Eeny Meeny & Moe

A Different Christmas Countdown

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:53:00 +0000

It can be hard to remember the reason for the season when you are putting together your umpteenth tray of cookies for yet another cookie exchange. With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy to feel a little empty by the time it's over. Have you ever had that kind of depressed feeling the day after Christmas? A little holiday hangover?

My oldest child is getting to the age where he really understands that Christmas means lots of fun new things... That said, I don't think it's bad for my kids to want things and be excited about presents... the Christmas season is magical! However, I also want to strive for just as much excitement about the greatest gift we have ever received, Jesus!

This year, while we are counting down the days to a tree full of presents, I also wanted to count our blessings and the numbers of ways we could bless others. If you spend any time on Pinterest, you have probably seen the "Random Acts of Christmas Kindness" concept - basically an advent calendar of daily kind actions instead of candies or small gifts.

Yes, it is a little (or a lot of) extra work for me. It is requiring some personal sacrifice (late nights baking, "staging" trips to the grocery store for the sole purpose of returning a stranger's shopping cart...) but the right amount of planning ahead has made it not so daunting.

The most important part was planning ahead and making it realistic for us. I made sure that the activities were age appropriate and actually fell on a day where it was possible for us to accomplish that particular task.

I know it will be difficult for a 4 year old mind to grasp the full significance of the "gift of self" during this holiday season, but these activities are opening up so many opportunities for little conversations about how MOST of the world lives. Not everyone has snacks in the cupboard and a playroom full of toys. Lots of people live hungry. I am constantly reminding him (in a nice way) that we don't get to buy something for ourselves today, that Santa will take care of him on Christmas day, and so we need to help others have a good Christmas too.

Here are some tips to make this happen this year (It's not too late! Love and kindness has no expiration date)!

Make a list of possible activities and/or a list of all the people you could bless (teachers, coworkers, neighbors, public servants, etc... EVERYONE likes to feel appreciated and acknowledged).
Plug your chosen activities into a calendar, making sure to put the activities on a day where you can actually do them - account for sports schedules, work, and other extra curriculars.
Make a to do list of all the things you need to do up front to make sure the activities happen, what supplies do you need? what treats do you need to bake? etc.
Plug your to do list items into your calendar (set aside time to bake, or write notes, etc.)
Shop for your items and get crackin'
Make these activities a priority each day!
Watch blessings abound!

We are only a few days in (we started on the 4th), but it has been so amazing to watch my child take joy in bringing joy to others!

November 2012 Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 04:34:00 +0000

I know we are almost a full week into December already, but here is a roundup of posts from November!

We made some super hero sack puppets!

We needed somewhere to actually use our puppets, so we made a DIY hallway puppet theater.

I shared our new family photos.

Since we are in a season of Thanks, I made a list of 100 blessings in my life.

And finally, I shared a mini-tutorial on how to use a coloring sheet to make some custom artwork, and I gave a little tour of my boy's CARS bathroom!

Kidtastic Bathroom + An Art Tutorial-ish

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:03:00 +0000

I remember the days when I swore I would never buy my kids "licensed crap"... but I underestimated just how strongly kids can feel about a character in a show or a movie. The movie Cars is one such movie for us. The day has arrived where we have Cars pillow pets, pajamas, blankets, toys, movies, dishes, shoes, toothbrushes, can openers (not)... the list goes on!

Sounds silly, but one of the things I was most excited about in our new house was that the boys would have their own bathroom. I wanted to surprise them with something fun that was just for them, and that I would never do for a guest bathroom... so I decided to go with a subtle-ish Cars theme. Instead of stocking up on a Lightning McQueen shower curtain, soap dispenser, bath rug, toilet bowl brush, etc. I just picked a few small items with characters, and played off the color scheme.

I only used three actual Cars themed items: a Lightning McQueen bath mat, LMQ soap dispenser, and bath towels. For the shower curtain, I used a red and white "rugby striped" curtain that coordinated. I love the shower curtain because I feel like it will work for a zillion other themes when they boys are done with Cars (nautical, cowboy, sports, etc.).

Finally, I created custom artwork of Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. I call this a tutorial-ish because it isn't completely step by step, but it gives you an idea of what I did.

I started with coloring sheets of each character.

I cut out the largest shape, then I traced it onto my scrapbook paper and cut that out.

After I had the largest piece (Mater's body), I went back and started cutting out the smaller parts of mater (whites of the eyes, tires, etc.)

I worked methodically through each piece of mater, layering and gluing. To finish, I pasted him on a larger piece of scrapbook paper and put it in a frame that I had.

This was time consuming, but it turned out cute!

100 Blessings, Take 2

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Being Thanksgiving week and all, I thought I would recycle a good post from last year where I counted 100 things I was thankful for. I love how introspective people get this time of year, and I've been reminded already by several people that just by living in American we have so, so many blessings.

Here are 100+ things that are blessings in my life... I challenge you to take some time this week to think of your own. The holidays can be beautiful, but I know they can also be really hard for some people, like they were for my family last year. Today marks one year since my grandpa passed away... so I guess I'm feeling a little gooey!

I AM THANKFUL:

1. That I have healthy children.
2. For the gift of two children.
3. That I have a kind helpful, responsible and loving husband.
4. For being married to a man that loves his children and wants to be a good father.
5. That my husband and I agree on all the big things like kids, money, moral issues and religion.
6. That I can trust 110% that my husband is and will remain faithful to me. No doubt.
7. For God, His unconditional love, grace, mercy and promise.
8. For (re?)discovering the sport triathlon this year.
9. For coffee.
10. That we were able to hang out at home as a family after church today.
11. That our fridge is full of food.
12. That we can pay for all our bills.
13. That we can afford a few extras like new jeans, or shoes or a dinner out.
14. That I grew up in a safe home.
15. That I good parents that were responsible, loving and worked hard to provide for us.
16. That my dad made the decision to quit drinking when I was fairly young, and
17. That I don't remember much prior to that! :)
18. That I have a mom I can also call my friend.
19. That I was able to get a college education.
20. That I'm done paying for my college education.
21. That we have a savings account and a few investments.
22. That I have a reliable, newer car that is safe for my kids to ride in.
23. That I have grandparents that raised my parents to be good people.
24. That I have a part time job that pays me well enough to make it worth working, but that I'm also able to stay home most of the time.
25. That I work for a company with solid family values.
26. That my husband has a job that makes a difference in the world (teacher).
27. That we have amazing health insurance and I rarely have to pay much out of pocket.
28. That I can afford nice Christmas presents for my family.
29. That my family has the means to properly care for my aging grandparents.
30. That our parish has a fantastic priest that is perpetually positive and radiates God's love.
31. That our church has dependable volunteers that work at the pre-school age children's ministry.
32. That we have safe housing.
33. That we have good neighbors.
34. That I am healthy.
35. That I have a sharp mind.
36. That I am able bodied.
37. That I have an indoor spinning bike that I can use any time I want.
38. That I have a really awesome friend that let's me use her nice road bike for my triathlons.
39. That we have an awesome local library that big G loves going to.
40. For Little G's dimples. They make me smile. No. Matter. What
41. For Little G's belly laugh.
42. That Big G is whip smart.
43. That Big G is creative and loves to pretend.
44. That Big G loves to read.
45. That Big G is social and really loves people.
46. That the boys love each other (still! a year later!).
47. That I have a great sister that my kids LOVE.
48. That I have amazing in-laws: generous, kind, good people that are easy to get along with!
49. That I have had two healthy pregnancies.
50. That I have had two straightforward baby deliveries.
51. That I live in a country with reliable healthcare.
52. That I have the right to vote.
53. That I have the right to complain freely about my government.
54. That I can make big changes in my corner of the world through my actions.
55. For my iPhone, which sounds shallow, but it is an extension of my brain.
56. For the internet, and access to information 24/7
57. For Facebook, which keeps me connected with people I have met throughout my life.
58. That I have great friends that are honest, loyal, and mature.
59. That I had several outfits to pick from this morning.
60. That we have a washer and dryer that works.
61. That we have a nice home in a safe area.
62. That my mom can watch my children while I work and I don't have to worry about their safety.
63. That I have a separate room in our house with my sewing machine and exercise equipment (practically a mom-cave - yeah!)
64. That I have a sewing machine.
65. For really fun co-workers that make going to work enjoyable.
66. That my husband has a coaching gig that he really loves being a part of.
67. That my grandma was moved into a nursing home literally 2 minutes from my house so I can go and visit her often.
68. That my grandpa lived a long full life and didn't suffer when he died.
69. That I got to be there for his final breath.
70. For his example in my life.
71. For carbs, cheese and wine on a bad week.
72. For my children's smiles on a bad day
73.That during my career, I have had really great bosses - smart, humble, family oriented
74. That I have had a successful career, albeit a short one thus far, but I've gotten to do and learn things I wanted to
75. That I generally don't have to worry about my safety as I go about my daily business.
76. That I work for a company that is financially stable.
77.That I live close to the beach, mountains, forest, and high-desert.
78. That I live in Oregon. It is such a beautiful area of the country and has few natural disasters
79. That everyone in my family took a nap today, and I got to read and watch the live coverage of Ironman Arizona uninterrupted!!!!!
80. That I live close to my extended family.
81. That my kids have cousins that are close to their age.
82. To know that if we lost our jobs, money, house, and everything we own, we have parents that would let us move back in.
83. That we live in a small, safe, thriving, family oriented community
84. For all the little conveniences I take for granted that most of the world doesn't have the luxury of like: clean water,
85. and hot showers,
86. and a variety of fresh fruits and veggies at the store,
87. and access to medicine,
88. and electricity,
89. and heat that I can just turn on with the flip of a switch,
90. and a home with floors, windows, and doors that lock,
91. and a bed with a soft mattress and several blankets,
92. and shoes,
93. and coats.
94. That we have a nice big, fenced backyard.
95. That we live within walking distance of three schools.
96. That baby G is walking now,
97. and that big G loves to play outside.
98. Big G's preschool class, and teacher, and classmates and their families
99. That we have a microwave so I can reheat my coffee a dozen times
100. That I got to live for 28 years with all 4 grandparents alive.
101. That I can actually think of 100 things that I am blessed with!!!!

New Family Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:20:00 +0000

We are VERY blessed to have some photographers in the family... both of the professional and really good amateur kind! These were taken by the pros, my cousin JD. I just wanted to share some of the pictures from our family photos this weekend. I am absolutely in love with them... I keep going back to click through them again and again.

I love the colors in this one, the blues and greens of us on the leaves.

Ah, this just totally sums up little brother in a picture... Look at the dimples. He is such a joyful child!

This is an example of how photography can tell a deceiving story. Just kidding! It is sweet... just moments before they were screeching at each other. But they are also best buds!

And another fun family shot!

If you haven't caught on yet, they were taken by Steele Photography!

Hallway Puppet Theater Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:23:00 +0000

My favorite projects are projects I have all the supplies for! Since baby #2 came along, I can count on one hand the number of times I've stepped foot in a craft or fabric store. I used to go all the time and wrestle one child through it, but I just can't bring myself to try to wrestle two! I'm probably saving loads of money (offset by the cost of child #2!) anyway. This project was a great scrap buster for me, and it literally took me less than 2 hours. I wish the picture did it more justice, but none of the hallways in my home have very good natural light, or any light at all.

You will need:
An old bed sheet, or 3 yards of fabric
Several fabric scraps, about 5" x 5" for the bunting
1/4 yard of lightweight fusible interfacing
2 yards of ric rac
Coordinating thread
2 tension rods that will fit the width of your hallway or doorway

First I measured my hallway, which was 36". I think this is pretty standard. Many newer homes with really open floor plans may not have a good hallway spot for a puppet theater, so you could use a doorway instead! I decided on 50" as the finished height. I figured 50" was taller than most little kids that would be playing behind it.

I used a $3.99 bed sheet from Walmart. I think I originally bought it a couple of years ago because I was going to make a tent or a teepee - it felt practically free because I've had it for so long. I added 1" to my finished dimensions (so I cut 2 rectangles that were 37" wide by 51" tall).

Using 1/2" seams, with Right sides together, I sewed around the perimeter of the rectangles like this:

So, I sewed across the top, then measured down 2" before I started sewing down the side. I left 2.5" at the bottom not sewn. This is to leave openings for your tension rod pockets. I left the bottom open so I could turn it right side out.

Before turning right side out, I folded the bottom edges up 1/2" and pressed them. Then turn right side out. Sew along the bottom to close it up, about 1/4" from the open edge.

My triangle template was 4" wide by 4.5" tall. Cut triangles from the fusible interfacing. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of fabric. When you cut out the fabric triangle, leave about a 1/2" border.

Fold the border towards the back and press.

Lay out the triangles on the puppet theater until you find a layout that you like. Pin the triangles to the fabric, and sew around the perimeter of the triangles (make sure to skip over any parts that lie over where the tension rod will go through). Lay your ric rac along the triangle tops, and sew. Be careful not to sew the ric rac where the rod pocket is at the top!

I wanted my window to be 17" wide by 9" tall, so I cut a square that was 1" smaller in each direction - so the window I cut out was 16" wide by 8" tall. I also cut the window out of paper first (I used a paper grocery sack), and laid it on the sheet to get the proper placement.

I wanted to fold in 1/2" along each edge of my window so there was a nice, smooth seam, so at each corner, I measured out 1/2" in each direction (see dots).

Then I cut a diagonal slit in the middle of those two dots.

I folded the fabric to the inside, 1/2" and pressed. Then I sewed about 1/4" from the edge, all the way around the perimeter.

Insert your tension rod in the top and bottom pocket, and set up in your hall/doorway.

While some children would actually like to put on a puppet show, others will just want to be a goofball in the window. Let the show begin!

Super Hero Sack Puppets

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I think of fun projects to do with or for the boys and I get really excited about them, only to have them kind of flop. Then other times I think something is no big deal, but it ends up being a home run with the kiddos. This is one such project. I thought I would print out some super hero logos, cut out some mini masks and let Big Brother glue them on some lunch sacks... good for 15 minutes of fun, give or take. These ended up being a HUGE hit. BB played with them all evening, and even went so far as to color another lunch sack to be Batman's "trick or treat bag" for Halloween.

I'm glad he enjoyed them. The only bummer was that he wanted to be Batman and I had to be Green Lantern. I don't even know what Green lantern does... he is just one of a few super heroes that actually wears a mask.

I did a Google search for the images ("batman logo," "green lantern logo," etc.). I downloaded the images and pulled them in to Adobe Illustrator, then sized them to what I wanted (roughly 3" wide for the Green Lantern logo, 4 or 5" wide for the Batman logo). I let him use a glue stick to put the masks and logos on the bags, hence the somewhat crooked presentation.

October 2012 Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Here is the "punch list" of what happened around here in October!

I started the month off with over 100 pounds of apples that I picked myself, so I shared how to make Apple Chips in your oven.

I also shared my mom's yummy recipe for Apple Pie Bars.

I salvaged a pallet to make this Pumpkin Pallet decor for my Halloween themed front porch.

One of my colleagues told me how to roast cabbage... it's SOOO yummy!

I threw together a last minute Halloween Caramel Apple teacher gift.

Halloween Teacher Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:03:00 +0000

Here is an eleventh hour idea for a Halloween teacher gift, but I bet there's a few super moms out there that can pull it off tomorrow!

This year is our first experience with school, Big Brother is in Pre-K! His teacher is wonderful and I really want to make sure she knows she is appreciated, but I also know teachers get loads of stuff. The last thing I want to do is give her one more "thing" she needs to find a place for. We have yet to give her any goodies this school year, so I thought Halloween was a good first.

I love this "caramel apple" idea because it was simple, inexpensive, the items can be found easily at anyone's grocery store, and it's not permanent. Meaning it will put a smile on her face, but then she'll eat it and doesn't have to worry about displaying yet another trinket from a student :).

Clearly, I have zero skills in the paper crafts/scrapbooking/card and gift tag making arena. I just bought some pre-cut gift tags and put a Halloween sticker on it. Bet no one has ever done that before! I used a cello bag and put a caramel dip cup in the bottom, with a nice green Granny Smith on top.

Happy Halloween!

Baking, Cabbage, Batman and Pumpkins

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I know that I love fall, but when it actually comes around, I'm always surprised to be reminded how much I really, really, really love it! I throw myself into fall more than any other season. I get especially bitten by the baking bug... which will soon turn into the crocheting bug.

This week I made a Pumpkin Honey Beer Quick Bread that I tore out of Cooking Light a few years ago. Little Brother loved it and had several pieces in one sitting... it has ground flaxseed in it. So I didn't love that so much the next day :). Moves ya.

I also roasted some cabbage. Yes, cabbage! A colleague of mine gave me the idea, and I really think that just about any vegetable is killer roasted, so I gave it a shot. It was amazing!! I misted it with olive oil, added salt and pepper, and put it in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

I made a Chai Spice Concentrate to keep in the fridge for a special treat throughout the season. I shared the recipe on my Facebook page... which is why you should go like it!

We visited the pumpkin patch. I particularly love this pumpkin patch because the activities are simple, mostly free and it doesn't feel overwhelming like some patches that have a zillion things going on. Just good, clean, simple fun.

I made Big Brother's Sunday by making "Batman cookies" complete with black icing (which I purchased that way). Yeah... not messing around with that one!

And then of course we had to carve our pumpkins - Batman again.

Really all I wanted were these! More evidence that roasting makes everything better.

Pumpkin on a Pallet

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 04:36:00 +0000

Last week, I put up my harvest wreath and set out my fall door mat, but the front was really lacking without the wicker chair that normally sits there. The chair and cushion are in the garage for the winter and there was a gaping, pallet-sized hole to the right of the door!

I figured the pallet bandwagon was almost out of town, and I better hop on - fast! I work in marketing for a manufacturer, and we have piles and piles of pallets that literally get thrown away every couple of weeks, so I salvaged one to create my own one-of-a-kind Halloween decor for my front porch.

I decided to use a wood stain instead of paint so that the grain of the wood would show through.

I found that Minwax has a "stain pen" product and I thought that might be helpful for creating the pumpkin face (it was!).

I created a template on some tag board... but then I abandoned that and ended up pretty much drawing free hand. I used a pencil to draw the pumpkin and the face parts on the pallet.

Then I followed the pencil line with the stain pen. I let that dry for a few minutes, then I went back and used the regular stain to fill in the empty spots on the pallet. I've actually never used stain before, but you slop it on, leave it for 5ish minutes, then use a clean rag to wipe off the excess stain.

This project literally took me 30 minutes to complete... and now I have something unique for my front porch... I just need to fill in around it a little bit with some real pumpkins and other harvest-y things!

Apple Pie Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:17:00 +0000

Mmmmmm... apple pie in a bar cookie! I have no idea where my mom got this recipe, but it is a huge hit wherever it goes. I use my food processor to throw these together super fast. I also appreciate the common ingredients that I always have anyway!

For the crust, you will need:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
2 egg yolks

For the apple filling you will need:
4 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 egg whites, slightly beaten

For the crust, I just put all 6 ingredients into my food processor and pulse until it starts to come together and make little beads.

If you can grab a handful and have it stick together like playdough, you are good.

Press 1/2 to 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of a 15" x 10" jelly roll pan.

For the filling, mix the apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl. Spread the apples in a single layer over the crust in your jelly roll pan.

Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the apples. Lightly press it into the apples with your hands. Brush the egg whites over all.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Allow to cool and cut into bars. If you really want, you can drizzle them with a powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar + a little milk)... but they are good as is!

Apple Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0000

My kids love those packages of freeze dried fruit that are popular... this isn't quite the same, but I can ALMOST pass this off as freeze dried fruit. It's still crunchy and sweet!

This is something new I tried this year. I don't have a dehydrator (it's on my wish list!) but I read that apple chips are simple to make in your oven. If you have fancy kitchen equipment, like a mandoline, these would be a snap. I am not so lucky, so I actually had to slice my apples really thin. I didn't even bother to peel them.

I laid them out in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheets, and baked them at 200 degrees for about two hours. I had two sheets going at once, and I rotated them in the oven every 30 minutes - this also allowed me to keep an eye on their progress. I snuck several tastes throughout :).

I used the Galas, which are a slightly softer apple anyway. They are just starting to turn a little mushy, but once they are baked, you have no idea - a great way to use up your less than prime apples.

Give it a try!

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Apple Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:52:00 +0000

I think that if you repeat something at least once, you can say it has become a tradition, don't you? Especially when you say, "we have to do this again next year!" at the end. It sounds kind of cheesy, but I get this giant sense of pride from picking my own produce and making stuff for my family to enjoy year round.

This year was the second year that two of my best girl friends and I went to a u-pick apple farm to pick apples together. Picking with pals made very quick work of about 240 pounds of apples! After all our hard work we rewarded ourselves with breakfast sandwiches and PSL (pumpkin spice lattes... hello!) at a nearby Starbucks.

The farm we go to grows at least 10 different varieties of apples. I came away with 100 pounds of mostly Honey Crisp, but also some Gala and Jonagold. I mainly pick them to stock my freezer with a year's supply of apple sauce, both plain and spiced with cinnamon, but I had WAY more than I needed this year... so I came up with some creative ways to use up those apples. Over the next week I'm going to share 4 non-applesauce ways to use apples. The first (super simple) one is...

Freeze Slices for Baking. At the advice of one of the u-pick farm employees, I peeled, cored and sliced the apples, treated them for browning (using Ball Fruit Fresh), and just threw them in gallon freezer bags. About 6 apples per bag. Lay them flat in your freezer to save on space.

I did just two bags last year, and wished I had done more... so this year I did 6 gallon bags! Having bags of peeled, cored and sliced apples makes apple crisps, pies, etc. a snap because you do all the apple work up front. I'm so glad someone told me about this, no syrups needed!

And yeah... I'm kicking off apple week on a Wednesday.

September 2012 Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Here is a "short list" of what happened around here in September... I have officially been back to blogging for a full month. I'm still having fun, so I guess I'll keep at it :)

I shared a yarn-wrapped monogram that I made to put on my front door, and talked about my return to blogging.

I posted a "first day of school" printable for you to use in your back to school pictures.

I taught you how to ease a curve - a very helpful skill!

I shared a recipe for apple & blackberry fruit leather.

I launched a pajama pants pattern in my Etsy store.

I shared a recipe for a smoked cheese pasta bake - one of our favorite dinners!

I shared a free tutorial for making a super hero cape out of a dish towel.

I showed you an activity that will make you want to pull your hair out... but your kids will love it!

Thanks for reading!

Styrofoam Destruction

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0000

A very vivid memory I have from childhood was one time that my mom gave me and my sisters the packing peanuts from something that came in the mail. My sisters and I spent the afternoon piling, re-piling, and burying each other with packing peanuts. In classic fashion, our favorite toy that day was the free one... the toy that wasn't a toy at all!

A few minutes in I was thinking, "what was I thinking??" But then I reminded myself that I was thinking that I wanted to hold the "coolest mom" card for a little while. My new indoor spinning bike arrived last week, and with it some large pieces of Styrofoam... so I turned the boys loose on it with some of daddy's tools (very closely supervised!).

They pounded, picked, and stabbed at it until it broke down into a zillion little, clingy pieces of Styrofoam. It was in their hair, on their clothes, stuck to the television screen... and I'm sure I'm going to be finding it for weeks! If you can stand the temporary mess, this is an excellent way to satisfy your kiddos need to utterly destroy things!!

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Dish Towel Super Hero Cape

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I grew up with two younger sisters, so the world of little boys is a totally new experience for me! I had the barbie mansion, I loved to play "pioneers," and pretend to be a mommy to my dolls. I never looked twice at this super hero stuff. Maybe if there had been a glittery pink and purple costumed "Super Mom" that rode a rainbow colored unicorn and had a magic sewing machine, I could have identified with her... but there wasn't. To my knowledge.

I saw these nice dish towels at Target in fun, solid colors and thought I could use the lowly little towel to turn it into something extraordinary... a *super hero cape!* to satisfy my oldest son's current obsession with all things Super.

For this project all you will need is:
A dish towel
Fabric scraps (larger scraps that can accommodate the pattern, below)
Fusible interfacing
Coordinating thread
Coordinating button

Start by printing off the pattern pieces. Placing the pattern pieces (labeled "Right Panel" and "Left Panel" on the Right side of the fabric, cut 2 of each (for a total of 4 pieces). Use the pattern pieces labeled "Right Interfacing" and "Left Interfacing" to cut 1 of each from the interfacing.

Iron the interfacing on the wrong side of a corresponding panel piece, as shown.

Match one panel with interfacing, to one plain panel. Right sides together. Sew around as shown in the illustration below.

Fold down the excess at the opening, and press.

Turn the panels right side out, and press. You can trim the excess seam allowance that pokes out the opening.

Pin the collar panels to the dish towel as shown.

Start by carefully sewing across the opening to sew the collar panel to the towel, continue around the entire collar piece to top stitch around the edge (as close to the edge as you can while still catching all the layers of fabric).

All there is left to do is to sew a button to one of the collar pieces, and create a button hole on the other. Now go save the world.

I would love it if you would hop over and like the Eeny Meeny & Moe Facebook page to stay in touch! Shop promo codes, special announcements and the like!

Smoked Cheese Pasta Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:22:00 +0000

This is one of our go to dinners. I have this poor habit of skimming a recipe and then kind of putting it together the way I think it should go without really checking until I'm halfway through. This casserole was a happy accident as I was trying a smoked cheese pasta thing out of Cooking Light. I have lightened it up even more, and it is assembled differently. It is so easy and quick to make, and I've started dumping it in a gallon freezer bag and delivering it to friends that have just had babies, moved, etc. It's quick, easy, travels well, reheats well... and it's just really, really tasty. I've put my preferences in the parentheses:

12 oz. whole wheat penne (Barilla whole grain)
1 26 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce (Prego Heart Smart Traditional)
1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach - thawed and drained
1 1/2 c. light sour cream (Daisy)
1/2 ball of smoked mozzarella
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 c - 1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Cut the ball of smoked mozzarella in half and scoop out the soft cheese. It doesn't shred well, so I actually cut it into tiny cubes. Drain the pasta and stir in the smoked mozzarella until it starts to melt. Don't stir too much or the cheese clumps up in the middle. Just stir until it starts to melt and get stringy. Add sour cream, marinara, dried basil, and the spinach (break the spinach up as you dump it in). Stir it all together until well combined. Pour into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with the shredded (non-smoked) mozzarella. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy!

A New Pattern that is the Cat's Pajamas!

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0000

After about a year of dabbling with this pattern, it is finally ready for prime time! The first pattern I ever created from scratch was a pajama pant pattern that I put up for free on this blog… and I have learned a lot since then!

Not to take away from the free pattern, it is still good (and hey, it’s free!), but the updated pattern for sale in my shop is very professional and produces a really high quality pant. I’ve changed the shape of the pant a little, refined the seat and front of the pant to eliminate bunching, and spiffed up the pockets, adding a pleated version for a more girlie pant. You can make them without a serger or any other special crazy equipment.

I hope you won’t mind one day of shameless self-promotion of my shop. I’ve got a long list of more patterns to be designed and added over the next few months… but no worries, still lots of free tutorials, patterns and projects to come on the blog!

On another shop-related note, I recently started accepting credit cards right in my store... so you don't have to pay through PayPal anymore if you don't want to!

Head over and like my facebook page to get a special discount code for use until September 30^th, 2012 at midnight. Get 20% off a pattern in my shop – that makes all patterns $3.99!

Apple & Blackberry Fruit Leather

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I am a big-time recipe clipper! At one time I had subscriptions to three different cooking magazines, of which I kept every single issue. When we put our home up for sale earlier this year, I needed to ditch all the paper, so I painstakingly went through 4 years of Cooking Light, 2 years of Everyday Food, and 1 year of Cook's Country (plus a year of Country Home, 2 years of Martha Stewart Living, and an unknown number of years of Better Homes and Gardens). When I was done I had a mile-high stack of recipes to try.

To add to that, during the move I found a recipe box I started in middle school. I feel like I could be on one of those "hoarder" shows... except all I really hoard is magazine clippings.

And now there is Pinterest... oh, dear!

Anyway, I constantly sift through the pile, organize, and re-organize, which led me to notice that I had a disproportionate number of fruit leather recipes, as well as a couple pinned to my food board on Pinterest. I decided to take action and actually give one a try. My parent's property is bordered on two sides by blackberry bushes (thorny little devils), and I was lucky enough to pick several gallon freezer bags full this year.

In a big skillet I put 4 cups of blackberries and 4 sliced up Granny Smith apples with the peels on. I squeezed an entire lemon over the top.

I simmered the fruit on medium heat until everything got all soft and mushy... about 30 minutes. I covered it at one point because it seemed to be getting too dry. I put the cooked fruit through my food mill. My food mill has three disks with different holes, small, medium and large. I used the one with the smallest holes so it was super smooth, and so that no blackberry seeds would make their way through.

I added some honey to taste (2-3 Tablespoons) and then spread half of it over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I spread it out to as consistent of a thickness as I could, about 1/8" or so.

This is the tricky part! I put it in a 175 degree oven for about 3 and a half hours. The number of hours really depends on how thick your fruit leather is, and how much liquid is in it (it could be anywhere on a spectrum from really runny to pretty dry - mine was fairly dry). I tested it after two hours. To test, touch it in several places - it should not feel sticky and should peel easily off the parchment paper. Both sheets took somewhere between 3 and 4 hours. Because I didn't get it perfectly even, the edges were a bit crunchy, but the middle was perfect and pliable.

Isn't it beautiful held up to the light? I love the color variances and textures.

I love that these are so low sugar, and natural sugars at that... and the combinations of flavors are endless! My husband is totally impressed, and my kids are just excited that I'm letting them eat unlimited amounts of "fruit roll-up." Enjoy!

By the way... have you liked the EM&M Facebook page yet? I like it because we can stay in touch more frequently, it's short and sweet, and a little more interactive. See you there!

Sewing School: How to "Ease" a curve

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The first time I was asked to "ease a curve" was in a nightmare of a jacket pattern I picked up. :) I had to take apart the jacket and put it back together a comical number of times. However, when I finally got it right, it was a total "aha" moment. Knowing how to ease a curve is a very helpful sewing skill... especially if you do all sorts of your own projects - makes things much easier!
Both my Fabric Fishing Game pattern, and my new PJ pant pattern (that will release later this week), call for a little curve easing. So here we go!

Easing a curve is basically running a basting stitch along where you want your curve to be, then pulling on one of the strings to gather the fabric and cause it to fold over, where it can be pressed flat with an iron giving you a nice smooth curve. Eh?

The flatter the curve (like on my fabric fish pattern), the easier it is to ease.

The sharper the curve (like on the pockets of my PJ pant pattern, see top most photo), the more "difficult" it can be to ease. Usually, in my experience, if you are easing a fairly sharp curve, there will be interfacing involved, which helps immensely!!!

We are doing a pocket from my new PJ pant pattern. The interfacing is already ironed on to the pocket piece in the proper spot.

Next, you want to sew a basting stitch (basting stitch = longest stitch available on your machine) along where you want your seam to curve. I'm sewing rightnextto the interfacing, but not on it.

Next, I pull the threads you see on the top here, to start gathering the fabric. I bunch the fabric down toward the bottom of the curve. See how the fabric is starting to fold over?

When I am happy with the curve, I carefully press it. This takes some patience as you have to go slow, and be actively adjusting your fabric so it lays down all nice.

When you are done, you can remove that basting stitch so you don't have little threads poking out. You should have a nice, smooth curve that is nearly impossible to achieve without this little trick!

By the way... have you liked the EM&M Facebook page yet? I like it because we can stay in touch more frequently, it's short and sweet, and a little more interactive. See you there!

First Day O' School Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry! I'm not quite sure how I got to this point. It feels like one minute you are doing everything, glamorous and not so glamorous, for your child. The next minute they are walking, talking, mind-blowing question asking, and on their way to preschool. I know it's only preschool, only 7.5 hours a week (to be exact), but it's pretty mind blowing in it's own right.

Anyway, I love a good a good photo prop. Sometimes I feel like it can take my average camera skills and turn a photo into something that most people will think looks pretty good! I whipped this little sign up for his 'first day of school' picture. I just pasted it to some black tag board to make it more sturdy and make the image pop a little more.

In the spirit of full disclosure, it should be known that while I was trying to get just the right shot, little brother was chowing down on a giant dirt clod.

Print and Enjoy!

I only did Preschool through 5th grade (that is elementary school here) because I figured once they hit middle school (6th-8th grade), they'll want a more sophisticated design, right?

1st day of Preschool sign
1st day of Kindergarten sign
1st day of 1st grade sign
1st day of 2nd grade sign
1st day of 3rd grade sign
1st day of 4th grade sign
1st day of 5th grade sign

Yarn Wrapped Monogram and Balance

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:28:00 +0000

I know yarn wrapped everything has been all around the blogosphere and Pinterest scene for some time now and I'm totally late to the party, but I have this thing about posting without a picture... and frankly, this is like the only craft I've done in the past YEAR.

It turned out adorably, but this little number falls into the category of "projects I'll never attempt again." I was envisioning twine wrapped letters spelling "WASH" in my laundry room, and giving all my girlfriends their own monogrammed door hangers for Christmas... but whoa, was this project time consuming.

I cringe to think of the number of hours it took me to painstakingly wrap this 9" letter with worsted weight yarn. Maybe like 15. That's like a lifetime to a busy mom of two. However, it makes me happy every time I drive up to my house and I see that bright green popping off the front door.

It also makes me happy that I'm going to start blogging again. For real. Not like the last time I said it in March, and then I posted twice, and disappeared for 6 more months.

Someone recently told me that, "the only ball you can't afford to drop is the family ball," and I'm slowly learning that besides my family, my faith, and my part-time job, I can only really focus on one additional thing at a time. Post-baby (June 23rd, 2011) I decided to really focus on losing the 30 pounds I had gained from having two kids. When I had lost the weight and got bored with being a gym rat, I decided that I wanted to train for a triathlon. 8 months of swimming, biking and running later, I'm ready to keep exercise as part of my daily routine, but I need a break from the pressures of endurance training.

Maybe it's the shorter days, crisper nights and the impending fall, but I'm feeling the pull to hunker down and focus on the creativity I've neglected for the last year and a half. Cheers!

Food for the Soul: Butterfinger Bars!

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:34:00 +0000

Sorry for being MIA last week - I've been having trouble getting my photos off my camera. Need to get that looked at!

It's baby mania over here right now. A good friend and a cousin had babies back to back, 16 hours apart, at the same hospital last week. So this week I'm delivering dinners and trying to soak up as much itty, bitty baby goodness as I can before {blink} they become 8 month old cutie patootie goodness.

Well, melt my heart.

I always labor (no pun intended) over what meal to take a new mom to be, but this time I picked my Smoked Cheese Pasta Bake - a healthy favorite in our regular dinner rotation. However, I looked to Pinterest for a not so healthy dessert. I decided to try not one, but two new recipes. One for each momma.

First, I found these Pioneer Woman Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares via The Girl Who Ate Everything (no, not me, the blog by that name, silly). They were so tasty, there weren't any left to take pictures of.

Sidenote, if you look at my food Pinboards you will find an inordinate amount of lemon dessert recipes.

Second, I made the Butterfinger Blondies show above (found via Pinterest from Six Sisters Stuff).

Both desserts were amazing. I ended up throwing out the last row of blondies because I literally couldn't stop going to the kitchen to snag little bites.

I modified the Butterfinger Blondie recipe a tiny bit:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
16 Fun Size Butterfinger Bars, broken into bits (I put them in a ziplock bag and gave them a good whack with my rolling pin)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. In a mixing bowl, cream your softened butter and sugars together. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until well blended.
3. In another bowl, combine your flour, salt and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
4. Working with your mixer on low, start adding small amounts of your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
5. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the Butterfingers.
6. Spread in a well greased 13" x 9" baking pan and back for about 25 minutes until the center is just set. Do not over bake! Part of what makes these so killer is their barely baked, gooey texture.

7. Cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 or 3 cups powdered sugar

1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-5 tablespoons of half and half
4 Fun Size Butterfinger Bars, broken per instructions above

Whip your butter with an electric mixer until it starts to get lighter in color. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments and continue to whip with your mixer. When your sugar is completely incorporated, add vanilla and half and half to get the consistency you want.

When the bars are cool, you can spread your frosting on top, and sprinkle the Butterfingers over.

Living Room Facelift

noreply@blogger.com (Molly {Eeny Meeny & Moe}) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

One project I like to go back to from time to time is decorating my home. We are going to be moving in the next couple of months, so I'm not slapping paint on any walls at the moment, but I can work on little projects that can move with us. Like these pillows.

One side is that white minky fabric you can buy to make baby blankets. I just wanted something with an unexpected texture, and I didn't want pattern overload in here. The other side is Opal Gold from Joel Dewberry's Heirloom collection.

Big G thinks I made these pillows for him. He takes one to bed with him at night... I'll let him think that for a while!