#533 - red felt wreath homemade

I saw a wreath like this on etsy and thought I could recreate it easily. 

I bought a styrofoam wreath and cut out tons of circles in red felt.  I then pinned them to the wreath (really tight...lots and lots of them) and the final result was pretty cool. 

#532 - little boy's corduroy tie

Oster loves to dress up in "Sunday
clothes"so he can be like his dad.  So, Christmas Eve I decided to whip up a tie for Oster,  I used this patten from Purl  Bee and trimmed off about 2-3 inches (from the bottom) to make it fit.   I can't wait to make more ties!

#531 - Merry Christmas . . . I'm so blogging about this

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#530 - Christmas wish #3 (for me)

WANT

Personal Trainer - I'm still trying to lose the baby weight.  Karli, will you move back and be my trainer again?

NEED
Running Shoes

I think the last time I bought running shoes was many years ago...like too many to admit.  I'm not a huge runner, but I've sprained my ankle 2 times in the past few months, so I think I need to get a new pair of shoes.

#529 - Christmas Wish List #2

WANT

Central Vacuum with a Vac-pan - I was spoiled to have a central vacuum growing up.  Basically, the vacuum is run through the walls of your home and the machine is located in the garage, so you never have filtered vacuum air in your home.  And a vac-pan is a built in dust pan that sucks your crumbs up when you sweep them in to the vac-pan.  Again, out of our price range and it would not be worth it to have a central vac in our little house.

NEED
New broom (our old one is all crumy on the bottom).
Mini broom & dust pan - Oster got one last year for Christmas and I use it all the time.
Filter & vacuum bag - I could buy this, but it's nice to not have to go to the store. 

this is a bit expensive, but it would be nice to have a broom so nice that housework is enjoyable...does that exist?

#528 - honey white bread

The other day we ran out of white bread and Pepe really only eats white bread, so I made this recipe from Taste of Home.  Yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast (I just used one packet and it worked)
• 2-1/2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8 to 8-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add honey, butter, salt and 5 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and shape into two loaves. Place in greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

I think I will try to always make homemade bread...so much better!

#527 - seplnilg

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#526 - difficulties quote

“Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter” -Dan Reeves via

#525 - Christmas List (for me)

blogging has been really random this month...it's been crazy here.

Anyway, I thought I would share a few things I want and need this week, so that Pepe has ideas.

1st want for Christmas 2010 (not in any particular order):

WANT
My very own hospital ice maker.  You know what I am talking about...the crunchy, airy ice that hospitals give out...you can also get it from Sonic (our nearest Sonic is 20 miles away...in a direction I never go)...I sometimes call it poop ice b/c that is what it looks like...well, like deer poop maybe...the offical name of the ice is "Nugget Ice"

You can find it here.  But with a $6,000 (or more) price tag, it's probably not feasible...ok, NOT feasible.

So, I'd settle for something I need.

NEED
I need some ice cube trays.  I do have some but they are from the previous owners of our home and that gives me the shivers (yes, I'm picky like that).  Plus, I want to make sure they are BPA free.  Are all ice cube trays BPA free?  Anyone know?

Like these.

#524 - gingerbread house with graham crackers

Oster made this at church last week.

do you ever feel like....

there are a million things going on around you...

tons of stuff to do...

not sure where to start...

so you do a little of each...

but nothing really gets done...

just want to spend time enjoying life...

but too frazzled by the craziness of it all...

too much to keep up with...

emails...bills...cleaning...changing diapers...making meals...

playing with the kids...taking a shower...eating right...exercising...

blogging...talking with the husband...sleeping...sewing projects...editing projects

i need to refocus...trying...

i'll let you know how it goes...

in the meantime, i really want to to learn to do the rubik's cube...both my cousins who were visiting over the holiday could do it really fast...can you do it?

this comic made me smile... (not sure where I found it, I saved it a while ago)

#523 - Handprint Turkey Cookies

These would be fun to make with this recipe.

#522 - Candy Cane Game

Pepe is watching both the kids for a few moments . . . awe . . . deep breaths . . .

Remember the leaf that Oster made?  Well, I thought it would be fun to make a candy cane the same way. 

-Cut out a candy cane shape on red paper

-Put packing tape over the cut out (contact paper would work too)

-Add red & white paper scraps to the tape

-Finish the back with white paper

(not sure if that made sense)

Every night after Oster falls asleep I hide the candy cane in his room.  In the morning, I buy myself a little extra sleep because I tell him he has to find the candy cane before we get ready for the day.

He loves this game!

#521 - cool 2011 calendar

Isn't this calendar cool?
saw it on Design Crush

#520 - mini gingerbread men with text bubble

Oster and I made some gingerbread cookies the other day and I decided to add a text bubble to one of them.  

I was having too much fun...

 I made sports players for Oster...

 I added smiley faces...

Here's Oster's cookie he decorated...

And here's mine...I didn't plan the spacing right...oh well...you get the picture...

ps...this gingerbread cookie recipe looks amazing (not the one i used)

#519 - green monster feet

Don't you think every little boy needs monster feet?  

Thanks Grandma!

#518 - Moose Ginger Snap Cookies

Oster was sad in this pic because he wanted this moose cookie my mom made.

And I wanted to take a picture of it...

with him in his Santa suit (which I might add is for a 6 month old...he's 2.5) 

Don't worry, he'd already had one cookie by this point...

and I hear patience is a virtue :)

If you want this yummy recipe, you can get it here.

#517 - colorful leaves project

today during library storytime Oster made these really cool leaves

1. cut out a leaf on paper
2. cut inside of leaf out
3. stick leaf onto contact paper

4. add layers of different colors onto the inside of the leaf (see above)
5. add re-adhere contact paper backing or you could put more contact paper on the back of it

does that even make sense?

Here's Oster showing off his leaf (with a roaring fire in the background)

These leaves remind me of these colorful sugar cookies...yum! (saw this on SYTH)

#516 - clothespin art...

Now that's clever!

#515 - shirts for nursing mothers...the baby nursing kind

i'd really like to get my hands on one of these shirts...(i saw these shirts on Cup of Jo)

it would make breast feeding (did I just say that word on my blog?) so much easier!

since they don't sell them close to me, do you think i could make one?  

cousin Lauren help! (she's an awesome fashion designer)

these 2 shirts and onesies above are cute too...

1st one says, "pacifist" on the onesie and "pacifier" on the mommy's shirt

2nd one says, "food now" on the onesie and "fast food" on the mommy's shirt

#514- homemade pumpkin leaf card

Oster and I made these in about 5 minutes yesterday.

Here's how:

1.  find a leaf that looks like a pumpkin, the more alive it is the better (dry leaves just fall apart)

2.  fold leaf in half tear out an eye hole, nose and mouth (see pic above)

3.  glue leaf to a card and you can also put a heavy book on top to help it stick.

that's it...it was super fun trying to find pumpkin leaves!

Happy Halloween!

#513 - Glass is always full poster

via

For my science minded husband.

#512 - Price is Right - watch today!

1st - love this Price is Right Costume.  It would be a pretty easy costume to make for Halloween.  Foam board, poster board, name tag that you could easily make with a manila folder and sharpie; wire and black foam for the microphone; and string to put around your neck...easy peisy!  oh, and your favorite college sweatshirt...


2nd - watch the Price is Right today!  My brother's fiance is going to be on it.  She's at the end of the show...can't wait to see it!  Go Taylor!

*post edit - i've been MIA on this blog, but i just discovered an old unpublished comment from 2011.  Ben, who is the man in this picture, posted that it was him, so to give credit where credit is long deserved, here's a link to his original costume....one of the coolest costumes out there.

#511 - a new niece and a new nephew

So happy...within the past 3 days

my sister had a cute little girl (just yesterday)

and my sister in law had an adorable little boy (Thursday)

yeah for babies!

photo via

#510 - Sweet Potato Burritos...Addictive

ooooh, i really want to make these for dinner.

#509 - my job

This is so how i feel right now...times 2!
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#508 - Homemade Ironman Costume

I know this is a joke, but I would seriously make Oster this Iron Man Costume do this!  It's cute and I have one of those light buttons.

ps...if you don't see the video in reader, you might have to click over to the blog...it's only 15 seconds long.

#507 - tv bars and tone

Working in tv, I think that tv bars and tone artwork in the picture above is such cool decor!

Picture via Jamaica Makes

#506 - Best Broccoli EVER!

Oster kept sneaking into the kitchen after dinner was over to stuff more broccoli into his mouth...now that's proof how good this is! 

Best Broccoli Ever 
4-5 pounds of broccoli (or half a bag of the big bag of broccoli florets you buy at Costco) throughly dried
6 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil  (I used about 3/4ths that) 
1 1/2 tsps ground sea salt (I just sprinkled it on, probably used less) 
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 garlic cloves sliced or 2 tsp garlic in a jar (I forgot this once and it did not taste as good)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
1/3-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat the oven to 425.

Cut broccoli into florets.  Dry them THOROUGHLY...super important because they won't be crispy if you don't and the crispiness makes this recipe. 

Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with 5 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss in 4 sliced garlic cloves.

Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until "crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned."  I would probably do more time than less, they almost look burnt.

When it's done, take it out of the oven and zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil (I forgot to add this olive oil), and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe via Amateur Gourmet via Eden

This is so good:
My mom who is not a fan of broccoli b/c it stinks, loved this!
My dad gobbled it up.
Oster kept sneaking into the kitchen after dinner was over to stuff more broccoli into his mouth...now that's proof how good this is! 
And I made it again the next night. 

#505 - freezing time

I have such good memories of tv shows from my childhood:

Punky Bruster
Small Wonder
Cosby Show
Facts of Life
Webster
Different Strokes
Leave it to Bever

But,
the show I think about almost daily is
Out of this World (ahh...the day of long intros)..would you like to swing on a star?
Do you remember this show?


You might ask why I think about this show daily?
Well, this picture below says it all:

It left such an impression on me that I think,

"Oh, I wish I could just touch my fingers together and stop time!"

Wouldn't that be nice?

Yes, I know it's not possible...

But I can always dream, right...

Time flies way way way too fast!

ps, casi, did you know "Evie" is in the new 90201...not that I've ever seen it :) 

#504 - peppermint candy ear muffs

These peppermint candy ear muffs look delicious!

And this peppermint candy ice cream looks so good!

#503 - Chocolate Covered Almonds - Costco style

Costco Kirkland brand Milk Chocolate Almonds are so delicious!  I bought them for potty training...well, that didn't really work.  Oster's not potty trained and they're all gone (woops!)

#502 - scratch and sniff stickers

My favorites were the popcorn one, grape one and cupcake one...yum!

Which did you like?

#501 - Made by Joel

ok...I should really be on post #500, but I'm still writing it, cause #500 is a special one.

In the meantime, I'm loving the blog Made by Joel.  Have you seen it yet?

Such fun projects.  All the pictures above are ones I want to try with Oster....toy pet, nature mobile, owl mobile, drawing people with fabric, toy snake and drawing with buttons (i've got a bunch of buttons for that!)

#499 - dance party with grandpa

Someone is happy...

Happy that grandma and grandpa are visiting...

And brought him new Halloween pajamas...

And let him wear their bright orange swimming cap (it's grandma's)...

And had a dance party with him (yep, grandpa busted a move)...

That lucky boy is my little (growing way to fast) Oster!