I'm Lovin' it

When one of my friends tells me about something that they love, I can't wait to try it. I like the sections of magazines that list new makeup to try and love the section in Redbook that lists 50 bargains for under $50. Here is what I am lovin' right now

 I fought the skinny jeans and boot trend. I thought that it wasn't me and I wasn't cool enough to pull it off. Once I decided that I really did love it and really wanted a pair (this happened around the time I discovered The Pioneer Woman) it took me quite awhile to narrow it down to just which pair I wanted. After lots and lots of research, I found these. Matthew didn't bat and eye when said that I liked them and actually encouraged me to get them for Christmas. I love them more and more every time I wear them. 

I love it. I am happy to report that I am down to just one (sometimes two on a busy day) a day. thank-you-very-much.

Even on my sickest days, I have on a few coats of mascara. I feel naked without it. This is my current favorite. I think the cheaper, drugstore brands work better than anything I've tried from a department store. 

 This was in my stocking one year at Doc and M's house and I've worn it ever since. It is a great cross between wearing a light pink and wearing a clear coat (does that make any sense at all?). In the last Redbook, I read that Giada wears this shade. That has NO bearing on me because I have a lot of mixed feelings about her...moving right along...

This is my latest love. It hides every little line, crease, pore, and dent that your skin might have. It makes makeup glide into place and stay there. I have used primers before that have been much more expensive and haven't worked nearly as well. I use this at night as a moisturizer and under makeup in the morning. At $13 (and there are almost always coupons for it online and in the paper) it is a steal. I am still on my first bottle and it has been almost four months.

These are a few MY most loved items (at the moment)....what are yours?

cooking with the kids

I love to cook with my kids but find it necessary to be really organized before we get started. I like to get everything clean and tidy (mainly because I might want to snap a picture) as well as out of the pantry and pre-measured. Once everything is ready, the kids wash their hands and are ready to lick the spoons (and could care less about what happens in between those two steps). 

It's Caroline's turn to take snack tomorrow at school (peanut free, not from a plant that also processes peanuts mind you) and we usually try to make something together and usually try to choose a healthy recipe to try. Today though, we decided on good ol' chocolate chip cookies. We make these often and I know the recipe by heart (pretty sure it is the Tollhouse Original recipe). 

you need:

2 sticks of butter (BUTTER!)

3/4 c packed brown sugar

3/4 c white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs 

1 bag of chocolate chips (Target brand and Kroger brand are not processed in peanut using facilities)

2 1/4 c four

1 tsp salt (as I am typing this, I realized that I forgot to add this today but my butter was salted!)

 post nap hair, Hello!

cream your butter and sugars

add your eggs and vanilla

add the dry ingredients

add your chocolate chips

the kids take turns adding things to the mixing bowl

and everyone gets a supply of chocolate chips to add

 I love those sweet hands...

and everyone gets a spoon, paddle, or spatula to taste

 they bake at 375 for 9 minutes and turn out just like this each and every time

 although, sometimes they turn out like this 

Wordless Wednesday

brownies

This is my go-to brownie recipe (if I am not starting from a box). They turn out every time and are sort of gooey and fudgey and great with cold, cold milk. The original recipe is from the Tollhouse website and we tweaked it just a bit (and added sprinkles). 

Ingredients

• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts or extra chocolate chunks, chips, bits, or pieces

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan. MELT 1 cup morsels and butter in large, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking soda. Stir in remaining morsels and nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan. Add sprinkles and possible more chocolate if you've got it. BAKE for 18 to 22  (17-18 if you like 'em gooey) minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. 

15 minute dinner

I have seen the commercials for Phillycooking creme and was anxious to try it...but I really wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I am not really a "by the seat of my pants" sort of cook, but a basic dinner of chicken, pasta, and broccoli couldn't go too wrong...

 I sauteed my chicken a teaspoon of olive oil until brown and simultaneously boiled some orzo pasta. During the last two minutes of cooking the pasta, I tossed the broccoli in.  

Once cooked, I drained the pasta and broccoli and added it to the chicken along with the cooking creme.

It was DELICIOUS! I cannot wait to try the other flavors. YUMMY!

Gramps' Birthday

My grandfather had a birthday this weekend and we drove down to surprise him. It was a great chance for the kids to celebrate and have some time with not only their grandparents, but great-grandparents as well. While Gramps loves all of his family, he thinks the moon is hung by my children, his only great grandkids, and spoils them rotten. They adore him and are always thankful for spending time with him. The weather was nice and we got some outside time. Mom made her "famous" lasagna (which takes her all day to make, so it is something special when she pulls is out of the recipe arsenal) and we had ice cream cake for dessert. I appreciate my mom making the day so special and for letting the five of us crash the party!

Friday

The weather was seriously springlike today with highs reaching almost eighty degrees! We spent the post-nap afternoon outdoors (wouldn't you?) and enjoyed pizza on the patio for dinner. I took the camera off-roading and got some fun shots (completely accidentally since I have no clue what I am doing once I move the dial off the manual setting) of these precious little ones.

(did I mention we have two dogs?)

I hope YOU have wonderful, warm weather and a terrific weekend!