Valentines Day Kool-Aid Candy Button Hearts

Okay you guys, one of my favorite holidays is just around the corner. How is that possible?! I know, I know...I asked myself the same thing.

So I thought I'd share a little DIY tutorial on these candy button hearts...it's a twist on a favorite childhood candy of mine, candy buttons (except these ones are made with Kool-Aid powder, and they have way more flavor then the original button candies)

This would be such a cute idea to give out as Valentines for your kids class, or to your very own friends...I mean lets be honest the possibilities are endless haha.

What you need:
-- powder sugar
-- Kool-Aid powder packets (I bought four different flavors)
-- egg (use only egg white)
-- wax paper
-- small ziploc bags

Directions:
Cut your wax paper in about 2-3 inch strips. Tape it to a white card stock strip the same size. Then, mix egg white and 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar (if it seems runny just add a little more powdered sugar). Divide mixture into the amount of packets you have. I had four so I divided it into four different bowls. Then I added about 1/2 tsp. of kool-aid mixture, stirred it up, and put in ziploc bag. Cut the corner (the tinier the hole the better the hearts come out) and start makin' your hearts on the wax paper!

Fall Layered Cake

I know, the title is super original...pretty much just stating the obvious. A moist (oh boy, yes I used that word even though I really kind of loathe it) four layered white buttermilk cake, with cream cheese frosting! I just felt like three layers wasn't quite enough *haha.  Each layer is the color of what this Fall season represents...orange, yellow, copper, and red.

I was actually up in the Utah mountains this last week and the Aspen leaves are beginning to change. It was like the whole mountainside was on fire, and I was reminded why I love this season so very much...and so this cake just seemed completely fitting. :-)

I used this recipe for the cake part and this recipe for the frosting part. Have I mentioned how much I love frosting...it's like butter to my bread.

***also the best, most vibrant food dye is Wilton food dye. I'm tellin' ya it makes a huge difference if you want the colors to be like "wazam!". I got mine at Joannes.

disclaimer: By no means am I a pro when it comes to cake baking. I mean seriously, for anyone who bakes a cake where the frosting looks flawless...I really need you to teach me your ways. However, I did love the way the colors turned out and like I always say, cake is good for any occasion. And on this occasion, it was because it was Tuesday. :-)

^^^My little helpers. Sometimes I wish they'd rather watch...but that is just never the case ^^^

bon appétit! 

Red, White and Blue...

The fourth of July has always been a favorite holiday of mine. When I was little, we would go up to my grandmas (where fireworks were not only allowed but encouraged haha) and we would have a huge celebration. This year we decided to stick around and enjoy the fourth of July festivities here. Our neighborhood does a cute little parade which my kids loved (doesn't take much to please 'em I tell ya).

We then went over and enjoyed a day of swimming and BBQ'ing with family...and we even got to watch a firework show from my in laws backyard; which is always the perfect ending to this special holiday.

Probably more than any year I can remember, this holiday has really struck a chord with me this time around. I am not sure if it's just me getting older (that saying the older you grow the wiser you get...maybe is a true statement?!). Or maybe it's just that my kids are getting older, and watching them grow up has made me truly appreciate everything this country offers.  I am so, so grateful for it.

Here are a few photos of our little fourth of July celebration... chalk full of those iconic USA colors red, white and blue.

Strawberry Cheesecake Pops

We love strawberries and we love cheesecake...so this was a no brainer. I love doing things like this, where my girls can help me. They feel included and I feel like I'm not ignoring them while I do things like this. They went and checked the freezer about fifty million times before they were ready...I'd say they were pretty excited?!

These were so good, refreshing, and healthy! My kids didn't like the graham crackers, so they opted out of that part. I think I might make these, and take them to our fourth of July celebration; the colors are perfecto mundo! :-)

Ingredients:
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup plain fat free greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 TBS light colored corn syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice
10 oz. strawberries, blended
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions:
-combine milk and sugar in a saucepan, cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Place cream cheese in a medium bowl; gradually add milk mixture, whisking until smooth. Stir in yogurt and vinailla. Cool completely.
- Put corn syrup, juice and berries in a blender; process until smooth. Then layer the cream cheese mixture among 6 (4 oz) ice pop molds; going from cream cheese to strawberry back to cream cheese.
- Freeze at least 4 hours. Unmold and dip tips in crumbs (if you want).

***some of my favorite molds are here, here and here

 ^^^brain freeze^^^

Valentines Day Cake with a whole lotta' hearts

I haven't gotten around to posting anything for Valentines Day (see previous vday shenanigans here) which makes me sad because it really is one of my favorite holidays!

So to feel like I haven't slacked completely, here's a fun idea (and super simple) for anyone who wants to add a touch of love to their valentines treats. You could do this on cupcakes, or cookies too. They look like tiny little hearts (some a little more skiwampus than others ha) and my Sagey girl actually thought I hand did each and every single one of them. I may or may not have told her that I didn't.

Sometimes, there's something slightly satisfactory about making people think something took you waaaaaay longer than it really did. :-)

All you need is:
-a frosted cake of your choice (I used this recipe but used small rectangular pans)
-decorating gel (you can find it in the baking isle)
-a container of frosting (yep, it's the pre-made kind)
-toothpick
***if you want to make a small felt ball banner I got mine from Hello Maypole

Christmas+Lumberjack+Baby Shower

My friend Emily and I threw a baby shower for our friend Liz who was pregnant with twins! It was the beginning of December, so we decided on doing a baby shower with a Christmas twist (as far as decor goes).

We used a lot of woodsy things, wooden platters, a lot of trees and stumps, birds, deers; and used colors like red, burlap and gold. We served monkey bread, gourmet cheese and crackers, fruit parfaits, french toast with three different syrup flavors (my fave was the butter syrup, obviously!?). I mean, it was better than any brunch you could get anywhere else I'll tell ya that much!

I had a letter framed for Liz that she wrote to her unborn twins sitting next to the entrance for people to read throughout the open house. It was the sweetest thing, telling them what a blessing they are; and the series of events that lead up to them receiving such little miracles. As the guests left, I gave each of them a wooden ornament to hang on their Christmas tree (see post from yesterday for DIY).

One of my favorite things was the sonogram garland I made...just by making copies of all her sonograms and stringing it on a thin ribbon. I hung it on the mantle right by the gifts so everyone could take a peek at the little guys.

The amazing thing about this whole baby shower is that these little twins are miracle babies, and Liz was on bed rest for quite some time. She was always so positive and she had little John and David a few weeks early weighing in at a little over 1 lb. each.

They are all doing so great and I am just so grateful we got to shower her with so much love and cute baby necessities before all the real craziness began!