Wine Bottle Sugar Cookies

I am loving this holiday season!

I love all the "holiday things", like playing in the snow, looking at Christmas lights, watching Christmas specials, and wrapping gifts!

I thought Emmalee would like decorating cookies so I figured I'd attempt making them this year so we could!

I scoured Pinterest and every recipe called for almond extract or other people had commented about how they "tweaked" them and I just wasn't comfortable with that. So like any normal human, I posted on Facebook that I needed help finding the most perfect fool proof recipe and a friend posted her recipe that she stole from a magazine years ago.  It's no where online and it was the easiest, most ridiculously delicious sugar cookie recipe ever so I need to immortalize it for all of you!

Oh, and they didn't have a name. So I have named them Wine Bottle Sugar Cookies. 

Why, you ask?

Because I apparently don't own a rolling pin (which is probably why I haven't attempted making sugar cookies since I moved out of my mom's) and a wine bottle worked just perfectly in its place! ;)

You need:

2 softened sticks of butter

1 8 ox softened block of cream cheese

2 cups sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter and cream cheese with sugar.

Add egg, beat until creamy.

Add dry ingredients. Combine.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. ( I let mine sit overnight).

Use LOTS of flour on the counter and roll out cookies, cutting desired shapes!

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

These are basically fool proof and took less than an hour to cut out over 4 dozen!

You can use whatever icing you'd like! I thought about royal, but flood icing and a two year old just didn't mix so we went with store bought frosting that we colored, and I pulled out all our sprinkles!
here's a few images from my NEW instagram account!

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas! Words of Wisdom Style

Merry Christmas!

We're obviously spending the day wrapped up in the first Christmas that Emmalee "gets" but just a quick note to say Merry Christmas to all of you from all of us! 

and one of my favorite Christmas themed Words of Wisdom:

Have an amazing Christmas!!

Sprout Organics

Have you heard of Sprout Organics?

They are wonderfully organic snacks for babies, toddlers, and kids and my daughter LOVES the Tropical Fruit and Pumpkin Crispy Chews!

Diane over at Dollops of Diane just did a great giveaway with Sprout Organics and the Princess and I were one of the lucky winners!

We only received the box on the 13th and all but one package is already gone-- Emma just loves them so much!

Thanks Diane and thanks Sprout for food my kid loves to eat and that I love giving to her!

14 Weeks!

It seems crazy but this baby has already been cooking for 14 weeks!

Baby is now the size of a lemon!

And call me crazy but I'm pretty sure I felt some flutters!

Last weekend was extremely scary for us.

After a day full of vomiting, around 7 pm, I started bleeding.  First a few spots and then a trickle of blood and then full out non stop blood pooling in my slippers.

 Phone call after phone call to the doctor, we discussed the options and I chose to stay home for the night and go in first thing in the morning to do an ultrasound, check the baby, and see what was wrong.

If I was miscarrying, there was nothing we could do to stop it.

Saturday was an early check in to the doctors for an ultrasound, and there was our beautiful baby waving back at us. 

Baby was moving around, and most importantly, there was a heartbeat.

I was put on a modified bed rest, allowing me to go to work and class but to essentially be laying down otherwise. I am amazed at how much my husband took on for me; I really am just so in love with how well he takes care of me. 

The bleeding slowed but continued until Monday.

My follow up was on Wednesday and after checking in, doing the normal weigh in and checks, the doctor put the doppler to my belly. Nothing.

And more nothing. And more nothing. No noise, no sounds, no heartbeat.

So we rushed to the ultrasound room where once again, my small child was dancing around with a great heartbeat.

The doctor showed me a bit of scarring on the placenta where I apparently tore it from being so sick on Friday.

I am still on a modified bed rest, pelvic rest, and I need to be careful as the pregnancy continues, but my baby is currently happy and healthy. 

I am so excited to meet this baby in May, but if he/she is already giving me this many heart attacks, I am so screwed when he/she joins us! ;)

Dr. Scholl's Active Series Insoles Review

Disclaimer: I was offered this product for testing purposes from Influenster but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's no secret that I adore the wonderful little packages that arrive at my door from Influenster, and this one was no different!

In this package, I got a wonderful package of Dr. Scholl's Active Series Insoles!

I know what you're thinking... Heather... active? Seriously? I laughed at first too. And then I tried them on.

I am by no means a runner... or even a walker but as a large pregnant woman in my (just about?) second trimester, having supportive insoles are amazing!

I can put them in my no support flats and feel like a million bucks after being on my feet teaching all day, or can put them in my riding boots and there's no calf pain when I get home after a long day.  

The insoles say they specifically target the heel, arch, and ball of your foot but my legs just felt better in general!

I love when a product can be MORE than what it's advertised for!

The Best Banana Bread

I love banana bread, but it has to be perfect.  None of that yellow cake with the hint of banana flavor.

It needs to be perfect banana bread.

I found the most amazing recipe on Mr.Breakfast.com via Pinterest. 

I legit make this at least once a month (if not more) and usually double the batch so I can tuck some away, without worrying about the hubs eating it all first!

Easy Banana Bread

(6 servings)    Printable Version

1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 medium bananas

8 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream sugar and butter, mash the bananas and add to the mixture.

Beat and add the eggs. Slowly add the flour, salt, and baking soda. (If desired, fold in the walnuts at this point.) Pour into a loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes.




Cooking Notes:

This recipe makes one 9 1/2 X 5-inch loaf or three 6 X 3 1/2-inch mini loaves.

I never use walnuts in mine (no thanks), but sometimes I replace them with a handful of chocolate chips!

 Give it a try and let me know what you think!

An announcement & a story!

We're too excited to keep it a secret any longer!!

The princess will be a big sister this coming May!

We are so excited and blessed to be able to announce that we will have another little one joining us!

It's no secret that we always discussed having two children. 

And as Emmalee's second birthday came and went (sibling-less), it was no secret that we were going to start trying again.

I had my Mirena removed the first week of July.   I hadn't had a period since August of 2010 so I had no idea my cycle length but we used an app and guessed and tried like crazy for about a week and a half in July.

Based on our numbers, August 27th was the day to test.

So I did.

And it was negative. 

So I tried again on the 28th.

Again, negative.

And then I lost it.

I cried and cried and cried.

I didn't realize how badly I had wanted to be pregnant until I realized I wasn't.

August 27th was also the first week of back to school. I was exhausted, falling asleep at 7:30 every night. I was disappointed in the fact that we weren't pregnant, I was exhausted from teaching all day and I was a big bag of exhausted mush.

A few days later, I was shopping at the grocery store, and a friend sent a loaded comment via twitter about why I was looking for aspartame free yogurt. 

(have you read the article about formaldehyde poisoning from it? YIKES!)

So I started getting upset, after all, I had just gotten 2 negatives, but she pushed so I figured what the hell, one more time.

Got home, took the test and holy shit, two lines.

Insert ridiculously excited tears of joy and jumping up and down to tell hubs.

Fast forwards a few weeks,  and the doctor confirmed the baby's growth, heartbeat and due date.

The doctor put the due date 4 days after I had thought, which explains the negatives. I was simply testing too early!

But we currently have one healthy baby with a heartbeat of 160 (which means another girl if you believe the old wives tales) who will be joining us in May!

Feeling so ridiculously blessed!

Maybe we're sharing too early at 8 weeks, but today I am pregnant, and today I love my baby babies.

Back to Life

I have been so busy.

The school year started back up and I am running on fumes between lesson planning and getting settled into a new room.

My last grad class started, although I still have to do a "practicum equivalent" next semester.

The princess started daycare.

And we're still attempting to live a normal, social family life.

It's insane.

School has been underway for a few weeks now so I'm finally falling into a bit of a routine.

I will get better about scheduling some posts so you don't go a week without one (sorry).

And I have some great things to share in the next few months with some great giveaways!

I'm sorry to do it to you, but I WILL be around more again! ;)

CampusBookRentals.com

Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

School just started yesterday for my students, but my grad class starts again in one week!

If you know one thing about college, it's that books are expensive.

Thankfully, the wonderful people at CampusBookRentals.com can help with that problem.

Don't waste money buying books, rent them instead!

How does it work?:

Some perks are:

-save 40-90% off of bookstore prices

-free shipping both ways-you can highlight in the textbooks-they offer flexible renting periods-

-Campusbookrentals.com donates to Operation Smile with each textbook rented

Even cooler, right now they are having a Fall Sale and offering $10 off of $90 with the code FallSale90

Not in the market for books this semster? Do you have a pile laying around from last semester?

CampusBookRentals.com has a great new program called RentBack.

Rather than just making back a small amount during Buyback, you can rent it out each semester and make 2-4x more!

I priced out this semester's book at the campus bookstore:  $218
And on Amazon: $142
And on CampusBookRentals.com : $121

So what are you waiting for?

Get Ready for Fall with CT Handmade #Giveaway

Disclaimer: I was offered free product in exchange for this review and giveaway, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Today is my first day back at school with students sitting in my classroom!

I know it's still August but it definitely put me in the mood for apple picking, wearing my riding boots and putting on a bunch of layers.

When I saw CT Handmade's Chunky Cowl Neckwarmer, I knew I had to have it! It's perfect for that back to fall layering!

Gorg, right?

Everything Claire makes is hand made with a little bit of love so you know you're getting great quality every time!

She makes neckwarmers, cowls, tote bags, bracelets, infinity scarves...

and the most gorgeous zig zag crochet blanket I have ever seen.

The best part: She's giving away a $15 credit to her Etsy shop!

Giveaway runs until 9/6.
Winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and will be notified by me.
Prize distribution is done by the sponsor.
CT Handmade does offer international shipping.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting Organized for Back to School with Plum Paper

I am obsessed with planners.

Last year, I bought 3 because none were exactly what I wanted it to look like. 

I needed something that I could keep track of doctor's appointments, blog posts, family plans, and every planner was just not right.

I bought two, yep, not just one but two, Lilly Pulitzer planners last year. But they were too bulky for me.

Then I bought a skinny pink one at Target, but there wasn't enough room to write things in.

So basically I felt unorganized all year.

I love Erin Condren's Life Planners but I'm also cheap and $50 on a planner is a bit hard to stomach.

So I was thrilled when I found Plum Paper Designs on Etsy.

They are the Mac Daddy of all planners.

They have regular planners, teacher planners, student planners, wedding planners, meal planners, fitness planners, family planners, and all of them are totally customizable.

Did I mention they even do sorority planners and monograms?!

I was torn between the student and teacher planner but after seeing how small the Sat/Sun space is on the Teacher planner.. I'm getting a Student version!

I lesson plan a bit strange and need to do it linear, so I can use the top 4 lines for my classes lesson plans, and then use the bottom lines for family events, doctor's appointments and fitness classes, and blogging obligations. 

Looks like it will be perfect!

Now my trouble will be picking out a great cover! there are so many to choose from!

And here's the best part:

Plum Paper is offering a 10% discount for all of my readers!

Use BYTHESEA10 when checking out!

 I just know you're going to love this planner!

Assonet - Freetown State Park Splash Pad

Summer is quickly winding down but that doesn't mean there isn't more time to squeeze in some more summer activities before it's time to lay out clothes and pack lunches again.

A favorite place of ours is the Freetown State Forest Wading Pool & Splash Deck.

Located on Slab Bridge Road in Freetown, Ma, it's open until September 2nd!

The Wading Pool and Splash Deck are open from 10- 6 daily and, my favorite part, there are lifeguards staffed!

The deepest part of the wading pool is only one and half feet and the entire wading pool and splash deck area are fenced in!

There is some grassy areas around the water to relax in a beach chair and have a snack, or you can pack a full picnic lunch and enjoy your meal at one of the picnic tables located outside of the fence!

There are also rinse showers at both kid and parent height if you're like me and need to get the chemicals out of your hair immediately.

And why is she smiling so big?

Because it's a completely cost-free activity, which means you have no excuse not to go.

3 Years.

There's no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard

No song that I could sing but I can try for your heart

Our dreams and they are made out of real things

Like a shoe box of photographs with sepia-toned lovin'

Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart

"Why are we here?" and, "Where do we go?"

And, "How come we're so hard?"

It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving

I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together

Mmm, it's always better when we're together

Yeah, we'll look at them stars when we're together

Well, it's always better when we're together

Yeah, it's always better when we're together

A Trip to the Boston Children's Museum :: Photo Dump

I'm still working on our summer bucket list so when I had a Friday off, we headed towards the city to go to the Boston Children's Museum!

 How do you know you're in Boston?

Red Sox stuff all over the place. Everywhere. <3

I especially love the the Children's Museum has an "Under 3" room.  My kid can hold her own but when there's 13 kids from one field trip group playing with all 6 balls in one room and their camp counselors aren't doing anything to control them... well, that's when I'm happy there's a room those other kids aren't allowed in.

We don't watch Peep and the Big Wide World but we still had a blast in that section of the museum!

However, I grew up with Arthur and loved sharing Arthur's area of the museum with Emmalee!

Seriously kid, could you be any cuter?!

Between lunch in the cafe, and running up and down the 3 levels of play for 4 hours, by the time got to the car, the princess was exhausted.

At $14 a person (over the age of 1), it can get expensive with a larger family but we were able to use our local library's passes and get half price tickets! Even if we hadn't gotten the discount, the museum would be worth every penny!

We can't wait to go back!