Mother's Day...already?

Sheesh *wipes brow* where has the time gone? I started this blog to help myself get organized in my life! When life throws you a curveball (or ten) even the best of intentions fall to the wayside. I'm having a very hard time juggling life, my part time job and blogging! I'm not giving up though!!

So please let me apologize for my lack of posting! I have several blog topics for posts coming up! Today, though, let's talk about Mother's Day! I can't believe it's already May! YIKES! 

I went on a search for cute, handmade Mother's Day crafts the other day and I settled with some subway art and canvas tote bags. Today, after v1.6 got on the school bus, I came back home determined to get at least one task accomplished AND blog about it! All in one day!! YAY! Now, onto my little subway art boards!

 

 

I got inspiration for this post from many blogs, but How Does She had a great tutorial that I followed for these! I didn't do everything exactly the same way, but you'll find exact details below on how I did these.

First, you'll need some tools!

I found everything I needed at A.C. Moore. Any craft supply store should have these materials though. I went to A.C. Moore because I had a coupon!

Materials Needed:
2 sheets 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook paper (you can get plain or patterned - your choice)
2 wooden plaques (the ones above are 4x6)
1 foam brush (I bought 2 because I'm a nutcase and wanted to be overly prepared)
Mod Podge for paper (note about this below)

You'll also need access to a computer and printer.

The first thing I did was go on a hunt for some chalkboard-esque fonts. I found an awesome site that has free fonts called Fontspace. The font I used in the boards is called Mom's Diner.

Next, I opened a blank Microsoft Word document and started playing around. You can use whatever words you'd like to describe your Mom, Grandma, Aunt, etc. These little boards make great gifts! Here's a screenshot of my Word document:

 

 

I would recommend printing a draft copy of this first on a plain piece of paper to make sure it will fit on your board. That's what I did and I'm glad I did because I had to go back and make everything just a tiny bit smaller.

 

In hindsight, I could have added a ton more words, but I like the simplicity of this AND I was working with text boxes in this document. They sometimes don't always like to cooperate and like to overlap, etc. So I tried to keep it simple.

 

After I had everything where I wanted it, I printed it out on my scrapbook paper. Then I had to figure out how to cut it out so it would fit. Since the top of the plaque's edges are beveled slightly I flipped the plaque over and traced it, as seen in the photo below.

 



 

It didn't turn out too bad, but I really should have dug out my scrapbook cutter and cut the edges with that rather than scissors. If you don't have access to a scrapbook cutter then just go ahead and use scissors - just make sure you cut inside the lines. I ended up having to trim a little off the edges to make it fit, but they still turned out cute!

Next, I applied a thin layer of the Mod Podge to the back of the paper and then stuck it onto the plaque and pressed firmly to get it to stick.

Here's my note about Mod Podge - I have never once in my life used the stuff and when I was standing in the Mod Podge aisle with tears in my eyes because I realized there were literally twenty different types of the stuff, the hubs calmed me down and pointed out that there was Mod Podge specifically for paper. I gave him a big hug, dried my tears and then went in search of the next item on my list. That being said, I have absolutely no idea if regular Mod Podge would work with this project, but from seeing other people's posts about DIY crafts - I'm pretty sure the stuff is versatile! Now, the real question is...did I just waste $8 by purchasing the 'paper' version or should I have just bought the regular stuff? I don't know if I can use the 'paper' version on photos or other items? I have to do my research I guess!

So that was it - I repeated the process for the second board and it literally took no time at all to make these. Looking back, I really wish I would have painted the wood before sticking the paper on there because I think they would've looked even cuter with a white distressed paint, but oh well! Lesson learned! If I do these again for Christmas gifts I'll know to paint the boards first, and I may just sponge some white paint around the edges of the plaque to jazz it up a bit! Who knows!!

Next, I'm onto canvas tote bags personalized with an iron-on transfer! My aim is to have these done and post about them on Thursday! I'll try my best!

Tell me, have you had any fun adventures or made any cool crafts with Mod Podge?

Ciao for now, bellas!

Some like it...hot!

Well, life has been a little hectic around here lately! Before I can say 'boo' a week has flown by! Now, Easter is upon us, and it seems that spring is right around the corner! (I hope!!)

As much as I'd love to ramble with excuses as to why this post is so late, I'm going to spare you the details! I do have a new recipe for you though! YAY!

Do you enjoy spicy foods? Have you heard of Frank's Red Hot sauce? If you enjoy spicy foods, and you have never tried Frank's, stop reading now and run to the nearest grocery store and purchase some, STAT! Or you can finish reading this post first and get the recipe before you go all the way to the store and then have to just turn around and go back to purchase the rest of the ingredients! :) Really, the ingredients are very simple and I can promise if you love spicy foods and/or nachos, you'll love this recipe! If you don't like spicy foods, never fear - this recipe is highly adaptable!

BBQ Chicken Nachos

This is basically chicken, cheese and hot sauce on a plate. No, it's definitely not the most healthy dish, but it's delicious enough to splurge and I've changed the ingredients so many times through the years to adapt to my healthier lifestyle - it's not nearly as unhealthy now as it was!

The main ingredients you'll need are: chicken, tortilla chips, olive oil, onion, red pepper, BBQ sauce, hot sauce (seriously - try Frank's!) (no, they aren't paying me to say that!) salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and cheese.

You can view the entire recipe at My Recipe Magic - this gives you a printable option and nutrition information as well. The only thing I don't like is that it defaulted the servings to 4, but really this will feed up to 6 people - so the calorie count and fat grams would be lower.

BBQ Chicken Nachos are great as an appetizer or a meal! We eat them at least once a month! Hubs and v1.6 love them! Of course, I top mine with a dollop of Greek Yogurt rather than sour cream. Hubs piles on the salsa and v1.6 just likes it with cheese! Anyway you eat them, they're delish!!

Let me know if you try them and if you made any changes! I love hearing about it and trying a new spin on a recipe! Email me here!

As always, I have to leave you with something I found funny!

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

Click the magic button to view my recipe on My Recipe Magic



Ciao for now, bellas!

Houston, we have a problem...

Do you ever have one of those days where you just want to reorganize every single thing in your entire home? (Fair warning - this is going to be a LONG post!)

I got a bug on Saturday and dragged husband and v1.6 shopping! We got new curtains for the dining room and the bedroom (I woke up WAYYYYY too early on Saturday from the blinding sun that we, here in the Northern Tundra New York, haven't seen in months!) and I picked up some stuff to organize around our computer desk!

It had gotten to the point, for me, that I hated even approaching the dreaded desk! I couldn't stand our filing cabinet or the mail sorter/wooden slot thingy/catch-all! I don't know about you, but organizing for me is all about visual stimulation. I loathed the filing cabinet so I stopped filing things. I despised the mail sorter so I stopped using that. In turn, this transformed one of our counters in the kitchen into a mail sorting area. This didn't work - it's right in front of the microwave!

So after moving countless papers on Friday while making dinner I said to myself, 'self, it's time we put a stop to this!' Really though, I had been working up to this for weeks. Planning in my head, writing things down, and combing Pinterest.

So I'm going to share with you how I transformed my computer desk area to a command center/mail station.

It took almost the entire day on Sunday to get this done, but I had a TON of stuff to sort through! Take a look at the two drawers in my old filing cabinet...

Here's the top drawer

Here's the bottom drawer

 

Can you say HOT MESS?! UGH! This project has been at the back of my mind for quite some time now. We've had this filing cabinet for over 5 years and I really haven't liked it since we got it.

 

Here's the whole area...

 

 

We visited Target and Office Max on Saturday and I found everything I needed. First, I'd like to give credit to a couple blogs that I took inspiration from. A Bowl Full of Lemons is an amazing site with so many organizing projects! Also, The Organised Housewife has some awesome stuff too!! I definitely recommend visiting those two sites if you're looking for organizational ideas!

 

My first steps were to empty out the old filing cabinet and sort through ALL the papers! That was the worst part and took the longest! I had a huge bag of recycling and a large pile to be burned. It cut down on so much though. I suppose that was probably half the problem with the old filing cabinet though. I didn't want to clean it out, but there's nothing like 'new' organizing stuff and the promise of a new system to get me moving.

 

I found a great mesh sorter at Target for $15. I am calling this my command center. I have hanging files for 'Incoming Mail', 'To Be Filed', 'Meal Plans', and 'School Papers'. Also in this command center I have my address book, a clipboard, 2 spiral notebooks for blogging and writing, and also a calendar to plan out meals.

 

The filing cabinet came from Office Max for $40. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but close enough. I also picked up plastic hanging files (these are sooooooo much better than the green paper-ish kind - they last much longer) and color coordinated file folders at Target as well.

 

 

The color coordination really helps me to stay on track and it actually helps me want to sit at the desk and file or do paperwork! I'm really happy with the way it turned out and I'm happy to say that there is NO mail or papers on my counter right now! Granted, it's only been 2 days so far, but hey...I'll take it.

 

Inside of the new filing cabinet

 

Here's the finished product

 

 In addition to creating this command center and reorganizing our filing cabinet, I also created 2 binders. The green and gray colored one is our home management binder. I got it on clearance at Target for $3 and it came with nice tabs! I put a tab in there for bills and budget, current policies (this can be medical, auto, home, etc.), medical contact information and allergy information as well as a cleaning schedule.

 

The small white binder is for v1.6! It contains all of his school information, class information and report cards.

 

One thing I did realize while doing the research for this project is that there is no one solution that is going to work for everyone. For instance - I only have 1 child. Having 3 calendars with different activity information, school information, etc is not beneficial to me as he's only 1 kid! Someone with a family of 4...well that would probably work much better for them. Keep that in mind when tackling your own organization projects! What works for your neighbor might not work for you! Don't get discouraged though, just keep trying until you find a system you love and that works for you and your family!

 

Hopefully you enjoyed this post today! As always, let me leave you with a funny - I think this is how my husband feels sometimes when I'm constantly bombarding him with information, projects, crafts, etc. Especially when I get going on something - I'm usually plotting and planning in Excel, Word or on paper! Always charts, lists and notes with me!

 

 

Don't forget to connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

 

Ciao for now bellas!

 



Healthy Strawberry - Blueberry Muffins

If you've read any of my other posts – you know my love for Greek Yogurt already! Well today, after sorting through mountains of laundry I was rooting around the refrigerator looking for snack options for the kiddo for this afternoon. An innocent container of strawberries and a lonely container of blueberries were staring me in the face. They were right next to the giant container of Greek Yogurt.

I rooted through the cupboards next and pulled out some ingredients to make muffins. What I came up with turned out amazing!

Healthy Strawberry – Blueberry muffins

Here's the batter - before baking

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 – Muffin tins (regular sized)

1 medium sized mixing bowl

1 - 4 cup glass measuring cup

Spatula

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plain, fat free Greek Yogurt

1 Tablespoon ground Flax Seed

3/4 cup egg substitute

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup diced, fresh strawberries

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until combined.

In a 4 cup glass measuring cup combine Greek Yogurt, Flax Seed, egg substitute, water, and honey. Mix until combined and smooth.

Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be lumpy. Add in the strawberries and blueberries and stir gently.

Line 20 muffin cups with liners and fill each 3/4's full with batter. Use the 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar and sprinkle over batter in each cup.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove from muffin tin and let cool on wire rack.  Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Please let me know what you think if you try these! I’m waiting for the kiddo to get home from school so I can test them out on him. Then husband will be a guinea pig when he gets home tonight! I ate one after lunch and thought they were delish! Hope you enjoy!

I also have to give some props to Pampered Chef and their awesome straining/measuring cup! I used it for the berries and it is the most amazing thing! Check it out below! It has slots so the water will drain after you rinse your fruit or veggies! 

I have plans to do an organizing project this weekend! Hopefully I’ll be able to post about that next week sometime if all goes as planned!

Don't forget to connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook!

I'm not sure what the deal is with the baby hedgehogs all over the internet lately, but I have to admit they are cute! So I had to leave you with this! 

Ciao for now bellas!

(Click on the 'Magic' button below for a printable version!)

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast & Bacon Egg Cups

Let me apologize for the lateness of this post! I had some technical difficulties over the weekend, but everything seems to be in working order now!

Did you see this picture on Facebook?

That’s what I made for dinner last week and boy was it delicious! I found the bacon egg cup recipe on Pinterest, but the stuffed French toast I came up with all on my own! I’ll start off with the bacon egg cups.

You’ll need:

~Muffin Tin (regular size with 12 cups)

~Mixing bowl and spoon

Ingredients:

1 package turkey bacon

2 cups egg substitute

½ cup low fat shredded cheese (your choice)

1 tsp ground black pepper

Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line each muffin cup with bacon making a circle around the outer edge of the cup. You may want to count how many pieces of bacon you have in your package and double up the strips for some of the cups. Give the bottom of each muffin cup a spritz of non-stick cooking spray. Set muffin tin aside.

Pour the egg substitute into a mixing bowl or large, glass measuring cup. Add the cheese and pepper then stir to combine. Pour a few tablespoons of egg mixture into each cup. It doesn’t have to be exact, but 2 cups of egg mixture should be plenty for 12 muffin cups.

Back for 30-35 minutes then remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This is what they look like when they're done.

Now onto the blueberry stuffed French toast!

You’ll need:

~Non-stick griddle or frying pan

~Mixing bowl

~4 cup glass measuring cup (or another mixing bowl)

~Spoons

Ingredients:

8 slices whole wheat or whole grain bread

½ cup egg substitute

½ cup Plain low fat Greek Yogurt

¼ cup fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Drizzle or two of honey (optional)

Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

In a mixing bowl combine ½ cup egg substitute with ½ teaspoon cinnamon and set aside.

In glass measuring cup combine ½ cup yogurt with ¼ cup blueberries and remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. You can also add a drizzle of honey to this if you’d like.

Set your griddle or frying pan on the stove and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Dunk one side of the bread into the egg mixture (don’t let it go all the way through) and then place on the griddle or frying pan, egg dipped side down. Continue with 3 more pieces of bread until you have 4 slices of bread on the griddle. Top each slice with the yogurt and blueberries. I did not measure with this step – I just kept piling the mixture on until it was all gone.

Turn your burner on your stove to medium low. Then start coating the next 4 pieces of bread with the egg mixture and place the non-dipped side over the yogurt and blueberries. So the egg dipped side will be facing out. It’s almost like you’re making grilled blueberry and yogurt sandwiches.

After about 5 minutes, use a spatula to lift a corner of one sandwich. If the bread has browned then go ahead and flip them. If not, wait another 2-5 minutes. Depending on your stove this could take up to 15 minutes total to cook both sides. When the bread is crisp on the outside it’s done.

I cut ours in half and we ate them like sandwiches. You could, however, serve them as traditional French toast with syrup and/or powdered sugar. I found that the mixture inside was sweet enough that we didn’t need syrup.

I hope you enjoyed these recipes! Do you have a great tried and true recipe? Send them to me! I love trying new dishes!!

And I'll leave you with this funny - I feel like this sometimes!

 Ciao for now bellas!

Greek Yogurt....Yum!

Welcome to my third post! First, I have to say that I’m really excited that I've had 53 page views of my blog already! That makes me so giddy – I really didn't think anyone would read what I have to say and honestly I started this blog for myself and to hold myself accountable. So seeing that people are looking at it and following me on Twitter and Pinterest is so thrilling!

Also, have you ever seen or heard a Red Robin commercial? If you have then replace the words 'Red Robin....Yum' with this post's title! :) If you haven't heard it - check it out here!

Anyway, onto my post – I mentioned in my second post that I wanted to talk about Greek Yogurt. It seems to be a craze that's sweeping the nation, but have you tried it yet? I've been having a love affair with Greek Yogurt for a very long time! Its ultra-creamy texture is so appealing. Some say it is an acquired taste, but I was hooked from the first bite.

Here is what I ate for breakfast this morning…

 Greek Yogurt, blueberries and a drizzle of honey. The garish orange bowl is my son’s. I have all Fiestaware in my cupboards and the bowls I have are huge and this amount would have looked like a Tablespoon if it were in one of my Fiestaware ‘cereal’ bowls! That’s one trick that I've heard dozens of times that actually does work for me – putting your food onto smaller plates or in smaller bowls really tricks you into thinking that you’re eating a lot! It works! Try it!

Now, back to Greek Yogurt – I use it for everything! It’s versatile enough that you can eat it for breakfast, use it for cooking and replace that sour cream on your tacos or potatoes. I have a great recipe for banana bread that calls for Greek Yogurt and it’s so delicious and much tastier than the version with the cooking oil. BLEH! Check out this infographic...

Greek Yogurt has tons of protein so using it to replace sour cream or cooking oil has multiple benefits. Protein tends to keep you fuller longer – so those 4 tacos you ate can easily turn into 2! I can attest to the fact that the banana bread is much moister than traditional bread and the whole loaf one slice is just enough!

So, if you haven’t tried Greek Yogurt yet then get on out there and grab some! Just be sure to check the sugar content in the cups with the fruit. Sometimes, you’re better off buying it plain and adding your own fruit. I usually buy the big container of Chobani 0% plain. Husband has recently jumped on the Greek Yogurt train, but he prefers the cups with fruit so I send him to the warehouse club to buy a case of those at a time. Check out the Chobani site! (I am not being paid to endorse Chobani - this is just the brand that I prefer.) They have great recipes and information!

In my last post, I wrote about making healthy choices with food. Well I got this great article in my inbox today that I think really sums up what my gibberish was trying to convey! Check it Out!

One last word – are you drinking your water? Don’t forget to stay hydrated!! It helps with hunger control and the lemon is deeeeeeelish! 

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook! Drop me a line in the comments or shoot me an email! I promise to respond!

Even though you've probably seen this a million times, I still think it's funny! 

Until next time, ciao bellas! 

Losing Weight

Here is my second post – hopefully you, my dear reader, will gain some insight as I chronicle my weight loss journey.

 

From here on out, I’m not focusing on the numbers on the scale. I’m going to focus on how I feel, how my clothes fit and how much energy I have.

 

One thing I’ve learned as I’ve struggled to lose weight is that it’s not about the latest diet, it’s about lifestyle change. It’s not about depriving yourself, but eating in moderation and making smarter choices. For example, I’ve cut out white products in my home. I only buy whole wheat or whole grain products. I don’t add sugar to anything unless it’s natural – like honey or agave nectar.

 

These are all things I’ve known my whole adult life, but I found it difficult to implement. My husband is tall and lean. He could always eat whatever he wanted without fear of belly fat or cellulite! That has changed over the past year and as his waistline grew – mine was barely shrinking. I’ve finally gotten him aboard the healthy changes train, but it’s been a slow process.

 

My son, who is 6 years old, doesn’t understand food choices all that well. He’s in kindergarten this year and I was really happy to hear him talk about proper food choices and reducing sugar in his diet! They covered these topics in his gym class and I was so impressed that he showed an interest in it. So I’ve been focusing on proper food choices with him now as well. I have a huge fear that he’ll have weight issues when he gets older, but I think he’s going to be blessed with his daddy’s build, which is a good thing!

 

I’ve struggled for a long time with proper food choice, which is why I wanted this topic to be my first ‘weight loss’ post. I really believe that the American Society makes it difficult to choose healthy foods when there are so many tempting foods available. What I’ve started to do when I grocery shop is stick to the edge of the grocery store, but sometimes even that is difficult since the bakery is at the back of my grocery store! Lately, I’ve only visited our local grocery store for staple items that I can’t find anywhere else. I’ve been doing the rest of my shopping at our local produce market. Everything is so fresh and they have a great deli where they cut meat while you wait! Having so much fresh produce has really helped us improve our intake of fruits and vegetables.

 

I really ramped up my latest weight loss endeavor in January 2013 and now, it’s almost the end of February and I haven’t lost anything. Husband decided he wants to really put effort into weight loss as well so he started researching supplements and weight loss pills. I was so skeptical at first because I felt that if the weight loss didn’t come from hard work then it wouldn’t stay off. Well, he talked me into trying HydroxyCut. I’ve never tried a diet pill before, but I figured that I didn’t really have anything to lose and if it helps give me a boost then it might not be a horrible thing. So today is day 2 of being on HydroxyCut Max for Women. I can honestly say that I feel like I have more energy – I did a workout yesterday and another one today. That’s a huge accomplishment for me as I usually can’t get my lazy butt off the couch! I’d much rather read a book, but I’m starting small. I want to build this into something that’s a lifelong habit for me.

 

(I am in no way endorsing HydroxyCut and I am not being paid to post this)

 

Well, I think that about sums it up for now! Next time I’ll talk about replacing recipe ingredients with Greek Yogurt!! YUM! In the meantime, do you have any new recipes that you've tried? Send them to me! We love trying new dishes!

 

colorcodedapples@gmail.com

 

Here's a funny to put a smile on your face!

 

 

Ciao for now bellas!!

P.S. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and, Pinterest. If you like this blog and what you're reading please share with your friends!

Welcome!

Hi there and welcome to my blog! There’s something so exciting, to me, about a fresh page with no text!

 

I should probably start this welcome post with a little bit about what topics I hope to cover with my blog.

 

First, I’m always on a mission to organize my home and my life. I spend so much time reading articles about organizing, but one thing I’ve discovered is that there is no one solution for every person! My first big project I’d like to tackle is my computer desk. I’d really like to turn it into a command center for my family. So be on the lookout for that!

 

Second, my weight loss journey is a major hitch in my giddy up! I have a 6 year old son and after I gave birth to him I was really unhappy with my appearance. I had lost about 30lbs within his first year of life and I put very little effort into it – I basically stopped snacking after dinner and went for walks as much as I could. It melted away, but I’ve been stuck for five years now.

 

My mom has heart disease and adult onset diabetes. I grew up in a household where food was used for celebration and comfort. There was always food and it has taken me a long time to get out of that mindset. I’m not blaming my mom for my weight, but I do not have the best track record with food and weight! (More on that in my next post!)

 

Third, I’m a beauty product junkie! I LOVE trying new products and could spend hours browsing in Sephora. Right now, I’m in love with Urban Decay’s naked palette. It’s so versatile! I also battle with adult hormonal acne. I’m always on the lookout for new products to try on my skin to battle the nasty pimples! More on beauty in the future!

 

Fourth, I love reading. Getting lost in books is one of my favorite things to do! I just started the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. I like it so far – I’m about halfway through the first book. Have you read any good books lately? I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series and the Twilight Saga. I also love writing – although I don’t think I have written anything worthy of publishing, it’s still a nice escape!

 

Fifth, my son and I enjoy projects! I’m using the word ‘project’ loosely because his idea of a project and mine sometimes conflict! I’d love to share some cool DIY stuff that you can do by yourself or with your kids. For example, we just made homemade crayons for Valentine’s Day. I get a little sick of all the candy that’s involved with Valentine’s Day so I wanted to do something that his friends could enjoy long after the holiday!

 

So, lots of topics to cover here! I’d love to know more about YOU! Do you have a great book to recommend? Do you have a new recipe to share? Have you done any cool crafty projects lately? Share them with me! You can email me anytime at colorcodedapples@gmail.com I promise I’m friendly and I’ll respond!

I'll leave you with this hysterical picture that makes me crack up everytime I see it! I live in the Northern Tundra New York, so I'm more than ready for spring!!

I have no idea where this picture came from or who to credit for it! If you know, please drop me a line so I can give proper credit!

 

Ciao for now bellas!