Birthday fun for my BFF

December 6th, is my BFF's birthday.  I asked her weeks ago what she wanted to do that day since it was her special day.

The night before I baked her husband some star wars cookies.  He's a star wars fan and his birthday is the 8th so I figured it was perfect to give him these to add to his other gifts.

The cookies are so cool and they tasted great.  We couldn't stop eating them.  haha

When I got to my friends house I gave them their bday gifts.  I got K, a mint colored hand mixer, rainman stickers, contact cases, rainman flags, socks, and an etsy gift card.  I got D, cookies, itunes gc, chipotle gc and a tire gauge.  The tire gauge didn't work so I returned it yesterday for one that did work and will give it to him this weekend.

K and I headed to proper pie for birthday lunch.  I treated K to her bday lunch.  K got a sausage roll.  I got a turkey, cranberry and brie hand pie.

We split a bloody lamington.  It's a sponge cake with coconut, powdered sugar, raspberry coolie and whipped cream.

Here's my small hand pie.  It tasted like a pot pie.  Yummy! :)

My sister met us there and grabbed something and ate it.  She also tried the bloody lamington.

Next up, was Cary Towne to Chop Seuy books.  They were having a handmade holiday event and K wanted to check it out.  

Here's E "reading a book".

Ellie got a new book.

She was so happy.  :)

We then went to the Great Big Green House.  This place was right up my alley.  Sooooo cool.

When we walked in there was a Santa that sorta scared E.  She didn't want anything to do with him.  She calls him Christmas man.  ahahaha

There was a really cool train display that we checked out.

We then looked outside at the Christmas trees.

E is wearing my sunglasses.  The sun was too bright for her.  haha

We then went to HomeGoods to look around.

We vegged a little at my BFF's after all that.  

For dinner we went to a pizza place called Sal's.  It was good.  The pizza is in my top 5 now.  There was a fish tank there.  E was obsessed.  She loved watching the fish and the hermit crab.  The workers thought E was cute and loved her little voice.  They told her she could name the hermit crab.  The orange fish is Nemo, the Black fish is Oreo and they said the crab didn't have a name.  E shrieked "Sebastian" and we all laughed.  One of the waiters said "that's a perfect name".  So cute!!  :)

Dave treated us girls to dinner.  Thanks Dave.  :)  

Happy Birthday to Kristen and Dave!  I hope you had a great day.

Nate Birthday 2015

I had to work ALL DAY for Nate's birthday.  I had a remote, then I had to help decorate the station parade float and also had to work the Christmas parade.

Here's everyone who walked in parade.  We dressed in jammies/onesies.  Yoda I am.  :)  We never win but we actually got 3rd place this year.  We can't believe it.  haha  :)

On my way home, I stopped in at Food Lion and picked up a small chocolate birthday cake, vanilla ice cream, and a Chipotle gift card for Nate.

I rang the doorbell when I got home and Nate answered.  As he opened the door I had the cake in my hand and handed it to him singing happy birthday.  :)  I think he appreciated it.

Happy Birthday Nate!  :)

Baking for Ireland

My co-worker, Debbie paid me money to bake her some of my gluten free chocolate chip cookies and brownies so she could take them to Ireland.  She's from Ireland and she was going there to a family members wedding.  I was excited to make her goodies since she was taking them out of the U.S.  haha

Here's the gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough.

Brownie batter

Cookies

Close-up of cookies....I forgot to take a picture of the brownies.

I packed everything up in ziploc bags and in squared containers to keep them airtight.  Debbie, said her plan was to take them in her carry on.  She said if TSA told her she couldn't take them then she was going to sit down at the airport and eat all of it before leaving.  haha  

Gladly, that didn't happen.  The baked goods made it safely to Ireland.  Debbie's family loved the treats.  :)  I'm very glad.

Toddler Lunches wk 11/30

No toddler lunches for wk of 11/23.  I only worked 1 day that week and was off the rest.

Here's last weeks toddler lunches.

MONDAY:

I brought some leftover thanksgiving turkey, cranberry sauce, rf mozz string cheese, hard boiled egg and 2 pb oatmeal balls.

Breakfast/Snacks:  quest bar, monster mix, apple, banana and rf pb.

TUESDAY:

Leftover Chinese Food.

Breakfast/Snacks:  quest bar, apple, hard boiled egg, 2 pb oatmeal balls, banana and rf pb.

WEDNESDAY:

turkey, cranberry sauce, hard boiled egg, rf mozz string cheese and 2 pb oatmeal balls.

Breakfast/Snacks:  quest bar and an apple

THURSDAY:

Lunch/ Breakfast/Snacks:  quest bar, tomato soup, rf string cheese, apple, hard boiled egg, 2 pb oatmeal balls.

FRIDAY:

Lunch/Breakfast/Snacks:  triple zero strawberry yogurt, sf pudding, rf graham crackers, apple, rf mozz string cheese, quest bar and cashews.

Christmas Tree 2015

I wasn't planning on decorating for Christmas this year.  I just really wasn't into it.  But then I changed my mind after I decided I would host a Christmas dinner for our family.

Here's the tree.  :)

I love the baubles.  :)

Yesterday, I wrapped my nieces presents and put them under the tree.  I can't wait for her to open them.  :)

Friends get together November 2015

We had a big get together to celebrate all the latest or upcoming birthdays the other weekend.

Ellie was cute as usual.  These are 2 of my favorite pictures I got.

E on the piano.

Ellie and Nate

Homemade Pumpkin Roll

My older sister requested one of my homemade pumpkin rolls.  I made 2.  One for her and one that I cut in half.  Half for my parents and half for Nate and I.

Mix everything....

Pour onto baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes on 350 degrees.  Let cool for 1 min in pan and then flip onto some wax paper to cool more.

Mix filling.

Spread evenly on cooled pumpkin roll and roll up.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Looks good right?

For my pumpkin roll:

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Filling:

1 cup confectioners sugar

8 oz cream cheese (soft)

2 tbs unsalted butter (soft)

3/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix your pumpkin mix ingredients. Pour into a greased baking pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for a few min and then flip onto parchment paper. Mix your filling until smooth and spread onto cool pumpkin. Roll slowly and then sprinkle confectioners sugar on top. Wrap tightly and put in freezer. Can keep in freezer for about a week but you won't have it that long. :)

Homemade Taco Seasoning

My BFF made me a big ball jar of homemade taco seasoning.  I was running really low and needed some more so she gave me her recipe with all the measurements.

I used up all the spices I had, plus some of K's.  I needed just a little more cumin and paprika so I went to food lion the other day and picked up what I needed.  I like getting the Badia brand.  It's always so much cheaper than most brands.

Mix everything up really good and store in a ball jar.

I made some little sample bags to see how they'd turn out.  K and I figured we could start selling the taco seasoning at our craft shows.  And maybe make some sample bags to give out.

These are so much better for you since it's just the spices.  Have you ever read the ingredients on the back of the store bought packets.  There's words you can't pronounce or things you don't even know what they are.  Why is all of that in there?  Gross and no thanks.