Momma D and Da Boyz

Kitchen Lighting Update

2012-02-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

This week we got the lighting done on the newly tiled side of the kitchen!

So I think that finally this side...

matches this side...

Wohoo!

Angry Bird Cupcakes

2012-02-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

Pin It

Yesterday was boy #3, Nathan's, birthday. As is our tradition in our household, he got to choose whatever he would like for his cupcakes for school. I let them pick whatever they fancy at the moment, then it is my problem to figure out how to make them. This year he chose Angry Birds.

I molded all of the figures out of fondant. Instead of having to try to get the eyes right, I used the Wilton Candy Eyeballs. These were great, as they are already made and you just place them right on! It made making the faces super easy. They are $3.99 for 56. Great price!

I used the Wilton Rolled Fondant Pastel Colors Multi-Pack to make the figures. The blue birds are made with the blue fondant straight out of the package. I added Juniper Green Wilton gel to the green for the pigs. For the red birds I added Red NoTaste and Burgundy to the pink. For the yellow birds I added Golden Yellow and a bit of Orange to the yellow. I added more orange to the yellow for the beaks. The rest was done with white fondant and white fondant tinted black.

To make the figures, it is a lot like play-doh for grown ups. Roll and shape until you get the desired effect. I break things down into basic shapes and then adjust. Like the yellow bird is a pyramid, with a cone nose, and a flattened circle for the belly. Play until you get it the way you like and attach pieces with just water!

I then just used the Wilton tip 233 to pipe grass onto the top of the cupcakes in green buttercream. Wilton has a simple online tutorial on how to do this here.

So here they are!

I really love my cupcake holders. They make it easy to transport to school. They have high domed tops that click on and then they stack as well. These are the Ultimate 3 in 1 Cake Caddy and run $19.99. I highly recommend them, as I can use it for cakes, cupcakes and mini-cupcakes. And after all of the time I spend working on my decorated goodies, I would hate for them to get destroyed on the way to their destinations

They were a huge hit with the Kindergarten class. The birthday boy Nate actually brought home his pig off of the top of his cupcake in a plastic bag at the end of the day because he wanted to keep it. I explained that it is actually edible, and that we can make permanent ones to keep out of fimo clay and bake them!

So much fun!

Next up for the March birthday of Gabriel, Plants vs. Zombies!

Pin It

I am a Wilton Mom Ambassador and as such receive Wilton products either without charge or discounted during the tent sale. All opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

Hot New Toys for 2012!

2012-02-13T20:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was at Toy Fair 2012 in New York City. I want to give you a brief look into what I think are going to be the hot new toys, as well as the trends for this year. Trust me, there will be lots of posts with all of the details this week. But first I wanted to give you an overview.

The biggest trend at toy fair? Tiny. What may have started with Squinkees is now popping up everywhere. From Trash Packs to Moshi Monters to Go Goes everything is miniature.

My favorite part of this new trend? As a mom of boys, the new Star Wars Fighter Pods made my whole family go wow!

I love that they engineered the ball that they come in to look like a death star that also functions as a top. Add to it the pint sized vehicles made to make a game out of knocking over these teeny figures and I know this will be a winner!

And look at all of the options to collect!

On the exact opposite end of the spectrum, the next big thing in gaming will be giant. As in Skylanders Giants. The 2011 Skylanders Spyros Adventure took gaming to an all new level, ecspecially in the young gaming set. By adding figurines and cross-platform play it opened up new horizons. Consumers responded by making it huge this past holiday season.

Well, coming the fall there will be a new game, Skylanders Giants. It features 8 new Giant figures that measure twice the size of the current figures. My boys (including Daddy D) can't wait!

Other trends? Glitter tattoos. There were at least three vendors at the toy fair touting these fun items. My favorite was Glimmer Body Art. Super easy to apply with stencils, skin-friendly glue and glitter. Made to last 3-7 days and waterproof these are awesome! Great for parties and special events!

Crafts were also big. My favorite find was the Loop De Doo. It makes creating friendship bracelets incredibly easy in about 3 minutes!

No more frustrating and tedious knot patterns. Just with a few twists you can come up with so many styles!

Of course no visit to a toy extravaganza would be complete without talking about plush. And when you talk about plush, Ty comes to mind. Their newest offering is Monstaz. I was happy to meet them on my way into the fair.

This wall is awesome to show all of the colors and sizes they come in. The larger sizes have sound features as well! Super cute, cuddly and fun!

So that is a brief overview of what was big at the Toy Fair 2012! I can't wait to show you more soon!

Kitchen Updates Progress

2012-02-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

We have finished week one of February, and although February is the downstairs bathroom month we are still concentrating on the kitchen. We did, however, come up with a plan for the updates to the bathroom. We went to the home improvement store and looked at the medicine cabinets, took pictures and then compared with the measurements of the existing one at home. So now we know what we are getting. We still have to choose a new vanity light and shelves.

But back to the kitchen. This week I got around to photographing the completed tile (minus some caulking). I love it. Really love it!

Here is where we started:

Here is where we are at now:

Next up is adding the under cabinet lighting!

Also, I was pleasantly surprised that the cabinet knobs we had been waiting on came in a whole two weeks early! So here they are:

I like how they reflect the same design elements and lines of the handles without being too matchy matchy.

What else have we been working on? We took the pantry door off, stripped it down to the bare wood and have begun repainting it. With a bit of a surprise inside:

And I finished a great project this week, post coming soon!

So that is the update for this week!

Da Boyz Update

2012-02-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

Things at the D household have been eh as of late. We are trudging through a difficult period with the school age boyz. Mostly having to do with their medical issues.

Gabe is still having difficulties with tracking and eye fatigue. He is having a hard time pushing through an entire book, as when he gets halfway he is starts to reverse letters and have a difficult time decoding. Add to that that we just cannot get him to do his eye program in the evenings after school and homework and we are kind of stalled.

Nate and Seth both have some ADHD related issues. Just the sixth grade and Kindergarten versions. Mostly Seth's are academic. Nate is having some trouble with sensory issues within the classroom. But he is doing excellent academically!

This has meant things at home have been harder lately. We are all a bit more stressed. And it takes awhile to get things done, all the while making sure that we are meeting each of their individual needs.

We will be spending the late winter at appointments with specialists, checkups and the like. We need to tweak some things. Make some small adjustments to keep things moving in the right direction. But it is all worth it. They are awesome guys and they are loved.

10 AM #FebPhotoADay

2012-02-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

10 AM

Today's challenge for the February Photo A Day project was a picture of 10 AM. At ten this morning I was in church. The highlight of today's service was the baptism of a father and his three daughters. They are friends of our family.

We were incredibly excited that the eldest daughter was baptized today-as she is the first of the kids from our youth group to choose baptism since we started working with them last year.

I was honored to take photos for the family today. This was a photo of them taking their baptismal vows. Congratulations Fleischman family!

Hands #FebPhotoADay

2012-02-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

Hands

The piece we have in our living room that Gabriel puts his glasses in at night, and apparently my earrings as well.

Words #FebPhotoADay

2012-02-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

Words...

Tonight I went to a community budget forum for our school district. We were asked to answer questions like "What items would you be willing to reduce if needed?" and what were our priorities when it comes to our children's education.

Tough questions. Lots of discussion. Long night. Important futures up in the air...

My View Today #FebPhotoADay

2012-02-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

Many of my blogging friends did the January Photo a Day challenge, and I enjoyed seeing their pics. So I decided to participate this month, in hopes that I'll remember to pick up the camera more and take more pictures!

You can find more about the project here

So, without further ado...

My View Today

I was in the city for a blogging event today. It was unseasonably warm and a fabulous day to be out and about in New York!

Here's what is coming up:

Kitchen Update #4

2012-01-31T21:07:00.000-08:00

Things here have been busy. We are still working on kitchen updates as January comes to a close. There were some snags this week. The remaining drawer pulls that I ordered weeks ago still haven't come. Actually, I contacted the company and they are now backordered for another two weeks. Ugh.

The one project I have been working on ended up being a craft fail. The product doesn't work as intended, and now I am in search of something that will.

I've also made more work for us this week, as I went to give the pantry door a fresh coat of paint and realized that that had been done one too many times. So we took down the door and stripped the coats and coats of paint. We are almost finished sanding, and then we can paint.

Things that went right this week? We installed the tile backsplash and even got it grouted. We still need to seal the new grout and caulk the edges. I promise pictures soon!

Now that February is beginning we had to evaluate our 2012 plan. We wanted to concentrate on one room a month, which should mean we would be moving on to a new room. But with so much left to go in the kitchen we don't really want to move on. So we compromised. We are going to continue work in the kitchen. But we will also work on on our downstairs bathroom.

In November I started a specialty finish product on the walls in our bathroom. But Home Depot ran out of the product. We moved on to other projects, and it still isn't done. But the product is now in. So we will finish the paint in the bathroom. We also plan on stripping that door too, as well as changing out the door molding. Then just some decorative details and that room will be done.

With the short bathroom list, we are hoping that we will have plenty of time to keep plugging away on the kitchen. The more we do, the more exciting we are about the new look and functionality of the room! Stay tuned!

Valentine's Day Bubble Wreath Tutorial

2012-01-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

Pin It

I love all of the burlap bubble wreaths I have been seeing around blogland and on Pinterest. I wanted to do something for our door for Valentine's Day, and I thought a bubble wreath would fit the bill. But I wanted to do something a bit more fun than just red burlap.

I browsed around JoAnn's for awhile and found a fabulous graphic black and white print. I bought 1 5/8 yards, which ended being enough to cover the front of the wreath (not the back so it would lay flat against the door).

I also picked up straight pins, accent hearts and matching ribbon.

Cut your fabric into 4" squares

Fold the fabric into half to make two triangles

Fold the one side backwards, making a quarter size triangle behind

Fold the other side forwards, bringing the quarter size triangle to the front.

Now puff up to make your bubble.

With this lighter weight fabric, I pull in the two remaining sides.

Then pinned all of the way through your great bubble!

Then just pin around the styrofoam wreath!

Here is the completed wreath covered in the fabric bubbles...

Then I added red glitter heart picks that I got at the dollar store.

It added a little special something!

Finally I used matching red glitter ribbon and hung it on the door!

I love how it came out!

Pin It

I'll be linking up here:

Tide Coldwater Challenge

2012-01-26T14:54:00.000-08:00

We are a family of six, and my biggest challenge to keeping organized as a stay at home mom is the mountains of laundry. Seriously, my family wears a minimum of 30 articles of clothing. That does not include sports uniforms, towels, sheets, sweatshirts, throw rugs and all of the other things that keep a family going. It is a constant battle.

With that much laundry, I only want to have to wash things once. I don't want to wash things, check them over before putting them in the dryer to see if they still have stains and then wash them again. That is why I avoid washing in cold water. I stick by the adage of hot for whites, warm for lights and cold only for darks.

I was happy to be a part of the shespeaks Tide Coldwater Challenge. I was given a bottle of the Tide for Coldwater to try with my family. So I took a day or two off from laundry duty (I try to do a load every day). I then spent yesterday doing laundry. This is just a few days worth of laundry for my family...

I am happy to report that I washed all of these in cold water using the Tide for Coldwater formula, and none of them had to be rewashed for stains!

It also pleases Daddy D, who has a degree in Environmental Science. He really enjoys when we can reduce our energy usage. By washing only in cold water we are conserving energy, as well as saving money in energy costs. That's a win-win!

Not only that, Daddy D has always been a fan of the Tide scent. Not only do your clothes come out clean, they also smell great! We love it!

I received a product sample and gift card as compensation for this review. All opinions and experiences expressed are solely my own.

Our Sweet Little Hot Dog Makes Us Sad...

2012-01-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday our dog turned 5. Which isn't that old, except when you are a miniature daschund. Most people know her breed as a Hot Dog. She, being a miniature, is actually referred to as a cocktail wiener by Daddy D. We have had her for almost five years, since she was old enough to be with us. She is a red color, and we named her Ginger.

She is well loved. Lots of little boyz to run around with.

A momma who loves another female in the house. A daddy who spoils her with shoveled walkways in the winter and lets her snuggle up to on the couch.

On Saturday morning Ginger was slow to wake up. When she did she was hobbling around a bit, and was nippy with the boyz-which is unusual for her. By late morning she was limping a lot. I sat down on the ground and put her in my lap and felt the paw and leg that she had been having difficulty with. Oddly enough there didn't seem to be a sore spot. I sat her on an afghan next to the fire, her favorite place to be in the winter. But then a few hours later she got up to go outside and she couldn't move her legs.

Phone calls, the vet and more ensued. It seems that Ginger has a spinal injury. She is paralyzed from the mid-waist down. She has something called IVDD, which actually effects 20% of her breed in their lifetime. An astonishing number if you think about it. One in five daschunds will have debilitating damage to their back. That is a crazy number!

We knew all along that back injuries are a risk in this breed. We have been diligent all along with the amount of food she eats so that she did not gain extra weight which would have been more of a risk factor. But despite that, four days before her fifth birthday our dog could not walk. We do not know what her outcome will be at this time.

We are doing conservative crate treatment at this time, meaning that she is confined to her crate for all but pottying for eight weeks. This will give her back the best chance at healing. She also is taking pain meds and supplements to help with the healing process. When she does go to the bathroom she walks using a sling to keep her back aligned.

It is a very sad time. One boy cried on Sunday morning because he was used to her sitting by his feet while he ate breakfast. Eli, who Ginger has been around his entire life, cannot grasp what is going on at the age of 3. He keeps asking why Ginger's legs are broken. It makes my heart ache.

We will have to see how things progress and if she will ever walk again. But in the meantime we are making sure to shower her with love and kind words as she deals with this. And no matter what happens, we love her and she is a part of our family.

Valentines Day Sead Beed X's and O's Tutorial

2012-01-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

Pin It

January is starting to wind down, and I am gearing up for a fabulous February! Of course, all things love are in season right about now. I wanted to add a touch of Valentines Day flare without spending a ton. So while browsing the aisles of our new Hobby Lobby (have I mentioned yet how in love I am with that place?) I remembered my uber popular St. Patrick's Day Seed Beed Four Leaf Clover from last year. Why not make a version for Valentines Day as well?

I didn't want to go that heart route. What else says love? The X's and O's at a bottom of a love letter. I picked up one sheet of scrapbooking paper for 59 cents in a pretty black and white scrolling pattern. I then grabbed a tube of seed beeds in a deep red, again-bright red seemed too obvious. That cost $2.99, but I used my 40% off weekly coupon making it--eh, you do the math!

Then we made the traditional Target stop, and I grabbed one black and one white 5 x 7 frames for $1.99 a piece. I liked that it provided a bit of contrast yet still both matched the paper.

To start, I grabbed the 5 x 7 paper insert of the oh so fabulous fakeo couple smiling and traced two onto the back of the paper. I then cut them out. Easy peasy.

Then I printed out a X and and O from my computer. I went with the default font on my word processor, played with the size until I liked it and printed it out.

I cut out the letter and placed it in the center of the paper and then carefully and slowly traced lightly around it.

This gives you the outline for your pattern on the paper.

Then I just filled it with good old Elmer's School Glue...

And then poured the seed beeds on top.

Shake of the excess...

Then place in frames with the glass taken out and your done!

I love how great they look. A little bit of love, not an in your face kind of thing.

I put them in the shelves in my living room. I love the contrast against the blue background. And I added the "d" from our collection of "d's" on our shelves for our last name. I kind of love me some typography, and putting the D for my hubby's last name that he gave to me added just a tad bit more awww for me!

Pin It
I'll be linking up here:

Zeiss Lenses and Educational Tools

2012-01-20T13:46:00.000-08:00

I was asked to take a look online at the Zeiss lenses and the educational tools that were created to enable eyeglass wearers to better understand their vision correction needs, ensure they get the most out of their next eye exam, and receive the best lenses to regain sharp vision.

I was reading through the education tools on the Zeiss site, and having been a glasses wearer for seventeen years now I didn't think there was much I would garner from the information provided. I have to say I was surprised!

The first thing that peaked my interest was a run down of the different types of coatings that can be applied to your lenses. There were standard ones like the Anti-Scratch and Anti-Reflective coatings. But I was surprised to learn about Anti-Static coating that repels dust and dirt to keep the lenses cleaner longer. Or what about Hydrophobic? This makes dirt and moisture slide off of the surface making it easier and quicker to clean and dry the lenses.

My favorite of the educational tool was the Questions to Ask at your Next Eye Appointment. I truly think I'll print out this list and bring it with me for not only my own appointment, but that of the boys. There are questions I never thought to ask, like will one pair of glasses meet all of my vision needs? Or does Gabriel, my 7 year old who wears glasses, need different lenses for sports?

I also really liked the suggestion of getting a copy of your new prescription to keep for yourself in case you were to lose or break your glasses on vacation or visiting relatives. Just like I need to know all of the boys prescriptions for medications that they take, I should know Gabriel's prescription for corrective lenses!

It didn't take a long time to read through these clear, concise educational tools. By doing so I do feel better informed and better able to participate in my families eye health! I highly recommend them!

I have been compensated for this post, but as always, all opinions expressed and experiences portrayed are my own.

Kitchen Progress Update- Week #3

2012-01-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

This week it finally happened! My mis-matched white hood and stainless stove was remedied. I now have a matching set of a microwave hood and oven! Wohoo! So much excitement in the D household. Especially since our old microwave was received as our first Christmas present from my mom and stepfather the year Daddy D and I got married. Yep. 12 years old. Older than our sixth grader!

I know you want to see pics, so we went from this...

To this...

But not without a tad bit of a hiccup. The microwave hood we ordered came in right on time last Thursday. We started installation prep and took down the old hood. It was hardwired. Then we took out the shiny new pretty thang. And there was a plug. Hmmm.

I am very lucky indeed that Daddy D is a handy guy and experienced in many a home repair. Yes, he even knows electrical hoozamawhatsits. So our bit of an issue was nothing a trip to the store for a junction box, some cutting through a wall and running some new wiring couldn't fix. Again. Lucky girl, I know.

So by Sunday afternoon we were basking in our new micro glory. It is like twice as big and even has a shelf so that we can microwave two plates at once. Feeling mighty fancy now!

I am also super excited that these are sitting on my microwave-free counter-top now...

Tiling is about to commence!

What else is happening you might ask? Well, today I purchased this...

And I fixed this debacle...

It is mighty organized and spiffy under that shelf now, but you'll just have to wait and see!

Other things happening in the kitchen this week: I ordered a new cartridge for my Cricut to add a little something special to the pantry shelves. I am also still waiting for my drawer knobs that match the new handles that went on two weeks ago.

I might or might not be lost a midst a pile of fabric for faux roman shades. And there is still that super cool, yet pesky, project I keep hinting about. Only problem being that I need another set of hands, and Daddy D is working on the doors for the media console we built last month. I keep telling him that it is kitchen month. He keeps measuring and drilling. Harrumph. I know, I know. Something is still getting done in our DIY house. I shall be grateful.

What have you been up to?

Chicken Noodle Soup, Fleece Pajama Pants & a Warm Fir

2012-01-17T18:52:00.000-08:00

So much for the unseasonably warm January here in New York. It has been in the teens and below the last few days. Sprinkle in the snow and freezing rain. It is cold and nasty. And it makes me not want to do much of anything.

But I decided to make the best of a dreary afternoon. First I started a big old slow cooker full of chicken soup. I am not one for recipes when it comes to soup. I put in some chicken stock. I put in some cooked chicken breasts. Threw in two chopped onions and a bunch of carrots. Added in a bunch of random spices. Let it simmer for a few hours. Then added two types of noodles, and a hot dinner was ready.

That wasn't all though! I made a few pairs of fleece pajama pants for the boyz! I picked up patterns at the 99 cent pattern sale at JoAnns. I picked up one for each boyz size, and then once they are cut out I have one to use over and over again to make the fleece pants. Then I buy fleece whenever it is 50% off. It ends up costing me about $5-7 to make.

I find the boyz love them, and the bonus being they are cheaper and of better quality than what we would purchase in a store. Think sewing them is too hard? Really, they are very beginner sewing patterns and take less than an hour to make!

Finally, now that the day is drawing to a close, I am snuggling under a fuzzy blanket and watching a great fire in our living room.

The day didn't turn out so bad after all...

Kitchen Update Week 2

2012-01-12T19:33:00.000-08:00

It's been one week and I wanted to update you on the kitchen progress. Last week I told you that we are spending the month of January working on our kitchen. From doing some more minor renovations to organizing we decided to focus our efforts and funds for the month on this one room.

Well, we ordered the new stainless microwave oven hood combination last weekend. We got a great deal from Sears. It was on sale, and then we ordered it during friends and family discount days so that we got an additional 15% off. We ordered in store at our local Sears and it was delivered to the store today. After work Daddy D picked it up, and I can't wait to get to work changing it out.

We also went to Home Depot this week and picked up the remaining tile that we would need to make this part of the kitchen...

Match this side...

If you notice in my before pic, by replacing the hood that came with the house we will get that counter space where the microwave is.

Also, we are checking off another appliance that we are switching over to the Stainless side of the street. We purchased the stove first, quickly followed by the installation of a dishwasher.Only the refrigerator will remain!

Other things that happened this week in the kitchen? I ordered the remaining knobs from the same line as our new handles and they should arrive the middle of next week. We also prepped and are ready for installation of a cool new project next week!

I have also been slowly but surely working away at organizing our pantry.

So all in all I think we are doing great! Can't wait to show you more progress next week!

DIY Valentines Day Heart Pennant for $2.60!

2012-01-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

Pin It

I had planned on starting the Valentines Day craft tutorials next week, but this one was a spur of the moment buy that is time sensitive! Today I was at Target and they were having a fabulous clearance sale. The remaining Christmas items were 90% off.

There was a ton of these felt ornaments left. Seriously. Bins of them. Hopefully there will be at yours as well! So get there quickly, as they are $1 for 3. So at 90% off they are 10 cents each! I picked up six sets for 60 cents.

I then went into my bargain ribbon stash that I had purchased at a dollar a roll. I ended up using 4 yards of 1 inch ribbon for the banner. But I wanted to make them hang off of the string, so I cut six inch lengths of smaller ribbon.

I then tied a knot in the six inch length and trimmed it close to the knot.

Then I put the loop through the top of the ornament.

I pulled the loop through the knotted section and made it snug to the ornament.

Finally, I slipped it onto the ribbon banner.

And finished it off with a quick tie.

I love how this came out!

Plus the colors spruced up our kitchen window

(Ignore the blinds--they'll only be there another week or so until the new shades are done!)

So much fun for a grand total of $2.60!

Pin It

I'll be linking up here:

New Year's Project, Kitchen Details

2012-01-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

With that fresh start feeling of a new year Daddy D and I discussed what it was that we wanted to accomplish around the house. We bought our house 16 months ago, and up until recently we have been in sheer functional mode, as in making the house work our family of six.

We have done a lot, but it has been all over the house. A little here, a little there. And there is a list for every room of things that need to be done. So we decided that with a new year we would take a new approach. For the month of January we are going to work on the kitchen.

This includes finishing up our pantry redo, the shades that I have started for the window, and a bunch of organizational projects. We are also going to try to finish the backsplash project from last May.

Although we did complete the one side of the kitchen, there is another side that needs to be done. We need to install a new microwave hood before we can tile on that side, so that is on the books for this weekend! I am very excited, as this will also open up the counter top where the microwave has been sitting. And what girl doesn't love more counter space?

Finally, we have already started the last item on the list. We have switched out the woven aged brass pulls for new brushed nickel pulls that match the stainless tiles in the backsplash and the new appliances. All large cabinets were given these full pulls. We are still waiting for 9 square knobs to finish the smaller cabinets and drawers. I can't wait!

Do you have any projects you are working on for the new year?

Wordless Wednesday- Christmas!

2012-01-03T21:24:00.000-08:00

Today the three eldest went off to school (hooray!) leaving just Eli and I to hang out for the day. We did wonderful things like snuggle and watch some preschool programming. And I got to take a peek at our Christmas pictures! They made me smile. Enjoy!

Happy 2012!

2012-01-02T21:46:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow the kids go back to school (a cheer has escaped my lips unintentionally) and I will be back from a holiday vacation filled with memories made together as a family.

I hope 2012 has brought a fresh outlook! We welcomed in 2012 for the first time as a family of six, with no one else. We are always going to or hosting New Years Eve parties. But this year we opted out and spent the night in front of the roaring fire in the living room, chowing down on yummy snacks and being together.

Granted, this also meant explaining to my 7 and 11 year olds, who made it all of the way to midnight, some interesting things. Ya know, like why that old man on the TV is orange (aka Dick Clark with a ridiculous Snooki-esque spray tan). Or Jenny McCarthy totally sucking face with a random new NYPD recruit at the stroke of midnight. All in all, though, it was cozy. I wouldn't have changed it for anything.

(Our annual stroke of midnight photo--

kind of enjoy the 11 yr olds sideways glance!)

I have survived the week of Nintendo 3DS bleeps and iPod touch bloops as the boyz have reveled in their gifts left under the Christmas tree. And Eli obsessing over his now extensive Squinkies collection. If I have to pull another couch cushion off or move the coffee table again to look for that minuscule Woody or Buzz I might lose it.

In a mere seven hours that magical mustard colored vehicle will pull up to our driveway and the red flashing lights and stop sign will signal the end of winter break in the D household. I'll be waving goodbye at the front door, and maybe- just maybe I'll be lucky and Eli will sleep in like he has as of late. Which means that as the lights fade away in the morning mist I will climb the stairs and climb back into my warm bed and have a quiet morning. At least that's what I'm hoping!

Nutter Butter Snowman Cookies

2011-12-22T15:18:00.000-08:00

I have been pinning Christmas ideas for months onto my Pinterest board. When I first came across these in October while cuddling a sick kiddo and surfing while he slept, I couldn't wait to make them for the holidays. Fast forward to a crazy couple of weeks of school holiday concerts, cub scout parties, Christmas shopping and yesterday I was going through the school papers and there was a reminder that tomorrow was the holiday party for Kindergarten.

I love making cupcakes and cakes, but have found that there are a lot of moms who send in cupcakes for a class party. So many do so, and usually the kids only get to choose one. I wanted to send something different, and if it was small I could put it in a tupperware in his backpack rather than having to drive in large containers of cupcakes. I pulled up my Pinterest boards and there in my Food Fun board I found the picture of the original done by My Pretty Purse.

I made some adjustments to some of the materials I had on hand and went to the grocery store for the rest. For this project I needed:

Nutter Butter Cookies
Wilton White Candy Melts
Orange Tic Tacs
Candy Coated Chocolates
Chocolate pre-made icing
Wax Paper
Double Boiler or Chocolate Melter
Fondue fork, toothpick or skewer

First I covered the Nutter Butters in candy melts. I used my favorite tool for working with the candy melts, the Wilton Chocolate Pro Electric Chocolate Melter. I purchased it at the Wilton tent sale this summer and have used it for everything from dipping pretzels and marshmallows to making candy coated pretzels.

My tips for dipping the Nutter Butters are from trial and error. I used a fondue fork and turned the cookies sideways, placing the fork into the center. Think like a bowtie with the stick out of the center. Next I held the Nutter Butter over the container and spooned the melted candy on top of it, letting it roll over the sides and onto the bottom. If you dip the cookie straight into the candy pot one of two things will happen, the cookie will fall off into the pot or it will break. It is just too much weight.

Tap the stick on the side of the pot as you hold it to help remove excess and get out air bubbles. Then place it directly onto the wax paper. I did three at a time and then paused to place the candies into the setting coating. For the nose, place one orange tic tac right in the center of the upper part. Then place two candy coated chocolates onto the bottom portion.

After they have set, it takes just over half an hour, add your facial features and arms. I used a small amount from a ready-made tub of chocolate frosting I had on hand. Using a disposable decorator bag and a #3 Wilton decorating tip I piped on the features. You could also use a plastic baggie with the tip cut off.

I was able to package them up in the morning and send them off to school. They were a huge hit!

I received the Wilton Chocolate Pro without charge, but was not required to post on it. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

Making Wilton Candy Kits with the Boys and Girls Club of Sullivan County

2011-12-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

I was invited to the Boys and Girls Club of Sullivan County's Liberty Chapter to come in and run a guest class. I was happy to volunteer, and as a Wilton Mom Ambassador I began looking through the online store for project ideas.

I found these Christmas Candy Kits for Pretzels, and I am thankful that Wilton donated most of the supplies needed for me to teach the class!

Last week I went to the local chapter to teach the class. Over the course of just over two hours I was able to teach basic candy making skills to just under 30 kids.

The kids did a great job, as did the Boys and Girls club staff that assisted me.

The next day, after all of the molds had set, each child went home with two pieces that they had created.

Thank you to the Boys and Girls Club of Sullivan County for asking me to teach, and a huge thank you to Wilton for donating the supplies. It was a pleasure to teach a new skill to so many eager young ladies and gentleman!

Our Christmas Mantle

2011-12-20T19:51:00.000-08:00

I've been showing you parts of our Christmas mantle. First I showed you the stockings I had cross-stitched for the boyz.

And then I showed you the ornaments I glittered for the apothecary jars.

Well, here is the full thing. My favorite brown coffee filter wreath is at the center. You can see the tutorial on that here.

I added some more glittered ornaments at the dollar store, as well as the gold glittered poinsettia.

I tied pieces of burlap and aqua calico fabric cut into strips around a string of LED lights. I love how it is a unique alternative to a evergreen swag.

I really love how it looks at night!

I added an all white nativity set that I have had for years and added a decorative box underneath to give it more height and presence and covered it with the burlap as well.

Do you decorate a mantle for the holidays?