Star Wars Color by Number Multiplication Page

Hey everyone!  I haven't blogged in a while since things are quite busy here, but I couldn't think of a better way to share this fun image I created!  I know how hard it can be to find great, educational activities for your kiddos during the year (and especially over the summer!).   It may well take your child less time to color this than it took me to create it (haha!); I hope they enjoy it!

Let me know if there are any problems with it!

(And yes, I created this by hand, but since it's technically a copyrighted franchise, I won't be selling it ;-P )

Great for middle or upper elementary kids who are multiplying double digit numbers.

Happy summer!

A Great Autumn Finger Dessert: Pumpkin Muffins topped with maple frosting and a touch of cinnamon

In preparation for the slew of people who are going to ask me for the recipe (yes, these do taste THAT good), here is what I did:


First off, I love the pumpkin bread recipe from the Joy of Cooking book that I used to own, so I copied it before giving away the book.  I used that recipe for the base of these.  I think you'll find the recipe here.


Then, you can save yourself the hours of time I spent finding the perfect frosting recipe and just head on over here for a MAPLE SYRUP frosting that is scrumptious!  Be sure to look past the cake recipe and just use the frosting recipe.  I added an egg so that I'd have more frosting when all was said and done, but I am convinced that changed little in the realm of taste.  It is amazing, and, to quote a reviewer, "like a light maple marshmallow."  Just the perfect fluff for the top of such a dense pumpkin muffin!

Just for looks, I coated them with cinnamon.  This does take some of the yummy maple syrup flavor at least, when you take that first bite of cinnamon, but I think it's perfect.  You'll have to decide if you prefer it with or without the cinnamon. :-)

Also to note, I'd recommend doing this on a day that is not hot and humid.  If you notice, my frosting is looking a bit *wet.* I would attribute this to the fact that my house is 82 degrees right now and it's raining outside. :-(  For them to look the best, I'd recommend doing it in slightly cooler temperatures and no humidity.

There you go! I hope you love them as much as I do! (Oops, did I just confess that I ate some before taking them to the party?!)

How to Make a Simple Clutch Purse

Crafts By Libby

Tutorial on How to Make a Simple Clutch Purse

If you purchase a fat quarter of cotton in my pattern from Spoonflower, you should receive something like this in the mail:

Choose a matching color for the inner fabric, a coordinating zipper and thread.  

Now, cut two pieces of the matching inner fabric, the same size as your front and back of the purse.

If you'd like a pocket, cut another piece of fabric with the same width as the first, but choose what depth you'd like for a pocket, and make it that heigh.  Then, cut an additional piece of fabric two inches tall and, again, the same width.

Take that two inch piece and fold it in half.  Iron it closed.

Now, take the top piece and fold it in half again, towards the middle.  Iron.

Repeat this step for the other piece.

Now it should look like this:

Place this self-made bias tape at the top of your "pocket" piece.  Sew top seam.

Then, lay onto one of the lining pieces.  Sew 1/4 inch seam around to attach.

Sew a seam down the middle if you'd like two separate pockets--or, sew more seams if you'd like more divisions.

Now, take one rectangle of the lining and place the zipper approximately 1/4 inch from the top (right side facing up; zipper also facing up).

No, put one rectangle of your outer purse on top, lining up the edges of fabric (the zipper will still be 1/4 of an inch below)  Use zipper foot to sew seam, staying near the zipper.

Repeat on the other side--the part that you just finished can be seen inside these two pieces you will sew.

When finished, open as shown and sew lining to outer fabric on each side, close to the zipper.  This will hold the material in place to keep from "jumping" up and snagging your zipper as you open and close the pouch.

If you'd like to sew the  fabric "hook" piece, cut your small rectangle in half and sew each side.

Turn right-side out.

Fold this in half and tuck inside on the outer layer, close to the top but below the zipper.

It is seen below where the white pin is.

Now, put lining rectangles together and outer rectangles together.  Be sure to put zipper so it is popping UP, towards the outer layer, as shown bellow.  Then, pull the zipper to the middle of the pouch before you sew.

(Pins that are Vertically shown below in middle of lining show where to start and stop to leave an opening to turn out the purse.  Don't forget this!!)

Sew 1/2 inch seam all the way around, leaving approx. 3 inches at bottom of lining.

Cut excess and corners.

Turn right side out, push outer corners on bottom so they look nice.

Close the opening from turning it out by sewing a straight seam near the bottom edge of the lining.

Fold inside.

You're finished!!!

Great work!

Don't have my purse design but are excited to make your own?  Follow the link here!

Trio of Purses by CraftsByLibby

Temptations Only Mothers Know: Evening Plans....That You Ultimately Cancel

I'm exhausted at the end of the day.  All the bottom-wiping, dish-washing, food-preparing, making tears into laughter, and generally staying sane.  It wears me out.  And there are so many times where I'm like, "Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to do this thing that starts at 7:30.  I can leave as soon as hubby gets home, have a little time to myself, enjoy the company of other adults for once...  This will be GREAT!"

But then reality comes.  It's 6:30 and hubby is walking in the door and I'm ready to turn off.  I'm ready to pretend I have no children instead of four and I'm ready for a little "time out" of my own, in my own space, where no one can pull the belt loops on my pants so that they start falling down, or make a mess of a room in five minutes flat, or call to me crying from the bathroom because they peed in their pants just two inches from the toilet (this seems to be happening daily in our house).

In theory, I love hanging out with friends.  I love meeting new people.  I also love blogging.  And crafting.  And a slew of other really cool things.

But the first thing I really want to do when I am no longer fully responsible for my children?  Be ALONE.  I want to finish a coherent thought.  Think through a whole sentence from start to end without being interrupted.

So let me just take this opportunity to apologize if I have ever made evening plans with you and cancelled them.  I am tempted by the allure of adult freedom and conversation.  I am tempted to imagine all the fun I will have by escaping my house for just a few hours.  I am so tempted by these things that I make the plans.

But then I don't follow through.  I am the lame one making an excuse at the last minute.  I am at home realizing if I make the effort to go out, I will be all the more cranky when I get home because I will be doubly exhausted.  People think I'm an extrovert.  And don't get me wrong, I do love being with people.  But when it's the end of the day and I've been managing small humans for most of the time, it feels like putting on a show to keep friendly conversation.

Oh, and did you notice how this blog is a day late?  Just another plan I made that got left behind.  Like a pile of clothes discarded for a time when they're clean again, I just put all my "fun" things-to-do on a list that never stops growing.  Some days the laundry gets cleaned.  Just like some days I actually follow through.  But most days, the piles and lists are much bigger than what's actually done.  It's just reality.

I often tell myself that it's just a season of life.  And that's probably true.  It's also true that as I age, I am being more and more careful with my time.  It's full of the important things.  And the important things aren't always the "fun" things I used to fill my time with.  It's okay.  It's okay if I don't hang out with a group of people or make new friends.  The things that fill my life right now are wonderful.  It's work, for sure.  But it's the best kind of work that fills you with satisfaction and joy and a deep sense of goodness.  I'm blessed to be given such a job.

Temptations Only Mothers Know: Mama guilt/confusion/questioning/advice-seeking/controlling

Wordy title, right?  There's no easy way to trim down all that *stuff* that goes on inside the mama mind.  The angst. The guilt.  The confusion. The frustration. The attempts to control every situation and the advice we seek from others when we're not sure we're doing it just "right."

You can see the signs everywhere, "You're a good mom."  Every mom wants to hear it.  We want to know we're doing an okay job.

I know, it's getting heavy today.  No light-hearted Libby joking about velcro and elastics, or stuffing her face with chocolate.  I spent the better part of my day at a specialists office for my oldest son, and the more time that I spend thinking about "am I doing it right" with my son, the more frustrated I am with myself.

Do you know why?

It's not because those questions are bad to ask.  We should always be trying to better.  We should try hard to make wise decisions and serve our families.  But how many times are we looking around at others wondering how they see us?  How many times are we trying desperately to hold on to control to our lives and our parenting?  How many times are we asking advice just so we can say, "yep, I did that. I'm a good mom."

I am so tired of it.  I am worn out from trying to look like a good mom, and I'm tired of everyone else judging whether I am or not.  I don't even like that slogan "you're a good mom."  You can't even think it without comparing yourself to someone else.  You will NEVER be happy when you compare yourself to someone else.  Ever.

It is so tempting in our culture to control every thing we can.  We are so sure that parenting in ways A and B will lead to C behavior.  We are so sure, in fact, that we are quick to give advice even when others haven't asked for it, or they have asked advice from certain people and you're NOT those people (but you give your advice anyway because you're sure it will help).

Just stop.  Stop giving people advice when they don't ask.  How many times has unsolicited advice helped you in your parenting? I'm going to guess that more times than not it's put you on the defensive and it's pretty hard to listen when you've got your shield in front of your face ready for battle.

Just stop judging other parents and how they're doing it.  I know not all of you are Christians, but I firmly believe the Bible is true.  And you know what's pretty amazing?  God Himself walked around in the flesh telling people how to live righteous lives and He still found a way to do it with grace and mercy.  *You* can't dole out grace and mercy but the only person in the whole world who ever lived a perfect life can?

Stop comparing yourselves to others.  Stop feeling elated when your kid isn't tantruming in the store and you've done "such a great job" of being a parent.  Stop feeling totally down on yourself when your kid IS tantruming in the store and everyone is looking at you.  Guess what?  Your worth isn't in how your child behaves.  It isn't in how clean his face is or how well she did her homework.  First off, I'm here to tell you that your worth is in Christ and nothing you do makes Him love you more or less.

And secondly, the most wonderful way to parent is to work hard at it and make the best decisions you know how.  That's it.  It's really not complicated.  I know, it feels more complicated than that.  But it's really not.  Since we're so distracted by our joy-stealing, habit-forming temptations of guilt, questioning, controlling and advice-giving, here are some things to consider:

1) In that moment when you glance at another kid/mama and thinking to yourself "I would have....." or "oh boy, I wouldn't have....."  Just STOP.  Stop yourself in your tracks.  Look at your precious child and smile.  Consider all the wonders you've been blessed with and just leave it at that.  You're not making anyone's life better by comparing yourself to them.

2) When you're hanging out with friends and you see them do something you wouldn't, or you hear them struggling with a particular part of mommyhood, ask yourself these questions:
  - Is she actually asking for advice, or is she just bemoaning the fact that her child is having an off week and is screaming every day?
  - How would I feel in her shoes?
  - How can I best encourage her right now?
 If the answer to "how can I best encourage her right now" is telling her some great thing you found useful in your own parenting life, then by all means, share away!  Don't get me wrong, I love getting advice from other moms.  At the right time.  Seasoned with love.  Try not to go spouting off things as if you are Anonymous, The Internet Troll without any consideration for her.

3) Use that God-given mama instinct.  So many times in my seven years of being a mom, I wish I had let go of that anxiety-driven need for control and just listened to my instincts.  Don't try to follow the crowd just for the sake of following the crowd.  Cut a path for your family that blesses all of you.  Figure out what's best for YOUR family.  And once you've figured it out, go back to #1.


Now it's time to start using it.  Grace.  Mercy.  Kindness.  Temper all your parenting with it and I guarantee your whole family will benefit.  If you start clinging to control or wanting answers, check yourself.  Am I doing my best?  Am I working at it?  That's it.  Leave it at that.  You are NOT in control and you will never know everything.  Let's all start encouraging each other to do our best.  Let's gather around and lift each other up.

Temptations only Mothers Know: The after-the-kids-are-in-bed Dessert

Temptation #2 in the week-long series on Temptations Only Mothers Know:

The After-The-Kids-Are-In-Bed Dessert

It's 9:30 and all is quiet upstairs.  My 7 year old probably still has his nose in a book, but he won't be coming down again until morning.  It's the time of day that I can eat whatever I want and no one is watching.  For the first time.  All day.  There are occasions when I try to sneak something earlier in the day, but I inevitably get caught.  It seems that my kids are just as good at sniffing out a treat as I am at sniffing out a poopy diaper.  Unfortunately.

The problem is that when a person feels deprived, they often overindulge once they finally get that thing.  No?  Never happens to you?  You obviously have the whole "will power" thing down, then.  I can tell you are the spitting image of Frog from the short story "Cookies."  (Frog and Toad: Cookies)  We could all learn a lot from you, I'm sure.

The fact is that last night I was so stressed that I ate FOUR cookies. (Maybe it was all my angst at having let the washing machine run a load only 1/2 full since I didn't add the bucket of dirty towels and bibs? ;-)  )  I like to soothe my conscience by telling myself that the cookies were only half the normal size, so it was really like eating two cookies.  But, then, I like to follow that thought with the reminder that the REASON I made them half the normal size was so I would ultimately be eating less cookie.  Clearly, I am at war with myself.  But hey, I figure, as long as the pants fit, eat a cookie.  Tonight, I'll just try to eat one instead of four.

Temptations Only Mothers Know

In an effort to lighten my otherwise stressful week, I'd like to get back to blogging. Today, I introduce to you what I hope will be a week-long series I'd like to call:

TEMPTATIONS ONLY MOTHERS KNOW

Truthfully, these will most likely be temptations that only mothers of small children in America know, but hey--that title just seemed far too wordy.  "You get what you get and you don't get upset," as my son's kindergarten teacher used to say.  But, enough with the chit-chat.  Let's get down to business.

Temptation #1: Adding that bucket of dirty bibs to the washer load of underwear and socks.

Okay, this may be a temptation that only I struggle with.  I'm willing to guess it's not an across-the-board struggle of all American young moms, but it's definitely a struggle at my house.  Every. Single. Time. I put in a load of underwear and socks I want to dump in that bucket of dirty bibs and towels that have collected from the kitchen.  But you know what happens every. single. time. I give in?

Velcro.  Velcro happens.

Ever experienced velcro on elastic? No? You're not a mom with a small child in bibs, you say?  Lucky you, I say.

Bibs.  Such a love/hate relationship I have with these things.  Snaps you say, snaps! Yes, I know.... snaps don't get caught on everything and ruin your perfectly nice underwear.  Snaps make that wonderful little (you guessed it) SNAP sound when push them together and they are near impossible for the child to take off.  Snaps.  But of the approximately 40 bibs that we own, only about 3 have snaps.  Yes, I could make my own (in fact, I have an Etsy business where I do just that), but why make new bibs when you already HAVE 40 bibs?  I'm all about using what you have.  Even if I have material to make something new without buying it, WHY make something new?!  People are way too used to throwing out what they don't like and replacing it with something they'll only like a little more.  But let's not get off on a tangent here.  The point is, VELCRO.

I like to be as efficient as I can with laundry since there are six of us in this family. (And when one is potty training, isn't that more like three people??)  That means when a load of dirty things is going on the hot cycle and it's not full, my basic instinct is to add whatever else I can.  That bucket.... that bucket that I always keep in the kitchen to toss dirty bibs and towels and washclothes in... that bucket sitting there ready to be cleaned and put back in the cabinets....

Just. Say. No.

I learned that phrase in the D.A.R.E. program in elementary school, and yet it's still so applicable today.  Just say no.  Just don't do it.  You know what will happen.  All that nice velcro is going to fall in love with all that lovely elastic in the underwear and next thing you know you'll be spending twenty  minutes painstakingly pulling each "hook" of those doggone hook and loop closures off your once-unfrayed underwear.

Ladies and Gentleman, I want you to know that tonight I said no.  Tonight, I did not give in.  May there be many more nights like this one, for the sake of my will power and the longevity of our underwear.

They say being present is too hard in these times

I've heard people say that bullying is a problem these days and it needs to end.
         
             When my son was being bullied on the bus, I took the boys cookies and talked with them and
             told them we wanted friendship.  The bullying ended.

I've heard that people don't talk to each other enough and that kids are always on their phones.

            Every morning at quarter to seven, my son waits for his school bus.  The kids run around and
            laugh and talk.  They talk to each other and they talk to me.  They tell me about their lives and
            they tell me about their favorite things.

I've heard that kids these days don't ride bikes around the neighborhood or get to know their neighbors.

           Do you want to hear about David and Savannah next store who always brighten our day when
           we get a chance to spontaneously spend time talking on the front lawn?  Do you want to hear
           about Jonah who just started riding the bus and every day asks to come over to play?  Do you
           want to hear about the older boy who took my son under his wing and spent half an hour
           leading him on a bike ride throughout the neighborhood last night?



I keep hearing these "truths" mentioned in conversation as though they are fact.  The certainly aren't facts in my life.  Want people to be neighborly?  Be a neighbor.  It's just that easy.

When Exhaustion Makes Thinking Too Hard

Here's a little play-by-play of a good portion of my day...

FIRST: We find the huge "Toyota" sign signifying that we've made it to our destination and follow the "Service" sign to get to our appointment.  It seems a bit strange that as we round the bend, following the sign, there seems to be no clear entry area for a vehicle OR a person.  Nonetheless, I drive on.  Slowly.  Creeping.  Looking around as if I were lost. (Mostly because I was.)  Just before a line of garages, full of cars getting worked on by men in "Toyota Nation" shirts, there is a sign that reads, "Service 200 Yards ahead."  Strange sign, I think. But oh well. 

We squeeze into a parking spot just barely big enough for our car.  Forget about opening the doors wide enough to unbuckle and lift the children from their seats, it's more of a pinch and maneuver and desperate attempt not to scratch the cars on each side.  Finally we're all out.  Me and three kids and ALL THE STUFF WE NEED TO SIT IN THE WAITING AREA OF A SERVICE STATION FOR HOURS ON END.  No problem.  Now I just have to figure out where in the world we're supposed to go because there is no obvious signage.

A man walks over and says, "Are you looking for the service area?"  Why yes, I am.  "Sorry, you got all your kids out, but it's actually through that fence and up across the road there."  Say WHAT?!?!  You have got to be kidding me.  I look at him with desperation.  With empathy, he looked from me to each of the kids and said, "let me go put this paperwork where it goes and I'll drive your car over for you and you can walk there."  Yes, please and thanks.

He comes back five minutes later and drives my Rav4 to the service station a good half a mile away while we saunter on over, trying not to get run over by the other dozens of cars that seem equally as confused as we were (but who were smart enough not to park and get out before asking where to go).

THEN:  The "service station" was full of hallways and glass rooms and people, but again, no clear signage.  I really wanted something that said, "COME HERE FIRST."  Too bad I didn't find anything like that.  We walked around at the pace of a 3 year old who has no interest in his current endeavors, slowly passing each person and waiting area, wondering where in the world we were supposed to go.  We walked the entire length of the building before I decided we must have passed wherever we needed to be, so we turned around and walked back, at an even slower pace.  Finally, I decided to ask the cashier.
          Me: Hi!  We parked in the wrong area and a kind gentleman helped to drive my car over here while we walked.  I can see my car in the service area, but I have no idea where I'm supposed to go.  I'd like to touch base with someone about what I'd like done to the car.
         Cashier:  You need to drive your car up to the service area and the porter will come out to meet you.
         Me:  Yes, I understand that's the way it's *supposed* to be done.  But, as I said, someone ELSE drove my car here for me and so I was unable to talk with a porter.  What should I do now?
         Cashier: Do you even know this person who brought your car?  Where did they put it?  You need to go out and get your car.
         Me: No. I don't need to go out and get my car.  It's in the right area where the cars need to be to be serviced.  The man who dropped it off told me that a man named Nathan is handling it now and it is all set to be serviced.  I just need to talk to this person.
         Cashier.  Okay.... let me look you up.... what's your last name?
        Me: Bratt.  B-R-A-T-T.
        Cashier: I don't see you on here.  Are you sure the car was dropped off here?
        Me:  Yes.  Absolutely sure.  I can see it outside.  I just need you to tell me where to go now.  I think maybe the man who dropped it off said "Nathan" was taking care of it?
        Cashier: (rolling eyes) Well, Nathan is in that first room to the left.  You can go ask him.

Meanwhile, baby strapped to me in a carrier is getting fussy and my 3 and 4 year olds are running around playing with toy planes and asking loudly about how that shiny red car got into the building.

AT LAST:  We get situated.  We talk to Nathan.  I give him the information.  We're good to go.  We find a children's area.  Frozen is playing on the big TV and we're the only ones in the room.  Perfect.  Sit down.  Relax.  Oh wait.... the kids probably have to pee...

     Me: Wait, kids, before you get comfortable, let's go to the potty and then we can come back and have a snack and then you can play.
     Daughter: Sure!
     Son: NO!   <<firmly hold son's arm and walk to bathroom>>
     (In bathroom)
     Me: Okay [son] it's time to try to go to the bathroom.
     Son: NO!
     Me: Okay, let's go in here <<taking off diaper and hold him in front of toilet>>
     Son: NO, I wanted to go in THAT bathroom!! <<son starts flailing body and writhing as though in pain>>
     Me:<<Trying to keep his now naked bum off the floor>> Okaaaaaaaay, let's go over to that one....  <<holding him up as much as possible while his shorts are down around his legs, maneuvering to the adjacent stall>>
     Son: NO! I have to take my clothes off!
     Me: No, we don't need to take off all of our clothes to use the bathroom.  Please keep them on.  We're in a public restroom.
     Son: No!  I have to take off my shoes!
     Me: No, there is probably pee on the floor.  Please keep your shoes on.  <<son starts screaming; I proceed to put him on the toilet seat and take off his shorts and sandals>>
     Son:  Okay.  Now I'm done.
     Me:   You're finished? You have no pee?  After all of that?  After I finally took off your shorts and sandals??
     Son:  I'm done.  Get me off.  <<Son jumps off toilet, bare feet on the floor, making efforts to keep his feet clean completely useless>>

Shorts on. Sandals on.  Wash hands.  Gather belongings.  Head back to play area.

....THEN:

That's it.  I'm done.  I'm exhausted.  I just want to shrivel up and look at Facebook on my phone and pretend I have no kids for a few minutes (except that I'm rifling through my diaper bag looking for a nursing cover because baby girl is crying and wiggling and needing to eat).

And that's when he comes in.  Nathan.  Yes, Nathan.  Remember him?  The one in charge of the car.  He tells me the car needs new brake pads.  What? I say. He repeats himself.  I try to remember what it's like to think coherently about something other than diapers and toilets and nursing babies, but the thoughts don't come.  I try asking questions to give me more time to screw my head on, but it's not working.  Yes, I tell him.  YES?  What did I just say yes to?  Yes, he says, do the brakes, then?  Sure, I say.  He quickly turns and walks away and I feel like crumbling.  What did I just do? I just agreed to a $600+ service to our car without carefully thinking it through.

I want to make people sign a waiver when I go in a place like a car service center or anywhere else that large sums of money might potentially be exchanged.  I want it to say something like,

I hereby recognize the inability of this mother to make sound financial decisions at this time and waive my right to charge her anything more than $100.  If (insert name of company here) feels it is in the best interest of this client/mother to purchase (insert expensive service here), we promise to print out all applicable information and will give 24 hours for her to make an informed decision.  

Signed, (potential benefactor-of-my-money)

Wouldn't that be great?  If only.  I wish exhaustion didn't make it so hard to formulate coherent thought.  Feeling really thankful that, for the most part, the only store I have to frequent is one that sells groceries.  Usually the most damage I can do there is buying an unnecessary gallon of ice cream.

FOE elastic baby rompers

After making a few PUL diaper covers a month or so ago, I realized that I hadn't been creative enough about my fold over elastic.  I had yards and yards of it sitting around waiting to be used for girls headbands.  The problem is that I have, for the most part, stopped making girls headbands.  When I made the diaper cover I realized what an awesome invention FOE was--think stretchy binding!  It's like the lazy-sewers way to finish an edge stitch and make it stretchy all at the same time.  It's amazing.  Truly amazing.

It was a great revelation at a great time, because I have found myself in need of more bottoms for my daughter.  She seems to have a wide array of tops, but no bottoms.  It's always great when you realize that you have all the pieces to make what you need already amongst your craft supplies.  I had this wonderful wide, soft, elastic that I had bought online for making cute skirts that I never got around to using.  I also have a lot of random fabric (including old jeans), and a ton of fold over elastic.  Voila!  The biggest problem was making up a pattern.  I probably could have found something online, but I didn't look... I used almost the entirety of one pair of old (hol-y) maternity jeans before finally giving up and just cutting material for a romper.  I made two, but then decided I'd try again for something more interesting and made some pants.   At least now I figured out what I'm doing, so the next ones won't be so hard. ;-)  

Making Monsters

Where has the time gone?  Three months since my last post?  It would seem that resolving to write posts more often doesn't necessarily result in more posts.  Go figure.

The kids and I were crafting some monsters today made from Costco pretzel containers.  I've been saving the containers in the hopes that I would envision some ingenious craft that would amaze everyone--including myself.  Sadly, that never happened.  So, why wait around filling your house with random pieces of potential-crafting items when you could simply use them for a sub-par crafting project that will not only expand the space in your home but somehow delight your children (despite its lack of amazingness)...?  Right.  That's what I thought.

So, here you have it.  Our monsters.  This could be a great Valentine's box.  Of course, Valentine's Day is five months away, and I'm not sure that these monsters will last one week let alone five months.  As it is, my kids just think it's great to fill them with toys they find.  For some reason this brings them great joy.  And that's wonderful.  Because, some of these crafting things have been sitting around for a year hoping to be used.  I would resolve to craft more often, but obviously we know what little comes of my resolutions.

To make:

plastic container

exacto knife (or scissors, or whatever you can cut the plastic with)

paint (I used acrylic)

cardboard for the feet

construction paper 

felt

ribbon (for bows)

yarn for hair (though I'm sure there are better ways to do their hair)

and...most important.... googly eyes!

Making Hash Browns and Learning About Process

It had been on my mind for weeks to make hash browns.  I kept seeing recipes calling them delicious and delectable, crunchy and satisfying.  Though I'd never been particularly fond of them in the past, I suddenly had an urge to try my hand at making this side dish that others found so tasty.  It helped that I had a few potatoes in the pantry that needed a recipe to call their own.  With an unexpected quiet time yesterday afternoon while three of my four children slept, I started grating potatoes.

I love to eat.  I also really enjoy making the food I eat.  Or at least, I used to find it enjoyable--before I had children.  Now I have less time and more interruptions and cooking is something I often loathe.  Really?  We have to eat dinner *every day*?  Who says?

Because I have learned that daily dinner means daily dirty dishes, I often make a point to double or triple a recipe.  Since my kind husband doesn't mind having leftovers (and my children simply don't know any different), I usually get away with only cooking half the week and having left overs the rest of the week.  It's wonderful.  Truly.

Sometimes, though, a recipe does not lend itself to doubling.  I want to believe that all I have to do is multiply the ingredients, but sometimes that's just not the case.  Yesterday, I got out the largest skillet I own (which is *huge*) and put in all the potatoes I had--four.  The recipe called for two.  And, truth be told, the recipe called for two normal sized potatoes, and mine were like twice the size of a regular potato since, well, that's just how they come in the 20lb. bag from Costco.  I suppose it's more efficient to pack fewer big potatoes into the bag than a whole bunch of small ones.  Way to keep things efficient, Costco.

But, I digress.  The point is, I was practically quadrupling the recipe.  The grated potato was supposed to be sprinkled at the bottom of a buttered skillet and left to cook until brown on one side, and then turned over to cook on the other side.  My grated potato did a wonderful job of cooking on the bottom, but the moment I tried "turning them over" I realized that my dream of deliciously crunchy hash browns was definitely not going to come true.  At least, not with those potatoes.

There were far too many pieces of potato to simply "turn" them over, and very quickly I was left with a mixture of about 1/4 cooked, brown, crunchy potato and 3/4 not-at-all cooked, soggy, non-edible potatoes.  What was supposed to take about 10 minutes of baking time took half an hour, and I was pretty much left with what could be considered extremely buttery mashed potatoes that, with some bites, had a slight crunch to them.

I decided I should be more particular about which recipes I try to double (or quadruple for that matter).  But I also decided this was a great metaphor for some parts of my life.

For how many years, and in how many situations, have I tried to get to my "end goal" through short cuts?  I have a beautiful picture of how I want life to be, but I often try to get to it haphazardly and with little care for the process.  It's not surprising that when I screw up the recipe, I don't get the same results I was looking for.  Know what I mean?

 I can't expect things to work out just like I hoped when I am sloppy and careless about how I get there.  I'm thankful that God has been gracious to bless me even in the times when I've been undeserving and "sloppy" in my process.  And I'm glad to know that even as I strive to be a better runner in this race set before me, He will always forgive me when I stumble.

The Mystery of the Cowlick

Simple Angry Bird mini cupcakes

I was really disappointed recently when I looked up Angry Bird cupcakes to get ideas for my son's upcoming sixth birthday.  There were a ton of awesome fondant ones.... but I don't have any experience with fondant!  And we just moved 1200 miles less than a month ago, so let's just say I don't have a lot of extra time to learn a new food art.  Honestly, I barely have time to get the laundry done amidst all of the moving-across-country logistics.

I wanted a regular cupcake but with something reminiscent of Angry Birds on top.  No, I didn't want anything complicated, but I did want something that looked better than a flat face of a bird on top of a cupcake, and so far that's all I'd found online.  Even on Pinterest!  Can you believe it!? (Besides, of course, the really amazing fondant ones.  But, heck, there's always next year.)

I am luckily in the time of year for candy corn and carmel candy corn with orange ends act as great beaks.  And mini m&ms are perfect eyes, right?  Or at least, yummy ones.

So, here's what I did:

1) First cut the brown ends off your candy corn.  There's a few reasons I did this.  You can try without, but I'm pretty sure it won't work if you leave them with the bigger/longer ends.

2)  Bake some yummy cupcakes!  I used a white cake recipe and added almond extract, which I also did to the icing just to give it a nice flavor.  Simple!

3) Make some buttercream frosting and then add your colors!

4) At this point, you have all your materials ready, so get to decorating!  Once you ice your birds, be sure to decorate them quickly before the buttercream gets harder.  Buttercream will always stay "soft", but it *will* develop a nice top coat and you want to make sure you get your things stuck in before that happens.  I would suggest working on one group at a time so you don't end up missing your window of opportunity. :-)

5) Though they are pretty simple Angry Birds, I would recommend at least putting some angry eyebrows on them.  But, as my daughter pointed out, there are NO eyebrows on the blue birds.  Which ended up working out for me since I didn't have much space for them. ;-P  But if you play the game, you'll know why I had to make three of all the blue birds.... :-)

And then you're finished!  They are super yummy, not tricky, and at least to some degree resemble Angry Birds.  Or at least, I think so!  The real test will be when the birthday boy sees them and if he a) responds in joyful glee that I made Angry Bird cupcakes! or if he b) says to me despairingly, "it looks like you tried to make Angry Bird cupcakes, but they don't really look like Angry Birds...."

PS--I tried making the yellow ones in a square formation at the bottom when I was piping.  Didn't work out so well.  But I am really not very good at piping icing, so maybe others of you will have better luck!!  (Since the yellow one is more of a pyramid shape, not a circle/oval)

UPDATE!!

Upon seeing the cupcakes, my son told me that we could definitely give the blue ones to his friends, but not the red ones or the yellow ones.  "If my friends saw them they would laugh and say, 'those aren't Angry Birds--they have no feathers!'"  He instructed me to put brown feathers on the tops of their heads and on their backs.  Of course, I had to oblige.  Here's the updated picture: