’s the kind of tablecloth I’m talking about.
• Working Moms season 3 is on Netflix – I thought Season 2 just came out, but I’ll take it because I wanted to know what happened after the cliff hanger season 2 ending…anyone else watching it?
  
• I finished listening to City of Girls – that concluded my Summer Audio Book Reading List. The book was good – it did seem a little long at times, but I really enjoyed the story. What should I read next?! I still haven’t made my fall/winter reading list!
  

• My friend got Ben a little Elmo backpack and he recently started wanting to wear it around the house, it’s too cute. He loads up his books and then walks them from room to room. He also puts on his boots every chance he gets, he’s in love with them!

• We were taking the kids out in their carriers and Frankie was smiling at me, I look over and Freddie is giving me big eyes LOL

• I told Ben he should only pick his nose in the bathroom at home…his response? He laughed and kept picking it….typical boy I guess!

• Ben was being super sweet when I said goodbye to him before leaving on my trip!

• Before I left I spent about 2 hours making a bunch of recipes to stock the fridge, see above in ‘what to make’

• We took pictures of the kids in rock n’ roll shirts, lol! Ben is in the Benny and the Jets shirt, Freddie is in the Freddie Mercury onesie and Frankie is in a Frankie goes to Hollywood onesie.

I’ve got a new video up on my YouTube channel – this one is showcasing my 5 Ingredient vegetable frittata.

What are you watching/reading this weekend? Just hit reply and let me know!

Until next week, 

Phi