Yellow Polka Dot Bikini!!!
This spring is flying by in our house with lots of projects getting started and finally FINISHED! So many fun things got checked off the list and it’s feeling fresh and springy around here :)
This little lady is turning two in less than two weeks. Another year in the books. It’s happening too fast!
We’ve got a big project to tackle… a backyard REVAMP. This little lady LOVES to be outside and right now our backyard is a disaster zone. We’ve never really used it much before since it’s so tiny and oddly shaped so we’re brainstorming ideas of how to maximize our space and have a toddler friendly zone. We’ll see what we come up with :) Until then, we’ll be hanging out on our tiny patio picking wishers.
Around here we loooooove Oreos, so for the Mr. ‘s Birthday I decided to cram as much Oreos in a cake as I could. It really couldn’t be more simple, you just have to beef up a regular old box cake.
Follow the directions on the box for the cake and add about 12 crushed Oreos to the batter. Pour the batter into two 8″ round pans. Save about 1 cup. Lay as many whole Oreos into the batter as you’d like, I put about 7 in each pan. Use the left over batter to cover each of the Oreos. Bake!
For the frosting put 4 cups of powdered sugar in your mixing bowl and add 2 sticks (1cup) of butter into the bowl. Mix on high for 3 minutes. (Start slow or you’ll have a powdered sugar explosion :) Scrape the bowl and add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tablespoons of whipping cream, mix on high for another couple of minutes. Around the last 30 seconds or so add some crushed Oreo.
Let the cakes cool and frost that Oreo goodness. You can’t have a birthday cake without sprinkles so go ahead and add lots of those too!
Did I mention the Mr. turned 30 last week? Must be rough being that old. Lucky for me I still have about 6 months to go :)
{Easter}
First let’s just talk about how cute this dress is :) I can’t believe how grown up our girl looks… and acts. She’s one spunky little lady! Mickey Mouse, cucumbers, tomatoes, and going to the paaaaark are some of her favorite things at the moment. I swear she must be growing like crazy because I constantly feel like I’m having to buy her new clothes, especially pants. Or maybe I just need to admit I have a shopping problem :) We’ll just go with that it’s necessary shopping.
A few more snaps from Easter (which happened to be a crazy GORGEOUS day here in the land of the rain!)
P.S. I hated my new blog so I’m back on this one now… maybe I can figure out how to transfer the posts back to this blog? In the meantime you can view the other blog HERE.
Today a friend of mine brought her precious two week old over to snap some photos. She is so tiny and sweet. There’s just nothing like a newborn.
Presley was fascinated with the baby. It was pretty cute.
A certain little lady got her very first haircut tonight. Actually, I’m not really sure if it can be classified as her first haircut… it was just a bang trim. I basically distracted her by letting her bang on the computer keyboard while I hacked away just praying not to stab her in the eye. It was a hot mess for a while but it actually turned out pretty darn cute. She’s working a very stylish side swept bang like all the big celebs :)
I had a major panic moment midway through vacuuming the hair up off my desk…. I FORGOT TO SAVE SOME! Good new friends, I found a little “clump” that was stuck under the keyboard and it’s now safe and sound in her baby book. Phew!
She also got her very first bake set today :) That rolling pin! She did a lot of chasing the dogs around to get back her cookies and cupcakes. Someday I’ll just lounge around on the couch while she slaves away in the kitchen cooking dinner and baking dessert. Someday.
Anyone who knows anything about living in the Pacific Northwest knows all about RAIN. We actually had a really nice end of summer and beginning of fall with warm and dry weather, however, that’s gone now :) We’re back to rain, rain and more rain and it will probably be like this until next July. Fun! Loading and unloading a toddler from the car in the rain is not a good time. She’s not a fan of the wet stuff either. Anyways, today was a beautiful day so we decided to get our booties outside to take advantage of it!
How cute are her boots? I’m pretty obsessed with all of the Old Navy boots right now! So adorable and playful- and perfect for a toddler who is growing at lightning speed! Her Daddio would not be a fan of her growing out of Uggs in two months. Don’t say I never do anything for ya hoosband! ;)
I think this is her get that camera outta here face.
I’m not really into Halloween… I know, I know, I need to get into it for the little one. I’m working on it! I’d rather just decorate for fall and let that carry over to Thanksgiving :) I’m loving white pumpkins this year.
Hopefully we can make this Halloween candy last a week. We’re suckers for sweet stuff around this house!
Now I just need to finish up the decorating and decide what Miss P is going to be for Halloween. I can’t seem to settle on anything! What’s a Momma gotta do to find a cute cow costume?!?
This week the boys in the family are gone hunting… which means the gals in the family make them treats to take along. And if you’re my Grandma, you make a whole lot more than just treats. These hunters eat like Kings. I’m pretty sure they just lay around their campsite all day eating and napping. :)
Anyways, this year I sent Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies- perfect for this time of year. They end up making more of a cake like cookie rather than a regular chocolate chip. They’re yummy!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 cups white sugar
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
In your mixer, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix the baking soda and milk and combine with the dry ingredients. Once the wet ingredients are mixed add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix well. The dough will be pretty sticky. Add the chocolate chips. Since the dough is so sticky, it works best to use a cookie dough scooper to place the cookies on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Enjoy!
Last Friday I had sinus surgery that was MUCH needed. Without going into the yucky detail, basically I’m unable to taste or smell pretty much all of the time because of little polyp invaders that choose to live in my sinuses. Luckily for me, I had them all removed and am already feeling MUCH better. Basically it’s inspired me to eat a little bit of everything that I haven’t been able to taste for way too long. This made for a weekend of random yumminess.
Don’t even get me started on what it’s like to actually be able to smell my baby girl again. I missed the smell of her clean hair and baby breath! How about freshly “Drefted” baby clothes. Such a delicious smell!
Anyways, lots of yummy recipes coming up this week.
The most delicious homemade chicken noodle soup – with big fat noodles! Recipe this week.
Snuggles with baby breath.
Presley’s new friend Peanut.
Squish face.
What? Don’t you watch Mickey like this too?
Baking team!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for the hunters. Recipe Tuesday!
Happy Monday!
