Pinterest Recipes...

This past week I can proudly say that I have made quite a few meals and snacks that I have been pinning on Pinterest. It has been nice to get out of the same recipe rut and try some new things. Here are the few I have tried and liked and will stick around and be on "Our Menu" as my kiddos say.

First I made these "7up Biscuits" via Monster Mama, mine did not look like this BUT they tasted great and I have made them twice per the request from the hubby.They have only 4 ingredients and are fast and easy to make.

Recipe via Monster Mama

 These Oatmeal Banana muffins were delicious! Easy and healthy. The little princess of the house can't wait for me to make them again!

Recipe via C & E

I have really been wanting to make my own granola bars, I wanted a good snack for my kiddos AND have control over what I put into them, and let's face it, homemade food is less "processed" and "healthier". The kids loved these and it makes a great snack. Next time I will double the batch to make crumbled granola as well.

Recipe via Chocolate Covered Katie

 Another recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie, flourless Oatmeal cookies. The best part of these is that the recipe only makes less then a dozen (can be doubled to make more), but the 9-10 cookies is just perfect, then you won't overeat them. They are a fast and easy snack that I have made twice already!

Recipe via Chocolate Covered Katie

 Last nights dinner was this yummy Lemon Chicken Spaghetti (omit the chicken for me). If you love lemon this is the pasta for you. Easy, tasty and I will definitely be making this again!

Recipe via The Recipe Crayon Box

 This Chicken Marsala Pasta (less the chicken for me) was my FAVORITE this week!! LOVED it!

Recipe Via Baked Bree

Happy Cooking!
Until next time...
{Lynnae}

Birthday Tea Party for my S.I.X year old...

Once again my sweet little girl chose to have a tea party with four of her best girlfriends for her 6th birthday (tear, gulp, more tears...that she is s.i.x). We had it at Queen's Bakery and it was nothing but girly and she chose to sit on the big pink couch (not surprising). The best part of the time was that us mommy's were able to enjoy tea time too at a different table. Watching these little "ladies" sip there tea was so precious, the giggles and laughter were priceless. My little T was in her element, tea cups, cupcakes, pink and all!

Patiently waiting for her party guests

Girls being girls

Sipping away

The birthday girl and her beautiful girlfriends!

Here's to being SIX...

Until Next time...
{Lynnae)

I'm back...

Well hello there blog-land, I have missed you! I took some time off  blogging to enjoy the rest of December and the holidays with my family, then it was my sweet little girls 6th birthday, then MY birthday two weeks later and finally life is starting to get back to "normal"... whatever that may be! I have so much to blog about and so much to catch up on...
I can write an entire post of how our holidays were but since I already blogged about it over on my family blog, if you really want to see what our December looked like you can go here and catch up on the "W" families December. Stay tuned, and I hope everyone is getting back to a slower pace in life and looking forward to Valentine's Day!

Until next time...
{Lynnae}

Christmas time...

Really, only 12 days until Christmas?!? We have been busy around here celebrating the fun season that I just wish it would slow down so I could soak it all in. The kiddies are having so much fun watching every Christmas movie, writing letters and visiting Santa, making cookies, decorating the tree, hot cocoa nights and most of all they are excited that Chippy our Elf is here!

Chippy arrived on December 1st with a letter from Santa reminding them of the true meaning of Christmas and to take really good care of Chippy while he is here for the month! They were beyond excited. They talk to Chippy everyday, write him letters, draw picture of and for him, and they just sometimes just simply stare at him. My heart melted with pure joy the day they saw he was back. Ethan's excitement and squealing that came from his mouth was priceless, just wish I would have recorded it all. But every morning I get to re-live it again as they are both excited each morning when they see Chippy has come back in a different location.

We visited Santa a few weeks ago and visited the Christmas Tree at Fashion Island (our yearly tradition). Ethan asked Santa for a Fire Station house and Taelor wants a Barbie house...guess we will just have to wait and see what Santa brings. We wrote out our letters to Santa and dropped them in the "Believe" red mailbox at the Macy's store.

Each night I try and have some kind of "activity" for them to do. Most nights have been Christmas movies, but we have also made cookies, had a hot cocoa and popcorn night and craft nights. Here are a few other things we have on our list to do in the next 2 weeks:

• Santa Train Ride @ Irvine Park - we have never done this and we are so excited to go
• Ornaments- I am going to attempt to make salt dough ornaments, I will post up after I do them :)
• Gingerbread House decorating- we are going to a friend's house and having a decorating party
• Christmas lights- one night we will drive around to see all the Christmas lights around town
• Boat Parade- LOVE this! 
• Balboa Houses- love walking down in Balboa and looking at all the decorated houses
• Rogers Gardens- I really want to go there and see how nicely decorated it looks
• Christmas parties...Love getting together with friends and family
• Shopping, shopping and more shopping...I actually love all the hustle and bustle of this time of year
• Ice skating...maybe...Taelor really wants to go!
• Toy Express Train- wish I could go to this, heard it was great! This weekend Amtrak will have a train that comes to Orange County all lit up with Mr and Mrs Clause, hot cocoa and caroling. The train collects toys and then heads to the next stop. You can check it out here.

So much fun stuff going on this month, but I am enjoying every minute of it, especially seeing Christmas through the eyes of children. In the midst of all of this I will be figuring out what to do for my New Year's Eve birthday girl! Oh the fun doesn't end...just looking forward to some vacation time after Christmas! 

Hope everyone is having a great Season, take time to enjoy the sights, sounds, lights and all the fun of Christmas time! 

Until next time...

{Lynnae}

Thanksgiving

Can you believe Thanksgiving is in 2 days?!? I LOVE Thanksgiving, I love spending time with my family, laughing, talking and eating. I love reflecting on the things I am thankful for, not just monetary "things" but real "gifts" in life...my kids, their laughter, being a mom, the sound of rain, snuggling on the couch with my hubby, friendships, family, and my list can go on. I have spent the last 6 months writing down in my "thankful" journal all these kind of "gifts" and after the week I had last week I can honestly say this year I am thankful to be HERE, living life, hugging my kids and hubby, laughing and smiling and just being ME. So what are you thankful for this year, what makes your heart smile? I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, eating, eating and eating some more, but most of all enjoy the time you are spending with your loved ones and giving thanks to the things you have and to always be grateful! 

Here are a few round up of some of my favorite Thanksgiving ideas:

 Utensil holder eighteen25

Cute Turkey pudding cups Happy Clippings

Pumpkin Cheesecake bars 

Thankful Printable from eighteen25





Happy Thanksgiving!

Until Next time...
{Lynnae}

Yachtical Baby Shower

Just thought I would share this fun "Yachtical" baby shower my girlfriends and I threw for our sweet mommy-to-be friend! It was a perfect theme for a little boy and we had so much fun planning all the little details of the shower. It was a perfect day watching the mommy-to-be enjoying time with the girls and showering her with presents. I can't wait to meet the little man and snuggle with him!

Until next time...
{Lynnae}

My little superheros

I just had to share my little superheros...Captain America and Wonder Woman (no, they are not shy in front of the camera!)

I know one day they will NOT like this picture, but for now I LOVE it!

I can be rest assured that I will be protected this Halloween! 

Until next time...

{Lynnae}

Finally a taste of pumpkin

I have been waiting patiently to start baking some pumpkin treats until the weather cools down, and well I finally had my first taste of pumpkin! Last weekend the kids and I made the Trader Joe's Pumpkin bread, so easy and so yummy. ( I love that they have their bright yellow Tilly's t-shirts on :) After drooling over so many recipes on Pinterest I came across a recipe for Pumpkin croissants and I finally made them tonight. Let me tell you, it was pure pumpkin heaven and the best part is that I get to enjoy them for breakfast also. So this is my start to pumpkin everything for the next month until I am so over pumpkin and I will move onto peppermint and hot cocoa for Christmas!

Mini Pumpkin Croissants

2 Pillsbury Crescent rolls
1 cup Pumpkin (NOT pie filling)
1/2 block of cream cheese (4 oz)
4 T sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice

Beat together the pumpkin, cream cheese, sugar and spice until soft and fluffy
Roll out the crescent rolls and cut them into small small triangles
Spread the mixture on the dough - I used a pretty good amount for each one
Roll up the dough into a croissant (yes it will be messy)

In a separate bowl, combine 4 T sugar and 1 T pumpkin pie spice (or as much to your liking)
Once the croissants are rolled up, roll them in the sugar mixture and place on baking sheet
Bake on 375 degrees for 13-16 minutes

Heaven!

Until next time...
{Lynnae}

Goathill Junction FREE train rides

If you live in south Orange County and you are looking for something fun and FREE to do with your little ones, you can head on down to Goathill Junction at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa and ride the cutest little trains. My kids LOVED it, especially my little guy! Every 3rd weekend of the month they have FREE train rides from 10-3:30 (I suggest you get there early, as you will have to wait in line) and it's about a 15 min train ride (so it is worth the wait). This month will be October 20-21st. I believe your child has to be able to stand on their own in order to ride. We did this a few months ago and my kiddos enjoyed every second. The trains are tiny and so adorable! Loved this little outing with my family!

Until next time...
{Lynnae}

Kids FREE in San Diego Month

Join the "kidvasion" in San Diego where your kids can get in FREE to almost all places in San Diego this month including Sea World, SD Zoo, Safari Park and Legoland with each paid adult. There are over 25 museums that they get to go to as well. This is such a great deal! We are heading down to SD to do some fun stuff in a few weeks!

Some of my favorites are a free Amtrak train ride, Sea World (tickets are so expensive, so paying for only 2 adults is worth the savings), San Diego Zoo and Safari Park (even though we normally buy yearly passes here, this is still a great deal), another place I would like to take my kiddos is the USS Midway, they would love it! Also hotels and restaurants are having great deals for kids as well. For a complete list of all the fun you can have in San Diego with your kiddos, go here.

Until next time...
{Lynnae}