Valentine Printable

I had planned on continuing my once-a-month Scripture printables this year, but just did not get around to doing January's.  So while I figure out what I'm doing there, enjoy this FREE valentine!

I used this for both of my kids last year and honestly will likely use it again this year since they're at a different school and I don't feel like figuring out something else.  Lol.

Bubbles are always a big hit for preschoolers! I got these containers at Hobby Lobby last year, but they're also available on Amazon.

Last year, I was in a rush printing and assembling them the day of their school party and couldn't find baker's twine to save my life, so I went with yarn.  Cute, but how much cuter would baker's twine be? I have some to use this year.  Yay!

If you'd like to download this FREE valentine for your own use, click here!

Oh, hey there

I really have been meaning to post.

Since school started, though, I've just felt really scarce, like there wasn't enough of me to go around.  The kids' school is twenty minutes away and it takes about ten minutes for pick up and drop off, which means almost two hours every day are spent getting them there and home.  Then I have groceries, or Costco, or laundry, or playdate, or something.  Seriously... I've been meaning to take my car in for service for months, and there just never seems to be time!  (Nothing urgent, obviously.)

So blogging has slipped.

I can't believe I still haven't written Hallie's birthday post!  It's sitting -- all five words I have so far -- in my drafts along with ONE paragraph of the fifth part of Our Love Story!  Oooooops.

So.  Both of those are coming soooon.  (I realize I've been saying that since November, but I really am going to try to carve out some time this month or next to actually write!)

For now, enjoy these pictures of the cute little pup we adopted a few weeks ago.  (I know.  I do feel insane for adding a puppy into this already crazy mix.)

His name is Ranger, and he's a cutie.

The kids just love him, especially the boys.  

Their favorite game is chase, though we're still teaching Ranger that it's not acceptable to try to rip clothes off of people. ;)

Winter Berry Muffins

Today I'm sharing one of my absolute favorite wintery breakfast-snack-dessert-things.
(Seriously, you can eat it for whatever!)

The recipe is my grandmother's, and calls for St. John's partridgeberries (or lingonberries), but if you aren't lucky enough to live in Canada, you can use cranberries!  Fresh or frozen work equally well.  I like to buy the cranberries in bulk around this time of year and then freeze them for future use. 

Start by creaming the butter and sugar.  

Add egg, vanilla, milk, baking powder, and salt to your buttery-sugary blend.

Then, mix in the flour.

My mom always did two parts white flour and one part whole wheat,

but you can use all white (or all wheat) if you like.

Pour in the berries and fold until incorporated.

Mmm!

And the finished product!

I am not ashamed to say that I could eat a whole batch of these babies in a few days.  Hey, cranberries are good for you, right? ;)

For some reasons my muffins didn't rise well this time, but it could be because I used almond milk instead of regular milk.  Oh well.  They still tasted amazing. :)

Cranberry Muffins Recipe

1/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups white flour

3/4 cup wheat flour

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar.

2. Mix in egg vanilla, milk, baking powder, and salt.

3. Stir in flour until blended.

4. Fold in berries until incorporated.

5. Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Tip:  reserve some berries to add in once you start getting to the bottom of the bowl.  If you don't, you might end up with some berry-less muffins!