Hoppy Easter Cupcakes

Ever wonder how the Easter Bunny carries all those eggs?  A wheelbarrow of course! 

 Let's have some yummy and tasty Easter fun!

 

This was my all time favorite Easter activity that my Mom did with me as a kid.  Today I had the fun of sharing it with my own daughter for the first time, and now all of you, too.

 

 

First, you will need your favorite cupcake recipe or mix. I always use my favortie chocolate cake recipe - Crazy Cake (no egg needed recipe.)  It's so yummy and moist (even great with out frosting).  For the sake of saving time this close to Easter, I'm not posting the recipe now.  If anyone would like it please leave a comment and I'll be sure to post it!

 

 

Supliess Needed:

Green colored frosting (I do the simple powdered sugar, butter and milk recipe)

Coconut colored with green food coloring - GRASS

Jelly Beans - EGGS

Lifesavers - WHEELS (I used gummy life savers this time for my 3 yr. old)

Gum Drops - HUB CAPS

Peeps Marshmallow Bunnies

Colored Toothpicks

(I forgot to buy colored toothpicks, so used regular, but colored is more fun.)

 

 

Begin by frosting the cupcake.  Then dip the cupcake in the cocunut.  Next, add the Jelly Beans to the top.  I dipped the Jelly Beans in a bit of frosting first to help them stick.  You can also leave the cocunut off and just put the "eggs" on the green frosting for someone who does not like cocunut. 

 

 

Next, cut the round tip off of the gum drop and stick a tooth pick into the flat end, then add a Lifesaver.  Note: The gummy candies I used for my hub caps this time around were not gumdrops.  They were some type of sour gummy candy that I thought looked cute, but they really ended up being too big and close to the same size as the lifesaver.  It was not as cute and next time I will buy gum drops again.  Stick the tooth pick with candy through the bottom of the cupcake.  Put another toothpick with candy on the other side of the cupcake accross form the first to make wheels.

 

 

Last, place two toothpicks into the side of the cupcake at about the middle or slightly higher.  Then slide on your Peeps Bunny.  I've also done it with other Peeps like the Chic, but the bunny is my favorite!  You could also if you want turn the bunny around and have him "pulling" a wagon. 

 

 

Show off! Share! Eat! Enjoy!  They are so cute!!!!!!

 

Happy Easter!

 

 

Love It!

 

A Poem for March

A poem I wrote for a contest this month (didn't win), but thought I'd share....

March Snowman

March winds, oh, how they blow,

Whirling and a twirling with snow.

Calling me to come and play.

We’ll have so much fun today.

Make some snowballs.  Stack them high.

Build a snowman to reach the sky.

Add some eyes, a nose and arms.

Add a scarf to keep him warm.

The sun comes out, how warm it felt.
My March snowman starts to melt.

Love It!

Simple Supper

This is a recipe I came up with one night when I had a plentiful supply of garden green beans.  Enjoy

Green Bean Homeade Hamburger Helper

1 lb ground beef
desired amount of garden fresh green beans or frozen
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Velveta cheese (or cheddar) as desired
dried rosemary, to taste

Cook green beans in separate pot of boiling water.
Brown hamburger (I usually add some onion or minced onion flakes) and drain.
Stir in mushroom soup and green beans, simmer.  Sprinkle with desired amount of rosemary flakes.
Place Velveta cheese on top and cover with a lid.  Heat a little extra if needed.  Enjoy.

A Rhyme

I was cleaning out My Documents and found a rhyme I wrote about a year ago, as an entry for a Kong Toy contest.  Before I deleted it, I thought I'd share.

 

 

              Kong Toy Rhyme:

 

Peanuts, peanut butter, or any kind of treat,

Fill it with whatever they’ll eat.

It will keep them busy for hours,

The Kong they can’t wreck, no matter their power.

Its lots and lots of fun,

Whether in the house or lying in the sun.

A friend, a playmate, a good fun toy,

It’s something any dog is sure to enjoy.

A Few Recipies to Share....

"Hey There" Pumpkin and Spice Muffins

 

2 C.  whole wheat flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

2 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. ground nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup white sugar

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

2 T. vegetable oil

1 t. almond extract (I make this optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.

 

In a large bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, oil, and almond extract.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the large bowl until just blended.  Do not over beat.  Pour the batter into 18 nonstick muffin cups. 

 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

 

Note:  These muffins are really moist.

 

 

 

 

"Hey There" Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

1/2 C. butter

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar, packed

1/4 C. molasses

1 egg

1 C. pumpkin puree

2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 C. milk

 

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in molasses and egg.  Stir in pumpkin.  In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir flour mixture into the creamd mixture along with the milk.  Blend thouroughly but do not over beat.  Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Loveable" Apple and Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

 

1/2 C. butter, softened

1/2 C. honey

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 C. quick-cooking oats

1 apple, cored and chopped

Add raisins, as desired

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together margarine, honey, egg and vanilla until smooth.  Combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture.  Mix in oats, apple and raisins.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes beore removing. 

 

 

Note:  I made these three recipies as Valentine's presents for my husband when we were dating and again for our 5th anniversary of Valentine's, which is also when we got engaged and my birthday.  I don't remember where I got the original recipies, but he likes healthy and they are all pretty yummy.  Enjoy!!!

 

.....the rest of pictures yet to come

 



Pocket Verses

What greater way to show love than to help spread the Gospel of Jesus, the one who first loved us?  Share that love with a pocket verse – a little card that one can keep with them to remember a verse and help them remember The One who is with them all day long. 

The idea for pocket verses came as I had decided to once again write some of my favorite bible verses on note cards and keep them in my pocket.  I had done this a few years ago when I felt like my faith was at a low point.  I put a card with a verse in the pocket of my scrubs while I at work.  When I reached for a pen, I would feel the card.  It served as a great reminder that God was with me.  It would help prompt me to say the verse and then a little prayer.  I really feel it helped me strengthen my relationship with Jesus and helped me pray continually.  Of course it would help – there’s nothing better than God’s word!

I then decided it would be fun to make them a little nicer, than just on a note card and the idea spiraled.  The basis came from a craft I had seen on Pinterest that I had been wanting to try.  They were cereal box gift tags.  Here is the link for that idea:  http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/12/02/diy-cereal-box-gift-tags/Cereal Box Gift Tags

 

I first decoupaged scrap book paper onto cereal boxes.  Once they were dry, I cut out the desired shapes.

 

I then decorated them with ribbon, beads, and markers. 

 

 

 I wrote various bible verses on them.

 

 

I then made little tags that said: A Pocket Verse For You.  Make one. Pass it on.

 

I put each verse in a little bag with a note.  I also included a blank tag and some ribbon or beads. 

 

 

Pass Pocket Verses out to your friends and family.  Leave them randomly in public places - restrooms, shopping carts, ATMs - anywhere.   The reciever then is encouraged with the note and supplies to make one and pass it on.  (This is optional, but I like the idea!)  Keep it going!

 

 

Consider it a random act of kindness, if leaving it for someone else to find.  What better random act than sharing God's word?  One thing I like about this idea is that I am sometimes quiet and shy and often not as bold as I should be in telling others about Jesus. 

This is a way I can help spread God's word and so can you!

 

 

A POCKET VERSE FOR YOU.  MAKE ONE.  PASS IT ON!

 

I encourage you to make one or more for yourself and keep them in your pocket.  Make one for friends and family. 

Leave them in a random place.  Help keep this going! 

 

You could also make little prayers on cards and pass them out, thus creating Pocket Prayers.

 

Say a little verse and put in in your pocket.  Never let it fade away.............

 

 

Have fun creatig Pocket Verses or Pocket Prayers. Who know's maybe some day I'll find one randomly from you. Share the Love!

 

Love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wasn't It Just Yesterday?

Wasn’t it just yesterday?  ~A time of reminiscing on my birthday…..

 

Wasn’t it just yesterday I sat upon my bed?

In the only home I’d ever known,

And played with my childhood friend.
Thinking these days could never end.

Wasn’t it just yesterday when I was still in school? 

Homework assignments and projects due,

Hanging with friends and band practice too.

At that time, five dollars filled my car with fuel. 

Wasn’t it just yesterday when college days were long?

Early morning clinical and studying all day long,

Learning who I really was and where I did belong,

Then suddenly there, singing my graduation song. 

Wasn’t it just yesterday I started working nights?

A nervous Nellie – that was me,

Longing for the day, the newness wouldn’t be.

Now I’ve gained some confidence and it feels quite alright.

 

Wasn’t it just yesterday you wandered to my door?

A story then unfolded as we saw our friendship grow.

There before me you were kneeling, one knee in the cold snow.

And now today I love you - more and more and more.

Wasn’t it just yesterday Dad walked me down the aisle?

We were joined as one and became Mister and Misses.

Friends and family rang the bell, to see us give each other kisses.

Our wedding day, always to be thought of with a smile.

Wasn’t it just yesterday I dreamed of having kids?

Then the pregnancy test, positive it said.

Our first born, a sweet little girl,

Now, I watch her play and dance and twirl.

Wasn’t it just yesterday I sat here next to mom?

Sharing secrets, telling jokes, and laughing all the time.

You taught me how to live my life and everything was fine.

Now more than a year has passed since my mom has gone.

Wasn’t it just yesterday I held you the first time?
Our cute little boy,

What a wonderful new joy.

Now laughing and cooing when I sing a rhyme.

Wasn’t it just yesterday my birthday was here?

Now here my birthday is again,

A time to think about and remember when.

And then to enter a new decade – NEXT YEAR!

 

 

The idea for this poem came when I sat down on my birthday (only a couple days ago) to do a little writing - which I Love!  I had the idea of just a little prose peice, but it turned into a poem.  I had been thinking of different things for awhile.  Like the time I sat in my room around age 16, thinking about only having a couple years at home left.  At that time, I couldn't imagine life any other way or away from my parents home.  I also remember thinking about a time when I got a C.D. in the mail with a Children's Ministry magazine.  It was more or less an advertisement for a Sunday School curriculum.  But the songs/actions on it were so fun.  I decided I would save it to do with my kids and now I do and my two-year old loves it - Woo Hoo!  It really seems that was just yesterday (some days anyway).  Thus the inspiration for Wasn't It Just Yesterday.

 

Note/Reminder: This is some of my writing I wanted to share with you.  I may also do more editing to it.  Please respect this writing as my own original writing.  Thank You.