Play dough' Play date

They say that a child's birthday is usually more for the parents then their kid. You might not want to admit this but when the child doesn't understand the concept of his/or her birthday....it for you. So, with Draker's turning two I decided to have a play dough' play date. My idea was to have a time when we would welcome children to play with eachother and sip on tea as we watched them, basically I wanted to divide the party in two directions and get the best out of both worlds.

Snacks for them.

Snacks for us.

Fun for them.

Fun for us.

All in all, they had a good time. They opened up every package on their plate and threw it around, then smooshed it. They colored on the the table and a few preferred the crayons over fish crackers. Of course they had a blast with play dough and did their job well, as to adding more to the pile that they had already created. It is true that there is no better fun, then a messy fun and a few kids together can show you that.

Young, hope.

Rough Draft

On my part, I have worked endless hours in painting the room. I have re painted, re touched and almost re...greted on starting the project. But then came today, my sons birthday. The room was in a stage that I would call a "rough draft" because it was still miles away from being finished. Furniture was still a big missing part as well as many other minor details.

To-do List:
(simple to hardest)

1. Paper planes
2. Hooks on wall
3. Hanging Art
4. Monkey Bars
5. FURNITURE!

I wish I could promise you better results sooner and it is very hard for me to leave a project unfinished so I have gone to concur a different room. Does anyone out there live with a princess?
I do.

Further, hope.

The Progress

Draker's loves his new bed.

And I love the Charcoal Grey.

In the progress, I find my new inspiration.

This fresh coat of paint has me excited.

Re doing, Hope.

A New Day

I took a day to think. I organized the toys, saw more home-improvement projects and made mental notes in my head. Pacing back and forth between the rooms I walked into the room several times to remind myself that I indeed started a project.

Knowing that I can't rush ideas out of me, I turned my focus on the opposite wall. At first it was going to be green. I wasn't crazy enough about the color to be slapping more of it on the walls so instead I took out my color chart and looked for a new inspiration.

There is was "Charcoal Grey". I called the order in and picked it up. I was hoping this would set the mood in the room enough to change my mind about my stenciled wall.

Here are some helpful tips I found for picking paint.

1. Find something you love and look at the colors, right away you will know what your drawn to.
2. Don't skimp out on the name brand paint.
3. If you are going for light room, pick a shade lighter on the sample.
4. Compare the swatches that come before and after, to see what hidden hue it contains because it will tend to come out more when painted.
5. Even with tips, rooms can still disappoint. But sometimes it takes that to know what you want.

Painting, hope.

Getting Started

As in many of the design make-over shows, in between commercial breaks there is the first step to any project. It seems so simple on T.V. but the actuality of clearing a room for me is a whole day of work. There is the moving of previous furniture and the decisions that come with it. I chose to try to sell the bigger things but this also lead me to take photos for the ads. After that was out of the way, I began searching my garage for the bin of painting supplies that I vaguely remembered. It was found neatly stacked on one of the shelves, which brought up the point that we are some what organized but labels would have helped. I carried the bin upstairs, along with the ladder and buckets of just purchased paint. I was so close to painting.


The next step is the prep-work. All that masking made me question weather or not I wanted to do this, as well as remind me why I don't do this very often. I am sure that to many of you this is not as big of an ordeal, but for me, the one that was blessed to be short....it is. Everything was going as planned and I painted my little heart out. It felt light, fresh and clean.


Disaster strikes, count on it. It turned out that my original idea was just not coming out so well on the wall. Being some what optimistic, I laid out a new plan in my mind. The results turned out better and it being late into the night I was relieved, just not satisfied.

Resting, hope.

Design a Room

It is now a full week into January. This is of some resemblance because my youngest son is turning two. For his second birthday we are taking him out of the nursery and instead he will be sharing a room with his older brother. For this month I want to take you into my journey for "Designing a room".

The Vision: I will be transforming a Bonus Room into a shared space for my two boys. Their are no closets, so storage will be very important. I am thinking a wall unit. It will also be the room where, when others come over they will play so it will need to be kid friendly. I am envisioning a play space that includes a television. Lastly, I have no budget so I will have to use things from around my home and abuse "Genius's" handy-man skills.

The First Step: I drew the room out.

Drawing gets your mind working without actually doing any work. Just by scaling the room on paper created the idea for painting "letters" on the wall. I will use the letters in their names to create a vocal point for the room.

Picking the color, is the hardest for me. It is as if there is no going back on the project. The advice I give myself, is to know my home well enough to know the junk that I store. This way I know what will work, what can match and what can be painted over.

I have 2 sheet sets. One in blue and one in gray. I have an airplane comforter, a corduroy gray comforter and a navy quilt. I have one wooden bed, one bed frame, 4 shelves and three mattresses. And the best thing I found was the green line in one of the sheets. Green. I was liking the sound of it and hoping to like the sight of it.

Time will tell, hope.

Christmas cookies

Family and friends is a large part of Christmas for many of us. We share times of laughter, we share food and we share love between one another. One past time that most of us remember and see in movies often are the memories of baking cookies. I have also taken up this tradition a few years ago and in this season of giving I would like to share a recipe for Coconut Macaroons. This year they were by far my favorite in the cluster of cookies that I assembled.

Coconut Macaroons:

Recipe courtesy Glenn and Lisa Marie Van Dyck, changes made by Nadia Chernichenko

1 lb. 2 oz. Semisweet Chocolate, Chopped
9 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate, Chopped
9 Egg Whites
2 1/4 Cups Superfine Sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. Vanilla
12 cups coconut,
* I used half unsweetened and half sweetened

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line sheet pans with parchment. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Beat the egg whites in a standing mixer to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and beat on high speed to stiff peaks. Mix in the vanilla. Turn the mixer down and slowly incorporate the melted chocolate.

Pour chocolate mixture in a large bowl. Fold in the coconut. Use a 1 inch cookie scoop to portion onto the sheet pans.

Bake for about 12 minutes, if you over bake them they will be really dry. Be Careful.

Well, I hope you still have time to add these to your plate and if not I am sure that Santa would be grateful.

Cookies and Milk, hope.

It's a fact

It's interesting to me that when I hear an educated person say the same thing I believe in, it makes more sense. It's as if my thoughts turn from an estimated guess to an actual fact. So the fact of the matter, is that I have been believing that the beginning of the week is the best time to be the most productive in the tasks that are most important. On a scale of priorities, my home needs to be clean and somewhat organized and free of clutter in order for me to function better. I have known this and have been cleaning my home on Mondays for years and only this week did it turn from "a thing that I did" to a "proved fact" that I heard on the radio this week.

So ladies, pick your priorities and do them in the beginning of the week. "You will feel more relieved, less overwhelmed and likely to have more free time for the things you enjoy". It turns out, that it's a fact.

Being Wednesday already, I am excited to finally tackle my creative side. First off, I ordered my Christmas Card online and finished my letter for my stocking. Next up, were those DARN shirts. It took out a large chunk of my day but putting away the sewing machine was the best feeling so far. One deep breath could finally be taken.

Walking on Clouds

"Walking on Clouds" is when a person is so happy (or maybe so in love) that you seem to float/not care/not pay attention to anything else around you. This is what I felt like on Thursday.

Due to my previous commitments I baked my heart out in the shape of puffs. There were cheese puffs for a ladies breakfast and sugar puffs for a Friday lunch. Intently, I concentrated on filling, coating, and decorating the sugar treats. So much so that by the end I thoughtlessly put them out in the garage. The problem was that it has been extremely cold, and a little creature created a home under the warmth of our lawn mower. I could honestly say that God showed up for me in a time when I was JUST.NOT. THINKING. It's as if he laid a shield of protection over my two foot tower of perfection and while one got saved the other dessert got eaten. It definitely got my attention in both ways but I had no mercy for that little mouse.


Weekends are different for me, in comparison to the rest of the week. It's a time when I stop scheduling and just let things come and go as they please. Saturday was my Christmas party and it was the perfect day for it too.


The turn out was great and after eating a breakfast of "Caramelized onion waffles with smoked salmon and eggs in a lemon cream sauce" we were ready to open gifts. The theme was Scarves, in light of a season when they become such an accessory.

Soon after that it became a little more casual and laid back. Some had to leave and some had no other place to be. Chatting away (as most girls do), I shared my hair ideas on them.




Well, I made it to Sunday. It was a filled day of Christmas shopping with my time-deprived kids and having company over but at the end of the day,when I watched the movie "Julie and Julia" I realized that while people were relating to Julie, I was relating to Julia Child's. She was different then the rest and she knew it, she was collected, driven and excited about it. I was both touched and inspired because the movie proves the very point of what I believe and that is that "our efforts aspire to something".

Believing, hope.

One set at a time

One step at a time, one foot in front of another was the motto for my day. And even though I have not done anything yet I took a large portion of my day just to think. Thinking and writing gets my thoughts in order and when things are in the right order, seldom can they overwhelm.

Creatively though I made the letters for my stockings. It was relaxing and I enjoyed the peace.

The next few days will be hectic, but the fun kind where your surrounded by people and laughter. I feel like have a lot going on and am trying to keep my mind focused on today's priorities instead of tomorrow's.

Hoping for enough time and self motivation.

Autumn Fever

Just in case you are staying a little more indoors lately, there is a recipe for that.

For the days when you stand by your window with a hot cup of coffee and hold it ever so tightly as you watch the leaves swirl in the wind. The cool air is almost felt through the threads of your shirt and the thought of a sweater feels comfortable.

This kind of day, was yesterday and the idea of enjoying some home made pancakes sounded good to me. But not just any kind of pancake the oatmeal kind, with apples, walnuts and warm maple syrup to bring the flavor of fall from the outside to the inside. I just had to share them with you.

My favorite Oatmeal Pancakes

2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup oatmeal (quick oats)
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Pour milk over the oats. Add the oil and eggs, then the remaining ingredients. Using a 1/4 measuring cup pour the batter onto the hot griddle and place the apples and walnuts on each pancake. Flip over and let the pancake finish off cooking and browning the walnuts.

Note: I usually make an extra batch to store in the freezer. For easy and fast enjoyments, just
pop them into the toaster.

Autumn, hope.

Do the Twist

This is a simple hair idea I came up for the days when my hair has not been washed. Despite that, errands still need to be done and things need to be taken care of so for those days in my life I have this to fall back on.


It kind of explains itself but for those who need details, I parted my hair to the side that best suites me and teased it along the top of my head to create volume. I did a twist to on one of the sides, continued it along the back and all the way to the other side. I continued to twist it around and wrapped it to make a bun. My hair is light enough to pin with bobby pins, but you can play around to figure out something that works for you.

Do you have a hairstyle that you rely on? Share your ideas.

Hairspray, hope

Crepe Stacks

My friend, Jess came across this great idea for serving Crepes. In this particular magazine, Crepes were spread with filling and stacked on top of each other. This was a very different approach in comparison to the traditional method of folding the filled crepes. Being a carb lover I like it when my crepe can to stand up to the filling and to play the same importance on the plate. Aside from that it is also a great "make-ahead" meal that can serve a crowd. It is easy, breezy and beautiful.


Crepe Recipe:

3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
melted butter

Sift together four, sugar and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then add milk and mix well. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture, mixing until the batter is smooth.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush pan with butter. Raise the pan off the heat and pour enough batter (3/4 of a laddle full) to coat the pan, swirling to spread the batter evenly. Cook for about a minute and then flip and lightly brown the other side.

Filling:

1 container cottage cheese
1/2 cup sugar, more or less depending on desired sweetness

Place the cottage cheese and sugar in a food processor and blend until it has the consistency of cream. Note: Chopped nuts, dried fruit and/or chocolate can be added to the mix.

1 jar of jam, I choose apricot
1/4 cup water

Place the jam in a now clean food processor and blend with water so that it has a better spreading consistency.

Assembly:

In turn, spread cottage cheese in a thin layer on the crepe. Add another one on top and spread evenly with the jam. Continue until all the crepes are used up, and bake covered for 15-20 minutes in a 350 F oven.

This recipe is definitely safe, but as I continue to experiment with different fillings I will try to keep you posted....

Stacked up, hope.

BIrthday wishes

Walmart is another place where their wanting little eyes meet my affordability. Going shopping with Jenny reminded me of what being a kid meant. She wanted chocolate coated bananas, candy apples, jello cups along with the cake for dessert. She enjoyed pigs in blankets, ants on logs, bagel pizzas and peanut butter jellies. Food was definitely a part of her birthday and we had a blast just shopping for it. With the food and cake prepared the party was able to get started.

My littlest pony

Every princess needs a pony and every girl who pretends to be a princess wants what they have. My daughter was no exception and her little desires became her birthday wish. So with the shake of my spoon I attempted to make her a "pony cake", because after all she is our little princess.



Unfortunately, the head fell off later on in the day and as I struggled to attach the fondant mess melting in my hands I had to make a quick decision and find a new position for it. One fixed problem revealed a new one and because there were sticks holding the head up there were places where the fondant tore. I was quite upset at this point and completely exhausted so I covered up the mess with a porcelain plate. No one will see what they don't know.

Damaged, hope

Picture Potencial

Pictures. Paintings. Drawings. Scribbles. Art.

If your kids are at all like mine, you can relate with me that papers stacked with sweet "I love you's" are not always the ones to keep. How does one decide between the relatively similar pictures neatly piled on your desk? Of course, you could make the child choose one and file it away. You could frame it for a period of time until a better one comes along. Or, there is my option of buying a big. fat. sketchbook.

When ever one of my kids want to be an artist, they can take out the book and pour their creativity onto the pages of potential. This book will now contain the lives of my kids, their interests, their uniqueness, and of course their individual creativity. So, for me that was one problem that was solved and honestly, made me feel about twenty pages lighter.

Lighter, hope

On top of my world

It was my birthday on the first and if there is any day that can make some one feel purposeful, this would be the day. The telephone rang the whole day, my message button blinked urgency and I must say it was nice to hear each persons voice. Presents spoken from distant hearts. Distance in miles is only a number for some and even in her chaotic stage, with a borrowed car and three kids my friend drove for hours to make it here for me. She looked exhausted but her face showed compassion and I love her for that. Of course, extreme measures don't always ring the loudest. Small gestures can exceed grandeur. Thoughts, cards, comments, hugs and the classic birthday tune make any one feel like they belong. Like they are needed. Like they exist.

Before all of this, when I just moved to Portland. I was alone. This created a great deal of pressure on my dear "Genius" but I figured if any one at all cared that I was born, it would be him. This year, he did what he does best. Building me some bedroom furniture was on top of my wish list, in addition to his hard work he took a day off to devote himself in making me happy. One of my favorite moments was on the roof-top of an Eco building. We discovered a area that we have never been on before, a place with a fire, chairs and a view of our favorite places downtown. It was around four-o'clock and conversation was becoming small-talk. Eager, I found a new way to create conversation for us when none is left.


Looking at the people below, I saw a lady carrying a florescent piece of paper and it began with that. Objects can remind us of our lives, that paper reminded me of the time "Genius" went to our daughter's class for a breakfast date. Apparently, the teacher Mrs. Lo made the best pancakes EVER, so much so that he asked for the recipe and made it for us the following week. I smiled at the memory but also envisioned the pink sheet of paper the recipe was written on.

"Genius's" memory went back to the year 2001, when we were dating. He was flying-in to meet my family in Canada and in order for him to know where we were my youngest brother wore a florescent yellow, Gap, fleece sweater to the airport. "Highlighted" there was no way someone could miss it, or even forget. Little did "Genius" know that a day would come where that sweater would be the trend of the season. Laugh it up, I said, you have one!

It went from fun to business, from work to family, from life to balance and from priorities to pleasure. We were above everything else, seeing memories and sharing time at the top of a building....I loved it!

Birthday, Hope.