Spring Baking Inspiration.

It's such beautiful weather here in California..!

The windows are wide open, the breeze is blowing, my house is getting Spring Cleaned.

I'm getting a little more energy back from the sun being out.

I cannot wait to finish organizing so I can just lounge...and relax and play around...!
I'll leave you with a delicious Buttercream Frosting Recipe made with real Butter.

Buttercream Frosting

Beat 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter which is 1 softened Stick with 2 tsp of Vanilla.

Get it nice and creamy.

Sift in 1 lb. of Powdered Sugar and beat.

Add 2 tsp of Milk {I always add mine slowly to get the consistency needed. For stiffer frosting use less milk.}

Mix until it's a gorgeous frosting.

*To get the brown frosting in some of these pictures, I add Cocoa Powder. It gives it a nice chocolately taste. Sometimes to get my frosting black, I add Cocoa Powder also to start with a darker base.

*You can also add Rasberry Flavoring or any of your favorites for extra flavor.

Home Management Binder.

 I recently found this blog called A Bowl Full Of Lemons and haven't stopped looking at it since.
 I've been Spring Cleaning my household, so I've been reading nonstop on how she organizes things and not only her....others as well through her Weekly Challenge linkys.

I decided to start her Weekly Challenges, better late than never. They're about 7 weeks into their challenges, but I love to organize...so I'll catch up.

The First Challenge was to create a Home Management Binder.

In the past, I have posted my Command Center Binder right here.

It's basically the same thing. However, I had that binder...plus one for blogging...plus one for lessons...plus school papers hung up everywhere. The Home Management Binder has it all.

I basically did almost exactly the same thing as she organized hers. The reason being I was looking for something new and different that could still accomodate everything that I need it to be.

 The most important thing to me is what type of person I portray and am.

My binder opens to Proverbs 31. I can read it over and over and it always reminds me of how I want to be. {All pictures should get big when you click on them!}

 Calendar is the first tab. I printed a weekly, monthly and yearly.

Most of the printouts are from Clean Mama's Shop on esty. You can make your own or try to find them off the internet. If you've downloaded my printouts, you've probably guessed that I like everything nice and neat and in tables...and I spend alot of time making lists. It was easier to get them and have them for now on.

My Daily Schedule which was actually the very last Weekly Challenge.

I just got it done at the same time. It's under the Schedule Tab.

 I printed out my PTO Meetings for the year, GS Meetings, Awanas Schedule, and all the other activity schedules.

 When I ordered the Menu Planning Kit, it came with a bunch of various ways to menu plan...including a monthly one as well. I am trying them all. I found a couple that I think will work best for me and printed a ton of them out to put under the Menu Planning Tab.

 I added a clear plastic sleeve for Take-Out Menu's.

 Finances includes our Monthly Budget Worksheet, Bill and Payment Checklist and Receipt Tracker.

I got these all from Clean Mama because we are also on the Dave Ramsey Financial Budget and they were just what I have been trying to do...and couldn't figure out how to do it...!

It also has a document that I made with all of our Bill Account #'s, their addresses and phone numbers for quick reference.

 To-Do List section...nice and clean. I'll keep my actual one for this week to myself..! It's a mess and busy...!

 School Section was just like A Bowl Full Of Lemons.

 It contains our Lunch Menu, Schedules, Fog Delay Phone Numbers, Welcome Letters, School Website and Learning Websites, Class Goals...etc. I also made this Absence Excuse Paper to use.
*Update: I added my Homeschooling Calendars and Schedule to the "School" Tab.

Medical tab has a copy of all our Insurance Cards, Medical Info, and an Emergency Information page. I would share what I made...but it's already filled out. One time I called 911 when my son was choking and my brain just turned off. I couldn't remember my address or phone number or anything! This page has all our information, step-by-step directions, family disaster plan, etc.

 Blogging section is amazing.

I didn't want to show you all the posts that I have coming up...!

 For the Cleaning Section, I just used Clean Mama's Schedule. She's actually alot like me. My schedule was pretty much the same except some things switched on different days. I figured that I don't even need to think about it anymore. It's figured out for me...!

Weekly Cleaning Schedule.

There is also a Contact Tab. It has all our family & friends.

Another page, has all of our bill phone numbers, doctor numbers, dentist, restaurants...basically any numbers we use.

 Pouch in the front for easy access to supplies.

*Update: Added a Tab in the very back for Church...that way I can also use the back pocket for the sermon notes. They are all collected for easy reference.

There you go..!

The kids have already been using it each day to see what they need to do and what they're having for lunch.

I have completed a few more of her Weekly Challenges but not in order....so I'm not sure if I'll post them until I finish the next one #2 or just go ahead and post what I've done.

Any way though....it feels great to be organized.

Saint Patrick's Day.

We had a Great St. Patty's Day together, just me and the kiddos...!

The kids woke up to their Christmas Elf Emilio next to the Leprechaun Trap. They missed him so much that Noe and I, thought it would be fun to have him celebrate with us.

He left a note saying that he captured our Leprechaun and made him give us treats in order for him to be set free.

They had Rolos and Chocolate Coins and Lucky Charms...!

Unfortunately, the Leprechaun left his green, sparkly footprints everywhere and peed in our potty before Emilio came. Who knows what shenanigans he would have come up with?!

 They did some fun projects while I read them books and talked about Ireland and Saint Patrick.

Patrick's real name is Maewyn so my daughter Maelyn calls him her husband! Kids are hilarious!

 Taking some pictures of my lovies.

Dinner...! Everyone pigged out...!

For Dessert we had Cookies...Pot-O-Gold Cookies, Leprechauns, Clovers.

Grandma came by later with Cupcakes.

We have enough sweets to last awhile...!

I ended the day by having them dance out all the sugar they ate....!

I was really surprised that they Loved all the Irish Jig Dancing Videos that I showed them. It was hilarious watching them dance. They were so impressed by the dancers. 

They are the reason that I am so LUCKY!

Leprechaun Trap...!

We did our Leprechaun Trap last night in hopes of catching that Sneaky Leprechaun before he destroys the house on St. Patty's Day.

The oldest kids decorated the box all by themselves. The older they get, I notice how I just let them do their own thing now. They want that freedom and creativity. It's a little bit sad because I like doing that stuff....but also proud moments. They said they were practicing wrapping for Christmas with the Trap...!

 We got a mean Leprechaun this year.

He left his Leprechaun Poop behind since we tricked him with fake coin manipulatives...!

Good thing we've been seeing previews for that movie HOP. I was able to explain that the same way that bunny pooped jelly beans...the Leprechaun poops treats...! So they tried them and they loved them. {Junior Mints}

The reason I went for a grouchy Leprechaun this year was because our special little Christmas Elf is going to come and take care of the Leprechaun problem. The kids are going to LOVE that...!

Saint Patrick's Day Cakes.

The kiddos had a Cake Auction at the church to raise money for Awanas.

Since it was the day before St. Patrick's we decided to go with that theme for the cakes.

They wanted Buttercream Frosting on them and Chocolate Cake inside.....so that's what they got...!

Noah took his Leprechaun Hat to the Auction.

He came home with a Ribbon for First Place. I didn't go since I was home with my youngest sicky daughter, so I'm not sure if that is for class or age or what....but he's proud.

 The girls came home with a First Place Ribbon for their Pot-O-Gold Cake as well.

They had such a fun time..!

They talked about it until the moment they fell asleep.

I guess that means next year we should try again?! 

A {St. Patty} Treat

I wasn't able to make it to our Girl Scout meeting because my youngest daughter is sick. I was planning on doing something fun to celebrate Saint Patty's Day at the meeting...so I thought that I would send a treat along with my other two girls.

When I think of Saint Patrick's Candy...I think....Skittles and Gold Chocolate Coins and Rolo's and of course anything Minty. York Peppermint Patties would make a cute treat...!

 These were super simple.

I just cut 2 Scalloped Circles with my 2 3/8 punch out of Green Cardstock per treat and 1 White smaller Circle with my Creative Memories punch.

You can print something for the middle or stamp a picture or put a sticker...but I wanted to get the girls involved, so I had them decorate the treats.

Then I just put it all together using scrapbook adhesive...sandwich style.

It's nothing big...just a simple jester.

I'm just Lucky to have them...!