Star Dust, I must

 

Stardust Donuts.  The girls and I managed to stop at this semi-famous donut shop in Imperial Beach today.  Because when you see the open sign in the window, you must stop.  The little man who runs the place opens and closes it at his pleasure.  But lucky for us, this morning we found it open.  Freshly made cinnamon rolls are their specialty...much more of a donut than a typical cinnamon roll.  Greasy, melt in your mouth goodness.   Til next time Stardust (whenever that may be).

little feet

 

I don't want these size sixers to ever get bigger.  I looooooove these stage of the game with Leighton.  Now, ask me how much I love it when we are in the full throngs of potty training next week (or maybe the next) and my answer may be a bit different.  But if I could freeze her in time and have her forever be 25 months, I think I would.  

She is a major copy cat...words (even naughy-potty ones), actions, mannerisms... and her favorite person to emulate...big sister Ellie. 

She adores playing babies (especially with Daddy) and must give each baby the essentials...baba, passie, blanket, rattle.  You're just not a baby if you don't have those four things.

She poops on the potty for jelly bellies.  She'll do her duty for just one of those little guys (which obviously seem a lot bigger to her than they do to me).  

She screeches with delight when Save the Baby Gecko comes on Wonderpets.

Has an incredible vocabulary and will repeat anything with perfect annunciation...including prophylaxis 

She's quite a puzzle worker and has far surpassed my puzzling abilities.

She loves dancing to music but has firm opinions on which songs she does and doesn't like.

She likes to read to herself and finishes every story with, "The end.  Did you like that story?" 

after naps

after nap routine...

mommy cuddles

rosy nap cheeks

wild nap curls

milk please

Wonderpets on

my girls

Could they be more gorgeous?  

FYI the online photo editing site Picnik is shutting down on April 19 but is offering premium editing for free until then.  So use it while you can!

This week....

This week...I took the plunge and started tackling the alphabet with Ellie (and Leighton too I guess).  I realize each day how different my girls are and how I need to respond to their unique needs in different ways.  Brooklyn teaches herself.  Ellie needs someone to teach her (in very short segments!).  We had great success and (remarkably) she is looking forward to next week and letter B.

This week... Leighton got her 2 year old shots.  Probably the only 2 year old in history to tell the nurse,  "Ouch that is hurting me," when she gave her the injection.

This week... we ventured to the mall for a new watch battery (aka: excuse to get froyo and peruse H & M and  forever 21.) 

 

This week... this continued to grow on the pinterest charts to number 7005 (repins that is).  Yowza!

This week... we got a care package form Tennessee that included this Hello Kitty wonder.  Love it.  And love the grandma who made it too!

This week... I added to my girly books collection.  Little House on the Prairie- love the blue binding.  I think we'll get to that one this summer. 

This week...our marble in the jar incentive continued.  I finally found something that will get Brooklyn to play the piano.   That girl thrives on positive reinforcement.  And the funny thing is, I never mentioned what she'd get when she fills the jar.  Just filling it is enough for her I guess.

he loves me

this week he...

drove for hours and hours in so cal traffic to take me to see two friends and their adorable babes, and got me my all time fave vanilla latte to enjoy on the ride

let me indulge in these...and saved the last nutty one for me

spend endless frustrating hours wiring and putting this chandy in the girls room

he sure knows how to love me

framed

I couldn't resist these paintings on my latest AmVets run.  I love how they add color and life to the  frame collection in my bedroom.  Brett teases me that he feels like we are living in his grandma's house.  So I knew I'd get flack for these.  Because they obviously did come from someone's grandma's house.  Instead I told him I painted them myself that afternoon.  Because he is much more supportive of my artistic inclinations than my thrifting ones. 

Banamana

Who doesn't' have 3 overripe bananas laying around in their kitchen?  You will rarely find mine without them. This week as I considered chucking them and calling it a day, (okay, they actually were in the trash but just for a few minutes) pinterest came through again with this amazing recipe for chocolate chip peanut butter banana bread. Could there be a more perfecta trifecta?  I think not.  So dig your bananas out of the trash and make a loaf.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
slightly adapted from Food.com

3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used 1 1/4 c white wheat four instead of unbleached and pastry)
6 tablespoons white sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed or whizzed in food-processor
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips tossed in 1 tablespoon flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray; add a strip of parchment paper to bottom of pan for easy removal.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. In another bowl or bowl of mixer, mix bananas, peanut butter, yogurt, egg, vanilla, and oil. Fold in flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain, then gently fold in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into loaf pan. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with few moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; carefully remove from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

blowin' up

Source: inmyblessednest.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

I had to change my Pinterest email notifications today.  Why, you ask?  Well, when you have it set to notify you when someone likes or repins your pin, and you are pinned 1826 times and liked 594 times, it creates a bit of an email backup.   That many people like this?  Something I made?  Wow!  It is seriously blowing me away.  And it is a perfect example of exponential growth.  10 pins one day, 50 the next, then 100...and over 500 just today!  I'm actually wondering when it will stop.  And also how I can capitalize on this new found popularity... ideas?

choco-late

When the neighbor drops these off on December 15th you are stoked.  But when he drops them off on January 8, you know each piece you consume is laced with guilt.  Its okay to indulge before Christmas.  Even for the week after.  But come January 1, everyone knows, its cut back mode.  Seriously, do you know anyone who could eat these guilt free right now?   My guilt comes form knowing he 4+ pieces I've downed this afternoon/evening are going to mean more exercise on top of the needed exercise that I am yet to do. So will someone please come and steal these while I sleep tonight so they don't become my breakfast tomorrow?  Either that, or give me an injection of self control and discipline (also in my sleep as I don't handle shots well).  Thanks.

spinderella

 Th girls got an awesome spin art kit for Christmas... 

I couldn't help but be reminded of the day when spin art was wearable...and actually desirable.  Is it ringing a bell for anyone else besides my jr. high besties?  You know the place where you go, pick out a poly blend crew neck sweatshirt and a slew of neon puffy paints, and then spin the heck out of that guy until you have a beauty like this. Oh the 90's, what a decade.