One Minute Peanut Butter S'mores

Last night, Bryan brought home s'mores makings for dessert. We have this s'mores set from Cosi, and last night we sat around and made s'mores. It was super fun.

Our marshmallows might have been a little burned, but nobody minded.

I was thinking about them all day today, so I started making a few in the microwave (a technique taught to me by my lovely sister-in-law) just as Riley was making a peanut butter sandwich. I thought it might be tasty to add some peanut butter to s'mores. IT. WAS. DIVINE.

Now, I am 1000% sure I'm not the first person to think of this, but I'm sharing anyway. It was so good.

One Minute Peanut Butter S'mores

Graham crackers
Marshmallows
Chocolate bars (I used Hershey's Symphony)
Creamy peanut butter

• Place one half of the graham cracker on the plate, and put a piece of  chocolate on top. Microwave for 30 seconds (or just long enough to start to warm the chocolate).
• Add a marshmallow on top of the chocolate and microwave 20 or 30 more seconds, until the marshmallow gets puffy and soft.
• Meanwhile, spread a thin layer on creamy peanut butter on the other half of the graham cracker.
• When the microwave is done, smoosh the peanut butter cracker on top of the marshmallow.
• EAT!

I suggest you make these after the kids go to bed so you don't have to share. :)

Dino Spike Crochet Pattern

Does it seem like everyone you know (or "know" from their blog) is crocheting?

I sort of think it does. Or at least it seems so to me. And I've definitely got the crochet bug these days.

I've got a little monster running around my house these days, so I thought I'd create a hat to reflect his wild insane out-of-control hilariously adorable personality. 

Of course, this one modeling the hat, he's not a monster at all. He's just the only one who will sit long enough for me to take a picture.

I mean seriously, how can you not love those eyes?

In case you have any little monsters that you would like to make this hat for, here's the dino spike pattern. You can add it to the top of any hat really, but I mostly use this pattern from Inner Hooker. The pattern below is just for the spikes on top. 

Hook: 5mm (H)

Yarn: Any worsted weight is fine - I used Wool-Ease.

Mark the first stitch in each round. You're crocheting in a spiral, so don't join your rounds.

Round 1: Make a magic loop/ring, and do 6 single crochets in the loop. Pull tight. (6 sc)

Round 2: Single crochet around (6 sc)

Round 3: 2 single crochet in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch - repeat around (9 sc)

Round 4: Single crochet in each stitch (9 sc)

Round 5: 2 single crochet in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch - repeat around (14 sc)

Round 6: Single crochet around (14 sc)

Round 7: Single crochet around (14 sc)

Round 8: Single crochet in 1st and 2nd stitches, 2 single crochet in third - repeat around  (18 sc)

Round 9: Single crochet around (18 sc)

Round 10: Single crochet around (18 sc)

Round 11: Single crochet around (18 sc)

Fasten off, leaving at least a foot or so of yarn to sew to the top of your hat.

Feel free to make these for yourself, friends, charity, whatever. If you want to sell things some dino hats made from this pattern, I would love it if you would link back to the blog.

Happy crocheting!

He grew up!

Somewhere along the way, my sweet, sweet baby boy grew up!

Today is his 6-month birthday!

Sawyer, you are the most delightful baby to be around. You are sweet and funny and silly and adorable. I couldn't ask for a better little buddy. Mama loves you!!

p.s. Six-month birthdays are exhausting!!

2011: A Year of Downsizing

My husband doesn't believe in New Year's Resolutions. He thinks you shouldn't need a start date to make changes in your life. He's probably right, but for me it is really helpful to have the "hard reset" of a new year. It feels like a fresh start, and like all the things I screwed up in 2010 are forgiven and forgotten. So with that, I declare 2011 to be "The Year of Downsizing".

What exactly do I want to downsize?

1. First and foremost, my behind. I know everyone says they are going to get in shape and lose weight in the new year, and I'm no different. Despite nursing TWO kids, I have still managed to  gain weight over the past few months. Uh, yeah. Too many Buckeyes over the holidays. So, I joined Weight Watchers Online (again) and three days in, I'm hungry and cranky, but sticking to it. 

2. MESS! My husband and I are not wonderful housekeepers. This year, my goal is to go to bed with an empty sink every night, and to help teach my kids to pick up their stuff after they are done playing with it. Are you ready for me to be 100% real with you? My basement looks like this:

Sorry for the crappy cell phone photo -I wasn't about to spend time and energy taking great photos of this disaster.

This must be remedied. Like, permanently. I can't live with the mess anymore!

3. Stuff. We have serious packrat tendencies happening in this house. This year, I'm resolving to get rid of ONE BAG of stuff EVERY WEEK. Like, 52 bags of stuff. Yes, I think there is enough extra stuff in my house to achieve this goal. I've already got three ready to go. 

4.Yelling. My kids deserve better than to be yelled at. 'Nuff said. 

Of course, there are few things I want MORE of this year as well:

1. I want MORE/better knitting skill.  Turns out I like yarn ALMOST as much as I like fabric. 

I'd like to be able to do more than knit a rectangle. :)

Finally, I want to spend MORE time on the floor playing with my kids. They are growing up so fast. As Ferris Bueller says, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." In the spirit of this, I spent part of my New Year's Day doing this with my boys:

If you hang in until 1:27, Q will pick his nose for you. :)

And yes, I'm fully aware they both need haircuts. I resolve to get them those as well. :)

So that's my list! What's on your list of resolutions?