Mommy Daughter Aprons

 I had so much fun making that half apron for my friend a few weeks back that I had to pick up some more fabric and make a couple more. (see original post with link to apron tutorial HERE) This time I made 3 aprons, one for my sister and the same for myself and with some of the left over fabric, made a matching one for my 3 year.  We love baking in the kitchen together and so having matching mommy daughter aprons was just what we had been missing.  When she doesn't want to take a nap, I have her put on her apron and help do chores like dusting and vacumming (with her play vacccuum) and put laundry away because I always tell her that kids need to take naps and mom has to work, so if she is going to be up, she has to help me.  :)  (although I don't ALWAYS work during naptime...I've been known to catch up on Parenthood episodes, craft or just be on the computer...shhh, don't tell! ;)

Coffee Filter Flowers

Here is our most recent arts and crafts project, we made coffee filter flowers.  We went for a walk last weekend and saw some tulip buds shooting up and one tulip that had opened and we started talking about spring and how everything becomes new again.  After that nature walk observing the beginnings of spring and talking about flowers, we had a rainy day and talked about how God sends the rain to make things grow and we decided to make some flowers to enjoy in the mean time.

How to Make Coffee Filter Flowers

1. To make coffee filter flowers, have you child color on coffee filters with washable markers.

2. Fill up a spray bottle and set it on mist.  Let them spray the coffee filters and watch the marker colorings take on a watercolor effect as they bleed together.

3. Let the coffee filters dry completely.

4. You can make flowers as big or small as you want...making a flower with a single coffee filter or layering 2 or 3 together.  Pinch the center of the coffee filter and push the rest up. 

5. Wrap a pipe cleaner tightly around the pinched center part of the coffee filter.  Fluff up the flowers however you like and put them in a vase.

B's First Steps!!!

 B took his first steps last night!  He just let go of the couch and started walking towards me out of no where and took about 7-8 steps.  Then we flipped out the Flip and  caught him taking a couple more!  He will be 11 months old in a couple days and still has no teeth!

Here's the little big guy, sweetest baby ever!

Chocolate Crispie Cookies From Central Market

Two weeks ago I went to Central Market and found these awesome gluten free cookies in the bakery called Chocolate Crispie Cookies, they were shiny and crispy on the outside, and chewy with pecan pieces on the inside and super addicting.  So addicting that for the past 2 weeks I have been looking for the recipe so I can make them because going to Central Market isn't good for my checkbook! 
I found the Chocolate Crispie Cookie Recipe through google search on THIS BLOG. 

I double the recipe because I signed up to bring "something chocolate" to my MOPS meeting tomorrow.   I'm sitting here waiting to finish making them all since I double the recipe and made a mistake on my first batch, I made them too big so it took FOREVER to cook them!  Anyways, I did sample on of the first ones and it is very much like the Choclate Crispy Cookies at Central Market, however, I think these ones are sweeter, so maybe next time I'll leave out some of the sugar.  Mine also look lighter in color then the ones at Central Market.  To make these gluten free I substituted 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch for the 2 Tablespoons of flour.  Well, anyways, I'm sitting here waiting for one of the batches in the oven to come out and then there will be another, I already  have 3 batches done...I'm making 12 at a time.  *sigh* So much for going to bed early tonight!!!

Pecan Chewy Chocolate Cookies
8 ounces chopped pecans
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast them for about 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Place sugar, cocoa, flour and salt in mixer bowl and stir together. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, scrapping bowl. Beat in vanilla and continue beating at high speed for 1 minute. Stir in cooled, toasted chopped pecans.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies for spreading. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, turning sheet halfway though baking time.

Child's Prayer

 my little angel :)

So, yesterday I was not having the best of days. I was just extra tired and as the day went on getting more tired and more cranky.  I was feeling like J was driving me crazy, although she wasn't too out of the ordinary, it was just me in a bad mood and having no patience. I decided we better make a trip to the gym so I could get a little break and burn off some negative energy and hopefully pump in some endorphins. As she began whining about her shoes without even trying to find them, because they were basically right in front of her, I was about to lose it.  I stopped, took a deep breath trying to keep it together when I remembered a tip from the book Mom Has Fun that was given to my husband by a work associate who is friends with the author.  I still haven't finished the book, but one of the main things the woman does in her family is have a time out and calling a team meeting when things start going awry. I let out that deep breath, got down to J's level and just said "I really need you to help me out.  Mommy is really tired and feeling really cranky.  I'm so cranky it's making me want to yell and scream, but I don't want to yell and scream, so could you please be a special helper and make sure that you and Bronson don't whine and are good listeners?"  She lit up and was excited to be my helper.  Then, we proceeded to get ready and out the door.  As we were walking to the car, J, excited to be my helper in my time of need, said to me "Mommy, Jesus can help you!  He can be in your heart and make you feel better if you want!"  As we got into the car I thought it was sweet what she was saying, but I still felt in a crummy mood.  As we drove to the gym, she told me again, "Mommy, I know He can help you feel better if you want"...so I said "well, maybe you could pray for me"...and J doesn't actually pray very often, I encourage it but don't make her do it.  However, she does like to listen to me pray and occasionally chime in something so I found it so sweet and precious when she said "Dear Heavnwy Father, Thank you Jesus knows us and can be in our hearts, Jesus Name Amen".  I'll tell you it was hard to still feel sour after hearing that simple, sweet prayer coming from the back seat.  With that, and a really good workout, I did feel much better and refreshed and on the way home, I told Jordan "Thank you for praying for me, it really did help me to feel better".  She was really happy to help out. :P

The other 2 notable times she's said a cute prayer was

"Dear Heavnwy father, please bless Bronson that he can be my best friend"...sweet...then the next day she asked if I could go to the doctor and they could put him back in my tummy...lol

"Dear Heavenwy Father, please BLESS Jacob and Tyson.....and.....please BLESS Jacob and Tyson....and................please Bless Jacob and Tyson....and....bless Jacob and Tyson...in Jesus name, Amen."
(her best friends who are brothers)

Yay for Bloggy Awards!

 

I just received this award from Sunshine and Lollipops, thank you Angie!

The rules of the Stylish Blogger Award are:
Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.  
Share seven things about yourself.
Award seven recently discovered new blogs.
Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award. 

So here is my 7 things  about me!

• I love potatoes, especially in the form of French Fries or Kettle Chips and I can't live without chocolate and I love going to the gym to justify my chocolate and potato habits...well...alright, I also enjoy the actual working out part too...especially group classes like Body Flow and Power Yoga.
• I cut my hair REALLY short in 8th grade and someone called me "Shim" and another time at the 7 eleven, the cashier asked me "What's with you boys wearing nail polish these days?"  My response was an embarrassed "Um, I don't know".  Other people just assumed I was a lesbian since my hair was short.
• I also made a ridiculous work out video when I was about 14-15 that was freaking awesome...lol...maybe I'll get my parents to upload it to the computer so I can embarrass myself with it!
• I used to compose a lot of music but haven't done any in a while, no time with babies!  Pre-baby days I would spend hours a day at the piano, i loved to improvise
• I absolutely love dancing with or for my kids...but you won't catch me dance like that in public! yikes!
• In one month I'll celebrate the 10 year anniversary of my first date with my husband.
• I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in highschool and Hashimoto's almost 2 years ago.  I turn into a zombie if I don't take my prescription, literally a zombie.  Sometimes I even start to get zombie like even when I take my medication anyways...and get really bad joint pain and a lot of other crappy symptoms...but if you're going to have an autoimmune disease, it's one of the better ones to have!!! 

The 7 blogs I am giving this award to are ...(new blogs I've recently found)

 Krista @ Heavenly Savings

 Ashley @ Eisy Morgan

Becca @ Blue Cricket Designs

Alysha @ Supermom

Jessica @ Sweet Treats by Jessica

KC @ One plus One = Four

Aubrie @ A Mama B's

Right now I'm listening to Float On by Modest Mouse  

                           

Easy Go-To Gluten Free Dinner

 

We love Peppers and Onions!

We are pretty busy most weeknights and like to eat healthy dinners that are fast and easy.  Often we will cook a bunch of chicken early in the week and then eat it throughout the week in different ways to save time,  This is one of our favorite go to dinners that is really tasty, refreshing, and gluten and dairy free!

Peppers, Onion, Chicken and Rice dish

4 bell peppers (a combo of at least 2 colors)

1 yellow onion

olive oil

Jasmine Rice

Cooked Chicken, cut up in smaller pieces

1 lemon

• Dice the bell peppers and onions. (I usually do this earlier in the day so dinner making time goes super fast) 
• Cook Rice like THIS
• While rice is cooking, in a large frying pan, sautee bell peppers and onion until tender.
• When Rice is finished, add to the bell pepper mixture along with cut up cooked chicken.  
• Cut a lemon in half and squeeze both halves of the lemon over the entire mixture.  Toss together and serve with salt and pepper.

If the chicken and veggies are prepped before, this dinner will be ready in a little over 20 minutes.