Cakes

No words today… just yummy, beautiful cakes.  :)

monkey smash cake

elmo smash cake

Yes, I made these.

What I Did Today

So, it’s 6:30pm and I haven’t blogged. However, I have:

  • made a batch of buttercream
  • iced two cakes
  • taken two separate trips to the airport – one to drop off Ben (I miss him already!) and one to drop off my mom and stepdad.
  • let the dog out twice
  • fed the “baby” (toddler?) more times than I can count
  • went to the cake shop to stock up on supplies
  • watched Sesame Street
  • played with blocks
  • read books
  • scarfed down a salad
  • skipped the gym, yet again, because Molly is still getting over her cold (i’m dying to get back in the gym!!!)
  • caught up on Google Reader and Facebook
  • chatted with two friends via telephone. (I NEVER talk on the phone)
  • done a load of laundry
  • pitched some writing ideas to my new endeavor (soon to be announced!!)
  • fed the dog
  • put the baby to bed
  • cooked my own meal (currently in the oven – salmon in a tin foil pouch seasoned with salt, dill, garlic powder and topped with sliced lemon and a teaspoon of butter… which I’ll eat with a side of veggies that I also fed Molly earlier. YUM!)
  • had a glass of wine

Phew. I’m tired. And I still have to eat my dinner, walk the dog, finish decorating both cakes (Elmo and a monkey), make cookies and prep the crock pot dinner for tomorrow night. Well, I don’t have to do those last two things, but I really want to!

Here’s a sneak peek of the cakes I’m currently working on!

Smash Cakes

Tortellini with Corn, Arugula and Tomatoes

It’s What’s For Dinner Wednesday! YAY! And I’ve had quite the Wednesday.

Molly slept until 8:30am which NEVER happens. I seriously felt like a new woman when I woke up. She is still coughing a bit and has a runny nose, but is feeling so much better. I think she just needed extra sleep.

About an hour or so after we woke up I was on Facebook and a friend of mine mentioned that the Bloom just down the street was closing and the ENTIRE store was 50% off. Well, I hauled my ass up there so fast and piled up my cart with diapers, coffee, baking ingredients and shampoo! I got $440 worth of groceries for $220. I don’t think I have ever been that excited about groceries. Woo!

Now, this recipe is an oldie. I can’t even remember where I found it but it has evolved over the past few years and I don’t even measure the ingredients anymore, but don’t worry, I have measurements for you. This dish is one of the first meals Ben and I made together when we started dating. Awwww.

Tortellini with Corn, Arugula and Tomatoes

  • 2 packages of the tortellini of your choice
  • 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cooked corn kernels (I use frozen)
  • 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, stemmed and chopped (I use one tomato b/c Ben isn’t a big fan)
  • 1/4 cup scallion, thinly sliced (I use onion powder to taste)
  • Handful arugula
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • Grated Parmesan
  • optional – cooked ground turkey for a meat lover

Directions

1. Cook tortellini according to the directions on the packaging.

2. Meanwhile, pour the vinegar into a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Add the corn, tomatoes, scallion and arugula. Toss until coated.

3. When tortellini is done cooking, drain the pasta and then toss with the arugula mixture. The arugula should begin to wilt. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on a little parmesan.

Yum! It’s seriously so good. I like to add red pepper flakes to mine, but I’m totally addicted to red pepper flakes.

Tortellini with Corn, Arugula and Tomato

Enjoy!

By the way… I’m so so so so mad about Picnik shutting down. I can’t even talk about it. :(

Food Journaling

If you read my guest post over on The Momma Bird you would remember that I talked about food journaling. And if you didn’t read it you should! Writing down everything you eat can be scary at first, but it is a great way to figure out where all your calories are coming from and how quickly they can add up. I recently did a week long journal which you can check out over on Pure Matters. Don’t judge!!

My downfall is the weekend. I go a little crazy with the food and I don’t work out. I am still working on that balance, but I can’t be perfect every weekend. Remember when things were so easy before your kids came along and you had all the time in the world to focus on your health and fitness? :::sigh:::  ;)

Food Journaling

Do you write down what you eat?

Croup

Molly has croup. :(

What is croup you may ask?

Croup is breathing difficulty accompanied by a “barking” cough. Croup, which is swelling around the vocal cords, is common in infants and children and can have a variety of causes.

This is the first time she has been sick in her short little 14 month life and it’s heartbreaking. Although, she is still really smiley and happy, so it’s not too bad. The doctor told us we pretty much have to wait it out. So we’re using the humidifier and taking steamy baths… just trying to clear out the yuckiness. Plus, keeping an eye on it.

What do you do to help your little ones get through their sicknesses?

I think today will be spent reading and cuddling. Molly is a great reader!

Clean Home, Sane Mom

Happy Friday! Wow, has this week been a whirlwind. Since launching my new blog I feel like so many doors have opened up and I’m making so many amazing bloggy friends. I just love it! I’ve also been really busy freelance writing. I have a new gig that I’m excited to share with you, but I’m waiting until it’s completely official before announcing it. So exciting!

I’ve been putting my Silhouette machine to good use this week. I’ll be sure to share my creations soon. I know I complained about a lack of space for crafting, but I’ve kind of made a makeshift work space out of our kitchen table. Yes, it’s totally a pain to pack everything up when I’m done, but I can actually have my Silhouette and my computer in one spot. I just use the chair to assemble my paper and mat. Not the best, but it works for me!

Before I continue rambling on, Maya Szydlowski from Veterans United is back with a great post about keeping your home clean and clutter-free without totally losing it. I struggle with this all.the.time. Now that we have the dog I feel like I’m vacuuming a million times a week. I hate cleaning but I try to make Fridays a vacuum day. Take it away Maya… while I go vacuum.

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Keep Your Home Clean This Year without Going Crazy

Many New Years’ resolutions deal with getting in shape, finishing that project that has been lingering for the past year, or even finding a better job. However, this year, I have had quite a few friends whose New Years’ resolution, while not out of the box, was to tidy their home sand remove excess clutter.

I thought to myself, what a great resolution! This resolution has all the best attributes of any goal; it is timely, attainable ,realistic, and will enhance the overall feel of their homes.

The problem is, as with most resolutions, they are abandoned after only a few days to weeks of trying. So if you are like my friends and want to declutter your home, here are some great tips to get the job done!

Baby Steps

Most of us remember the hilarious Bill Murray film from 1991, “What About Bob?” In the movie, Bill Murray plays a fun-loving, good-natured, phobia-stricken man who receives a book from his psychiatrist on getting past phobias by taking baby steps. Well resolutions are no different.

Most of us don’t have the time or the attention span to clean every room in our home or apartment, so it is best to start small. Start by devoting ten minutes a day to tackling your mountains of clutter. While ten minutes seem small, it’s a start. The next week move up to 15 minutes, then 20 minutes, and so on. Before you know it, you’ll be a decluttering machine!

Clothes, the Achilles Heel

For many of us, clothing is our Achilles heel. We’ll be going through our closets with the sole intention of removing items, but then find a shirt or jacket that would go great with that pair of shoes you saw at the mall. Next thing you know, the closet grows.

Sometimes, having a helper is your best option when emptying the closet. A friend or significant other is usually good at telling the truth when it comes to how you look and will prove very useful when you are thinking about wearing your 1980’s Thriller jacket again.

When you get your closet cleaned out, take the clothes to Goodwill, or list them on a social site like Freecycle.org, which connect you to people who are in need of good clothes.

Organize, Organize, Organize

Organization is where many of us slip up. We all receive tons of junk mail and decide to leave it out and clutter up countertops, kitchen tables, coffee tables, or anywhere other than the garbage. Start by making a system to keep things organized. Designate trays for your papers, such as bills, letters, magazines, receipts, warranties, and be sure to file junk mail where it belongs, in the trash.

Organization is a skill that has to be learned, so here are a few other tips to get your house organized:

· Visualize how you want your house to look

· Create a goals list for the month

· Teach your children how to put things away, and make a game out of it!

· Designate a junk shelf

· Schedule a decluttering weekend with the family

· Learn to love your home when it is clean!

Decluttering your home takes time so if you have a large amount of space to clean, slow down and be sure to not get burned out.

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These are great ideas! I’ve been following the fantastic blog I Heart Organizing and Jen has some great ideas on how to cut clutter. Just the other night I grabbed ALL the piles of mail and paper that have been just hanging out all over my countertops and I filed them away. It took a good hour or so (since they have been there for months) but I just watched American Idol and went on my merry way. If I can do it, you can do it! Make it pretty and then it’s easy. ;)

Pretty File Folders

You can find these at Target!

 

How do you declutter?

Have a great weekend!

Hungry Girl – Kickin’ Chicken Tortilla Soup

Today is Health & Wellness Thursday over on The Momma Bird where you can find me talking about inspiration and motivation. It’s really easy to get excited about starting a new health and fitness routine. Then, after a few weeks, it gets old. You are bored or you aren’t seeing the results you want. Well, I have a few suggestions to inspire you. Go check it out!

I didn’t get a chance to post a recipe yesterday, however this recipe is perfect for all of you watching what you eat so it works out well! It’s no secret that I’m a big Hungry Girl fan. I love that she takes bad-for-you food and makes it good for you! This soup is guaranteed to keep you warm on these cold winter nights AND satisfy you!

Hungry Girl’s Kickin’ Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fat-free chicken broth
  • 4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
  • 1 cup diced tomato, undrained
  • 1/2 cup sweet whole kernel corn, canned
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp jalapeno pepper, chopped
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fajita seasoning mix
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 6 baked tortilla chips, crushed
  • Optional toppings – cilantro, nonfat sour cream, low fat/fat free shredded cheese

Directions

  • In a medium pot sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions, garlic, seasoning and spices over medium heat until onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the corn and diced tomatoes and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add chicken, jalapeno and lime juice. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes to thoroughly blend flavors.
  • Once ready to serve, top each serving with crushed chips and, if desired, the optional toppings.chicken tortilla soup

     

    I added avocado to mine! YUM!

YAY!

YAY! My site is live! I’m so excited for this new adventure. A huge ginormous thank you to Jessica at Southtown Creative for making this site absolutely perfect! Please, bear with me while I navigate these new WordPress.org waters and add my sponsors back to the site. I’m also switching out my photo since you can’t really see my face thanks to that mason jar filled with yummy red wine. :)

What do you think about the new site?

Big Announcement!

Okay all my wonderful readers… today is the last day of NoVa Mom Blog. Starting tomorrow I will officially be launching SuperNoVa Mom!! My wonderful designer, Jessica at Southtown Creative, has been working her butt off to create my new site. I am SO excited to reveal it because I’m totally in love with everything we decided upon. I hope y’all like it too!

We are working on moving my RSS feed so that there are no hiccups, however, if you follow via Google Reader or any other RSS management systems you may just want to update your feed tomorrow. You don’t want to miss out on anything!

I will also let you know tomorrow if you will need to resubscribe via email. Fingers crossed that the migration goes smoothly!

I still plan on my weekly recipe post tomorrow, so be on the lookout for some yummy goodness!

Here’s a little sneak peak of the new site!!!!

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Home Show Giveaway Winner

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The winner is Karen Lecrone Phillips! Congrats Karen. I will be reaching out to you shortly!