Countdown to Kisses…

Valentine’s Day is coming up and, while this should’ve been done 5 days ago, it’s done now and I thought I’d share. I found the idea to make a “Countdown to Kisses” board on the blog here on infarrantly creative. Here’s how my version turned out, and the details on how to create one of your own. Supplies:

12”x10” board (I used MDF)

5/8 drill bit

(I bought a pack of 6 drill bits for only $9.49 at Home Depot, they had a single 5/8 for only $3.89 or something, but I figured I’d use them in the future anyhow, the point being, they’re pretty cheap and adapt right into your power drill)

Sandpaper

Primer and paint

(Duh…spray paint is best, I used regular because I already had it, but painting the holes was quite a chore)

Scrapbooking Materials

(And/or my new wish list item…a Silhouette SD cutter, it cuts out letters in any font you have on your computer!! Why am I just now learning about this handy tool? Oh hubby…birthday? Or better yet? Mother’s Day? ;)

Hershey Kisses (Valentine’s edition)

Mod Podge (I used gloss)

Foam brush

Easel

Step #1: Cut board 12”x10”. And just to prove how simple a project can be, I used an old school saw to cut the board, check it… I measured down about 5 1/2 or 6” to mark where to drill the holes. Then, measure out every 1.5” and make a mark. Using the 5/8” drill bit, drill your holes, but not all the way through the board. The top of the bit will poke through the back, but leave some covered so the kisses will set in and stay put. I had to keep checking, but once you finish one or two, you’ll get an idea of how far to drill.

I measured 1.5” further down to make my second row of marks. You will have a total of 14 holes drilled. Here’s my son helping with the drill, so precious! And yes, I got “permission” from my husband to use power tools while 8 1/2 months pregnant. hehe Step #2: Lightly sand the board, especially around the holes. Prime and paint. Seriously should’ve used spray paint, oh well. At least I saved some dinero. =) (Primed)

Step #3: Here’s where the Silhouette would’ve come in handy. You can download free fonts galore at dafont.com, amazing website, love it! Instead, I hit up Michael’s and bought some chipboard letters and some Valentine’s scrapbook strips. to decorate the board.

Step #4: Using gloss Mod Podge, seal the whole board with a coat of Mod Podge.

Step #5: Print and cut out numbers 1 through 14 and adhere to the back of the Hershey Kisses. I printed them out on a label so I could peel and stick.  Step #6: I added two final touches that weren’t in the original layout I found online. I added a strip of ribbon around the edges with my glue gun, and mod podged scrapbook paper to the back with photo corners to hold a 4x6 photo. I figured before/after the 14 days, I could display this side with a Valentine’s picture from the previous year. I may add a few more scrapbooking details, but for now, here’s the backside and the cute ribbon detail: So…what are you waiting for? Go grab some tools and make your own! I know Cooper will absolutely love getting a kiss each day leading up to Valentine’s…of both varieties. =)

First Movie-Going Experience

I must admit, I surprised myself when I agreed to take my 27 month old to his first movie theater experience. “That’s far too young,” I could imagine myself saying even just one year ago! But, here I am…being entirely comfortable with it, even outright excited and giddy about it!

Here’s the thing…you’ve got to know your child before you make this decision. I think it’s one of those, “Go with your gut” decisions. My child? Not only does he LOVE movies and will gladly sit through an entire feature length film at home, but he is also an incredibly well-rounded child. Here are a few of the reasons I had no qualms about taking him to see a movie in the theater (in spite of what “studies” will tell you):

• He rarely watches more than 25 minutes of TV/day
• He will sit and read books for an hour, no problem, sometimes even longer
• He has already read his first chapter book          (well, we read it aloud to him, but he could tell you the characters and everything)
• He spends hours on end running around at the park interacting with other kids
• He loves a variety of toys at home and has no problem playing make believe (Thomas, cars, his play kitchen, play dough, etc.)

With all that being said, we headed out with my in-laws to see Tangled. Will my poor son be scarred for life knowing his very first theater experience was Tangled? Nah…he’ll get over it. We had a blast! Again, you’ve got to know your own child to know if it’s going to be a success, however, here are a few things that helped us.

#1: Work around nap time.

– We went to a 4:30 showing, just shortly after Cooper wakes up from his nap.

#2: Use a booster seat.

– They have these little booster seats that sort of velcro to the seat that helps keep the folded chair down so your kiddo can sit comfortably. (It’s hard to tell, but he’s sitting on it below)

#3: Bring snacks

– I brought graham crackers, goldfish, raisins and we put his sippy cup with milk in the cup holder. You could treat them super special and bring yummy candy, but I figured the added sugar wasn’t necessary for a fun outing and for him sitting for the entire film.

#4: Wait until the movie has been out in the theater for a short while.

– We saw Tangled after it’d already been in the theater for 2 whole months. That way, when Cooper did ask questions about the movie (because they WILL chat, a bit, right?), he wasn’t disturbing an entire theater of people.

#5: Take pictures to document!

– My husband rolls his eyes at me whenever I whip out the camera, but come on…what a fun thing to document! How cute is my little fella? (See the near empty theater?)A closing remark…as always….remain flexible. If it’s your first movie going experience with a kidlet, know that it’s okay to leave the theater if it’s too difficult or they’re having nothing to do with it. Don’t push it if they’re not ready, and if they are? Have a blast!!  It was precious sitting between my husband and my son during a movie, holding both their hands. Ahh…

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

I’ve pondered putting this recipe on my blog at least 3 other times, and here it is! Seriously, I sometimes invite people over to my house just for an excuse to bake these (some of my friends know exactly those times, hehe). I recently made them for a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) park play date. (For you locals, we hosted it at Kalithea Park in EDH – beautiful, well laid out park if you want to check it out) They were a hit, so I figured I’d post the recipe on my blog so I could refer people interested in the recipe here. =) Simple and delicious!

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

2 c. flour

1 TBS baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ c. sugar

¾ c. “add-ins” Chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.

1 ¼ c. heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pour all but heavy cream in large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. (I add both 3/4c. white chocolate chips and 3/4c. dried cranberries) Stir in heavy cream until sticky dough is formed – do not over mix!

Lightly flour bread board and knead dough 8-9 times.

Pat into 10” circle. Brush with 3 TBS melted butter and sprinkle with 2 TBS sugar.

 

 

 

Cut circle into 12 wedges and place 1” apart on baking sheet. Bake about 14-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Don’t forget to utilize your little helper! My son is learning all kinds of tricks in the kitchen by being my right hand man. I used to freak out having him sit on the counter, now, he knows the drill. I’m still very careful, but he loves being up close and personal. Here we are enjoying the success of our “hard” work! =) I love that Percy made it in the picture with us even.

5-minute hummus

Yes, I had a craving this afternoon. Following a family walk and park visit, I was craving hummus. And it’s SO simple to make! My husband mocks me for keeping garbanzo beans on hand (for such an occasion as this), yet he too enjoyed the hummus craving! =)

5-Minute Hummus

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

1 clove garlic

¼ c. olive oil

2 T fresh lemon juice

2 T tahini (sesame seed paste; optional)

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt

¼ tsp paprika

Directions:

In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, and ¾ tsp salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 T water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika before serving.We like to eat them with pita chips. Yum! Except you may want to steer clear of us for a day or so, talk about garlic overload. =P

Tricks of the Trade i What are they?

As moms, we learn little tricks that become second nature to us. I figured I’d share a few with you. Many seem like silly, common sense tricks, but are helpful nonetheless and if you haven’t heard of them, can feel priceless! Here are a few to get this topic going…I’ll try and add more entries as I think of my “Aha moments”! =) (Find Tip #1 here.)
Trick #2: Stick a straw through the tin foil lid so your kid can “drink” his/her applesauce.
One night we were eating out at BJ’s and our server brought Cooper a cup of applesauce, but no spoon. So, we just stuck a straw through the tin lid! Talk about less mess! Now, we often do it just to help stay clean, whether a spoon is brought or not! =)
Trick #3: "Beat the lights”
Kids like to lollygag…it’s in their nature. My child particularly likes to do it while getting into his car seat. So, I’ll hop in the front seat, close the door and say, “Can you beat the lights?!” He’ll sometimes promptly hop into his seat trying to “beat the lights”. Not always, but at least half the time.
Trick #4: Fade the music to the back…
Another car trick. We purchased an audio narrative of the Polar Express around Christmas time which Cooper fell in love with! Almost every time we got into the car, Cooper would ask, “Listen to the Polar Express?” Which is great! He even had parts memorized. However, while I even find Liam Neeson’s voice quite dreamy, I can only handle so much. Hence, fade the music to the back of the car. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?! A teensy bit more peace and quiet for me in the front seat. *sigh of relief*
Trick #5: Yogurt in cereal
Kids are messy when they are learning how to use silverware. I will often put Cooper’s cheerios in yogurt instead of milk. He still gets to use his spoon like a big boy, but there’s slightly less mess, and he actually gets food in his mouth. Yay!
Trick #6: Bring towels to the park
Come chilly and/or foggy mornings, slides and park equipment can be coated in dew, soaking wet. A friend taught me to keep a stash of old towels in the back of the car for these occasions. No more wet tushies!

Allison’s Nursery

It all began with….no, not a sperm and an egg, don’t be gross! ;) It all began with the inspiration of the Penelope bedding from Pottery Barn. When I found out I was having a girl, I knew it would have to involve pink, but was a teensy bit shy about it, too. Well, this bedding cured that! It’s the perfect combination of pink, green and adorable little birdies.

But first…let me show you what the room looked like prior to the nursery makeover: Guest room/where are we to put the treadmill room. =) The treadmill is now in our master, romantic, huh? Oh well. Priorities change.

So, first things first…paint. Shh, I’m renting, and I painted! I finally broke down and did it. We’ve been in this house for 2 1/2 years, and will realistically be in it for another 2. So, I think it’s okay to paint at this point. So, green and a little pink! Thanks Papa! Next challenge, how to keep the guest bed, AND incorporate it into the nursery. So, I kept the same trundle bed pictured in the guest bed above, but we cut off the headboard entirely, so it’s more like a day bed. Thank you Pottery Barn Kids for your twin size duvet that matches my Penelope bedding perfectly! 3 big white pillows from Home Goods, two homemade pillows with plaid fabric matching the color scheme, and 2 Trofast storage chests from Ikea on either side of the bed make the look almost built in (and provides hidden storage that I’m using for older sized clothing for Allie, and outgrown clothes as she gets older)! Challenge? Tackled and accomplished!    Up next? Curtains! I totally and utterly lucked out in this department. I purchased extra plaid fabric to create a valance, which I love, but on our trip to Pottery Barn found blackout pink and white polka dot 63” curtains for only $12.99!! Seriously? You couldn’t even buy the fabric for that! They only had one left, but leave it to good ‘ol Pottery Barn, they looked up in the computer to see if there were any at other stores, 2 left wouldn’t you know, and they shipped me one from San Diego! Same price. Awesome! This picture shows what it looks like prior to receiving the second panel, and I’m planning on sewing some drawbacks with the plaid. Soon…when my uber nesting instincts kick in. What’s a nursery without a crib? Baby #2 (sorry Allie)…we went for a cheaper crib this time around after Baby #1 chewed up the first crib. Still adorable, and convertible, but nearly a $300 price difference. Who’s gonna know? Well…all of you now, but…. Anyhow, Pottery Barn bedding, my mega splurge. Bought the curtain rod to hang the quilt from Bed, Bath & Beyond (with a coupon of course), the adorable nest and bird also came from Pottery Barn. The “A” picture was a gift from my mom, which we doctored up with some cute ribbon to hang. Then, a basket storage unit from Lowe’s with coordinating colored baskets. The pink bird on top is a lamp that also came with the bedding set. I purchased it on ebay because the line has been discontinued. Boo! But, yay for me that it all came together. Look at the cute little bird detail on the inside of the bumper, adorable! Oh, I also found this adorable little chair at Home Goods that I’m planning on sewing a cushion for. More creativity…personalized wall decor! My mom and I created these images using Publisher. We added some verses that fit with the theme of the nursery. We lucked out again and got the picture mats on sale at Pottery Barn, and the picture frames on sale with super coupon at Joann’s. Here’s the artwork: And the layout on the wall… A final touch…a custom built shelf. I found these hooks at Pottery Barn on clearance also and loved them. Initially I was going to use them to draw back the curtains, but didn’t like them there, so I “designed” this shelf (which my dad implemented). We bought the shelf and the supports at Lowe’s, and the hooks are affixed to a second shelf, which we then screwed into the wall. Then, we used leftover molding to frame out the lower “shelf’. I love how it turned out! And what’s hanging is also very special. The onesie is a gift from my mother-in-law, and the shoes are from my mom. =)

Allison, we’re all ready for you!There are a few more details I’d like to add, but for now, they’ll have to wait. Perhaps I’ll do a nursery update. =) Oh, and the changing table is in the closet. Yes, I think I’ll have to have more to come…