Spring Photo Bomb

I haven't been around much {thank you Captain Obvious!!!}. I have actually been creating quite a few things that I could blog about {made from SCRATCH carrot cake, reusable snack bags, a thrifted cake stand, blah blah blah}, but I guess I just haven't been in much of a "bloggy" mood lately. Maybe it's the nice weather keeping us outside and on the go, maybe it's that I never think about taking pictures until AFTER I have finished a project, but either way, it's been pretty silent around here. :~(

Some things though, are too cute to keep to myself. I just love these little boys so.darn.much!!!! {PS - I did make those ties, perhaps I should do a tutorial soon.}

Spring is in the Air {and a Cute Freebie is in this Post}

I'm not even going to make any excuses today. It's been nice out and we have simply been enjoying life (zoo, park, walks, bubbles, just staying in the yard all day...you know) and it's been BLISS!!

A few days ago, I had a bit of inspiration. It was brought to my attention (by my mom) that I hadn't sent my grandma any recent pictures of the boys (oops!). So I decided, not only would I send her some SUPER adorable pictures, but that I would also create a cute envelope to carry the precious cargo. I created one (the one with flowers), but I simply couldn't stop there, so one became three cutie-cute spring themed envelopes, perfect for sending note cards or some 4x6 photos. Lucky for me, I have TONS of people who are in need of some delicious photo refreshments.  

And lucky for you, I am nice enough to let you benefit from my hard work for FREE!! Enjoy. :~)

{Click to download: Chevron, Dots, Flowers}

I would really like to stuff my envelopes with something special for Easter and Spring. Which means I have been scouring pinterest for inspiration.

I think these are darling. {however, the photo quality was not great}

Or these with a Mommy and a Daddy bunny? {This site has a lot of links to really cute thumbprint drawings.}

But what I am REALLY searching for are some easy Easter photo ideas and so far it seems like I am in DESPERATE need of a big ol' lop-eared bunny. 

Does anyone have one of these they want to let me borrow? ;~)

On the Menu - WW Cabbage Rolls Recipe Mash-up

Okay, I admit it, I FAILED miserably. I promised I would be better about keeping up with the blog, heck, I even set up a SCHEDULE for my blog posts, but it would appear that I have been absent for two whole weeks! Sigh. Sorry. There really isn't any reason for my invisibility besides "life", running after our two little monsters, and actually just a little lack of creative spark. Orrrrrrr.....was it just that I wanted to keep the pictures of my ADORABLE little 2nd cousin up a little longer? I'll go with that. haha.  Now that you all forgive me, we can move on to bigger and better things. :~)

Up until yesterday (when I changed my settings) I received roughly 1-billion e-mails per day from Pinterest. The majority of said e-mails were letting me know that someone had repinned one of my pins, the resounding majority of people had pinned the following:

Weight Watchers Cabbage Rolls

 

Evidently, there are A LOT of people who really like cabbage rolls out there! Well, either that, or a lot of people looking for Weight Watchers recipes. I feel that since TONS of people are pinning this from my recipe board, I need to be honest. I am sure the original recipe is great, but not once have I made it "as is". I actually combine the WW recipe with this recipe to make my own version, which I will now divulge:

Heather's "WW/ Spark People Mash-up" Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients For the Rolls:

1 - medium head of cabbage (ten leaves for rolls)

1 lb - lean ground beef

1/2 cup - uncooked white rice

1/2 cup - water

1/4 cup - breadcrumbs

1 - medium carrot grated

1 - medium onion finely chopped

1 - clove garlic minced

1 - egg (or egg white if you choose)

salt/ pepper to taste

olive oil

Ingredients for the Sauce:

remainder of the head of cabbage shredded

16 oz - canned diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
1 cup - water
1 - medium carrot sliced (or diced)
2 T - lemon juice
2 T - brown sugar
1 T - cornstarch
salt/ pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Remove 10 cabbage leaves from the outside of the head of cabbage. Wrap the cabbage leaves in plastic wrap or moist paper towels and microwave on high power for 2 minutes, until soft. Cut off the thickest, white portion of the spine of each leaf to make leaves pliable and easy to fold; set aside. 2. Shred the remainder of the cabbage for use in the sauce. 3. Combine beef, rice, water, bread crumbs, shredded carrot, onion, garlic, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. 4. Spoon about 1/4 cup of beef mixture onto the center of each leaf. Fold up bottom of leaf to cover filling, tuck in sides and then continue rolling to make loose rolls (rice will expand during cooking so it is important not to roll them too tightly). 5. Heat oil (a couple tsp) in a large stock pot over medium-high heat; add rolls and sauté until golden brown on all sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes. 6. Add tomatoes, sliced onions, water, shredded cabbage and the sliced carrot. Cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour or until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked. Baste and check for sticking occasionally. 7. Remove the rolls from the pan and keep warm. Mix the lemon juice, brown sugar and cornstarch together, add to the sauce and stir until thickend. 8. Serve the rolls with the sauce. 9. Enjoy! Ps - I don't know WHAT is going on with the spacing in this post and all the extra space at the bottom, but I GIVE UP! ahhhh!

Photo Friday - Baby Love

Sigh. Is there anything sweeter than a 6-day-old baby? I think not. Enjoy.

Adorable.

On the Menu - Grandpa's 80th Birthday

Last Thursday marked my grandpa's 80th birthday. Being that he and my grandma are both avid golfers, I thought we needed a special cake in order to celebrate the occasion (even though Grandma said, "You don't need to bring anything!!!" as Grandma's usually do). I saw a pin for a similar cake on Pinterest and thought I would give it a try. I will admit, I made this cake simply to attempt to decorate it, which actually ended up being pretty simple. I used boxed red velvet mix and store brand canned icing (which I tinted green). It still turned out yummy (and cute). :~)

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!

Photo Friday - First Snow

It's seems insane that we JUST had our first inch of snow on February 13th!! I was pleased that we were able to FINALLY use our snow boots and winter coats, but I would be lying if I said I actually enjoyed the effort it took to get our two snow monsters all bundled up. I never did figure out how to actually get their thumbs in those darn mittens!!! Thank goodness the effort was well worth it. :~) Not only did the boys have TONS of fun (especially watching Mommy run around with the dog), but oh lordy did they EVER look adorable!!! Enjoy!

Emmett and Owen - First Time in the Snow!

 

On the Menu - Chicken and Dumplings

We are currently in the midst of our VERY FIRST snow day of the year!! Can you believe it? The day before Valentine's Day and FINALLY we get to put on our snow boots and get out there!!! According to my meal planner, tonight's dinner was supposed to be "steak fajitas", BUT this cold wintery day whispered in my ear and said, "Make the chicken and dumplings, it will warm your body and your soul."  So, alas, I succumbed to the voices and HERE is the recipe. Enjoy.

Crock-pot Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

2lb carrots (peeled and sliced into "coins"

1 bunch celery (washed and chopped)

1 medium onion (peeled and chopped)

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts (still frozen)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 box chicken stock (sometimes I add a bit more)

salt, pepper, and tarragon to taste

butter (probably a couple of Tbs)

2 small cans of refrigerated biscuits

Method

1) Layer all ingredients (except the butter and the biscuits) in the crock-pot in the order listed above.

2) Allow to cook on low in the crock-pot for at least 8 hours.

3) When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, removed it from the crock and shred or chop it into pieces (I shred).

3) While you are shredding (or chopping) the chicken, add the butter to the crock-pot and stir, if you want more liquid, now is the time to add it. (add either water with a bit of chicken bouillon or more stock)

4) Return the chicken to the pot and stir.

5) Cut or tear the biscuits into 2 or 4 pieces (depending on size) and place them on top of everything in the crock-pot.

6) Cover and continue to cook until biscuits have reached a dumpling-esque consistency. (about 30 minutes)

7) Serve in bowls and enjoy the yummy goodness.

In hindsight, I really should have taken pictures while chop chop chopping away, but I sure didn't do that!! Maybe tonight I will remember to take a picture of the finished product and add it later. I mean, we all know we basically eat with our eyes. :~)

**  Hint: USE crock-pot liners. OMGoodness do they EVERY save time!! **

Photo Friday - March for Babies

You might have noticed a new addition to the blog, the little March for Babies banner over to the left right. See? Right over there? -----> (I seriously wrote left first!) For those who aren't in the know, our boys were born prematurely at 30 weeks and 4 days gestation (a full term pregnancy is 40 weeks). I'll spare you all the details and statistics, some of which are on our team page, but the beginning was a bit rough. It took tons of work and immense amounts of support to get our "littles" to where they are today. Currently, they are 18 months old and ornery as all get out, but just LOOK where they started!!!! 

If you would like to join our family in thanking March of Dimes for contributing to the growth of our little monsters, you can do so by clicking on the banner to the right. We would love to have you on our team, but if you are not in the area or cannot walk, PLEASE consider making a tax deductible donation! Thank you!!!

WIMW(Th) - Printable Valentines

Admittedly, I don't go all out decorating or preparing for Valentine's day. I have been known to make a special dinner (with menu) and/ or a fancy dessert, but other than that our house goes on as usual. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually LOVE all of the pretty pink and red (and saucy black) that goes along with the holiday, and who really could resist the chocolate filled cardboard hearts, right? BUT, everything I "plan" in regards to V-Day is like super-very-ultra-last-minute, or at least I think that's the technical term. I'm horrible. :~( 

Even though I haven't gotten a darn thing for my family, I did put together a little something pretty (and printable....and mildly, okay maybe WILDLY cheesy) for you, my seven, (and whoever else is lurking out there). Enjoy!

Wordy Bird Design's FREE Printable Valentines.

Cough, Cough, Sniffle, Sniffle

Sickness has been spreading though our home like wildfire. Uhg. So today's lame post it brought to you by Kleenex brand Kleenexes and, of course, the number 3.

I haven't even THOUGHT about what I want to serve for dinner this week. Honestly nothing sounds appealing, nothing except this:

A nice bowl of hot and sour soup, or as I like to call it,

"The Cure".

 Seriously, sorry I don't have anything better for you (or for my family) this week. We REALLY need to stop passing this junk around!

 

Photo Friday - The Other Side of the Lens

As you may remember, I am trying to become a better photographer (hence, Photo Friday). The best way to become better at something is to "practice, practice, practice", so I have been taking an abundance of photos lately. While looking through and editing the photographs my husband and I have been snapping, I started pondering something, something I never really thought about until now. For every photograph, there is a photographer. Simple right? For every moment caught on film, for every yawning newborn, for every beautiful sunset, for every first kiss as husband and wife, and for every last breath captured, there is someone on the other side of the lens sharing in the moment. There was somebody reveling in that beautiful sunset, it didn't just fall on blind eyes, SOMEONE was watching. There was someone adoring the brand new baby whose soulful eyes gazed straight into the camera. There were proud parents clapping, smiling and cheering while commemorating every "first" caught on film. SOMEONE was there, someone was living their life on the other side of the lens.

Here is just a breath of the moments we have been living. Enjoy.

WIMW - Grandma's Birthday Gift

Don't worry, she's already received it, so I am not in jeopardy of ruining any kind of surprise. :~) Also, pretty sure my mom doesn't read my blog anyway, or she would have already seen the pictures included in the gift! Anywhoo, a while ago (before Christmas) I came across this pin on Pinterest.

Original Pinsperation

 I had every intention of making something like it for Christmas presents, but I never actually got around to it! Thank goodness, my mom's birthday is in January so I hadn't already forgotten the pin. There isn't a link to any kind of tutorial with the pin, so I kind of had to come up with my own. In the original, it looks as though it was simply a wood plank painted or stained and then the words must have been PAINSTAKINGLY applied by hand (NO WAY I was going to do that!!!). Here is my version of the project. I will explain, roughly, what I did after the jump. I was running behind as usual, so I didn't take any "during" pictures. Also, sorry for the poor picture quality, it's really quite ridiculous.

My version.

Okay, so I am going to try and explain how I made this (in ten simple steps). Here goes nothing.

1) I bought a raw wood plaque from Hobby Lobby.

2) I measured the face of the plaque (the whole rectangle, I worried about the corners after the fact).

3) I created a document the size of the face of the plaque. (I use PhotoShop, but MS Publisher would be just as easy)

4) I added a background to the document, but really, if you wanted you could just print text on scrapbook paper or something like that, and I added the text.

5) I printed the document on linen look cardstock, placed it onto the plaque and folded the corners to see where they needed to be cut.

6) I uses Mod Podge to adhere the document to the plaque, covering the back and the front of the paper completely (note, the red ink runs....boo). I also Mod Podged the edges of the plaque.

7) After the Mod Podge was dry, I painted the edges of the frame (and slightly over the edges of the paper).

8) When the paint dried, I Mod Podged over the entire project again.

9) Next, I used Amazing Goop Craft Glue to attach the tiny clothes pins to the plaque.

10) Finally, I painted the top of each clothes pin and embellished them with (you wont believe this) clip on earrings with the backings removed!!! The earrings were in a bucket of old costume jewelry which didn't sell at a friend's garage sale. So glad I picked it up!

My mom really seemed to like the gift. Hopefully this little project will spark some creativity in your life as well!

On the Menu - {pinsperation}

I am quite certain that the majority of "My Seven" have heard of Pinterest, however, just in case you haven't I suggest you hop right on over and add "drooling over all of the creative and wonderful things other people have done or are planning to do" to your list of addictions. One of my favorite things about Pinterest is it inspires me to plan new and exciting meals for the family. As soon as I begin to peruse the food and drink boards I can't help but salivate over all of the deliciousness. Here are some of the pins who have won a spot on my weekly "Yummy Plan". Enjoy.

Pork, Kale, and White Bean Soup. I GREATLY overestimated the amount of Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin my family would eat last week. I cooked 2 tenderloins (totaling about 3lbs). Not only did we have them for dinner the night I made them, but again when I used left overs to make pork, caramelized onion, and provolone paninis and STILL we have an entire tenderloin left over!! So it's currently waiting in the freezer to be a part of this yummy winter soup.

Oven Baked Shrimp Scampi. We haven't had shrimp in a while and this sounds not only SUPER easy but SUPER yummy, so we'll give it a whirl. Served with a salad and some bread it should make a nice meal. :~) 

Creamy Southwest Chicken (for the crock-pot). I am going to really attempt to use my crock-pot at least once a week. Now that I have discovered the wonderfulness of crockpot liners, there is really no reason NOT to use it as much as possible. The recipe calls for serving this over rice, but I'm not a big fan of rice (unless wrapped in a nice sushi roll) so we are going to wrap it up in tortillas.

Catalina Taco Salad. This stuff is SO SO GOOD!!! I have Catalina dressing left over from the Catalina Chicken I made last week (not my favorite recipe), so that gave me an excuse to make this scrumptious salad. Yum! (Note: I use kidney beans instead of pinto and use no where NEAR the two onions called for in the recipe)

Now don't you want to head on over to pinterest and get some PINsperation?

18 Month Photos

I gotta tell you, Day 1 of the 18-month photo extravaganza did NOT go as planned! Does anything ever go as planned with three silly toddlers? Probably not. I expected the little ones to be nearly impossible to contain, to be looking everywhere but the camera and to run off a few thousand times, but I did NOT expect two of said silly toddlers to make the clever decision to dump water in their laps immediately prior to going out in the 40 degree weather for the photo shoot! Oh no, right? The sister-in-law and I were only able to muster up enough happy-boy-ness for a few pictures before the snot and tears (from MY boys) started flowing. Thank goodness cousin H is such a trooper! Here are the few decent shots from Day 1. The happy looking one, yeah, he's not mine. :~)

Turns out I didn't have time to get out for "Day 2" of the 18-month photo-shoot. Runny noses, low grade fevers and 18-month check-ups got in the way. Maybe we will get around to it this weekend, but in the meantime, how about some candid shots of some SMILEY boys!! Notice in one picture, E is sitting in the
dog food cabinet. It's apparently become a favorite hang-out spot for both boys. :~)

Burlap Flower Wreath and Family Bunting

I bet you thought I wasn't going to post today didn't you? Given my history, I can see why you would think this, but don't you feel just a teeny-tiny bit bad for doubting me? ;~) So, this week's project came about due to an excess of burlap laying around the house and my need to make a boring shelf a bit "prettier". I decided to use the burlap to make a hanging flower. I'm not going to post the tutorial, because it's been done a billion times and you can find it anywhere. I loosely used this no sew tutorial from Jones Design Company (LOVE!!!) but, I made the following changes: 1) I just cut out circles, no fancy flower shape, 2)I didn't put a pin on the back, and 3) I added the vintage button (really it was a clip-on earring I think) to the front. After hanging the flower, I felt that it looked a bit lonely just hanging there so I bought an embroidery hoop and wrapped it with twine and a bit of ribbon to make a skinny wreath. I then attached the flower (again with hot glue). Super easy.

The family bunting hanging below the shelf is kind of funny. I hung it up and decided I didn't really like the yellow color (because there was already yellow on the shelf). I didn't even notice that the Y was backwards until staring at it for a while and just feeling something else was "off". Nice. Anyway, I changed the colors and corrected my little mistake with the Y, and TADA!!!! If you so choose, you can get a free copy of the family bunting - here.

I still want to change a couple of things (read: the black podium thing and the copious amounts of dust on the mirror), but it's a start.  (PS - I know you are worried, but the home print is just taking a short break because I needed the frame.) ENJOY!

Monday Muchies - Meal Planning

I'll admit it. On any given week, you might find me in the grocery store three out of seven days. Prior to having "the littles" this wasn't really a big deal, nor was it a bad thing or a frustrating thing. I actually ENJOYED  going to the grocery store,  wandering through the isles, and searching for inspiration. Prior to the littles, you would find me, almost daily, salivating over recipes on my lunch break and envisioning dinner for the coming evening. We rarely ate the same thing twice, sure I had my favorites (coconut chicken, chicken parm, beef and bean chili....blah blah), but I truly loved love culinary experimentation. Since the boys have come along, it seems I am experimenting less and less (even though they will eat most things). I attribute this lack of kitchen creativity to a couple of things:

1) It just isn't easy or pleasurable to run to the store with twin toddlers, especially when there seems to be a shortage of carts which will accommodate TWO little guys who desperately need to be strapped in. Although, I am quite certain people revel in the comedic relief of watching me struggle through the isles with one baby in the Ergo and one in the cart, while BOTH are trying to thieve things off of the shelves, it would be nice if the experience were a bit more relaxed. :~)

2) I am horrible at meal planning. I actually LOOKED FORWARD to the daily meal planning and running to the store prior to preparing dinner for the evening. Unfortunately, that kind of spontaneity no longer has a place in our lives. Boooo.

So, I am going to try, like REALLY try, to make a weekly meal plan. A plan which allows for creativity AND helps us keep our collective family sanity. In addition to making meal time less stressful, planning ahead may also help to make meal time more healthy, which is good....I guess....if you like that kind of thing. :~) So far I am only planning for dinners (we can wing breakfast, lunch and snacks, right?), but maybe in the future I will become even MORE organized. I would like to present to you, my loyal followers, with this weeks meal plan, or "The Yummy Plan" if you will. Enjoy. (link to the blank plan and all main dish recipes follows the image)

If you would like to join me in meal planning, you can download the blank version of the Wordy Bird Designs "Yummy Plan" here. Our family's plan has been laminated and is proudly displayed on the fridge, where I can write/ erase to my heart's content.

This week's recipes: Pasta Bolognese, Catalina Chicken, Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin (left overs will be used for sandwiches, thanks Megan), and Beef Stroganoff.

Photo Friday - A Secret Revealed

In my attempt to become not only a better photographer, but to become better at processing my photos, I came across a little Photoshop secret, using action sets to "fix" photos. Action sets make it super simple to tweak your photos and bring out features that otherwise may have gone unnoticed with just the click of a button. A quick online search yields many many results for "photoshop actions" some are free, some are quite pricey. I actually have my eye set on this one, but I just can't justify paying for it quite yet. :~) I did, however find a really nice set through Bloom and Grow Photography which allows me to make my pictures look more refined and, well, pretty. Just to give you an example of what their actions can do, here are a couple of photos - first straight off the camera (SOTC - look at me using the "lingo") and then using some of the Bloom and Grow actions along with my own adjustments. I still have a lot to learn and even now I look at these pictures and I think, "hmmmm, I should have done....", but it's a start. Enjoy.

What I Made Wednesday - Thriftstore Purse Revival

In an attempt to keep up with blogging a bit more, I am really REALLY trying to find a way to become more organized (read: blog more) while still giving myself some breathing room. In addition, I would LOVE love LOVE to find a way to incorporate all of the activities that I, well, LOVE. I realized as of late that this space has become kind of a virtual mish-mash of all of the goings on in my life (recipes, photos, crafts, etc). It was seeming a bit disheveled, but I still liked it. I mean, who wants to have a one track mind, right? ;~) Any-whoo, here is what I am thinking: 

Monday - "Monday Munchies" - This is where I get to incorporate my love of cooking into the blog. Posts might include meal plans, recipes I like (or tried but didn't like), ways to organize family dinners, etc.

Wednesday - "What I Made Wednesday" - I loosely borrowed this idea from Lindsey over at The Pleated Poppy. She includes "What I WORE Wednesday" in her blog, BUT, since no one wants to see a photo collage of me in yoga pants every.single.week, this is where I am going to post about my latest "projects".

Friday - "Photo Friday" - I am NOT a photographer....at all, but, one of my goals for the year is to make the photos I do take BETTER and the best way to get better at anything is to practice, practice, practice. So, here is where I will share various photo snippets from our little world.

Now that the logistics are out of the way, I welcome you to read my FIRST "What I Made Wednesday". Enjoy

A while back, I picked up a sturdy, yet super 

ugly purse at the Salvation Army for right around

a dollar. When I saw the purse, I thought, "Hmm, I

think I may be able to do something with that!" 

So off I went to the fabric store (this is a no-sew

project, have I mentioned how much sewing scares me?). 

I purchased a quarter yard of jewel-toned fabric,

which I love, so warm and inviting, jewel-tones, and

promptly headed home.

This was really so easy. I laid the purse on the fabric,

traced around the edges with fabric marker, cut out the

fabric and then mod podged it to the purse with a

sponge brush. Yep, you heard me right I MOD-PODGED

the fabric straight onto the purse! Yay, no sewing!

I let the whole thing dry and VOILA, a "new" purse.

It really looks super cute with jeans, boots and a scarf

OR with yoga pants! (haha!)

  PS - I tend to enjoy ugly trendy purses, so you won't hurt my feelings if you are currently screaming "EWWWW!".   :~)

One of the Little Things I Love...

It's simple. I love pictures of my friends and family. I love seeing their smiling faces, if only for a moment, when I head into the kitchen or on my way up the stairs. THIS is why I just can't seem to make myself take down the holiday photo cards. They can be part of the year round decor, right?

Adventures in Cooking for Kids

I know this doesn't have much anything to do with design, but believe it or not, my days are spent mostly doing the normal stay at home mama activities (ie: cooking, cleaning, chasing kids, tripping over random toys, etc). Being that it is a new year, and most people jump on the "new year, new you" train I decided not only would I hop aboard, but I would drag my (mostly) willing family along with me. For me, this means the following: we joined the local community center and intend to use it and, maybe the most important change, we are planning meals and intend to actually cook them. :~) I'm not going to lie, not every.single.meal is going to be super healthy (read: Grandma's chicken spaghetti is tonight, which actually contains Velveeta, sorry all you "non-processed" people.), but they will be homemade and the hubs and I could use a little practice with portion control. So, just in case you want to jump on the healthy(er) train with us, I would like to share a bit of what I have already cooked or am planning to cook.

Veggie Muffins. Yum. I made these yesterday while the boys were napping. I halved the recipe except kept the broccoli the same (by accident). They turned out pretty well. I think they are delicious, the (little) boys, however, are not quite as impressed. They ate them, but with a definite "I know something is up with these" suspicion, which is strange considering they actually eat all of the ingredients under normal circumstances.

Baked Mozzarella Sticks. Again, yum. These were today's lunch. I thought there were QUITE yummy, but I do love me some fried baked cheese (who doesn't right?!). I changed the recipe a bit, in that I only used half of an eggroll wrapper for each stick (cut on the diagonal) and I brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled a bit of salt prior to baking. Yet again, these were more well received by yours truly than "the littles", granted little-E had been throwing a WHOPPER of a tantrum for a good 30 minutes prior to lunch, so he wasn't really in the eating mood. I was surprised by the lack of enthusiasm, normally cheese=good and dipping food=SUPER good!

Black Bean Burgers. These will be dinner tomorrow. Honestly, I don't make these enough. They are SO yummy and one of my all time favorite vegetarian recipes. I do absolutely nothing different with this recipe well, strike that, I think I have added corn a couple of times, but it's really quite good as is. I serve the burgers sans bun with sour cream, salsa and a side of store bought sweet potato fries, so SO good! Now, hopefully the littles will feel the same...sigh...toddlers.

A New Year, A New Design and A New Give Away

Much to the dismay of the Hubs, I have been spending a bit a lot of time today revamping my blog, you know, instead of cleaning up the piles of clothing and Legos which are currently decorating our space. I felt like the new year called for a new and exciting make-over (for the blog, although, I could use one as well). I am pretty happy with the initial changes, so we'll see how long it is before I feel the need to "redecorate". And, because I am still in the giving spirit, and because I want you to stick around, I am offering another print for download. The print fits in a standard 8 x 10 frame and will soon be adorning our mantle. Enjoy.

Download and Print Image Here

Project 12 - Resolution

Today, I am embarking on a new challenge. A challenge to take and edit photos fitting a given theme for each month in the year of 2012 (WOW! Did I just type 2012?!). I am by no means a photographer, but I have a desire to learn and grow, which has been inspired by the act of watching our boys learn and grow. This month's theme is "resolution" - which is to be interpreted any way I wish. Because it's January and the start of a new year, I chose to interpret resolution the old fashioned way, as a way of stating something I wish to do during the coming year. This month, my resolution is to take more time to PLAY. Enjoy.