Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Browning...

It was our turn to bring mid-game snack for BB's soccer team.  
I chose oranges and apples....
However, I didn't want the apple slices to brown 
before half time...so I decided to try out a tip I found on Pinterest. 
It suggested soaking apple slices in a lemon-lime soda 
for 10 minutes. 


...sooooo, I tried it...

There was still some browning
but not nearly as much as I think there would have been.
I've come across a few other tips 
that use a slightly different method
to prevent browning...
I will give those a try next time!



 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Halloween Lunch

We had a small
Muffin Tin Lunch
with some fun decorations
on Halloween...
 
 Pumpkin shaped PB&J
Mini Cheese Balls
Halloween shaped Fruit Snacks

Muffintinmom.com
   

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Breakfast Banana Split

You heard right...a banana split for breakfast!
BB was super surprised to have this meal and he ate it up!













Ingredients:
banana
yogurt
crunchy cereal (may leave out next time or use granola)
pineapple chunks
sliced strawberries
optional fun toppings: maraschino cherries, sprinkles
*of course you could also use other berries and fruit that you enjoy as well as a few nuts!

Directions:
Slice banana and place in the bottom of a bowl.
Top banana with yogurt then fruit, sprinkle on cereal, top with a few cherries and sprinkles.
Enjoy!


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

More Pumpkin...

I am not big on pumpkins...
I like to decorate with them for fall
but that is about it.
I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie
or the ever popular pumpkin spice latte,
But one of the items on my
is to try a pumpkin beer
...just because.
I guess I am trying to embrace
the flavor that is all over the place this time of year!
So, I had a Shocktop Pumpkin Wheat beer recently...
and it was pretty tasty.
Not my favorite flavor, but not bad either.
Maybe I will give some more 
pumpkin flavored food and drinks a try...
any suggestions?

Monday, October 15, 2012

"Punkin Day"

BB has been calling Halloween "Punkin Day"...
He is excited for all the fun that comes with Punkin Day.
We had some punkin fun this weekend,
visiting a little punkin patch, 
coloring on a punkin,
wearing punkin pjs, 
and having a little punkin muffin tin meal,
PB&J
Banana Pumpkin Yogurt with candy face


Muffintinmom.com

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Goin' Fishin'

We had a quick "Goin'Fishin'"
Muffin Tin Snack the other day...
 
BB dipped the pretzel sticks
into the peanut butter
then "caught" the goldfish.
He was surprised
and excited about
this simple but fun snack!


Muffintinmom.com

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Cc

The letter of the week for bb's class is C...
So Monday he had food that 
{mostly} started with the letter C 
when he got home from school...



Cottage cheese
Carrots
Cereal
{not pictured and not C: pizza rolls}

Muffintinmom.com

Monday, October 1, 2012

What's in your tree?

Our life is crazier than undies in a tree...
...but just as much fun!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Pinteresting Food...

I was able to try a lot of Pinterest recipes out this summer 
{all of them were delicious} 
here are a few of them...

{I browned and sliced sausage}

{I used mini pepperoni and mozzarella cheese}

{Made for The Hubs bday}

{served with Angel Chicken, below}

{OH.MY.YUM}

Monday, September 24, 2012

Aaaaaaaaargh!

We (sort of) participated in 
International Talk Like a Pirate Day 
last week....
we only said 1 or 2 "piratey" things, 
but BB had a pirate muffin tin lunch
(he also wore his pirate hat and had his sword)
 Tuna Fish,
Pirate Booty cheddar puffs,
"Buried Treasure" {Reese's Pieces under vanilla pudding with crushed Nilla wafers on top}

and we all had a pirate inspired dinner!
 "Cannonball" subs {meatballs}


ps...YAY for finding a few of our muffin tins!
excited to have more muffin tin meals!


Muffintinmom.com

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

2012 Wagon List

School has started 
and we've had a day or two 
of cooler weather...
that means it is time to think about our 
Fall Wagon List!

Us
Soccer {for BB}
Zoo Visit {with LaLa for BB}
Children's Museum with friends
Treehouse
Apple picking
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
Make S'mores
Florida visit in October!
**HOUSE, HOUSE, HOUSE**


Me
Complete Colossians bible study online
Join a MOPS group
Establish a better schedule/routine for us
Walk/work out 3x/week
Try a Pumpkin Beer {I'm not a big pumpkin person, but it seems like the fall thing to do...}

HAPPY {almost} FALL Yall!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Teacher Hugs

BBJ took these cute little baskets to his teachers
 on the first day of school. 
It was just a little something sweet to get the year started.
I got the idea from Pinterest {of course} but changed it slightly.
I found the ABC basket at the Dollar Spot at Target. 
Since our basket didn't have apples, I changed the note to say: 
"Here's some HUGS
I got just for you
As we start our year
Full of so many fun things to do!"




Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Back to school, back to school...

Big Brother is heading back to school today...a new school in our new town {nope, still no new house though}!
He is super excited and can't wait to meet new friends. He is totally ready to learn and play!




I, on the other hand, am slightly more hesitant. I feel confident that we have chosen an excellent preschool for him...however I keep comparing it to our little school from last year. It was just right for him and helped him learn so much. The new school is much bigger and different...but I trust that we will be just fine and will continue to learn and grow!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Summer Lovin'

...and we had a blast!

Once again, we did not get to all the items on our Summer Bucket List, but we sure have had fun!
Here is a recap of our list and a few pictures...


Make Frozen Bananas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Watch the Olympics! GO USA!
Olympic dinner/events













Visit Fire Station
VBS
 
Farmer’s Market visits
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
POOL!











 
 
Water Playdate with Friends
Eat watermelon outside {and not care about the mess}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Visit a Children's Museum
Pick Berries

If the heat isn’t too insane:
Picnics
Lay on a blanket and watch the clouds
Make s’mores
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Make Ice Cream-Cookie Sandwiches

Celebrate the 4th of July












Star gazing
Ice Cream Sundae Buffet
 
Ocean City!












Go to an outdoor concert
Go to a baseball game

Great American Campout {6/23 for hubs and BBJ}
*Find, Buy, Move in to NEW HOME!*
For ME:
Proverbs 31 online study
some Pinterest and other crafty projects
get active {lose baby weight}
For the Hubs and Me:
Dinner out
Movie Night
Watch a sunset together

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Before 35

Kelly from Kelly's Korner reminded us recently about an article that lists 30 things a woman should do before age 30. She is passed that age, so she is now working on a list of things to do before she turns 40 in eighteen months. I thought it would be fun to do too...

I am also already 30 and 40 is still pretty far away, so I am working on my "before 35" list. So far I have 5 before 35, but I may think of more in the next 3 years...

1. Lose 20 lbs/get fit/healthy
2. Have a daily morning and nighttime routine
3. Take a trip with The Hubs {Chicago, Boston, NYC?}
4. Tailgate/attend a Gator football game
5. Become an active member at a church here


As I was typing I thought of 2 more, the first is a "duh, of course" {like I want it to happen before I turn 32 in 2 months}...
6. FIND/BUY/MOVE INTO our new HOME!
7. find a flexible part-time job once both boys are in school/preschool.


...and another one!
8. Complete a Mud Run {for fun, not competition!}


...more to come, I am sure!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Baseball Love

Baseball is sunshine,
green grass,
fathers and sons,
our rural past.
-Albert Theodore Powers,
The Business of Baseball
Here is the special gift the boys and I made The Hubs for Father's Day.
It was a bit messy and we are still getting some of the ink
off the baby's hand, but totally worth it!

These boys can already grip a ball
like they have gripped our hearts!
I know it will be so fun to watch
them grow and play together.
BBJ already loves to play baseball
with his daddy, it will be even more
fun when LBJ can play with them too!
I am so glad that The Hubs
can share his love of the game
with our boys!



I hope everyone had a
Happy Father's Day,
especially The Hubs!




*Note: This is sort of a "Pinned It, Did It" post...this idea was sent to me by a friend
before I got started using Pinterest, so I never actually pinned it
{and so, I do not have link back to the original post,
it was sent to me as a picture attachment}.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Love for Teachers...

We are so thankful for the awesome year BBJ had in preschool. We really liked that his class was small and his teachers were fabulous! You can tell that they really love the children and enjoy what they do!
To show our appreciation, we gave them these fun summer bags.


The gift included:
Bag with their initial
Magazine
Sunscreen
Cup with their initial
Lemonade mix
Pool snack
Thank you note



I had the idea around Christmas and even recently started seeing similar ideas pop up on Pinterest!



Due to our crazy life, I was not able to make the bags look as cute, be as clever with the gifts/note or take the best photo, but you get the idea!


Bottom Spray

This product review may be a little TMI...but I want to share this in case anyone out there is preggers, might one day get preggers, or knows someone who is preggers...




Earth Mama Angel Baby's New Mama Bottom Spray is an amazing-must have product for postpartum moms!
The first thing I noticed about it was the pleasant smell. Then when I used it, I found it to be instantly cooling and refreshing. It definitely helped ease my postpartum pain and discomfort. The sprayer has a special design so it will spray upside down, which is very convenient and makes using it easy. I also feel good about using it because it is an all natural product, there are no artificial preservatives, dyes, or fragrances!
A friend of mine is a Doula and she makes sure to always have this product in her bag to take to all deliveries and leave with the new mommies!
I would definitely recommend this product to all moms for postpartum care.
...And to make it even better, it says it can still be used when all your postpartum pain goes away, to relieve puffy eyes, sunburn, razor burn, or even as a facial toner!  


*note: I was given this product by the owner of Little Speckled Frog to use and review. All opinions are my own. Check out Little Speckled Frog for this and more new mama and baby products!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Sweet Dreams

I realized recently that I do not have a specialty. I don't have anything that makes me truly unique...I have friends whose jobs or hobbies make them stand out...almost defining them and setting them apart from others. I do not.
I do have a dream to do more and be more. However, I don't know what or how.
It is now my prayer that when the time is right, God will reveal his plan for me and show me the path that I should take.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Motivation

I am 
looking for
some 
Monday Motivation...

I have 
goals and lists 
of things to do 
and I am 
not sure
how or where 
to start.

Any suggestions?

Friday, June 1, 2012

Breakfast Kabobs


I pinned these 
a few days before Mother's Day 
then we decided to 
make our own version 
of them for a fun treat 
at our Mother's Day brunch
....yum! 
The kids 
and
grown ups 
alike 
enjoyed them!


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Blogging

I am working on being a better blogger...
I have posted about it several times in the last few months.
Well, guess what?
One of the great blogs I follow just had a series of Tips for Blogging!
Another of the blogs I follow just posted about her Blogging Journey.
I plan on re-reading these posts and start implementing some of their tips!
...stay tuned!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Berry Cobbler

Here is another
YUMMY
treat I found on
Pinterest!

I have made this
{super easy, super delicious}
twice already
and it was a hit both times!

{it is slightly underdone in this photo...should be a bit more golden...}
*note: I used regular soda because that is what we had.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Unofficial Start

In September, I posted about the Unofficial End of Summer as my BBJ began preschool...
Well, today is the Unofficial START of Summer! My BBJ had his last day of preschool this week! We are looking forward to getting started on our Summer Bucket List this weekend.


Saturday, May 19, 2012

2012 Summer Bucket List

School ends for my big boy next week...that means it is time for a new Summer Bucket List!
Our lists are a little "lighter" this year because we of our home-transition and we have a newborn, so life is a little different.
*Note: I plan to check out other lists online for some new ideas too, so more activities may be added soon.
Summer Bucket Lists
For the boys:
Make Frozen Bananas
Watch the Olympics
Olympic dinner/events
Visit Fire Station
VBS?
Farmer’s Market
POOL!
Water Playdate with Friends
Eat watermelon outside {and not care about the mess}
Visit a Children's Museum
Pick Berries

If the heat isn’t too insane:
Picnics
Lay on a blanket and watch the clouds


For all of us:
Make s’mores
Make Ice Cream-Cookie Sandwiches
Celebrate the 4th of July
Star gazing
Ice Cream Sundae Buffet
Ocean City!
Go to an outdoor concert
Go to a baseball game
Great American Campout {6/23 for hubs and BBJ}
*Find, Buy, Move in to NEW HOME!*

For ME:
Proverbs 31 online study
some Pinterest and other crafty projects
get active {lose baby weight}


For the Hubs and Me:
Dinner out
Movie Night
Watch a sunset together


Check out other lists at:


Little Wonders' Days





Monday, May 14, 2012

Connect

I have been involved in our local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group for the past 3 years. I am so thankful for the friendship, support, and fellowship I have received.

This year, MOPS International posted on their Facebook looking for Mom Bloggers to review the theme book for next year. Although I have not been the most active blogger lately, I thought this would be a fun way to get back on the blog and share a great book with yall at the same time.

The book is Mom Connection: Creating Vibrant Relationships in the Midst of Motherhood by Tracey Bianchi.
I was able to read the book during my middle of the night feedings with my newborn...talk about a captive audience for the book and a mom needing to hear the message!

The back cover of the book states that the authors "shows us how to
- cultivate deeper friendships that challenge us to grow
- create healthy, life-giving rhythms for our families
- connect and give back to the wider world beyond our doors."

This book was a very easy, quick read. Each chapter had short sections that helped with the flow of the book. This was helpful because as I stated before I was reading while nursing, so I didn't feel like I had to finish a whole long chapter, I could just read a few sections at a time. Also, the author writes in a way that I feel like I am listening to a friend talk instead of reading a book. The author seems very "real," in a book about connections, I truly felt I could connect with the author and the ideas in each section.
The content of the book was very relevant to me as a mother of a 3 year old and a newborn. Many of the topics hit home in areas that I am working on. It was helpful to read that I am not alone in this pursuit and know that other moms have the same struggles and ideas.
Another really interesting part of the book is at the end of each chapter. Each chapter ends with "Five Mom-Tested Tips." The first three are tips to try to apply in our everyday life, the fourth is a prayer or blessing, and the fifth is something to journal about. I think this part of each chapter would be great for MOPS groups or MOPS Steering Teams to use as discussion starters and relationship builders. Also at the end of each chapter is an area to reflect on the ideas discussed. This is called "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down." The author asks two questions that relate to the topic of the chapter. This is another excellent way to get our minds moving and discussion started. Again, I think it would be helpful for MOPS groups to use this in their meetings as well as the individual reader to reflect. Lastly, each chapter ends with resources to help the reader continue with the topic. The resources range from books to YouTube videos.


Are you a mother of a preschooler? Do you need to connect more to others? Would you like a copy of Mom Connection: Creating Vibrant Relationships in the Midst of Motherhood by Tracey Bianchi to read, encourage, and inspire you? MOPS International, Inc. sent me an extra copy to share with you. Please comment below by Sunday May 20. I will choose a name from the comments below as well as from my local MOPS Facebook group on Monday and announce the winner!




Disclaimer: MOPS International, Inc. gave me the opportunity to read and review this book by sending me a copy as well as a copy to share. All ideas and opinions expressed are my own. I don't know the author, but think I would like to after reading this book! :)

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

MIA

I am truly disappointed
that I have been so
MIA
{missing in action}
on this blog...
but as I mentioned before,
I have been a
MIA
{mom in action}
with our 3 year old
and our newborn...
as well as our
MIA
{move in April}.

I am going to work on
blogging more frequently
now that Phase 1 of our move
is complete and we are more settled.
{Phase 1: we moved out of our house
and are living with my sister and brother in law}

Be on the look out for
a book review
and my very first giveaway
in just a few days!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Big and Little

So, I had 
BIG
plans to prep a few blog posts
on Friday...
then we got a 
BIG 
surprise in a 
LITTLE
package, when our baby made
his appearance 20 days early!
We are full of
BIG
love for our sweet new baby boy...

here is a 
LITTLE
muffin tin snack
our 
BIG 
boy had a few weeks ago
as we were talking to him about our
LITTLE
baby and trying to prepare him.

in our MINI muffin tin he had: 
BABY goldfish
MINI pepperoni
MINI saltine crackers
MINI chips ahoy
MINI m&ms
MINI oreo

Muffin Tin Monday at Muffintinmom.com

Monday, April 16, 2012

HOP

SBJ had his 
2 best girlfriends
over for a "Hop" play date
during Spring Break last week.
We tried to watch the movie
but the kids had the attention span
of 3 year olds...
haha!
They watched part of the movie
but mostly they just played 
and the moms got to talk!

I did fix them a special
"Hop"-inspired {super easy} snack...

I used the feet muffin cups
to hold Cheddar Bunnies and a Bunny Marshmallow!

Muffintinmom.com