Twiggles and Trunks

little girls cross-over pinafore dress

2011-07-12T09:44:00.001-04:00

today i'll be sewing this adorable pinafore shared by http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/

i LOVE pintrest. it might have taken me ages to find it otherwise :)

avocado + banana bread

2011-06-30T13:16:00.000-04:00

what to do, what to do?

i have no salsa;

my cilantro plant died :(

the tomatoes are not ripe yet.

alas, there will be no guacamole for me.

so there are x2 avocados sitting lonely on the rack.

some how, some way the kidlets let x2 bananas get ripe.

that never happens.

especially since they each eat on banana a day, most days they'll eat x2!

humph.

i swagbucked avocado + banana recipes.

after a few hops, i found

this recipe.

here is my version.

INGREDIENTS
2 ripe bananas (more brown spotted, then yellow on the peel)
2 avocados
2/3 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp salt
2 C flour: 1 cup wheat + 1 cup white
2 Tbs coconut oil
1/8 C almond milk {i used dark chocolate almond}
1 C chocolate chips {i always use milk chocolate chips}
{bonus! 1 C coconut shreds}

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.
In mixing bowl, combine bananas and avocados. mix until mushy. add in flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. it will be green, just go with it. mix this all on speed 2. add the milk, mix again. fold in the chocolate chips {and coconut.}
Grease a loaf pan. i used spray pam.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. The top will brown, but insert a knife in the middle to make sure it comes out clean before taking out. Let cool for 10ish minutes before removing from pan. lie to your kids about how good it is so you don't have to share.

we all loved this. there is none left. yum!

healthy ice cream{like} smoothie

2011-06-26T14:33:00.000-04:00

we love smoothies,

LOVE THEM.

todays recipe was:

x1 frozen banana

handful of ice cubes

dark chocolate almond milk

coupla shakes of vitamin sugar

so good.

Subway Art

2011-06-19T17:48:00.000-04:00

i LOVE subway art, LOVE.IT!

i need a list of all the prints i need to get printed

all are from

@www.eighteen25.blogspot.com/

***Please don't forget! When ordering from Costco under print options - check the "do not autocorrect my prints" box *** <- note from their blog, re-reminding myself

from

i swear i'll be back soon

2011-06-09T13:24:00.001-04:00

goodness gracious, it's been awhile! be back soon. pintrest has given me the crafting inspiration again.

Grosgrain goodness again!

2011-03-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

i WANT this dress

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2011/02/best-medicine-frock-grosgrain-giveaway.html

Valentine Banner(s)

2011-02-10T19:29:00.005-05:00

made from felt

I used a scrapbooking template to trace the hearts.

And printed large letters on cardstock & traced those.

I have fabric to make a table cloth and slip covers for the chairs (that's why one is missing, it's upstairs so I could fit the cover), but as soon as Mr. Man is back from this 'Big Boy Trip' he's building us a new table & chairs a la Anna White.

eighteen25 (crafty blog)

2010-09-21T13:02:00.000-04:00

FUN {new to me} crafty blog!!!

Eighteen25

they're 3 sisters & super fab.

check out their round-up of Halloween crafts

birthdays 2010

2010-09-19T10:52:00.001-04:00

Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhh. i've been MIA.

no kidding, huh?

in my crazy must.do.it.all state of living i made all the girls BDay decorations.

mainly i added to the stuff i made last year

the birthday banner

homemade corn dog muffins

2010-07-21T12:18:00.002-04:00

My girls are almost 4 and almost 2 years old.

They're both good eaters. Getting them to try new foods has never been a problem.

But I get bored of making the same foods over & over.

I like to serve fun foods.

if it looks yummy, then it may taste yummy.

the other day I spent an entire nap time drooling over the blog lick the bowl good

when I came across THIS post, I knew I had to make them as soon as possible.

I didn't have any jiffy cornbread mix on hand, so a quick google search

brought me to this

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
i1 cup whole milk (i used half & half)
2 large eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
paper muffin cups and a 12-cup muffin tin (i needed x16 spaces, so i used x2 muffin sheets)
hotdogs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Into a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, butter, and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

Place muffin paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the cornbread mixture into the papers.

slice up hotdogs into bite size pieces (i used organic prairie brand) i fit x5 small pieces into each muffin

Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.

serve with homemade mac & cheese with a side of applesauce

These were good. really really really REALLY good.

I may or may not have ate x3 muffins + a giant heaping of mac & cheese

new found food blog {lick the bowl good}

2010-07-19T13:36:00.003-04:00

i found a food blog today.

i *almost* wish i hadn't.

everything looks soooooooooooo

good.

so good.

www.lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com/

Just Another Hang Up {fab new (to me) blog!}

2010-07-08T19:05:00.005-04:00

look what Stacie @Creative Crate found...

a super cute fine art gallery / original post HERE

made by Suzanne of Just Another Hang Up

uhhhhhhhhhh HELLO!!! totally new blog to stalk!!!

she's got some super cute tutorials

tattered muslin rosettes

a sweet pillow

lamp shade

yeah. i'm gonna be there for a while.

THANKS Stacie for featuring such an inspiring blog!

homemade angel food cake + whipped cream

2010-06-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

HERE is the recipe i used

my notes/suggestions are in orange

Homemade Angel Food Cake Recipe

1 cup

1 1/2 cups

1/4 tsp

1 1/4 cups

1 1/4 tsp

1 tsp

Sifted Cake Flour ( i dont have a sifter, i just scoop it out)

White Sugar

Salt

Egg Whites

Cream of Tartar

Vanilla extract

Oven Temp ~ 350° Cake Baking Time ~ 1 Hour (mine took 20ish minutes)

Pan Type ~ 10 inch tube pan (i used x5 mini pans)

Do not preheat oven!

Sift flour once (i fluff with a fork)

add salt,

add 1/2 cup of sugar (i didn't pay attention & added all of it)

sift 4 times (again, fluffed with a fork)

Set aside.

Beat egg whites, when foamy add cream of tartar,

continue beating until egg white are stiff enough to hold in peaks, ( but not dry ).

Add remaining sugar 2 Tablespoons at a time until sugar is just blended (i skipped this since i added it all in the start)

Fold in vanilla.

Sift about 1/4 cup flour mix over the mixture and fold in lightly, repeat until all is used (i forked the flour in 1/4 a cup or so at a time)

Turn into ungreased pan,

cut gently through batter with knife to remove any bubbles from batter (skipped this)

Place cake in cold oven.

Bake at suggested temperature and time

(my x5 small pans took 20ish minutes, i removed them when then were golden on top)

Remove from oven and invert until cake is completely cooled.

Remove from pan and decorate as desired.

I also made homemade whipped cream

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 pt. whipping cream

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Whip cream with mixer. Be careful not to overbeat or else will get too thick like butter. When it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla; stir. Refrigerate.

topped it with blueberries.

it.was.awesome!

Centsational Girl

2010-06-16T09:45:00.002-04:00

seriously. i NEED to learn how to use power tools.

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/

look at her genius laundry room

i need a few of these

here is her teenage daughters 'grown up room' :swoon:

redo of a thrifted bench, 'how to tuft'

she's so well organized!

HERE is a link to all her tutorials

Knock-Off Wood

2010-06-14T16:14:00.005-04:00

oh.my.heck!

I LOVE this blog. LOVE IT!!!

Knock-Off Wood

here is what i'm bookmarking for Mr. Man to build:

playhouse kitchen sink

playhouse kitchen fridge

playhouse pie hutch

playhouse stove

large round storage table

kids storage chairs

low activity table + rolling stage bins

5 minute pallet book shelf

kids step stool/bench

BACKYARD!

playhouse

kids adirondack chairs

CRAFT ROOM!

easy saw horse (table support)

MASTER BEDROOM!

FarmHouse Bed + these extra directions

possibly make it a canopy bed?!

GIRLS ROOM!

trundle bed

there's more, but Mr. Man is getting annoyed with my constant instant messages of "OH look at this!" and "can we pllllleeeeeaaaaaseee do this one this weekend?????" he's studying in the office. OOPPS!

waffle recipe

2010-06-09T08:13:00.003-04:00

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups wheat flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat waffle iron. f you have a spare minute beat the egg whites separate, then fold them in at the last, not vital but you will not regret it. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla, just until smooth.
Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Noodleheads

2010-06-04T07:38:00.002-04:00

how am i just now discovering this blog?!

http://noodleheads.blogspot.com/

oh my heck! her stuff is adorable!!! and functional to boot. FANTASTIC!

i'm loving her kitchen fanciness. she's got all these super great ideas & tutorials for making cool stuff for the place i spend 23.5 hours of my day!

her link round up, spice up your kitchen

how awesome are those?! seriously. i'm inspired. now i really need to tune up the 'ol husky so i can get back to sewing.

teacup birdfeeder

2010-05-17T22:29:00.001-04:00

one of my favorite blogs is Little Birdie Secrets.

I'm pretty sure I've bookmarked 95% of their posts.

did you see this one, teacup birdfeeder

so cute.

make it with the oversized teacups from Walmart

& you could feed a whole flock of birds.

Fiesta Ware

2010-05-10T12:14:00.000-04:00

I've been sucked into FiestaWare.

I resisted for so long. Always convincing myself it was too pricey.

Then Macys had a buy1get1free sale.

B1G1F spells big.trouble. for me.

I've been lusting over plain white dishes for a while now.

Something that I could mix in fun patterns and prints with, without feeling too overwhelmed by busy-ness.

As my first order, I only bought x1 set of: dinner plate, salad plate, cereal bowl and mug (x4 place settings) and got the same free.

of course i'll be needing the serving ware too.

Once I've collected those I'm moving onto fun colors to mix in; like-

holy awesome tutorials!!!

2010-05-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

duuuuuuuuuuude.

check out this blog, thismamamakesstuff.com/

so cool!!!

ever read a blog & be like "man. i bet we'd get along great IRL."

not in a creepy-internet-stalker kinds way,

but in a seriously-we'd-have-fun-hanging-out kinda way.

no, only i read blogs and think that?

errrrrrr, moving on :/

she's got some awesome tutorials,

thismamamakesstuff.com/category/tutorials/

and i couldn't help but think of my bestest blogging Pal, Heather @ www.runfastermommy.com/ when Carrie mentioned www.eatblogrun.com/. Heather so so so so SO needs to be apart of that.

high five Carrie for a fun blog.

best place to buy Princess Dresses

2010-05-04T11:40:00.004-04:00

My girls LOVE playing dress up.

love love love LOVE it.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut,

they both have 'issues' with the fabric on most princess dresses being

"itchy/scratchy/it's.cutting.me.Mom.take.it.off.NOW"

i knew they'd wanna wear Princesses dresses while at Disneyland,

but i didn't want to deal with the nudity that is inevitable when wearing them so i did what any parent would do.

i googled :D

after a bit of searching, i found www.littledressupshop.com/

sooooooooo glad i did. the dresses are great. held up well. no complaints from either kid & get this, the dresses are MACHINE WASHABLE!!! that is so important i'm gonna say it again and bold it

MACHINE WASHABLE

and they have

NO ITCHY, SCRATCHY fabric

From the site:

About Us

Here at Little Dress Up Shop we only sell dress ups we would buy for our own children. In fact all of our dress ups have been tested out on our little ones. If they don't love it, we won't sell it.

Your kids will love the comfort of our Dress Ups. The fabrics are so soft! We sell nothing with itchy fabrics or underskirts.
We carry only high quality Dress Ups that last. They are made to be durable. In fact, we guarantee their quality and durability.
Uniquely, the dresses have no Velcro or zippers to snag the fabric.
They are washable, as opposed to some costumes found in big box stores which you can only "wipe clean."
Our products are easy for children to put on and take off. There are no buttons or ties to frustrate little fingers. The dresses stretch to fit over their heads like a shirt. There is nothing more to do!
Our Dress Ups are available in multiple sizes to assure your kids get just the right fit. No more "too small" dress-ups.

i love the dresses & the girls did too :)

kid2 wore this one, Cinderella and Kid1 wore Snow White

* i made them their cape/cloaks

*these are all from my cell phone, i'll have better pics soon*

www.littledressupshop.com/ has great prices too, ranging from $25-$35 and best of all, FREE SHIPPING

homemade truffles

2010-04-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

recipe coming soon!

it's over

2010-04-03T17:24:00.002-04:00

For the past 6 6.5 months, since Sept 18th 2009 (that's 195 days&nights) I...

took out the trash

wheeled the giant trash can to the end of the driveway

gave the dog baths

dragged the giant trash can back into the garage

mowed the lawn (front AND back!)

gave my girls baths

cleaned up dog puke

swept the spiderwebs down from the porch

mailed out ~~Christmas~~ ~~New Years~~ ~~Valentines~~ St. Patricks Day cards

tucked my sweet girls into bed for the night

shoveled snow (TWICE!)

pulled weeds

read nap time stories

hung Holiday decore

nursed sick babies back to health

grocery shopped

tried to fix the heater

wrapped Christmas gifts

went to the park

planted a garden

called a plumber (twice!)

ran sleeping kids from the car into the house... in the rain

all alone.

He missed...

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Christmas

New Years

Our 5 year Wedding Anniversary

His 27th Birthday

Valentines Day

But all is well. He is home now.

this was a looooooooooooooooong deployment with x2 littles, but we all made it through.

welcome home dresses

2010-03-31T20:30:00.000-04:00

these used to be shirts.

tutorial coming soon :D

so easy & so fast!

fun with mod podge: sign redo

2010-03-29T20:31:00.003-04:00

Bear drew/colored that picture; it's of the whole family.

inspired by the fabulous Amy @ Mod Podge Rocks from her guest post HERE

Happy Spring!

2010-03-28T21:39:00.003-04:00

front steps 3.28.10

(it was major windy/cold the other night, so i brought all the planters up to the porch- they may not be in the same order as the this picture.)

view from my kitchen window

2010-03-27T20:30:00.000-04:00

@ 1030am

COOKBOOKS!!!

2010-03-26T22:44:00.002-04:00

i just ordered:

The Pioneer Woman Cooks written by Ree @ The Pioneer Woman!!! perhaps you've heard of her. no?

i figure i need to quit using all the printer ink & wasting page after page of me repeatedly printing the same recipes over & over.

next i got:

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, their blog @ ABi5MaD

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Heathy Bread in 5 minutes a Day

it's about time too. i've been hoarding my local libraries copy for a month + now- i just kept renewing it online. someone requested it, so i couldn't renew again :( oh well, now i own a copy... YAY!!!

welcome home banner

2010-03-25T17:26:00.001-04:00

HERE is a great tutorial from Moda Bake Shop and HERE is the birthday banner i made for my girls.

while i craft...

2010-03-24T20:28:00.000-04:00

Bunny Foo Foo takes a nap

Easter Crafts

2010-03-23T23:21:00.000-04:00

i'm addicted to making these adorable peeps!

felt marshmallow chicks

felt marshmallow bunny

curtesy of www.thatsjustfreakinglovely.com

feltgourmet has both a chick & a bunny pattern & tutorial

my front steps 3.22.08

2010-03-22T20:30:00.002-04:00

the stairs leading to my front door 3.22.08

tulips, daffidials, & something somethings :D

be back when everything blooms.

Partriotic Star Garland

2010-03-21T22:34:00.005-04:00

I found a clip art of a star.

Enlarged it a few times & printed it in the sizes.

Traced it onto felt.

Cut it out.

Sew it in one continuous strip using invisible thread.

VOILA!

my inspiration, DYI: felt star garland made by the ever lovely Erin @ Sutton Grace

Pillow Factory Alphabet Down Filled Pillow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-03-09T20:35:00.000-05:00

Pillow Factory Alphabet Down Filled Pillow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

this pillow will look AWESOME in my Dr. Suess themed guest room.

Stolen From Your Sisters Closet GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-03-09T20:31:00.000-05:00

Stolen From Your Sisters Closet GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

i could totally rock this dress- juss' sayin' :D

72 hour kit- FOOD

2010-03-09T20:01:00.005-05:00

I'm not going to lie. All these large scale earthquakes have me a bit on edge.

Living on the East Coast, I'm fairly certain that I'm out of direct range of a fault line,

but tsunamis and hurricanes are definitely something this area should be prepared for.

This weekend I got together our 72 hour kits.

This post will focus on the food portion.

We have x4 people living in this home. x2 adults & x2 kids (age 3.5 &1.5)

It's important to pack food that you know your family will eat. I tailored our bags to fit what I'm certain my kids & Husband will eat (yes to canned ravioli, no to canned vienna sausage)

Each bag contains the same stuff:

x3 packs of instant oatmeal, x1 fruit container, x1 applesauce container,

x2 cereal bars, x1 chocolate granola bar, x1 pop top can of ravioli, x1 tuna packet, x3 small suckers, x2 fruit snack packs,

box of raisins, x2 packs of crackers, x2 hot cocoa packets, x1 instant kool-aid (pour into water bottle), x1 small bag of almonds, x1 fruit bar

the extra packs of whatever that came with the original box (i.e x12 fruit snacks to a box, & i only put x8 in our kits) went into a separate emergency kit that i'm keeping in the car. this 72 hour kit will live in a backpack stored in our downstairs hall closet. If we have time to evacuate by car, i'll throw it in w/us- otherwise if we have to hoof it out by foot then i can throw it on my back.

here are a few links to helpful lists when preparing your own 72 hour kit:

LDS 72hr kit list pdf

72hours.org

72 hour kit: Homeland Security

a refreshingly honest birth story

2010-02-15T10:06:00.002-05:00

An amazingly real, raw, beautiful & honest birth story.

Nella Cordelia

from the blog, Enjoying the small things

grab a box of tissues. trust me. you'll need them.

http://j-a-girl.blogspot.com/

2010-02-12T23:09:00.002-05:00

new favorite blog

http://j-a-girl.blogspot.com/

go check her out.

The Milk and Honey Maternity Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-02-03T08:49:00.000-05:00

The Milk and Honey Maternity Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

and another! not sure if this giveaway is even still open but this dress is worth taking a looking at. WOWZA!

The Betty Draper Evening Gala Gown GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-02-03T08:38:00.000-05:00

The Betty Draper Evening Gala Gown GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

holy toledo! i need this dress.

Olbethe blog

2010-02-01T12:05:00.000-05:00

oh my goodness gracious.

Mommas (or seamstresses for) girls.

you need to hustle over to this blog,

right here :swoon:

look at this and this

have you ever seen a more perfect little girls dress?

i'm dying of envy. i hope i can one day sew like that.

a fun blog for (DIY) furniture flipping

2010-01-30T13:37:00.002-05:00

Better After

makes me want to go thrift shopping right.this.instant

CL super find

2010-01-20T12:08:00.001-05:00

again while looking for a dresser i happened upon GOLD!

6 Piece white bedroom furniture

1ea. Small Dresser
1ea. Large dresser with Bookcase
1ea. Corner desk with chair
1ea. Mirror
1ea. Full size bed headboard

for the bargain price of

$125

this would look awesome as a fancy victorian shabby chic room.

wish i had the need for it.

wallets

2010-01-17T12:09:00.000-05:00

these were Christmas presents.

cuppie cake is mine

Owls was for my Little Sister

* these started out as the TDK pattern, but i couldn't figure it out

so i just gave up & winged it :/

they didn't turn out too bad

craigslist SCORE!

2010-01-14T12:09:00.001-05:00

I'm looking for a dresser for my girls room & one for my dining room.

I want a long, six drawer one.

in the dining room it will act as a buffet with stuff stashed in the drawers.

so anyway, I jump on CL to look for a dresser and see these

so cute, right?! they're kid size,

KID SIZE!!!!!

adorable.

so i drove an hour (each way!) to grab them, cost me as much as i paid for them ($25 for both) in gas, but ehhh, $50 for x2 desks w/ matching chairs is a score, right?

Bear has decided that hers is to be painted dark pink. not hot pink, don't suggest or even get hot pink & dark pink confused. there is a difference and she will tell you.

vitamin sugar

2010-01-13T21:46:00.004-05:00

i try and make all our food from scratch.

try is the magic word.

i also try to make it healthy.

one of my tricks is "vitamin sugar"

(coined by my 3 year old. anything that sprinkles from a jar is sugar)

ground flax seed + wheat germ

i pour it into an empty parm cheese shaky thingy ma jig.

i sprinkle it on EVERYTHING.

mac and cheese

blueberry muffins (pre-baking)

soup

yogurt

oatmeal

it's my super secret ingredient.

well not maybe super secret.

since i shared it with you.

and my kids know i use it.

but it's a secret from Mr. Man

because he'd swear he could taste it if he knew it was in there.

but he doesn't know it's there.

so he thinks everything i make is magically delish!

no "vitamin sugar" required ;)

a day of baking

2010-01-11T09:17:00.001-05:00

today we're making

homemade applesauce

and blueberry muffins

and Boule (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)

yum!

are you there blog?

2010-01-10T20:06:00.002-05:00

it's me, Twigs.

So sorry my dear blog, and reader(s?)

I promise to come back and post more.

In fact.

Immabout to go post crazy.

I'm even going to write up some posts to automatically post for days when I don't feel like/don't get a chance to post.

This is my New Years promise to ya.

pinky swear ;)

reversible aprons

2009-11-30T20:26:00.003-05:00

Santa is bringing an Easy Bake oven to two Special girls. Their Momma asked me to make them some aprons to go with it.

velcro at the neck & waist so they can be taken off & on w/o Moms help :D

i used this tutorial from skip to my lou for the bottom portion.

the wide belt & top piece i free handed off my 3 year old.

i'm really please with the way they turned out.

win a gypsy

2009-11-22T20:34:00.002-05:00

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude.

The Holy Grail of scrapbooking tools.

I mean, this is the m.o.t.h.e.r.l.o.a.d

win a GYPSY here

felt food

2009-11-21T15:25:00.002-05:00

i'm a bit obsessed with felt food. i just love it so.

here are a few links to my favorite tutorials.

go make some :D

Breakfast

doughnuts a la Skip to my Lou

Lunch

brown bag lunch a la Skip to my Lou

* brown bag

*chips & bag

*ho ho

* sandwich bread

fruits & veggies

pickable straberries a la ikat bag

pea pods a la ikat bags

Dinner

Turkey Feast a la Smashed Peas and Carrots

Dessert

cupcake with feathery light frosting a la Smashed Peas and Carrots

slice oh pumpkin pie a la Smashed Peas and Carrots

cupcake a la Rachel Rabbit

oreo cookie ice cream sandwich a la Lit'l BrownBird's Passion

giveaway @ the Creative Crate

2009-11-21T08:15:00.004-05:00

the wonderfully crafty, Stacie at The Creative Crate

is giving away some super cute, personalized name blocks.

All you have to do is pop over to her blog & leave a comment that you'd like one!

how easy is that? go here to leave your comment.

a blog that helps me be a better mother

2009-11-15T21:59:00.004-05:00

whenever i've had a long day. i'm tired. grouchy. and ready to bawl in the shower, i read

http://thespohrsaremultiplying.com/

i'm reminded of how lucky i am that i have my babies here on earth to annoy me;

to make ketchup handprints on the garage wall,

hide play dough in my shoes,

feed the dog rice so that he pukes on the carpet.

that at the end of the day i can snuggle with my babies.

watch their little chests rise & fall

stroke their soft faces

count their eyelashes

listen to the sweet sound of their gentle snores.

http://thespohrsaremultiplying.com/

is a heartbreaking reminder to me to always be grateful for my babies.

Mike & Heather

I can not even begin to imagine the sorrow.

and i won't pretend that the pain i feel while reading your story is even a mere fraction of the pain you experience daily.

in fact i can't even type out all what i want to say because my tears are blurring my vision.

i don't know you. and i've only read about your sweet Maddie.

but i read your blog faithfully.

and i'm grateful that you share it with the masses.

you've taught me to slow down and enjoy my children.

play more.

take more pictures.

and above all

never take them for granted.

it hurts my heart that you even had to experience such a devastating loss.

congrats on your newest blessing.

i wish you nothing but peace and comfort.

Holiday shopping links

2009-11-08T09:41:00.003-05:00

baby steals

At BabySteals.com we sell one quality baby or maternity product every day at 50-80% off until it sells out. It's not just a deal, it's a steal! A 'BabySteal'!

No, we're not stealing and reselling babies. We drop one amazing steal a day at 9am MST until it's gone, and they sell out fast. Once we're sold out, you lost out. On the weekends we give you a second chance on steals we still have, and you might get lucky and find more than one Steal a Day!

kid steals

At KidSteals.com we sell products from one hot brand each day at 50%-80% off until it sells out. One amazing steal a day at 9am MST and when it's gone, it's gone. Act fast because we sell out quick and slow fingers lose the race because it's not just a deal it's a steal! A 'KidSteal'!

baby 1/2 off

Baby Half Off is all about the great brands you want at great prices you will love. We work hard to build good relationships with vendors, bringing you the best names in the children industry at 50% off or more. That's our promise.

totsy

Totsy is the leading website in private sales for moms. We are also the first company of its kind to be 100% green. More than just exclusive savings, we are a hub of information, expert advice, and quality products perfect for mom, baby, and child.

mama bargains

TJ Maxx finds

2009-11-05T10:28:00.004-05:00

my life won't be complete until i own this chair. it speaks to my soul. i want to design my entire craft studio around it

this trunk wants to come live with me

($120 TJ Maxx)

another fun blog!

2009-11-02T10:42:00.003-05:00

so today the wonderfully talented Amy @ Modge Podge Rocks linked to a blog i'd yet to find;

Homemade by Jill

her stuff is SO CUTE!

look what she made for her son for Halloween! and his felt playhouse is awesome. as soon as i finish Bear & Bunnys bed tent/princess castle, i'm going to attempt a playhouse! it's got a super cute garden & mailbox... ADORABLE!

i'm definitely adding some quiet books & this one too to my arsenal for our frequent flying adventures.

homemade popcorn

2009-10-30T12:28:00.015-04:00

wow. this is one of those things that is so easy i feel stupid for not doing it all along.

popcorn. made from kernels. in the microwave.

not the store bought pre bagged kind, (complete with nasty chemicals :::yuck::: )

but the kind that you prepare yourself, from scratch :::gasp:::

it's easy.

i promise.

a quick swagbucks search brought me to here

what you need:

bag of popcorn kernels

(i store mine in a mason jar)

paper bag

microwave

measuring cup

Pour a quarter cup of popcorn kernels into a paper bag.

Fold the top of the bag three times.
Place the paper bag in the microwave.

Set the timer for 40 to 60 seconds.

Remove the bag and pour the popcorn into a dish.

Cook unpopped kernels for about 15 to 20 seconds.
(mine took 60 seconds;
(be aware that this will make a mess in your microwave. why i thought the kernels would pop & stay in the bowl is beyond me?)

Serve.

popcorn balls

2009-10-30T11:58:00.006-04:00

i was going to make, these, found at Pleasant Home, but then i realized that i don't have any jello then i remember i book marked this recipe, found at Little Birdie Secrets (but i don't have cereal) ... what if i combined the two...

to be continued

UPDATE:

it was good. so good.

so de-lish that we never made it as far as balling them; we just attacked the glob as soon as it had cooled enough to stop burning our finger tips/

a crafter crush

2009-10-29T12:12:00.006-04:00

while blog hopping this morning i stumbled upon,

http://notsoidlehands.blogspot.com/

i'm in loooooooooove.

pretty sure i bookmarked every.single.one of her

craft posts.

go check her out.

homemade granola clusters

2009-10-21T12:39:00.002-04:00

we love granola over here; love love love LOVE it.

it's really easy to make too.

and you can add whatever you want to it & 97% of the time it will turn out yummy.

here's what we tried today:

6ish cups of kashi cereal

3 packets of all the oatmeal no one likes

1.5 ish cups raisins

1.5ish cups crasins

handful or so of almonds

x1 can of sweet condensed milk

preheat oven to 350

mixed it all in my mixer

dumped it in a large pyrex

baked for 10ish minutes until top layer was light brown

took out of oven

gave it a good stir/flip/mix

baked for another 10ish minutes

remove from oven

let cool

dont burn fingers when you try it anyway

store in a container

while your kids nap, take container to your room while you catch up on TV shows on Hulu

fall colds

2009-10-18T17:12:00.001-04:00

we've all got runny noses. today has been a day of cuggles and soup and watching movies in mommies bed.

wounded Navy SEAL

2009-09-21T21:29:00.004-04:00

http://dancnossen.blogspot.com/

that link will take you to Lt. Daniel Cnossen's recovery blog

He is a United States Navy SEAL

He was wounded when he stepped on an IED pressure plate while leading his platoon in operation in Afghanistan on September 8th.

He's now back here in the States receiving treatment for his wounds.

He's doing well, but has a long road ahead.

Please send him positive thoughts.

Wish him strength.

Wish him peace.

Wish he & his family a sense of calmness that they will be taken care of.

GREAT GIVEAWAY!

2009-09-21T16:47:00.002-04:00

Go check this out

My blog buddy, Holly over at Domestic Dork

did a review about a super cute etsy seller, Wee Essentials

Stop by Hollys blog, read her review & leave some comments to put you in the running to win the $20 gift certificate to Wee Essentials!

my new ride

2009-09-21T15:14:00.000-04:00

So my birthday was this month.

We spent that Saturday afternoon thru Sunday afternoon in the Outer Banks.

My lovely friend Ashley & her family rented an AWESOME beach house & invited us down.

We had a great time & it was a lovely distraction from Mr. Mans up coming 'Big Boy trip'

Speaking of Mr. Man.

Oh my fantastically wonderful Mr. Man.

How I love him so!

He surprised me with a fun fun fun present this year.

Every year I wonder how he'll top the last

(he is a master gift giver / surpriser.

One year he scoured ebay for a first edition copy of one of my favorite stories, Le Petit Prince

if you've yet to read it, i implore you to; it's wonderful :sparklyheart:

anyway, back to my original point)

He is an outstanding gift giver.

This year he surprised me with

a bike.

not just any bike

a beach cruiser.

correction, a red beach cruiser.

complete with red bike trailer for the girls.

and a removable basket for me to take into the store.

AND a bike rack for my car.

he even put it all together a.s.a.p so i could start riding.

so far we've been going on a ride at least once a day.

bakingware cuteness

2009-09-20T22:29:00.000-04:00

i want these

homemade applesauce

2009-09-20T08:53:00.001-04:00

this recipe is so easy

sooooooooooooooo simple

ready?

peel a bushel of apples (like 12 or so)

cut them into same sizeish pieces

toss them into crock pot

sprinkle some cinnamon over the apple chunks

cook on low for 2.5ish hours

when you start to smell the yumminess, mash the warm apples up (i use a fork)

let them cook a little bit longer (if you can)

turn crock pot off, let applesauce cool down

exercise self restraint when consuming.

i've been known to eat an entire batch in one day

(during nap-time, so the kids didn't even get any)

this batch i hope to give to the neighbors (because i'm great like that)

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-09-14T13:54:00.000-04:00

holy toledo. this may be the cutest handcrafted ANYTHING i've ever seen. & if I win it, you can bet your patootie that Bear will jump for joy at her very own "jack in da bean stalk story" backpack. go check it out for yourselves...

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Free Chocolate Fridays!

2009-09-11T11:55:00.000-04:00

click here

Mars Chocolate Relief Act
Get Your Mars Real Chocolate Free on Fridays. Register online and they will mail you a coupon.

you're welcome ;)

birthday birthday birthday

2009-09-11T09:59:00.003-04:00

September is a big month here.

HUGE in fact.

My oldest turned 3

My youngest turned 1

and I turned 25 for the 2nd time

first thing in the a.m when she saw the set up

birthday breakfast of strawberries dipped in yogurt decorating the kids cupcakes ichatting with Gma in Cali not too sure about this cake Daddy and Bear going outside to ride bikes my little Bunny playing bean bag toss proof that I existthe end

Bunny Foo Foo

2009-09-10T09:48:00.002-04:00

She's sick, again.

I assume it's from all the frosting she ate at her party

(pics to come)

it may also be because i suspect she's teething more

she's sportin' an oh-so-fun rash that is promoting lots & lots & lots of naked time

and play dough playing on the deck

curiously high fever too :(

which has me worried about swine flu

my neighbor said it's "running amouk" in our area & that all day monday he was sick.

awesome!

he was at their party on Saturday

but they would have been sick sooner, right?

apparently everyone at the base next door is sick with h1n1 virus too

my Bear turns 3

2009-09-09T14:25:00.002-04:00

i made this entire outfit* so proud of her flowers * the shirt i just embellished with the 3. it's a tank from WMart

parenting FAIL

2009-09-07T11:43:00.006-04:00

My oldest, Bear, turned 3 years old yesterday.

In an effort to buck up, we mutually decided that it was time to move past her crutch on binks aka "teet tees"

I read somewhere on a blog about a genius way of [-]bribing[/-] [-]coercing[/-] [-]tricking[/-] getting rid of pacifiers; have the child buy some toys with them!!!

DING DING DING!

*if you've recently blogged about these struggles please leave a link in the comments & i'll give you proper credit :D*

there were just a small glitch in this plan.

i forgot to bring her stash of binks to Target with us

no biggie, right? we talked about the deal as we paced the aisles at Target, we agreed that once home, the binks would be gone because she was going to buy a unicorn with them

*Thanks Heather for spotting her!

here is what transpired at bed time

Bear: crying in bed

Me: "whats wrong"

Bear: now serious crying

Me: "baby, what is it?"

Bear: "i don't wanna be free (three) any more Mom"

Me: "why. Three is great!"

Bear: more crying "noooooo.

I not a big girl. I not ready to give up my teet tees. I still wittle" more tears, serious crying

Me: "i know you're little. but i think you are ready. look you're even sleeping in your own bed"

Bear: "i dont wanna sweep in my own bed. i wanna be two. i wanna sweep wiff you and have a teet tee. i not ready to be freeeeee" tears again, wailing

i gave her her bink back

she broke my heart

maybe st Christmas she'll give them to Santa

birthday [cup]cakes[s]

2009-09-04T23:37:00.002-04:00

wow wow wow wow wow

ice cream cake (but not what you think)

i just made that.

kinda.

except i used white box cake & vanilla frozen yogurt.

i also added sprinkles and red food coloring to the batter (because that's what Bear wanted [along with unicorns, rainbows & smiley faces] but i couldn't find those)

Anyway,

it turned out a.w.e.s.o.m.e

hop to it folks, it is fan-friggin-tastic!

[my] BEST MACARONI & CHEESE evah!!!

2009-09-03T15:29:00.003-04:00

WOW! This was so good ! ! !

I've been trying to make homemade mac&cheese for a while now.

Tried it in the crock pot a la Stephanie @ crockpot 365

We're not fans :( every time (3x) I made it the cheese got curdly - not yummy

So then I came across Ree @ The Pioneer Woman. Her recipe, not your grannies mac&cheese was close to what I was searching for. but still not it. Then she posted this. {{{{{swoon}}}}}

I should warn that my love for stouffers mac&cheese is deep. It makes me happy. It's what mac&cheese is supposed to taste like, supposed to be.

Of course I couldn't follow Rees directions exactly; I have a bit of cooking ADD {{{blush}}} I get sidetracked by my kids or the idea of washing another mixing bowl/measuring cup/ slotted spoon, that i just wing it. The following recipe was inspired by my dinner making role model, Ree @ The Pioneer Woman

[my] BEST MACARONI and CHEESE

x1 box noodles (i used cellentani)

4tbs salted butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

x2 pinches ground mustard

x1 egg

x2 cups milk (i used fat free)

tons of shredded cheese, i means TONS (i used extra sharp chedder, sharp chedder & mozz)

* cook noodles according to package. you want to grab them right before they're al dente

* pre heat oven to 350

* crack egg into bowl & whisk it up

* in large saucepan, melt butter, then slowly add flour, all the while continuing to whisk

* whisk whisk whisk whisk until mixture is one

* pour in milk, keep whisking

* pinch the mustard in, keep whisking

* whisk & let it cook (on medium) for 5ish minutes. it should turn gravy like

*scoop 1/4 cup out & slowly whisk it into the egg bowl (try to not cook the egg, that is why you're whisking/pouring slowly)

* then dump that back into the original saucepan

* and whisk whisk whisk some more

* drop handfuls of cheese into saucepan

* stir cheese & dump more in

* continue until you think it's cheese enough. when all is melted/combined, turn heat off

*drain boiling pasta

* scoop pasta out of strainer & into cheesy goodness

* stir

* pour into baking dish (i used a rectangle glass pyrex)

* sprinkle more shredded cheese on top

* bake for 20 minutes @ 350

that's it {{{YAY!}}} so yummy. i love love love how it turned out.

craft studio update pt. 45250546

2009-08-27T15:47:00.002-04:00

almost done.

birthday banner

2009-08-26T22:31:00.009-04:00

I'm in love love love LOVE with it.

still left to do:

decore:

~~birthday banner~~ DONE

birthday pennant

table runner

chair slip covers

napkins

gifts:

tic tac toe travel board

hopscotch mat

~~art tote~~ DONE

~~crayon roll~~ DONE

coloring pages binder

~~Bunnies Bunny~~ DONE

~~Bears Boo Bear~~DONE

9 5 more days until the party... EeeeeeK!

i won i won i won!!!

2009-08-25T08:07:00.002-04:00

What a super awesome day so far (it's 8:08am)

the kids woke at 6:30am (not super awesome)

but after they ate I turned on "inkerBELL" so I could do a quick check up of blogs for ideas on what to do today...

The other day I stumbled upon a new craft blog, The Dress-up Drawer. & I'm so grateful I did!

She's got some really cute stuff. Check out these super cute capes & these little tee shirts w/ ties, how clever! THESE are my favorite though. Bear would be "soooo essssited (excited)" to have a "merMAID" tote bag.

THIS is what I won! Isn't it super cute?! It was donated by Stacie of The Creative Crate. She's got some awesome links to other cute handmade fun & even a few tutorials. I can't wait to make these & do this & how genius is this?! I know, RIGHT!

Needless to say I've bookmarked tons & tons & TONS of fun, quick, easy crafts to keep me busy during Mr. Mans upcoming d e p l o y m e n t.

i am an idiot

2009-08-22T11:23:00.003-04:00

I can't find our downstairs house phone.

It's cordless.

It's missing.

I tried calling it, you know, so I could locate it.

Some woman answered.

I was very confused, so I stammered "sorry wrong number" and hung up.

I made sure I dialed the correct numbers.

Which i had - 252-333-xxxx

Then I called my husband

"Babe. What is our home number?"

"757-333-xxxx"

"are you sure?"

"yeah, why?"

"no reason."

we've lived here for a year.

For the past year, I've been telling/writing my home phone number as

252-333-xxxx

no wonder no one ever calls the house line.

Now I need to call this woman back.

And apologize for her having to deal with "wrong numbers" for the past year.

And ask her to please direct people to dial 757 instead of 252 if they want to speak with me.

What's you recent "Mom moment"

dresses reduxe

2009-08-21T15:25:00.004-04:00

Were having family pictures done soon. I wanted the girls & i to wear navy blue or red. i found x2 of these dresses on clearance at Walmart. with only a few days until picture time i bought them & hoped that i could figure out a way to "fix them"

so i tore off the ribbon & covered the flower embriodery with a panel of sweet birdies & leaves/twigs. i like it much much much MUCH better now

they're not exactly what i had in mind, but they'll work just fine.

sick Bunny

2009-08-21T11:28:00.002-04:00

My little Bunny-fo-fo is sick today. She woke up at 1130pm last night with a fever. She hardly slept at all & kept twitching/moaning when she did sleep. Needless to say I got little to no rest. Her fever is holding steady at 100. I just got her to eat some oatmeal (she's been doing nothing but wanting to nurse for that last 48hours.)

Cross your fingers that it's just more teeth or a growth spurt & nothing more serious.

right now

2009-08-18T13:45:00.000-04:00

This is my bed. These are my girls. They're truly best friends. Look at them with their linked arms, always touching. Such a sweet bond they have.

get crafting!
Sabrina

cherry pie, bakerella style

2009-08-14T13:30:00.000-04:00

Bakerella is one of my main "ohemgee gotta check!" blogs each morning. In the beginning of August she posted these. Right away I knew I had to make some for Mr. Man.

they truly are super easy. Especially when you cheat. I used pre made pillsbury pie crust & cherry topping left over from cheater cheesecake. What? I've got x2 kids under 3 years old. I can cheat once in a while.

I will definitely be making these again. Maybe I'll leave off/out the sticks though. they kinda got in the way as I was shoving mini pies into my mouth.

get crafting!
Sabrina

nap time

2009-08-14T13:13:00.001-04:00

this is what nap time looks like at my house. that is baby sammy. Miss MegB gave Bear twins, Sammy & Suzi for her 1st birthday. Baby Sammy goes everywhere with us. So far every year Miss MegB has given Bear her favorite favorite FAVORITE present. Last year she gave her a Princess tea set. We're still having tea in it ;p

oh my dear Bunny. I have 53453565646789 pictures of this child sleeping. She just looks soooooo pudgy yummy when she sleeps.

get crafting!
Sabrina

peach cobbler

2009-08-13T11:44:00.000-04:00

i forget where i orginally found this :/

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Your welcome :D

ohhhhhh look. still bubbling...

get crafting!

Sabrina

sneak peek of the girls birthday fabrics

2009-08-09T11:48:00.001-04:00

I'm sewing birthday decore today.

My plan is to sew some fun decorations that we can reuse year after year.

unpaper napkins

birthday banner & streamers

birthday crowns

get crafting!
Sabrina

little piggies

2009-08-08T00:30:00.001-04:00

get crafting!
Sabrina

crowns

2009-08-05T15:08:00.000-04:00

Both girls will be getting their very own birthday crowns this year. I plan on making all the decore & reusing it each year; a fun family tradition that I hope we all enjoy.

While waiting for the fabric to go on sale I wasted some time making a few play crowns for the dress up box.

she's pouting because it's not pink "wiff sparkles on it"

it's reversible

fun & easy to make!

get crafting!
Sabrina

Thursday fun fun fun

2009-07-30T13:15:00.001-04:00

inspired by: her-royal-highness-Bakerella

get crafting!
Sabrina

2009-07-29T12:22:00.000-04:00

www.terracycle.net

follow that link.

i'll wait.

go on.

do it.

please.

PLEASE?!

Isn't that cool?! I signed up to collect yogurt containers (Bear "wuves yogurt SO MUCH!") Cliff bar wrappers (Mr. Man & his work buddies could fill a envelope in a week or so!) and drink pouches (there are always TONS at playdates.)

I'm hoping that they'll donate to my charity of choice, www.ulmanfund.org/ in support of www.cancerto5k.com/ & Holly & Heather

get crafting!

Sabrina

sneak peak of the craft studio

2009-07-28T21:36:00.000-04:00

Mr. Man. Oh what can I say about my dear Mr. Man.

G.I. Joe by day, Holy-Smokin' Hot Carpenter by night.

He is building me a dream craft studio on the 3rd floor.

One side is the girls play room, the other is mine.

When we first decided to buy a bigger house I said I wanted a space all my own. A place where I could leave my scrapbook stuff spread out all over, a place that I could go paint or sew or nap or read or anything. My place.

All I asked was for some simple shelves, maybe a large table too.

Well friends, Mr. Man doesn't do simple

(and he decided to justify buying all the tools he's ever wanted on this project, you know, for me.)

Take a peak at what he's built so far (& I do mean what he built. I have the lowes receipts with tools/lumber/notions to prove it.)

so strong it can hold him! (it will double as a waxing table.)blank spot is where my sewing machine will be

Only a few more weeks until it's complete!

get crafting!
Sabrina

Because everyone deserves a little "nin-knee"

2009-07-27T19:52:00.001-04:00

Bear (2yrs) nursing 'baby sammy'

get crafting!
Sabrina

Bunny

2009-07-27T19:39:00.000-04:00

Bunny is a crib lovah!

get crafting!
Sabrina

BIRTHDAY GIFTS!!!

2009-07-22T22:16:00.001-04:00

Bear is turning 3 in September.

oh-my-gosh I will soon be the Mother of a 3 year old.

Where has the time gone?!

What should I make/buy her?

Already on the list:

* a Mae doll (made in her likeness)

* fabric tic-tac-toe game

* crayon roll

* art case

* indoor hopscotch mat

Bunny will be 1 in September.

Holy cow. It has already been a year?

Oh dear me. I am sad.

But birthdays are fun times.

So let's celebrate.

What should I make/buy her?

Already on the list:

* her very own Bailey Bunny

(fabric to be determined, help me out here) This will be her first doll/stuffed animal & I am oh so excited!

fabrics i neeeeeeeeeeed

2009-07-20T15:34:00.000-04:00

Sweet Tooth, Blossom Cupcakes

by: Robert Kaufman

Aviary Series

light pink, dark green, almond, light yellow

sparrows & broad stripes

by: Joel Dewberry

I need diaper cuts (20" by 20") of:
brown ooga booga
camo ooga booga
purple ooga booga
pink & orange ooga booga
pink hearts
blue hearts
multi hearts
pink chickedees
blue chickadees

2009-07-04T08:37:00.000-04:00

HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY!!!

Stay safe, have fun & enjoy your loved ones!

wanna oogle what we're eating?

click here

a Bear, a Bunny, and a bike

2009-07-03T18:07:00.000-04:00

Bear got a bike today. She is very very very excited.

here's a direct quote

"ohhh yook at my cool bike. its sooooo cool. you see my cool bike, its awesome. hear dat? dats my bell. people say 'you hear dat, you hear dat noise.' and i say, yeah, dats my bell"

cute booty shoot for Julie

"sunny face" (silly + funny)

if you could see the grin on her face!

"its got princesses all OBER it!"

yook at me. you can't eben see me cus i'm so so so fast"

seriously. she's the sweetest little bunny foo foo you ever did meet.

(loving those rolls behind her knees)

4th of July: FOOD +

2009-07-03T18:01:00.000-04:00

it's no secret that i like to eat.

A LOT.

Sundays in CA are my faaaaaaavorite.

why?

food. at GiGis. with EVERYONE.

i love it. they make me happy.

and now i'm a wee bit sad/homesick, so let's move on...

Today is the 3rd. We have having a few friends over tomorrow,

so i'm getting a jump start on the dishes.

appetizers:

Aunt Cindys artichoke dip

my "it's-not-guac-dip"

PW's bacon wrapped jalapeno thingies

chips & rojos salsa

sides:

PW's fresh corn casserole

main:

burgers

hotdogs

dessert:

PW's The.Best.Chocolate.Sheet.Cake.Ever

Fruit Pizza

the yumminess that the guests are bringing

and since an entry isn't entry w/o a picture

easy, homemade pizza

2009-06-22T12:44:00.001-04:00

start this early, as it takes some time to get the dough ready.

PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE
4 cups bread or all purpose flour (I used all purpose)
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (I microwaved mine for 30 seconds)
1 packet active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar, or 1 teaspoon honey (I used sugar)
1/4 cup milk or 1/4 cup water (I used milk, fat free organic)

Scoop flour into large glass bowl. Make a well in middle of flour & pour salt inside. Stir to combine & set aside.

In another glass bowl pour in water, sugar, and yeast. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes. Allow to foam up (or proof).

After waiting the 5 minutes for the yeast/water/sugar to cure, pour the milk & olive oil inside. Then add this wet mixture to the bowl of flour/salt. Stir together using a wooden spoon or clean hands.

Sprinkle some flour onto a clean, flat surface ( this is where you'll be kneading your dough.) Knead for about 8 minutes or until you get a smooth elastic rubbery dough ball.

Place dough in a clean glass bowl.

I lightly rubbed mine with olive oil (to keep it from drying out.) Let dough sit covered (I draped a clean kitchen towel over mine. Don't use a plate or something heavy, as the dough may push it off when it rises.)

Set aside for 30 to 60 minutes. Restore order to your kitchen during this time. Empty the dishwasher & refill it. Wipe out your fridge shelves. Start a load of laundry.

or stand at the back door, pounding on it until someone takes you outside.

Halve your dough.

This made x2 personal size pizza crusts. Flatten it out & manipulate into a circle. Spread it out evenly, lifting from underneath to stretch the dough. Sprinkle pan (I used a Pampered Chef stone) with yellow cornmeal or Farina or flour (I used cornmeal, it gives that crunchy, grainy texture to the crust.)

Preheat oven 450°F. (my oven takes 10 minutes to preheat to 450)

Top with your favorite spaghetti sauce, spreading out using the back of a spoon, then add shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese, and jack or Parmesan cheese.

Layer on some cooked meats, and add vegetables (ours had corn, bell peppers & broccoli.)

Bake for about 12-14 mins, but watch it!

When the bottom looks slightly browned and the pizza looks bubbly, remove from oven.

Now enjoy! & Please let me know how your turned out!

my container garden

2009-06-22T09:18:00.001-04:00

this was my garden on May 4th here and this is my garden today (well, last week, actually)

Bunny

2009-06-17T00:12:00.001-04:00

is a little shy of being 9.5 months old & she thinks it is high time to start walking. jaw meet floor. She's been *mobile* for about 4 months now, so this is her slimmed down. Momma milk makes for some yummy chunks.

*shirt is size 2t, cloth diaper is a Rumparooz One Size pocket, Largest setting*