{homemade}: food and crisis'

So I've been going through a bit of a crisis lately...which has led to a lot of baking.  Like, a lot of baking.  I can't tell you why, but it makes me feel better.  I even made homemade pot roast and cookies yesterday...sooooo good.  For one reason or another, baking seems to soothe me.  It's weird.  We started off with Homemade Vanilla Wafers last week.  A-mazing.  Seriously.  And super good.  

You can find the recipe for the homemade nillas here.  I had to milk down the batter a bit to get them to come out of the pastry bag so they turned out more bready that I would have liked...so I'll just have to make them again and try something else.  They were still delicious!!

My next project was homemade smores.  Also delicious.  I would have to say my favorite is definitely the homemade graham crackers-so much richer than store bought and sooo yummy.  I'm also in love with the homemade chocolate bars-seriously I love just straight cocoa so it's nice to be able to make them full strength dark chocolate (I just add very minimal sweetener, but you can add as much as you want).  The homemade marshmallows were delicious-I just don't love marshmallows unless they're squished between two grahams and some chocolate!!  Or in Rice Krispie treats...hmmmm...

 Marshmallow recipe here.  Gotta love Martha!

 Soooo gooey and delicious.  Chocolate bar recipe here.

 And Graham Cracker recipe here.  Also Martha.  Love her.

We may have acquired some boxes which have kept Paisley busy busy.  She LOVES being able to box her and Stella into everything and we spent hours one day building a massive blanket/box fort.  The boxes are for packing...because we might be moving...because we hopefully bought a house!!  I hope.  We close the 15th but I just don't feel like it's actually ours until we have keys in our hands.  I'm so excited but the prospect of such a change and moving is making me stress bake non-stop!!

Also, if you're interesting in doing trade we will be needing help painting the whole house before we move in (so ideally we'll have the whole house painted in 3 days!!!)  I will cook, clean, take pictures, bake, babysit and basically do anything for anyone willing to help paint!!  Message me and let me know if you're interested!!  I'm waiting to post anything on FB until we're closer but if you can help let me know!!  I'm freaking out, and so excited!!  Wish us luck on this crazy endeavor!!

{valentines}: a tea party

So our cute friend put together a princess tea party for valentines day!  It was darling and such a fun activity for the girls!  Paisley loved dressing up all fancy and I even let her put her sparkles on her eyes-her favorite.  She came downstairs all ready-jewelry, crown, heels, sparkles...and said "let's go!"  I reminded her that she also has to wear a dress...

 Pretty eye sparkles!

 This party was fancy!!  Chocolate dipped strawberries and heart shaped PB&J!  All of it was soo good ;)

 Fancy princess shoes.  She could not keep her hands off the chocolate strawberries!!  ( I couldn't either)

 This was the only picture that almost kind of turned out with all three girls!  She did not want her picture taken!!  Paisley and Lexie had no problem posing for the camera.  (And can I add that we did not coordinate dresses!  They all happened to come as different princesses!!)

 They love each other!

 Tired princess downing a cupcake after a long day of walking in those heels!

Even Stella got to play.  Love my sweet girlies.

{park day}: and some valentines

I'm regretting not taking more pictures of my own children.  I went to the park with a friend of mine today to show her some things about how to use her camera and tried to shoot some pics of my babes as well.  All I can get from Paisley is "movement" pictures...because seriously she can't even consider holding still at a park.  Stella is just hilarious and mostly seems to be wondering what in the world I'm doing with that big black thing over my face.  She is getting so big and wants to crawl soo bad!  mmmm...I love them.  Happy Valentines!

 This scowl comes straight from her Daddy.  Seriously.  It's identical.

 "What are you doing Mom?"

 Best face of Paisley from the day.  Yep. lol

Her Dad surprised her and got her a box of chocolates and some flowers too.  She was so excited!! And a bit nude (she was quite dirty after the park).  Is it weird that my child rarely wears clothes at home?  She just doesn't like to and I have a hard time keeping them on her...
We also went to an awesome Princess Valentines Party and I'll be posting some of those pics soon!!

{sunday}: adventures

I'm going to use a lot of religion specific terms and if you don't understand them feel free to look up more info here.

So we've been in a married ward for the nearly 8 years we've been married.  That means no primary or youth programs, no old people and no children bearing their testimony on fast sunday.  We have loved it and tearfully (and finally really) graduated this year because well, it was time.  And Pais is 3 and needs to go to sunbeams!!  (Yay!!)  We missed the first fast sunday in our new ward so yesterday was the first.  Seeing other children stand up to bear testimony was a revelation for Paisley.  She had no idea she could just walk up there and have her voice magnified to the masses.  She was immediately moved to do so the moment the first child rejoined the congregation.

She spend the trip from the back of the chapel to the front with her dress up around her neck because that wedgie just couldn't be left alone.  (Thankfully we had on the cute panties that day).  She suddenly found herself full of hesitation seeing the great mass she was about to address.  After having me pick her up she was renewed with energy and desire to testify to these masses.  I carried her to the pulpit and she resolutely grabbed the microphone.  Her address:

"Dad!!  Dad!  Hi.  (I'm furiously whispering in her ear, to no avail).  I love my princess panties.  I have a dinosaur.  Ponies?  Dad!!

I then attempted to myself bear testimony.  She just couldn't have that and realized that there was a stool-specifically placed there for short critters like herself.  She fixated on the need to stand on that stool..NOW.  She expressed her NEED to STAND ON THE STOOL NOWWW by kicking and screaming and yelling and generally testifying of her need for the stool and the microphone NOW.

Well, first impression all done.  Welcome to the new ward.  And her sunbeam teacher thought she was shy!!!