Cool Summer Treats!!!

We are getting into the middle of summer. It SHOULD be hot in my part(Northern CA) but things have been a bit cool so far. Nonetheless, we have been busy making icy, yummy treats. Brett is getting his molars and today was sooooo sad. He just couldn't stop crying and had his fingers in his mouth. He was so sad looking. My heart was really aching, he wouldn't eat, didn't want to drink. So, what did I whip out of the freezer? That's right! A Popsicle. A homemade Popsicle! It sucks when adults don't feel good, but a toddler can't communicate how he/she is feeling just quite yet. Luckily the Popsicle made him feel a bit better. If you don't have a Popsicle mold, run to Target and get one! The ones that I made recently were just low-fat yogurt from Safeway. I have also made ones layering different flavors of yogurt. I really like lemon and raspberry yogurt layered. They taste yummy and look cool too! For a chocolate fix, I mix up a batch of SF pudding and put them into my molds. Chocolate and Cheesecake jello make a great combination. I don't feel bad about giving my son treats and I don't feel guilty eating one with him....OK, maybe two!! :)



Another AWESOME cool treat that I make is this super yummy chocolate sorbet that I found on this AMAZING blog. You will find the most adorable cookies on this blog. She sells them in her Etsy shop!! OK. Focus KT. Back to the ice-cream. The sorbet just requires 3 ingredients and tastes sooooo yummy. I made a batch using my Cuisinart Ice-cream maker (great wedding gift idea BTW) and it was gone before I could take a picture!

Chocolate Sorbet
(adapted from The Ultimate Ice Cream Book)

2 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 c. dutch-process cocoa powder

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the cocoa and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Let cool several minutes on the counter, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Stir the mixture and add to your ice cream machine, following the manufacturer's instructions. Remove and place in a freezer safe container; press plastic wrap down onto the top to prevent freezer-burn. Let harden a few hours. ENJOY! :)

Check out the great website! Both of these treats work for me! To check out other great summer ideas and great tips head on over to We are THAT Family.

**Be prepared to check out all of the great ideas and tips!!

YUMMMMMM!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes!!
You take two awesome desserts: cupcakes and cookie dough. The result is fantastic yumminess. The best part? Sooooo easy. All you do is make your favorite cake mix according to the directions on the box. I made mine using a french vanilla cake mix and pre-made cookie dough from Safeway. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with cake batter, drop your favorite cookie dough (1 T.) into the cupcake batter and bake 15-17 minutes at 350° oven. The batter sinks to the bottom of the cupcake..it is like magic! I made a quick buttercream frosting and put a tad bit on top. Big Red Kitchen has cute pictures and next time when I am not in such a rush to make these, I will spend more time decorating mine so they look cute like hers! These are seriously to- die -for cupcakes! I found them through her cool recipe website. She has wonderful ideas and recipes that really help me when I feel like I am in a cooking rut (which is most of the time) There is a search feature which helps tremendously when I am trying to figureout what I make! Check her out, you won't be disappointed!




It's a magic disappearing act that everyone will LOVE!



Yummy goodness inside the cupcake!

"Hey, get me a beer kid!"

So, this is what Nic said to Brett a couple of days ago. Well, he didn't say it like that....he and Brett were sitting on the couch watching the Giants game and Nic jokingly says to Brett, " Brett, go get daddy a beer!". Wouldn't you know it, Brett goes into the kitchen, opens the refrigerator, bends down to the bottom shelf and pulls out a beer. He then proceeds to try and open it. When this fails, he goes and delivers the goods to Nic. Think it was a fluke? The next day, Nic was at work. Brett thought he heard daddy's truck pulling in the driveway. He stopped what he was doing-Thomas and Percy crashed while Brett ran to the kitchen and pulled out a beer for Nic. Then he tried to find the beer opener. He couldn't find it so he grabbed one of my beaters for my mixer. I then told him that daddy wasn't home yet. Beer went back into the fridge! Now I'm not sure why Brett hasn't rushed to the blender to whip up me a margarita?!

Do you see what I see?

OMG!!! I am soooo excited! (I'm a dork, I know!) This is my first time growing strawberries and zucchini. We also have bell peppers, sweet peas, cucumber, tomatoes, spinach and something else that I can't remember. I have to say, I feel pretty "green" right now! On a side note....I had to hide the strawberry because Brett wanted to pick it-he eats them when they are green as well....weird kid!!





My roses are looking great....minus the freaking aphids that I CAN"T GET RID OF!!!


The pic of the pots are what Brett made for the grandma's for mother's day....he painted and put the dots on. I peeled them off!! Now, since he made them one, I figure I should get one as well since I am doing all of the work, right?! Notice the cat peeping from behind the pots? It's my cute cookie jar. Makes for a cute pic, huh?



Here is my little gardener!!

I'm exhausted!!!

Wow!!! The past week has been absolutely crazy-insane. We had Brett's b-day and my b-day and I feel like I am now just getting to take a breather. The party was a success-minus the rain. What gives-It's supposed to be April showers bring May flowers-not May showers bring...? We had a blast-turned the room upstairs at my parents house into a kiddie spot where the kiddos could go crazy and we adults didn't have to hear/watch it. The cake I made was by far the biggest hit. It was sooooo yummy!!! The frosting was my first attempt at making buttercream and it was delish. I'm gonna psot the pics in two seperate spots-one for the decor/food and one for the actual Fiesta!

Stop time please!

Two years ago from today I thought I was gonna die. I was having the WORST contractions and didn't think I would make it until I got the the epidural. Little did I know, I held out longer than I thought-I didn't get it until I was 7 cm dilated. I can't believe that Brett will be 2 tomorrow. 7:59AM to be exact. It's funny to think how much my life has changed. I can no longer make my quick trips to Target or the $ Tree. If I go to Starbucks-I have to get a cup of water for Brett so he doesn't feel left out. can never just "run out of the house"-I have to make sure the diaper bag is stocked. Brett has made my life complete in so many ways. I love how my marriage is stronger and deeper-I love Nic all over again when I see him with Brett. I have learned to enjoy the simple things in life-say the garbage truck perhaps? It is a Friday ritual for us to go out in our jam-jams and watch the garbage man come down our court. Brett gets so much pleasure from waving to him-it melts my heart. Brett started saying the word "No" two weeks ago, and my God does he love it! It actuallt sounds like "neew"...I need to get it recorded. He doesn't walk anymore-he runs full on. When he is so excited about something, he'll run so fast that sometimes he runs into doors or walls;it's quite funny to watch. Speaking of watching, be on the lookout for Brett on the PGA tour soon. He's the next Tiger Woods. So what if he likes to hit the golf ball with a bat! He makes solid contact almost every time. Amazing hand-eye cordination that one has! Didn't get it from mommy, that's for sure! I love you Brett! Happy 2nd birthday Scooter!

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe in that less than a month, my sweet baby boy will be 2. Granted, we have already entered the "terrible twos", it is just bittersweet to think that he is leaving his ones behind. I used to whine and bitch about staying at home with him-mainly because I resented the fact that I couldn't find work. When I look back on everything, I honestly wouldn't change a minute. Don't get me wrong-there are MANY a minutes that I think to myself "I am gonna loose it", but seeing his cute smile when he wakes up or his hugs melts my heart into a big puddle of mommy mush. It is so interesting to see his personality develop and I can't wait to see what year 3 brings.





March 08 March 09