I Love Lists, Friday

1. I love Tim Burton and almost everything he has done, except for Nightmare Before Christmas. I bet 'll love his newest creation.
2. I always enjoy playing Sudoku as it is a quick game that involves thought. Am I ready for the challenge? Are you?
3. Amazing Landscapes
4. Carrot Cake Truffles. Sound yum!
5. I'm hoping that this restaurant will be open in time for our vacation. The kid in me really wants reservations!
6. Ha ha! I wouldn't actually want this t-shirt, but it's funny!
7. I love all things Avengers. Even Sailor Moon style. 
8. The Childlike Empress FTW.
9. I'm pretty sure I had one or two of these when I was a kid. Ah, simpler times...
10. There is a mom who, every night after her children go to sleep, quickly sketches one moment in time from the day. It's precious. Check out her blog. DoodleMum.
11. Best TV confessions of love.

Recipe: Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins

So I found a recipe online for some Healthy Muffins that I just had to try. The ingredients list wasn't too long so I went to pick up the few things I needed after I got off work today. The thing that drew me to this recipe is that it is both flour and sugar free. I have been trying to focus on low to no sugar options lately as everyone knows I am sugar addicted. I haven't given up added sugar completely, but I have really embraced sugar free options such as sugar free shortbread and no sugar added Blue Bell vanilla ice cream. The muffins I made tonight were pretty good, although I would add to the recipe up a bit.

The recipe is as follows:
2 1/2 cups 100% whole grain oats (not quick cooking)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 single serving size plain, nonfat greek yogurt
2 eggs
2 bananas
2 tablespoons artificial sweetner (I prefer Truvia)

In your food processor, blend the oats until they are a fine powder consistency. Then add all other ingredients to the food processor and blend. Make sure and grease your muffin tin cups really well as paper muffin liners don't work with these flourless muffins. Fill muffin tin cups about 3/4 full with the mixture, as they do rise. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes on 400 degrees.

It's that easy! Next time I would add a little bit of salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. The muffins are pretty good, but lack a little flavor. I think the addition of these three ingredients would add the flavor these muffins need. The only other drawback was that these turned out a little gummy. I am not sure that is avoidable without the addition of flour. For muffins that have whole grain oats and fruit, with no flour or sugar, these are pretty much the best thing around.

New Addition to Foodie Finds: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

I am in love with my newest addition to the Foodie Finds portion of our website. This blog is called Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and it is stunningly fabulous!  Although all of the recipes sound amazing, the main reason I added it to the Foodie Finds section is the whimsical photography. I just love the clear, crisp and cute pictures she takes of her kitchen creations. I'll soon be looking to purchase a new camera and I want whatever one she is using, plus some of her talent as well! All of her recipes look like they taste amazing just cause of her photography and since I can't taste all of her concoctions through the computer, I will just have to bet that they all taste pretty darn good! How could I not add this awesome blog to the Foodie Finds collection?

Can It Be?

I can finally say that we are almost done renovating our new home! We have been working hard since April 30 to get the house updated. We have painted, installed and cleaned our hearts out. We are down to just a few small projects like installing new doorknobs and hanging a TV. We also have a plumber and electrician coming to do a couple small projects. I'm thinking this upcoming weekend we should be able to knock out everything we can do and then truly enjoy our home!  I can't wait to have visitors come and stay with us, have family holidays in our home, and the hear pitter patter of little feet in this great new space.

Two Year Blogspot Anniversary

Two years ago today I started this blog.

Since then, I have been pretty good about keeping up with it. Here is to another year on Blogspot!



I Love Lists, Friday

1. I've been waiting years for this! Monsters University.
2. I love A'Capella music. I love Gentleman's Rule. Check them out!
3. Pancakes and Bacon Cake Slices with Maple Buttercream. 
4. If it weren't $60, I would be buying this. MST3K.
5. As if I needed to find a reason to love Disney even more. Ben's Final Night on SWSA. (Read through all six blog posts. It's worth your time, I promise.)
6. They have restored mine. 
7. Fantasy Wedding Cosplay: Alice and Wonderland.
8. I do this almost every time I eat a cupcake. I guess my secret is out!
9. Cupcakes FTW.
10. The Pros and Cons of Living with Your Significant Other.
11. Only on a plane. It's so true!

Product Review: Diamond Candles

About a week ago I ordered my first Diamond Candle in the Vanilla Cream Scent. I found out about these candles while I was looking through a few random blogs who are a part of the Picket Fence Blogs Group. The neat thing about these candles is that each one contains a ring which is usually valued at $10 but can be worth up to $5000. I had no thoughts of buying this candle because I thought I was going to get some expensive ring, instead it was more about buying the unknown. It is like when you are a kid and they had those machines you plugged a quarter into and out popped an egg with a prize inside. You knew what the prize options were as they were clearly displayed on the machine, but it was a random surprise as to which you would get. I had that same child-like energy and enthusiasm when unveiling my Diamond Candle ring. It's neat that as adults we can still feel like kids some times.

Anyway, the ring is not the only great part of this purchase. The candle smells amazing and the scent really wafts throughout a whole room as it is burned. I am pretty bummed, actually, that I love these candles so much. I just can't justify spending $29.95 ($24.95 + $5.00 shipping) for one. I think the price point for me for these candles would be $14.95 + $5.00 shipping. But, lucky for the Diamond Candles company, almost no one else seems to agree with me as they sell over 10,000 candles per month. Do the math and you'll know that plenty of people don't mind paying this price. Perhaps, on some special occasion in the future, I will purchase another of these awesome smelling, childhood memory inducing candles.

Oh, and here is the ring I got in my candle. Very pretty and great quality! Unfortunately, it seems to be a size 10+ as it comes easily off all fingers, even my thumb. Oh yeah, it's also not a real diamond, obviously. Ah well, I enjoyed my Diamond Candles experience anyway!

Cordelia Bedelia

Our little Cordelia seems to be doing much better! I'm so glad she has pulled through this little spell and is back to her normal loving, curious self. Yay!

I Love Lists, Friday

1. This cake is simply stunning!
2. Adding monsters to thrift store paintings. Enough said.
3. Seeing life from a different perspective. Eiffel Tower. 
4. Wait for it.
5. I don't ever remember being like this after getting my wisdom teeth out. What an odd trend.
6. You must visit this restaurant if you are in a 50 mile radius. Sushiism is simply amazing!
7. Quick. Funny. Yeah! Monkey!
8. I shouldn't like this song. Horribly embarrassing to admit, but it's true. Gotta Have Faith. 
9. I must have this. I heart Joss!
10. Pixar + Marvel. Two of my favorite things combined!
11. Swanson, Ron Swanson. 

Sweet Girl

Our little girl Cordelia went deaf two days ago and it seems as if she is entering the last phase of her life. She is still such a sweetheart, even though I am sure she is scared and perhaps in some pain. She hasn't wanted to come out of her cage for two days, but tonight, I eventually coaxed her onto my lap. My rule is that if she doesn't want to come out, she doesn't have to, but I'm so glad she did. She sat on my lap for what must have been 30 minutes. She groomed my hands almost the entire time. She even fell asleep for a few minutes. Although it was extremely sweet, it was also heartbreaking, as girl rats only ever sit still if they are sick or dying. Hopefully she will come back from this, but if not, we will miss her so much.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of Cordelia when we had just brought her home. She was so small!

BabyMo 2.0

It's official. Mike and Amanda are going to be a family of four. I am so excited for them! Henry is the cutest little boy ever, and I have some weird feeling that this time around they will have a girl. I have no reasons to back this up. It's just a feeling I get. I'm probably completely wrong. Either way, they are excellent parents and I can't even imagine how loved BabyMo 2.0 will be. Ryan and I can't wait to meet the new addition in December or January. Congrats Morrison Family. We love you guys!

I Love Lists, Friday

1. This may ruin some of my favorite childhood memories. Mr. Rogers Autotuned. Or maybe I really like it.
2. Someone has a little too much time on their hands. Kirk and Spock Ponies. 
3. A sad week indeed. Author Ray Bradbury has Died in California. Fahrenheit 451 was one of my favorite books as a child. 
4. Truer words have never been spoken. Verizon Customer Service SUCKS.
5. Now that we are getting moved in to our new home, we can get back to cooking. Why not start out with this awesome desert? Easy Crockpot Cherry Crisp. 
6. This is my favorite coffee shop in the Dallas Metroplex. If you within a 6o mile radius of this shop, it is worth the drive!
7. Well if this is the creepiest thing I have seen in awhile. Betty White.
8. Gas Station Food. Crazy, but I love it!
9. We have two of these little ones that run and scamper around our roof. They are adorable!

CMC Gastro - 15th in the Nation

I'm so proud of my team! Rankings for Best Children's Hospitals in the Nation just came out from the US News and World Report. We jumped up eight spots from last year and are now ranked number 15 in the nation for Children's Gastroenterology. Check it out here. Keep up the great work team. It is an honor to work with all of you!

I Love Lists, Friday

1. Call Your Girlfriend cover by Maisy and Lennon Stella. So talented! I am ready to buy their songs on iTunes.
2. All things Thor. Isn't this little Despicable Me Thor just so cute! 
3. Having recently sold and bought a home, these Picket Fence and Sold Sign Cookies really spoke to me. Yum!
4. I am really way too busy to read any books right now, but on my recent flight to Missouri, I did manage to start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Since I'm only about 60 pages in, I'm not quite sure why this book did so well yet, but I hope to get the chance to pick it up again soon!
5. The first four words you see describe you. Try it here. I got Dramatic, Naive, Sweet, Happy. Hmmm...
6. I'm so happy for my cousin and her new husband. Congrats Hannah!
7. My friend Leila is getting married in March and we got to go to Circle Park Bridal to wedding dress shop. She looked gorgeous in every dress!
8. Happy June!
9. I need these red heels. More importantly, I need to be taken somewhere to wear them!
10. Awww. Puppies need homes!
11. I remember jumping up on the coffee table when I was a kid, don't tell my mom, and dancing to Fraggle Rock. Now, they're making a movie! Ah, memories.
12. This guy proves that you don't always have to do what you love to love what you do.