Mama + Baby + Nana = FUN

This particular morning started at 5AM rushing to get to the airport. Tip toeing around my room trying not to wake princess, (you know most kids would just sleep through it all, and eventually find themselves at the airport lying in the stroller with their PJ's still on... NOT my daughter!!) She woke up 5 mins after I did. I knew we were in for a loooong day ahead. We pulled up at the airport and she starts yelling, "pretzels Mommy, pretzels!!!" I didn't exactly understand what she was saying and went on. We were the last ones on the plane, and boy did we come on with a BANG! I had an over stuffed backpack, jackets, toys, juice and a camera bag wrapped around my neck, turning my hips left and right to make it thru the aisle. It was a small plane folks!...like only 15 people! E got her very own seat, and to a 23 month old that means a whole, whole lot!!!

She said to me again, "Mommy pretzels!" Oh!! Pretzels?? What? How did you remember that? Kid you are smart! ....thats what she was talking about earlier!! So not only did she get her OWN pretzels but the flight attendant gave her sprite and a straw, that was such an easy flight :) She played with her straw the entire time-go figure!

We arrived and covered Nana Ollis in kisses. Not seeing her since November i thought she would be a little shy.. pppfffff.. riiiiight.. she warmed right up to her by counting , and of course skipping the #7 along the way. It just wouldn't be right if she didn't skip Mr. 7.

I didn't bring many toys because I figured going to Nana Ollis' house she would find something to play with, and she did, pens, a concrete dog, and some yard ornaments.

We went to the Imax Theater and watched a story about animals, they gave us free popcorn and coke. E liked the free popcorn, why are the best things in life free?? I'll never understand.

We tried taking her picture with Nana Ollis and she was being stubborn, but that doesn't surprise me, her and Daddy are so much alike :)

We had a great time! Drank Coffee, ate, shopped, talked, laughed and yawned, of course all good things must come to an end. :( Those times will be cherished forever. Can't wait to go back!!

Love you Nana Ollis :)

Nun's Puffs

A friend of mine gave me this recipe a few weeks back, I read it, and clearly had not made anything like this before. They were so light and fluffy, it felt like you were eating air. I believe you could do a lot with these. Very yummy, not very filling so you can eat the whole dozen and still fill just as skinny!! ha :)

Nun's Puffs

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup butter

1 Cup milk

3/4 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon of sugar

Honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Generously grease twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin

cups including edges. Melt butter in a saucepan and add milk, bring to a boil

and then add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture

forms a ball that does not separate. (this is what caught my eye, a ball??-yes it was very intriguing to watch) Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes (let cool in another bowl).

Add eggs one at a time, beating for one minute with a wooden spoon after each addition

or until smooth. Divide dough evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3rds of

the way full, sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Remove and serve immediately. I poured honey over the top!! I believe warm chocolate would be just as good, what do you think?

Lemon Butter Cookies

I can honestly say most "pretty" cookies

usually don't taste good, however, these do!

Elizabeth and me made a few dozen for her

"Mothers Day Out" teachers, and they loved them!!

Kind of time consuming, but what cookies aren't :)

They were worth it!

Or worth this..

E and Paw Paw, of course she was saying E do it!

At 22 months old she can do anything, or at

least she thinks she can :)

Lemon Butter Cookies:

1 Cup butter soften

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 Cup powdered sugar

2 Cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat butter and lemon zest till creamy.

Gradually add sugar, beating well.

Combine flour and salt, gradually add to butter

mixture, beating unto blended.

Shape dough in a ball, put in fridge for 20 mins.

Roll dough to 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Use your favorite cookie cutters!

Bake for 12 to 14 mins till edges are lightly brown.

The "Pretty" Glaze:

1 Pkg of 16 oz powdered sugar

Food coloring paste

Stir together powdered sugar and

6 tablespoons of water, tint glaze and stir until blended.

All DONE!

Look closely... you can see the lemon zest coming

out of the cookies.

Good Morning World, i was awoken today by two beautiful, bright blue eyes starring right in my face. My little girl, my world, my life, my joy, my comfort, the one who makes me smile, even when you don't feel like it. The 22 month old innocent eyes full of life! The one who says I'm saawwy right after she gives me the big No!!!!.... (knowing she shouldn't say it anyways), those stages they go through with "E can do it", "NO", "All Mine" , independent as they come, is my child. Mom says i was the exact same way, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree :) The smirks she gives me that look Juuust like her Daddy, the loud squeeeeks she yells, thanks to her Daddy :) As many gold fish and hot dogs you could ever imagine, i should have just had my own gold fish and hot dog factory, I would have came out cheaper.

For every time she potties (4 times a week that is), her first words are, "Prize mommy?"

Counting numbers 1 to 12 and skipping 6 & 7

Saying her alphabet A to Z with no mess ups.

Today she recognized 3 shapes.

Everything is the color blue.

Sleeping through the night now.. ppppppewwwwwwwwww

Loving Elmo and Shriek

Saying "Mommy I'm a Pinncess"

Writing on the walls and saying, "E do it"

For those times i put her in the Corner and before she makes it there, she looks back at me with those BIG, bright blue eyes and says, "I sawwwwy"

To think i have 2 more months with a one year old. Then its the big 2, where did my baby go?

For the priceless moments everyday i am surprised with, the "I wubs yous".. "Hugs and tisses"

At 5 months old, your first Dove Shoot, your first camo.... girl you are special to me.

A brand new day :)

Today is a brand new day, however, i did not sleep from the time my husband left for the gym (5:00AM), i laid there and kept thinking of what i had to accomplish for today, some emails i needed to send and what i was going to cook for supper tonight. We are having friends over, so that means no experiment night! I really don't like to try anything new for company, just in case it doesn't turn out. Now a dessert, i will try a new one every night. :) Am i the only wife who pretty much makes a dessert every night? Thats really bad! If i don't make a dessert I'm shoveling ice cream or chocolate chip cookies down my throat. Speaking of Choc chip cookies, my sister-in-law makes the yummiest, evenly rounded cookies you have ever seen in your life. They are all the same size and shape. I couldn't do that in a million years if i tried :) When my husband and I first got married he would always say, "bake them cookies that my sister makes", so i did, and he would say, "their good, but not like my sisters." So the closest thing i can get to hers is the store bought break apart Nestle Toll House ones...... Still not sure what to fix for supper tonight! Grrrr.....

Banana Nut Head..

You mostly likely have eaten it, its one of the easiest breads to make and sinfully wonderful!!

Banana Nut Bread Baby!! This is the easiest recipe ever, and there are no special ingredients - well other than the bananas. Go on..try it.. it's not fattening!

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup of shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 med bananas, mashed

2 cup flour

1 tsp soda

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and cream well. Sift flour and soda together. Fold flour and bananas into above mixture. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

Divide mixture in half and put into two loaf pans. Bake in greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 35 to 45 mins @ 350 (or until toothpick comes out clean) I put the whole batter in one loaf pan and it took a realllly long time to bake thru, so thats why i am suggesting dividing it. :)

See..how easy is that? In the time it took you to read the recipe you could have made it.. Now I'm eating it and your not :)... almost half is gone, how sad. Oh well.

Yesterday was a wonderful day for my 21 month old! Monkey Joe's just opened up in our city and so we took her. We met her favorite buddy's there - Jake and Cole.

They had so much fun! FYI don't wear your work clothes! I was drug threw these huge inflatable things, up and down the slides and thru the tunnels..how do these kids do this? All day E has been saying ,"I salide....jump...be nice...salide" the joys of motherhood are so rewarding. I took her to jump, and somehow I am now the greatest Mommy ever :) Please Elizabeth.... never grow up.

Baking with my favorite girl :)

I have this little girl who makes my heart smile, my head spin, my eyes sparkle, my life brighter.....

Let me introduce you again to the worlds most adorable baker. "E"

Kitchen etiquette?? What is that??

She can stir the batter, lick it and then stir it again!!!:) Mom is okay with that. We made a Mandarin Orange Cake. Of course we were the only ones who ate it! ... So thats why the scale went to the right this week?

Look at that chin?? I'll only have another one if you can promise me they'll be this cute!!

.. I love, love, love this girl!!!

Refreshing, Light & Yummy

E's Spoon Lickin-Mandarin Orange Cake

You will need:

1 Package butter golden cake mix

4 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1(11 oz) can mandarin orange segments

1 (8oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple w/ juice

1 package instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees - Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil and mandarin oranges with juice. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 t0 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Topping:

In a large bowl, beat together whipped topping, pineapple w/ juice and dry pudding mix until blended. Spread on cake. Chill cake in fridge, grab a plate, cut it and SPLURGE!!!!!