More from Easter

Happy Easter

Following some bunny prints... Wonder where they lead?!

Painting

With brushes this time!

Me and Cole

Smiles... Even with a cold (me this time)

One more recipe

So I didn't make the muffins this weekend... didn't have any ripe bananas. So instead, I'm going to make these tonight:

And yes, I am going on vacation in a week... and yes, I do have to wear a swimsuit. Oh well! I'll bring them into work - I just have to try them!!!!


Cookies ‘N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

1 box Brownie Mix
eggs & oil (as called for by the brownie mix)
1 heaping half cup (6 oz) Cookies & Cream ice cream
1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled or room temp)

Preheat oven & spray an 8×8 baking dish generously with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.

Read more at http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dessert/cookies-n-cream-oreo-fudge-brownies.html#ixzz2OYtYzRof

Two More

From J's phone

Finger Painting

What to do when Spring hasn't sprung and the weekend is getting pretty long for a 2 year old... FINGER PAINT

Time to Bake

It's been way too long since I've baked anything. Probably because we are going on vacation soon and I shouldn't eat. At all. But oh well - I found this recipe and I have to try it.

Nutella Banana Swirl Muffins

Yield: 18 muffins

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
nutella

directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together banana, sugar, brown sugar. Beat in egg, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, until there are no lumps. Fold in pecans.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Top each muffin with about 1 teaspoon of Nutella and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter.

Bake muffins for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Dear Cole

Dear Cole,

Where do I start? First, you are seriously funny and oh-so cute. You are constantly making everyone laugh – your one-liners are perfectly timed and you give some of the best looks ever. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy my mornings and nights with you during the week. When you ask to cuddle or give kisses, my heart totally melts.

You are also one of the smartest kids around – for your age that is. Every day I’m shocked by something new you say or the questions you ask. Seriously kiddo, two-year-olds should not have memorized a book with 100 cars/trucks/planes/boats in it. You probably shouldn’t be telling me all the parts to an airplane and then all of the other things that fly in the sky. You probably aren’t supposed to be counting to 20, or spelling your name, or asking on-point questions based on your surroundings… But I love it and I look forward to the next thing that’s going to come out of that crazy head of yours.

You’re also creepily coordinated. You sprint around the house on your toes and then start doing line-drills like a pro. Your slap shots are getting scarily accurate and you’ve somehow mastered EVERY puzzle in the house. I don’t even want to tell you how good you are at the iPad because it might make your grandparents sad since you understand it better than they do. I’m not kidding. You not only know where all your games are, but how to find movies and videos on youtube. You also manage to rearrange ALL my apps in 2 minutes flat!

Your laugh has got to be one of my favorite sounds. It’s this throaty giggle that you can’t help but laugh along with. You also have this horrible fake laugh that you do when you think somethings supposed to be funny – or you want us to laugh at something you’re doing – but it’s just so hammy that I end up laughing at you anyway. And yes, I said hammy because you ARE a ham. The faces you make, your body language, even the fluctuation in your voice! I’m sure you got that from your father… J

With all that said, you are also the biggest pain the butt! I say this with a smirk on my face and a bruise on my shin. You have entered the terrible twos with a vengeance. Sometimes I think there’s some under the table contest going on at daycare – whoever can make their parent’s put them up for sale the fastest wins.

You’re initial reaction to the word “no” is to hit and kick. It’s not just the actions that scare me but this crazed look you get in your eye when you do it. I sometimes fear for my safety at night after receiving one of those looks. I’m not kidding. Why do you think that gate on your door gets tighter/higher every night?

Your Dad and I haven’t quite figured out how to break this issue you have with authority. We’re not at the end of our ropes… yet. It’s a good thing you have so many “God, I love my kid” qualities (as mentioned above) or you might have won that daycare bet last week.

I guess I just wanted to get this note out there where you’ll someday find it – I tend to throw most things in the house away - ask your dad, he says I’m not sentimental enough.

What I REALLY hope is that you find this when you have a two year-old who makes you both giggle and scream in a two-minute time span. Apparently your Nana found one she wrote about me… I’m sure I was perfect but I have a feeling I was just like you are now… not nearly as cute… but I was already potty trained so I guess I got that on ya!

Love you baboo – though I sometimes flick you off behind your back, you are no doubt the best thing in my life (don’t tell your dad)!

Love, Mama 

written: 3/10/13

Hooked

Watching ski videos with Daddy. Kid is hooked on the jumps and crashes.
Mama prediction: lots of runs to the urgent care in our future

Quote of the week

As Cole is eating a banana...
Papa: Do you put bananas on your cereal?
Cole: I put bananas in my mouth.

Sent from my iPhone