Cake Ideas and trial-runs

I have some work to do on these fondant lilies, but here's a peek at my first try:

These are some goodies that I made for a friends' bridal shower:

Smoothie secrets

My girls LOVE smoothies.  And I have discovered that I can use them to sneak in some veggies too!  For my girls, I get the Dannon All-Natural Vanilla Yogurt, and add fresh fruit and a handful of baby spinach or lettuce leaves.  Bananas will do a decent job masking the green flavor.  When I make one for myself I add protein powder and make it my solitary mid-day meal.  I've used everything from strawberries to peaches and even an apple-cinnamon one.  Stick in a straw and watch them disappear!

Hazelnut No-Bake Cookies

Another recipe that stemmed from my daughters' peanut allergy, this was a FANTASTIC discovery.  Nutella (and a handful of off-brand hazelnut spreads) doesn't contain traces of peanuts.  Wanting an alternative to the Soy butter that I had been using in my no-bake cookies, I gave it a whirl.  They are delicious!  Here's the recipe that I used:

My girls enjoy helping me "drop" these cookies.

Hazelnut No-Bake Cookies
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Nuttela
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups dry oatmeal  (I've used both instant and old fashioned, and both worked)

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, mix the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk, and bring to hard boil for 2 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes, then add the vanilla and oats.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto parchment paper to cool.

Mac'N'Cheese

This is another recipe that comes a-dime-a-dozen, but it is treasured in this house and worth sharing.  I think it originally came from a Betty Crocker book?  I had a copy written on a recipe card from my mother-in-law since my bridal shower, and it has been committed to memory for years.  When my kids will eat nothing else, they will eat this.  It takes less than 20 minutes start to finish.  You can change it up to keep it interesting, and the leftovers do well microwaved with a teaspoon of milk or baked until crispy on top.  I have made this meal AT LEAST once a week for the last 9 years.

Macaroni and Cheese

1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups milk
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 oz. elbow or small shell macaroni noodles

Prepare pasta as directed.
Over medium heat melt the butter.  Add the salt and pepper, and stir in the flour until smooth and bubbly.  Add the milk, increase heat to high, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the cheese, reduce heat to medium and stir until melted and mixed.  Pour over pasta.  TA-DA (as my girls would say).

Some variations:

Substitute chopped onion and garlic for the salt and pepper, or try tomatoes, hot dogs or pepperonis.

A Mother's version of computer terminology.

Another old favorite I stumbled upon today:

Re-Boot = Second cup of coffee

De-Fragment = Frantically and systematically finishing off the 6 projects that you started and abandoned earlier in the day. 

Monitor = Quietly supervising from the kitchen while they play in the living room.

Tower = Laundry pile

Memory = "I think I saw your teddy bear under the end table sweet heart. And your left shoe is behind the laundry hamper."

Hard drive = 72 in a 65 to make it home from the store before the pop-cicles, and the 2 year old, both melt.

Control Panel = Kitchen counter

Trash can = Trash can (and, magically, always full...)

Mega-byte = "Spit that out before you choke!"

Screen saver = Sliding glass door

Processor = Where you quickly dump your veggies when they aren't looking.

Software = Slippers

Start Menu = What you planned to make for dinner before you realized that someone ate all of the cheese

Does God ever poke Himself in the eye?

There are those moments, as a mother, that just can't be matched.  Some come in the form of humility, in other's we're bursting with pride.  Often we may find ourselves moved to tears.  We revel at these tiny people entrusted to us.  In some we may find ourselves terribly embarrassed (don't worry, we'll get our chance to return the favor later).  Then there are moments when, even though we are a good deal older, wiser and more proficient in almost every area of life than our children are, we find ourselves perfectly stumped.  We are absolutely dumbfounded, and at a complete loss for words.  This section of my blog is a little different than the rest.  You won't find recipes or crafty stuff here, just a little peek into my very BLESSED life as a mom.  A sample of what I see every day, of all that I have to be thankful for, and of the inspiration for the rest of this blog.  I created it today, to share some stories (both old and new) with you.  May I never take a moment for granted.

This is an old favorite.  My oldest daughter (now 6) was 3 at the time.  It is so priceless that I recorded it right away, so that I wouldn't forget it.  I copied the story below:

On the way home from church the other night, with the girls in the car, Lily's foot was hurting (I think it was a blister of some sort from her shoes) and the following conversation took place:
Lily: "Maybe God just made the skin on my foot like that."
Me: "Like what sweetie?"
Lily: "Like hurting the way it is."
Me: "Well, God doesn't like to make us hurt sweetie, he likes us to be happy and not to have boo-boo's. He wouldn't make your foot hurt I don't think. I'll bet that it'll start to feel better soon."
Lily: "But maybe he accidentally made it that way."
Me: "God doesn't make accidents sweet heart, He doesn't make mistakes. He's perfect. We all make mistakes, but God doesn't."
Lily: "Everyone makes mistakes?"
Me: "Yup, everyone."
At this point Lily proceeds to name several people whom she really wished to know if they, specifically, made any mistakes. Apparently these people were perfect in her little eyes and she needed reassurance that they were human. The list included her friend Brooke from church, Brooke's mother, and Lily's own Grandma - my mother (I feel slightly hurt that it did not include me ;-) Satisfied with my answers she grew quiet for some time and then piped up again:
Lily: "Mom....does God ever poke Himself in the eye?"
Oh to know what is going on in that precious little head. :-)

My little dog lover

We don't have a dog.  But we do have a Lauren.  She's 2 years old and LOVES puppies and dogs. "Wren" spends much of her life crawling around on the floor, panting and barking (something I usually discourage at the grocery store, but have gotten used to in the house).  Her sisters have taken full advantage of this, and they've taught her to sit, shake and fetch.  We don't have a cat either, but I think she's already onto them (at least she has made her opinion of them rather clear).  She likes them, but they rate FAR below dogs on the coolness meter.  Her dog-loving heart was revealed afresh today when she brought me a bean-bag toy kitten laying on it's back in her arms, and we had the following conversation:

Wren: "Mommy, da kitty is SICK!"

Me: "Oh NO!  What is wrong with her?!?!?"

Wren: "She sick and keepth thayin' MEOW MEOW!"

Me: "Oh!  Is that a problem?"

Wren: "YEAH!"  (bangs on kitty's tummy a few times and listens for breathing - I swear that's not how I treat ailments in this house)

Wren: "WOOF WOOF!   Dare, LOOK, she's all better now!  WOOF WOOF!" (turns kitty right-side-up and saunters off )

So there you have it folks.  Kitties are just sickly dog-wanna-be-s hoping for a miraculous cure.