Guest Post: K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Silly) Breakfast

It’s Christmas morning and all your family will shortly be descending on your house for the annual holiday dinner. Trouble is, it’s morning, and you don’t want to make a mess before “the mess” by preparing a huge breakfast for your kids.

Well, have I got the answer for you… The Grazing Breakfast!

Ok, so this isn’t a new concept. That’s being said, it’s one that is fairly easy to pull together, can provide an option for even your pickiest of eaters, and leaves you with very little clean up!

My go to options are all self-serve (unless you have very little ones, who will require a little assistance), and can be mixed and matched for a ‘somewhat’ healthy meal. This is also a great idea if you have drop-ins – or like my family, those grandparents who make the rounds, but don’t give you the head ups as to where you fall on the timeline.

The Line Up:

Hard Boiled Eggs –  The day before Christmas I throw a pot of water on the stove and cook up a dozen eggs. These bad boys keep for up to a week in the fridge, so even if they aren’t all eaten, you have grab and go breakfast for a few days.

Fresh Cut Fruit –  This is a staple at our house for the holidays. If you are anything like me, between the cookies, cakes, fudge, and whatever else appears at the office or around the house at this time or year, by Christmas morning you are craving something fresh and naturally sweetened. To make things easy on yourself, most grocery stores sell precut fruit. Or to make things easy on your wallet, buy a few easy to prepare fruits – like apples, bananas, and strawberries – and do the cutting yourself.

Deli Meats (and Cheese) - Did you know that you can ask the deli counter to cut your meats to a crazy thickness? This was a marvelous discovery I made one day when I wanted to serve ham with breakfast, but didn’t want to buy one of those half hams. Although the price per pound may be a little more than the prepackaged meats, this is a great option to create some bite size meat and cheese options that you normally expect to see as passed hors d'oeuvres.

Monkey Bread –                        

A special (and oh so simple) treat that will have guests and your children saying "WOW!" and coming back for seconds and thirds. Best yet, it's so easy to make, you'll be asking yourself why you hadn't done it before.

Monkey Bread Recipe (Adapted from the Betty Crocker Recipe)

2/3 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 cans buttermilk biscuits (I prefer Pillsbury, and they sell a four pack in most stores)

12 tablespoons butter

1 cup well packed brown sugar

- Preheat oven to 350°

- Prepare bunt pan by spraying VERY well with cooking spray – it is very important to coat this well as you do not want any of the gooey goodness to stick!

- Place cinnamon and sugar into a gallon bag and shake until well mixed

- Remove biscuits from packaging and cut into quarters – I find it easiest to take 4-5 at a time, laid on their side, and then cut.

-  Add biscuits to the bag of cinnamon-sugar and shake to your hearts content – this is a great task for a child.

-  Evenly place the well coated dough bites into the pan, and sprinkle a little extra cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top

- Over medium-high heat, bring butter and brown sugar to boiling in a medium size saucepan – this mixture will be extremely hot and is a burning hazard, but please have the kids out of the room for this one.

-  Allow to boil for 1 minute - stirring constantly – then pour over biscuit quarters

- Using oven mitts, place in oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes

- Let stand for 5 minutes before turning upside down onto a plate

Best served warm!

Don't miss Stacie's other delicious recipe on the blog - Cranana Muffins!

NonProfit DBA by day, wife/mom/baker all the other hours - Stacie is a Washington State native, DC transplant, and lover of all things creative. Owner and head decorator of Enticing Icing Cupcakes, this mommy baker enjoys sharing her secrets to a sweet life. Check out more of her work at www.enticingicingcupcakes.com.

Guest Post: German Christkindlmarkt History and 3 Recommended Markets in Bavaria

Guess who is guest posting on the blog today? The Pierogie Vovo! I hear ya - oh great, another weird Polish word that I don't understand. Au contraire, Vovo is the affectionate term for grandfather in Portuguese. What could be a better topic to write about, while we are visiting Germany during Christmas time, are the world famous Christkindlmarkts found all across the country?

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The history of Christmas markets in Germany has roots dating back to the late middle-ages in the
German-speaking parts of Europe and as well in many parts of the Holy Roman Empire. The Christkindlmarkt (German language literal meaning “Christ child market”) is a street market that’s associted with the celebration of Christmas during the 4 weeks of Advent. Opening nights are generally celebrated by onlookers with the arrival of “The Christkind”, a young child often depicted as an angel-like girl and acted out by a locally selected child. This selection is considered a prestigious honor for the child and her family. There will be 35 main markets and hundreds of smaller markets throughout Germany; creating 25k jobs and generating revenue in excess of 200 million Euro.

Christkindlmarkt in Efurt

German Christmas markets bring the holiday season to you as only they can with the aromas of spiced glühwine, sausages, Lebkuchen (gingerbread), potato pancakes with applesauce (my fave) and of course roasted chestnuts on an open fire. My wife and I live on the eastern side of Germany in the Bavarian Oberpfalz region and there are three markets that I'd recommend for you to visit in this region:

Schloss Guteneck:  Open only on weekends, this market is considered the “romantic market”. Situated within the beautiful Castle Guteneck, there are medieval markets, jugglers, minstrels and the continuing procession of era grabbed individuals providing the feel and atmosphere of that time. Combined with live nativity scenes, advent celebrations, fire-dancing and also camel and sheep rides for the kids making this a special market not replicated anywhere in Germany. There’s also a private wine area set on a hilltop for adults who want to relax and overlook the market place and all its lighting.

Nuremburg:  Our personal favorite. Overlooking the majestic Alps to the south, this is considered one of the smaller markets in the big pool but offers every bit what the larger ones do. The must have food at this market is the Nuremberg sausages (no less than 3!), packed into a fresh brotchen roll and smothered in German mustard. This is truly the best sausage we’ve tasted in Germany. There are over 180 stalls decorated in red and white cloth with only authentic hand crafted wares sold. No mass-produced goods are allowed to be sold at this market and is strictly policed and enforced.

Rothenburg:  Home of the Christmas Museum and surrounded by medieval city walls and steep gabled houses, this market is illuminated with thousands of twinkling lights, providing a Disneyesque kind of atmosphere. Rothenburg is the best standing example of a Medieval city in Germany. During economic troubles after the 30-years war the city was frozen in time until it was discovered by romantics and poets in the 1800's and became a vacation spot because of it's beauty, which is well deserved. Christmas pastries are the specialty of this market with the Schneeball (snow ball) being the must try item. I’ve tried them and boy are they sweet. The market's unusual name comes from the legend of the Rothenberg Rider once believed to float through the skies with the souls of the dead. Haven’t seen him though. ;) Driving to the markets is tricky because European parking is very hard to find. We highly recommend taking the train or buses if you attend. Children are more than welcome, but I’d again recommend attending during the weekdays and not late into the night because crowds get bigger as the night goes on. Also, babywear versus using strollers where ever possible. Most markets are shoulder-to-shoulder people and little room to navigate strollers through the crowds. 

Christkindlmarkt in Efurt

I enjoyed taking you through some of the German Christmas Market history and locations and look forward to see you. Auf Wiedersehen!

Get to know The Pierogie Vovo:  Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area
        Wife w/3 children and a dog some of the time
        Worked w/the DoD for 35 years (20 yrs. w/US Army)
               Have lived in 5 countries, for a total of 9 years, during those 35 years
               Enjoy working on my fitness, sports, music and traveling
               Will retire in 2016 and return to college for enjoyment classes

Guest Post: The Rise of Handmade and Artisan Goods in Interior Design

The Rise of Handmade and Artisan Goods in Interior Design

 Interior design is fascinating. Our surroundings have a very real emotional impact on us. I continue to be inspired by how a person’s home design and decor can shape the way they feel and, therefore, how they live their life.  The ever-changing world of interior design makes room for new designs and trends every season. One trend that has been on the rise for nearly a decade, and is at an all-time high, is the desire for handmade items.  Rugs, pillows, fabrics, baskets, vases and light fixtures are just a few of the unlimited bounty of handmade products. Many artisans are returning to the handcrafted process that defined design before the industrial revolution. And many interior designers are sourcing those very same artisan goods. Why is this? 

 First, designing with handmade pieces allows a person to express individuality. These products are unique. Who wants shelves full of manufactured knickknacks when you can have an assortment of items that possess originality and authenticity? Handmade items can add to interior design what no other items can-imperfections. I love the juxtaposition of a smooth, manufactured surface with an oddly shaped or textured handmade item gracing the top of it. These organic imperfections add a certain depth to a room’s décor.  

We can also consider that designers and consumers alike appreciate the story behind a piece. How was it made? Where was it made? And who made it? People like to know that they are supporting a particular artist or artisan and are much more dedicated to mindful spending-respecting every dollar they spend as an extension of themselves.

 

The desire for better quality products has also played a key role in this trend. It is widely believed that many mass-produced items are poorly manufactured and that handmade and artisan sourced goods are of higher quality. Consumers are thinking long-term in their purchases and are aiming for sustainability.

 

I think it is safe to call this handmade trend a long-lasting movement. With the rise in ecommerce sites like Etsy and Amazon Handmade, sourcing handmade and artisan goods, both globally and locally, is just a click away. This movement isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And I must say, as an artisan myself, I could not be more pleased!

 

 

Rebecca resides in Washington where she is a stay at home mom to her two beautiful children. She is thrilled at the continued opportunity to carve out her own future with her handcrafted home décor shop.  

“Trust not what inspires other members of society to choose a career. Trust what inspires you.”

 Shop Rebecca's handmade décor items:

**All new** Amazon Handmade

Etsy Facebook Instagram Pinterest

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

I am excited to kick off the holiday season with a giveaway from Simply Lyon! Rebecca handcrafts her beautiful woven baskets and is offering a basket to a lucky Pierogie Mama reader. This hand-woven basket will add a cozy and delicate touch to your home. A perfect place to keep towels, blankets and other items organized. Keep in a nursery or child's room to store toys or stuffed animals. Or simply display the basket itself as part of a room's décor. The options are limitless! (Dimensions: Height-8",Width-13.5")

Entry-Form

 

Disclosure: The Pierogie Mama is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

No compensation was provided for this post.

December in photos

This month flew by and I'm realizing that 2014 ends TODAY. So here's a quick recap of our month.

Lots of toddler art // cutting down our tree from the forest and riding it down the slope 

// hide and seek // holiday potty training // 

obsessions with battery powered candles // meeting Santa

 

Sister love x2 // belly off the ground crawling success // baby fairies are the best!

December is the best food month. 

Kozy Shack copycat rice pudding // home smoked salmon // 

It's not Christmas without pierogies! // Bavarian Soft Pretzels

 See you in 2015!

Getting toddlers involved in the holidays

Toddlers are such a handful at times, but when things are good, it's pure magic with them. This year the spirit of Christmas is making a big impact on my 2 1/2 year old, Penny, and I have been going through a list of holiday activities with her. Here's a few ideas to help you get going on how to get your toddler involved during the holidays:

1. Picking out the tree together
2. Creating ornaments (we bought a couple ceramic ones from our local craft store and I let her paint them)
4. Cookies! Check out our experience below
5. More Christmas candy, like dipping chocolate covered pretzels and decorating with sprinkles
5. Make garlands using pom poms, popcorn, cheerios, macaroni noodles, cotton balls, beads
6. Hand print crafts
7. Felt board stories
8. Read Christmas books together
9. Make scented playdoh
10. Create Christmas cards
11. More craft ideas: make candy canes with beads and pipe cleaners, Popsicle stick ornaments, salt dough hand and foot prints, pom pom wreaths

I'm a baker at heart and it's been a long time dream of mine for the day when my daughters can help create goodies for our family. So last Christmas Adam made a kitchen step stool station for the girls that will safely bring them to counter level. While Ruby rode along for the ride, Penny and I got started with decorating our first cookies together.

Because fun and being mindful of the time (for both the toddler's and infant's attention span!) was of the utmost importance, I used Toll House Rolled & Ready Cookie Dough. Toll House has 4 different flavors of pre-rolled cookie dough to choose from, and I chose sugar cookie because that's a family favorite! The dough was already rolled out the the appropriate thickness so from Penny's standpoint the fun was ready to begin!

I showed her how to gently press the cutter into the cookie dough (just like how we practice with playdoh) and I moved the cut shapes to a cookie sheet for her. Following the instructions on the package, we let them bake and fully cool before moving on to the decorating portion of our activity. Meanwhile, we played with the playdoh from item #9 above because she wasn't done using the cookie cutters!

For the decorating portion I made a simple frosting using solid coconut oil.
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup solid coconut oil
5 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
food coloring
Cream together the coconut oil and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in milk and vanilla until it is smooth and stiff. Add a couple drops of food coloring until you get the color you desire. 

And then I was reminded of the valuable lesson about toddlers. Even when your plans are laid out perfectly, things hardly ever go as planned. 

Once the cookies were done baking and had cooled, I showed Penny the frosting that I had made and laid out all the sprinkles for her to choose from. SUPER excited. I slathered on the frosting onto each cookie and laid them out onto a piece of butcher paper for her.

And then things took a 180° turn. Suddenly, according to the toddler, all sprinkles MUST be put away and the frosting MUST be removed from the cookies. NOW. Like "mama give me a wipe, no no no no frosting on these cookies pleaaaaaaaaaaaase!"

Friends, life's greatest mysteries are not about Nessie, the Bermuda Triangle or Stonehenge. It's toddlers. No one will ever understand why.

And there you have it. Mothers dream about the day when we get to bake cookies with our sweets for the first time and how magical it will be. In my case, I was spared the flour dust parties (thanks to the pre-made cookie dough!), and I even thought it was smooth sailing until the end...and then true to form, my daughter makes it interesting at the very end!

Find out more about Rolled & Ready Cookie Dough Sheets 

Share your favorite toddler friendly holiday activity (or toddler friend holiday activity fail!)

Disclosure: Thank you to Nestle Toll House for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to create and decorate delicious cookies with Nestlé Toll House Rolled & Ready Cookie Dough Sheets!

Lights Extravaganza! Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach

The holidays are so full of traditions! Our family traditions include Candy Day, pierogies, cutting down a tree from the woods and a big favorite for the kids - The Lights of Christmas.

If you're a Seattle local, this is a light show you do not want to miss. My husband and I have been to most of the large light shows between Seattle and Portland and we keep going back to Lights of Christmas in Stanwood because it's such an awesome experience!

The Lights of Christmas is at Warm Beach Camp, just an hour north of Seattle. Warm Beach Camp is a Christian camp and conference center that lights up 15 acres with over one million lights during the month of December. The truly stunning lights displays are the best I've ever seen, but what sets this festival apart from the rest is all the other fun activities!

It's a truly festive experience with live carolers, plays, choirs, story telling, arts and crafts, shopping, a gorgeous Nativity scene and so much more. Here's what our experience was like this past weekend.

Most of my husband's immediate family showed up to walk the Lights of Christmas together. Penny ran around with four of her cousins while Ruby enjoyed being passed around and carried by the adults. As soon as we walked through the gates, we beelined for the closest donut stand and ordered probably a dozen packages of freshly made donuts and multiple cups of hot cider and cocoa. You cannot go to the Lights of Christmas and miss out on the donuts!

Next on our agenda was Bruce the Talking Spruce. It's adorably corny, just a tree with a face and a mysterious voice coming through and talking to the guests. You'd think that it was a pre-recorded voice, but they have a camera rigged up and "Bruce" really talks to you! He'll ask the children specific questions (asking "the little girl in pink") and impart a few tree jokes. What's a tree joke? Well, for example...

Our group of kids weren't scared of him and just had a great time talking to him.

Afterwards we filled up on more goodies (kettle corn) and headed over to the Polar Express Train, which drives around the camp.  No Lights of Christmas experience would be complete without a pony ride (according to the girls) so we headed over to the corral.

Our final stop for the evening was at the petting zoo, where there were llamas, goats and sheep.

The Lights of Christmas

20800 Marine Drive

Stanwood, WA 98292

360.652.7575 | 800.228.6724 

Tickets
Facebook

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by The Lights of Christmas. We were so honored to be invited to the event, we simply love it! All opinions are my own

Christmas Crafting - Felt Stockings

I'm not a crafter by any means. But sometimes I get a bee in my bonnet and I go a little craft crazy for a little while. Does that happen to you?

Ever since Penny's first Christmas (2012), I've had the idea to make our own Christmas stockings. I'm a very novice seamstress, at best, but I felt like this wasn't beyond my ability. So after a little bit of pinterest / etsy inspiration, a felt stocking tutorial, a trip to the craft store and .. ahem .. 2 years of procrastinating.. I got them done!

So here's a photographical journey of how I made my stockings (I'm going to call it that instead of a tutorial, because I am in no position to be giving anyone instructions on how to sew!).

Did you notice the polar animal theme?

Crafting these cuties definitely started my Christmas mood! Normally I had my Christmas pandora station running on my laptop while sewing away, but I learned that Idina Menzel (as in, Elsa) has a holiday album out this season so I jumped on that one!



The album list includes:

1. Do You Hear What I Hear
2. The Christmas Song
3. Baby It’s Cold Outside (Duet with Michael Buble)
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
5. All I Want For Christmas
6. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
7. December Prayer
8. When You Wish Upon A Star (my favorite)
9. Silent Night
10. River
11. Holly Jolly Christmas
12. White Christmas

1. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Bonus Tracks on Target Exclusive with Michael Buble!)

Buy it on itunes or Amazon

This week I will be pulling out all of our Christmas decorations, but here is our mantel in the holiday mood!

Have you handmade any decorations in your house? 

Tell me about them!

Disclosure: I participated in the Idina Menzel Holiday Wishes album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.

The JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale is here!

Have you shopped a JBF pre-sale before? Did you know that there are 3 ways that get you in the door before the public?

Consigning
Volunteering
Winning a Pierogie Mama giveaway ;) (well, for a JBF Lynnwood or JBF Everett event, anyways!)

This event was my 3rd time consigning (2nd time for JBF Lynnwood) and I got to knock out ALL of my Christmas shopping for kids + two nephews in one fell swoop. Let's all breathe a collective sigh together. Because if you're like me, it's really easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, searching for the right toy at the right price. Imagine my glee that I got it all done in the span of an hour last night. !! More time for the real reason for the season, right?!

So as Pierogie Mama JBF tradition goes, I like to post a few pics on instagram and then I like to post after my pre-sale shopping on the blog so that when you go shopping for the rest of the event (which is today, Friday 11/21 and tomorrow Saturday 11/22 - see times at the bottom of the post) you sort of know what to expect and maybe will get a chance to snag what I left behind for ya!

Here's what I picked up:
Psst... had to omit a few things because there's certain aunties who peruse the blog and I didn't want to give away Christmas surprises too early! :)

Here's some fun stuff that I saw:


The JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale and Holiday Bazaar is a little different from other JBF events because the primary focus is taking care of your holiday needs. For consigned items it's mostly toys, with holiday clothes and home decor thrown in. Heidi, the owner of JBF Lynnwood, also invites local vendors to set up their table at this event and they get to share their products and services with you (many have great event specials going on too!). Unfortunately I didn't get to see all the vendors last night because most were just getting set up, but I can tell you that I saw Jamberry, Miche, 31, Tupperware, Usborne, Strider Bike and Smith Brothers Milk tables. Those are already big crowd favorites!

The schedule for this year's JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale:
Friday Nov. 21st 2014 9ap to 7pm

Sat Nov. 22nd- 8am to 3pm (50% off sale from 12-3)
*Free admission- suggestion canned food donation to Mill Creek Food Bank

Located at Gold Creek Chuch

4326 148th St SE, Mill Creek, WA 98012

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by JBF Lynnwood. All opinions are my own.

Thankful for YOU! / Smiling Tree Toys Giveaway

This post was originally part of the Thankful for our Followers Giveaway Hop

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2 years ago, I began the journey of taking my blog to the next level. When I started this blog in February of 2012, my goal was to keep an online journal / baby book for Penny. After a few months of writing about topics that were important to me, I saw my stats and numbers increasing!  As an attachment and natural parent, I found that my parenting style was supported and influenced by bloggers sharing their experiences and I wanted to be a part of that. There were so many occasions where I doubted my gut and instincts because what I was doing wasn't always the way my friends and family did. I never got harsh judgement, mind you, but I would get such relief when I'd find a blog post, written by another blogger, talking about and justifying some of the choices I was making.  This experience drove me to also become a source for moms in their journey.

One of the first businesses that I worked with was Smiling Tree Toys! I approached Kathleen because I loved the esthetic of wooden toys and their approach to providing all natural, safe products for families. We worked together on my first review and giveaway - Penny's first Christmas ornament! It was only fitting to work together again on Ruby's first Christmas ornament too.

I'm happy to see that even after two years, the quality and craftsmanship with Smiling Tree Toys remains the same, even though the popularity of the business grows! The ornaments (as well as any of the other wooden products in their shop) are created from sustainably harvested American Maple trees and finished with their homegrown Camelina oil and beeswax. These ornaments will be heirloom pieces for my girls; that will be hung on Christmas trees for many decades past my time and enjoyed by future generations of my family. And I think that's root of Smiling Trees Toys goal too - to create products that will be enjoyed for years and years while being respectful to our Earth and honoring the gifts it gives.

Smiling Tree Toys is expanding their product line this season - in addition to ornaments, rattles, balancing toys, wooden blocks, wooden musical instruments(and so much more!), they are launching Smiling Tree Home. Keep an eye on their facebook for more teasers and information!

Keep up with Smiling Tree Toys 

Facebook// Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter// Google+

And don't forget all the ways you can be social with
The Pierogie Mama!

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // Pinterest // Bloglovin'

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review, no other compensation was provided.

The "green" Black Friday - JBF Lynnwood Holiday Toy Sale

This post was sponsored by JBF Lynnwood. All opinions are my own. Missed the boat on what "Just Between Friends" is? Click here to see how much I love these consignment sales. 

When you've got 4 nephews and a niece, plus two kids of your own, gift buying for the holidays can really rack up! Finding a thoughtful, meaningful and useful gift is really hard on a budget, especially for large families.  This time of year I strive to save money where I can, but most importantly I want to cut down on the time that I spend shopping. Running from store to store and packing the girls in and out of the car really begins to take a toll on my energy, when the main purpose of the season is to spend it with your loved ones and cherish that time together.  Buying gifts is a little inevitable for the holidays, but my primary focus over the last few years is quality time versus mountains of gifts. That's why I'm so glad that I discovered the JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale and Vendor Fair last year!

The JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale and Vendor Fair is a little different than the standard JBF consignment sale that occurs during the rest of the year. This sale puts preference towards toys and holiday items (such as dressier clothes, decor, or winter gear) and has consignors save the bulk of their seasonal items for the Fall and Spring sales. 

At the Toy Sale, you can expect to find full sections of your child's favorite themed categories- such as Sesame Street, construction, dolls, Disney, loads and loads of books, dvds, and so much more. If you've been the the JBF Lynnwood sales at Gold Creek Church in the past, imagine 70% of that space filled with toys! That's a lot!

In addition to the consigned items at the sale, this is also a vendor fair. Heidi, the owner of this JBF franchise, works with many local businesses throughout the area and they get to feature their items or service at this event as well! Last year there was a cloth diaper store, spa and many work-at-home / handmade businesses. It was a fun addition to the sale because you can knock out a lot of Christmas shopping all at one time. And all before December!

The schedule for this year's JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale and Vendor Fair is:
Friday Nov. 21st 2014 9ap to 7pm

Sat Nov. 22nd- 8am to 3pm (50% off sale from 12-3)
*Free admisison- suggestion canned food donation to Mill Creek Food Bank

Located at Gold Creek Chuch

4326 148th St SE, Mill Creek, WA 98012

Of course, these sales wouldn't be what they are without the consignors! Sign up and also learn how NOT to consign for the first time! ;)

What kind of presents are you looking for this season?

Disclosure: The Pierogie Mama and participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be contacted via email and will need to claim their prize by responding to the notifying email within 48 hours. Once confirmed, the prize will be held at check in at the JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale and Vendor Fair. They will not be mailed to the winner. These prizes are only valid at the 2014 JBF Lynnwood Toy Sale and Vendor Fair

Entry-Form

Sour Cream Zucchini Bread with Coconut Oil

This is a revamp on my previous recipes of sour cream banana bread and sour cream pumpkin bread. Seriously, what else can I mix into this fantastic recipe that won't be a win?

Yields 2 loaves

You will need:
non-stick cooking spray
1/4 c of sugar with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c softened butter (or 1/2 c Tropical Traditions Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c shredded zucchini (drain for 30 minutes)
2 c  sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c flour
*Optional: Toppings such as more cinnamon-sugar, candied pecans or chocolate chips.

You will do:
1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Spray 2 bread pans with your non stick spray.
3. In a small bowl mix the 1/4 cup of sugar with the 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon. Dust onto the greased pans.
4. In a stand mixer cream butter and remaining sugar together. Add eggs, zucchini, sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix until well blended.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly incorporate into the zucchini mixture.
6. Divide batter between your pans.
7. Top with cinnamon-sugar, candied pecans or chocolate chips.
8. Bake for about an hour (but check at 45 minutes), or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

To freeze extra loaves for later:

• Allow the bread to cool off completely
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap
• Bag in a large freezer bag
• Freeze
• Use within 3 months

Pierogie Babies: 32 weeks 22 months

Ruby

I feel myself growing exponentially at this point! This big ole belly keeps getting rounder, more in my way and less is fitting. Good news for us :) I have a feeling that this little girl is going to be a night owl - most of her crazy dance moves start around 7:30p and subside about 30 minutes after I lay down to go to bed.

The due date was under question at last month's midwife appointment because the 2nd trimester ultrasound (my only one) showed that she is "measuring a week small." My midwife suggested that perhaps instead of a 3/4 due date we might be closer to anticipating a 3/14 due date. My own intuition and simply feeling the size of this little girl inside of me tells me that my LMP date is more accurate than the ultrasound's suggestion and that I will deliver at 39 weeks according to my first due date - so put your guesses in folks. I'm 80% sure I will have Ruby the week of 2/23.  Plus, in case you haven't noticed - I have small kids. Penny has measured in the 15th percentile her entire life, but is a very healthy & proportional kid. 2nd trimester ultrasounds really can't take into effect family genetics and this tree bears small fruits.

For one reason or another, I have to visit the dentist A LOT. I take really good care of my teeth but I'm thinking that genetics and 3 years of pregnancy // nursing // pregnancy are beginning to take their toll. Last year I had the pleasure of 2 crowns and 2 visits for fillings in addition to just one cleaning. I visited the dentist this week to get some fillings taken care of and the dentist (my second female dentist ever) made a comment about just how much my gums are bleeding during the procedure. It's pretty common for pregnant women to have swollen and bleeding gums due to hormones, but I guess it was to the point where she wasn't able to get work done! So lucky me, I got to go back in yesterday to that final filling done. Oh, and next week I'll be going in for my cleaning too - that's 3 dentists visits in 9 days, folks. My jaw and gums are sore.  Miss Ruby was bouncing away, not seemingly startled by the drilling, and the silver lining is that I got to listen to my music for a couple hours instead of Penny-tunes. I made a comment to a friend that luckily it's my mouth that's a wuss, and not my youknowwhat, because I can take natural birth like a champ. Dental work? You've got me whining all evening and I just can't handle it.

Penny

This little lady of mine is a hoot and a half. Over the last 2 weeks she's started to come up with 2-3 word sentences and I've had many a conversation with her. A couple favorites from the past few days:

Conversation 1:
We're on our way to my dentist appointment (during working hours), where Adam was going to meet us and take Penny to the local mall for the playground:
Mama: Penny, you're going to get to play with Daddy in a few minutes!
Penny: {somewhat confused} Daddy - working? ("working" is a common word around our house - Daddy is gone because he's working, or you need to give Daddy some space because he's working {on the house})
Mama: No, Daddy will play with Penny!
Penny: YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Conversation 2:
I'm making dinner and give Penny a covered cup with a straw full of milk. She runs off happily, after a few minutes I hear "messy. raining. milk."

Conversation 3:
Penny wakes up from a nap and I hear her stirring over the monitor. She calls out for me, as she usually does, and I sit and listed to hear what might happen next. She started to get out of bed and I can hear her organizing her stuffed animals.
"Mama, Daddy - working. Yeah. Meaty play." ("Meaty" is what she calls herself, hilarious!)

Christmas break projects

Adam took the second half of December off and spent that time working on our Duraburb project. This is going to replace my current ride (our Volvo wagon) and this has been a fun project for him as an engineer and gear head. He put in a ton of hours during his 'vacation' and on the night before going back to work he got it started for the first time! This is quite the accomplishment because he's done full OEM engine replacements before, but this was taking a diesel engine from a different truck and putting it into a Suburban - not something that Chevy originally intended. Pretty proud of my man this week.

And as for me - well, one of my resolutions this year was to start and finish a project of my own (besides growing a baby, of course). On my last Pierogie Babies post I mentioned that I had my eye out for a solid wood dresser that I can upcycle to put into Penny and Ruby's room (check out my Sister Room Pinterest Board). Right after New Years I found the perfect French Provincial style dresser, nightstand and mirror set on Craigslist - and this week I've gotten to work sanding off the really crappy paint job. I'll unveil the project when it's all done, but in the meantime you can check out my inspiration dresser upcycle board.

Wesolych Swiat & Merry Christmas!

Just taking a quick break from my Polish Wigilia preparations to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

ordered from Simply to Impress

Under Construction: Counters (sorta) and the pellet stove

Don't want to miss out on any of our renovation shenanagins? 

Click here for a full list of my posts on it!

"If the women don't find you handsome, 

they should at least find you handy."  ~ Red Green

Well, my husband falls under the 'handsome' and 'handy' category, but this isn't news to me. Thanksgiving weekend meant he had 4 days to schmooze with the fam over a turkey meal, go tree hunting with Penny and I, relax for 5.5 seconds and then the man got some sh*t done.

I'm pretty sure you're waiting for one of these renovation posts where I say "ooh! ooh! Look, I did this project all by myself!" where I pump my fists in valor and pride. Although I can be of use with some of the projects around here, so far all of them are done quickly and easily by Adam. He says my job is to 'bake the baby and bake him treats.' So I oblige, because I like doing both of those things :) Don't worry - eventually the day will come where I share my own project completion with you!

The island cabinets were installed about a month ago but this entire time I've sort of been trying to use the empty top drawers as counter space and it just wasn't working anymore. We aren't ready for our 'forever' counter tops yet because only half of the kitchen has been renovated, but something needed to be done.

So it actually took a little bit of convincing from me to him to just get some wood and make some temporary counter tops for me. As hilariously woodsy / tacky as it looks, he did a great job and now we have a good visual representation of what our counters will look like when we get our real ones. 

Another medium sized project that's been going on around here was making a fireplace surround for our pellet stove. The ones you can buy are honestly a) very expensive and b) don't really do a good job. Luckily my man is handy with both wood and metal so he welded up a gate to go around the pellet stove that will safely keep all little bodies away. 

He designed the surround to have storage space for pellets (holds about 400 lbs of pellets at a time) and also a gate for easy access with a safety latch. As a result it does take up more space than we would have liked it to, but again it keeps the little ones safe and is a functional space as well. 

The final project, and admittedly the biggest, that he started this weekend were the upper cabinets for the kitchen. For our first renovation the guys thought that taking a sledgehammer to the cabinets would be the easiest way to take them down. Lol. Not so much. That took several hours (though I'm sure loads of fun). This time, Adam calmly unscrewed the cabinets and had the 6 boxes down in 20 minutes. We haven't decided if they will be moved into the shop or laundry room for additional storage space, or sell them on craigslist on the cheap for someone who needs cabinets for their cabin or something. 

He had several of our new cabinets already put together, so he put up 2 before realizing that we've hit a road block. Our corner upper cabinet was ordered with seriously incorrect dimensions...luckily our rep responded quickly and he got us the correct one right away. Awesome. When this happened in our last renovation (yes, this happens A LOT so if you're redoing your cabinets - no matter how much or how little you spend, there will be mistakes!) and it was like pulling teeth to get the problem solved in a reasonable amount of time. At first they quoted us 10 weeks - and we were able to whittle it down to under 4...still horrible when you've got an already torn apart kitchen.

So unfortunately that was the end of Adam's productive weekend, but we couldn't complain too much ;)