Birthdays are in the air...

November is busy for us. Real busy. And I love it!

5 Family birthdays and thanksgiving. I can feel my heart warming just thinking about this!

I am a "the more, the merrier" type of person. I love hosting, love cooking, love celebrating... I just love people!! We just had a birthday get together for my husband last night (that went really well!) and I was able to finish my craft project just in time for his party!! Originally it was for my daughter's up and coming 2nd birthday party, but hey, a birthday banner is a birthday banner!

I still have lots of left over material from those curtains that the previous owners left at our house, so this project cost me... $1! That dollar was spent on ribbon. Love when craft projects cost me next to nothing. That also makes my heart feel all warm and fuzzy!

You know what doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy?

Sewing machines.

More specifically, the bobbin. Ugh. I'm shuttering just thinking about it.

For whatever reason, my brain cannot and will not retain the information necessary to remember how to re thread a bobbin. I know, I know. Simple. Not for me tho! I spent about half an hour, watching youtube videos, and trying over and over and over again. And then over again. And again... No. Joke. My frustration level was at an all time high when I literally spoke the words (to my sewing machine) "if you don't cooperate, I'm taking you back to my mom, where you will never get used!!!"

Don't judge. I was angry. I say things I don't mean when I get angry...

Michael was playing video games while this was going on, and he even offered to help me, however, being the insanely stubborn and independent person that I am, I refused. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I realized that the problem was not the machine, but in fact, me. Who knew that the thread on top needing to be on properly for the whole thing to work?? Who knew?? Apparently not me.

I wish I could say that was the last bump in the road, but I'd be lying. There were a few more. And yes, all of which were my own stupidity. When I get upset, I suddenly become blind to the things right in front of my face. Its a weakness.

But even after all of that, I still finished. And it came out great!

I used cereal box cardboard to add some weight to the flags. I'm pretty excited with how it turned out! I do have to admit that I am HORRIBLE at measuring things, so if you pay attention, the flags are actually different sizes... haha!! oh well. Love it anyway!!

Next project I have in mind... well I'm not entirely sure yet. Most likely will be 2nd birthday party related... but I'm also trying to plan a pinterest party... How fun does that sound???? Awesome, I know!!! 

Anyway, have a great day!

My Oma would be proud...

So I realized the other day that I am not so good at blogging on a regular basis. How often are you supposed to blog anyway?? Every day? Once a week?? I'm sure there isn't a hard and fast rule about it, but I feel like I'm breaking the rule anyway... Oh well.

On to what this post is actually about.

Pancakes. Delicious, hot off the stove, covered in goodness, pancakes.

My brandsma-blood is pumping like crazy right now. If you are a brandsma, you love pancakes. Its in our DNA. Test it. Its a fact.

We have made pancakes in my family ever since I can remember. In fact, I'm pretty sure that we were taught how to flip those little flapjacks of love before we were even walking... (that and how to make coffee for my parents... hmm... I feel some traditions passing along to my kids...) They were SUCH a staple in our house, growing up, that I can't help but think of my childhood while making them. They weren't ever a fancy recipe or anything, just plain old bisquick pancakes. Sometimes they were regularly shaped, and sometimes my dad would make them into mickey mouse, snowmen, letters, etc.

I remember one particular time, when my Oma Brandsma was visiting us, she made us pancakes for breakfast, but she added apples without telling us. I remember taking a few bites and instantly knowing that something was different, but for some reason couldn't put my finger on how or why. Of course being a kid, once I found out it was apples, I instantly refused to eat them. (what can I say? I'm a traditionalist. I rarely stray from the norm...)

Anyway, today, I wanted to make some pancakes for my daughter and I for lunch. We have pancake mix, but I wanted to this recipe I saw on a fellow pancake-lover's blog. Well technically it was a cross between two different recipes.

here are the links:

http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2011/11/06/perfect-apple-cinnamon-pancakes/
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/06/whole-wheat-pancakes.html

It was quite the experience! Recently, I made two small (but not so small) changes to my pantry... best changes ever.

Raw sugar and wheat flour.

Anyway, its been a little interesting learning how to cook since they have very different textures than all purpose flour and regular white sugar. In this recipe, I couldn't tell the difference between the white sugar and raw sugar, but next time I might do 75% wheat flour and 25% all purpose flour, making them a bit less dense. But they turned out good anyway! Look at my delicious outcome!

The pancakes are layered with greek yogurt and a dollop of pumpkin butter... Note to self... taste test the greek yogurt before putting on your pancakes... I actually wasn't a fan. Maybe it was the flavor (vanilla). Who knows. It sure looks good tho!

I tried them a couple other ways too, cause I am not a fan of syrup (I know, I'm crazy). One with a little butter and a sprinkle of powdered sugar and another with peanut butter (this was my favorite) and one with just pumpkin butter. All of those ways were delicious. I made half of the pancakes with apple chunks and half without. (made me instantly think of my amazing Oma Brandsma). Mikaela wasn't a fan of the ones with apples in them. Funny how things come full circle. haha! 

Looking forward to my next blog. I'm going to take a break from food posts and tackle some sort of home decor craft. Probably some that will have to do with Mikaela's up and coming 2nd birthday (holy cow, I'm old...)

Have a great day! And enjoy a pancake for me!

When life hands you canned pumpkin...

Tried it. Love it. Will do it again.

Made pumpkin butter, that is.

I saw a recipe for pumpkin granola on a blog (like I said in my last post) and it called for pumpkin butter, so I decided to take on the task of making something that I didn't even know existed. ha! Which actually worked out quite nicely, since I have no clue how its supposed taste, the consistency, etc. I recommend making something you've never had before, yourself, so that your only experience with it is your own! In this case, that worked to my advantage! here's the link!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/pumpkin-butter/detail.aspx

The recipe I followed was pretty self explanatory. There were however just a couple bumps in the road...

I read through a million of the comments that, to be honest, had me a little scared at first! Some people were saying how you aren't supposed to can your own pumpkin butter but then others were saying it was fine... ??? I have NO canning experience what so ever, so I did some research. Basically I just made sure that my jar was sterile (I boiled that sucker!!) and I have been keeping it in the fridge. No clue if I'm still doing something wrong, but so far, I haven't died yet, or gotten sick, so I'd say that was pretty successful!

Once I got past that, I realized that the recipe called for frequent stirring for about half an hour on the stove... hmm. I have two children. Under the age of 2. I'm not really able to commit half an hour of almost constant attention to something other than them unless they are both taking a nap at the same time... which almost never happens. But I went ahead and tried it anyway... it said frequent stirring... not constant...

Yeah. If you have a child/children, wait for nap time. Really. Just wait.

My littlest daughter was screaming because she wasn't being held (gotta love teething) and then of course my oldest daughter was crying because sissy was getting all the love. Not to mention that I was terrified that this stuff would splatter on my kids, since its simmering for half an hour.

Too bad I didn't get any of this on camera. It probably was comical to see me trying to balance one daughter on my hip, away from the stove, while stirring this bubbling goop, and trying to keep my other daughter from reaching up to "help" mommy. Sheesh. I'm tired just remembering this. Although I must admit, it really didn't splatter at all cause I kept it moving.

Seriously, I'm not just saying that so that you won't think I'm a horrible mom. Its the truth. Scout's honor!

Anyway, after my juggling act, it actually turned out pretty tasty! I'm quite pleased with it!

I believe mason jars make anything look awesome. I'm a little obsessed with them right now. And with pumpkin. 

So this was my lunch today. Toasted wheat bagel with cream cheese and pumpkin butter. Yuuuuum. 

Make this. It's delicious. 

Next stop... pumpkin granola!