My PB + J

he’s here!

Brayden James arrived via vbac this morning at midnight. His arrival was fifteen days prior to our scheduled c-section which came as a huge surprise when I started having contractions yesterday morning. He weighed in at 7 pounds 5 ounces and 19 inches long. As for his cleft, he only has a cleft lip the palate was not involved! More of our story to come…

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Yarn Wreath {DIY Project}

I don’t know about you but I am addicted to Pinterest, I only visit once a day now to see what’s going on but I always get the best ideas! I haven’t done any of the craft projects I have pinned just recipes that was until my friend, Janelle, sent me a text with the most gorgeous yarn wreath that I saw her pin a few weeks back. She assured me it was easy enough to do so I set out to my local Michael’s craft store and purchased the necessary items. I started while P was napping and finished a few hours later. The most time consuming part was wrapping the wreath in the yarn but so worth it in the end! The tutorial we both followed can be found here .

Because I tend to skip some directions I didn’t really follow it 100%. But here’s the breakdown of what I used:

One Skein Vanna’s Yarn in Rust – $2.50 (on sale)
One Straw Wreath – $2.99 
Two Sheets Cream Felt – .29 each
One Sheet Espresso Felt – .29
Two Sheets Burgundy Felt – .29 each
One Sheet Sage Felt – .29
Medium Brown Pom-Pom’s – .99
Ribbon – I had on hand. 
Total Cost: $7.65 + the materials I already had (hot glue, ribbon) 

I am moving the wreath to my back door but I need to purchase a door hanger. I think it came out pretty well for a first time project. I can see many more of these in my future. 
Have you made any projects you have found on Pinterest? If so, how did it go? 

mini pumpkin whoopie pies with browned butter buttercream {recipe}

Yesterday my little family ‘o mine headed to our friends, Janelle and Nelson’s house for a little game day fun. Janelle had all the food covered and despite her and Tessa telling me not to bake anything I still decided to whip up a new recipe for pumpkin whoopie pies. If you haven’t noticed by now, I don’t listen very well. I am so in love with these mini cake sandwiches and even more so that there were about a dozen left that I am going to freeze to see how they handle. I have been doing a lot of this lately, I guess I am just trying to prepare myself for a possible mayhem that might develop once having a second child and who knows I might want to make dinner and bake once we’re home. I do highly doubt this so this is why I am stocking my freezer up! These “cookies” are sweet but let me tell you they went fast! Even the toddlers went back for a second round! 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies: Recipe adapted from joy of baking

makes roughly 30 cookies 

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar (I used dark to give a more robust flavor)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 – 15 ounce can pumpkin puree


To make the whoopie pies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (I used my silpat to ensure no sticking would occur) 

In a bowl combine: flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt, baking powder and baking soda. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated, do not over mix!

Fill a 16 ounce pastry bag with mixture, cut a big enough hole to where the batter with come out with ease. On your lined baking sheet pipe a silver dollar sized amount of batter going upward. I went around three times which looked like mini bee hives. With the back of a spoon, dip into water and smooth out the tops of the cookie. This will ensure that you receive the flattened look. Make sure to not put a lot of water on the cookie because once they’re baked they will come out with soggy tops. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes just until the tops spring back. 


Remove cookies from baking sheet and place on a paper towel or a surface that the moist cookies will not stick to. 

Take your cooled cookies and frost every other cookie with buttercream to the edges. Place tops on gently. 
Enjoy! 
For the Browned Butter Buttercream: (my recipe) 
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 sticks of butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk 

In a small saucepan take the 1/2 stick of butter and melt over medium to low heat until it becomes frothy and brown. You will need to watch this carefully after the five minute mark to ensure the butter doesn’t burn. You want to see the residual at the bottom of the pan with small brown flakes that are a deep brown in color. Remove from heat and cool. I began this step prior to beginning the cookie process.  

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment cream the two sticks of butter until fluffy. Slowly incorporate the browned butter and vanilla mixing until well combined. Next, slowly add in the powdered sugar in one cup increments. Once all the sugar is combined whip the frosting on medium speed for about five minutes. The color will go from a yellow/brown to white with brown specks. Slowly add in the milk and beat again for another minute or so. 

Fill a 16 ounce pastry bag and cut a small hole from the bottom. Pipe the cookies from the outside in, make sure not to go completely to the edge otherwise the frosting will ooze out from the cookie. 


lists.

It’s about that time in this pregnancy when I whip out my handy dandy notepad, my fav felt tipped pen and start jotting down my hospital checklists. Now, this may be common sense especially since I do have a toddler but honestly, I got out of that hospital so damn fast that I don’t remember using anything except for the boppy pillow and my cell phone (I got out after two days for my c-section to see my Grandma). I have revisited what parenting websites say to bring but I don’t even know where to begin. If you remember in one of my posts about ‘lil B we’re looking at staying at the hospital for nearly a week, one for the repeat c-section and two to make sure he is feeding well enough. I know my house isn’t far from the hospital but being my last time I want to make sure I have everything, not that I need my life but I don’t want to be bored or uncomfortable.

So, my dear lovelies what are two items that you brought to the hospital that you had to have, or wish you had?

Here is what parenting.com suggests:

Lip balm
Robe
Slippers
Nightgown/pajamas (button-up ones if you plan to nurse)
Nursing bra, breast pads
Nursing pillow
Underwear (you can also wear the disposable hospital ones)
A pair of socks
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Soap
Body lotion
Deodorant
Shampoo, conditioner
Hairbrush
Makeup
Glasses, saline solution
iPod or CD player with favorite music
A little money or change for the vending machine
Post-delivery snacks (dried fruit, granola bars, crackers)
Digital camera and/or video camera
Cell phone, phone numbers
Going-home clothes for you
Going-home outfit for baby
Bring later
Favorite pillow
Extra sanitary pads—though the hospital will have lots for you to use
Books or magazines
Pregnancy journal and pen
Notepaper/thank-you cards, address book