So This is What it Feels Like

Hi! My name is Claudia. I'm a recovering Over-doer, Martha Stewart Wanna-be, Viral Pinner (650,000 times because of this post), Creative Blogger, and Ideaholic. I hit rock bottom about 2 years ago.  My creative juices still flow and the urge is ever-present, but it had to stop consuming my life.

 

Ok. Kidding. Not kidding.

 

Y'all know I love some costumes, holidays, and theme parties! (Exhibit A, B, C, D, E, F...you get the idea.) I still do. But it was becoming a chore. A competition among other moms, pinners, bloggers, etc. That doesn't feel very good. It squashes creativity and makes it no fun at all! And as life would have it, all those plans and ideas have suddenly fallen to the bottom of my agenda. Besides, I think the only one who really cared was me. The accolades were great and all, but they don't drive the train very long. The accolades weren't up with me at 2am making party favors or gluing gauze strips to long johns for a mummy costume. It takes a lot of energy and time. Making the cutest Valentines, creating the perfect birthday party, or costume is just not really that important anymore. It seems that now all I can wrap my brain around is the boys, their homework, extracurricular activities, and my must-dos.

 

So this valentine's I finally got what IT feels like...to let it go, make it easy, manageable, and just keep it simple. And it all started with this box.

 

Fulton and Oliver were both required to decorate a box to use for collecting and distributing their valentines. I helped Oliver start his and then Fulton said, "Oh yeah! I need to do one too." Of course you do!!! I huffed and puffed and searched all over. NO BOX.
So off to Walgreen's we went! That's where I found these babies for 2.99 each. SOLD to the exhausted momma, who really no longer gives a poo and neither do her boys.

 And at that moment, the cute Valentine idea I had conjured up got upstaged by Darth Vader and the gang. Complete with tattoos and we even added a little pop of candy with a (Pinterest girls, close your eyes!) STAPLER! What?!?!?!? Who the heck have I become?!?!?!? Who uses a stapler? Staplers aren't cute and no body will ever pin, like, or repost store-bought Valentines that were stapled!!!

Guess what? I became the mom who no longer cared!
This is what their Valentines looked like. And I loved every square inch of it. It was easy and it felt so good! And the bonus: they did all of it themselves...except the stapler. YAAAASSSSSSS!

I urge you to PIN this bad boy to your "No One Really Gives a Crap" board.

 

My wheels will always be turning. I'll still plan parties, design invitations and costumes...in my head. But I'll be sure when I'm ready to fall off the wagon and give those plans life, that it feels good and doesn't send me to my rock bottom.

Zucchini Pizza

LL Cool J said it best in his lyrics...

"Don't call it a comeback...I've been here for years..."

I have indeed been here for years - I just haven't posted anything in forever! Three months to be exact.

What better way to come back on the scene than with a yummy recipe?!?!

I really enjoy cooking and trying new things in the summertime. I think it's because we're not pressured to get to all our after-school commitments, do homework, and stay on a rigid bedtime schedule. There's extra time in the evening to "play" in the kitchen...so I'm more inclined to try something new.

I've been seeing these zucchini pizzas pop up all over pinterest and facebook and decided to give them a whirl myself. I didn't really search for a recipe, I just concocted my own based on what I had seen in pics. I love zucchini and squash ALL the time, but especially in the summer. I always look for a way to throw it in to our meals. I think I just found my NEW favorite...without all the guilt!

I recruited a couple of helpers to join me in the kitchen. I lost one early on to Scooby-Doo. But the littlest one hung in there and couldn't wait to try his tasty masterpiece!

Okay so here's how it went down...

1. I used 3 rather large zucchini, sliced them lengthwise into thirds {I ended up with 9 slices...just in case you're mathematically challenged like moi!}, and arranged them on a cookie sheet coated with non-stick spray.

2. We spread each zucchini slice with a layer of store-bought {Shhhh...don't tell. My great-grandmother would turn over in her grave.} spaghetti sauce.

3. And my littlest helper added even more sauce just for good measure!

4. We sprinkled each zucchini slice with mozzarella cheese.

5. Then we added those cute mini pepperonis to each zucchini slice. {We may or may not have added some extra cheese on top. ;-)}

6. Our zucchini pizzas were ready for the oven. We baked them at 350* for about 40-45 minutes.

They took a while to cool and were easier to manage cut in halves or in thirds.

THEY WERE SO YUMMY!!! I even got a request to make them again soon!

Now I know why it has been posted and reposted so many times and I'm so happy to have a healthier alternative to pizza to add to my dinner menu.

I hope y'all will try them and enjoy them as much as we did!

Back to School Prep

In the last week or so we have been making lists and checking them twice. I love the excitement back-to-school time generates. New shoes, backpacks, a few fresh pieces of clothing, and the school supply displays popping up all over town cause a sense of giddiness among parents and students. It's kinda like Christmas.

When the boys got their classroom placements we also got... dun-dun-dun ...The LIST! Each year we get all hyped-up and rush out and battle the Black Friday-like crowds to get all the specifics. Some of the teacher requests crack me up. They ask for certain brands, colors, styles, etc. I can remember my mom taking me to pick out my new Trapper Keeper and getting a pack of pencils or Erasermate pens (remember those??) and loose-leaf paper. That was it! I think it has kinda gotten out of hand. And I really don't know how, when, or why. Whatcha gonna do? They need their stuff.

But I happen to be a bit of a school/office supply junkie and the drawers of my craft room look like the early stages of hoarding. Sooo shopping for school supplies is right up my alley. I actually get a little jeally that I don't get to use all of it. Pencils...I love the smell of new pencils. And there are few things more awesome than a brand new pack of Crayola markers!!!!

Any who...

 

 So what's in The Pig bags?

Let's see...

1 clipboard

14 (yes, fourteen) composition notebooks

2 spiral notebooks

2 1" binders

1 1/2" binder

1 small sketch pad

1 pair of scissors

1 set of watercolor paints

1 box of colored pencils

1 zipper pouch

4 boxes of #2 Ticonderoga pencils

2 packs of wide-ruled notebook paper

2 boxes of washable markers

3 boxes of tissues

24 glue sticks

1 red pocket folder

1 pack of TWISTABLE colored pencils

Antibacterial wipes

PHEW!!!!
That would be the teacher-requested school supplies for S & F We're not quite there with O yet.

And along with buying all those very particular supplies, I like to buy a few surcies for our teachers and make them a Teacher's Tackle Box. I remember being a school-based speech therapist and #1 loving little surcies from parents and students and #2 being so thankful when they were useful. It's nice to feel loved and appreciated!

These pics are actually from last year but I'm putting together the same thing for them this year. My friend Misty did a similar one last year too.

I will be happy to share my PDF files for you to print your own labels. Just contact me by leaving a comment below or on Facebook.

So the last couple of days have been spent doing all the back-to-school prep work...cleaning out and organizing their clothes, locating lunchboxes and backpacks, and packing up the school supplies. The boys are super excited about their Back-to-School Rally tonight. They'll get to drop off their goodies and meet their teachers. Good times for the Baker boys!

What do y'all do to get ready for the new school year?

Stay tuned for highlights from our last minute vacay and "Summah 2012"!

XO,

Hamburger Helpers!

Several weeks ago I decided to do a little revamping of our chore system. The previous plan had actually become non-existent and I had just resorted to having temper tantrums to get them to get things done. Not working so well.
I googled chore charts and found a few on Pinterest, but none of them were "new" to me. I wanted something to make them excited about helping and earning a commission.

We are big Dave Ramsey fans. I have mentioned him several times (here, here, and here). Dave suggests paying your children a "commission" rather than an "allowance". Here's his theory: An allowance is kind of a given...not earned. A commission is earned. Then there are responsibilities...you don't get paid for those. It makes perfect sense to me.

Our new system covers commissions and responsibilities. There are no handouts in the real world. So why should there be in our home? We have a "PAYDAY" and they are paid only for the work that has been done. We are also teaching them about tithing (Malachi 3:10), so 10% is immediately taken off the top and put in their envelope for church. They're not so fond of that part, but it will make it less painful when they are adults.

Any who...
I took a combo of concepts online (from this blog) and made up my own. I like to call it Hamburger Helpers.

I made it with Popsicle sticks, mod-podge, and magnets. Super easy!

Each burger has a bun; top bun= A.M. Responsibilities and bottom bun= P.M. Responsibilities.
Sam and Fulton each have six sticks making up the burger and condiments. Each stick has a chore (or chores depending on the complexity) and a value of the commission to be paid. There is an A list and B list of chores to be rotated between the 2 big boys. Yes! Ollie has his very own baby burger, since he is only 3, with age-appropriate chores.

So far, so good. There hasn't been any yelling or complaining involved and they really look forward to payday. Who knew Hamburger Helpers could be so good?

If you'd like a copy of the printable Hamburger Helpers to make your own, just leave me a comment below or contact me. I will email it to you! It will have our chores on it, but they are very basic and common household tasks. If the chores don't suit your family contact me through my SHOP and I'll customize one for you.

14 Lovely Days Catch Up

Happy Sugar-Coma Day 2012!

I fell down a little on blogging, but I didn't fall down on my 14 Lovely Days! Our weekend was so busy I never got a chance to blog!

Days 10, 11, 12, and 13 were filled with lots of lovely things! Then, of course, there was Valentine's Day over-kill yesterday!

Over the last few days the boys got a couple little notes and sweet treats to finish out our 14 Lovely Days. We also had a pretty awesome family date night on Friday. I'll blog about that later.

Their school likes for them to be creative when making valentines, so we spent some time being creative together. They had a great time {except for when I informed Fulton that he had to address each of his 25 valentines for his friends...not so much fun}! Any chance they get to use my design software is a big deal for them. And when I told them it was time to do valentines they immediately asked if they could use the computer. Sam got finished with his and  said "I think I could really be a designer one day." I loved it!! They got them all put together and ready for delivery on Tuesday.

Oliver celebrated with his class on Monday, so I made his treats {those yummy little pretzel, kiss, and m&m things that everyone on Pinterest and in blogland made} for school and used the printable I created for his valentines. He was so excited to go through his valentine bag when we got home. He made me read each one and asked if he could eat every piece of candy. I loved his enthusiasm!

Valentine's Day morning I woke up a little early to make their special cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. I set the table with their cute little place mats they made in 3k {Ollie will make his next year} and their valentine's napkins and mugs. Sam woke up grumpy, but quickly perked up at breakfast. I think they actually appreciated the effort! Ollie wakes up later so he had his own personal valentine's breakfast seating.

Shan and I grabbed a quick lunch together {with Ollie in tow}, as he had meetings all day and couldn't get away for very long. But I didn't feel slighted because we had a great date night  on Saturday at a Chili Cook-Off benefiting the boys' school. ~Great Fundraiser Idea...Just FYI~
We kept supper low key for Valentine's and decided to celebrate as a family. I made some yummy potato soup, a pretty salad and cheese bread. Needless to say, the day could be renamed  death-by-carbs day! We finished the night off with sweet treats and red velvet cake it was sooooo good!

I feel blessed to have such sweet Valentines in my life...my awesome husband, my boys, my parents, and friends. The boys made out with a ridiculous amount of Valentine's Day loot from classmates, Muzzy and  Boppa, our sweet neighbors, and the Valentine Chicken {who does not bring candy...only books!} It was a great day!

On a side note...
The whole "be creative" thing is kind of a pain with non-crafty boys, but when they bring home their valentines, I love to see what the kids {parents} come up with! My fave of all they came home with was this...

Just PRECIOUS!!!

xo,

14 Lovely Days: Day 2

Well, we've been living in the land of the crud all week and the last 2 days I've had all three home sick. Cabin fever is setting in!

I tried really hard to keep the peace today. I let the boys pick their "territory". Sam chose my bedroom and Fulton chose the den. Ollie just roamed and took turns visiting his brothers in their territories. It was an interesting day to say the least. I'm just hoping everyone is well enough to go to school tomorrow.

Any who... on to Day 2.

My random act for the day originally involved making a special snack together, but I didn't think sharing the germs any further was a very good idea.
So instead...I picked a little activity that I found on Pinterest the other day.

Origami Monster Bookmarks! Cute, huh?

But when I got to the site from where it was originally pinned, I realized my Japanese was a little rusty. Sooo I did a little googling and found an origami site the shows you the folding process for the bookmark and we made our own.

I tried to photograph step-by-step so you could follow along...

Supplies:

Card stock or construction paper in various colors

Scissors

Hole punch for embellishments

Glue

We started with a 6x6 square

Fold into a triangle

Fold the left corner to the center point

Fold the right corner to the center point

Open up to a triangle again and fold one flap of the center point to the bottom

Re-fold the left corner towards the center point and tuck it into the "pocket"

Re-fold the right corner toward the center point and tuck it into the "pocket"

Cut a contrasting square slightly smaller than the 3x3 pocket

Apply glue and press inside

Cut embellishments- teeth, eyes, nose, tongue, etc.

Apply glue and press in place

Slide them onto the page corner of your favorite book

and voila!

Poor Sam was feeling so bad that he didn't want his picture taken. But he wanted me to let everyone know that he made the one that looks like a tiger, "with the cat eyes".

And finally. What does the 3 year-old who is fascinated by the scissors do while you're origami-ing with his brothers?

Well...

He cuts a hole in his shirt, of course.
Good times. Good times.

XO,

Once Upon a Pin 1

If you haven't already, you need to get on Pinterest. Pinterest is like Crack for the Crafty and everyone in between! I was introduced to Pinterest by a fellow blogger about a year ago and was instantly hooked.
I have tried a few projects that I have pinned and even blogged about one. I have a few I still want to blog.

This week I tried a recipe. I am a soup lover! There is just something more appealing about soggy veggies that float. I'll try most any soup, as long as there are no weird meats in them.

This recipe was right up my alley.

It originally came from a great website called 365 Days of Slow Cooking

Day 56: Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

Photo by Clair Buys/BYU Magazine

Makes about 2 quarts

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

1. Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3. About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end).
4. Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Review:
So it's starting to be spring and soup season is about over, but add this recipe to try someday when it's cold because it is delicious! This is a recipe from my family cookbook and I just adapted it to the slow cooker. It turned out great. I brought it to a church dinner and it was completely gone, so I'm thinking that means it was good. It is very creamy and rich. If you wanted to make it a bit healthier, you could leave out the half and half and put skim milk or evaporated milk in. I've tried that before and it has turned out fine...just not as rich and fattening. I give this recipe 5 stars.

I actually made a few changes but thought it was super tasty, nonetheless!

1. I did mine on the stove top because I forgot that it was on the menu for the night and missed my "crock pot window."

2. I strained the veggies and pureed them in the blender for 2 reasons... 1. to disguise any undesirable veggies from my boys and 2. for a thicker base

3. I used only 1 cup of the 1/2 & 1/2 and substituted 1 cup of skim milk.

Here's mine!

I served it with a yummy piece of cheese bread!!! I was surprised that the boys ate as much as they did. Another plus, the recipe made so much that I've got a big ol' bowl left over in the freezer

I think it's definitely a keeper.

Thanks, Pinterest.

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