Mommy Lifesaver #6: Crap-Baskets

Speaking of Pinterest, have you ever heard of Crap-Baskets? I'm not sure who really coined the term, but I find it 100% fitting. The baskets, which are placed on your main staircase, are to contain all the crap that your kids (or husband) leave around.

Each one of my kids has a designated basket - with a cute little tag & their name on it - that contains any of their stuff that they need to go from the main floor to their rooms. My kids are little so I help alot in pointing them in the right direction when it comes to cleaning up and keeping things neat. I hope that these baskets remain a part of our organization through the point in time at which they can carry them up the stairs themselves, empty them in their rooms, and put their own damn things away :) Added benefit - they look much prettier than piles of toys, shoes, etc. sitting on my stairs which are the main focus when you walk into my house. As most of you know with kids, they never seem to contain their junk in just one place. This has been a process I implemented almost 2 years ago and I've been happy with it ever since!

If crap-baskets aren't your thing, I encourage you to find something that works for you...especially if it means your kids will be able to carry on the responsibility of cleaning up after themselves some day!

Happy Father's Day

On April 29, 2006 I danced with my dad at my wedding to Thunder Road - my favorite song of all time. It goes without saying that I will cherish that dance forever and every time I hear that song I'll think of him!

I love you Dad, Happy Father's Day!

Summer Make-up Must Have: Matifier

Do you ever find yourself with an "exceptional glow" (aka super shiny) during those hot summer months? A few years ago I discovered this amazing matifier by Lancome and I've been using it ever since. Literally, I think I'm still using the same bottle - but don't tell the beauty experts. It still works as well as the day I bought it. I don't use it everyday, but save it for those special occasions or nights out on the town to make sure my make-up stays in place.

After I apply my make-up, I basically put a pea size amount on my finger and dot it on my forehead, nose, and cheeks...then gently rub in. And thats it! It keeps your face at a lovely glow and not so much a sweaty mess. You can even re-apply your make-up, as needed, throughout the night over the matifier. Genius, huh? I think so!

I promise you'll love it! Check it out!

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am posting this AMAZING cookie recipe on my blog because it deserves every bit of exposure it can! This is by far the best cookie I have ever made and possibly eaten. I discovered this recipe a couple months ago and since then have made double batches for just about every event I have gone to. Without a hitch they're gone in minutes and people don't want to leave without knowing my secret - the secret is Emilie. This is NOT my recipe but a fellow blogger from Scarborough Food Fair and she is amazing. Please check out her site...you won't regret it!

I am re-posting it just as Emilie has it on her website so I don't miss a beat. Her delicious recipe needs no tweaking, but I will say if you're in a time crunch just omit the nutella part and the cookies are just as good! Enjoy!

  

Makes: 2 dozen

Prep Time: 2 hours

Bake Time: 9 Minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 9 minutes

Adapted From: Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 jar Nutella, chilled in refrigerator

coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until it beings to foam.  Continuously whisk until the butter begins to brown on the bottom of the saucepan, about 5-7 minutes.  As soon as the butter is brown and begins to give off a nutty aroma remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl to prevent from burning.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
3. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.  Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined.  Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined.  Gently fold in all of the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
4. Chill the dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Measure out a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball.  Flatten the ball very thinly into the palm of your hand and then place 1 teaspoon of chilled nutella in the middle and fold the dough up and around it.  Gently roll into a ball (it doesn't have to be perfect!) and make sure the nutella isn't seeping out anywhere.  If it is, cover it up with more dough.
6. Place dough balls on a cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and flatten the tops ever so slightly with your fingers.
7. Bake the cookies 9 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheets for several minutes.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  
8. Enjoy!

Travel Food Tricks: Toddlers

So as I was packing clothes for a recent family vacation I started thinking about our grocery list of things I have to get once we get there. With that thought, I realized I always have a few staples on my list that I know will keep my kids going throughout the day and make them feel comfortable while out of their element.

Some of those travel food items include:
Organic Whole Milk
Shredded Cheese
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Chobani Kids Yogurt
Avocados
Black Beans
Bananas
Apples
Berries - Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries
Cheerios (Plain)
Granola
Pretzels/Goldfish
Almond Butter & All Natural Jelly
Whole Wheat Bread
Annie's Homegrown Mac & Cheese
Raisins
(All Organic, whenever possible)

Having food items that your toddler is used to having at home is key. You'll notice alot of fruit on my list which I try to make our main source of snacks throughout the day. Of course, vacation is for splurging and trying new things, but they thrive off comfort. Waking up to a simple breakfast of yogurt and granola will set the pace for a good day - say, instead of a giant donut or bagel which are certainly tend to be beach time essentials. I typically let them pick one or two days where they can pick a giant sprinkle donut - after all, it is vacation and I'm not evil!

Also, kids tend to eat a different times than adults. Its called constant snacking. With a few staples above I can easily whip up back bean quesadillas & guacamole and avoid tantrums before the adults sit down for dinner. We also typically do a fast food stop (which I'm not the biggest fan of) on the way to the beach if it falls during a meal time, but on the way home I always pack sandwiches, fruit, and pretzels to munch on - again, to avoid any drive-thru we might encounter with growling bellies. It works for me, maybe it'll work for you too!

School's Out for Summer...Now What?

Whoo Hoo!

The day I've been waiting for all year (well, sort of). This has been a hectic year to say the least. If anyone tries to claim that a woman can't multitask, they're wrong! Ask any mom :) School is officially over. Summer is now here and I'm am so excited. Excited not to be a slave to other people's schedules - only my own!

Now lies the question, "what to do?" In my opinion, simple things are best. School is filled with schedules and deadlines that Summer should be enjoyed with very little planned and more spontaneous fun. Meet up with friends at your neighborhood pool, try out a new park, have a pizza & movie night (and maybe even let the kids stay up late)!? Why not, they don't have school the next day!

If you're one of those lucky ones that has a vacation home or gets to travel, that's amazing! Have your kids get a journal or a small photo album to capture your vacation moments in one fell swoop. Plus they're great for planes or cars - doodling is for all ages :) If your a homebody family there is nothing wrong with that either. There is so much your own town has to offer - explore the outdoors, your local botanical garden, or a outdoor petting zoo. Your kids will love you just the same as if you jet-setted off to a far away land. They're small, they don't know the difference! I love just exploring with my kids and seeing the world through their eyes. You never know what they might discover.

Here are a few local ideas I had in mind for summer...consider it our Summer Bucket List:

• Clark's Eliok Farm - I've been wanting to take my kids here for years. This is the year!
• Reston Zoo - a popular destination among my friends, but I've actually never been.
• The National Zoo - always a good summer go-to. Who doesn't love the Zoo?
• Clemyjontri Park - a HUGE open playground for all ages.
• Glen Echo Park - a great adventure park with a beautiful carousel.
• Downtown Annapolis - to see the boats, of course!

Although I've been to a few of the places above, they are loved by my kids and we can usually only take advantage of them during the summer when we have no schedules!!

On a side note, I have felt very lucky to have been able to reach out to you each day since starting my blog. I'm going to slow down over the summer and re-post some favorites over the past few months. Kind of like how television shows go on summer hiatus and show reruns for a bit! Nothing wrong with taking a little time for yourself every once in a while. You'll see some new posts here and there, but not daily. This is summer vaca after all!