Reasons my Girls Could be Freaking Out

Incase you are ever babysitting and are at a loss as to the reason for a melt down here is a quick reference guide for you.

Reasons my 2 year olds could be freaking out:

• You poured the juice into their cup first instead of water
• They heard a dog
• You gave them the wrong coloured plate/cup/bowl
• You gave them the wrong monkey
• A sock is falling off
• They found a hair
• The blanket is the wrong side up
• A second backyardigans automatically started playing
• A sister is touching them
• You cut the apples too small
• You called their 'coffee cup' a water bottle
• They bonked something
• Someone stole a raisin
• Their sister would not let them steal a raisin 

Hope that helps!

They might be unreasonable at times but usually they are sweet and hilarious and really cute.

Foodie Friday - Dill Potato Salad

It is BBQ season! Here is a great egg-less potato salad that goes great with your burgers and keeps well in the fridge a few days since it does not have eggs in it.

Dill Potato Salad

2.5 lbs Potatos - peeled, chopped and boiled until soft

1 Cup mayo
2/3 Cup finely chopped dill pickle
3 Tbsp Dill Pickle Juice
3 Chopped Green Onions
1 tbsp Mustard
1/2 tsp of dill weed OR 2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

2 tsp chopped parsley for garnish ontop

Mix it all together and put it in the fridge to cool.

Monkey Ergos

Lots of people have asked me about these monkey (doll) ergos I made for my girls. They are super cute and were fairly easy to make. I bought the pattern off of Etsy here. 

If I made them again I would make the waist strap a little smaller and possibly rig up a chest buckle since the shoulder straps often fall off but they love to carry their monkeys around when I carry C

Foodie Friday - Banana Bread

Ok, summer is here, enough crockpot recipes, it is getting too hot for that. On colder days when my bananas are going bad I like to make a few loaves of banana bread and put them i the freezer, they make for an easy picnic with fruit and cheese sticks on summer adventures.The gilrls love to help with these and mash the bananas.

Banana Bread

1 3/4 C Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt

1/3 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Suger
2 Eggs
1 Cup mashed banana (about 2)

I like to add 1/4-1/2 cup of hemp hearts as well as sprinkle a few on the top.

Bake 350 for 1 hour. Presto.

Fabric Covered CorkBoard

I am not the most crafty person, but I like to fake it sometimes.

There was a gap on the wall by my desk just screaming to be filled with something and clutter on my desk of things that could really use some sort of cork board. I found some cork board squares at the dollar store and picked out some fabric I had that I liked. I really liked the fabric but the small peice I had was not quite big enough to wrap around the edges, so I added ribbon around the edges to give it a more finished look.

I cut one board into two smaller pieces and let the glue gun the work! I like how they turned out, I still need to pick up some thumbtacks so I can get some stuff off my desk :)

Good Food Box

I don't know about you but we go through so many fruits and veggies here. I was naturally pretty excited when I discovered the 'Good Food Box.'  About once a month you can order a small/medium or large box of fresh produce, you pay in advance for whichever size you want then pick it up on a designated day. When I added it up I figured I was getting things for about half price and it was making me experiment with new things I never buy like eggplant and beets. You can find more info for Calgary locations where you too can get cheap produce here.There are no pick-ups through the summer but it will be back up and running in the fall.

Foodie Friday - Scones

These scones are one of my favourite things to put in my baking jars, when we have soup it is so easy to throw together a batch and have some fresh scones. mmmmm. The recipe is really simple but lately I have been adding things like basil or chopped up spinach to make them even more tastey. Without further adieu.

SCONES

4 Cups Flour - I use at least half whole wheat
4 Tbsp Suger
1 tsp Salt
6 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda

1 Cup Butter (you can cut this down if you feel so inclined, just add a little more milk or water)
1 1/2 Cup Milk (you can substitute half of it with water if you feel like it)

Bake 450 for 12-15 minutes.

Slather with butter and enjoy.

Chalkboard Cupboard

 

I bought myself chalkboard paint awhile back and started dreaming up things I can paint with it. I seem to have a re-occurring problem that when I run out of something I think I will magically remember I need it when it comes to grocery list making time, this does not usually work out great. This led to project #1: a chalkboard inside one of my cupboards so I can write things down right away when I run out.

I taped off the edges and painted away!

I had seen this idea on pinterest that you can put an elastic around you paint can and use it to wipe off instead of the side of the can and therefore keep the sides cleaner. I gave it a try and it works great! 

 All my bamboo needed a new home so while I had the paint out I painted this terracotta pot and will transplant my bamboo to it.

 I have way too many other plans for my chalkboard paint but am pretty happy with these two, I use my cupboard list all the time and have my pot on my desk with one of my favourite sayings on it for while I am working, 'Workflow not work-slow.' I bought a chalkboard marker (don't ask me how it works) and it writes great without all the dusty mess. Win-win.

Photoshoot Gone Wrong

Sometimes photoshoots with my girls work out great and sometimes, not so much. I've learnt to never have my heart set on anything inparticular but to just have fun with them and roll with it.

What is going on? - If I can't see you, you can't see me - So bright!

Unamused - Unamused - Trying to be amused but it is so bright

mmm, sucking my food - Look a tree - Sttiiiiiilll Bright

Mmm, suck, suck, suck - Hi, I am the cutest thing ever -  I think I might be done

Sucking on my food still - Where is K going? - I am done

Still sucking my food - horray- hooray, I still don't like the sun

Here is a photoshoot that did go well :) 

Ever have trouble getting pictures of your kids?