,

ib

I would love to get my mom THIS dried bouquet of lavender for a random gift to make her smile!

Is dried lavender fragrant?

I think she would love to be surprised with some flowers, and I know she likes lavender!

This is such a great idea, and I’m thinking about sending this to her this upcoming week or next!

If I find some other great things that would be great for Mom’s, I’ll be sure to post it here!

,

ib

I can’t wait to try this out! This would also make a great gift idea for the holidays.  I’m thinking of making a  nice homemade gift set for the women in the family. This lip gloss,  lemon lime sugar body scrub, a foot scrub, a homemade bath salt, a bath sponge, and maybe some other homemade goodies I come across the rest of the year!

Homemade Pink-Tinted Lip Gloss

Ingredients:

2 TBSP grated beeswax

2 TBSP coconut oil 2 tsp. sweet almond oil

chunk of red lipstick

1/2 tsp. of shimmery eye shadow powder 10 drops of essentail oil (I used peppermint but you can use any kind)

Directions:

Melt all but essentail oil in a doubleboiler until completely melted and there are no more beewax flakes. Do not boil or overheat. Stir with a throw away tool like a bamboo skewer. Remove from heat and add essential oil. Using a syringe or medicne dropper fill your lip balm containers. Let it sit at room temperature or in the fridge until hardened or opaque.

This looks so easy!  Now…where to find beeswax on the reg… Go HERE to see the full tutorial!

,

ib

Check out this recipe for Mini Apple Pies over atHeavenly Homemakers!  The recipe looks super easy, can be frozen for a quick tasty treat you can pop into the oven when your sweet tooth strikes!

Crust:

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 t. sea salt
1 cup melted butter
1 cup plain yogurt

Stir ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.  Use the dough right away to create pockets or pies…or let the dough sit overnight on the countertop to break down the phytates and make the grains more digestable.  This dough is MUCH easier to work with if you work it like playdough in your hands a while before you try to roll it out.

Filling:

3 pounds of apples – about 11-12 smallish apples (any kind you like)
1/4 – 3/4 cup sucanat (your preference)
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2-4 Tablespoons sucanat
3 Tablespoons melted butter

Definitely something to make ahead of time, store in the freezer, and remember you made when you can’t find something sweet to eat for dessert!  I always have that problem, and I’m pretty sure this would hit the spot!

Thanks, Heavenly Homemakers!

,

ib

Never heard of Butterhorns before, but they sure do look delicious and pretty easy to make!  Definitely want to give these a try once the new kitchen is here!

Chocolate Butterhorns

Ingredients:

Dough:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 – 4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoons dry yeast, heaping

Rolls:
1-2 cups chocolate chips, depending on how chocolatey you want them

Directions:

Combine all dough ingredients in the pan of your bread machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Set on the dough cycle and start machine. When the machine beeps, remove dough from pan and divide it into four equal parts.

(While Crystal’s recipe make 32 larger rolls, I made the same number with about half the dough. This seemed to work better for my kids. Feel free to make 16 larger rolls if you’d rather.)

Roll each part into a 12-inch circle and cut each circle into 8 wedges. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the surface of each wedge. Roll each wedge like a crescent roll, starting with the bottom of the triangle and ending with the point.

If preparing ahead, place rolls, point down on baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, place in freezer bags and store in the freezer until needed.

To bake: Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment or a silpat mat. Place frozen rolls on prepared sheet. Allow to thaw and rise for five hours or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 ° and bake rolls for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

You better believe I’ll be checking out all of these recipes in a couple of months!  August!  GAH!

,

ib

I’ve made these before [around the holidays], and they’re super easy to make and absolutely delicious!  Way better than Jet-Puffed marshmallows!

Go HERE for the ingredient list, directions, and complete video!

Love,

ib

How freaking delicious does this chicken look?! My mouth is watering right now and makes me again long for our house to be finished so we can buy a grill and a spice rack (no counter space or cabinet space to store anything) and make this chicken! Check out the side-dish recipes we’ve picked out to pair it up with! Doesn’t it just sound delicious! We can’t wait to try this out!

Here’s the recipe from Allrecipes.com…

Ingredients:

4 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Directions:

Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, sage, oregano, and cumin together in a small bowl. Arrange the chicken breasts in a shallow glass container; pour the lime juice marinade over the chicken. Cover the container with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 1/2 hours, turning the chicken every 30 minutes.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove the chicken to a platter and allow to come to room temperature. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Basting with the marinade, grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Pair it with a grilled corn-on-the-cob, or grilled artichoke, baked potato, and an ice cold microbrew, red wine, or homemade pop from the sodastream…and then THIS…chilled.

Dinner is served!

<3,

ib

Benjamin Thomas is finally here!  Our first Nephew is happy, healthy, and just getting over Jaundice.

He was born on Friday the 13th of May at 8:11am in the morning, 7lbs 15oz and 21 inches long.

We think he is the most perfect little person we’ve ever seen!

We haven’t had the chance to meet him in person yet, but the plane tickets are purchased and he’ll be 3 weeks old by then!

“All he knows of the world is what you show him.” -Mad Men

I wish Kelly (sis-in-law), her husband Scott, and little Ben lived closer, and I hope that Scott’s career in the military doesn’t take them further away than they already are out in Oklahoma, and we get a chance to be a big part in little Ben-Jammin’s life.

This will only be my second time on a plane and of course I’m really nervous considering there’s a layover on each flight.  So 2 take-offs and 2 landings to get there, and 2 take-offs and 2 landings on the return flight.  Eeeek.  Really not looking forward to that, at all.

We’ll be gone for 5 days, which was originally just for a weekend, but decided to stay for a little longer, and I’m glad about that!  5 days of adorable baby-ness?

I haven’t changed a diaper or been around a baby this little in a very, VERY long time.  Since Lowell has been talking about wanting to have kids, like NOW, this should be a pretty good eye-opener for him on what babies are like.  From the talks we’ve had I’m pretty sure he think they come out as 1 or 2 year olds.  lol

I know he’ll be a really great dad, and I can’t wait to have children with him!  Since the arrival of baby Ben, it’s been a pretty constant, “Lets have a baby.” around here.  As soon as this dang house is done and finished (should be starting it any day now!), I think we’ll probably start trying.  :)

Once we have some room, and a yard…things will be so much better!  I’ll be less stressed from no longer being surrounded by stuff everywhere.  This tiny little apartment is just packed with almost every inch of space with STUFF, there’s only small foot and half walk-way space.  Don’t get the wrong impression that I’m a pack-rat or hoarder or something, I’m definitely not.  We just took 5 bags to Goodwill yesterday.  This place is just so small!

Lowell always comments about how he ever let me pick this place to live, and I always have to remind him about location, location, location.  It’s close to stores, I got a job within a week of moving here within 5 minute walking distance, and lots of places to eat near by, etc.

Things will definitely be so much better once we get this house.  There’s a HUGE kitchen, a HUGE great room, a HUGE master bedroom for us, a loft for additional space which we’ve already talked about possible turning into a 4th bedroom if we have more than 2 kids!  I just can’t wait.  August seriously can’t come fast enough!  I’m ready to move in and finally be settled and have a place to call our own!

As soon as they start on it, I’m sure I’ll try and update with photos as much as I can!

I can’t wait.

Welcome to the world little baby Ben.  Uncle Lowell and Auntie Erin can’t wait to meet you, and hold you, and take care of you, and be a part of your life!

With all the love in the world, from Indianapolis, IN, hugs and kisses are ready and waiting just for you!

,

ib

I love this beautiful, crisp, clean kitchen.

And I love the flower pot table by the window.

Ideas, ideas!

Maybe a pretty table with some unique flower pots, pretty flowers, vases, and books next to our big window in the living room!  Such a great idea, and I’ve been battling on ideas on what to put there.  The couch?  Nah.  Nothing?  Nah.

I think I’m liking this idea.

What do you think?!

,

ib