getting organized.

like many of you, i've been on a organizing kick. cleaning, purging, finding a place for everything, & putting everything in it's place. this week i took on the boys' rooms. christmas provided quite the influx of new toys, & so i decided it was time to get serious on toy organization. luckily, it was easy as 1, 2, 3.

step 1: separate toys into "groups", i.e. cars, trains, transformers & power rangers
step 2: make shrinky dinks representing each group
step 3: fill basket with toys & attach shrinky dink "label"

ta da! toy organization complete. & the best part, my boys actually KNOW where each & everyone of their toys go, so it makes cleaning up a snap! (okay... my boys are 3 & 2, so cleaning up really isn't ever a "snap", but it's definitely made it much easier. & as always, click on picture to enlarge.)

i'm ready...

bring on the love.

falling off the wagon.

battling personal demons is never easy. just when you think you have them under control & you've finally whipped them in the butt, there they go... popping up again. for years i've battled an addiction. this past year, i decided this was "the" year. no longer was i going to let my problem rule my life. & for a time, i was triumphant. i actually had overcome my addiction, & it felt good. unfortunately, & i'm embarrassed to admit, i've relapsed. & while it doesn't justify my actions, i do have a good excuse - pregnancy. there is just something about a tall glass of crushed ice, filled to the rim with cherry coke, that satisfies my cravings. i'm just hoping that i haven't fallen off the wagon forever. soon enough, i'm sure i'll be fighting the urges to "use", until then, i don't mind indulging myself, just a bit.

image via flickr.

ooey, gooey, chocolatey & chewy

ooey, gooey, chocolatey & chewy? you know if those are the words used to describe something, it's going to be good. i whipped up these bad boys last week & they were gone in just one night. note to self, next time, bake a double the batch.

rocky road cookie sandwiches
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cups chopped pecans (but you could use almonds or cashews too)
10 tablespoons marshmallow cream

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. using a mixer, cream the butter & brown sugar until fluffy. beat in the egg. mix in the salt, baking powder and baking soda at a low speed, then mix in the vanilla and flour. stir in the chocolate chips & nuts.
3. drop a rounded spoonful of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. bake until the cookies are golden at the edges and slightly soft in the center, about 12 minutes. transfer the cookies sheets to racks to cool completely.
4. sandwich the cookies with 2 tablespoons marshmallow each.

yum! & maybe on the next go round we will do ice cream instead, for some homemade ice cream sandwiches.

hibernation.

sorry for disappearing for so long, that was never the "plan". but the holidays have come & gone & our household still hasn't quite recovered. it seems we are all taking turns feeling "under the weather". just as someone starts to feel a bit better, this nasty little bug takes his next victim... it's a vicious cycle. but i'm hoping we are almost over this little bump in the road, i think i'm starting to see the the light at the end of the tunnel. until then...