Peanut Butter Goodness

As you know, I'm stuck in TLF (Temproary Living Facility) in Alabama - although we closed on our house in Colorado Springs this week. Yea! I'm getting antsy to move into the house and start on some of the projects I've been planning all summer. I'm also anxious to reunite H with some of his things that I feel like he would really enjoy now (the bumbo and the johnny jump up). I'm also trying not to wish away the time I have with my family though. I love seeing H with my parents and will be sad when its time to leave. Anyway, enough about that on to my crafty adventures...

 Each week my husbands class gets together for an activity - this week it is a cookout. Even with a limited kitchen, I feel compelled to make something. I typed "no bake" into Pinterest and found some amazing options, but at the end of the day these Peanut Butter Bars caught my attention.

A trip to the commissary and 30 min later these suckers were in the refrigerator hardening for tomorrow's cook out. I followed the recipe exactly as directed on Six Sisters' blog. I added some crumbled Reece's on the top to add some texture. I froze the Reece's first so that when I smashed them they wouldn't get mushy. (Having limited kitchen supplies I used the PB jar to do the smashing.)

I can't say exactly how they turned out since I won't let anyone sample them quite yet - but my husband licked all the bowls and says they are delicious.

Tomorrow I plan to make a quinoa salad as well so that we have some side items - plus it will cancel out the PB Bars ... right?

Favorite Things: A Baby Shower Gift

Favorite Things Baby Shower Gift.

As you know, my dear friend K is having a baby boy, due any day now!  She had a lovely shower in Birmingham, Michigan that I attended with little H and my sister. I wanted to do something really special for her. I know that most of her friends have much older kids or no kids at all. Even though I only have 2 months experience, at Edwards, AFB I was surrounded by moms with great product advice. I created a little "favorite things" bag for her with some of the small products I never would have learned about without the help of these moms.

I'm sad to say I did not take a picture of the final product - but the picture above was what I had collected before I left Atlanta for the shower. We made a quick Target run for a few items once we arrived in Michigan. My sister also picked up a few adorable things from the Congressional Gift Shop. (She is a Congressional Staffer and K and I spent many summers in DC, so it was a nice personal touch.)

For each item, we created a little label out of a note card. I bought some scrapbook baby stickers to put on the note card, along with whose favorite thing it was (Mom, Dad or Baby) and something cute about the product. (For example: the card on the links read "Baby's favorite thing - I love to suck and chew on these plus they hold my toys so they don't fall on the floor. You can never have enough.) I've actually used everything I gave her, so I could honestly recommend them.

The whole thing came together nicely and was really cute when she read them all out loud at the shower. I wrapped some of the items and left others completely unwrapped. I packed all the items into an L.L. Bean Tote with the new baby's name on it.

You could do this with your favorite things, but my bag included: the L.L. Bean Tote, Inch Bug Bottle Labels, Inch Bug Fabric Labels, nursing cover, a Gownie (to wear when she gets home, not at the hospital), Links, Stroller Toy, Extra Onesies, The Pantone Color Book, Art Cards, Arm & Hammer Trash Bags and Carrier, a lovie (sports themed to go with her nursery) and peepee teepees.

Now I just have to wait for K's little boy to make his arrival. Until then, here are a few of my favorite things up close and/or in use.

My Favorite Baby Product!

Art Cards!

Pantone Color Book

Monkie Lovie!

Favorite Things: Cookbook

Three Months is a long time to be living out of suitcases. (We have things spread all over!) I've started to miss some of the things that felt like chores towards the end of the pregnancy and Edwards stay. One of which was meal planning.

When we are at my parents my mom does all the meal planning, when we are at TLF our cooking supplies are limited (think a mini oven, pizza pan and one pan). So, when a new cookbook was gifted to me I flipped through it with much enthusiasm.

I was skeptical but the recipes look delicious and simple - which will be nice with the baby. I've actually tired a few from the magazine in the past with great results - including engagement chicken!

Let's be clear - it is no America's Teat Kitchen (where everything we have cooked from it gets rave reviews) or Joy of Cooking (that has EVERYTHING), but it has solid recipes that I can easily make with the baby in tow.

Happy Crafting (and cooking!)

Lemon Sugar Scrub

Homemade Lemon Sugar Scrub

We've been doing a lot of driving between my parents house in Atlanta and our temporary lodging at Maxwell, AFB. We also decided to head down to Florida for the Fourth of July weekend - so lots of time in the car. Typically, I do some sewing in the car but I'm either in the back with little H if he is awake or enjoying talking with Jeff - so things have certainly changed. I even caught a little shut eye on our drive back from Florida while H was also sleeping. (I'm embracing the "when baby sleeps, mommy sleeps" mentality - haha.)

Easy 1,2,3: Sugar, Olive Oil & Lemon Juice

I did find some time for a much needed Pinterest Success! This sugar scrub from Gluten Free Navy Wife was easy to make and works like a charm. I halved the recipe with much success. I just used what was at my house - so regular old sugar, olive oil and refrigerated lemon juice. I put all the ingredients in an old Talenti gelato container - which is the perfect size and it looks nice sitting in the bathroom.

I think when we are finally in our home I may purchase a more fun oil and use a fresh squeezed citrus. This is such a quick project you should just go do it right now. Seriously! Right Now! Your legs (and husband) will thank you!

*I should have also added that this will separate if you leave it sitting. I just shake up the jar each time before I use it.

Blueberry Yogurt Bites

I found a post online (on Pinterest) for blueberry yogurt bites. The idea is simple. You roll blueberries in Greek yogurt and freeze. B, over at Practically Crafty, made something similar with rave reviews. I gave these yogurt bites with a twist a try. They were ok.

I'm fairly certain the problem is the fat free Greek Yogurt. They turned out a bit icy - something fat would have helped. (Thats what I get For using what we had in the house!) While they are not quite the tasty summer treat I had hoped, they are the perfect base for smoothies. We just add a cup of these to our favorite fruit creation and it replaces the yogurt and ice you would otherwise need to add.

Baby's First Facebook

Why is it that you feel so successful after completing a Pintrist project? I did allot of pinning while I was pregnant with H. I am just now getting around to accomplish some of those projects. As I've mentioned previously, it is a bit challenging since I have the little one and I am geographically separated from my craft supplies.

 A photo-book project seemed like a good place to start. I could do it from my computer and all it required was making sure I had all the digital pictures I needed uploaded before we left California. The project I found on Pintrist had you cutting and pasting pictures onto an old board book. I decided it would be easier to just have one printed by one of the many photo-book companies. I chose to use Shutterfly because (a) they almost always have great sales on their books and (b) they offer a great variety of little stickers and such that you can use to spice up the book. I've also used Snapfish in the past to make photo books after our long trips but have been happier with Shutterfly's options for baby books.

The first project was an ABC book for Henry that I actually finished before he was born. I used photos from our travel adventures (which you can read about here) to illustrate all the letters. Shutterfly already has a template for this type of book which made it easy to do in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. He is still a little young to really get it - but he loves looking at all the bright colors. We like it because we can tell him stories about all the pictures making it sort of a story book as well.

The Facebook took me a bit longer. I collected good pictures of everyone's faces (and as many as I could of people with H) and put them into a book highlighting the faces of his family and friends. H loves to stare at the faces. As an added bonus, it will help him remember everyone later in life since, as a military family, we are often far away from our family and friends. This project was well timed since we are spending the summer so close to many of our family and friends.

I've posted previews of the books bellow for your perusing pleasure. With so many photobook ideas on Pintrist I will certainly be making some more in the future.

Happy Crafting!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create a gorgeous, high quality wedding photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly baby photo books are the perfect way to preserve your baby's precious moments.

Craft-tastic Gifts!

So much has happened since I last posted.

First, I had my beautiful baby boy, little H, and now I feel like I have so many new projects I want to start for him and have had exposure to so many great new products that I can't wait to post about.



Second, we've moved! That's right ... we finally got out of Edwards and are in route to Colorado Springs. We have had a brief detour to the south for two months so the husband can attend Squadron Officer School in Montgomery, AL. This detour has left me separated from my craft supplies but provided lots of opportunities for new adventures. (Which you can read about on our family travel blog.) As part of our send off our dear friend made these adorable cookies for all people leaving the squadron and the blue airplanes for all the new arrivals. Leaving Edwards was bittersweet and we will never forget all our wonderful friends there.

Third, we are under contract on a house in Colorado Springs. The house is adorable and is in need of just a little TLC. I'm so excited about some of the projects for our new home and am thoroughly enjoying pinning every possible idea I can find to my Pinterest boards.

Fourth, I got a new camera! Yes, my husband celebrated the arrival of our new little one and my 30th birthday with an SLR camera (a Cannon T-3 Rebel.) My parents then presented me with a 50mm lens. This sucker has let me take some adorable pictures of H and hopefully will help me take better pictures of my "projects" as well.  (Look at how cute our little guy is!)

Needless to say we have allot going on around here and very little of it has involved me getting projects done. However, little H's arrival has sparked some adorable projects from other people.

My mom, an avid crossstitcher, produced the most adorable birth announcement to hang in H's room. She finished it up in the hospital with us once we decided on little H's name but brought it back to Atlanta to have it framed. She presented it to H at his baptism a few weeks ago.

My good friend B, over at Practically Crafty, has been busily crafting away for my little one as well. She made an adorable bootie/sweater combination for little H. Unfortunately little H is quickly becoming big H and I think he is going to outgrow the sweater and booties. Thanks to Pinterest they are destined for a frame in his room to remind us how little he once was.

B, in all her wisdom, also sent me some crafts I could complete here which will be prefect for my weeks spent in Alabama. (When I'm not taking pictures of little H!). Happy Crafting!