Happy Heart Day

They say that Valentine's Day is overrated, or a Hallmark Holiday, but I love any reason to turn an ordinary day into a celebration.  Especially with little ones in the house.  Jordis was dressing for the holiday a few days in advance.

I was pretty excited that my Valentine's treats for bible study turned out exactly like they looked in the picture.  That rarely happens.

I also got a box of chocolates from my secret sister.  Yum!

Jordis and Xander each brought home a ton of cards and goodies from their classmates.

We ended the day with breakfast for dinner (and a picture that for some reason keeps showing up sideways even though it's upright in my computer...grrrrrr).

Hope you had a fantastic Valentine's Day, too!

Let them eat cake!

Jason's cousin, Shannon, sent me this really cute recipe last week. I love Shannon and she's a great cook, too. Xander still asks me to get her potato salad recipe and he doesn't even like potato salad. But he liked hers.

I've seen this recipe in the past, but never really thought about making it because I usually just make a whole cake. However, Jason had to work and I was trying to find something fun for the kids to do so I thought it would be fun.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

First we got out our ingredients. I'm bummed that I've been out of real vanilla for awhile, so I had to use my cheap imitation extract. But I used nice pure ingredients for the rest, like unbleached flour and turbinado sugar.

The kids took turns mixing and adding ingredients.

We watched it cook in the microwave, then I took it out for them to share. Between the two of them they couldn't finsih it. I ate the rest after they went to bed and then the next night I made two more for Jason and me.

Such a fun treat!

I'm in love...

....shhhh, don't tell Jason. But I've found two new things that I can't live without.

I was with Xander (and Jordis, since Jason had to work) at our bi-weekly trip to Trader Joe's when I came across two items I had never seen before. The cereal is definitely new, given it's placement on an endcap by the free coffee and the sign that said "new" above it. I knew right away that I had to have it. Milk and I are not the best of friends so I wasn't planning to eat it in the traditional sense, but I thought it might make for a good snack, and it definitely does. As only a tasty snack can it has 250 calories, 9 grams of fat and 39 grams of carbs per 3/4 cup serving. But, it also has 23 grams of whole grains, 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. That has to count for something, right?



The hot chocolate I found on the very bottom shelf next to Xander's rice milk. I was down there hiding from the rather large, masculine-looking woman stocking shelves next to me, who Xander had just proclaimed (in his loudest voice) "looks like a ball." Anyone who knows me is well aware of my love for dark chocolate and peppermint. If you can combine the two than all the better. I've had some the past two nights since I brought it home. It's not the creamiest hot chocolate I've ever consumed, but the flavor is wonderful. Just the smell of it makes me feel good.

It's amazing what can make you happy for just $6.