A Day Working From Home

I try to get Benjamin to color but he's just not that into it yet. He will scribble some and we bought him bigger triangle crayons (in hopes he can't snap them in half). I decided to try and get him to color with chalk. He showed some interest but he was more interested in erasing when I showed him how to do that.

 When I am working and Daddy isn't home Elizabeth tends to stay in her PJ's until I decide to finally dress her (hopefully not this new year as I am working on some new goals).

 While working I cracked up as I found Benjamin in Elizabeth's jumper yet again but I finally saw how he was getting himself out of it. He would literally fall out of it. It caught my attention because of the extra noise and his little grunts of frustration as he wasn't falling out quite when he wanted to.

 

As with most baby's they require a few outfit changes some days. Elizabeth was no exception today (October 25, 2012) but while I was changing her I grabbed my camera and decided to do a quick photo session. I started with her naked but tried to keep her modest and then put a diaper on because no one wants to deal with an accident. I used a few different hair bows and then eventually I got her dressed. It was fun watching her play and she doesn't shy away from the camera yet.

 While doing the photo shoot and getting Elizabeth dressed Benjamin had gone upstairs and grabbed the foil out of the bottom kitchen drawer (thankfully Jared has fixed it since then). The foil was almost out so I didn't stress when he was unrolling it and playing with it. I just watched him and snapped a few pictures. I could tell he was enjoying playing with the foil.

  Elizabeth fell asleep on me while I was working. I've learned to work one handed a lot or I will prop Elizabeth on the desk some and work that way.

After work I decided we needed to do something fun. Benjamin and I made chocolate peanut butter cookies together. He enjoys helping some but is not very patient once the batter is made. He threw the biggest fit because of having to wait for them to bake and then to cool. He stole quite a few cookies eventually while I was busy with Elizabeth. Oh well we enjoyed ourselves.

Baking Time Together

My dessert for the month was two bags of chocolate chips so I could make myself chocolate chip cookies. So Saturday night Benjamin and I started making cookies around 8pm or so. Benjamin loves to help in the kitchen. He also thinks the mixer is one of the coolest things to play with. You have to be careful because he will stick his arm in, drop other things in, or turn the mixer on high.

Once we got the dough made Benjamin did not want to wait for them to bake. I had to distract him with his Daddy's RC car. It was a long 12 minutes plus cooling time but once they were available we were both in heaven. We only cooked a few batches to help them last longer.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter

I do get desperate for chocolate and sweets. What can I say...this baby girl has a sweet tooth!

I found a great recipe for a chocolate peanut butter cookie. Benjamin and I were big fans. I've made them twice.

Snowed in...Make Doughnuts

What's a girl to do when she is stuck inside and working all day? Make doughnuts!!! Of course!!! They were and are so delicious. I found a new blog yesterday and printed off the recipe for doughnuts and for chocolate glaze. That's how I even found the blog was because I was looking for a chocolate glaze. Good stuff!

Feel free to come over and save me from myself. I think I feel a headache coming on.

Jared said my sweet tooth cravings are stronger this pregnancy.

A Tart 3 Years in the Making

I have a new addiction!!! Okay so in August of 2007 Jared's youngest sister Heather got married. At her reception were these amazing little tarts. They were divine. I kept thinking of them for the longest time wondering how to make them. I decided to look around online and found a recipe at http://www.joyofbaking.com/ I printed that off on...lets see...November 17, 2008. So over a year later I found a recipe. Two days ago I decided I was going to finally make them. So this is a little over a 3 year process.

So Tuesday afternoon I started making these little tarts. I finished the filling in the evening once Jared was home and we were getting ready for bed. I had decided I could take them as a treat for after our activity in YW's Wednesday night. I tasted the filling and was in heaven! I grabbed a tart and added some filling and it hit the spot!

Wednesday during the day I kept sneaking upstairs to taste them. I think I had 5 all together. When Jared got home I made him one too. SO YUMMY! I told him I was debating taking them at all now to YW's because they were so amazing.

I did wind up taking them 14 tarts to share and everybody who had them loved them. 2 asked for the recipe and I found it online again. :) Here

They are quite a bit of work but so worth it!! Also either I put too much dough into each tart or you need to double the receipe to use all of the filling. I am taking one for the team and eating it by the spoonful now. mmmmmmmmmmmmm goodness!!

Bread, Bread and Jam!

I've had a pretty productive morning. I've made 2 loaves of Strawberry Bread and 3 small loaves of Zucchini Bread. Both moist and delicious! And I must stop eating it! Because I'm full but it is so good!

Strawberry Bread

Zucchini Bread

And Benjamin kept me company while making the Strawberry bread but slept for the Zucchini bread. He loves playing with his bib now. He's really liking to grab material or toys and hold onto them and put them up to his mouth. Got to love learning!


Earlier this week I made a batch of Strawberry Jam with pectin. Apparently pectin and I just don't get along. It won't set!!! Oh well next batch is without pectin and it will set. So weird! So for now I have Strawberry preserves.

The Moistest Muffins

I made the moistest muffins again today. A friend of mine had a baby this past week so I thought I would share some muffins.

Since they are so good I will share the recipe! Enjoy!

Berry Oat Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup quick oats

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients (except the berries). Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the berries.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

I recommend making a double batch as one batch makes only a dozen (depending on how you portion in) because they are so good. I've already had 3 regular sized muffins. Also I've only been using blueberries as it's what I have on hand.

I got the recipe from "The Essential Food Storage Cook Book". I have been doing a lot of cooking out of this book trying new things and writing my comments into the book so I know what I like and what I don't like or what I changed. It's been fun!

Dairy free birthday cake

I had been craving rice krispie treats for a few days. I finally made a trip to the store with the idea in mind of a special treat for my birthday. I was going to make a cake out of rice krispie treats!!! Benjamin and I went to the store and had to go to Woodinville because all of Monroe was without power (apparently they cut the line and then buried it where they are doing construction). I think my dairy free birthday cake turned out pretty cool!

Now the next morning Jared went out and laced my cake with red vines. Too cool! It was a fun little project. I am going to go eat some of it in a moment!