First Day of Pre-School

 

 

 How is this possible??? Big A started Pre-School yesterday! He was so excited! We got up early and got him all dressed in his new uniform and headed out the door with plenty of time to spare (Daddy took the day off to take the little guy on his first day too!). We got to school plenty early and got to take him to his class to meet his new teachers and get started on the day before the other kids arrived.  The Teachers were super nice and put him right at ease. He was a little nervous showing them how he writes his name but he did a great job. When the other kids started to file in we gave him a quick hug and kiss good-bye and he happily waved us away, all ready for his new adventure. I think me, Daddy, and Addison were the more upset ones. We went to Kneaders for breakfast and lamented on missing the little guy. Even Addison chirped in with "I really miss Brudder!!" However it was so fun when we picked him up, hearing him relate his day to us, talking about all the things he did and people he met. Our little guy is growing up ... whether Mom and Dad are ready for it or not.

Easy Multi-Holiday Decor DIY

 

 

This is a Fun, Fast and EASY holiday craft that wont break the bank.

 The big bonus...It's reversible so you get multiple holiday use out of it!

( I made 2 sets so the above pic shows both sides)

 

Items Required: Mod Podge, Wooden Cubes (available at any Craft Store or ask Lowes to cute a 2" x 2" x 6' stick for you into cubes) Patterned paper cut into cute shape (I used my Cricut) and Vinyl Lettering (I used my Cricut, you can also buy letter stickers at ANY craft store)

Paint your wooden cubes

(I used white Valspar spray paint but you could use any color or type of paint you like) 

Next get out your Mod Podge and liberally apply it to one side of the cube 

Now Apply a layer of Mod Podge to your paper and place paper

on your Mod Podged surface. Let dry at least an hour.

 

Now apply your letters and apply another healthy layer of Mod Podge to seal the whole thing. Let dry another hour (waiting is the HARDEST part!)

 

Now repeat the whole process on the side of your cube

OPPOSITE the one you just finished.

Now you have a fun festive little decoration that you can use for multiple holidays!
I did Valentines "Love" and St. Pattys "Luck" but the possibilities are endless (Easter with "EGGS" ! )

* Note: I considered doing more than the 2 sides but realized that if you do the other sides kinda show when you display. Doing the 2 sides ensures that you wont see the other design.

Breakfast Muffin "Egg McMuffins"

This is a FANTASTIC breakfast recipe that is actually pretty easy to do but makes you look like you are quite the chef. I used a Rachel Ray Recipe as my jumping off point and have refined it over the last couple of years. If you want to sound all fancy call it a "reconstructed egg sandwich" I call it "Egg McMuffin Muffins". Whatever you call it it's sure to please your breakfast bunch.

The below list makes 4 Muffins, Easy to Double, Triple Etc..

Ingredients:

Butter (For Greasing the Pan)
4 Slices of White Bread
2 Slices Kraft American Cheese (Quartered)
2 Slices Canadian Bacon (Halved)
4 Eggs

Instructions:

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 Degrees

Generously Butter Muffin Pan

Use a Rolling Pin to Gently Flatten your Bread Slices

Cut Bread into Large Circles (I use a 4" Bowl as a Guide)
Then Cut in Half

Gently (you don't want holes) push 2 bread halves into
Muffin cup to create your Bread Shell

Brown 2 Slices of Canadian Bacon
(On Medium, One Minute Each side)

Press 1 1/4 slice American cheese in the bottom of your bread cup

Add 1/2 slice Canadian Bacon

Add an egg to each cup (it might overflow a bit, that's fine)

Bake 25 minutes ( Or until egg is fully set)

Add another 1/4 slice of american cheese and put back in the oven for a couple of minutes (until melted)

The bread gets Toasted while the Egg is Cooking and the Cheese gets melted...
Delicious!

 

Crappy Game but a SUPER Bowl anyway.....

Superbowl was weird this year. The whole thing sort of sneaked up on me. We were going to have a big shindig but I didn't get invites out and it looked impossible to plan. The weather was so bad on the east coast that they weren't positively saying that it would be on Sunday this year...(maybe Saturday, Maybe Monday...what?!?!). So we decided to go low-key this year, just have Mine and Jeff's parents over. I still decorated and had WAY too much food.

The game was a total bust. Regardless of who you were rooting for (we unfortunately wanted Denver to pull it off) the game stunk. The commercials were Eh, Halftime was okay but not brilliant. Overall it would have been pretty disappointing except the food was fantastic (Jeff even grilled!) the company was excellent and the kids were super cute.

 Next Year.... GO BEARS!!!!

 

AMAZING, EASY "Wingers" Wing Sauce - Perfect for the Super Bowl

We love the sticky wing sauce at "Wingers" restaurant's. It is the perfect blend of spicy and sweet. Awhile ago Costco started selling the sauce. We loved it, we bought the insanely huge jars and loved our "wingers" nights at home. Then all of a sudden...BLAM, Costco quit selling it.  Let me tell you, it was a sad day in our house. I however was not going to be deterred! I found then tweaked a DIY wing sauce that is SO close to "Wingers" it's crazy! We love it with Tyson chicken strips and something Ore-Ida for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It would be PREFCET for your Super Bowl party! Here is the "complicated" recipe....

DIY "Wingers" Sauce

1/3 Cp "Frank's" Hot Sauce
1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbl Water

In a small saucepan mix all ingredients over medium heat stirring ocasionally until the sugar is melted and it just starts to boil. It will be VERY runny, cool before serving to thinken it up (I usually throw it in the freezer for 20 minutes to quickly thicken it... I have no patence!)

Serve over Wings, chicken fingers... the possibilities are endless!!!

The ingredents (plus water!)

We love these drowning in the sauce!

 

Happy 10th Birthday

Ten years ago this month Jeff and I decided to stop in the Humane Society of Utah and ended up bringing home our first son, Our perfect little Sundance (Also dubbed Mr. Meowgi). He was so small and so sweet right from the start. He has never scratched, never bitten, never hissed (I even tried to get him to once, showed him the cat scene from “Alien,” he just looked at me like “really?!?!”) He is the perfect buddy. He has kept me company though many, many late nights, watching me craft or work, or when I haven't felt good, like when I was pregnant, he will curl up next to me, giving me love and support. He is always there for me.

He has put up with lots of life changes. We got hardwood floors, the poor little guy skidded around the house for months. He got two noisy, “loving” siblings that have pulled fur and yanked his tail, chased him around, and generally annoyed him. He has never, ever retaliated in anyway other than giving annoyed looks, even when they have been way too rough with the poor guy.

I think his favorite time of day is nighttime, right before we go to sleep. The kids are snuggled into their beds and Sundance sits patiently at the floor beside our bed until Jeff and I are all settled in. Then he “brrrrrumps” and jumps up, snuggles into the crook of my arm. He purrrrrrs and purrrrrs until he falls asleep.

Happy Birthday my sweet furry first Son

SNOW much fun!

It has been relatively warm here. Compared to the frigid temperatures the rest of the country is having it has been down right balmy. We have had some good snow storms the last couple of weeks, giving us wonderful snow to play in. Here is a glimpse at some of the fun we've been having.



Big A said "Hey let's name him frosty!" Not very original....



Our Snow Fort for the Epic Snowball fight!