Eating My Way Through...

PINTEREST!!!

OK...we pin, and we pin...and we pin...but do we ever really doooooo all of it?

OK...some of you do haha...go getter's!!

I have decided to tackle my "Consumption" board on Pinterest...everything looks so yummy so why not eat it!!??

Some things I have done and will get posted BUT....

I will be making a list this weekend and starting Monday, the kids and I (hubs is going to be gone for a few weeks...) will be eating our way through PINTEREST!!

Here is my CONSUMPTION board and I will be making a board of everything that we will be eating based off good ol' Pinterest :-)

STAY TUNED!!!

-- Lisa

BIG NEWS!!!!

Oh man... a lot going on as usual!!!

FIRST OFF...TAITUM IS GOING TO BE 1!!!! 

This is pretty crazy...time has gone by so fast!!!  So I've decided that since she LOVES bananas and food in general...MONKEY PARTY!!!!! I am so flipping excited hahaha....taitum, obviously, doesn't totally care haha...i found a great template for invitations on Martha Stewart...it's a monkey mask!!!  I made a tester invite:

the eyes are going to be holes so you can see when you put it on and thennnnnnnnn

the colors i'm going to go with are:

dark brown for the head

lighter brown/tan for the white parts

pink bow on the ear!!

I'm going to put the party info inside the mouth! I'm thinking, instead of trying to attach the elastic to the back (it is a mask so it needs to be worn!), I'm just going to make a Dollar Store run and grab some party hats and use that elastic!  FYI...these are kind of big...I'm sure you can scale them down so they fit into a 4x6 envelope BUT I'm thinking....roll it and slide into a toilet paper roll, seal up the ends and all is well!!  Take thought if you will be mailing them..maybe a thicker roll or a 5x7 envelope would work well too!!

I'm busting out a Pinterest Monkey Party board HERE!!!

2ND....DRUMMMMMM ROLLLLLLLLL

I'm getting my B.S in Advertising!!! That's right...I'm headed back to school and in 3 years MAX, I will have my Bachelor of Science degree!!! YAY creativity!!!!  School starts beginning of July and I am so excited!!!

OH...and PS...if you haven't heard...Facebook is changing it's terms AGAAAAAAIN...I'm copying this info from Marissa over at Momma Rake:

If you would like to see my updates, head over to my page and hover over "like" and click "show in newsfeed"!

You'll most likely see the posts floating around...FB is trying to implement a monetary charge so posts reach more people...me no likey....I'm trying to get on here more since we have a lot going on and this is a great way for me document the memories, recipes and tutorials, if not just for my own brain haha

I hope you all stick around and enjoy!!! I'm excited to get Taitum's party going and share with you guys the awesomeness I hope it turns out to be!!!!

-- Lisa

Shiny Object Syndrome aka SQUIRREL moments

So here are the things that have gone through my head today or have happened today...


A couple days ago emma had low fever and we had a conversation about whether or not butterfly's poop and then she wailed laughing: HAHAHAHAHA BUTTERFLY POOP!!!!...this is probably the highlight of my week hahaha...butterfly poop hahahaha


Today I made it to Yoga...by "making it" i mean, the kids and i walked into 24 hour fitness 10 minutes late...dropped them off at the "kid's zone) where those lady's are FAB...and then proceeded to go to yoga which was TOTALLY FULL and I was 15 minutes late...but I made it


RIIIIIO...RIIIIIIIIIOOOOO....la la la laaaaaa....dancin' in RIIIIIIOOOOO....bla bla bla bla bla bailar...i think haha


How did emma get a booger in her ear?


today...the kids got shots...we went because emma's ear hurt and the dr scooped out ear wax and you're welcome...she sat totally fine through that and he was super impressed (POINT FOR ME) and then she got 2 shots...she kicked, screamed and wailed and made a 200 pound corpsman sweat and probably lose an ear drum because she screamed in his ear...and she got a rash from adrenaline stress...oye...taitum got a shot too...she's fine haha


I really need to put up my clocks and sign in the play area...


oh man...i need to finish my gift exchange gift and go to the post tomorrow...i should write that down.


my phone doesn't hold a charge well...at all...and my car charger broke...i really need a new one since i am constantly driving in circles


hmmm...the only reason i have a twitter account is to get that one more entry into the awesome contests you guys host!


i don't "search" for anything on Pinterest anymore...i follow all of you awesome people (or at least try to) and i click on the names of people you have pinned from and then check out their boards...too many spammers


i love coconut oil!!


i wonder what the picture of the day is on Instagram with FatMumSlim?


is emma 3 or 15...i know she can hear me...


i loooooooooathe teething


oh man...sometimes i wish so many kids didn't live on this block because taitum gets tired so early but you can hear them playing so she won't sleep...poo...that or she actually poo'd


i thought we were supposed to be in "May flowers" season? why the butt is it so cold out!!


it's 5 to 7 and we are all in bed...it's been that kind of day


i love pirates...all of them


and SYTYCD...love love love that show!! and ELLEN!!! SHE IS MY FAVORITE!!!


TODAY I introduced Emma to a cassette...and jimi hendrix...i feel accomplished!!


i love figuring out shortcuts on my mac without google hahaha


i think i've had too many cookies


tomorrow i will be going to my friends' truss shop and picking up some wood...why? because i can and she is AWESOME!


OMG emma is imitating the dancers on SYTYCD!!! TOTALLY AWESOME!!!


OK...and goodnight :-)


Lisa

Productivity!!!

Aside from Emma waking up this morning with a fever :-(, today was pretty productive!!

AND...DRUMMMMM ROLLLLLL

WE DIDN'T LEAVE THE HOUSE (see first sentence...)

I broke out my awesomely, fantastic Silhouette Cameo and got some work done!!

I'm sure everyone has seen this great wall piece on Pinterest:

Source: blissimagesandbeyond.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

So I showed this to the hubs and he thought is was pretty cool!! SCORE!!! So we came up with an idea...actually he did...but I designed it hahaha.  I grabbed 2 clocks from IKEA aka my Disneyland and printed out a stencil with my fantastical Cameo that looks like this:

These are the clocks:

{IKEA}

The main reason...um $1.99!!! I am putting it together tomorrow and ordering a couple prints off of Shutterfly since they are awwwwwesome so it should be done by next week...OR I really want to make some of those blueprint photos!! maybe i'll do that...OH THE IDEAS!!!

OK...NEXT...I busted this out for my BFF, Nina!!!  I grabbed a couple packs of canvases in December during Michael's big sale so I snagged a canvas, got my Pink spray paint out of the garage and painted that puppy pink!!!

I swear I didn't miss spots...that's the sun...it was hot today haha...I got my numbers and letters together and then pieced it all together!!!  I think the next one I make will be a thicker font or just bigger BUT she loves it!!! That's all that matters!!!

PS...I gotta toot my horn because I'm pretty excited...I'm getting pretty darn good at making the shapes haha...I really want to start making my own animals and shapes so I don't have to trace everything since other people worked hard on their images...ok horn tooted :-)

NEXT!!!!!!!  THIS IS MY FAVORITE!!!!!!

SO!!! From our free entertainment center turned dress up/play area bench, we had this leftover piece...it's supposed to be a shelf I think...pretty heavy but I knew I could do something with it SOOOOOO here is the beast:

I sanded it to NOT perfection because I didn't want it to be perfect....I found this paint in the "bad" batch area so I don't even know what color it actually is BUT here is the can...$2.00!! MINE!!!!! hahaha I love that area..

The color is just a tiiiiiiny bit off...maybe a little more greener? but it's still totally blue and i looooove it!!!

OK so i screw every paint brush I own so unless I seriously neeeeeeed a paintbrush...I don't use one.  Now, I'm not finger painting hahaha well kind of haha...I use scrap towels! yes like staining...I like the finish ok I LOVE the finish!!!

See...sanded to NOT perfection...and painted with a towel = PERFECTION FOR MOI!!!

I typed this up on zee CAMEO!!!

Printed and

VOILA!!!!

I've decided (after making "princess soup" for Emma) that I am going to Gorilla Glue a soup can to the empty space in between "be yourself" and "everyone..." and then another on between "...taken." and "-Oscare Wilde" and put a fake flower bouquet in each of them...maybe white and yellow flowers?  I am seriously in LOVE with this!!!!!

I also made 2 car decals (1 for my car and 1 for the hubs') so I'll get those up soon but they are related to my previous post, May 21.

Things have pretty busy BUT I am still planning on getting an Etsy shop opened ASAP!!! PLUS...TAITUM IS WALKING!!!! She'll will be 1 next month so the party planning is starting as well!!! BUSY SUMMER!!!!

ENJOY YOUR WEEK!!!!

-- LISA


I'm linking up here!!

May 21

May 21st is my husbands birthday...birthday's are the days where you celebrate your birth with your friends and family; have some good food; cake; gifts; have a good time...It is still his special day but it's also on a weekend, now, that has a bigger meaning...we celebrate the lives lost of dear friends and his amazing day.  It's a strong day for us...

Now let's go backwards 2 days to May 19th...and now 3 years ago on May 19th.  I woke up the morning of May 20th with Emma who was 8 months old to an e-mail that said:

"Hey Im ok I will email you laters or try and call you! I love you a lot!

But I am ok so don't worrie! If you havent watch the news then watch it

but I am ok! I love you a lot!"

This was 6 am...I never watch the news when the boys are gone, even on work ups, which is where they were on this day...the news over exaggerates everything and I have even stopped watching it now because, let's face it, there is no news anymore unless you lost your cat or a dog has beaten the surf record; not news.

So, being kind of a newbie and only really knowing 3 other wives, I panicked a little because I didn't have anyone's phone numbers.  Then I went to google where I didn't find anything.  Emma and I went downstairs and what did I do...turned on the news.  A helicopter had crashed and killed 5 Navy Sailors by the Coronado Islands.  I e-mailed Mike back and asked "I don't understand...I love you too.  Should I call someone? I only have Heather and Ashlee's numbers".  Of course I understood what happened, i just didn't want to believe it.  His reply (paraphrased) was:

i'll try to call soon. something happened. my bbf is gone and my noodle dance buddy {yes from tropic thunder}. don't call ashlee.  that should tell you who else. i don't know if you met the other 2"

and then the tears...came flowing...May 19th, 2009, the HS-6 Screaming Indians Squadron lost 5 members; 2 amazing pilots and 3 fantastic crewmen.  My husband's best friend, Sean Michael Ward, was 20 and he was going to be 21 on June 15, 2009.  Aaron Lee Clingman was an amazing father to 2 daughters (one he will meet later in the after-life) and a husband to an even more amazing woman.   Samuel Grant Kerslake was a beast who I only met once and his wife is a rock with 2 boys who have "Grant" written all over them.  The pilots I did not have the pleasure of knowing but everything I have heard about them has been amazing.  They both left family behind; everyone leaves family behind whether it's blood related or not.


3 years ago today, May 19, 2009 an H-60 Seahawk helicopter went down off the coast of Coronado while conducting training operations with USS Nimitz (CVN 68).  The helicopter was from Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 6 (HS6), located in San Diego.  It was a tragic day that marked the loss of some of the finest the Navy had to offer:
Lt. Cmdr. Eric J. Purvis, Lt. Allison M. Oubre, Naval Air Crewman 1st Class (AW/NAC) Samuel "Grant" Kerslake, Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class (AW/NAC) Aaron L. Clingman and Naval Air Crewman 3rd Class (AW/NAC) Sean M. Ward.


This was witnessed by 2 other pilots and 3 other crewmen, who are all friends and family, as 2 helo's fly together.  I can't imagine the feeling or the picture.  My husband was supposed to be on the flight out to do the Search and Rescue; he was dressed and ready along with everyone else but it was called off.  Now it makes sense because it would have been emotional...very emotional.  The Coast Guard was called and a massive rescue was put under way to gather the remains.  I'm not going to go into detail because I can't...honestly you don't want me to.  My husband is out with his buddy on his boat today dropping off beer for Aaron (as he's still MIA aka being sneaky and sitting on a beach in Mexico having a drink) and having a talk with the crew as they do every year. 

The funny thing is, well not funny, I was going to call Ashlee on the 18th to see if she wanted to get together so the kids could play (emma and ayden are only 3 months apart).  But i didn't....now i don't hesitate.

A lot of emotions, a lot of friends made, a lot of friends and family lost...their heart-wrenching memorial was held on the deck of the USS Midway (which is a museum now in San Diego) as well as having one on the USS Nimitz. That was the first, and possibly last, time I have ever been on the Midway.  My husband had a speech for Sean since they were BBF's (best buds forever) and I have never cried so much in my life and then 2 of our friends spoke for Aaron and Grant and to hear them speak to their children tore me apart.  TAPs was played, they did a fly by in a missing-man formation, the guns were shot and the flags were handed out.

This is a very bittersweet day for me.  A couple of my best friends, now, are the wives of 2 of the crewmen, Taitum shares a middle name with Sean & Aaron (MiLee), and she also shares Sean's birthday (you can't plan fate like that...there was no c-section and she was 2 weeks early).

I am not an emotional person but after this mishap, I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve while not taking BS from anyone.  I can no longer watch any military movie without tearing up or walking out; i just can't do it, the guardian, pearl harbor, black hawk down, taking chance...all great movies but i just can't do it.

I'm going to leave you with some photos...the HS6 family is strong and always will be.

I love you guys...You will never be forgotten....ever

 The Crew

BBF's

Sean and Aaron

Grant

If you look at #57's right shoulder you will see him wearing the memorial patch during the 2011 Army-Navy game...awesome

a handful of the guys got this dream catcher tattoo for the fallen Indians...there's a lot of artwork that was done and is amazing

This HS-6 family is bonded forever and ever, as I believe we would have been under different circumstances...

One Team, One Scream

We love you guys!!!

Roasted Chickens YUMMM

OK...SO...i made these chickens last night and OMG...SO GOOD!!!

NO, they aren't burned...that is the amazical seasoning mmmm

I'm a big doofus and didn't take photos because, well, it's raw chicken and my husband was hanging out with the kids so you'll just have to trust me hahaha...and yes...i broke off the tips of the wings before taking this photo hahaha

OK...these chickens were about 4-5 pounds each.

Here's what you'll need for these 2 (just cut it in half if you are only making 1):

STRING - to tie up the chickens after seasoning them

OLIVE OIL - about 3-4 tablespoons

KOSHER SALT - about 2-3 tspns

PEPPER - about 3-4 tspns

PAPRIKA - 2-3 tspns

HERBES DE PROVENCE (or if you're like me and don't have any...I used the Veggie Delight spice mix) - 1 tablespoon

GARLIC - 4 cloves

LEMON - 2 medium lemons cut in half

ROASTING PAN

RIMMED COOKIE SHEET

I swear this is a no fail method of roasting your chicken:

If your chicken is in the refrigerator, take it out NOW...let it sit for about 10 minutes (don't worry...you're not going to get sick).  I always take off my rings & watch when dealing with chickens because, well, they're raw chickens...While you're waiting, get all of the above sorted:

Make sure your oven rack is in the middle of your oven and place your rimmed cookie sheet on the rack below your middle rack just in case juices spill.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. Grab your roasting pan and spray with some cooking spray.

Grab a small bowl and mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and herbs.  mine is always kind of thickish/pasty.

Put your lemon halves and garlic close by. 

WASH YOUR CHICKENS WITH COLD WATER AND EMPTY THEIR TUMMIES...pat dry with a paper towel and place in your pan.

This is what the inside of my chicken looked like...

Shove the lemons and garlic inside and grab your olive oil mix and with your hands or pastry brush, put it all over the chicken. Now grab your string and wrap up your chicken.  This link on YouTube was my instructor haha:

TRUSSING A CHICKEN

Your oven should be preheated now 

Roast your chicken for 15 minutes and then REDUCE your heat to 450 degrees F and roast for another 15 minutes.

KEEP YOUR OVEN ON!!!!

Reduce your heat to 425 degrees F.

Take your chickens out and baste the liquid all over your. Rotate the pan and put them back into the oven for 30 minutes.

Take them out (now you can turn off your oven haha) and LET THEM SIT FOR 10 MINUTES!!! otherwise you'll get juices everywhere instead of nice juicy chicken.

TO CUT YOUR CHICKEN...I found another YouTube video through Gourmet Magazine:

CUTTING YOUR CHICKEN WITHOUT LOSING MEAT

Here is one of my chickens all cut up!! SUCCESS!!!

2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 breasts...WOOOOO!!!!

I steamed up some broccoli and mashed some red potatoes...mmmmm.  Mashed red potatoes are our new favorite side...seriously easy...cut up, boil in salted and buttered water for 10-15 minutes (until soft), drain, back into the pan and mash...add whatever seasoning you want!!! YUMMM

I hope you guys enjoy this!!! I always roast 2...that way a chicken is already done and cut up and ready for the next meal!

- - Lisa

Oh man..

busy busy!! so is life, right?

well here's a little of what we've been up to:

Seaport Village trips aka our favorite place EVER

A Zoo trip

Finger Painting

Goofing around

Went on a Harbor Cruise with our awesome friends and NO KIDS

Obsessing over my Cameo and experimenting

AND...DRUM ROLLLLL

I'm working on opening up an Etsy shop!!!  Personalized canvases, labels, personalized to-go mugs, customized wedding anything, and more!! 

I have done my HARDEST to find a job...part time or full time; i have no issues at this point so long as I can pick up Emma by 430.  There is nothing...I've applied for EVERYTHING, so to ease my mind and sanity, I've decided to open a shop and create things that make people happy and laugh :-)....and maybe make a few bucks haha.

Here's a little bit of what the girls and I have been up to while dad's been at work :-):

(you can find me on instagram @momdad2girls_brutus)

I have also been planning our house...stalking Miss Ana White and printing out plans for furniture...I have an issue with purchasing furniture since realizing making it yourself is not as difficult as it looks and it is much cheaper and um hello...you made it!!

Emma LOVES the kids area at my favorite place on EARTH aka IKEAAAAAA!!!!! So while she played for an hour, I wandered around taking photos of furniture and dimensions of pieces I'd like to make...

How COOL is that dresser with the little hidden drawer in the top drawer!!! And Audrey would look AWESOME in Emma's room!!! I'm pretty sure I can find her on Craigslist though...The world map is going somewhere in the house but we will be making out own with the super awesome tool called a projector since we have family worldwide.  The kids umbrella and stand aka super cool...obviously there's more and my creative juices are flowing!!!

My focus doesn't exist haha so now I need to focus on a room and do it start to finish instead of bouncing around the house hahaha

So yeah!! a lot in my life happening!!!  Now I need to 

FOCUS

FOCUS

FOCUS!!! hahaha

Have a fantastic evening and keep an eye out for " M.E.L.T your heart"!!!

-- Lisa

Snake Bubbles!!

ok...another Pinterest awesome find for the kids...ok and us adults too hahaha

what you need:

- a bottle (i think a gatorade or wide mouth plastic bottle works best...emma tried it with a water bottle but she kept putting her lips on the outside of the bottle so she wasn't blowing anything if that makes sense).

- some dish soap (i used a sample size dish soap)

- terry cloth/washcloth you don't mind cutting

- scissors

- rubber band or hair tie if you don't have a rubber band

- a little bowl with some water

- OH and a knife to cut the bottom off of the bottle (i used a serrated knife...noisy but it worked fine haha)

Solution for Bubbles:

2 parts soap, 1 part water...or a little water...pour in some soap...mix it up until it's bubbly and add more if you need to ;-)

ok so what you do is cut the bottom off of your bottle

then

i cut a square the size of the bottom of the bottle, wrapped it around the bottle with the rubber band, and then trimmed the towel.  This way, when you dip your bottle into the bubbles, there isn't extra towel dippage...make sense :-/?

These are our bubbles and bottle...with a little zoe and cinderella mouse in the background hahaha

Now take this super quick and easy funness outside and get dipping'!!!

Here's Emma making her snakes!!! it was a little windy out today in our backyard but she LOVED it!!!  I kind of suggest using a thin wash cloth...that was the bubbles will snake out easier without blowing a blood vessel haha

Yup...i asked her to grab shoes and she came out with her rain boots...it's super hot today too!

HERE is the link from Pinterest!!!

ENJOY!!!!

LISA!!

SUPER MONDAY!!!

TODAY WAS GREAT!! I can't always say that about good ol' Monday's but this morning we decided to go for a walk at Seaport Village aka Emma's super favorite spot here in San Diego.  There is a carousel, the harbor, little shops, cupcakes!!, and just FUN!! oh and "dad" flies over ALL the time!!! (he's an air crewman...on shore duty now YAY...so whenever helicopters fly over she screams DAAAADDDDYYYY...So that happens A LOT since the Navy Base is just across the bay haha)

OK..SO we've done scavenger hunts before BUT grandma and grandpa bought her this super awesome camera (for some reason my picture won't load so here it is on Amazon) and case!

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SHE LOVES IT!! it has games, you can take photos and VIDEO! it's literally a kids digital camera...super awesome. and the sides are rubber so no matter how she handles it, it stays totally fine!!

OK so we've done the scavenger hunt thing before and i think it's the perfect thing to take along with your kids to entertain and teach them while having fun!

I made this list for her with photos of each thing we had to look for (sorry for some reason i can only find the instagram photo :-/..ps... @momdad2girls_brutus on instagram :->)

THESE ARE ALWAYS A HIT WITH EMMA!! Her photos came out pretty snazzy...always fun to see things from a littles point of view :-).  Here is the collage I made for her! 

do you see the giraffe :-)...it's on the carousel but the carousel was closed for lunch :-( and the giraffe was, of course, on the other side but she snagged a photo of his head!!

We are headed to the beach and zoo this week so more scavengering!!! I'm gonna get some free printables for the zoo and beach up for you awesome people!!

Also, if she didn't have a snazzy birthday present, I definitely would not give her an actual digital camera (unless your kiddo is super careful haha) but I would have gotten her a disposable! 

Hope you're weekend is off to a fantastic start also!!!

PS!!! Kids fell asleep on the way home and STAYED ASLEEP AAAAAAAND I got THIS AWESOMENESS in my mailbox!!!

WOOHOO!!!

-- Lisa

YUMMALICIOUS Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

haha say that 5 times fast!!!

OK..so...I can only eat maybe 2 of these...and then more after a rinse haha.  Good ol' shortbread huh?

These are AMAZING!!!

ok..take your butter out.  1 stick = 1/2 cup at room temperature

PS...best part about this recipe...NO EGGS so taste test the dough all you want:-)

Recipe:

Wet:

1 stick, (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temp 

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar aka powdered sugarabout 1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup of chocolate chips

Break out your mixer with paddle attachment (if you don't have a mixer grab a wooden spoon and medium bowl).

Put your butter and peanut butter in the bowl and cream together.  Once creamed, stir in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, pour in your flour, confectioner's sugar (aka powdered sugar) and sea salt.  Sift them or grab a whisk and whisk them together (whisk = lazy woman's whisk or what i use because i don't have a sifter and it's just easier hahaha).

Now slowly stir in your dry flour mix into your peanut butter mixture until a dough is formed.  Then stir in your chocolate chips.

Grab some wax paper or parchment paper and work your dough into a roll (like the tube dough you can buy at the market).  Roll your paper over your dough and roll into a smoother and tight shape.

Twist the ends of your paper and throw into the fridge for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (seriously don't pull it out earlier...the tighter, stiffer the dough is, the easier it will be to slice).

Done waiting???

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees F.

Put a sheet of parchment on your baking sheet and slice your dough into a little less than 1 inch slices.

Set your timer to 6 minutes and flip your pan then add 7 minutes.

They will not look cooked but they are...trust me...DO NOT PUT THEM IN LONGER FOR MORE TIME!!!

Let them cool and then CONSUME AWAY!!!

The best part about these cookies is the dough...you can make them all or just a few and then pop the dough back into the refrigerator and slice some up later on!

Here are mine!!!

See they don't look done! But they are!!!

AND THEY'RE DELICIOUS!!!!! No judging my cutting technique hahaha

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!!!

- Lisa