Adventure to Lava Beds National Monument

This weekend our family made the relatively short drive to Lava Beds National Monument. Hopefully you can tell by the title that this was a interesting landscape that had been uniquely effected by a volcanic eruption. Lava flows and Caves are everywhere in this park. For more information on its history visit Lava Beds National Monument. To find out about the Modoc Indians, the Modoc War, the volcanic activity and more.

 

So here are some of our great pics from the day. First we hiked through some enormous lava rocks to Captian Jack's Stronghold.

Then we stopped at the visitors center to have a picnic lunch, get some loaner flashlights and then we toured our first cave of the day. Mushpot Cave was awesome! We told William it was the bat cave! Sorry the pics are dark and grainy but we were in a cave not great lighting. 

Next my mom and I where the only two who took the opportunity to go into Skull Cave which was pitch black, and extremely cold and went straight down 500ft.

Lastly we hiked to Symbol Bridge Cave to see the ancient Indian Pictographs. 

 

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our adventure!

And here is a bonus pic of little man at the Memorial Day Parade! 

Semi-Homemade FO-Reo Cupcakes

I recently made these and they came out really good. Thought I would share the recipe for my semi-homemade cupcakes.

Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups really good quality cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot coffee

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In the bowl mix all dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl mix the coffee, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Once mixed add to dry ingredients slowly and combine all together.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter in each cupcake liner and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Then cool completely before frosting.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Now here is the not homemade part. I frosted mine with regular store bought vanilla frosting. Then crush a few store brand FO-Reo's and sprinkled on top before the frosting sets. Next top each cupcake with a whole cookie for decoration. Then Voella!

I also took these to a Mommy and Toddler Picnic and from the way the kids devoured their cupcakes I think they were a big hit!

Hope you all have a wonderful day perhaps filled with cupcakes!

Sleepy Monkey Diaper Review!

William was lucky enough to have been sent a custom made cloth diaper from Lindsay of Sleepy Monkey Custom Creations. As you can see we have a very cute dinosaur pattern.

Ordering with Sleepy Monkey was very easy and fast. There are so many fabrics to choose from it is hard to decide. Every order is completely customized. This diaper is our first AIO, One Size, with Velcro. But the awesome bonus is it came with an added insert for triple absorption. 

So far it has worked great! The only difference I see in this compared to my pocket diapers is it takes a bit longer to dry, but that is because the layers are built in and well therefore take a longer time to dry. I just let it air dry over night a bit longer.

I have had this diaper a few months now so it has been thoroughly tested. Even after countless washes it still looks brand new. I can't say enough about the craftsmanship of this diaper. It is made with the highest quality materials and is put together beautifully.

As you can see the fit around the legs is very good even on my very tall and slim legged toddler. William likes picking this diaper to wear because the pattern in his own words is "cooool". 

If you are new or even well versed in cloth diapering and are thinking of ordering a few or an entire stash I would I courage you to check out Sleepy Monkey. Like I said everything is completely customized. So you can have any type made all snaps, Velcro, one size, or preset sizes. Even choose your absorption type and of course the cutest patterns. Did I mention she does more than just diapers too! Check out her site for more products.

This is a SAHM business so show your support for our other mothers!

For more information on ordering and such visit Sleepy Monkey Here. I'm sure Lindsay will hook you up!

Recent Buys I'm Loving, May!

Hello All,
I wanted to share some new products I'm loving! Now these might not be "new" products in that they didn't just entered the market, but they are somewhat new and I'm just now trying them and loving!

Bell Plantation's PB2 

I Love, Love, Love this stuff so yummy and it has no additives. It has 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter and is all natural. Two tablespoons is only 15 calories, HOLY COW! I am currently using this version with a the hint of chocolate and it is so good! I spread it on a whole grain toaster waffle and it's a quick breakfast for me. If you want a little more info on the product check out the nutrient facts HERE. You don't have to buy it from this website, you can find it in many stores like Walmart and Target or from other online retailers.

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer

I'm loving this because I am so bad at remembering to put on lotion. Since moving to the higher elevation my skin is so dry now. I have had to make a conscious effort to moisturize yet I rarely remembered before this product. But now I just spray this on after a shower and quickly rub it in. It smells good and I like how fast it is to apply and then go about my day.

Infusium 23 Miracle Therapy Leave-In Treatment Serum with Moringa Oil

I'm fairly sure this one has been out awhile but it is new to me. Due to the drier climate I live in the ends of my hair have become especially dry.  I have been using this about 2-3 times a week and it has really helped.  Like most women with long hair I don't wash it everyday. So this goes on after a good wash and condition.


I would love to here some suggestions of things to try and what you are really liking!

Dollar Store Scores!

Thought I would share some recent awesome cheap small child finds from the Dollar Store.  Trying to keep my toddler entertained and interested is a challenge to say the least.  But these little activities are fun for him and did not break the bank.

Sidewalk Chalk
Brings back memories for many of us.

Bubbles
Who doesn't love these?

Coloring Books
For only a dollar he can mess with these as much as he wants.

Paint With Water Books
Some what mess free painting!

Mini Magnet Doodle.  
This is also great for car trips!

See fun can be cheap! I would love for you to share your ideas of cheap finds.

Adventure's in Pinterest: Blueberry Croissant Puff, Carrot Chips & Easter Eggs

Pinterest is such an awesome place for ideas and new recipes.  Here are some recent Pinterest trials that I ventured into and thought it would be fun to share how it went.

First was a really yummy and easy breakfast recipe.

Blueberry Croissant Puff

This was not my own recipe so I will link it here 

The only variation I made was to use Greek Yogurt instead of Cream Cheese. It came out fantastic. I would highly recommend this to everyone!

Here is a pic of how mine came out.

Carrot Chips

Again this is not my own recipe.  Here is the Pin link.

I tried this seeming easy recipe for snack time.
And here is how mine turned out.

BIG FAIL!!! I want to try it again but I'm going to tweak the recipe and use non stick cooking spray instead to insure they get crispy.  These were either way to burnt or for lack of a better word soggy.

Now for the Fun!

Kool Aid Easter Eggs

This Easter we tried the Kool Aid egg dying technique.  For the most part our eggs came out so bright and it was so cheap! However we couldn't make a purple egg. Since our purple looked more black/grey my husband drew the the Batman symbol on one with a yellow crayon...hence the infamous Bat Egg.  My only big problem with this technique was even after drying the eggs over night once they hit the grass the dye started to come off onto our hands...  So if we do them again I will have to research how to "Water Proof" them.

If you would like to Follow me on Pinterest Feel free!
Happy Pinning

You Know What Really Grinds My Gears #2

Well folks it's time for the second installment of  ""You Know What Really Grinds My Gears"

You can go check out the First Installment Here.

- Grown Women (OR anyone over the age of 12) Wearing Little Bows Clips In Their Hair.
Not only do I think it just looks wrong. I can not for the life of me understand why you would want to make yourself look like a small little or baby girl.  Umm can someone say pedophilia issues or instead Daddy issues.  It's not hip and it's not cute.  I mean No one wants to see a 70 year old dressed like a 20 year old so why would you think a 20 year trying to be cutesy like a baby is attractive....IT's NOT.

- People Who Just Walk Right Out Into Traffic
I think this probably ticks off a bunch of people. Excuse me why are you so important that you would risk causing an accident and hurt others just because you can't be bothered to wait your turn. Oh wait that's right you ARE better than everyone else, I forgot, please your highness do as you please.
Plus you know these people almost never use the crosswalk. To top if off they walk really slow and look at you like your the idiot with that smug look on their face and I should step off .  I know I'm not alone in thinking one of these days I'm just going to do it I so want to run this person over tight now. But no I would be the one in jail. Mean while this a**hole who is breaking the law would be suing me and sponging off it the rest of their life...

- The rude neighbors who either plays rap music so loud and/or who parties at all times of the day and night.
Hey a**hole some people have to go to work. Some have kids who need to sleep or nap.  I don't appreciate being woken up at 3 AM to that and then have my baby start crying and not go back to sleep because they got scared.  Or for those that work really early in the morning who then only get 2-3 hours of sleep I'm sure they really appreciate it. Yeah Thanks! I'm all for having a great time but have some respect and thoughtfulness for others. I would start blasting Metal at 9 AM, since we know you don't get up until noon, but again trying to be the bigger person and not sink down to your level. But one of the these days I might lose it and don't be surprised if a brick comes through your window...

Alright enough rants from me for today. To all of you, go ahead and spill what "Grinds Your Gears."

My Homemade Vegetable Lasagna. So Good!

My Vegetable Lasagna is so good I had to share. I hope you try this one and tell me if you do. It's packed with lots of veggies, creamy goodness and I guarantee your taste buds will enjoy it.

You will need a Casserole dish or Large Pyrex dish.

Pasta: About 12-16 lasagna noddles depending on the size of your dish, cooked and ready to assemble. (I used Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles)

Cheeses:

- 2 Cups Low Fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 Cup of Grated Parisian Cheese

Bread Crumbs:
- 1/2 Cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs for the top.

Filling:
- 1 Diced Yellow Onion
- 1 Cup Diced Carrots
- 1 Cup Diced Celery
- 3 cloves of Garlic
- 1 or 2 Large Diced Zucchini or more if they are small
- 1/2 Cup Sweet Corn (I prefer to use frozen)
- 1/2 Cup Peas (Prefer Frozen)
- 1 Cup Frozen Chopped Spinach or 2-3 cups fresh
- 2 Tablespoons of EVOO
- 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp of Mrs. Dash
- Salt and Pepper to Taste

Bechamel White Cream Sauce:
- 4 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
- 1/4 Cup of Flour
- 3 Cups of Milk
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese (part of the above mentioned full Cup)

Begin by starting your water to boil Noodles.

Then Chop up all of your veggies and set aside. In a large pan heat EVOO on Medium High Heat, add Garlic then Onions, Celery and Carrots. These veggies are know as the Holy Trinity of Cooking! These are the first to cook because they take the longest. And make for a great flavor base. I want tender veggies not mushy ones so saute until onions are transparent.

After they cook a few minutes add your Zucchini, then the rest of the veggies. Add your Italian Seasoning, Mrs. Dash, Salt and Pepper cook about 10 minutes for all to become soft and for the flavors to come together. Turn off the heat and let cool.

Next dump pasta in boiling salted water. Cool to al dente, drain and cool so you can handle.

In a large sauce pan begin to melt butter on medium heat, and flour and make a rue. Once the paste has the flour cooked through. Whisk in the milk. Continue to whisk and incorporate Rue with milk. Sauce will slowly come together. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese, Salt and Pepper and stir. Once it coats the back of a spoon turn off the heat.

Assembly Time!
Start by coating the bottom of your pan with a little Bechamel. About 1/2 cup. This prevents sticking. Then layer 3-4 noodles. Use about 1/3 of the filling and spread over noodles. Pour about 1/3 of the left over Bechamel on top and them sprinkle about 1 handful of Mozzarella cheese on. Layer with more noodles and repeat until last layer is done. You should have a majority of the cheese left to really make the top cheesy. Last Sprinkle the Italian Bread Crumbs and 1/2 Cup of Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Then let it cool a bit before serving. Feel free to add in different vegetable, like mushrooms, eggplant or any thing you have that you like.  The filling is so flexible that's one of the good things about it. Remove what you don't like and put more in of what you do.

Bon Appetite!