Busy Life

Yes, life. Mine has been super busy lately. I'm going to try my best to get back into the hang of posting, because I love looking back at the older posts I've made. Blogs really do help capture wonderful family memories, so I'm going to try my hand at doing this at least once a week. Don't hold me to it!

So, a few things. Marley and Vincent have both had a birthday in my absence of posting. Vincent's was actually just this month. I can't believe my oldest child is now 4! Marley and Vincent do not receive any kind of therapies any longer. Marley's therapist still thinks she could use P.T., but I do not think she really needs it. Vincent's sensory issues are a part of our every day lives, but the sensory issues don't really rear their ugly head unless we're in a super crowded place or within 20 feet of a public restroom.

I am now a mini-van mom and proud of it. Why a mini-van? Well, it will certainly seat more people than our tiny car. Why would I need to seat more people? The answer would be obvious if you saw this huge tummy of mine. We're expecting a little girl in June!!! We are so excited to complete our family!

I look forward to adding more in the days and weeks to come.

Thicker Than Blood

This rings so true for me! This certainly isn't to discourage my blood relatives, because I don't know what I would do without them! But the family that isn't blood is just as important, and sometimes even more important than the blood who won't accept you for who you are. :)

An Apple A Day

Well, this is my second apple post in a row. Our home hasn't been without apples in stock for weeks. My kids LOVE apples!

The apple eaters. I think they're pretty good, too!  :) 

Anyone have some awesome apple recipes?

Apple Shake Ups

This is a hit with Vincent! Then again, why wouldn't it be? It's certainly a very sweet snack!

What you'll need:

Apple
Knife
Sugar
Cinnamon
Ziploc bag


Peel an apple and cut it into toddler-size pieces, or cut it into larger slices and have your older toddler use a plastic knife to cut it into smaller pieces. Place 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon into a Ziploc bag. Add a few apple pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat the apples. Remove the coated apples from the bag and eat!


Credit for this idea goes to "The Toddler's Busy Book," by Trish Kuffner.  

The Absolute BEST, Most Divine, Decadent, Warm & Chewy Cookies on the Face of This Planet

My afternoon has been pretty awesome. The neighbor is on his riding lawn mower. There's no television playing. It has been a peaceful day.

This is what Marley is doing:

And, this is what Vincent is doing:

And, these are what I'm chowing down on:

I admit, I really didn't think these cookies were going to turn out as divine as they did. However, I think I could eat an entire batch in one sitting!! I found the recipe on the back of a dried cranberry package and I was inspired when I realized I had all of the ingredients needed. So, if anyone else wants to experience The Absolute BEST, Most Divine, Decadent, Warm & Chewy Cookies on the Face of This Planet, here's the recipe.








Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies




Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups old fashioned oats  (I used rolled oats.)
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 5 oz. package of Craisins Dried Cranberries (I used the cherry infused ones.)
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips (All I had on hand was dark chocolate and they're still awesome!) 

Preheat oven to 375° F. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes approximately 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

All credit for this recipe goes to Craisins, from the back of the bag! 

Tip: After the first cookie sheet was finished and I realized the cookies didn't flatten out a bit, I mashed them down with a fork to give them more of a cookie look. Hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I did!

Walk This Way

I am so happy to report that Miss Marley is a certified walker!! She's walking everywhere now, all across the house! There's no stopping this chick! Today her daddy was vacuuming the family room when she unexpectedly walked up behind him and he nailed her with the vacuum cleaner. Doh! We'll need to get used to this! :)  It's very surreal, but in a very good way. :)

Amazing Almond Milk

Ever since I have taken cow's milk out of my household, and replaced it with almond milk, my son's appetite has been absolutely amazing. We've been working on his eating problems for a while now, and I'm pretty sure cow's milk was one of the biggest culprits. He actually asked for an after dinner snack tonight!

Furthermore, for a kid who I could NEVER get to drink water, MiO has done wonders!!   Sorry if this is a little TMI, but he used to poop hard, round balls and he was always constipated.  Not anymore!  He has healthy poops now and they aren't strained at all.  I feel like I'm finally getting a grip on my child's diet!!! It's a wonderful feeling. And to think, cow's milk was the evil culprit behind it all.