I'm going to let you in on a little tip.....ok, more like a secret. My grandma's recipe book was given to me before she passed away (I begged her for it, and since I'm the only one in the family who cooks and bakes she ablidged) and I found the most amazing, tasty, fabulous recipe for cut out cookies. They are really easy and bake up incredibly fluffy. Here's the recipe: Mix the dry ingredients together first: 1 3/4 C sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 baking soda pinch of salt 5 1/4- 5 1/2 C flour In a large bowl mix your wet ingredients: 1 C butter, softened 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 C sour cream Add your dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Sprinkle POWDER SUGAR (yup, you read that right...not flour) on the surface and roll out your dough. Bake the cookies at 350 for around 8 minutes (give or take a couple based upon your individual oven). Enjoy! … [Read more...]
Tips for helping your high potential child
One of my boys is considered "high potential." What is high potential? High potential is defined as a person (or child) with a high functioning aptitude or high intelligence quotient. This is something we've suspected for quite some time and it was only recently confirmed. I can distinctly remember his first Christmas when he was 8 months old, he got this really neat wooden shape-sorter. That kid opened the box and put those shapes into the correct places in a matter of a minute (and I'm not talking about circles and squares; like octagons and pentagons.) His thought processes have always been really literal and he is quite the perfectionist too. These are all signs of something "bigger" going on. While registering him for Kindergarten the discussion of what the appropriate placement would be for him came up and we decided it would be in his best interest for us to dig a little deeper. Our school district has a wonderful program for high potential children and they offered some … [Read more...]
21 After Surgery Activities for Kids
If you've been paying attention to our social media over the last week, you know that both my daughter, Tottie, and Lindsi's daughter, Lil' Princess, had tonsillectomies last week. Tottie's was on Monday and Lil' Princess' was on Tuesday. Though neither daughter has been very perky, we have had to keep them occupied while they are to remain on the quiet side. Here's some of the things we've done to keep our post-surgery kids from getting bored... 1) Legos--What kid doesn't love them? Buy a new set of Legos for after surgery and keep your child busy for hours. 2) Glurch/Slime--This ooey, gooey stuff isn't messy at all but your kids will have fun thinking it is! 3) Board games--When was the last time you played a board game? Now's the time to have some fun with your kids playing the games you used to love. 4) I spy bottles--We dusted off one of my girls' favorite toys AND made a new one! 5) Make cards for other sick kids--Dust off your art supplies and make cards … [Read more...]
Pintrest Inspired St. Patty’s Day Crafts
Because Jamie and I are busy taking care of our daughters this week (post surgeries) we are bringing you a week of fun Pintrest inspirations. 1. Shhhhh, don't tell but that's the shirt I made for my princess last year. She loves that festive shirt so much I thought I'd "re-share" it with you. Here's a link to the original post. 2. What an incredibly cute St. Patrick's Day craft that will also double as a little writing exercise for the kids. You only need a few items and this craft is complete. Stop by Classroom DIY to see the instructions. 3. Yup, another festive shirt. I'm partial to mine but this one had me debating which one I liked best. Just another EASY and fun way to make a St. Patty's Day shirt. 4. Making a rainbow with a pot of gold at the end of it is exactly what I think of when I think of St. Patrick's Day crafts. Here Come The Girls Blog shares with you how they did it and what they learned. 5. Liluna shared step by step instructions for making this … [Read more...]
Pintrest Inspiration- St. Patty’s Day Tasty Treats
Because Jamie and I are busy taking care of our daughters this week (post surgeries) we are bringing you a week of fun Pintrest inspirations. 1. How did we not think of this idea?!?! Shamrock green pepper snacks from Glorious Mischief . Hello, where have we been? 2. These Irish inspired hats have all the things necessary for eating...marshmallows, cookies and chocolate. Stop by The Cake Blog for instructions. 3. Green pancakes for breakfast! Yup! I'm adding this one to my list indeed. Thoughtfully Simple came up with this one. I've done the pink heart shaped pancakes for Valentines but this one is awesome. 4. You know how I feel about fun lunches if you have been reading our blog for more than a day. This one "takes the cake!" I think I am adding GlorysMischief to my "to read" list. 5. Um, yum....need I say more? Easy to make and it looks so incredibly good! My kids will devourer this for sure! Thanks for sharing this This Mama Loves. 6. Ok, now I have to bust out … [Read more...]
Nurturing the Soul of Your Family-People First, Things Second
I am excited to bring you a review of the book Nurturing the Soul of Your Family by Renée Peterson Trudeau. To be completely honest, I did not read the entire book. Instead, I skimmed some chapters (bullet points throughout the book make that easy to do) and read others that stood out to me. Nurturing the Soul of Your Family isn't a necessarily a "how to" book. It's more of a guidebook that helps you look at yourself and who you want to be with and for your family. It stresses that your family and the obligations that go with them are not burdens as we sometimes feel, but that they are gifts. When we take care of ourselves, we can appreciate our gifts. This book is a motivation and inspiration to slow down and find peace in the often chaotic family life. There was one chapter in Nurturing the Soul of Your Family that resonated with me (and that makes a good fit for this blog too). It was "People First, Things Second: The Digital Divide," a chapter that talks about … [Read more...]
