Minnie Mouse Cupcakes.

There are 3 things you should know about me.

1. I am OBSESSED with cupcakes.  Just ask my poor friends and family who are subjected to eating them all of the time.

2. I am truly, madly, deeply in love with chocolate.  It is indeed a love/hate relationship that we have.  I love every second that its richness is melting in mouth, and hate every inch it adds onto my waist line.  Oh well.

3. Making something magical and special for my children is my favorite hobby.

So naturally I had to make these Minnie Mouse Cupcakes!  They are super easy and so full of fun!  I've decided to share the wealth with you.  :]

Here's a list of everything you will need (recipe below):

Flour, Sugar, Cocoa, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, Milk, Oil, Vanilla, Egg, Strawberry Frosting, Mini Oreos, Miniature Marshmallows.

Now doesn't this just sound like the makings of absolute goodness?!

Start by combining your Flour, Sugar, Cocoa, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, Milk, Oil, and Vanilla in a bowl. Mix on low speed for two minutes.  Then add your egg and mix on low speed for an additional two minutes.

 Fill your cupcake pan with liners and scoop 2 tbsp of batter into each liner.  Bake at 350.  They take roughly around 10-15 minutes but just keep an eye on them as each oven has its own temperament. 

 Once your cupcakes have cooled, go ahead and frost them with your strawberry frosting.  Yes- I realize I totally cheated on this step but hey- I'm a busy Mama too.  Gotta keep it practical sometimes.  If you are feeling super ambitious then here is when you could insert your own strawberry frosting recipe.  ;]

To decorate your cupcakes, break one mini oreo in half for your ears and cut your miniature marshmallows in half sprinkling them on your cupcake.  

And voila- you have super yummy, magical cupcakes!  I can't forget about mentioning my partner in crime...Miss Tessa!  

Sincerely, 

A Mama slowly returning from her chocolate induced coma state.

Bowl Dump-In Chocolate Cake:

1 c flour

1 c sugar

1/2 c cocoa

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 c milk

1/3 c oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Yields 1 dozen cupcakes.

-Henrietta Heck.

Her Daddy's Girl.

I love my girls.  I love that I can dress them up in pink, lace, and hair bows.  I love that they dance around our home pretending to be Princesses.  However there is no doubt that my sweet little Makenna is definitely her Daddy's girl.  She makes him so proud (not that her big sister doesn't either-he loves them both beyond words)!

She loves a good bbq, just like her Daddy.  Here she is chowing down some ribs...

 

She loves football, just like her Daddy.  Don't let her age fool ya, she's about to be the next big star...

 

She's a daredevil, just like her Daddy.  Here she is riding her quad, standing up...

Now there are many days that she is my little girly, girl.  But she is definitely a girl after her Daddy's own heart.  I LOVE watching him watch her.  There is so much pride, and love there.  Now every Daddy out there secretly hoping for a son, I'm sorry but it doesn't get much cuter than this.  :]

-Me.

Colorful Potion Drink!

Looking for a super fun and easy activity to do with your little ones?!  

Here is one we've been having fun with in our household...

Our "colorful potion drink".  

Nick and I tried this idea on New Year's Eve with the girls because we wanted a "special" drink for them to celebrate with.

It was a hit!

I had originally seen the idea on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago, and thought it would be perfect for the girls to drink that night.

So what is it?
Well first of all it is a complete sugar fest!  However that only adds to the fun of it.  ;]
All you need is a clear glass, kool aid, and sprite!

Since clear sippy cups are not that common, Nick went searching at Wal Mart and found these super fun ones for the girls to use for less than $2 a piece. 

Prepare the kool aid per the package directions and freeze in an ice cube tray.

Once frozen pour Sprite into a clear glass, add your kool aid cubes, and watch the magic begin.

Your kids will love watching the different colors and tastes it yields as the ice cubes melt.
For ours we used Grape and Fruit Punch.  It was delish.

There is another AWESOME reason why I love this little treat.  It is perfect for exploring colors with young children.  Have them guess what color they think it will make when mixed , and watch them learn in front of their very eyes as it melts.  :]

-Me.

Thank you mrshappyhomemaker.com for originally sharing the idea.

Happy New Year (or at least it better be...)!!

It's here, 2012!! 

Normally I have a resolutions list a mile long, but not this year.  Sure there are a lot of things I would like to accomplish over this next year, but they are really just bonuses to me.  I have but one true goal to reach this year...

by December 31, 2012 I will be MRS. Melinda Haight LPN!!

Those who know me well can recognize the significance of this.  If I can just reach this one goal, this year, I will be the happiest girl.  :]

To start this new year off right, it only seemed fitting to be spending it with 3 of the most important people in my life, curled up in our cozy home!  It  helped that I had also worked 11 hours that day, and didn't feel like seeing anyone, or being anywhere else. 

Nick bought fireworks for the girls!  Him and Tess had a blast setting them off outside, while Makenna and I watched from the warmth of our kitchen...

We then concocted a special, colorful potion for the girls to drink.  It amazed me how something so simple, could be so exciting for them!

It only seemed fair that on New Year's Eve, the bedtime rule be set aside.  Tess agreed, and reminded us over and over again that she could stay up as late as she wanted.  She was sound asleep by 11.  ;]

So I rang in the New Year, curled up on the couch, next to the man I love.  It was the perfect start to hopefully a very exciting year!

-Me.

P.S. Please forgive the poor quality of the pictures, they were taken on my phone.  :]

Christmas.

I feel as if I've been living in a dream over the past few weeks.  One of those really good, I never want to  wake up kind of dreams.  And the best part is I can vividly remember every detail in my memory. 

The sound.  There was music.  Joyful music.  Silent Night, Frosty the Snowman...you name it, I heard it!

The lighting. There were lights, beautiful lights decorating everything in sight.  Houses, stores, streets, and trees.

The smell.  It was the most glorious combination of fresh pine, cinnamon, gingerbread, and home cooked ham.

The setting.  Here, there, and everywhere good.  The homes of our families, Frederick Meijer Gardens, the mall, the ballpark, and perhaps the best spot- our cozy, little apartment. 

The people.  This is where the heart of the dream was.  I was surrounded by friends and family. 

The expressions.  Love, laughter, smiles, and joy!  There was a little bit of stress and chaos mixed in there too but we don't go there.  ;]

As I slowly wake up from this dream that I like to call Christmas, I realize how truly blessed I am.  My heart is overflowing.  These past few weeks have been magical for me.  Thank you heavenly Father for this beautiful gift.

Sincerely,
A Mama trying to find her way back to reality.

My love for hair clippies!

I originally saw these nifty little things on Etsy (you know- that glorious place where every woman can lose herself for hours, and have a "favorites" list a mile long- yes, that's the one).  I was in L.O.V.E.  

You see I have a 3 year old who for some reason unknown to me hates to wear hair bows or keep her hair pulled back in a pony tail.  You would think my living room was a battlefield if you witnessed the scene of me trying to do her hair unfolding.  Yikes!

So yes, when I saw these beauties in every color imaginable and decked out in glitter and rhinestones, I knew I had to try them.  One quick motion and voila- you're done. I waited very impatiently for their arrival over the next few days.  But it was worth every second (and penny)!

Clippies, as I like to refer to them, are the perfect accessory for any girl's wardrobe.  They are cute, fashionable, and are very effective at keeping the bangs out of my little one's eyes (which is in absolute must for this Mama here- I can't stand hair in the eyes).  They are also the perfect size to stash in the diaper bag, your purse, or even a coat pocket.  I have even found myself on occasion wearing one (yes ladies, they work to tame our lovely locks too).

However like every other toddler item out there (socks, pacifiers, sippy cups, etc...) they too seem to disappear into the deep, dark, black abyss, never to be found again.  So I knew a stockpile was necessary.  In order to cut down on cost (hello- shipping costs these days?!), with the help of my sisters, I decided to try my hand at making these myself.  Boy am I sure glad I did.  Super easy, and I now have a stockpile of every color imaginable.  

No more hiding those pretty blues over here, thanks to these awesome clippies!  Now I know you are probably thinking I'm insane for writing a blog post this long about a hair accessory.  Perhaps I am, but any Mama out there with little girls should understand! 

They are available to purchase at facebook.com/sorellasbowtique.  And the best news is we've made them affordable for you too (they sell for $1 with only $1 for shipping) -you're welcome.  :] 

Meet Tessa!

Tessa is 3 years old & always ready for an adventure!
She is our family's encourager & harmonizer.  She always has something sweet to say & keeps us in check by not allowing any arguments to take place. 

She is fun, loving, & witty.

She has a smile that will melt your heart & a hug that will capture it.

Her favorite activities include practicing her artist skills, watching Nick Jr, playing with her friends, & she loves to learn (definitely her Mama's girl).

She loves the outdoors.  Some of her favorite places include the beach, park, & zoo.

Her humor will amaze you.  She leaves her father & I laughing on a daily basis.

Her intuition is remarkable for a child her age.  She is very aware of others feelings & is always wanting to make everything better.

I love this little girl.  There is never a dull moment with her around.