A Colorful First Birthday Party

 

 

 

I remember this day like it was yesterday (or last year... same thing). My sweet girls turning one. I was just so happy that we all made it to one. Not only was it their first birthday but ours as parents as well! So in honor of their upcoming second birthday this week, I am posting the pictures I should have posted a long time ago of their fun day. One day ill be on time for something...

 

 

First off, I went theme-free. I just cant abide the intricate themes that are all the rage. Ain't nobody got time for that!!! I decided to have a color party instead! The same went for their nursery; no theme just lots of fun colors! It was easier this way (read: cheaper) as all of it was DIY.

 

 

 

I was even dumb enough to think I could ice my own cupcakes. Wow that was a major fail! My attempt as pretty frosting turned into a blindingly yellow mess. Luckily I have a mother that excels at everything and was kind enough to lend a helping hand. We got it almost right (almost). We made baked mac n cheese and little pigs in a blanket. A smart idea I thought of was little PBJ triangle for the millions of kids that came! No seriously, I couldn't see the floor; they were everywhere!

I printed out their monthly pictures and matted them with colorful construction paper. They hung easily from some yellow yarn. It was nice to walk by and see how for they have come! My little girls aren't so little anymore.... sad day

 

Recipe Review: Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

As you can tell I have been baking my way through Pinterest the last week. Im not kidding when I tell you this is the best muffin I've ever had.... You may be wondering why I have included carrots in the photo of. Well, believe it or not there are carrots in the muffins!


This recipe is from Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook sensation Deceptively Delicious. She has awesome ideas on how to get the veggies your kids hate into delicious foods. I mean, can you really pass up Mac n Cheese with Butternut Squash, or Chicken Nuggets with Sweet Potatoes? As for my kids, they do alright with veggies. But if I can give them veggies for breakfast then ill do it! We have been eating the little babies for breakfast almost every morning. I spread a little cream cheese on mine like my mom always did.


These come out very moist almost like banana bread, so they are a little sticky on your fingers, but so worth it. I actually completely forgot to add the peanut butter the first time I made these (picture tiny humans crawling up my legs and whining for more snacks), but they still turned out awesome! Just a little less tall. So if you have peanut allergies you can omit it and still enjoy this tasty treat!


Sherri over at sherrilynnlee.blogspot.com has been nice enough to share the recipe as she owns the cookbook. You can find the full recipe here.

Recipe Review: Baby Susie's Oatmeal Banana Bites

 

Recently I have been cooking (and baking) up a storm! These girls always keep me on my toes when it comes to what they will and will not eat. I have been on the look out for a healthy snack that is easy to make and wont empty my pockets (read: nothing at Whole Foods). So now we come to the recipe.


The credit for this genius snack goes to Melissa from The Big Blue House Blog. She made these little bites to please her sweet (and hungry) little lady! I too know what it feels like to see such a tiny person eat as much as a sumo wrestler! She gets me....


Click here for the recipe!


Now for the review:
Clearly you can already assume that I LOVE these little cookies. The best part was that I didn't need to go out and buy any of the ingredients. I already have them in my constant stash of supplies. But my lack of imagination would never had thought to combine them. I didn't have a food processor so I blended the oats in my blender which I think worked just as good. Then I added them and the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blended using my hand blender and they turned out perfect. I did add 2 tsp of flax seeds that I had ground with my coffee grinder. I wanted to give the bites and extra punch of nutrition!


After the mere 12 minutes in the oven they came out perfect! The girls thought they were very tasty and kept asking for "mo!". These were a hit and make me feel like Mom of the year.

 

A toddler approved smoothie!

These days its getting harder and harder to please my little ladies when it comes to food. I have made a bunch of different Pinterest recipes lately like these veggie bites, and these cauliflower tots. They just aren't interested, or will eat them the first day and then after that no way! I'm sure if you have little ones than you know exactly how that feels.... "But you ate them yesterday! Come on!" only to have them thrown in your face. It can be hard to keep up with what they like and sometimes I find myself giving in to the endless stream of pretzels.


So I wanted to share with you a smoothie that I have started making for the girls that is always a hit! It has fabulous blueberries filled with antioxidants, iron-rich spinach, nutritious flax seeds, pure coconut oil and protein filled Greek yogurt. Have I convinced you? This is a flavor bomb of amazingness!


Recipe is as follows:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 T water
1 T coconut oil
1 cup frozen fruit
Handful of Spinach
2 tsp flax seeds, ground

When you stack your blender make sure liquids are closest to the blade as this will make it easier to blend all the frozen fruit. I grind the flax seeds using my coffee grinder. Works like a charm!

I hope you enjoy this tasty treat!!!

12 months of Twins

The girls turn two this month! And in honor of that I will be posting pictures of them growing up. You know... the ones I should have posted but never ever did? Well no better time than now!


You might remember that I posted the pictures of the day they were born, on their first birthday. It seems that I am always a year behind. But that's how it goes I guess! You'll just have to give me grace as I know I often have to give myself.


I'll start with the adorable pictures I took of the girls every month of their first year. They grew so fast I didn't even notice!! I love to see these, but I'm also sad at the thought that my babies are no longer my babies but sassy, back-talking, feisty, physically abusive toddlers. But I'm sure a couple years from now ill miss that too (I hope).


Some are blurry because kids are always moving, but I feel it correctly captures life at the time. Some are dark because I was limited by the one window in our whole apartment (did I mention how I love my new house?), and sometimes the girls have frowny faces because apparently I'm not funny.