Avalanche bars

Yesterday, I got to celebrate 7 wonderful years married to a super, amazing guy.  We were big celebrators. . . he went to work, I hung out with the kiddos, walked to the library, made dinner.  Yeah, it was a Monday.  Don't worry, we will have the upcoming weekend all planned out. . . kid free and I get my first golf lesson.  I think we may need to make a bucket list, just for the weekend, but no matter what it will be fun. . . I just hope my parents survive!

But in honor of it being our anniversary, I wanted to make my Jon's treat for his lunch super special.  So, I made these.  I've been meaning to make them for about a month, but haven't had time (It's been a busy month!).  Plus, I was pretty sure he'd think they rocked (i was right).

These things combine 5 of the best ingredients around: rice krispies, mini marshmallows, white chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips and peanut butter.  Seriously, if your mouth isn't salivating about now, there might just be something wrong with you.  . . just kidding. 

I sent this picture to my best friend, and I kid you not. . . she was over about 5 minutes later.  I think she'll be making them next week. . . just a hunch.  

Here's the recipe so you can run out to your closest Target and get the ingredients and make them. . . tonight.  

Avalanche Rice Krispy Bars

Source: Cookies and Cups

Ingredients:

• 12 oz bag of White Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips + 2 Tbsp for garnish.
• Lightly grease a 9x9 pan

Directions:

:: Melt a bag of white chocolate chips in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.  I used my Pampered Chef small batter bowl. It's perfect for melting chocolate.  Heat for 30 seconds then stir.  It's probably okay to do another 30 second interval, but after that I would go 10 to 15 second intervals because white chocolate chips get really grainy when overheated.  It's gross. . . you kind of have to just toss them if they get to that point.  

:: Add 1/4 of a cup of creamy peanut butter into your melted white chocolate chips.  I didn't measure it. . . i just eyeball it.  Measuring PB is not my favorite thing to do.  

:: In a bigger bowl (I like a big wide bowl like this), pour Rice Krispies into it and then stir in your chocolate peanut butter mixture.  Then add in your marshmallows and mini chocolate chips.  Stir it up and then pour into your greased 9x9 pan (I used my square Pyrex 8x8) and press down.  This is a great time to let your favorite 3 year old like the bowl. . . Mine did a great job . . .I even had to pry the bowl out of his hands.  fun times! 

:: Let it sit for about 20 to 30 minutes and then it will be great for cutting  into.  

Send a picture to your best friend and see how long it takes them to ring your doorbell. It won't be long, I promise. :)

For a good cause, part 1

I got to stamp and bake last week, all for an amazing cause.  My friend Marcy and her family have spend this past year selling or getting rid of the majority of their possessions so that they call follow God's calling to Germany to serve at the Black Forest Academy.  BFA is a school where missionary kids can attend while their parents are serving on the field around the world.  They get an amazing education and are loved on by the staff. 

This weekend, they held a dessert and silent auction and I got to work.  I felt like I was a super procrastinator and finally finished my note card sets and my dessert by 4:30, and believe it or not, I had it to the church by 5.  It has been a busy month, but what a way to finish it.  I can't wait to show you the cool things I did.  

So, here's the first one.  It's sideways, thanks to my phone and instagram.  Just turn your head (but not to much. . . or too long, don't want to give you a neck ache).  

It's a set of 6 identical notecards that say "I would give up chocolate, but I'm no quitter!"

Guess What, you can still get them. . . they are still available.  Wanna get these note cards AND help my friends get closer to their goal of teaching at BFA?  (Did I mention, he husband is going to be the new 4th grade teacher. . . they are already writing them letters and praying for them. . . that's so cool!)

I even packaged them up super cool!  and you won't get a neck ache by looking at this picture. :)

If you want to make a bid you can go HERE and bid or just buy the whole set. 

My friend Marcy, says she even ship it to you, for a bit of shipping and they aren't too heavy, so if you aren't' from Fresno or Clovis, don't let that stop you. :) 

Oh and remember my friend Stephanie who does those cool scrabble family trees?  She's also auctioning off two of them. . . You can find those here.

And, if you want to read about  my friends and their adventure you can visit their blog here. 

something really cool

This morning my backyard was over 30 kids and their mommies.  The kids played in the water and the mommies got some chat time.  I can't begin to tell you how much fun I had (because I did!).  I love being able to open up my house (in this case the backyard) for mommies and their friends.  But now . . . I am pooped.  So I am sitting here icing my knee (that's another story) and watching some Crossing Jordan reruns and updating my blog.

So, since I have yet to upload my pictures from my camera (I can't even begin to describe how busy it's been around here), you are stuck with something really cool.  I am not kidding when I tell you how cool it is. . . it's just that cool!

My friend, Steph, recently started to make family trees with a font that looks like scrabble pieces.  They are super cool!  This one is similar to the one she made my family for Christmas.

There are other ones, too.

I just think these are so cool! I can't get enough of them!  You can go to here etsy site to see more or even order them (she's not paying me. . . I'm not getting anything out of this. . . I promise!).  They look really nice on our wall and make amazing gifts for family members.  

Okay, i am done rambling on now, I am going to go cuddle with my 3 year old. . . cuddle time is the best!

Summer fun

I feel like this is going to be a super fun summer! I've already been to Jackson hole and Monterey and now I'm getting ready for our mops retreat that will be tomorrow night at my house.  (It's 11:00 and I am taking a break from cleaning my kitchen. . . steaming the microwave).  So, if you don't see a lot of posts from me in the next few weeks. . . . just know that we are having fun and hoping that you are too!

Tonight I took the outside for some fun water play time and whipped up a couple batches of chalk paint.  I pinned this and tried it quite a few time last summer.  It was a big hit.   This year, it's even a bigger hit because I have another munchkin who thinks it's cool (at 4 months old last summer he just really didn't give a hoot!).

I was just mixing the cornstarch and water up in paper cups but the kids just kept spilling them.  So, tonight I tried an old muffin tin.  It worked way better and I got to experiment with colors!  So much fun!  With a one year old, it eventually ended up all over, but it lasted much longer.

This is a super cheap recipe that you can do with kids from ingredients you probably have in your own home.

Here's the recipe:

1 to 2 tsp. cornstarch for each muffin tin . . . I just eyeball it
water. . . make it a good consistency. . . you don't want oobleck.
food coloring.  about 5 drops will do the trick.

Mix well, send kids outside with paintbrushes and watch them make art (even if it's just a big glob of color at the end!).

What's your favorite thing to do over the summer?

Some of our favorites. . .

I just got back from an adventure to Wyoming.  Jackson Hole to be exact. . . . Teton mountain central.  It's such an amazingly beautiful place.  As soon as I get my pictures uploaded, I will share some with you.  In the meantime, while I am trying to get back into a routine of some sort (and tackle my incredibly long to-do list) I thought I would share some of our family favorite dinners.  I don't usually blog about them, but here's a few of our favorites!

Baked Bree's Taco Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette.

This recipe has all of our favorites.  Plus, I cheat and just buy a can of sweet corn.  Someday, I will try this with the grilled corn. . . someday.   The seasoned black beans are absolutely amazing!  My husband actually requested them for a taco bar last week at work . . . big hit!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I love these.  I love everything about them.  I must be in a honey-lime obsession because this only the second recipe I've shared and it follows the same theme.  I think I love this because I am a big fan of a creamy green sauce enchilada and my husband usually won't eat them because of the common ingredient of sour cream.  These don't have the "dreaded" ingredient . . . they have heavy whipping cream, which is somehow exceptable (don't ask).  I've shared this recipe with my sister and she instantly became a fan.

Linguine with Sausage and Peppers

I found this recipe using the allrecipes.com supper spinner app.  It's awesome.  I was at the grocery store when I found this and am hooked.  So easy and simple.  We make it a lot.  I might even make it this weekend.

15 minute fajitas (Pampered Chef)
This is one of my favorite things to make in my deep covered baker.  I think I love that it is dinner on the table in 15 minutes flat and it tastes wonderful!

Chicken Penne Al Fresco

This is one of the most popular things to make at Pampered Chef parties and then I have to make it that week for my family because it is just so tasty.  It also makes a lot, so it's good to make when company comes over or when I need to take a meal to some friends after a birth or something.  I also make a lot of adjustments for it.  Twice as many tomatoes, more basil, and more wine (I prefer a moscato).  I also use the Pampered Chef Parmesan garlic dipping seasoning.  It's delicious!

What's your favorite recipe for dinner?

"hop-corn"

Happy Friday!  I leave town in almost 12 hours and I still have yet to pack, go to a birthday party, and get stuff ready for the boys to survive. . . I'm going to miss them. . . good thing that I will be home in time to kiss them goodnight on Monday.  

In the meantime, a quick post on one of our new favorite treats.  I saw this awhile back on Pinterest and it was so easy, I couldn't resist!  We made this for a movie night (we watched Hop . . . hence the title) and chowed down on this yummy stuff. 

 Yep. . . it's as good as it looks and super easy!

 Here's what you need:
1 bag of a natural sort of microwave popcorn (I used Orville Redenbachers. . . i know that's probably spelled wrong)
Some leftover almond bark (I have been using the candyquick kind that Target sells)
and your favorite sprinkles (we used some funfetti sprinkles that were left over from a tub of frosting.

Here's how you do it:
Step 1: pop popcorn
Step 2: Melt 3 to 4 squares of almond bark.
Step 3: Put popcorn in large bowl.  Poor melted white ooze over popcorn.  Stir gently to combine.  Sprinkle sprinkles over them and give it a gentle whirl.  Let it sit for about 15 minutes and

Enjoy!  As you can see, this little guy is pretty easily impressed!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Bringing Good to your family {p31, week 3}

She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

She finds wool and flaxand busily spins it.

She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar.

Proverbs 31:12-14

Ahh, more Proverbs 31.  Are you sick of hearing me talk about her yet? I hope not.  I don't know if she was a real person or not (the Bible doesn't say), but hope she was because I would love to thank her for being an amazing example of godly woman-hood.  Seriously.  

This week, we have been talking about how a wife brings good to her husband.  Good. A wife that honors and respects her husband.  A wife that goes out of her way to show love via his love language to her.  A wife that doesn't withhold anything (even though there is nothing left to give). Sometimes I fall short in this area.  I have a selfish tendency (don't we all?).  As a mom of two toddlers, I confess that I am unintentionally short with my poor husband.  I don't intend to be, but exhaustion from dealing with the craziness of toddler-hood to running a household and a ministry (MOPS) can be very tiring.  I am constantly looking for ways to bring good to my husband. . . he so deserves it!  Whether it is sending him off to play golf or making a zillion (obvious exaggeration) PBJ's for his weekly lunches or looking at his needs, his love languages, and finding a way to bless him daily.  

How do you show your husband good?

The next part of that passage is . . . well. . . a fun one.  I know that it is talking about busily working with her hands. . . as in she's not idle and lazy.  She works hard so her family will be warm.  But, the translation that really . . . well, just makes me smile is the message.  It says, "She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing."  Now, I know that we are all created with different passions and likes and dislikes.  But this just screams crafty.  I will confess. . . I don't knit. . . I don't combine yarn with needles. . . I am just not that coordinated.  But, I do love fabric. . . a lot.  My sewing and craftiness has saved  us a lot of gift buying. . . so in that, I think I have brought good to my family. . . I can only hope. . . I like fabric. . . it's my guilty pleasure.  

I will say that as much as I love being crafty and busy with my hands, I will say it is not my biggest priority.  If it starts coming between my time with God, then I need to tone it down.  God gave me this desire to do things. . . to create things. . . and if I put that ahead of my time with Him then, I am making fabric, or paper, or {fill in the blank} a god.  That is not what the Proverbs 31 woman does.  She stays busy in order to bring her family good.  She makes things that will keep them warm during the cold, winter months; she  bakes the food to eat (although she was a queen. . . so probably had someone do this. . . but she did plan the meals); she finds the best materials to make sure they last.  Her focus is on Christ and by honoring Him, she honors her family. 

How do you stay busy?

  I am sure that every woman wants to be called a merchant's ship right? Uhh. . . probably not on the list of my top compliments.  In fact, if someone told me I was a ship, I would run to the mirror and then go completely carb free (if you know me. . . that's hard to do. . . read my blog. . . carbs everywhere!).  Good thing, that's not what it means.  I know I am relieved.  I've read that this woman probably got up and met the ships early in the morning to get the best and food and deals for her family.  I know I've mentioned it before, but the food budget is my biggest struggle.  I snip coupons that I would likely use, however, I just don't find couponing all that healthy.  Really.  From my observations, most coupons are for highly processed foods and are rarely for fresh fruits and veggies. . . which are primarily on my grocery list each week.  I do however, go shopping at several stores to save money. In fact, today I dragged my kids to Food Max, Trader Joes, Target, Buy Buy Baby, and Costco.  Add in my Farmer's Market purchases and we are set. . . for a few weeks at least.  In fact, my best deal today was at Target. . a 4 pack of Chicken breasts with a 3 dollar off coupon making each package about 3 bucks!  Yep. . . I live for those moments!  So for me, honoring my family like the Proverbs 31 woman means buying products that are healthier and making a lot of things from scratch to illiminate the preservatives.  I want my family to live long and healthy lives so that they can grow up and honor Christ in whatever way God has planned for them to do.  

So, those are my thoughts and reflections for this week. . .  I am going to go and sew now.  My son wants some "pull-ups" for his sock monkey.  Yep. . .  you heard that right.  

by the way, have any of you read this book?  Any thoughts?