Blame Harry Potter and Bean

Sorry for the absence this week. This Harry Potter party is all I have been up to this week.

Okay well I have also been up to this...

I wake up early, use all my it's-a-brand-new-day energy to bust out some party projects. I never accomplish as many as I have planned. Booo!

Then I spend the rest of the day making it up to this ginormous little Bean in my belly.

The party is Saturday so I am running out of time. I just put a serene smile on my face while screaming like a lune inside and convince myself that what gets done will get done and what doesn't...well that is just fine and dandy!

Next week I hope to have some Harry Potter Party tutorials for you, including my interpretation of the Spell Book which idea I originally found HERE.

Thanks guys for stopping by!

In a Nutshell: Flowers, Aunt Natalie, HAPPINESS

Hubby surprised me with flowers this week. In fact, he made a special stop at Costco which is not close to us and he was on a time crunch. Sigh...lovely, right?

Flowers the week before Valentine's Day?

Well that is what happens when you have a super thoughtful Hubby who recognizes that you had a miserable pregnancy week.

I am about five weeks away, and last week was rough. We laugh that for being a surprise this pregnancy really has been the most difficult physically and emotionally. However, I am still pretty blessed and I try to remember that while I am frustrated with my physical limitations.

I am grateful for a loving Hubby who brought me flowers in a hard week.

You know what else I am grateful for...how much easier my life is right now because of my sister Natalie. My sister just recently moved to town and has a little bit of extra time right now. Guess where she chooses to spend it? Yup, my house. Guess what she chooses to do? Yup, help this giant pregnant woman entertain her Little Men.

Temporarily it is kind of like having my own free Nanny. A Nanny that my kids love and that loves my kids.

I mean, it totally says love that she would bring over her own arsenal of make-up and then let them go to town on her face.

They did a great job, right??? Hahaha!

During the week when Hubby is at work, it has been blessing to have her around. I wouldn't get nearly as much done or have what little energy I do have right now without her.

Thanks to her we were able to spend a little individual time with Littlest this weekend.

Individual time makes me HAPPY. I know it makes our Little Men HAPPY.

Earlier this week Hubby got to take the oldest two to a basketball game and I know they treasured that time. They came home so HAPPY. Going to to a store and lunch with Littlest this weekend was such a treat for Hubby, me, and Littlest. Yeah individual time is awesome.

My goal in the time between now and when Bean comes is to try and schedule more individual time with our boys. I know it is good for us and them as well.

HAPPINESS this month is a family goal. Spend more Individual time together.

A Pinteresting Saturday: Onesies and a Teeny Tiny Hat

I took a much needed break from house sewing and party planning to make a little something for our Little Something. Right away when I saw the project for this chervon onesie I knew I was going to make one for Bean. 

My need to make this onesie was only solidified when I found some newborn leggings I liked AND when I found an old t-shirt that could be utilized to finish of an entire homecoming outfit. 

Of course, all of this was inspired by this amazing little chevron onesie tutorial.

pinned here

I gathered all of my materials and then also decided I needed to add a teeny tiny hat for Bean's head. When I found this, I pinned it right away adding it to my project list.

First, how cute is this baby????

Okay, pinned here

I happily got to work. I gathered my onesies.

Found the felt I wanted.

Before I made the chevron onesie from the tutorial, I got the idea to make one that would match these little pants.

I loved the gray and green. I LOVED the little green elephant.

So I had to make a larger replica to go on the front of the onesie.

Teeny elephants and larger elephant match wonderfully.

Next I moved on to the chevron onesie. I did do one thing differently. I knew our Bean was going to come when the weather was still a bit nippy outside. So I decided to take that old t-shirt I mentioned and to make it long sleeved.

I don't get giddy-clap-my-hands-and-giggle over tons of projects, but I tell you what...

The sleeves on this onesies once paired with the chevron and I was a clapping and giggling fool.

Then I used the rest of the t-shirt to make a double-knotted beanie from the above pinned tutorial.

To.Die.For.

So now Newest Little Man will have two cozy outfits.

This charming elephant number.

And my favorite, this chevron one in which he will be coming home in.

I am totally addicted to making these little outfits. Now I just need to go through my massive box of clothes to repurpose and see what other tees I can find.

Isn't Pinterest the best and most addicting thing ever? If you want to see some of my other potential projects, feel free to check out my Pinterest page. AND if you want to see my list grow feel free to follow my Pinterest page and watch the insanity.

Have a great Saturday everyone!

10 Points to Gryffindor

I have just over a week until Oldest's Harry Potter party. Yikes! I am slowly plugging along with some small projects for the Wizarding fest we will be having. SLOWLY. Like S-L-O-W-L-Y.

This weeks agenda had the gathering of supplies, the final lists, the making of robes (which have turned out more like vests...I will show you later and explain), and the making of these patches for the front of the robe/vest...aka robest or vestobe is you prefer.

This is a WAY simplified version of the actual patch that was on the robes, but let's face it these were WAY easier to make and cheaper than ordering patches. So with that being said, I am thrilled with how they turned out AND I only lost some of my hair and eye sight cutting out and sewing on the tiny lions!

Now all I have to do is finish the rest of the robes (I only have 3 completely done...there might be a few more) and attach the Gryffindor patches.

Did I say that was all I had to do? Hahaha...wishful thinking I guess!

Continue the Harry Potter mania by heading over to Blue Cricket Design. I have a contributing post over there today for a how-to on this fun invite.

See ya tomorrow everyone for another Pinteresting Saturday!

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins

Heaven...I'm in Heaven...

Best. Muffins. Ever.

I mean...look at them...

I am not kidding when I say this is the best tasting and best looking muffin I have ever made. They are so divinely yummy. I am beyond thrilled to add this muffin recipe to my collection. I know you will love these muffins too.

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins
a Cook's Quest

Ingredients:


Streusel Topping
3 Tablespoons white sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
4 Tablespoons melted butter

Muffins
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/8 cups sugar, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon water
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

***You can make these topped with lemon sugar instead of streusel topping...I will show that alternative at the end.


Preheat oven to 425 with rack in the middle.

First make the streusel topping. Combine sugars and flour. Then slowly pour in the butter. You may or may not need all of it. Slowly combine with a fork until it comes together in a crumb mixture.

Set the topping aside.

Place 1 cup of the blueberries into a small sauce pan. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and the water.

Heat over med high heat and mash potato masher (or a fork). Stir and cook for until mixture reduces and thickens. About 6 minutes. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Whisk sugar and eggs together in mixer. Combine until thick completely mixed. Slowly mix in butter and oil until combined. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla.

Using a spatula, carefully fold egg mixture and remaining cup of blueberries into the flour mixture until the batter is just moistened.

The batter will be lumpy and there will be some flour spots in there. AND it is okay, that is how it supposed to look.

Okay now brace yourself...

Take you muffin pan filled with paper liners and get ready to load up that sucker. No 3/4 full here. Nope. Fill up each muffin cup. Fill it up so much it mounds ups. Like a blueberry mountain if you will.

Next, grab the blueberry sauce made earlier. Dollup about a teaspoon in the middle of every muffin. Then swirl it through.

Now it is time to top delightful with more delightful. Generously top each muffin with the streusel topping.

Bake muffins at 425 degrees for 17-19 minutes until tops are golden brown. Cool muffins for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and let them cool slightly longer before serving.

That is if you can wait that slightly longer. If you can't...not my fault if you burn your tongue!

Yummmmm...so good. Berries so good. Streusel soooooo good.

Happy muffin eating my friends!

***Okay so here is the alternative if you want to do lemon sugar on top INSTEAD of the streusel topping.***


Lemon Sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Mix ingredients well.

Instead of streusel, top liberally with lemon sugar.

Bake as above.

These are pretty too aren't they?

These were good too...but I am not going to lie I am a fan of streusel so streusel won...maybe just by a smidgen.

There ya have it...muffins two ways. Both delightful.