monday is a busy day here.  there is a lot of rushing back and forth.  so it is always an easy dinner day.  yesterday we did breakfast for dinner (a fan fav).   i made the kids cinnamon bun pancakes from pinterest.  i on the other hand had two disgusting weird super fiber toaster waffles (did i mention they were disgusting?  blech).   the kids loved the pancakes, though, and devoured every last one!

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149221602/

pancakes on the cast iron griddle gave me a little trouble, but by the second batch on, i had it down.  i just have to re-think the way i cook without non-stick!

today i planned to sew.  i saw this DIY mouse pad idea, and already had all the stuff for it, so i figured … it looked easy enough.  nope.  fail.  TWICE!

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149275374/

i sewed it twice, making some changes the second time, and still, the fabric got all crazy and bunchy.  i have decided i hate modge podge.  it’s gone from my life.  dead to me.  the jar goes to the recycle station in the morning.

this was the second try.  i even tried pinning it onto a place mat to keep it taught.  nope.  still crap.

“all bunched up, don’t know what to do …..”  can’t win ‘em all, i guess.

so after that, i needed something to drown my sorrows with (i kid!).  i got this doughnut pan in the after easter target clearance stuff.   i’ve been lusting after a cast iron one, but this wilton one was under $5, and i won’t use it frequently, so i just bought it (those darn clearance stickers – they blind you and make you powerless against leaving stuff on the shelves).

i found this pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149286756/

good thing i didn’t read the part where she says the recipe wasn’t all that great, or i would not have gotten to eat such deliciousness!  they were really good (though maybe it’s just been a while since i’ve had a doughnut, lol).

i put the batter into a plastic bag and snipped off the end.  i figured it would be the least messy way to fill it.  worked great!

they only took 7 minutes to bake (a huge plus to me!)

and even with the glaze, after a few adjustments, they were only 108 calories each.  can’t beat that!  108 calories for a fresh home cooked hot doughnut?!

changes i made:

cut the sugar in 1/2 (i do this all the time, most recipes use WAY too much sugar in my opinion), cinnamon instead of nutmeg (i have a possibly unhealthy obsession with cinnamon), regular milk (no buttermilk, and out of lemon juice to make it), and regular unbleached four (no cake flour).   for the glaze, i just cut the recipe completely in half.  there was still enough left over for a few more doughnuts after all  of ours were dipped).  this recipe made 10 frosted doughnuts, perfect amount for us to each get two.  the kids wanted sprinkles, i passed.

great save after the crappy mousepad debacle.  will definitely make these again.  four out of four children agree! 

we are having a laid back day.  the bunny came, we had an egg hunt, just dinner, and dying eggs (i know, we’re late) left.  then getting ready for school tomorrow!  the kids had a great morning.  they got a small amount of candy (i don’t need anymore tooth problems in this house, bunny did good), and they got some small toys and things like bubbles.  everyone was over the moon, happier than christmas it seemed!  i’ve kept up with the pinterest activities.  a couple easter theemed.

the first one, from yesterday is a really easy one.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716148915901/

i always have all these great artsy plans to do with my kids hand prints, but i never seem to get around to them.  this one was super easy, and i can just stick them right in their memory boxes.  hands together, photocopy.  done!

not great artwork, or something you would hang on the walls, but quick and easy and gets the job done.  which is sometimes better than the long way!

then last night we tried a pin i have been curious about for a while.  it’s alton brown’s way to hard cook eggs.  bake them in the oven, instead of boiling.  now, i will say, i do like boiling eggs.  i have it perfected where they come out just like i want them every time.  but i figured this was interesting enough to try, since we needed a bunch anyway.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/266486502920862711/

our eggs before (no after shot from me, sorry!  some in the link, though)

we peeled a couple.  they were okay.  there are slight brown burn marks on them from where they were touching the bars.  also, i might have overcooked them? because they had that weird green ring on the yolk.  they are still usable, but not pretty.  i think i will stick to my regular method.

this morning i made the kids cinnabunnies from another pin.   they are just store bought cinnamon rolls, reshaped into bunny heads.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149275984/

and ours.  i think i bought the wrong size of rolls, because these suckers were HUGE!  the only one that came near to finishing it, was ethan.  but it is okay, they thought they were pretty cute.

after

that is about it!  i am hoping to get to some sewing projects i have pinned this week.  we’ll see what i can pull out of my scraps (no new fabric until after we move!). 

before the egg hunt

and yesterday, we peeked out to see BIRDS!  everyone was so excited. 

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149267062/

this was really nice, because we had one packet of knox gelatin left, so we were able to use it up before our move next month.  this “recipe” was easy enough, and made enough for three feeders.

when we were done, though, the girls were a little bummed because the recipe said it had to harden overnight.  they are kinda into instant gratification (who isn’t?!).  i had one toilet paper roll tube left from the crowns, so we used that to make another feeder i had seen on pinterest a while ago.  the old peanut butter/bird seed method, not much else to it.

success!

then i thought about it.  it’s jello, right …. so why can’t i just stick it in the fridge to harden?  did that, and a couple hours later they were hard enough to hang!

i find the squirrel shaped one particularly funny. 

so there is our happy tree, bird ready.

…and i’m not sure she’s leaving until she sees some!

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149035182/

our grapefruit before…

and after…. kayleigh loved it.

yesterday, we did a kid craft project.  making little crowns out of a toilet paper roll!

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149262624/

and ours!  norah didn’t want to help paint (she was engrossed in another project at the time), so charlotte did the painting, then norah helped later tying the elastic and adding glitter. 

a true masterpiece.

very happy girlies!

they were a hit!  kayleigh even asked for one, and ethan ended up wearing it later, lol!

today i made a loaf of chocolate marbled banana bread.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149262059/

i am not really a chocolate person, but i wanted to try this because i knew the kids would love it as a treat.  they love my usual recipe, but i’m always up for trying something new.  i made a few changes.  i cut the sugar to a half cup (probably could have cut it to a 1/4, it was still plenty sweet!), i used low fat french vanilla organic yogurt (all i had!), and used two real eggs (have no idea what egg substitute is??).  it was really good, though too chocolatey for me!  i broke down the calorie info so i could enter it into my myfitnesspal, and this is 254 calories a slice for a 12 serving loaf, with my adjustments.  not bad for basically a slice of cake, lol!

i loooove having the ipad for baking and cooking.  i never print recipes anymore.  horray for saving trees!  and the kids LOVE looking at their mixer bowl reflections.  it must be about my bedtime because i am cracking up looking at mine in this picture.

so pretty!

even more so on the inside!

the boy waiting so patiently for his slice while i snap a few pictures of it.

and two more pins bite the dust!

OH!  and in case anyone is wondering.  the puffy paint made no difference on the headband.  guess i won’t be making any more of that style.

today’s pinterest re-creations include running headbands and re-heating pizza.  i know, a weird combo … running and pizza.

a wonderful and super sweet friend had pizza delivered for us yesterday so i didn’t have to cook.  it was so nice, and really was a huge help!  my kids eat like birds, so we had plenty left over for lunch today.  i love day old pizza, but there’s always the debate on how to heat it up.  the oven usually wins (over the soggy mess the microwave makes), but i saw a pin a while ago that i’ve been wanting to try.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149251845/

the pin basically involves reheating your pizza on a frying pan to keep the bottom crispy.  this appealed to me because it’s been so hot in our house lately, i hate using the oven.  of course it was freezing today, but i still wanted to give it a try.  instead of a frying pan, i used a cast iron lodge griddle i have not taken off the stove since it arrived (LOVE this thing!). it worked perfect!  i will never nuke pizza again!  thanks again ann for dinner (and breakfast, and lunch!). 

the second pin i used today was this one for a running headband made with fabric scraps.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149249402/

i am a new runner, and i have my first 10K coming up next month.  one annoyance of this crappy haircut i got a couple months ago, is that i cannot pull it all back without big chunks falling out from the front.   i have been searching for a great headband that doesn’t slip, but also doesn’t cost $20.  the jist of this headband, is basically you braid the scrap strips, sew them together with a little elastic, and then you have your self a cute headband.  it WAS easy, and i do like it … but it is pretty slippery.  which anyone who runs (and i am just a novice), knows how annoying it is having a headband slipping as your trying to get your run on.  i took some puffy paint and put a little squiggle on the inside. i will check it out tomorrow once it is dry and see if it helped to keep it in place any better.  i apologize in advance for the silly picture.  my photographer was busy playing with her brother and sisters when i needed her. 

i decided to try another i had pinned that used velvet ribbon.  this one stayed much better.  i am still wearing it now.    i sewed a piece of velvet ribbon to the underside of some european ribbon i’ve had stashed away.  i only had white elastic. so i cut a brown hair elastic to use instead on the back.  i will definitely make another one of these!  my photographer was available for these shots. 

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149249477/

can’t want to snoop around pinterest tonight to find something for tomorrow! 

most people by now are familiar with pinterest.  it’s a great resource for just about anything.  home decorating, landscaping, recipes, sewing projects and tutorials, preschool curriculum….. you name it, it’s been pinned.  i’ve pinned so many things, and often times without much thought about when or where i will be recreating whatever the project or recipe is that i’ve re-pinned.  so i decided it would be fun to do a thirty days of pinterest project.  i’ve seen some people who are doing a year of it, but i am committing to one month.

unfortunately, friday night i had surgery to remove my appendix, so i’m not up for sewing or doing much baking, ect. today.   BUT!  i do have a few stockpiled pins i’ve done that i can share today while i lazy around in sweats and hang out with my littles. 

first up: t-shirt re-do

anyone who knows me, knows i’m a NPR geek.  i love my NPR shirt, but i’m not really a baggy tee kind of girl.  so i peeked around on pinterest last week, and found two tutorials.  one for re-sizing a tee to make it fitted, and another for altering the neckline.

re-size pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149219067/

neckline pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716149219788/

i think it turned out okay.  the shirt is a little too tight for my taste now,  but hopefully on this fitness journey i am on, it will fit better soon enough!

another pin i used last week was one about using a wooden spoon to help keep your pasta pots from boiling over.  silly, but effective! 

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/284219426453599855/

….and my pasta pot!    it worked!

last week i also made some fun car storage things for the back of the car seats.  i think they will be helpful for our move and drive across the country this summer.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/106608716148646026/

one of the four seat organizers i made:

and just one more from last week.  i looove cookie dough, but i’m not crazy about cookies.  weird, i know.  so when i saw this pin, i HAD to give it a shot.  they turned out to be way too sweet, even by my kids’ standards.  so we threw them away.  if we ever do something like those again, i will cut the sugar in half, for sure.

pin:  http://pinterest.com/pin/178244097721557646/

and our dough balls….

so even though today was a cheat day, i am looking forward to bumping out some of the (3,477) things i’ve been pinning the past year, while john is out of town for the month!

norah turned FOUR today.  she is getting so big and smart, and really understanding the world so much better.  i laughed reading last year’s birthday post for her, still referring to her as nor-nado.  we don’t call her that much anymore, she has settled down a lot and is such a sweet little lady.  she still has a shriek to piece ears, but she has a kind heart.  i love that norah is so open and accepting.  she has never met a stranger and will try to make new friends every where she goes.  i have no worries about her starting preschool this fall.  i know she will do great.  i do worry that she will get reprimanded often for talking when she shouldn’t be, like i did when i was in school.  she is just so chatty!  such a change from her older brother and sister who still sometimes suffer from stranger danger!

on with the pictures!

norah’s wild birth!  she came fast and furious, born with only mom & dad (& a sick puking two year old ethan) in the room.  the midwife arrived 45 minutes later.

sweet sleepy smiles & the cute turned-up nose that she’s finally grown into. 

six months old, and living in a new state!

my little baldie was one!

TWO!

spunky norah on her third birthday!

and today, at four.  what a big girl!  when i had her pick a blank tee for me to applique’ the 4 to, she only wanted black.  hopefully this doesn’t mean we have a goth girl in our future!  black is her favorite color.  i also want to note, she cut her self some bangs last week.  she said the hair was in her way.

and her birthday wake up & cake!

not shockingly, she requested another horse cake!  she asked for chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  i used this recipe for the cake, which is chocolate chip zucchini.    http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/08/23/chocolate-chocolate-chip-zucchini-cake/

yesterday we were pounded with snow.  really, it was so great.  i had a ton of fun shoveling, and helping the kids make snow forts.  i ran out to get some groceries, and my big ol’ bus got stuck!  i had a few people push me out (thank you kind strangers!), and all went smooth after that.  it was the first time i’ve ever been stuck in the snow!  first (and hopefully last!) time for everything!  here are a few pictures from the snow yesterday.   we’re heading out in a couple hours down to cañon city for the santa train at the royal gorge railroad!  the kids are super excited!

happy holidays!

i am a big softie (a sucker, really).  all of our babies have slept with us.  it just made nursing at night easier.  i didn’t have to go anywhere when they were hungry.  they all nursed to around/a little after two, and then moved to their own beds when their younger sibling was born.  it was fairly easy each time, no one has ever come back into our bed.  but charlotte.  well, the problem here is there are no more babies coming.  she does start out each night in her own bed. but most mornings i wake up with feet in my face, not even remembering when they got in there!  i don’t mind it so much.  and we’re moving soon, there will be a lot of changes, so i am not pressing to hard now, when the summer will be full of traveling and house hunting.  for now, i’m enjoying cuddling my little baby spoon.

click on the “30 days of gratitude” tag at the end of this post to see all related posts!