My Name Is Snickerdoodle

Another Sponser Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:17:00 +0000

One of my sponsors just launched their site...like today!

Lilly Lou Finds is celebrating with a fabulous giveaway and

wanted me to make sure you all got in on it!

If you head over to their FB page you can enter to win a $100 Lilly Lou Voucher

good towards any purchase on their site.

Since their prices on their Finds are a steal,

you could buy so many cute items with that amount of money!

YIKES!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:17:00 +0000

Are you a journal writer? I was when I was younger. I whenever I come across the box that houses all my journals from those past years I love to peruse through them.

More often than not most of my entries start out like this...

"Well, it's been a while since I last wrote."
Or...
"A lot has happened since I last wrote."

I feel like I'm beginning that trend again here. I'm pretty sure my mom and dad are the only ones who check my blog every day to see if I've updated. I've been really busy. Like BUSY and I'm excited to get to share what I've been up to soon. But for now, I've realized that I've left you guys out to pasture with my giveaway. I sincerely apologize for not posting the winner when I said I would.

So, Missy! You are the winner of a fabulous statement frame!

Thanks everyone and I promise I'll be back. I'm currently in the middle of a whole new redesign for my site and I can't wait for you to see it!

St. Patty's Backlash

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:12:00 +0000

I forgot it was going to be St. Patrick's day on Sunday until Saturday night. I hadn't planned anything fun for the kids like I'm sure you all did! Sunday morning I had Ian put a couple drops of green food coloring in the kid's toilet without Liam noticing. The boys were watching Darby O'Gill And The Little People and I got breakfast ready.

I did get a little tricky with Liam's milk. I poured a few drops of milk into his cup along with some green coloring. I placed the cup back into the cupboard and had him come into the kitchen to help me with the waffles. I pulled out the milk from the fridge and got his attention (by asking him questions about church) and poured "white" milk into his cup. His eyes got so big when he saw the milk was green! I told him that a leprechaun must be playing a trick on us. Of course our picky child was too scared to drink it, but he thought it was cool anyways.

When he went in to the bathroom, his reaction was priceless as he noticed the leprechaun peed green and didn't flush! Another trick!

It all backfired when Liam then was afraid to use that bathroom for the rest of the day because he was afraid there would be a leprechaun in there and hasn't wanted to drink milk since!

Supreming

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Do you know what supreming is? It sounds so pretentious, doesn't it?! It's basically a fancy word for segmenting any citrus. I learned about it years ago and actually feel fancy every time I do it. It a perfect technique for fruit salad and desserts. A "change your life" technique! (Yes a little dramatic!)

A mentor of mine (a spunky glorious mentor of mine) just made a quick video all about it. Libbie Summers is a master!

Make sure to check out her other videos here!

And We Have A Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:31:00 +0000

WOW!

You all are amazing for getting to 100 likes (and more) for Lilly Lou Finds!

And I'm excited that I get to announce the winner this morning!

KATE LINEBERRY!!!!

You are the winner of a $50 Visa Gift Card from Lilly Lou Finds!

They wish to thank everyone who jumped at the chance to win and most importantly

were some of the first to "like" them on FB!

I've heard through the grapevine they are having another giveaway soon so be on the look out.

Their official launch is only moments away so make sure

to sign up at Lilly Lou Finds to get the scoop!

*Kate, please email me at amy (at) mynameissnickerdoodle (dot) com with your mailing address!

Fabulous Food Friday #145 {Carrot Cake}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Growing up I thought that carrot cake was the dessert for old people. It makes me laugh now because I thought 30 was old back then!

I was missing out all those years because carrot cake is delicious! Let me restate...carrot cake is delicious when it's make correctly. Without pineapple OR nuts! That's just my taste and I haven't eaten any other carrot cake that's made me change my mind.

These next few words I take very seriously. This is the best carrot cake ever. Like ever.
Hands down.
Can't be topped.
You need no other recipe.

The moment you put a fork full of this moist cake and creamy frosting in your mouth, your next thought will be, "Yep. Amy was right!"

Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Printable Version
Serves 8-10

Cake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs, large
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups carrots, shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans. In a large bowl cream together sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add in vanilla and mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Pour into sugar mixture and mix until just about combined. Add in carrots and mix until completely combined. DO NOT over mix. Evenly divide batter into prepared loaf pans. Smooth out to evenly spread in pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake to a cooling rack and completely cool. Once cooled, slice each cake in half horizontally and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
4 TBSP butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar until combined.

GIVEAWAY! {Finally}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:38:00 +0000

I'm so excited to finally announce my giveaway! You all have been great to like me on Facebook and join me here so thank you very much!

Can I also thank you for being so patient with me? I haven't been the best at posting constantly lately or posting anything super exciting/inspiring. My life is different that I had thought it would be at this point and I was having a hard time adjusting to somethings. But, I'm fully on track and really appreciate all of your kinds words and uplifting spirits!

What I'm giving away today is something that took a lot of my time at the end of last year. Ian and I decided to start up our own little business and I was completely thrilled by the whole thing. It was stressful trying to get it to all work, but I knew the product was fantastic. We were creating statement frames for the home. We practically sold out of all of the turquoise ones once we were up and running.

We saved ourselves a few to update our picture wall above one of our couches. (Sorry for the horrible picture). I wish that I had a before picture. It was all black frames and we wanted to incorporate more color. Granted, we still added in grey and white, but you know what I mean.

So fun, right? We currently aren't making any more than what we originally did. Why? Well, both Ian and I felt that the timing was off. It wasn't right for us at this time to dip into such a venture. Some other reasons (some unknown and some known) also played into the decision to stop moving forward. We truly hope to revisit it when the time is right.

Regardless...I had one of these in mind from the very beginning to giveaway to one of you!

The winner will get to choose between a grey or yellow 5x7 frame. All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment with your name

and telling me which color you would choose.

Please only enter if you

are already a member of my site AND have liked me on FB!

You have until Monday, March 18th to enter

and the winner will be randomly chosen

and announced on Tuesday, March 19th!

{The frame is lightly distressed and will come with a clear acrylic insert}

Hello?

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:27:00 +0000

We've had another bout of sickness run through our family and then for the last few days we haven't had internet.

I think I'm addicted to my internet connection because I was climbing the walls without it! The upside...I got a ton done around the house. What a concept, right?! It made me think that I need to go at least one day without any devices. Just maybe.

Anyways, I'm posting today to let you know that tomorrow is the day. The day I'm doing my fun giveaway. So, make sure you check back in to see how to enter!

And, I'm also reminding you to enter this giveaway for LillyLou Finds. A $50 Visa Gift Card is a pretty great prize! It's possibly the easiest giveaway ever.

How's Your Healthly Eating Going?

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:18:00 +0000

"Healthy? What is she talking about?"

I'm sure you're asking yourself that right now.

I know that my site is not your go-to for healthy recipes. And that's not necessarily going to change anytime soon. I'm a comfort food girl. However, my family does not eat heavy for every meal. There are nights where I put together a veggie plate for my boys and they love it. And then there are nights where we eat like kings. Do I perfectly balance it every time? The truth? No.

Which brings me to my post. I want to introduce my family to better foods. I know I'm not the only one and I'm sure some of you made it a resolution this year to do so. And I happen to know some women who know all about it. They are not experts with degrees, rather experts through daily experience.

I was in a co-op preschool with both of them and when each of their boys would pull out their lunches, I would wait for the whining to ensue. Both 4 year old boys chowed down on veggie wraps, fresh green beans, black beans and homemade grain-filled muffins. Amazing.

Brooke over at Simply Real Food has amazing recipes. And she has 5 kids who gobble them up, too! One of her popular recipes is this zingy Black Bean Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette.

Um...YUM!

Then Jenn over at Belly Bites recipe for Shrek Shakes is out of this world! I've made this (with tweaks of my own) and loved it!

They both have other amazing recipes so add a few to your menu this week!

And since I'm always on the look out for great healthy recipes, what are your go-to recipes that you love?

New Sponsor and GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:49:00 +0000

I'm excited to introduce to you one of my new sponsors, LillyLou Finds! It's an up and coming online market that will bring you daily deals on amazing finds! Finds like fabulous jewelry, home decor, kid accessories, fun kitchen gadgets, adorable vinyl products and more! Every day there will be something new that you'll just want to get your hands on.

They are launching their site early this spring, but are giving my readers the very first opportunity to win something we all need. A $50 Visa Gift Card! And they are making it super simple to enter. The first 100 people to like their FB Page are automatically entered to win the $50 Visa Gift Card! The winner will randomly be chosen and announced here. The sooner you like, the sooner you could win!

I wish everyone the best and will let you know when the official launch date will be! Don't forget to sign up for their newsletter as well!

I Found The Smelly Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I asked everyone on my FB page what they used to make their home smell great. I got some really wonderful ideas and some new products that I'm excited to try...just not right now. The majority voted for warmers which I've done before and loved. Until I accidentally bumped it (I had it in the kitchen) and wax went everywhere. Maybe when I have a bigger kitchen and can have it in an unused corner somewhere.

Every now and then I really like to light aromatic candles because I love the feel of candles...so glowy and romantic. However, with my boys who like to play around, it's not so smart to have any open flames.

I really like the idea of plug ins, but I run into the same issue as the candle. Boys who are adventurous and I don't want to always be hounding them to stay away from it. Plus, my littlest is completely mobile and I can see him honing in on them.

A few days ago I wandered into Bath and Body Works. I hadn't been in years (literally) and basked in the scents of heaven. I found they had car scents and bought two for my car. I put one in my car and the other insert I set aside on my bar in the kitchen waiting to be put back in the car.

It's a small little disk that's not obtrusive so I decided to peel back the label and set it behind some containers I had there. Out of site and away from any little hands. My house smells fabulous!!! I decided to experiment a little, purchased a few more and set them above the cabinets in each of the bathrooms. No flame, no worrisome wax and no plugs! Even when Liam walked into the bathroom today commented on how good it smelled in there.

So there you have it. My bright idea (I'm sure I'm not the one who's thought of this) that I just had to share with you!

I'm very much a clean/citrus scent kind of girl, but am always curious what scents others use in their home. Are you more of a vanilla, musk or flowery type person?

Have You Heard Of Apartment Therapy?

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Well, they featured my little chore chart earlier this week.

And that same chore chart is also linked up at Mom Advice.

Make sure you check them out!

It's good news like this that just makes my day!

Get A Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:52:00 +0000

I'm a home body.
Always have been.
It's not a bad thing.
Necessarily.

It becomes a bad thing when you think of getting out of the house and you dread the effort it will take to do so.

Anyone else know what I mean? I use my children as an excuse for not getting out more. I use the excuse that I have too much housework to do anything fun for myself. I use both of those things combined to not strengthen my relationship with my husband because I'm too tired. We don't have enough money...our home is too small...I just had a baby (like 9 months ago)...I can't even blog because I have nothing supreme to post about...I'm not happy because no one is making me happy...blah, blah, blah. Then everything starts to turn into comparing myself to others and we all know how well that DOES NOT go!

Call it not motivated.
Call it lazy.
Call it stupid.

Whatever it is, I'm over it.

I'm over my lazy self.

A great wonderful life takes effort and I've been avoiding that effort for too long.

Why in the world is she blogging about this? (I'm sure most of you are asking yourself this!)

Because I'm admitting it "outloud" so I can have some sort of accountability out there in the world. Ian and I had a conversation about this last night and his response was, "Get a life." Not as in get-a-life-you-terrible-loser, but as in go-and-get-the-life-you-feel-will-make-you-happy-again-and-do-those-things-you-love.

Get a life doesn't mean that you go crazy and join every club, attend every playgroup, attempt to be superwoman and keep up with the Jones' and what they are doing on their blog. To me it means simply stop sitting around all day complaining, waiting for something to happen, expecting your life to be perfect every second of the day and do those things that you love. Take time to accomplish one project that's on that impossible list of yours. If your dream is to start a charity, start taking those steps one at a time and make it happen. Start writing that cook book that's been on the back of your mind for years now. Whatever it might be, go and get a life.

So, that's what I'm going to do.
Not try to do, but just do.

One of my favorite quotes (I've shared before) is by Ab Lincoln...

"A person will be just about as happy as they make up their mind to be."

If you find yourself dreading anything that takes effort, get a life.
And not just a great one.
One super fabulous one.

Happy Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:44:00 +0000

I went shopping today and enjoyed seeing men everywhere.
Let me restate...I loved seeing men buying their loved ones flowers and chocolates!

Valentine's Day still isn't a huge deal around here, but I did get my littles a small little valentine and am about to go out and buy the hubs some cologne. So cliche, but he's due for a new scent.

Yesterday I whipped up some mini cupcakes and ended up with way more than we needed to have in the house. I plated some up and as a family we delivered some to friends. No one was home, but it was fun to leave them a surprise on their door step!

I'm excited to see all the fun valentines Liam will bring home from school today. I was lame this year and sent out digi valentines to my family. I guess I can't be too lame when I used Red Stamp.
Have you heard of of it? It's an adorable way to correspond digitally. All you do is drag in a picture, type a little something and send. It's genius if you ask me.

Here are some of my favorite valentines...

And since I can't give you an actual plate of scrumptious petite cupcakes, here's my valentine to each and every one of you!

A Dream Came True And I'm So Glad It's Over

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:18:00 +0000

One of the big dreams I had when we were first married and childless was making the coveted Valentine's mail box for that first year in school. I still remember my favorite "mailbox" that I made as a child. It was Kermit the Frog holding a heart pocket. It hung up in my room for months!

My friend, Karin, openly admits that she dreds making those mailboxes every year. I secretly thought she was crazy! What was so hard about it that made it so bad?

I now know. It's stressful. Trying to get an idea out of your child that is do-able. Something that will look good. Not making it too elaborate or too simple. Then my controlling self tries so hard to bite her tongue when letting said child help. And this was just one year with one child.

All said and done, it wasn't terrible. It wasn't, however, how I dreamed it would be. But, don't we tend to do that a lot as a mom? We think everything is going to be perfect. When, in fact, it's the imperfectness of it all that makes the whole experience perfect for our lives.

Here's the robot mailbox...

He did a great job on it and absolutely loves it!

I typed up his Valentines and he helped me with the rest.

What's funny about the whole thing...he asked me last night why we were doing all of this. What was it for? Was he the only one doing it? That's when I learned my lesson (again) that I got too many steps ahead of myself! We talked about love/like and that even though we set aside one day to celebrate it, we should try to do nice things for the people we love every day. And even seek out those who might not have many who love them and love them.

We rounded out the night by watching Berenstain Bears Comic Valentine on Youtube. Such a classic!

Recipe Book Do Over

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:07:00 +0000

I have a lot of cook books. Not as many as some, but a good fair library. Half of that library I've never cooked anything out of. Partly because I've had them stuffed into a small cabinet above the fridge. Sound familiar?
I had this adorable chicken wire basket that was just sitting on top of my cabinets so I decided to put it to good use.

I still have a few larger cook books that are in the cabinet (they just wouldn't fit), but I'm super happy with how this turned out. They are just nestled on top of my fridge with easy access!

Two of those favorite cookbooks include these beauties. Not exactly gourmet, but they sure bring a smile to my face! My mom bought these for me from a book fair when I was in elementary school.

Does anyone else have these? It just brings me back to being a child and loving helping out in the kitchen.
It was fun to experiement with ingredients and come up with some concoction you just thought was so fancy. I need to remember that the kitchen is a play place. Not just for my kids, but for me, too!

Giveaway Sneak Peek

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:59:00 +0000

So, remember when I said I would have a giveaway when I reached 1,000 FB likes and 500 followers? We've done it! Well, you've done it and for that I thank you!

The actually giveaway will be coming soon, but I just wanted to give you a sneak of what it might have something to do with...

Eeeek!

Pins

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:50:00 +0000

We are on the tail end of everyone finally feeling better.
Flu, flu, 5 ear infections, 3 pink eyes and 2 sore throats are making their leave and I hope they never go back.
Pinterest has been a great distraction these last weeks. Here are some of latest favorites!

Puzzle Organization

{Source}

Love the table and definitely that color!

{Source}

Minus the cow head, I adore everything about this!

{Source}

Something cute to send to work with the husband.

{Source}

Genius idea.

{Source}

Um, what's not to like about this sundae!

Nigella does it again.

Is anyone else watching The Taste?

If I could look like anyone else, it would be her!

{Source}

I'm a sucker for food cut into heart shapes!

{Source}

Fabulous Food Friday #144 {Banana Cream Pie}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:33:00 +0000

I have a really hard time resisting any cream pie. Especially banana. It brings me back to my childhood when my mom would make a quick and easy version for Thanksgiving and sometimes in the summer time. That simple version has been a summer staple in my household for years now. I know there are fancy cook versions out there where you actually make your own custard/filling from scratch. They set up really nice and give you the accomplishment that you know exactly what went into your truly homemade dessert.

I'm guessing.
I've never made one like that.

I have no problems heading down the baking isle and tossing in a few boxes of instant pudding mix.
I think my foodie badge has probably been taken away from somewhere out there in foodie land.

I don't care. This pie is super easy, super tasty and super banana-ie! Plus, it set's up really nice!

AND as a bonus, I'm going to share a tip with you that forever changed the way I make my whipped cream.

Banana Cream Pie
Printable Version

*1 precooked pie crust, cooled
3 small (3.4 oz) Banana Cream Instant Pudding, divided
1 (12 oz) evaporated milk (1 3/4 cups)
2 cups milk
2 large bananas

Reserve 1 TBSP of the pudding mix for the whipped cream. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pudding mix, evaporated milk and milk for two minutes. Slice one banana and layer slices on the bottom of the crust. Pour pudding over the banana layer and spread until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Slice remaining banana and layer over the top of the filling. Top with whipped cream and serve. This will last up to two days in the refrigerator.

*I used a refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust and just followed the directions on the back of the box.

Whipped Cream
1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream
*1 TBSP Banana Cream Instant Pudding Mix
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar

Place a large bowl and whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will help with it whipping up a little quicker. Whip together whipping cream, instant pudding mix, vanilla extract and sugar. Whip on high for 5-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

*Adding one tablespoon of instant pudding mix creates the volume you need in whipping cream. It also helps keep it fluffy and not fall or separate hours after you make it. It will be as fresh as you first made it for 2 days in the refrigerator. Use vanilla pudding mix if you are wanting a classic whipped cream.

Sharing The Love

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:32:00 +0000

There is something about seeing pink and red together that just makes me smile.

I love seeing all of the Valentine decor out in the store and reminds me that

I need to get mine up soon.

I had a little itch and created a sweet 8x10 printable from me to you.

Consider it your Valentine from me!

{Just save this image to your computer and print to your heart's content!}

Two of Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Many of you have asked how I did my carrots for my Farmhouse Chowder found here.

{Photo from sophistimom.com}

Jaime at Sophistimom shares a wonderful step-by-step tutorial and it's easier than it looks!

I don't think I will ever cut carrots the same again.

Fabulous Food Friday #143 {Farmhouse Chowder}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 17:50:00 +0000

It's been pretty chilly around here. I told you that it snowed Christmas day and wouldn't you believe it...it snowed again this last Monday. For Texas, that's big.

Chilly weather always calls for something comforting to eat like soup! My recipe was sparked from Lucinda Scala Quinn's (one of my favorite chefs) soup recipe. This chowder is made with chicken instead of seafood so that's why it's called "farmhouse". I could eat this morning, noon and night. Seriously.

Farmhouse Chowder
Printable Version
Serves 4

2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
8 cups chicken broth
2 small chicken bouillon cubes
1 medium yellow onion,chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt
Pepper
6 TBSP butter, divided
4 TBSP flour
3/4 cup heavy cream

In a large pot, simmer chicken breast in chicken broth with bouillon cubes for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool. Reserve broth. In another large pot, saute onions and carrots with a pinch of salt in 2 tablespoons of butter for about 6 minutes. Add remaining butter and flour and whisk together for about 1 minute. Whisk in all of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add in cubed potatoes and reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes and taste again for seasonings. Shred or cube chicken and add to the chowder. Stir in the heavy cream. Heat through for 2 minutes and serve.

Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:53:00 +0000

I had no intentions of blogging today. I've been on a roll cleaning out my house and it's been pretty productive. Ian helped me by putting up some shelves in the laundry room so I could switch some things around. He even helped out with cleaning out the kitchen cabinets and I'm happy to report that I have a few empty spots now. Yesterday, I tackled the boys room and just have their dresser to go through. This morning I was all pumped about finishing with the bathrooms and our bedroom, but I feel it's very important for me to share what's helped me this week.

You see, I've been struggling. A lot. More than I've let on.

I don't feel like I need to go into details at this time, but it's along those lines of the "I'm not good enough" thoughts that we women choose to suffer with. And I do not use the word 'choose' lightly. I choose to feel awful most days. I choose to think poorly about myself.

The reason I am jumping on to post today is that I was inspired by reading two blogs this week written by two different cousins on opposite sides of the family. It made me feel like I was not alone so I'm trying to "pay it forward" in hopes that at least one of you know you are not alone, either.

This is from a book with a similar title. I thought it had very insightful advice of how to be a good person.

A while ago I saw a quote on Pinterest that went something like this...

"The quickest way to experience dissapointment

is to have expectations."

At first when I read it, I completely agreed. I thought, "What a negative way to think!" The more I thought about it, though, I found it to be somewhat true. I would change it to this...

"The quickest way to experience dissapointment

is to have too many expectations."

I put way too many expectations on myself and my life. When I wake up I expect so many things to happen to make my day perfect. And for a lack of a better way to put it, that's stupid! I miss out on SO many moments of happiness because I'm too strung up on my expectations. Today is a new day and I'm going to choose to be in the moment.

And speaking of missing out on happiness, this is a fantastic video posted by my other cousin.

Do Something Different

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

My mom is a picky eater. I am a picky eater (definitely better than when I grew up). Liam is a picky eater. Let's just say that picky eaters run in my side of the family.

{Does this look look all to familiar at your house?}

I can list on both hands what Liam will eat without a fight. Owen, on the other hand, will pretty much eat anything. I have to say, Liam will eat most vegetables and loves a good handful of spinach. It's the other, more texture-y things he hates. Like mashed potatoes and noodles. He won't even eat pizza. Over the last 3 years Ian and I have tried almost everything to get him to eat different food that I've cooked for dinner. Rewarding him after every bite with candy, sending him to bed with no dinner, making a game out of it and even pushing it in his mouth. The last one was out of desperation and one that we're not proud of.

About two months ago, Ian had a lightbulb moment and declared that Liam didn't have to eat his dinner if he didn't want to. But if he didn't, he would eat it for breakfast the next morning. We no longer harassed him to take another bite or else. He got the choice to eat it then or suffered the consequences the next morning. And if he didn't eat it for breakfast, I would pack it up for his lunch at school. I was not looking forward to that. Good thing it's never come to either of those things. He's always finished his dinner since then. Yes, he still cries sometimes and pouts, but he sits there and finishes it. At first it would take him over an hour to do it, but that time is becoming shorter and shorter. Let me make it clear that we don't overload his plate with a ton of food so he is over eating, or that our focus is for him to become a member of the clear your plate club. It's more of a principle of eating foods that are different than what your used to and more importantly, good for you.

We are seeing a light at the end of the table!

Merry Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:39:00 +0000

Um....it's been a while.
Like weeks.
And weeks.

Let's just say I've been busy. I mean, three young little ones + the holidays + every single one of us being sick = one very busy mom.

But, I never forgot about you, my loyal friends/readers! I've been thinking about my little portion of the "web" and how to better it for me and for you. So many fun ideas in store for sure!

I cannot, however, just skim over last year and not post a little about our Christmas. I am the only one who thought it just flew by? We even had an extra week because of Thanksgiving being a little early and as I was taking the tree down, it felt like I just put it up!

When I talked about us being sick, it happened to start the day Liam got out of school. It hit us full force the Saturday before Christmas and lingered into the new year. Lots of movies were watched, plenty of snuggle time, and lots of naps. Good thing the boys had new toys to play with or else I think we would have all got crazy!

We did make time to do some fun things through the month, though.

The boys got to decorate their tree.

Ian, his brother Logan and I got away to see The Hobbit. I didn't love it as much as I love LOTR, but it was pretty great!

Liam made his pre-Santa letter list of the things he was going to ask for.

He was proud that he used his Christmas letter version on his name.

I sold gingerbread house kits this year to local friends and neighbors.

One night I had two darling girlfriends, Jes and Mandy over to actually make houses of their own. We all had a blast and started a new tradition!

We've been going through the ups and downs of little one teething.

Oh, the joy!

#5 & 6 are starting to make their appearance.

(My new favorite picture of him!)

Puzzle time!

I really didn't have a ton of time to bake anything (because I was busy baking gingerbread houses)

so I whipped up some Clementine Honey Butter to give to a few friends and teachers.

Recipe to come!

Mrs. Claus brought the boys their Christmas pajamas Christmas Eve.

Even Ian had the same bottoms.

My mom actually made them and they all loved wearing them!

This was our attempt for the "perfect" picture!

And I got my Christmas wish (for the last two years)...a WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!!

I bundled up my two sick boys and took them out for about 2 minutes.

You can just mail my mother of the year award.

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas. Even though the majority of our plans got cancelled,
we all really enjoyed ourselves and it was nice not having to run around trying to do everything!