Cookie Mondays...

handmade heart day

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Happy Valentines Day! So many cute ideas floating around blogs and Pinterest this year. The three big kids each found something just right to create for classmates. They may be too big to wear coordinating Valentines shirts anymore (they were so little!), but they're not too cool to craft with Mommy yet.

Chloe's (p)inspiration: inhabitots

Chayse's (p)inspiration: mer mag

Camden's (p)inspiration: Urban Comfort

juuuuice!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:08:00 +0000

One of Cole's true loves is orange juice. 'Juice' was one of the first, in the handful of words he has in his repertoire. And each morning starts exactly the same: 1. Wake up... 2. Forceful finger-pointing down the stairs, toward the kitchen... 3. "JUUUUUUISSSSSHHHH!"

So I almost died when I saw this Target ad. Cole even says "juish" with puckered lips just like this kid! And NOW, he is obsessed with this YouTube video. Here is a look five years into my future:

ten on ten: february

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:59:00 +0000

ten on ten: Take a photo every hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month.
Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments!

He likes to bake.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

And sample, too! What good baker doesn't?
We were making Ina's crumb cake for Sunday breakfast, 'cause it's sooo good.

it's been one of THOSE weeks.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:31:00 +0000

banana muffin remix

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:09:00 +0000

I was inspired this week to create an easy and super healthy breakfast idea, for a certain typically-non-breakfast-eater in my life. Who is now non-breakfast-eating for TWO! I thought I'd revisit my Best Banana Muffins recipe which are deeeeelicious for a morning treat, but perhaps not the most wholesome snack. So I mixed it up a little... cutting the sugar in half, and boosting the Superfoods value with honey, whole grains, cinnamon, applesauce, and walnuts.

Recipe remix:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
~~3/4 cup~~ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ~~maple syrup~~ honey
~~1 1/2 cups~~ 1 cup all purpose flour + 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup ~~sour cream or~~ organic low-fat plain yogurt
2 1 small ripe bananas, mashed + 3 oz. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup finely chopped raw walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Line mini muffin tin.

1. Beat butter and sugar until light & fluffy. Mix in eggs (one at a time), vanilla, and ~~syrup~~ honey. Scrape down bowl.
2. Sift flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into wet ingredients. Mix on low until just incorporated. Scrape down bowl.
3. Add yogurt, banana, applesauce, flax, and walnuts. Mix and scrape.
4. Spoon batter into 12 24 mini muffin cups. Top with walnut halves if desired. Bake for ~~24-25~~ 11-12 minutes.

{Makes over 4 dozen minis.}

Quite a perfect, portable pick-me-up... whether you're prego or not!

she said YES!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:14:00 +0000

Kevin and I ESCAPED for over 48 hours this weekend to celebrate both my sisters' birthdays in Big Bear (thanks to my mom & John for bravely taking on all four kids!). It was our first weekend away alone since our honeymoon, and to top it all off, Holly was proposed to! It could not have been a better getaway! Congrats, Holly & Omri, and the the wedding planning begin.

Are you sure it's Winter?!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Books & Bloomers

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:04:00 +0000

{Please scroll down after this post to partake in my highly scientific wedding survey!}

The idea behind Tegan's 'Books & Bloomers' baby shower was simple:
She loves great childrens' books. She's a dedicated cloth diaper-er.
Heidi and I were thrilled to plan another shower for Tegan... this time for a baby GIRL!

We had a really nice lunch at a local cafe, so it wasn't a full-on "shower," but it still needed to be special. The goal was to add to the family's growing library and cloth diaper stash! In lieu of (or in addition to) gifts, each guest brought a favorite book to be personalized with a custom sarah+abraham bookplate, and many contributed to a new collection of gDiapers.

sarah+abraham also did the adorable invites, which I ran out of, so I'll have to steal somebody's to photograph and add to this post.

I have "buttoned" several of these papier-mache letters now, and FYI: wood glue works awesome!

Tegan craves citrus fruits and sour candies during her pregnancies, so sour gummy "bookworms" were a no-brainer (I think they were entirely devoured in approximately 3 minutes)... along with mandarin oranges and cloth diaper lemon shortbread favors.

I used old book pages to create the circle garland on the table, and the tiny heart garland on the cookie bags. The favors also included little covered button paper clip bookmarks.

The milk glass containers (Tegan's favorite) were courtesy of my friend PJ at milk glass vintage rentals, and my sister-in-law Amanda (who may as well start her own business with all the cuteness she has accumulated!)

I'm so sad I didn't get a decent photo of the fabric bunting. I used a super cute Moda alphabet fabric (spotted in my latest ten on ten), and it was "strung" together with safety pins. The lighting was tricky for me to get great pictures. I'm such a newbie.

Tegan looks amazing, you can barely tell she's pregnant! In fact, her last pregnancy she was so petite (and right now she's laughing hysterically that I called her petite), that she flew in for her shower during the very end of her 8th month, with no suspicion from the airline, then proceeded to give birth a week later. This woman is awesome. And she'll make the best mom to a girl... but hopefully not in a week this time! I can't wait to meet her next month!

Tegan, with Amanda, Mel, and me.

SURVEY: wedding wonder!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:38:00 +0000

Am I the only one who already has wedding season on the mind?
I have several exciting events this spring & summer to be thinking about, one of them a good friend's engagement party.
I need your help with a little game I'm putting together, and I'd like to get as much input as possible!
Answer the questions below in the comments section (just one word or short phrase answers), and send your friends to join in the fun as well... pretty please?
I'll post the results next week, and explain the game... in case you want to file it under obsessive party planning (some of us call it OPP) for future use!
THANKS so much for playing along!

adorable image: Style Me Pretty via Pinterest

1. Which is the most appropriate age to get married (minimum)?
2. How much money should be spent on the engagement ring?
3. How long should an engagement last?
4. Where is the best place for a destination wedding?
5. Which is the best month to get married?
6. How much time goes by during a wedding ceremony before the guests get bored?
7. Name a flower every bride wants in her bouquet.
8. What part of the reception do guests most look forward to?
9. What cake flavor would you be most excited to see the bride & groom cut into?
10. Name one thing every couple does on their honeymoon.

Cookie Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:35:00 +0000

*sneak peek of Tegan's 'books & bloomers' baby shower luncheon!

I make iced cookies for parties pretty often, and here is my yummy go-to recipe:

{Lemon Shortbread}
makes about 24 shaped cookies, depending on size

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pure lemon extract
3-1/4 cups a.p. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Mix in extracts. Slowly incorporate flour & salt, until dough nearly comes together to form a ball.

2. Divide dough in half, forms into disks, and chill in plastic wrap at least an hour or so.

3. Once firm to the touch, roll out on a slightly floured surface.
If too firm, just let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

4. Cut out shapes (you can re-roll scraps 2 or 3 times), transfer to cookie sheets, and let sit in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking, to really set the shape.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.

5. Bake re-chilled dough approximately 12 minutes, until edges are barely golden.
Since there are no leaveners in this recipe, and if you pre-chill the dough properly, it shouldn't change shape much. If you want extra clean edges, sometimes I re-cut the baked dough immediately after it comes out of the oven.

6. Cool the cookies on a wire rack, before icing...

To pipe the icing, like the cloth diaper cookies above, I use this royal icing recipe, tinting with gel food coloring, and using small plastic bottles for piping.

For a more rustic look, like the 'pink lemonade ponies' I made for Claire's Cowgirl Party last year, I make a super simple lemon icing with just powdered sugar and lemon juice (mix the two until the consistency is thin but nice & spreadable, like syrup), and just slop it on, the messier the better.

Either way, you can't go wrong! Allow the icing to fully harden, before packaging. The sweet and tart cookies are crisp, but still slightly soft & flaky. And they look cute! Perfect party favors.

birthday brownie trifle

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:44:00 +0000

This super simple dessert is a serious crowd pleaser every single time. I mean how could layers of gooey brownie chunks and vanilla ice cream not be amazing?

Bake 2 batches of brownies, cool completely, then cut into chunks.
(I don't think it gets better than Ghirardelli when it comes to boxed mixes.)

Let 2 containers of ice cream soften just slightly, about 10 minutes at room temperature.
(I use about two whole 1.5 quart containers.)

Start slopping it together. Alternate layers of brownie and ice cream until your heart's content.
Really pack it in there!

Cover with plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours... then let it sit out again a few minutes right before serving. Something special happens when everything smooshes together then macerates in the freezer.

I topped this particular trifle with crumbled chocolate chip cookies, to compliment the cookie dough ice cream, as requested today by Birthday Girl Amanda. You can add hot fudge... or whipped cream... or both.

This is obviously a very complicated recipe, which requires precise technique. Try not to be too intimidated to try it.
You'll miss out.

fun with the toilet!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:28:00 +0000

Please enjoy an example of Cole's daily antics (and his extensive vocabulary).
Please ignore the messy bathroom (and the awesome lighting).

ten on ten: january

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:27:00 +0000

ten on ten: Take a photo every hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month.
Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments!

*stationary: sarah and abraham
*fabric: purchased locally (alphabet & green scalloped = Moda)

hello, 2012.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:13:00 +0000

I can never decide if it's more depressing or more thrilling to send the kids back to school, following vacation. Our Christmas break was perfect. We didn't get out of our jammies much, but we did take advantage of this crazy warm Northern California record-breaking weather! January usually starts the same for me... some sort of whole foods detox plan, intentions for slightly more exercise {translation: any exercise at all}, and new spiritual goals. But I came across this great list that Lesley of Recipe for Crazy posted last week, and I love the way she described it: "many simple, doable things on his that serve as great daily reminders of how to live"... seriously inspiring! Every single item strikes a chord with me. Okay, and maybe #27 would be blog more often.
{from Lesley}:
And now to kick off a new year in blogging with for a few more of my favorites from our winter family shoot. Feeling so blessed.
{incredible photography}: Photography by Shawnee
{fabulous sofa}: milk glass vintage rentals
{fancy snowflakes}: my Kansas doilies, with edges wired for stability

water!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:22:00 +0000

It's underway! Day three of Project 320{2011}, and we are already nearly 20% of the way to funding Well number FOUR, through charity: water!

This year there are several awesome prize bundles up for grabs, each raffle hosted by individual bloggers. Check out the Linky below this post to start shopping... OR add your own link to the party! The P320 blog has all the details.

Remember that each $10 donation to our campaign earns one entry to your raffle of choice... and, yeah, that small $10 equals ten YEARS of clean water for just one person.

I don't have a bundle to raffle off this year. Instead, I made a small contribution to each of the P320 girls' bundles. Yep, go visit Erin, Heather G., Marta, and Mel for a great chance at winning two items of your choice from my shop... among tons of other amazingness!

I have lots of brand new headbands and little boys' bowties to be listed in the shop this week!

But winning one of the bundles isn't the only way to end up with some fun stuff! I was inspired by Julie's new incentive idea...

That is such a mind-boggling statistic. Somewhere in our small world there is a mom of four innocent BABIES- just like ME- who will lose them today, thanks to contaminated water... times a thousand. Disgusting.

If you donate $40, you will save four lives- lives no different than my 4 'C's.
And I want to support your generosity by happily offering your choice of my special Project 320 aqua scalloped bowtie or headband!

So if you have donated $40 or more this week, in addition to your 4 raffle entries (to ANY of the raffles), please come back and visit me- leave a comment below with your email address.

Also, the P320 bowties and headbands will be listed in my shop as well, and I will donate to our campaign $10 of each item purchased. You know, just in case you're looking for a last-minute gift that totally gives back!

THANK YOU for your support, yet another year!

Now glory be to God!
By his mighty power at work within us,
He is able to accomplish infinitely more
than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
Ephesians 3:20

lives CHANGED.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:01:00 +0000

Wow. If this isn't taking advantage of fresh, clean water, I don't know what is!

Monday the P320 girls and I- with your help- launch year three. What started out as a small idea, a dream in our hearts, an impossible goal, suddenly became more than possible.

Together we have BUILT THREE WELLS.

YOU helped give three communities access to clean water.
To life.

To hope.

To a future.

Let's do it again!
Want to get involved?

Visit the 320 blog and be sure to check back here on Monday!

And let's make a lot more of THIS happen...

Cyber Monday: 25% off!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:36:00 +0000

Hop on over to CMhandmade today, for 25% off all headbands and bowties- perfect for the holidays, your family photo shoot, or just for fun!
{Just enter coupon code CYBERMONDAY25 at checkout.}
Support handmade this Cyber Monday! Happy shopping!

happy days: handwritten tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:25:00 +0000

Tuesday's activity happens to go hand-in-hand with getting some happiness in the mail to Kevin's grandma, who has sadly had a really rough year health-wise. She is possibly the sweetest grandma in the world, and is the first to get handmade cards in the mail for all of us- never missing a single occasion. Grams is also the genius behind the best ever apple crisp.

We hope we could brighten her day with a little GOBBLE GOBBLE. And if have a chance to say an extra prayer for Grams and her brave husband, our family would be so grateful!

happy days: cookie monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:24:00 +0000

Are you playing along? Day one of the Happy Day Project focused on surprising your neighbors with a treat! Since I have already done cookies in a mason jar for our neighbors, we created cute take-out containers for four families... full of brownie-dipped Oreos.

Surely, everyone has seen some version of these delightfully amazing cookies by now, but here's a recap:

You'll need:
-box of brownie mix + whatever it calls for (have you tried TJ's truffle brownie mix?!)
-box of Oreos (makes about 24)

Then:
-Preheat oven to 350.
-Grease or paper-line 2 muffin tins.
-Prepare brownie mix according to instructions (you may want to add a splash of milk if it is really thick).
-Coat each Oreo with brownie batter & place one per muffin cup.
-Bake about 12 minutes...
That's it!

You will definitely make somebody's day with this recipe up your sleeve! I only hope your baking assistant is as cute as mine!

Next up for the Happy Day Project... a good old handwritten note. See you tomorrow!

and speaking of kindness...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:54:00 +0000

Today is the big reveal of Jeannett & Julie's Happy Day Project,
inspired by another random acts of kindess story, very similar to the one I shared yesterday!

Here is a sneak peek of what's on the agenda for next week...
I can't wait to get involved, and I hope you'll join me!
Spread the word!

thanks, kindly!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:23:00 +0000

Thanks and kindness, I think they go hand-in-hand. What better way to express gratitude than to be kind? Beginning yesterday, we are trying out a new praise-based reward system: Caught in Kindness. Specifically, we are working on sharing in your siblings' joy (less competition, more encouragement for one another) and respect for grown-ups (less back-talk, more serving with enthusiasm). The goal is to be caught being GOOD, and to fill up those envelopes with redeemable tickets. We'll see how it goes.

Instead, be KIND to eachother, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:32

Also... a few great Thankgiving-inspired ideas worth checking out:

I just sent my family members the sign-up sheet for Blessed to Bless bags, as part of our Thanksgiving celebration. My favorite new tradition, thanks to Leslie!

Rachel started 'Thankful on Paper' last November. Love it!

This blogger celebrated her birthday by delivering Random Acts of Kindness all day. I'm thinking one per day, all of November.

And yes, just like eating turkey shouldn't be limited to November, we should obviously be practicing these acts all year... but Thanksgiving month is just too convenient a way to get our kids inspired and excited to bless others.

Halloween week

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Hello, November! I love October, but after a solid week of scrambling to finish costumes... a preschool party... a grown-up party... our annual family harvest dinner... an elementary school parade... and an overabundance of ~~crap~~ candy... I am so ready to put the Halloween decorations away! Festivities included appearances by Bert & Mary, Rapunzel, Mustard & Ketchup, a spooky bat, an adorable shark (and his poor victim), and the Giustino girls as the cutest ever peacock & ladybug! Camden and Leila are old pros at trick-or-treating now and pretty much wish they could go without us... which Chloe actually DID do for the first time this year! Will this be the last year we have all four kids in costumes?! *tear!*

Fall tastes so good!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:10:00 +0000

If you don't have a Trader Joe's, I am so sorry! Looking through my pantry, it is clear that I'm a seasonal food fan. And Trader Joe's SPOILS us in the Fall! Here are just a few treats you'll find in our house this month... Amanda even told me this morning she sent Bobby to work with a TJ's pumpkin cheesecake from the frozen aisle. Must've missed that one! What are your Fall must-haves?

The other day on Pinterest, I saw a 'Favorite Things' party idea: Each guest picks a favorite product ($6 or under) and brings five of them to the party. In a nutshell, everyone draws names and ends up going home with five awesome little things. So fun! Trader Joe's seasonal goodies would be perfect for this- during any season! My mom hosts an ornament exchange every December, but I think a favorite things exchange would be a cool alternative one year.

iso & aperture & shutter speed... oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather | Cookie Mondays) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:02:00 +0000

Last month I finally took the plunge and clicked my DSLR onto 'M'(anual)! Thanks to Ashley Ann's AWESOME online SnapShop, I actually understand what each of those terms above mean! It is so enlightening!

Learning to shoot in manual is definitely like learning a foreign language. Yesterday Chloe asked me if it is hard to learn to drive a car, and I explained that it was really a just matter of mastering a combination of several components, and that with practice it eventually becomes second nature... I thought to myself that photography is very similar. Composition plus the right camera settings is a lot to master in the short window you have to point and shoot, trying to capture every day moments. But just like with any new skill, Ashley emphasizes the importance of practice, practice, PRACTICE!

I still have a long way to go, and of course I already have a lenses wish list. Here's a little peek at my first "practice" session since the SnapShop... so go easy on me. Who better to practice on than a very cooperative and cute newborn?!

After taking these on Saturday, Kayla regretted not being in any of the shots, so we threw together a last-minute family shoot on Sunday! Another day to snuggle my new niece? No argument. We arrived at this field with about ten minutes of sunlight left.

Stella says, "Who is the crazy lady with the camera in my face every day of my week-long life?"