Beach Days

In between the downpours, we made our way to the beach. :) One of the nice things about where we live: beaches include grassy picnic areas! Perfect for hot days.

Staycation & Rest Time

What with the transition out of the old job and into running a daycare, I'm taking advantage of the time to have a bit of a staycation home with Max (hence why I haven't been around much lately). I don't have full enrollment yet, but instead of freaking out about it, I (finally) realized that it's a great opportunity to relax and have Max-Mommy time.

And what with the intense humidity and deluge of rain every day, all of the house projects I'd planned aren't going to happen (there's no way paint will dry in this). Instead, we're getting a bit more creative with our time - including rescuing a couple of friends who'd run out of gas.

I'm also working on getting Max used to a weekday schedule that doesn't include naps. So far, so good!

Healthy-ish Cupcakes

Max is turning three.

Three. My baby is turning three. 

<sniffle>

To kick off the festivities I made a batch of cupcakes to bring to daycare. And because I was low on baking supplies, it was late, and I didn't feel like going to the store, they're improvised and healthier to boot. No butter? Use fat free yogurt. Not enough white flour? Sub whole wheat. Don't feel like making frosting (and still no butter)? Use jam, which happens to be low sugar and homemade. 

Healthy-ish Cupcakes

2 cups sugar

1 cup plain low fat yogurt

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup white flour 

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Strawberry jam for topping. 

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Mix sugar and yogurt until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Bake in cupcake papers 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool and top with strawberry jam. 

If your flour is particularly dry, add up to 1/4 cup additional milk to achieve consistency. 

Baby Shampoo - Not Just For Babies

Besides doing a great job of washing Max's hair, baby shampoo is also great for washing makeup brushes, bras (and other hand wash delicates), and anything else that requires a gentle sudsing that you might be tempted to shell out big bucks to get special cleansers for. It's gentle, rinses clean, and it's cheap.

A time saving tip: wash bras while in the shower (not while wearing them of course), then flip them over the curtain rod to dry. Two minutes, tops. You're welcome. 

Painting Heat Vents

An easy fix for those old, scuffed heat vents: give them a quick coat of spray paint. I'd show a before pic, but... They were pretty disgraceful. For maybe 15 minutes of work, this has some major impact. Even Max pointed out this morning that the vent next to the door looks nice all black. :) My kid gives the best compliments...

during...

the black looks so good against the dark gray floors!

Room Progress & an Announcement

The room is coming together, all I need to do is set up the laundry area and add some trim here and there (and finish painting the bathroom, but we won't talk about that).

And...

As you may notice, there's a rocking chair hanging around.

And a crib.

No, I'm not knocked up - I'm opening a daycare! As of the beginning of July I'll be chilling with a half dozen kiddos every day, blissful. :) The room I've been working on is no longer referred to as the laundry room, but as the baby room. I still have to get a bureau/changing table, but I have one in mind that just needs a touch of paint. Add in a few window treatments, and I'll call this one done!

I am so excited about this transition! I've been in a desk job since before graduating college. Back in November, play group was at my house and for some reason everyone was able to make it that day. So there were 10 toddlers racing around, 6 babies and their mommies in the front room, and I was standing in the middle of it all laughing and thinking, "I wish I could do this every day." That one thought just wouldn't leave me alone, and after months of thinking, discussion, number crunching, etc, it's happening!