YUM. For Reals.

I haven't tried this recipe yet (only because I'm a. not at home and b. don't have the ingredients yet) but after reading through the ingredients and seeing pictures- I can confidently say YUM! These cheese puffs look so darn good.

I found the recipe on a blog called The Pioneer Woman Cooks and she's got amazing pictures and walks you through the cooking steps.

I think I'm gonna make these for New Years Eve. I like that you can freeze them and then pop 'em in the oven too. (yeah, I'll be making a bag of these for unexpected guests- now, if I can only perfect this phrase without inflecting my voice to sound like I'm lying. "Why yes, we LOVE it when people stop by unexpectedly! In fact, in ten minutes my first batch of cheese puffs will be ready... do come in and stay a while...")

Eight Arms are better than Two

That's just a kewl looking scarf, huh?! Yeah, well it's mine. So THERE. :) So if you don't know, babyhoot consists of sisters Jessica & Christina (and our youngest sister Lacey is starting to sew too). Every year for Christmas, our siblings and the spouses draw names for Christmas. Christina has this thing for owls, and I (Jess) like octopi. (yup, that's plural for octopus) And Lacey- well, her 19 yr old self loves anything to do with Paris, Team Jacob, and feathery jewelry.

Anyways, I found this cool shop on Etsy called Zen Threads, and they had screen printed scarves in three designs: an owl, an octopus, and the Eiffel Tower. It was so meant to be.

I bought CK the owl scarf for Christmas, and a week before Christmas my package arrives- but it's not the scarf; it's a T-shirt. It was cool, but not what I ordered. Zen Threads was awesome, they sent the right item right away (I got it three days later!) and even let me keep the tee. I love it when I find professional, awesome shops on Etsy. And when I find something I LOVE, I gotta share it with our blog followers.

Speaking of things we LOVE, Christina says she loves the scarf's material- so I bought the octopus scarf for myself yesterday. And maybe Lacey will get the Eiffel Tower scarf for her birthday. :)

Gift Idea!

this is a cute necklace for the little girl in your life. perhaps I love it too, because for the first time in my life; I'm dieting and goldfish crackers are off limits. Only $12 from Pumpkin Pye Boutique on Etsy.

from the mouth of babes

the other day 5 yr old Sweetpea tells the family at dinner time; "today at recess I told a group of kids that I could take them out in less than a minute." My husband and I gasped, so she continued. "But I didn't really DO IT, I just TOLD them that I could. So it's okay, right mom?"

Holiday Decorating... even a Kindergartener can do!

from Real Simple:

Feast for the Eyes

Gather a bunch of doilies in white and silver and tape them together (or secure with a dab of glue) to form a one-of-a-kind table runner. For an inexpensive wintry centerpiece, fill glass vases and large compotes of different heights with pinecones. Spray-paint them gold and silver for extra sparkle, or leave them as nature intended.

I want these!

I love coasters, and every one from Funky Chicken Designs are cool. Now I just need to get a coffee table to have a use for coasters.

Recipes for Back to School

"Chew On Your Pencil Sandwiches"

This is our first full week of school, and already the kids are getting tired of boring lunches. So I turned to my trusty Family Fun Magazine website and found an entire page dedicated to fabulous brown bag lunch ideas for the kids. Although, I might just need to pack a lunch and include some tasty Cheese Straws and a Sailboat Sandwich for myself!