What this work from home mom does all day...

5:30 am.. baby cries and wants a bottle.. i give it to her.. but then she realizes that it is not the middle of the night and close enough to morning that she wants to get up.. so then i bring her into our bed to sleep.. she tosses and turns and SOMETIMES goes back down.. and if she does it is INEVITABLE that our 4 year old will come in and decide to speak to us in all exclamation points.. then i hiss at him to be quiet.. only to realize that my "hiss" is what woke up the baby.. so then i give my husband a little "i hate you b/c i know you are pretending to sleep because you don't want to get up" shove..and move to the changing table where it is a crap shoot (no pun intended hehe) on if i have to change a poopy diaper. We do cloth so it is a little more involved to change a unexpected poop... SO happy i do cloth.. but in the early am... i curse the day i decided to do it.. SO after that we move to the "morning school routine" in which I get them all showered (baby girl sometimes isn;t fortunate enough to get bathed at this time and LORD KNOWS I NEVER AM!!).. then we get clothes on.. and argue about what they are wearing today. Wait we need to fine ___ specific item for school today.. CRAPOLA!!! So the search begins for ___ item that they must bring or wear to school today.. Why are there so many of these "special days" I know the kids get excited but this mama just cannot keep up! So i text my friend and see " are they really supposed to bring _____ item or is it really____ day today at school?? She confirms and we keep searching.. then we usually find ___ item somewhere under a bed or still in the wash.. WET.. so I think creatively and find an alternative... OK.. now moving on... time to Search for socks in the sock basket (b/c i never fold them into pairs.. sad..) then its off to breakfast in which both kids argue on what mommy will be making... screw it.. ya'll get cereal!!!!!I pour 2 cups of milk with carnation instant breakfast --to insure they get SOME nutrients if they don't eat.. get a sippy cup of watered down juice for P and cut up banana.. which is always EVERYWHERE.. They complain about what they are having and at least 2 time a week someone spills milk on the carpet... which needs to be replaced.. but honestly .. whats the point!?! ruin new carpet?! I think not!!  i threaten my children's with their lives that they had better eat and take their vitamins.. (b/c by now they have taken 35 minutes to eat a small bowl of cereal, a go hurt and milk... they rock in their chairs and test me constantly by getting up and grabbing cars.. while i try to accommodate everyone.. baby girl feeds the dog her breakfast (meaning i have to feed her again in an hour) .. then i wipe her off with a paper towel.. tell the kids to get their backpacks at least 3 times... and  we are out the  door... hopefully on time..
We get in the car.. which smells b/c my kids surely have left something or spilt something in the back..I look like a homeless person with bed hair (I'm lucky to get a ponytail in) and mismatched clothes.. and p looks like a homeless child (sometimes i am lucky and have time to wipe her down with some wipes and spray her hair and put a bow in.. )  I drop them off apologizing for whatever reason i need to to their teachers ( being late, forgetting to do/ bring something).. ugg.. happens ALL the time!
 Then P and i get in the car...head to the grocery store for milk .. b/c for the love of God, we go thru SO MUCH MILK!! I need a separate fridge just for MILK!!  Then I think about how easy life is with just one.. and why in the H E double hockey sticks i EVER thought it was hard then.. hind sight really is 20/20..  then i anticipate the next 2.5 hours of slightly more peaceful bliss.. eating breakfast, getting my chores done.. is it sad that i look forward to eating and chores???
and this is all by 8:40am...

More on this later.. b/c i am a work at home mom of 3.. i need to go tend to them now seeing that my oldest just mud bombed the 4 year old..

DIY Handprint Onesie

My littles and I made this for my future nephew (we call him "Hector" for now) that is due in June! Would be a great idea from cousins or even from siblings:) Just some crayola fabric markers, puff paint, and a onesie all from Wal-Mart! Whole project is under $10!

Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting

Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Allow butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Beat in maraschino cherry juice and almond extract. Gradually beat in remaining confectioners’ sugar. If necessary, beat in additional juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches piping consistency. Make 2 cups. This recipe from the Better Homes & Garden Cupcakes Edition 2011


I used my Dense Cake Recipe with the Cherry Chip mix for the cupcake:)

Perfectly Simple Cake/ Cupcakes (more dense cake)

White Almond Sour Cream Cake
2 boxes white cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
2 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp real vanilla
1 tsp almond extract (optional)
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
8 large egg whites

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on a low speed for 2 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees until cake tests done.

This recipe makes: All pans are 2 inch deep
One 14" round and one 6" round or
One 16" round or
One 12" round and one 10" round or
One 12 X 18" sheet cake or
One 12" round and one 8" round and one 6" round

Half the recipe makes:
Two 8" rounds or
Two 6" rounds and 6 cupcakes

Double the recipe makes:
one 18" round + one 10" round
all 4 sizes in the Wilton petal pan set


For chocolate cake: use chocolate mixes, omit almond extract and substitute 6 whole eggs for the whites. Same applies to Marble Cakes.

For liqueur flavors: substitute alcohol (such as champagne or Kahlua) for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe

For berry flavors: Substitute one 3 oz pkg Jell-o instant Pudding in a coordinating flavor for part of the sugar in the recipe. Use a 16 oz pkg frozen berries, thaw reserving the juice. Substitute the berry juice for part of the water in the recipe, and stir the berries in at the end. *You'll need to add a little extra batter to each pan for this version.* I found I needed at least another cup and a half of batter for a 10 inch round when using the fruit version.

Diet Saving Delish Dilly Dip

Ok so I have searched and tried many recipes for dilly dip to find one that tastes like Litehouse light Dilly of a Dip.. They used to put in in Costcos veggie platters then they changed brands:( Now I can only find the full fat version (BOOO) at stores..But FINALLY I have found a great recipe!! YAY!

8 oz. light sour cream
2 tbsp. dillweed
1 tsp. onion salt
8 oz. light mayonnaise
2 tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. lawrys seasoned salt

Mix together and let stand overnight. Serve with fresh veggies (sweet mini peppers from Costco are my FAVE with this)or in large round rye bread. Use scooped out bread for dipping ENJOY!