Summer time means eating lots of different fruits and vegetables.  I LOVE eating spaghetti squash and have been trying all the different ways to eat it.

This is my all time favorite way to eat spaghetti squash!  Sooooooo  yummy!  Everything tastes better with bacon! Ha!

INGREDIENTS:
Large spaghetti squash
Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
Fresh basil
Tomatoes (diced)
2 TB butter
Salt and Pepper

To cook the spaghetti squash, cut it in half and scrape all the seeds out.  Then put the two halves face up on a cookie sheet.  Add a TB of butter to each half and give it a little salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 -45 min.  Let it cook for minute or two and shred with fork.

Top with crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, and fresh basil.

Every mommy will work her hardest to protect her child. That’s a given. But what happens when the scenario is not in your hands?

We’ve all heard the dangers of drunk driving. They’re taught to our kids in school and we stress the lessons of not driving while under the influence automatically nowadays. But why do we still hear stories of terrible things happening in relation to driving drunk?

About one year ago, four boys in my town were involved in a deadly car accident because the driver of the car was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. They were all about to enter their freshman years of college. But unfortunately two of the boys did not make it to college. They didn’t even make it past the crash. They died on impact. Although these boys were also under the influence and were cognizant of their actions entering the car, the seamless action of their poor decision became the end of their lives. Worst of all, the driver of the car is one of the boys that survived and has to live with the guilt of killing his friends and serve time for their deaths.

And God forbid there had been another car on the road in proximity to their car. Think about all the innocent lives that could have been affected or lost due to this poor decision. Unfortunately I’m aware that things like this happen all the time, everywhere -not just to the four teenage boys in my town. There have been so many instances of drunk driving tragedies that the words’ meaning have become so diluted. We forget about the repercussions when it doesn’t involve us personally.

I reflect back on this and am saddened by the fact that everyone has seemed to move past this tragedy. The teens who were friends with the victims went to college, the community affected turned their focus to the next item on the block, summer ended and the devastation became a feeling of the past -we all moved on.

Yet this accident had the largest impact of all and will always loom around the families of these boys. The mothers who will never see their sons again. Drunk driving changed these lives forever. In a way, loved ones can’t really ever move past a day like this. I am troubled on behalf of these people. I know organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving are out there doing good things in the world but at some point you have to wonder when or if people will learn on their own. I’m concerned for my children and I’m concerned for the future. How high does the death toll have to rise before people learn?

This was a guest post from Erin at dallasdwilawyer.org

I had been wanting to do a striped room for a while, but was too intimated.  My sister-in-law did her nursery in stripes and it finally motivated me enough to give it a try.  It was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be.

Looks great right!

Supplies Needed:
Latex paint
Roller/paint brush
Painter’s tape
Chalk line tool
Ruler or measuring tape

I did 12 inch stripes just to make the measuring simple.  The most obnoxious part is the taping.

First I used a 12 inch ruler and marked every 12 inches on both sides of each wall. Then I used a chalk line tool to mark the stripes.

Basically, you put this dry chalk in the tool and shake it up.  Then you use a thumb tac to tac the end of the chalk line to your first 12 inch mark on one side of the wall.  Pull the chalk string out until it is the length of the wall and hold the other end tight at the other 12 inch mark you made on the other side of the wall.  Make sure the chalk line is wound tight.  Then just use your free hand and snap the line up.  It will snap back down and leave an easy to see line across your wall.  Repeat this for all your lines.

Once I had my chalk lines I put painters tape along the lines, making sure that the stripes I would be painting had the painters tape on the outside of the lines and not the inside.  I also put x marks with painters tape on the stripes that I would not be painting just to make it easier not to make any mistakes.

Painting time!  I was very careful to make sure I used the roller very lightly near the tape so that paint wouldn’t seep under the tape.  You can also push a credit card end along the painters tape to seal it to the wall better before you start painting.  Make sure you peel your painters tape off the wall before your paint is dry.   If you wait until it is too dry be very carefully peeling it off as it can start to tear the dried paint off with it.

 

 

 

I cannot believe it, my youngest princess turned the big 1.  We decided to do a Pinkalicious family party.  Here she is!

I always take 1st birthday pictures of my kids.  I quickly did this one two days before her birthday so I could display it at her party.  In case you’re wondering, I got the romper and headband here.  It fit her perfect and ran true to size (she’s 17 lbs and I ordered 6-12 months).

I’m so mad at myself for not taking pictures of the food, but it included:
– chicken salad  and egg salad croissants
– butterfly pb & j sandwiches for the kids
– lumpia
– spinach dip
– buffalo cheese ball
– veggie tray
– fruit salad
– sausage cheese dip

I also took pictures of the drinks kind of late so they didn’t look the prettiest at this point:

The best was the pink punch!  I thought it tasted so delicious!  I scooped the sherbet into the punch with an ice cream scoop.  The pink chevron straws are from Target.

My favorite was her “1” cake because it looked so cute, but was SOOOOOOO easy to make!

I used a strawberry cake mix and funfetti icing.  I dyed the icing pink with icing dye.  It was so easy!  I did have to put the icing in the fridge for like 30 minutes after I mixed it because it was a little too loose.  I used a wilton 1M tip and started in the center and worked my way around.    I filled in the holes with the same tip in between the cupcakes.  It took me probably 10 minutes to ice!  I also put these edible pearls on there for a little extra touch.

Her smash cake looked very similar!

This probably took me 5 minutes to ice.  I used this cupcake cake mold.  First, I put icing in between the two layers of cake and then did a very thin layer of icing on the top with a butter knife so the roses would stick well.  I used the same icing tip as above and just did little roses all over and added the pearls.  Remember, the rose starts in the center!  I bought the ribbon at A.C. Moore.

I also made chocolate covered pretzels and sugar cookies.  My mother in-law also made a delicious cheesecake.

I used my cookie cutters from my kit that I wrote about before.  I actually just bought pillsbury cold dough.  The letters looked rough until I iced them!  I thought they turned out pretty cute!

Here is the display of her “pink sweets” table.

I’d say she enjoyed her cake!  I love how her handprint is on her face.

Okay, so one more…..

I also made cute pom poms for above her!

I used 8 pieces of tissue paper for the center one, 7 for the dark pink ones and 6 for the small ones!

I’d say she had a pretty good 1st birthday!

Be still my heart!

I hope you have as much fun planning your little ones’ birthdays as I do!

I have this favorite brisket recipe I love making.  The problem is, it always leaves us with a ton of left overs!  I often like to make it when I am cooking dinner for a new neighbor or a friend who just had a baby.  It easily feeds two families.

This time I tried something different.  I made chili out of it!  I was inspired by this recipe from epicurious.com, but ended doing my own things since I didn’t have all of the other items needed for their recipe.  Plus, it just doesn’t feel like chili to me without some beans in it!

I feel like the butternut squash really made the chili!  It was delicious! I will be making this again probably every time we have left over brisket!

 

Husband and I went on our honeymoon to Hawaii.  It was pure bliss.  Three kids and almost eight years later, I feel like I can only dream about going back to the Grand Wailea in Maui.  Well, let’s just say this body wash takes me back every single day because it smells just like the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash that I used there.  It smells so good, unbelievably good.

I buy this Alba Botanica Honey Mango shower gel on Amazon.  It is a little pricey, but it is the perfect Mother’s Day gift or the special “I deserve a treat for myself”.  Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, three kids under five make me feel like I’m playing catch up like all the time.

A recent stop at my local thrift store scored me a brand new looking baby bumbo seat for $3.  I am stoked!

The bumbo seat retails for $40 to $45 and $50 if you buy one with the attachable tray.  Clearly the Salvation Army had no idea what this bumbo chair was or they would have priced it higher.  In the check out line the cashier actually asked, “What in the world is this???”

Anyway, this bumbo did not come with the new saftey belt bumbo added (along with the safety warning sticker) from the 2012 recall.

Just in case you have a bumbo that was bought between 2003 and 2012, you should know you can go to this link and fill out a form to have them ship the safety belt to you.  It was super easy to do and my belt came in 2 weeks.  It is very easy to install and takes only a couple minutes.

 

I saw this cake Allrecipes magazine.  Its pretty cute and easy to make.  I had some out of town company come for a few days so I made this for dessert for everyone.  The kids loved the M&M’s on it.

I used M&M’s on the sides (took 1.5 bags), marshmallow easter candy on the top, and coconut flakes mixed with a little water and green food coloring to look like Easter grass.  I also cut a small round piece out of the top to fill with the “easter grass.”

The handle is just rolled up tinfoil wrapped with some ribbon.

Happy Easter!

Spring is upon us, and for many of us that means getting back into the swing of a regular exercise schedule. One of the most recent trends in the fitness industry has been ‘Tough Mudders’ and ‘Spartan Races.’ The idea for these is pretty straightforward; take a standard running race and add a variety of obstacles to challenge participants to add a unique spin to a running race. Of course, standard running and cycling events aren’t hard to find either, and can be just as fun. Many of these races have a great cause, too. Using race registration revenue to make donations, these races can act as a platform for charitable organizations to collect funding, and are a great way for you to give back to the community.

Training Tip: To train for one of these things, you’re going to want to incorporate a lot of running. No matter how you spin it, you’ll be running a lot at these, and running is also a great way to brush up your fitness. A little calisthenic work will also go a long way: you don’t want to be underpowered in the obstacle course.

Choosing the race/event is the next priority. Be mindful to pick an event that is funding a cause that you would like to support. Most charities are clear with the destination of their donations, so check to see what is going on behind the scenes if you’re curious. The truth is, these charities have a lot more manpower to make sure the donations are going to the right places, and more so, are increasing visibility for the cause, so signing up for a reputable event is money well spent. This way, you’ll be able to knock out two things at once: you’ll get exercise with a goal in mind, and you’ll be giving back to the community at the same time. These races are a great solution for working parents struggling to find time or motivation.

If you want to go the extra mile, ask your employer what they do to support charitable causes. It’s not far fetched for companies, like this health insurance company, to have some charitable outreach. Asking your employer to start a similar program could be great for them and for your community.

No matter what type of race you participate in or how quickly you are able to reach the finish line, you’ll feel better afterwards. These races are beneficial for you and your community, so do some research and find the right race for you.  

This was a really fun project!  It was one of my first pieces to refinish when we moved to Florida.  I recommend starting with something small to work on for your first project.

This is my Mother-In-Laws 30plus year old night stand.  They gave it to us several years ago with a matching armoire.  It might look outdated, but it is very good quality and still in great conditions.  I love how it turned out!

1.  First I sanded the top of the night stand to remove all the finish.  I also sanded down the tops of the drawers and took off their handles.  I painted the bottom  white and technically didn’t need to sand the drawer tops as much as I did, but I wanted it to be nice and smooth.  You really only need to sand places that have scratches or places that you are going to use a wood stain on.  I also spray painted the handles with a silver metallic spray paint.

2.  After this, I cleaned off all the dust and put on two coats of primer (I recommend Zinsser oil based primer) to the bottom and started my first coat of stain on the top.  Make sure you wait until everything is completely dry before giving 2nd coats.  I actually did 3 coats of wood stain on the top to get it as dark as I wanted it to be.  I used the stain color called Kona.

3.  Next, I put two coats of regular white latex paint.   I also mixed my paint with a little floetrol.  This helps slow down the drying process to decrease the visibility of brush strokes.

4.  Next was the fun part!  I used Valspar pre mixed antiquing glaze from Lowes.  It is very easy to use.  Paint it on with a foam brush, then use a lint free rag to wipe it off.  I actually used the antiquating glaze on the handles as well.  You can put on as much or as little as you want to get the desired effect you are going for.

5.  Finally, I did three coats of a water based poly (I recommend Minwax  polycrylic).  I also waited a good 24hrs before doing the first poly coat.  It is not recommend to to do more than 2 coats of poly in a 24hr period.

I also waited 48hrs before putting my nightstand to normal use.