HOW-TO-TUESDAY: recipe makeover

Who doesn't LOVE brownies?  Chocolate-y, crumbly outside, chewy-ewwie-gooey inside.... and so-so sinfully decadent.... I mean, full of calories.

So, how can you have your favourite chocolate snack and NOT feel guilty after?  Easy.  Makeover your recipe.

With a few small changes you can cut the calorie count considerably and still get the fix you were looking for.

Today, I'm going to show you how I made over this recipe, from BAKER'S Chocolate and Kraft Canada.  The original recipe calls for a large amount of both butter and sugar.  By cutting these two ingredients down and adding one other thing, you can save yourself from indiscretion.

Here we go.
Julie's Skinny-ish Brownies

You'll need:
4 squares Baker's Semi-sweet Chocolate
1 tbsp Becel Salt-Free Margarine
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1 ripe mashed banana (or 1 Motts snack cup unsweetened applesauce)
3 whole eggs (or 1 whole and 4 egg whites if you have cholesterol issues)
1tsp vanilla
1 cup flour (white, whole wheat or nutri-blend)

Melt chocolate and margarine in microwave for 1-2 minutes, stir til chocolate is free from lumps.  Add eggs, vanilla and banana and mix well.  Add flour and stir til combined.  If you're not totally counting every calorie, fold in a bunch of chocolate chips too, maybe about a half cup ;)

Pour into a 13x9 greased foil-lined baking dish.  Bake for 25-35 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Test the brownie to make sure they're done by inserting a knife or toothpick.... you know the drill.

They should resemble something like this....

Judging by the 'oohs and ahs' I got from the family, I'd say they were a hit.  The banana adds a bit of flavour that melds well with the chocolate and gives that extra hit of sweetness.  Hope you like them too!

Have a fantastically fudge-y day  ;)

HOW-TO-TUESDAY: rosemary butternut apple soup

It's the time of year when all I want to eat is soup.  Do you ever feel that way?

Here's a very simple recipe that tastes de-lish-us!  And also happens to be one of my very favourite fall recipes..... YUMMMMM!

ROSEMARY BUTTERNUT APPLE SOUP

You'll need:

7-8 cups of peeled and cubed butternut squash
2-3 apples cubed (peeled or not, your choice)
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
1 medium onion diced
4-5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp rosemary
fresh ground pepper
salt

Here's the how-to: 
Throw everything into a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until squash is fork tender.  Here's where you choose how to finish the soup.  You can either mash with a potato masher and have a textured soup; or use an immersion blender and puree.  I like my soup a little chunkier, so I just use my potato masher.  You can also, at this point, add either cream, milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk or a neutral milk alternative (soy, almond, etc.) to give the soup a 'cream of' consistency.  Sometimes I add the milk, sometimes I don't.... I enjoy it either way.

This soup freezes very well.  However; here's a tip - freeze without the milk added, it tends to separate and look curdled when thawed and reheated.  Once thawed, heat the soup and add the milk at the end, warm it up, then serve.  Enjoy!

Have a fantastic Tuesday everyone  ;)

HOW-TO-TUESDAY: homemade chocolate syrup

I don't buy milk through our school's milk program.... Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great program and fundraiser; but, with two kids (and next year three) to pay for.... it's an added expense that just doesn't fit into our budget.... I send cheese, yogurt or chocolate milk from home.... this is what works for us.

I also don't buy cartons of chocolate milk either.  It's not cost effective and it's just an invitation for the kids to drink it way too often, because once opened, it must be finished before it sours, right?  So, chocolate milk in our house comes from the plain skim milk we buy (which we always have an abundance of) and chocolate syrup.  I can control the amount of chocolate (sugar) that goes into every glass.... I like that. And, it's cost efficient.

Anyhow, if you're a baker, then you should have everything already in your cupboards to make this easy recipe....

Here's the how-to:

Whisk together in a pot,  1/2 cup cocoa, 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (or powdered sweetener of your choice), pinch of salt, and just over a 1/2 cup of water.   Bring to a boil then simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Let it cool, then pour it into a container and store in the fridge.  Should make just over a cup of syrup.  Use it just as you would commercially bought chocolate syrup.  Alternatively, you may also whisk this all together in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until the desired consistency is reached.  You can make this as thick or thin as you like.

The added bonus; YOU control the sugar and there are no added preservatives.... and if you ask my guys, they like it just as much as store bought.  WIN-WIN!

Have a fantastic Tuesday, folks   ;)

BESTIES OF ETSY: apron love

I don't know what it is about an apron that I love so much.... maybe because it reminds me of Happy Days.... I love that show.  Mrs. Cunningham always working away in the home wearing her beautiful day dresses, ever protected by her kitchen aprons.

Last year, I added an apron to my Santa list, and as luck would have it, he obliged!  It just makes sense to wear one really.... how many times have I been making tomato sauce and splattered one of my white, off white or lightly coloured shirts?  I'm sure you can relate, right?   Anyway, I thought with baking season getting into full swing over here, that I'd show you all a beautiful collection of very useful aprons.... ENJOY!

Vintage-inspired print, full apron by my very favourite apron maker, Chadley of Terrace Hill.  I've had the pleasure of e-mailing back and forth with Chadley, and she is SO. NICE.  Someone who builds these beautiful creations using equally beautiful designer fabrics.... and doesn't skimp on customer service.... I hope one day to be the proud wearer of a Terrace Hill apron....

Nerdy Owl apron by Zig-Zags.... I am a self-professed nerd, and so I can truly appreciate this cute piece of work....

From Sunday Afternoon, a vintage, large-patterned gingham, half apron complete with rick-rack detailing and pintucking at the waist.  Couldn't you just see someone wearing this in a tiny little cupcake bakery?

I love making little apron and chef hat sets like this for birthday presents, then giving them with a children's cookbook.... This set is from Sweet Apronz n Cupcakes.

I'm thinking this little number, by Snappy Shop, would be the perfect apron to wear while hosting an evening dinner party where martini's are the featured beverage....

And lastly, every household needs an apron for cleaning, for holding yard sale money, for playing store with the littles.... This one is the perfect size, with very generous pockets, in a super-fun print.  By Little Miss Dinah.

I hope you enjoyed this tiny collection of kitchen-y goodness!  Check out Etsy for TONS more....

Have a great day everyone  ;)

P.S.  Check me out at Tutus and Tea Parties.... she's having a Pinterest-ing linky party!  Click the button in my sidebar and it will take you to her blog :)

Cranberry yummy....

I spent my Sunday morning making super delicious pumpkin spice pancakes for the monkeys.... Sunday's are always pancake breakfasts.... I; however, generally still have my same old boring oatmeal.... somehow my day seems not quite right if I don't have it, weird huh?

Anyhow, I used this recipe for the pancakes, that I found pinned all over Pinterest.... and judging by all the "Mmmm's" coming from my breakfast table, I'm guessing they are everything they say, and more!

Then, being inspired by the vintage jars I brought home Saturday, I decided to do some canning.... cranberry sauce to be exact.  I picked up 2 bags of cranberries last week when I was grocery shopping.... I love cranberry sauce, and it's so much better homemade.... but, since I'm the only one in my house who likes it, much of what I make goes to waste.  So, I decided to do some preserving in small jars....

Here's my recipe for cranberry sauce:

You'll need:

1 bag of cranberries (I use ocean spray)
1 cup orange juice (with or without pulp)2/3 to 1 cup sugar (white or brown)
1 to 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
(optional) grated rind from one orange

Mix juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a saucepan, heat to boiling.  Once liquid is boiling, add the cranberries and grated orange rind.  Lower heat to medium and allow cranberries to simmer roughly 10 minutes.  You'll hear the cranberries popping as they heat and the liquid will begin to thicken.  You can mash the cranberries is you wish or leave them, just depends on the texture you want.

This makes just over 2 cups of sauce.  Sauce cooled to room temperature can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for 6 months.  If you want to preserve it, you'll need a hot water canner, sterile jars with lids and rings, funnel, jar lifter.  Make sure hot sauce goes into warmed jars, wipe jar rims and seal leaving at least 1cm. head space, process in a hot water bath for at least 10 minutes (remember:  hot jars go into the canner with warm water).  Remove being careful not to jostle jars about and let rest til cooled.  Store in a cool, dark place.

And there you have it!  Yummy cranberry sauce ready to enjoy whenever you like, or to give as gifts!  The bigger vintage jar and the half full jar went straight to the fridge for our upcoming belated Thanksgiving dinner with my in-laws, who will be arriving this coming Wednesday....

Have a great Monday everyone ;)

Healthy granola....

While digging through the fridge one day, I came upon a lonely bag of shredded coconut.... hmmm, what to do with the flaky stuff?  Well, after enjoying a few handfuls straight from the bag, I decided to make granola bars.  Good idea, right?  I thought so too  :D

As you can see, as the official taste-tester, I had to make very, very, very sure they were fit for little monkey consumption.... and it took exactly three squares to determine that they did, indeed, pass my rigorous tests; you know - proper density, correct balance of flavours and general yummy-ness (it's a technical term, look it up)....

So, here's the recipe; which, by the way, can be adapted for use with whatever you have lurking in your cupboards.... as long as the binders are in place, you're good as gold :)

3 Monkeys Granola

2 cups oats (just not minute oats)

1/2 cup brown sugar (did you know you can make your own? what!?)

1/4 cup wheat germ (or oat bran... or not, totally optional)

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch cloves

1/4 cup cranberries (our fave are raspberry flavoured)

1/4 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or not)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup honey (we use buckwheat for a stronger flavour)

1 egg

2 tbsp oil (whatever you have is fine)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (unsweetened flavoured is great too)

Here's the really, super difficult part, I hope you're ready for it, please pay very close attention....

Dump all of the dry ingredients in a big bowl and mix together....

Throw the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix well....

Pour the wet into the dry and combine.... phew!  Now, that was a toughy ;)

Pour it all out onto a parchment lined jelly roll pan (aka cookie sheet).... or, grease your pan VERY WELL as this stuff has the power to stick like super glue!  Now, at this stage, it should be a little less than 1/2 inch thick on your pan, but again, this is up to you Miss Baker-Babe, I like mine about this thickness so I don't end up with super crunchy granola.... I hate that stuff!  If you leave it a little on the thicker side, you can control the crunch factor a bit better.... I also like to manipulate mine into a very neat and tidy rectangle using my parchment to shift and move the stuff; to get it flat and even on top, I just use my hands (clean hands, of course)....

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven til lightly golden.... sorry, I can't give you a definite time as I do not work that way in the kitchen.... maybe check on it after 10-15 minutes then every couple minutes after that.... that's the best I can do folks :)  My oven temp runs very hot so my times are always off.... (eagerly awaiting the day it decides to leave this world).... As with all of my recipes, interpret them whatever way you please, because that is the beauty of cooking, right?  You can loosely follow someone else's directions and create something that's your very own.

Happy baking all  ;)

It's all mine....

Ok, so by now, you're probably all getting a little tired of my obsession with aluminum ware; but, too bad :P

Here's another thrifty find I couldn't pass up!


The kitchy-est little double boiler, don't you think? I'm bursting at the seams with this stuff.... When I first decided I 'needed' a collection of aluminum, my intentions were to just find a few (7) coffee percolators and tea pots to display on top of my kitchen cupboards.... well, with the addition of this one, my cupboards are looking a little too overdone :(

Something has to go.... but not today, I'm going to mull it over for a bit, do some re-arranging and shuffling about.... I'm sure I can make IT. ALL. FIT.... Mr. Monkey is not so sure.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.... this little buddy only set me back $3.00 plus tax at my favourite 'Thrift Store'.... great find, I say.

I'll return later for this weeks installment of the Friday Night Video.... any requests??? Have a great day my lovelies ;)

Do you know the Muffin Man?

I'm cookie baking today.... I'm making about 130 sugar cookie cut-outs for a party for a friend on Saturday.... When I started this morning, I kept thinking of this little guy....



Enjoy your day ;)

Mac 'n cheese monday....

I know my kids love this stuff, and I have to admit that I do too.

I grew up as the third child of four, to a single mother. We didn't have a ton of money to spend on food. My mom always made us meals that we could afford, meals that would stretch over a couple of days, and more importantly, meals that would fill our bellies.

Needless to say; Kraft Dinner was not a staple in our home.... if fact, I don't think I even tried it until I was in my teen years. And boy, let me tell you, my first taste was like a flavour explosion in my mouth. It wasn't until I was older that I realized the amazing taste came from the high salt content, the over-processed white noodles, and the powdered 'real' cheese flavour. Flavour - there's a word you can find on many boxed food labels that really doesn't explain what you're ingesting at all. It's somewhat of a mystery... someone asks, "Mmmm. what's that I'm tasting?". The reply, "Oh that? That's the FLAVOUR." See, mysterious.

Aaaanyway, I do buy KD for my kids as a treat, like once a month.... and honestly, I also eat a tiny little bowl of it too :P .... But, that's what it is for us, a treat.... something we indulge in once in a while. I would never consider it a staple when there are so many better, healthier alternatives.... say, Mac 'n cheese from scratch? So easy to make, and my kids even comment that they enjoy it more than the fakey-fake stuff.

So, without further adieu.... Here's my version of Mac 'n Cheese, enjoy :P

1 2/3 cups dry, whole wheat elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons flour (I use nutri-blend)
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (or prepared if that's what you have)
1/2 to 1 teaspoons chili powder
Few grinds of fresh black pepper
1 cup half and half
1 cup fat free milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I use cheddar and monterey jack)

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat, as butter is melting add in flour and mustard and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in cream and milk so that no lumps form. Once combined you can add in salt, pepper and chili powder. Bring mixture to a near boil then reduce and simmer til thickened. Do not scrape the bottom of the pot with your whisk. The milk will form a coating on the bottom of the pot to protect the sauce from scalding and you don't want any of this burnt tasting guck in your sauce, bleck! Once you've achieved a thickened sauce, remove from heat and add your cheeses, stir to blend. Don't worry if the sauce doesn't seem thick enough, it will continue to thicken, and the gluten in the noodles will also thicken it further.

Butter a 2 quart oven-safe dish, add your cooked noodles and pour your cheese sauce over. I like to crush breton crackers over top then bake in a 350 degree oven till they brown; but that is totally optional. You can eat your mac 'n cheese after you mix in your sauce; or you can top it with more cheese then bake to melt the cheese; you can freeze it for another day.... possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Hope you like it! Have a great day all ;)

Fun in the kitchen....

So, I've been taking this week off as a little breather.... much needed, and well deserved. But, this is what I've been checking out lately.... I love kitchen gadgets! I don't quite know where the love came from.... but it leads me to finding some really interesting, fun and useful items. Check out these cool and hilarious items.... things my children would certainly appreciate as much as I do!


The Condiment Gun, found at Danna Bananas.... how much fun would that be at a BBQ?


Corny Corn Holders, found at the joie shop, yay, no more burned fingers!


Kitsch Gadgets Pizza Cutter, also available at the joie shop.


Fred M-Cups, who doesn't love Russian Dolls? Available at Danna Bananas.


And last, Fish Chopsticks, from Kitchen Stuff Plus. Certainly would make eating asian food less daunting for kids (and some adults).

Have a great day peeps ;)

Can we just skip this month????

Do you ever feel like you can do it all? Ever bite off more than you can chew? I think it must be a mom thing.... We all do it. I know it. You know it. Yet, we're able to put on this stoic face that lets everyone around us know that we are in control, when really, we're never totally in control of anything. Is that what it comes down to though? Control? We need to be the commanding officers of our own little army. The centres of our own little universe.

I CANNOT do. it. all. There, I've said it. Now you say it. Take a deep cleansing breath, and be fine with the fact that NOBODY expects you to do it all. No one except yourself, that is.

Aaaaanyway, just to give you an idea of what my May is shaping up to be, here's the short list:
Make toy soldier costume for school play (oh, and it needs to be to school for TOMORROW. I got a real head start on it though.... this. morning.).
Hosting Rummage Sale for a Cause Fundraiser with teammates and friends.
Helping a friend with a Plant Sale/Fundraiser at our school.
Baseball for my boys starts (2 nights a week).
Hosting THINK PINK TEA Fundraiser with teammates and friends.
Attend baby shower for a friend.... I LOVE BABY SHOWERS... AND I LO-OVE BABIES, YUMMM!
Signing-Up for baseball for myself. (What, you ask? Do I play baseball? No, but what the heck, I've got time.).
Mom-to-Mom Sale... I've got a table... anyone care to join me?
Kids Clothes Week Challenge being hosted by the wonderfully creative bloggity-blog Elsie Marley.... please do check out this space, it's so full of fun and inspiration.

So, this is everything I can think of off the top of my head... oh, there's more, there's ALWAYS more. I can get through all of this, I know I can. And I know it's really not as much as it seems.... and truly, truly, I love being busy. I must, otherwise I wouldn't commit to SO. MUCH.

As a side note, and totally-totally off topic; just yesterday I had an urge to check out the Habitat for Humanity site, really it was just my way of escaping all of the aforementioned happenings.... Anyway, I've always wanted to help on a build. So, here's what I found out.... a-ma-zing organization, a-ma-zing volunteers, doing a-ma-zing things for people. I'm serious when I say, I will do this one day... only catch is, I'd love to do it internationally. What a fantastic way to see the world and all of the wonderful people in it. Check them out, you will be compelled to help.

Anyway, it's sunday morning, which is pancake morning around here - and oddly enough, pancakes always put me in a good mood even though I don't eat them; but my kids always get so excited and that makes it so much more special.

This little menopausal moment has been very, very helpful folks.... I feel so much better now than I did when I sat down to type this. Sometimes all we need is to itemize our to-do lists.... it seems to give us better perspective, don't you think? Ahhh, *sigh of relief*.

Let me know how your May is looking.... Oh, I've had one taker on my offer to sew something for the Kids Clothes Week Challenge, anyone else interested in something for free? Please leave me a comment if you're interested.

Have a great sunday everyone ;)

Unexpectedly delish....

Like all mom's, I'm always on the lookout for different ways of incorporating new (or weird, as my kids would say) veggies into our diet. The beet love has been a slow and almost agonizing sell; but, they will eat them oven roasted along with sweet potatoes and parsnips... a small victory for any mom, I say. And, being a person who loves colour; beets win me over in the veggie aisle. every. time.

So when I came across this Beet Root Pesto recipe over at Design Sponge (an amazing home dec blog, check her out!) I jumped in with both feet. I always have beets on hand for roasting with whatever main dish I've made.... roasted veggies should be a staple in anyone's meal plan just for the sheer ease of preparation - no thinking, just washing, chopping and roasting - little prep for loads of flavour - easy peasy lemon squeezy!

So what d'ya think of this yummy looking snack?


I can tell you with all honesty, my taste-buds were very happy :P And my eyes, they were taken by the breath-taking beauty of that rich jewel-toned red.... ok, ok, the colour is great; but, breath-taking? Yeah, I'm not really that much of a cheddar-head. If you're interested in trying this recipe out, click the recipe link earlier in this post and you'll get the low-down on the beet root-y goodness.

Anyhow, peeps... I'll be checkin' back in later with my friday night video (providing I don't forget).... any requests??? Ah, well, I'll think of something fun and festive to kick off this weekend!

Have a great afternoon everyone ;)

For real cookie cutters....

What boy wouldn't love these???? Mine went CRAZY when they saw them!


Ninjabread Men.... I love it!

p.s. Happy St. Patty's Day Everyone ;)

photo courtesy of www.worldwidefred.com check it out!

Sunday dinner a la crock pot and a baby quilt....

So, I don't normally like using ketchup in recipes; but, in this case, it seems to work well.... What's for dinner tonight?....

Easy Crock Pot Pork Chops

4-6 pork chops
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2-3 cloves chopped/crushed garlic
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger (1/2 tsp dry)
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red chilies (optional)
1-2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
sesame seeds & chopped green onions to garnish (optional)

Place pork chops in crock pot (if you'd like to cut them into chunks go right ahead or leave them as is, your choice). For the sauce/glaze; mix the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and optional crushed red chilies and sesame oil in a bowl and pour over the chops.

Cook for 8-10 hours on low, or 4-5 on high (the slower the cooking, the more tender the chops will be). Serve with sauteed or steamed veggies and rice or quinoa, and garnish with the sesame seeds and green onions.

Tastes much like teriyaki.... which is a bonus since my kids LOVE teriyaki!

This recipe is very easy to adapt to your own preference for taste... play around with it and see what you come up with. Alternatively, you can swap out the chops for chicken; and if you prefer more sauce, double it. You can also add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water to the crock pot about 5 to 10 minutes before its done to thicken the sauce.... yummmm :P

Aside from dinner, I spent the three hours before the kids awoke, putting together a cute little baby quilt.... now, as I said previously, I am a complete newbie to the world of quilting - and it definitely shows! Puckering here and there and not a straight line of quilting anywhere! In my defense, my machine is the most basic machine around and is totally not meant for anything more than hemming pants and fixing seams.... I am; however, proud of what I've done so far, and I think the recipient will appreciate the time invested and the personal-ness (is that a word?) of the gift, at least I hope ;)

While putting the quilt together, I decided that, 1. I am a quilter, simply because I was quilting at the time; and 2. That if there are types of quilters, I can refer to myself as a 'Rustic Quilter' (I made that up to hide my mistakes... but, that's just me, always thinking of ways to see the bright side of things while being accepting of my faults).

I even went as far as cutting and making my own quilt binding! Something that at first seemed tedious and not worth the time; but, ended up being very therapeutic for me.... I enjoyed it, really.... a very strange thing to come to enjoy, but then again, I am strange :P

Here's a sneak peak of the quilt, just needs the binding sewn on then it'll be ready for gifting along with some other little tidbits!


Have a nice Sunday everyone ;)

Warmth-on-a-cold-day soup....

So, here's a SUPER easy recipe for a SUPER yummy soup that really is hands-off.... now that's my kinda soup.... easy-peasy, no-thinking-involved....

And to be honest, I don't really have a name for this soup, so if you'd like to make one up, feel free.... For now I'll call it....

Pond-Hockey Soup because that's what we were doing the day I made it....

2 generous size boneless pork chops, cubed
1 parsnip, peeled and cubed
1 small zucchini, cubed
2 carrots, cubed
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 19 oz. can of diced tomatoes
4 cups of broth, chicken or veggie
1 tsp dried oregano
baby spinach
fresh basil
parmesan
fresh cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

Throw the first ten ingredients in the crock pot in the order they are listed. Cover and set to low temperature. Let it cook for 8-10 hours. Seriously, it's that easy.

When serving, tear 2-3 fresh basil leaves and a handful of baby spinach into each bowl, ladle soup over top.... the basil gives a huge pop of flavour, sooo much better than dried basil.... sprinkle a generous amount of parmesan (freshly shredded is best, but if you're like me, freshly shredded is just too darned expensive) on top with some fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.... So good on a cold day :P

And, by the way, I would have taken a picture if I hadn't eaten it all up.... it's seriously THAT good, I didn't think you'd want to see a picture of my empty bowl.... Let me know what you think....

Commissioned and feeling sea-sick....

What's on the agenda for today, you're wondering? This extra cute, extra-extra soft little set for a 3 month old, on the verge of 4 month old girl-baby that I do not know...


I had the good fortune of being approached at the Mom to Mom sale on Saturday by a mom looking for a cute little winter set for her new baby girl... and being the nice lady I am, I gladly accepted the commission... originally it was just for the hat, but after a few e-mails, the nice mom also asked if I would be so kind as to whip up a scarf to match.... of course, I would LOVE to! I feel very honoured and humbled that someone thinks that my handiwork is nice enough to adorn their precious little babe :D

And as for me, sea-sick.... that's how I describe the upset tummy feeling that I'm experiencing right now.... don't jump to any conclusions, the baby ship has sailed for me and my honey... this is totally self-inflicted... one word... marshmallow fluff... okay, I know that's two words but you get the point. Bleck! My beautiful skinny-mini boy LOVES marshmallows, and being the ever-doting mommy that I am, I told him I would try to make him some homemade marshmallows.... what was I thinking?! Seriously, do I need all of that extra work? Yes. Yes, I do. I have this need to make all of my children's' dreams a reality. And if one of those dreams is to have mommy-made marshmallows, then wish granted. And seriously, they were as easy as pie, okay, maybe not pie, because lets face it, makin' pie is not easy either... aaaanyway... that marshmallow fluff was so ooey-gooey-good, yum-yum :P that I don't even mind the sea-sick feeling... I hope they turn out... will let you know tomorrow, apparently they take 12 hours to set... fingers crossed...

Have a great evening ;)