Dvije Princeze

Grateful for Lil’ Helpers

2011-12-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have many fond memories of baking/cooking in the kitchen with Grandma, so when my daughter asked to help, how could I say no? I hesitate a bit when she asked, I have two daughters & they fight over things (you know like sisters do). My oldest loves to be “grown-up” and she does everything very carefully and meticulously, but I still picture a big mess in my kitchen that I will need to clean up afterwards. May I also add, time is limited on “work nights”, and by the weekend, I wish to do nothing. (Sometimes I feel like a crappy mommy, not doing enough with my children) :/

Well on that note, sorry for the Debbie Downer moment, it is Christmas time! Time to bake cookies & make candies, and decorate the tree. All things that it is time for me to allow my kids to help with, and be thankful for their help as well!

She is such a good girl.. I told her to make sure her hand was behind her back the entire time so she didn’t smash her little fingers. As for the powdered sugar? less than a half a teaspoon on the counter by the time we were done! Such. A. Good. Girl! I have to give her more credit. She doesn't like messes either.

Then it was time to wrap gifts, for the “rest” of the family, of course. She once again asked to “help” and I hesitated (sucky mommy, yadda yadda). She took it upon herself to wrap the gifts that were going to her friend in the mail. Okay, I thought, I also am best-friends with the mom, & she will love the note that I will include. *Alisa wrapped all these herself* I already know the meaning of this will bring a smile to her face and a tear to her eye. Our kids are 3 weeks apart, and growing up together, no matter how many miles apart we are.

Once again she surprised me with how great she did! I need to remind myself that she has that perfectionist quality about her. Great job to both my girls: the older one for “helping” me, & the younger one for entertaining herself and not getting in her sister’s hair along her “helping” process.

Kate in Bosnia?

2011-12-19T15:55:00.001-08:00

You’ve heard of Kate Spade, right? Yeah, me too. I kinda like her stuff {wink wink}

You know that my husband is from Bosnia right? Yeah, I kinda like him too {wink wink}

Now look what I stumbled upon awhile back (& am revisiting)…

Some super cute stuff, right?! It comes with a cause too… a good cause! Womenforwomeninternational.org.uk

I love everything about this collection. Anyone need some cute holiday gifts?

Droid Eris…

2011-12-15T16:33:00.001-08:00

If you see this phone, run…. (here is a “non-love letter to my wonderful Eris)

Dear Droid Eris,

I regret to tell you a few choice things today. Although I have had 5 of you in the last two years, I still absolutely HATE you! I realize what you are thinking.. hate is such a strong word, have a heart, but no.. it’s genuinely true.

You have no regard for my stress level, when I hit the “phone” button & literally count.. 1…2…3 before you kick into gear. Some days you don’t even decide to charge at all, you just lie on my countertop with a charger plugged into your bottom side, but no charging, none at all. You remember when I tried to only text a one line message to my brother, and your stupid scroll ball had a spec of a dust particle in it? I do, I wished to type “I will be there at 5” but instead came up with “ wil bl e I tha5t ere”. No one could understand that lingo even in this crazy world! And, yes, this has indeed happen more than just that ONE time. Last but not least, I realize you are truly jealous of my obsession with FaceBook… I really don’t care, but you NEED to actually give me my notifications. You need to “refresh” yourself on a regular basis as well, if not for me & FaceBook, then for yourself at least.

Overall Eris, the main reason I have stayed with you this long is because I get a new one of you every 6 months. The other reason, may or may not be because I haven’t had the funds necessary to Smash you on the cement outside of my house. Many a time, I have screamed at you, I know, but I have refrained from slamming you down on any flat surface that is in my vicinity. I don’t wish for others to feel I am a violent person, but Eris, once your 2 years are up in 2 more weeks, I will be not only be kicking you to the curb… I will be kicking you to the muddy, snow-covered curb, only after I smash you into a zillion piece. I know some might think this is silly, why wouldn’t I sell you, some might ask?! Because I want no one to suffer the pain I have.. having a “smartphone” that is so dumb!

With no love lost,

Katrina <3

Family Photos today!

2011-12-14T18:37:00.001-08:00

Off to a storefront similar to this one. Picture portrait day today. Got the girls some lovely red dresses, and can’t even wait to see how cute these pictures are gonna turn out! I love family photos, and big puffy holiday dress on long haired little girls :)

Baby it’s cold outside..

2011-12-13T15:31:00.001-08:00

So why not make it feel like summer inside?! Literally this weekend it got down to 13! Burr..

I was asking myself what can I make to get the ambiance of summer in my home for a night? Mango salsa was weighing heavy on the brain, so I had to pick one up at the store. I must also tell you, I had some visitors over Thanksgiving from Alaska, namely my first cousin & her family. She is such a lovely person, and to show how lovely they are, they came bearing gifts…halibut & salmon, yummm. Do you see where I am going with this?

Mango Salsa made ahead, because we all know it tastes so much better after marinating for a couple hours.

Add to this halibut, on a bed of rice? Yes please!

Although my family didn’t appreciate this meal. (My 5 year old daughter told me the top part “just tastes too crazy mommy”) I am sure you will, right?

Tis the season..

2011-12-12T15:37:00.001-08:00

For utter & total Chaos! Things are going so quickly, I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath.. I promise I have tons to right about, however time is not allowing me to sit.

This weekend I have gotten around to putting up my Christmas décor, a few weeks too late, don’t ya think?

Well off to make some food, buy some gifts, and have yet more fun :)

Can someone tell me…

2011-11-22T16:19:00.001-08:00

* How one simple little toy can make someone so crazy?

* Why moms “aim to please”?

* How it is EVEN possible for all these little suckers to disappear off the shelves of every store within a 300 (yes with two zeros) mile radius of my house?

* And lastly! How finding this became my new day job?

Fall Boots

2011-11-17T17:27:00.001-08:00

So sorry I haven’t posted, I have been shopping…

Not that I bought anything, but I do believe Santa will be handing out $ @ Thanksgiving, so…

What do you think? $69, Piperlime, best seller!

Do you hear Santa? Ho Ho Ho! ;)

What’s my style?

2011-11-15T15:53:00.001-08:00

When it comes to home decoration, I am sure most of you out there can agree that your “significant other” doesn’t have much of an opinion on the matter. In my house? Not the case. Most women would cheer at their “other” would have an opinion right? Well, while I like the fact that my husband cares what belongs and doesn’t belong in our house, our design styles do not mesh up! I haven’t got his nailed down quite yet, but if I could just get five minutes of undivided attention, we could change that!

I found something pretty cool today. EthanAllen.com has a style quiz & in about 5 or less clicks we will be able to find out what that boy likes ;)

Here is mine:

Vintage!

First Snow has fallen

2011-11-14T15:19:00.001-08:00

In lue of the first snow fall, I suppose I should try extra hard to get into the winter spirit. {bah-humbug} Believe me, I am the BIGGEST fan of all things Christmas.. I love to shop, I love to find “that perfect gift” with actual meaning, I love to bake cookies, I love to be in a cozy house with tons of family, but…. but? I HATE the cold! I am one of those people that wears my coat half the day @ work.. seriously.

Now it is time to flip my brain around and concentrate on all the lovely things connected with Christmas… Thanksgiving… New Years… Black Friday…

And if I am to be stuck in the house to avoid the snow? I will CRAFT!

This is what I made last year to give as gifts. What you think?

Bosna vs. Portugal - 11.11.11

2011-11-11T07:57:00.001-08:00

Something EXTRA special is happening on this lucky 11.11.11 day!

*with my husband being from Europe, you can guess what a Big soccer fan he is,

kinda draws one in, I'd say :)

Mini Calzones

2011-11-10T03:37:00.000-08:00

I made muffin tin calzones this weekend. I found them via Pinterest, via weekofmenus.blogspot.com. I have to tell the truth… this is her picture, because MINE turned out terrible! I did not do any thing right. I needed my dough thinner, I needed more toppings in them, and the reason I am admitting all of this? I should have actually went to this website and followed it step by step. Don’t make the same mistake as I did!

My baby is growing..

2011-11-09T03:23:00.000-08:00

Don’t you appreciate all that grandmothers (& great-grandmothers) do for us! My husband’s grandmother made these for my girls.. aren’t they adorable?

Now that these cute little slippers have went through two little girls and are getting too small for “baby”, this mommy is so sad today. But on a happy note, the other great-grandmother is working on some new scarves for my girls (to share later, promise) :)

Pipe Dreams & Pipe Cleaners

2011-11-08T03:17:00.000-08:00

*I need to first put a disclaimer on this about safety and such… help your children to make sure all sharp ends are away from eyes (obviously right?!)

When we were given pipe cleaners after story time at the library, my oldest daughter says “Let’s make glasses mommy” I thought, ‘hmmmm, why not?’

So when we went to the art festival this summer and there were pipe cleaners out on one of the craft tables, guess what was asked for once again?! Only this time it caught on! I saw many children asking there moms to make them as well. I was asked several times where we made them too. I was thinking in spirit of missing summer (again) I would share with you all my special memory.

Rainy Gloomy Monday…

2011-11-07T15:06:00.001-08:00

& you don’t feel like cooking, right?! Well… I don’t claim to be the “best cook/mommy” but I do know this: In order to have a super quick meal (think faster than Rachel Ray on 30 min. meals) you don’t have to sacrifice any form of nutrition.

Try not to go all judge on me, and I will tell you one of my quick “go to meals” when I really don’t want to cook!

I guess I should have told you, that my daughters refuse to eat the “yellow” of an egg.

Seriously though, how Quick is this meal. Popp a tube of biscuits, boil some eggs in one pot and broccoli in another. 15 minutes tops! And let’s be honest here, this is obviously NOT one of those meals that you have to be at the stove for.

Easy Peasy

In love with…

2011-11-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

OLD NAVY!

Do you see all of this stuff below?!

I don’t really consider myself a extreme couponer, like on TLC or anything, but…

Do you see all of this stuff below?!

(Tinkerbell long sleeve, tennis shoes, cord skirt, hoodie cardi, fluttersleeve knit sweater tunic, dressy mary-jane shoes, & kerropi short sleeve T) Wait there is more…

For me… (Black floppy hat, off-white dress short sleeve, coral dressy tank, twill black & white pants, long sleeve black ruffle top, & off white long open cardi)…

All of this combined total of 41$

<3 love.

Full Bloom Autumn…

2011-11-02T18:15:00.001-07:00

I have a confession to make… I really am a Spring person. I am not a big fan of the winter, but I can appreciate fall.

This past weekend, I traveled to Ohio to visit my grandmother… on the way back, I couldn’t help but take a few pictures. People probably thought I was crazy stopping and taking pictures of trees, but aren’t they just Beautiful?!

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Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T05:02:00.000-07:00

I saved this from one of the craft shows I went to this summer…

Isn’t this whole collage wonderful?!

Paella-My Version

2011-10-27T16:16:00.001-07:00

Tomatoes, Onions, Rice, Saffron, Chicken Broth, Chicken Chunks, Paprika, Shrimp, Garlic…

Yummmm…

Love <3

Marble Art

2011-10-26T19:31:00.001-07:00

Have you ever tried marble art with your kids?

How have I never heard of this?!

So flippin’ easy!

Shake, Shake, Shake…

Lovely colors, remember… blue and yellow make Green!

Now have a party, and make a collage with all the art :)

Pumpkin’s

2011-10-25T15:05:00.001-07:00

Guess what we did this weekend?

Finally got those pumpkins carved! Alisa & Maya started off be drawing with a sharpie. They did a great job! I was impressed by far… Alisa is a little artist in her own right, but Maya doesn’t ever draw. I Mean NEVER, and her’s looked awesome.

Once the girls were done drawing, my husband took the tops off, so that we could get “all the cheese stuff” out. I guess when my girls saw this on television, they thought it was shredded cheese inside… hahahah I guess, it’s orange, stringy, but what they didn’t realize is that it is SLIMMMY! My oldest kept repeating “ewww gross, ewww gross”, my youngest would not even touch it.

Look @ his lazy eye, and his sharp teeth!

Who couldn’t be organized w/ this!

2011-10-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

I want to be a Longaberger Basket consultant just for a day so I can have this in my front yard. {well if I didn’t live in a subdivision}

Isn’t it adorable!

What to do… love your 3 yr old!

2011-10-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was commenting on how it warmed up around Indiana, with this came more flowers. Do you remember, I blogged about how happy I was to have these flowers again in the middle of fall?

Well, When I came home from work a few days ago, I got a BIG surprise! You know how little kids can be, right?! How they can destroy something so quickly, but do it with sooo much innocents?

I found all of these lovely flower heads on the ground lying around its plant. URgh!

Well.. when life gives you flowers with NO stems, make a flower arrangement anyway possible right?!

Not too bad I’d say ;)

Balloon Artists

2011-10-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have been around my fair share of balloon artists in my life. As you already know, I am kinda overzealous about fairs and festivals. With them come balloon artists, right? Well, I thought I saw it all… I mean ducks, swords, hearts on a swirly staph, even full on princesses! How in the world the imagination works is beyond me, but then to make it into something that makes MY daughters imagination soar, now that I love! <3

As you can see, she was elated to have these amazing fairy wings. Now if only I could have a balloon artist around on Halloween.. she could be Tinkerbell ;)

Thanks again Twister Mike!

Taste like Bud-dah

2011-10-19T18:58:00.001-07:00

I have been on Pinterest again! That is my go-to for boredom now-a-days… I found something very interesting that I MUST share with you.

I can now make homemade butter. It is the Easiest thing in the world! Not joking!

Hop over to this website: http://babblin-brooke.com

{‘cause that is where I found it via Pinterest}

Whipping Cream, Mason jar, Marbles, & Now start shaking… that’s it! My girls and I took turns, once one of us would get tired another one would take over. I loved it so much, I got to thinking I will buy organic whipping cream just before Thanksgiving & impress my family!

Yummmm <3