Crafty Sisters is FINALLY up and running!

My sis and I wanted to have a place to sell our hand-crafted cards, but have been so terribly pressed for time. However, I started a page on Facebook and my sister posted her cards on the Crafty Sisters blog:) Yay!!
For ease and convenience, my cards are on FB and hers are on the blog. Everything is new to us, and not terribly organized, but it's a start. So, stop on by with the links below:)

Facebook Page

and

Crafty Sisters blog page

Boy, it's hard to find the time....

Babybee is NOT cooperating with me at all;) I want to get my craft on, but she is in desperate need of my full attention, apparently. I'm gonna give it another go pretty quick here, but DaddyBee is going out soon and I won't have my handy distraction anymore! It's not so bad, she gave me 35 kisses this morning (she is in to counting right now).

Crafty Sisters Papercrafts and Goodies!

Finally got something set up!! Yay:)

Daddy's Girl

Oh, I so hate these phases. I am doing very poorly handling the fact that I am second best right now:( She doesn't want to snuggle me or hug me, just daddy. It sucks!

Counting and the Alphabet

So, it's official, my babybee is a genius:) She has been able to count to 20 all by herself for almost two weeks now, and can recognize every letter of the alphabet when asked! I don't know too many babies who can do these things at 19 months. She can also recognize any shape thrown at her (no, not literally.... I can just see myself lobbing plastic shapes at her). She knows all of her colours and can differentiate light and dark shades! These are all things that she has learned by asking. I decided long ago not to force her learning, and to just let everything come at her own pace.

Terrible Twos! (at 19 months)

I am at my wits end. My always wonderful, gentle, sweet, sleep-through-the-night little girl has done a complete 180! Nothing works to calm her when she has her temper-tantrums. I've tried ignoring it, redirecting her emotions into something constructive, laughing and making light of it, and snuggling/restraining to keep her from bonking her sweet little head. *sigh* Oh what to do? Hopefully babybee grows out of it, soon, lol. I'm thankful that I know about these things, and am not getting angry or upset. I imagine that it would make it all the worse for both of us if I did. Oh, and everything has to be HER way, without exception (which usually leads to the rolling on the floor fits). It's really quite funny watching such a teeny person doing such a thing :)

I should be in bed, but.....

I keep thinking about babybee's shots on Wednesday, which are a short notice appointment given the limited times available to get them done. I wish the doctor could do them instead of heading to the health unit. I agonize over the uncomfortable feeling and general pain that it puts my little peanut in:( Yes, I cry every time, and am in NO way ashamed of it. It causes me to lose sleep and as much as I try, I cannot seem to put it on the back-burner. These are the things that keep me from a good nights sleep. Last night I was awake until the wee hours of the morning. I was so tired that I physically hurt, and yet, I could not fall asleep! I need to worry less, but now that I am a Mommy I am certain I will just keep worrying more;)

Vegetable medley pasta and sauce

1 lb. medium shell pasta
2 cans italian style stewed tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion shopped
4 cloves garlic smashed
2 stalks celery diced
2 carrots shredded
1 medium zucchini sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
3 chopped bell peppers
1 palm full fresh chopped basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste

In large skillet, over medium high heat saute olive oil, onion, garlic and celery until onions become translucent and caramelize. Add mushrooms, peppers and carrot, and cook for about 4 minutes then add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes and serve over your favorite pasta. I like shells for this because they hold the sauce perfectly:)

A fantastic cinnamon dolce latte, no fuss

Okay, so we are a HUGE coffee drinking family. Even babybee likes a taste of black coffee:) I love a good latte or a cup of sweet and creamy dark roast. DaddyBee likes everything iced, no hot drinks for him, even in winter! We were craving some Starbucks, but have been diligently tightening our pocket-books and I came up with the idea to do cinnamon dolces at home without the $10 bottle of syrup. They were super yummy!

4 shots fresh-brewed espresso
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon
2 packets splenda (or your fave sweetener)
1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional)
your milk of choice

Stir the sugar/sweeteners and cinnamon into the espresso, prepare your steamed milk with or without vanilla, (and ice for iced drinks) and mix to your liking! Remember, the trick with iced coffees is to pour the espresso over ice and stir well BEFORE adding the milk! This will ensure that there is no bitterness:)

Try pairing it with some of my cake-mix cookies. I would recommend a devil`s food mix with semi-sweet chips and pecans! Or a spice mix with butterscotch chips and almonds:)

Babybee's first haircut

Yup, did it last night after her bath. I think I did a pretty good job too:) She actually stayed pretty still and didn't complain about any of it. She is such a good girl!

On another note, she hasn't stopped talking since May long weekend! She has begun forming small sentences, usually 3 or 4 words, and surprised me by recognizing over half the alphabet and numbers 1-10!!!! I was so amazed:)She is going to be a smart little girl. She even understands sarcasm, and uses it far too often, lol:)

Easy Cake mix cookies, that won't taste "cakey" :)

This recipe yields a soft centered cookie with a crispy, delicious outside. MMMMMMMMM..... Yummy! I fudged around with a few other recipes and finally found what works the best for me.

1 box of your favorite cake mix, without pudding in the mix
1 large egg or 1 small and the yolk of another
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup softened butter
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine until thoroughly moistened. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. You can add up to 1 1/2 cups of extras like chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, coconut, candies, chopped candy bars. Your imagination is the limit!

Poo-Poo on the FLOOR!

Any great ideas on how to help Babybee learn to keep the diaper on? I don't want a second round of picking up turds off of my floor:( Thank goodness she didn't see the turd on the floor and pick it up.... makes me kinda gag just thinking about it!

Mmmmmm, best Ginger Curry EVER!!

This is the best curry I have ever made, and I could have eaten DaddyBee's share as well, but he spotted it too soon! I just HAVE to share it:)

Serves 4-6

3-4 chicken breasts, bone out skin removed
juice and zest of 1 lemon
pinch salt
Marinate the chicken in a ziplock using the juice and zest of 1 lemon for at least 2 hours, then cut into strips.

1 medium red onion diced
4-6 small fresh carrots, sliced thinly lenghtwise
1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced in strips
1 tsp minced garlic, or paste
2 tsp minced ginger, or paste (though I would double it if just for me)
pinch sea salt
1 1/2 tsp mild curry powder (I have a toddler or it would be hot)
1/2 cup cream

Basic rue:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour

Melt butter over medium low heat then whisk in flour, cooking for a couple of minutes to remove starchy flavor and texture.


Saute onions, carrots, salt, garlic and ginger in heavy, deep pan. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add pepper strips, 2 cups water and curry powder. Simmer for about 25-35 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Blend in the rue, starting by adding some of the liquid to the rue itself to thin it out, then pour into the pan. Once well blended, add the cream and simmer for a couple of minutes and serve! I like it with Naan bread:)

Cool! I feel pretty lucky!

So, a co-worker of mine is getting married next November, and has asked me to make the invites:) I feel pretty honored to have been thought of. It will be the first time that I will create something by request, so it's extra exciting. I already have a few ideas, and even though I don't know his fiance very well (only met a her a couple of times), I somehow knew what the colours and theme would be... little spooky I must admit.

I have been working on a great card idea for a while now and hope to be able to start sales on my other blog Crafty Sisters. May need to make some changes to the blog to showcase the new idea, or perhaps create a blog specifically for it. Have to talk to the sis about that one:) It will be set up to take paypal payments through requests via email. Seems to be the easiest way to do it:)

Gotta run, SYTYCD is on, and I don't miss it, EVER!!!!

So much to do, so little free time!

I didn't realize how little time I have to myself until today:( I really wanted to start a nifty little craft project and Babybee wasn't having any of it! It's great that she is soooooo cute..... Otherwise, the first gypsy to make a reasonable offer just might get the little bugger;) Hahahaha! NEVER:) I would like to note that the terrible twos must have more to do with a child's size 2, bc ever since fully changing the wardrobe to 24 month and up, my darling 16 month old has been a terror!! And to top it off, she is going through a growth spurt. She is sleeping an average of 13 hours a day, and eating about twice the amount she normally requires. Then, due to the fully charged batteries, she runs amok and gets into EVERYTHING she can get her hands on. The latest obsession is feet... mostly kissing mine..... yuck, yuck yuck! Those who know me, know that there are two things I find gross about the human anatomy: feet and belly-buttons. Like I said, it's good she's so cute:)

DaddyBee is at a friend's right now. Not sure if more bs'n is going on or more work on the Jeeps. Hopefully a solid effort to keep things even in those two departments:)

Work sucks more now than ever before. I never quite know what I'll be doing for the day. The supervisor's couldn't schedual their ways out of a clear maze! And to top it all off, I somehow got squished under the plant manager's thumb for doing what I was asked, and to be sure that I have the right PPE for my job. But no, there are procedures for a reason, I was warned. I should not stray from said procedures because, and I quote, "I'm the only one here with an engineering degree, so I know". Oh, I'm sorry, just give me a minute to find that hero cookie for you sir.... Ah there it is, right between your cheeks where I left it! Really, I was going by the MSDS, not opinion, so I am going to say that common sense trumps the degree, and look sir, my intelligence didn't cost a fortune and I don't need to have some piece of paper on my wall for people to know I am smart:) Gonna quit soon. I have a few resumes out.

Off to bed now. Before I forget, Babybee now says diaper, baby, buckle, button and babbles non-stop:)