This morning we received the first pictures of the soft and magical daydream line... What an amazing feeling to see our drawings come to life- down to the last detail. The Grace Bubble is enchanting. It's soft grey body balances the feminine ruffles and lace, creating a perfectly sweet confection for your little girl. Here's a sneak peek. More to come soon! P.S. There will be a "big sister" dress and "big brother" outfit to match!

Did I mention that Shannon is a great baker? She's the best... So, I'm more than pleased to say she actually got the recipe for these Salted Oatmeal Cookies from me... Of course I didn't actually come up with the recipe, but I was the first to discover them here- and they are pretty darn awesome (I won the neighborhood cookie contest with these babies). 

But then Shannon can't let me bask in the glory of my delicious find, can she? No, she has to take something good to the next level. And she certainly succeeded with these! Salted Oatmeal Cookies with homemade marshmallow fluff filling (thank you, Catherine, for sharing that awesome recipe!). Really? Yes, really!

Good luck with not eating all of these in one sitting.

Salted Oatmeal Cookies

slightly adapted from this.

Supplies

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

14 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

1 tsp vanilla

Sea salt

1/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions

Marshmallow Frosting / Filling

Directions

Enjoy!

Isn't it in our job description to make childhood magical for our babies? Think about your own past- good, bad or just plain average, there must be a few key moments that stand out, softened by a cloud of nostalgia- hazy and happy. My fondest childhood memories live just below the surface, bubbling up every time my own children experience something new or exciting. I vaguely remember a day of fishing with my whole family: the uncomfortable heat and the effort expended to catch one fish- just one- and how proud I was to catch it. I remember Disney World- but not the thrilling rides you might expect. It's the bus ride from our wilderness cabin to the theme park that comes to mind- and how my family (parents included!) initiated a scene straight from Glee, encouraging the other passengers to sing a spirited chorus of "zippity doo dah, zippity aye, my oh my what a wonderful day"... I vividly recall a tornado warning, crammed with my siblings into a tiny hall bathroom- snuggled under blankets- hearts racing with fear and excitement... Then there were the lazy afternoons at my great aunt's house, making pralines from scratch and producing plays for neighborhood parents... Little moments helped define my childhood as a happy one. It doesn't take much, you see, to create a wonderful memory. Mostly, it's about being together, being silly, creating something or doing something different. No matter how many times each day we may fail as a parent, we can all do this. Your children won't remember every time you lose your cool or forget to pack their lunch. They'll remember a feeling. They'll have a flash of fondness. They'll treat others the way you most often treat them... and hopefully, a few magical moments will implant in their hearts and override everything else. On that note, I stumbled upon this article today and thought you might enjoy it. Now go out and make some sweet memories. XOXO, Sarah

 

I love the outdoors- the smell of a campfire, roasted marshmallows, breeze in my face... Until the mosquitos. And the sticky heat. And stinging caterpillars. This weekend, I got the best of both worlds. I spent two days watching my little ones fish with their cousins (and even bait their own hooks with real crickets- who are these kids?!?), and then I got to sleep in my warm, clean bed. The boys camped out in real tents with their dad and the girls had a slumber party at home (after eating s'mores, of course). It was the perfect plan! For now, I can use my youngest as an excuse not to sleep in the wild (she's just a baby... the heat... the bugs...). And who knows, as she gets older, I may even learn to enjoy it.

 

There's no place like home...

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

XOXO, Sarah

Shannon is an amazing baker. Really. At every family function she is the go-to-girl for dessert. So when she said these carrot cupcakes were scrumptious, I didn't doubt it for a second (well maybe a second- there are actual carrots in there, afterall). Turns out, she was right. To die for. Amazing. DELISH... Try these for a birthday or even better- for Easter! The Bunny will be thrilled with this new take on his old fave. Carrot Cupcakes 2 eggs 1 cup sugar (I split in 1/2--1/2 brown, 1/2 white) 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup fresh, finely grated carrots OR 1 can of carrots puréed (she has done it both ways and claims both are good... Fresh is best but if in a rush, canned is perfectly acceptable) 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the wet ingredients and sugars. When incorporated, add dry ingredients. Mix (with stand or hand mixer) until combined. Pour into lined cupcake trays and bake for 20 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean). While cupcakes are baking, make frosting. Cream Cheese Frosting 1 stick butter (softened) 1-8 oz bar cream cheese (softened) 16 oz powdered sugar 2 tsp vanilla Whip softened cream cheese with butter. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Allow cupcakes to cool, then ice and ENJOY!!! And here is the delicious little birthday boy, who turned one today and ate these amazing cupcakes for breakfast! I just love a birthday breakfast. XOXO, Sarah