Okay,
I admit.
I am addicted to Instagram.
It has been SO FUN
and SO EASY
to document our daily happenings.

I am in LOVE with my new phone.

YAY ME!

March 1- March 13

I absolutely love
scouring the internet finding
birthday ideas! I knew WE
HAD to do a baking party when I
came upon this website....
http://www.busybeelifestyle.com/birth...-birthday/

I allowed Jenna to invite 12 kids.
All but one little girl came to her party
It was so much fun!
(and A LOT of work!)
I was SO GRATEFUL my mom
and dad were there to help
me help all 12 of those little kids.
They were able to do quite a bit
but assembling the pies
was a bit harder for them than I
anticipated!

Also, my mom is the one
that embroidered all the kids
names on the aprons...
A HUGE hit with all the kids!!!

Here is the party in detail.

on SALE all weekend LONG!
woot!



http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/prod...uctid=5068

and just check out all
these amazing pages by our creative teams!

so FUN!

Something NEW!
Something FUN!

The possibilities are ENDLESS
with these fun paper packs!

I had this idea in my head for awhile.
And I'm SO PLEASED with the way they've turned out!



http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/prod...uctid=5023

just look at these fun layouts!

by Ana



by Jamie



by Keela



have fun scrappin! -J

Beignets
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 c. whole milk
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. table salt
3 1/2-4 c. all-purpose flour
1 scant tablespoon dry active yeast
1/2 c. warm (about 105 degrees) water
1 egg
Peanut oil for frying

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, 1/4 c. sugar, vegetable oil, and salt. Heat over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat.

While the milk is heating, combine the yeast and 1 Tbsp. of sugar with 1/2 c. water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until it’s very bubbly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the heated milk and 2 c. flour. Mix, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and mix until well-combined. Add the yeast mixture. Add enough flour to make a soft dough that slightly sticks to your finger.

At this point, you can either place the dough in a bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and cover with a piece of sprayed plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough up to 1 day or you can roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Either way, when you roll it out, roll it into a large rectangle about 1/4″ thick. Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into about 3″x4″ rectangles. Slightly separate the dough pieces and cover with a clean cloth. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.

When the dough has about 15 minutes left to go, heat 2-3 inches of peanut oil in a large skillet or saucepan to 325 degrees (just use a candy thermometer). When the oil is heated, fry the dough pieces for about 90 seconds-2 minutes per side or until they are golden. Carefully remove from the oil and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Place some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and sprinkle the powdered sugar generously over the beignets. Serve immediately. Makes about 24-30 beignets.

I keep thinking one of these
days I'll actually make rice
pudding for my husband
instead of just looking
all around for easy recipes.
This one really does sound easy.
Although I always burn rice.
And really? Just 1/2 cup of rice
to FIVE cups of milk?

Seriously?

5 cups milk
1/2 cup white rice
Put in heavy pot on medium-low (just to come to an easy boil).
After 30 - 40 minutes add in
some raisins
1/8 tsp cardamon
1/8 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cook just until it all mixes in.
It will be really runny when you pull it off but as it cools it will thicken up.

oh and I'll leave at the raisins.
ick.

this months byoc is AMAZING!
and was SO FUN to create!!!

here are my 3 products.



http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/prod...amp;page=1



http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/prod...amp;page=1



http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/prod...amp;page=1

and a close up of the doodled papers.



and just CHECK OUT these amazing pages
by my Creative Team members....
i mean....... COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!

some seriously adorable stuff!!!!

last for february.

i <3 instagram.

Along with P52.
I've decided to take a family photo
EACH month, all year long.

Here is February's Photo.



Month Two - February

We had a super rocky start to our month this month. The first of February it snowed (a tiny bit) school was canceled and pretty much the city shut down for 4 days as we ran out of natural gas. Other than that first wonky week, it's been a pretty crazy month. I started worrying this week, wondering when I'd get in our family picture. Wednesday, being early day, Jenna and I read stories and then she decided she wanted to draw a picture of our family. When she was finished I knew this would be our 6 people, 12 times image for this month. It's perfect. From left to right you have Dad, Mom, Jenna, Lars, Jens and then Lindsey. I love that she drew us all holding hands. I also love the bows in the girls hair, the skull on Lars' shirt, Dads bald head and Jens spikey hair. She knows us all so well! LOL