happy easter!

We spent our weekend hiking, playing, eating, drinking and relaxing at White Pines Forest State Park.  Max had such a great time, he is just genuinely happy playing outside and with his cousins.  And it was perfect Easter weekend weather: cool and crisp and mostly sunny.  

babyfood : oat bars

Welcome to my first series!  I know my posts are usually all over the place.  That's because I am.  This blog should really be called "random stuff I made".  But I need to focus on what I really like to make.  So, I'm starting a couple reoccurring series'; the first being babyfood!  When Lola was born I feel like I regressed when it came to food and meals for Max- and really our whole family.  I just didn't have it in me to plan - shop - cook.  Defrosting was my friend.  In the past couple months I have realized I miss vegetables.  I miss the good feeling when Max is eating nutritious food - not a pb&j sandwich for dinner.  This feeling was also strengthened because Lola is starting to eat real food now.  Baby food, finger food, floor food.  We saved up and went crazy in the Whole Foods bulk aisle getting quinoa, barley, various wild rice varieties, wheat germ, oats... you name it!  Some I make as a side dish and some I will hide in the main dish, but it is important for Max to know about nutrition.  

Ok, enough on that.  I wanted to make some sort of teething biscuit for Lola and found a recipe on Momstastic's Wholesome Baby Food.  I wanted a recipe that didn't include any salt or sugar.  This one has a little salt, but I left it out and I don't think they noticed.  I added a little banana apple sauce dipper to really spice things up!

Oats & Nanner Drops

1 c quick oats

1 c ground oats

1/4 t salt

1/4 t cinnamon or ginger or cardamom (we'd try it with all 4 spices)

1/4 t nutmeg

1 t baking powder

1 c (~2) overripe bananas, mashed

1 t vanilla extract

3 T oil of choice

Starting sign language again, this is her "all done!"

 Nom nom nom.

teeny feet wall art

You know how I have one wall in my dining room that I change more often than Lola's diaper?  Seems that way at least.  I like it that way.  I dedicate it to small, cheap projects that I like only for a short amount of time.

I love my babies tiny feet.  I captured them here, then used this little tutorial to print it out for $4.  I added a little washi tape border since it was a white paper on my mostly white wall.  Voila!

I spy the hockey guy

I wanted to make Max and Lola one big present for their Easter baskets, and decided on books for both of them.  This one is for Max- I'll share Lola's next week.   

 As I've mentioned, he is so crazy about hockey.  From morning until night we play hockey, listen to hockey songs, read hockey books, and most of all- play with his hockey guys.  He has a whole army of the Kaskey Kids figures.  So here is his I Spy the Hockey Guy book.  I went around stores, outside, our house, and took pictures of the hockey guy hiding.  Some people thought I was super weird.  It turned out great, he is going to love this!

Can you spy the hockey guy?

I'm gonna pop some tags

I had an hour and a half of free time this past weekend (woo!) and spent it going to a thrift store.  I found a great deal on some vintage pyrex.  The salmon pink dish is color inspiration for Lola's birthday party.  This made me really happy.  Then I was even happier when I got back in the car and Thrift Store was playing.  Have you heard this song?  Cracks me up!  (maybe listen when kids are not around)

Savin' my money and I'm hella happy that's a bargain.

baby food

Lola just turned 9 months old and she a hungry little baby!  I'm still nursing her, but she is eating three solid meals a day of cereal plus fruit or veggie.  I make all of her baby food in the Babycook.  I love my Babycook!  It's hands down one of the most useful baby items we have. It was a gift at one of my baby showers before Max was born and I've used it continuously since we started making food for him.  Because it's so easy to use- steam and blend all in one- I've used it way beyond Max's finger food stage and will often use it just to steam our dinner veggies.  It's healthier to steam veggies and easier than getting out our huge steamer pot.

I pretty much make big batches of various fruits and veggies once a week.  But she is eating more and more and we seem to be going through the food quicker.  That's why I was super pumped when I saw these with the frozen vegetables at Whole Foods!  They have a ton more options than just broccoli and corn.  Hey, even stay at home moms need a little help every now and then!

I'm excited for the next stage...spices and combining foods and.... finger foods, ahhhh!!!  Such a big girl, my Loli Worm.

special delivery

I got my Stickygrams!

Stickygram turns your Instagram photos into little magnets.  I just got one sheet (they come in sheets of 9 images).  It was so difficult to only choose 9, but I wanted to see the quality before I ordered a bunch.  They are so great!  I love photos on the fridge, but it can get so cluttered.  We have a stainless fridge, so we only have a small space on the side.  These magnets are a perfect size (as big as the Instagram photo looks on your iPhone), and are a great way to display photos.  Wouldn't these be a great gift for grandparents?  And another great idea, here!

I got nothin'

Here's the thing...  I argue with myself pretty often as to what I want for this blog.  I started it to show what you can do on a really small budget.  Then I thought maybe I could be a part of the DIY/crafter blogs.  And I have made a ton of things.  But I just can't keep up.  Three to five projects a week just makes me stressed out.  Ultimately, this blog is about me.  My life.  What I do with the kids.  What I make for them.  What I bake for them.  I've made a decision- not for the blog, but in my life- to just enjoy this time with the kids.  It goes so fast.  It's a gift to be able to stay at home with the kids.  So, instead of worrying or stressing about what I am going to make this week, I am going to play peekaboo and hockey guys.  And if I have some inspiration and they happen to nap at the same time... I will make something I can share.

What does that mean for you?  A lot more pictures of the kids.  So here is a little peek at what happened last week...

Resting on the sofa.

Frozen yogurt dots, just a little Pinterest idea.

Know why she's so happy?  She is doing something naughty.  Can you see what it is?

Getting Mommy's phone.

He isn't screaming.  Once in a while I look over and he is doing a hockey pose or a weird face.  He says "It's just a picture, Mama".  When I asked what this face was he said, "It's a hockey slam".

Hockey Slam!