Pretty Baking

I am SO excited for this week! A friend of mine shared some of her favorite food blogs with me, and I've been searching & obsessing over them all week trying to find what I want to make for Easter! Here are the two things I narrowed it down to:

I'm just starting out in this whole loving-to-bake-but-seriously-needing-to-broaden-my-horizons kind of hobby, so I'm not trying anything too difficult. I think making a little royal icing and learning how to decorate is a good place to start. And as I've said before, what better way to learn while not filling your house with sweet temptations than baking for others? I'm so excited to make these for Easter Sunday as I get together with family to fellowship and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Nicole:)

Etsy Shop

I've officially opened shop! I'm nervous to put myself out there, but you never know if you'll succeed if you don't try. Failure is possible, but I'm doing something I enjoy and I have a great support system willing to help by reposting my links and spreading the word! I'm just starting out, so I don't have many products to add, but I have a lot of ideas to try out and I'm excited to get going! So far I have tutus and a diaper changing pad....who doesn't love baby accessories?! Please check it out or pass it along, thanks! :)

I'm also considering making some tutus on the side to take to our local baby thrift shop - Bullfrogs & Butterflies. They have a "Made by Moms" section in their store in which you can bring an item you wish to sell and a percentage of the money made is given to the store. We'll see!

Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice

...Thats what little girls are made of! And what do little girls love more than anything? Tutus! Okay, maybe momma likes it a little more right now, but I made my daughter a tutu this week!

Here's an exciting announcement! I hinted to this awhile back on Facebook, that I had an idea I was excited to get started on...As I had brought up the possibility in an earlier post, I am experimenting with different possible products since I've been wanting to start my own shop on Etsy (which is a site that sells vintage and handmade goods). My husband recently retired from the military for medical reasons, so I've been wanting to find a way to make some money on the side for my family without having to leave my daughter. Finding crafts I enjoy making and can share with others while staying home is the perfect solution!

Im going to name my shop "Selah Grace Styles"...I'm still figuring out all the little details before I go for it, I want to cover my bases and be ready (you never know if you'll succeed if you don't try). I'm focusing my shop on all things baby, and have a huge list of possible things to make and sell in it - tutus, diaper changing pads, travel wipes case, little toddler aprons, etc - so keep an eye out for a link, we're coming soon!

Recipe Collection

Now that I'm on this organizing kick, I thought I'd share my way of keeping my recipes in order (and I'd be interested to see how other people do it too). After two years of marriage, I had a stack of about 50 recipes that I had written on all kinds of papers and stuck in one of my cooking books. I'll just say this: when it takes you longer to find the recipe then it does to actually cook it, you may have a problem. So I set up my own system and its working so far.

I have a recipe box (full of recipes I have tried & loved, or use often)

And a recipe folder (full of recipes that I haven't tried yet). Once I try a new recipe and love it, I write it on a notecard and it gets a special place in my recipe box.

I also have a binder full of recipes I was given.

When I got married and moved down to Florida with my husband, our church ladies had the wonderful idea of compiling a cookbook full of all their favorite recipes - I LOVED it (maybe you can tell how used it is, hah)! This is such a great idea for a bridal shower gift. I have used it a lot (especially the crockpot & casserole section, haha!).

Now I'm finally leaving the realm of cooking confusion. Even though I grew up in a house where we ate dinner together every night and the menu was always changing, I had the same question for every women I knew "WHAT do you COOK?!" Its hard to know at first what recipes to use or not, but over time you find what works with your own family. I love that I'm more comfortable in this area of life, and now more organized ;)

I have a plan...

So, here's my new idea: Organization! I've become addicted to the iHeartOrganization blog recently. Now that I'm unpacked (still ignoring those last two boxes hiding in our bedroom) in our new house, I need to make it feel more like home - I've decided to focus on one area at time, organizing and decorating it as I go. THIS is one of my favorite things to do! I have two huge boxes of home decor I've collected since I got married, which attests to my love for it, and I'm super excited to pull it all out and see how I can make old things new again (first order of business: invest in a can of white spray paint to liven up darker colored frames). The organizing part is harder for me to do, especially on a budget (I would love to go on an Ikea shopping spree, but something tells me the hubby won't hand over the debit card willingly;).

And I begin this week! First I want to work on my kitchen cabinet/sink area, which is where I spend a majority of my day. What little counter space I have is currently taken up by our microwave, so we'll shift things around and see what works. Humor the fact that yes, I am a new mom and am still adjusting to this idea of staying home instead of having a job...when the baby is asleep, I need a purpose! So I'll be all over the place for awhile...or maybe thats how all moms are?

[I love this picture, this might be what I frame and put over my sink, definitely gives a spring feel :) I have white cabinets though so I don't want too much white! We'll see.]

As for now, my daughter is asleep and I am joining her *YAWN*

Nicole:)

Book Babies

A friend told me about a book club in our town's library for babies, so I went with her this past Friday to try it out. There were about ten other babies there, with parents in tow of course, and we sang songs and read a book. It was a new experience - I had to get in to mommy-mode and act silly for my daughter to get into it - and I couldn't really shake the hippy vibe as we sat around in a circle, cross-legged with no shoes singing songs and dancing. But I LOVED it! And so did my daughter. I loved seeing her personality come out as I watched how every baby reacted differently to the music and reading. She has always been a serious baby, more the type to sit back and observe than to dive in a be active, and she did the same thing there. She just watched all the other babies, smiled a little bit when we did hand movements with the songs (she LOVES music...which is why I have a stack of Wiggles DVDs at home) and was mostly curious throughout. What I loved the most was at the end of the group time they brought out a bunch of toys and let the babies play together. Since she is my first I love having this time for her to interact with others her age. I loved seeing how every baby was SO different in developmental milestones too, which makes me worry less about whether my daughter is "on time" with every "new" thing she does. Needless to say, we'll be going back:)

Mmm, FOOD.

Mmm, food has been on my mind a lot this week! Baking, mostly. I absolutely love to bake and I take any chance I get. After two years of marriage though, making desserts every time one of us had a sweet tooth is starting to show so I needed some other outlet or reason to bake, hah! Well, the church we've started going to since moving back up to Washington has a mini potluck every week after the service. I've decided to start baking every Saturday so I could bring something to church...old recipes I love and have memorized or new ones that I've been dying to try. This week I made Peanut Butter Cup Cookies - YUM. They're peanut butter cookies that you bake in muffin tins, then right when you pull them out of the oven, you stick a mini ReesesPieces candy in the center! My sister and I tried one, and they are amazing (if peanut butter and chocolate is your thing...my husband wouldn't go near them). So we'll see how everyone likes them! I found a list of the "Top 20 Best Dessert Recipes" on AllRecipes.com, so I'll start there and see where I go :) I am so excited!

This week I also talked with my husband about me going back to school to finish my AA degree. I took college during high school but got married before I finished my degree with only FOUR credits to go! I'd be crazy not to finish it. Anyway, sometime this week I hope to go register and look at classes...I'm hoping they have some culinary courses! In another life I think I would have moved to France to go to a pastry school. I'll settle for community college though ;)

As for my other goals and aspirations...crocheting: I've burnt out on (though I'm still determined to make that super cute giraffe hat!). Unless I start selling what I make I see no reason to do it, so I'm looking into becoming a seller on Etsy.com. And as for unpacking, I have also burnt out on. Its like writer's block for the housewife...I just can't bring myself to unpack those last four boxes.

Here's to new ventures and finishing up old ones...

Nicole:)

Always feeling the NEW in "New Mom"

I have realized how little I know when it comes to being a mom. You'd think after having one myself, growing up around tons of other moms and helping babysit my siblings, I would have some clue. A lot does come naturally, for sure - I remember being scared to death while I was pregnant, wondering how I will know when to feed my daughter, to let her cry, to soothe her, to change her diaper, to give her baths...it was a never ending list of questions. And the answer I always got from asking other moms for advicewas the same: "You'll figure it out" or "You'll just KNOW" (that drove me crazy!)...and there is a lot I just KNOW, thanks to God for the natural motherly instinct, but my questions are still never ending.

Right now I'm trying to focus on the present - I'm trying not to freak out about the fact that my daughter will be a teenager someday, I'll just love the fact that her little face lights up when I walk in the room :)

Right now, I'm struggling with the idea of her sleeping through the night...she's NOT doing it! Every mom I know says she should be doing it by now, but every two hours on the dot she wakes up and cries to fed or soothed. It breaks my heart to let her "cry it out" when my purpose as her mother is to take care of her - how do I escape the feeling that I'm just being selfish to want her to sleep through the night? Oh, I don't know. The first baby is just trial and error I guess, hah!

I've noticed a huge change in my view of things, with the help of watching a little too many documentaries and studying on my own. I'm shifting more towards eating organic, growing my own meat and veggies, making bread, baby food and whatever else I can at home and giving my family the best I can. Another thing is trying more homeopathic solutions to my daughter's growing aches and pains. When I thought she started teething I hated putting numbing medicine on her gums, and I could tell she hated it too...so a friend recommended getting an "amber teething necklace" - after googling and reading reviews I ordered her an amber bracelet (http://www.amberartisans.com/amtene.html).

Anything I can try to help her grow in the happiest way possible I will try.

Here's to doing the best I can and trying not to stress about it all - thats got to count for something right?

A New Hobby...Possibly More?

Wasn't too busy this week, had a lot of plans canceled due to everyone getting sick - hopefully my family was lucky enough not to catch anything! - So I had some time to relax and do some of the crocheting projects I wanted to try :)

What started out as a 0-3months sized baby beanie, now fits my three year old little brother. So, apparently I need to learn how to make different sized hats. And I think I'll end up putting some eyes on it, just need to figure out how do it. But here's how it turned out:

Then last night, after my daughter went to bed and my husband went out to dinner with his guy friends, I had some time to sit down with a movie and crochet the coffee cozy I wanted to try. Here's what I ended up with:

I'm thinking about selling these things on www.etsy.com (especially the coffee cozy since its so easy and so many variations are possible) since they're things I don't need but enjoying making, we'll see.

So, I'm off to play with my daughter! She has been on a sleep strike for the past three days, won't take naps and only slept six hours last night - so we're both a little tired and grumpy ;) My mom said it might just be because she'll get a growth spurt soon...we'll see! She has just been a handful, but I'm trying to enjoy every second of it (even the separation anxiety she's just started having) because someday she will be crawling, then walking then getting married and leaving me! Okay, it won't happen that fast, but I'll cherish every second I get :)

A First Attempt

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today was a great day of relaxing, having corned beef & cabbage with my side of the family, hearing my dad tell the story behind this holiday, watching old home videos of my family's summer in Ireland (plus a performance of me playing the violin when I first started out - yikes!) and finishing crocheting my first hat!

Here's the finished product! And my beautiful daughter :)

Craft Night

Just got home from a friends house - every Monday night is craft night there and I go with my Mom and daughter for fellowship, crafts and free babysitting (a room full of women and usually I'm lucky enough to pass the baby off for a few minutes;). Right now the project we're all doing together is making these cute pillows (I'm making mine for my rocking chair), which I'll post when I'm finished.

Today while I was out running errands I picked up some yarn and crocheting needles to start a few project ideas I have on my own. The first thing I am making just to get started and reteach myself how to do it (I used to crochet & knit, but that was years ago) is a coffee cozy. Its a cute and eco-friendly gift for a coffee fanatic is just to keep in the car whenever you do a Starbucks run and want to pass on the paper sleeve. Here's the idea I'm working off of (which a basic afghan stitch):

Another thing I want to teach myself to do is make hats. The first thing you learn when crocheting or knitting is how to make a blanket or scarf...these things are easy to whip up in a few days, but I'd like to learn the more complicated things as well. A friend of my is pregnant and, though I don't know the gender, I'm wanting to make her a little hat for the baby (anything to help relieve of my baby fever!). Her Mom got her a little giraffe stuffed animal, so I'm looking at working off this as an idea (though this may be a little more suited for a boy):

I also LOVE this hat too, so maybe once I get it down I can make a few different ones in case any more of my friends have babies :)

Well, the baby is asleep for the night and my husband is playing his video game, so I'm off to sit with him on the couch and start my coffee cozy!

Cooking Adventures

I tried two new recipes this week and both turned out amazing! I've always enjoyed baking, but cooking is another story...I feel like you're either one or the other. I grew up making batches of cookies for my family in my free time and apparently made a name for myself. I'm not so confident when it comes to cooking, though my husband would never complain ;)...lets just say we've eaten a lot of pasta and chicken in the last two years, and I'm not even very good at THAT yet (Side note - best invention ever: crock pot)! So when someone tells me about an easy, tried and true recipe, I'm sure to give it ago. This week a friend told me to try baking chicken with mango salsa poured over it. I got the papaya mango salsa from Trader Joe's and gave it a try...WOW! I recommend it to anyone :) Easy and everyone is pleased.

Now onto baking, my true love. A couple times a week my husband will walk in the kitchen and say "I want something SWEET!" always in the same tone, hah. So I have a list of memorized recipes in my mind to jump at the chance to get in the kitchen. I also always have a pile of new recipes I'm wanting to try. Our church has a mini potluck every week after the service so people can visit and kids can get all their energy out before going home...so I figured what more perfect a setting than that to try out new desserts without having mounds of leftovers at home? This week I found a recipe for Oreo Buttercream Dream Cupcakes - YUM - complete with homemade frosting (from now on I might cut back on my love of frosting, now that I know what goes in it...a cup of shortening & two pounds of powdered sugar later and I just want to eat some celery and go for a run to detox from just looking at it). Anyway, the picture says it all, they were a hit :)

Can I just add a sweet memory I stumbled upon this week while looking through old photos? Here's a picture of my daughter a few months back at my best friend's wedding. I can't believe she used to be so small...how fast time flies! I better go scoop her up and give her a hug before she grows one more centimeter!

Cupcakes & Sweet Baby Smiles,

Nicole:)

Home is where...well, we're still figuring that out.

Is there ever a time where a wife or mother feels like she KNOWS what she's doing? I feel like there's always something to work at, to improve on, to get better at, it never ends. But I love it, and I try to organize the million and one goals and ideas flying around in my mind on any given day...it can be stressful to think of it all at once. So for now my goals are this:

1. Unpack those last few boxes.

In a previous post, I had mentioned that we just moved back home to be close to family. That meant leaving the sunny, over-bearingly humid weather of Florida to come back to the overcast, calm green shades of Washington state. This feels like home to us, to each their own, right? Anyway, try unpacking with a baby and tell me how long it would take you. I'm eyeing that last stack of boxes in the corner, choosing to be lazy over productive. Some days just call for that I guess.

2. Decorate.

Moving from a three bedroom apartment to a one bedroom yurt (google it...its all the rage in the NorthWest) can be tricky. Who would've thought it would take so much effort to downsize after only two years of marriage? But it has a feeling of being cleansed and starting out fresh, and I always enjoy decorating for a new home. Right now all I can think about is replacing my couch pillows. I like neutral colors, but I think I've taken it too far and

now have the "blah" effect. So, here's my new inspiration:

3. Get Crafty.

I'd like to get better at making things by hand and saving a little money (lets just go ahead and ignore the fact that I just posted pictures of the pillows I want to BUY!). I want to teach myself how to knit again and enjoy little crafts around the house. I was inspired when I stumbled across this the other day:

Baby anything is my weakness. People I know need to start having babies soon so I can channel this baby fever into something other than craving to have a newborn of my own again. I want to soak up every second I have with my precious seven month old while its still just her. I want to make her little hats ;)

4. Get Healthy.

I am SO ready for spring. Farmer's markets and starting a garden of my own with my dad...what a way to save money, to eat better and to bond over a pile of picked weeds (though I think I might save the weeding process for my husband). Ever since my daughter started eating more grown-up food, I've wanted to give her the very best, not something packed with preservatives, pesticides and hormones. Which meant watching a few food food documentaries (I suggest "Food Matters"), doing a little studying, making my own baby food and taking my first trip to Trader Joe's (a new favorite store of mine). I've also started exercising again since my pregnancy and am loving it. I recommend the "Couch to 5K" running program, love it!

Here's to figuring it all out and accomplishing it all one day at a time! I think my little baby girl is waking up from her nap, gotta run! :)

Twenty-one years & thanking God nothing's changed

I just spent the last few days celebrating my birth...it wasn't my intent to drag it out as long as possible, but thats what happened and I won't complain!

Pre-Birthday:

I went to the my in-laws house for a family dinner of lasagna...the menu was of my request, considering how much I love lasagna and how much my husband hates cheese. So you can do the math and estimate how much I get to enjoy this lovely entrée ;) It was followed by red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting - a new love of mine. I love how close I am to my husband's family, they are the sweetest people you will ever meet!

Birthday:

Drove up to Seattle with Aeris (my daughter) to spend the day with my two best friends. It was a day of window shopping, eating food (you'll notice food is constantly on my mind!), watching a mediocre movie with an obvious Beauty & the Beast plot line and spending the night away from home - which meant Aeris was spoiled all day, being passed between her two 'aunts' who adore her and taking cat naps in momma's arms. I always claimed that marriage and children wouldn't stand in my way of having sleepovers with my best friends and loving my girl time...now, I still enjoy every second I get to be out and about, but the new responsibility of a little girl and a husband who will live off one bag of chips in my absence for as long as possible does put a strain on old habits. Needless to say, I had a blast and will be paying for it as I try to catch up on my sleep in the next few days ;)

Post-Birthday:

Tonight I ate dinner with my family. Again, dinner was my choice and I went with my all-time favorite: corned beef tacos! Call me Irish or call it gross but those balls of grease have been on my mind since the moment I moved out! I love spending time with my family. Its comfortable and familiar, I feel at peace and I feel blessed. Not to mention the free entertainment for my little one. I come from a family of nine kids, so you can imagine :)

Would it be crazy if I added a "post-post-birthday"? To top it off my husband I are going out to sushi tomorrow, a rare treat in my life...I can't tell you how long those nine months of pregnancy were without my raw seafood! Can't wait.

So...maybe I didn't go club hopping or get drunk with my new horizontal driver's license, but I enjoyed my birthday in the most amazing way possible with the people I love most. God took this time to show me all the blessings in my life, so maybe when its back to reality and laundry, I won't forget all the good my life has to offer :)

Tomorrow, I'm thinking I'll take my birthday money out to get me some new house decor, we'll see...Decor, crafts, baking, cooking and researching ways to provide better for my family are all part of what I love about being a wife and mother.

Why not give this a try?

Well, this is something new. But, as I adjust to my life as a stay at home wife and mom, I'm exploring my options for creative outlets. Its not really about who reads this, I guess its just an online journal that helps keep me from posting endless FB statuses or setting up a twitter account (still not sure what that site even is). Once my daughter is napping, the dishes are done and the house is in order, its nice to have something to sit down and do to relax for a few minutes a day (and watching t.v. just makes me feel guilty or couch potato-ish...so maybe writing this will give me some sense of accomplishment in my free time, hah).

Here's the basics: my husband has just gotten out of the Air Force and we took the last free move they were willing to give us to pack up and move back home close to family. Our daughter is seven months old and we wanted her to enjoy growing up with her aunts, uncles & grandparents for as long as possible. As my husband finishes his bachelor's degree we're considering seminary (start preparing my heart right NOW God to be a pastor's wife! That feels so out of my element it terrifies me), but for now I think we'll enjoy the moment we're in :)

As of now there are still boxes to unpack, a little girl thankfully taking her time learning to crawl and a spring garden to plan. I can't wait for every day to unfold and I hope to give my family the best I can offer!