SNEAK PEEK - BATHROOM

After much frustration and deliberation over the color grey, Vintage Grey is forever gone and the new grey color is Textile. I love the color; it's what Vintage Grey was supposed to look like to begin with.Window and door moldings have been painted and the baseboards are next. Now that paint is officially permanent on the wall, the toilet was installed. Oh happy day!

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 13

I gave the whole man-clan pedicures.
The wee ones are ready to trade in bedtime stories for bedtime foot massages.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 12

Peanut butter and jelly heart shaped cookies.

We delivered them to the unsuspecting grandparents.

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour
Jam

Mix together all ingredients, except jam until smooth. I put two scoops into a 3" cookie cutter to make the hearts, but they are supposed to be thumb print cookies.
Spread a dollop of jam on the heart or place in the center of the thumbprint and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 11

This day was a bust for the 14 Days of Love. I made some yummy morsels for the grandparents but I accidentally burnt them.

Mr. LaLa has that nasty achy cold going around. The wee-est has it too. So sad.

We tried a new recipe tonight for dinner and it was fun cooking together. A hummus, falafel pita with cucumbers and tomatoes. When I make it again, I'll take a photo of it's deliciousness.

Tomorrow, I'm going to ace the grandparent treat.

MY BOYFRIEND WAS ON YO GABBA GABBA

The wee-est LOVES Yo Gabba Gabba and I haven't complained once that the same episode has been on three times this week.

VALENTINES ON A STICK

Adorable handmade valentines from Full House. I love these!

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 10

Mr. LaLa isn't feeling well, so this evening's CRUSH party was simple and dinner was by candlelight, until the wee-est blew out all the candles.

On the menu:

Fettuccine with marinara sauce

Oven roasted asparagus

French Bread

PBJ cookies

Strawberry Crush

KINDERGARTEN VALENTINES

are finished and ready for the class party on Monday.
I saw this idea from 24-7-365 last year after I had already done our valentines. I was so excited to make them this year - I think they are awesome.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 9

A homemade double crusted apple pie. It's a man clan favorite.

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW

Q. - How did you get Lily to hold the red lips?
A. - Lach dropped his on the ground and she took them and ran. It wasn't planned. If it had been planned, it probably wouldn't have worked!

Q. - Did you really tuck your skirt into your nylons at the wedding reception?
A. - Yes! Unfortunately, I did! I went to the loo and confidently walked down the hall to say goodbye to some new family members. My mother-in-law and friend, Heidi McCuistion, stopped me from walking further down the hall. Their poor eyes!

Q. - Are you still eating vegan? Some of your recipes are using butter, milk and eggs.

A. - Yes, I am still allergic to animal protein. I substitute Earth Balance for my butter, almond milk for milk and Ener G for eggs in my baking. I just haven't been putting the vegan info of substitutions at the end of every recipe.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 8

An after school snack of pink heart shaped rice krispie chocolate chip treats.

SNEAK PEEK - BATHROOM

I love my tub.
I love my white subway tile.
I love my shiny tub fixtures.
I love my white with grey vein floor tile.
I love my "brilliant white" ceiling.
I'm not loving my "vintage grey" walls. They look blue and it isn't growing on me.
The walls are going to have a take 2.

19 YEARS OLD IN 1937

I just saw this photo of my grandmother, Ida Lucille Huntzinger Young, last night.
It reminds me of Snow White. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a bird on her hand and squirrels and bunnies at her feet.
I think she looks beautiful in this photo.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 7

Last year I made Nutella Pastries - heavenly!! But this year, they are filled with marionberry jam that I made last summer and chocolate chips.

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup plus 2 TBSP ice water

jam

chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients. Add butter and using fingers and fork combine until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Drizzle ice water over mixture and combine until it begins to hold together.

Put dough on plastic wrap and cover well. Flatten into a disk and refrigerate at least an hour.When ready, divide dough in half. Roll out to about 1/8 inch and cut into hearts.

Place on cookie sheet and lightly brush edges water. Put 1 TBSP jam and 15 chocolate chips on each heart and cover with another heart. Press around edges with fork or finger to seal.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

If you would like to see how to make pastries and put them on a stick (pie pops), check out this post from Our Best Bites.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 6

Red lips and a little silly fun before the Super Bowl.
It was hilarious!

Even Lily got in on the action.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

HIS BODY IS A CANVAS

This is what happens when brothers babysit.

SNEAK PEEK - BATHROOM

Kevin the Incredible and Deb the Great are still helping us with the bathroom. And thank heavens! I think it's safe to say that we would have added another week to completion time.

The surround is grouted and we get to seal it tonight.

The floor was laid last night and we will be grouting it tonight. We're really excited for the finished product. Stay tuned.....

PS - she makes me laugh.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 5

We started the morning off with chocolate chip heart shaped pancakes with pure maple syrup. Our taste buds and bellies were rejoicing!

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 4

Mailed some yummy morsels and happily ate the left overs.

IT WAS A BIRTHDAY LUNCH

for Deb. A delicious one at Venti''s Cafe.
I have new favorite meal - the falafel pita minus the dairy. I've been thinking about it all day. SO GOOD!

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 3

Heart attacking in the late hours. So fun!

HEART CAKE

This is serious genius.
Visit I Am Baker for the tutorial.

SNEAK PEEK - BATHROOM

Last night we got off to a slow start - we tiled wrong and had to take it down and start over. Luckily for us, one of my bestest friends, Deb the Great, came over to help.
I'll keep you posted on the bathroom progress.

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY 2

Today is a crafty day. We are making Valentine's cards to send to Great Grandma.

IT'S FEBRUARY 1, AND DO YOU KNOW

what that means at our lair? It's the beginning of our countdown to Valentines Day with the 14 Days of Love.
We're starting the countdown off with these delicious morsels.
When Larry and I were in college, we took an algebra class together. Our teacher, Phyllis Leonard, gave us one of her family cookbooks as a wedding gift. That cookbook contains my all time favorite sugar cookie recipe.

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Chill at least 1 hour.

Roll out 1/4 of the dough at a time, 1/8" thick on a floured board. Cut into desired shapes. Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes, until set but not brown.

Frost and decorate.

PRODUCT REVIEW

When I was asked to review a hand wash with sunscreen, I was curious but didn't know if I would really have an opinion on how I liked it. In most cases, my thought is "hand soap is hand soap." To my surprise, this hand soap impressed me the past two weeks. It is creamy, moisturizing to my winter chapped hands, smells wonderful and has SPF 15.
Putting sunscreen on the wee ones is a must in the summer, but to be honest, in the winter it is usually an after thought, unless we are heading to snow. I've loved the hand wash so much, I've been using it to wash the wee ones. I can't wait to try the body wash!
Solise has made it so convenient to have sun protection without smelling like sunscreen or being sticky and greasy, especially if you have wee ones who throw a fit when sunscreen is ever applied. It's easy-peasy now and I love that!

WE OPENED A CAN OF WORMS!

I wanted a new tub. We saved and this summer we purchased one that would fit the bathroom space. It's been sitting in our garage for 6 months. With a few pleadings and batting of the eyes, I requested the bathtub switcheroo be our first house project of the new year.
Taking out this tub and surround wasn't as difficult as we had thought, BUT THEN we realized we opened an expensive can of worms. We discovered a leak behind the wall and black mold on two of the walls.
Larry took care of the wall situation immediately, BUT THEN we discovered the leak had caused a lot of floor damage. While Larry was removing the floor and sub floor I was looking for in the deep holes between the joists for a time capsule or long forgotten hidden money from the original owners.
This "time consuming but not too difficult" tub installation has turned into bathroom drama and our lair is stressed. Hopefully it gets put back together quickly - we need that shower!

IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY TO

celebrate Tom Selleck's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!

COULD HAVE BEEN LOVE STORY

Tell someone how you feel today.

via cup of joe

DOMINO COOKIES

for an added deliciousness to our Friday night. PS - We are replacing our tub this weekend. We are excited and nervous (yikes!)

OATMEAL BREAD

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg yeast
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt

Pour boiling water over oatmeal and let sit until cooled.

Mix all ingredients together. Knead until well combined. Let rise. Divide into two loafs and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise again. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.