Fun - Family - Food: Things I'm *luffing* this week

{Fun:} Handmade items are all the rage lately, and thanks to sites like Etsy, crafters from all over the country can sell their goods worldwide. I love one-of-a kind handmade items! I love knowing that real heart went into every stitch and that each item is unique.

I also heart coffee. A lot.

So I was thrilled to find these custom-made (and cute as a button) coffee cozies! I had seen CC's before, but not made to my (girly) specifications. I ordered mine here at The Crafty Cat, a fabulous craft blog that constantly has me wishing I was more handy in the craft department (I try though!) You can also find her stuff here on Etsy!


I refer to mine as the 'Shady Lady Design' because of the button- too cute!


{Family:} I may not have said it before, but my husband is a life-long hockey fan, current coach and jersey enthusiast. By enthusiast, I mean his collection is worth more than my car.

In addition to his love for all things rink-related, like me, he loves to read. Imagine my surprise (while perusing the shelves of a used bookstore) when I came across a childrens book called The Hockey Sweater.

I.Love.It. The Story- adorable yet meaningful. The illustrations- phenomenal. The ability to further bond daddy and daughter- spot.on.



{Food:} Okay, so this isn't a food, but close enough! While out for dinner the other night, I was introduced to a delicious drinkable dessert- a mangotini!

Not wanting to have to buy a copious amount of ingredients to make these myself, I hunted down an alternative to this tropical taste bud paradise....

Mix:

• 1 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1/2 oz Cointreau® Orange Liqueur
• 2 oz Snapple Mango Madness Soda

Blending Instructions:

• Pour the vodka, Cointreau and Snapple mango madness into a cocktail shaker half-filled with cracked or cubed ice
• Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

**Warning: Cabana boy not included.

A good egg...

I hadn't made (or even thought about) an Easter tree since I was about 7. So yesterday, when I came across several on our walk I was delighted and inspired! I could not *of course* have any old half-a$$ed decorated bush in our yard, so I decided to get creative.

I created my own 'tree' by gathering together small branches and biding them with ribbon. This was trickier and messier than I anticipated! Using an X-ACTO knife, I made a small hole in the top of each plastic egg, and ran a hoop of ribbon through. With the same color of ribbon, I made a small bow, which I added to the top of the egg with [my fave] hot glue. For the base I decided to use a tall vase, securing the branches with glass craft beads (which I reused from Vivi-cakes birthday party- bonus!] And Vvwaaaaa-laaaah!

Easter Beag le, take note: leave my 'Reester Bunny' and black jelly beans here!

Signs of Spring

I should preface this by saying that the arrival of springtime in Vermont generally means that the minute everyone whips out the flip flops (which is at about 35 degrees) and pastel prints, we are hit with at least one more big snow storm. It's a cruel joke that nature likes to play on us every year. We fall for it every time, always hoping that this year will be the year the snow will melt for good in March.

It was almost 50 degrees out today, so I took advantage of the break in the weather and went for my first outdoor walk since last summer. On our journey, we came across some signs of spring. Crocuses? Nuh-uh. Birds chirping from their nests? Nice, but no... Here are a few lesser-known signs that spring has made it's way to Vermont.

Easter tree with half melted snowman in the background. Classic.

The ever-helpful "nature's speedbump." These are generally not fixed until late fall, giving everyone that does not own a truck the chance to bottom out.

Yup, sometimes stopping traffic is literally for the birds

Dear Mother Nature, and other open letters...

Dear Mother Nature,
:) You rock my socks! Thank you for blessing us with this beautiful (albeit still a bit nippy) day filled with sweet nearly-spring [read: pre-manuer spreading] air and sunshine to warm our long-awaiting faces!

Dear Gerber Graduates,
I contest your description of 'mess free!' Unless by 'mess free!' you mean 'just the perfect size and consistency for the tiniest of fingers to squish and grind into the carpet.'

Dearest Darling Daughter,
Thank you for coughing, tooting AND spitting peas on my face all at the same time. Epic.
It's a good thing you're cute! :) smooches!


On another note, here are some sites I'm loving this week...

Yay Everyday - fun art and inspirational images
It Made My Day - winning moments... a happy alternative to "FML"

Babes in Orange-Land

You've heard of Dante's Inferno, right? Dante has nothing on Mommy's Inferno... AKA flying (sans spouse) with a toddler as a lap passenger.

Now, my daughter is a very happy, good natured child. She very, very rarely fusses and is happy just about everywhere. That said, there are exception to every rule, and the exception here is airtravel as a lap passenger.

Two words: never.again.

Oh yes, Mommy was able to reach a whole new level of frazzled on this journey! Having traveled with my daughter when she was a newborn, I thought I had this baby-travel thing in the bag! I should have known. When will I ever learn to never assume anything when it comes to my child? Especially since she is now very vocal and very, very mobile!

Here are a few things I learned while traveling this past week:

1. It does not matter how 'travel-friendly' your stroller's reviews claim it is. The reviewers clearly never tested it's 'speedy foldability' while simultaneously carrying [wrangling] a child that is attempting to make her escape; 2 bags filled with 'necessary' baby products (which, incidentally, weigh about as much as bricks) and attempting to hand the flight attendant the tickets (you know, the tickets that said [flailing] child keeps attempting to grab and put.in.her.mouth.) Where was the 'One-handed, 5-second-fold' mechanism that my 'Mercedes of Strollers' had promised me? Don't get me wrong, I adore our stroller, I just think the reviewers need to up the chaos level in their review scenarios.

2. You do not need half the things you think you will need in your carry on bag. No really, your child will only want to try to wiggle their way out of your arms and into the Promised Land (also known as the aisle). This will go on the entire flight and any attempts to read/play/snuggle/feed/amuse them as means of distracting them from trying to get to the asile will not end well. For you.

3. By 'extra leg room' seats, they mean 'extra cost' seats that involve no extra room for anything.

4. Trying to steer a stroller one-handed in an attempt to drink your coffee and walk at the same time, will result in you looking drunk (this may only be MY stroller, which maneuvers a little too easily if both hands are not in control of the vehicle at all times).

5. Airport sushi can be delish. Thank you Deep Blue Sushi at the JFK airport!

6. Each airport really only needs one store to purchase polo shirts within a 4-gate radius, not four, hmmkay? Perhaps they should add a Starbucks and some of those chairs massage chairs in their place. Mamma looooves those.

7. Inevitably, your child will probably do something embarassing en route to or from your location. Like throw her sippy cup at the Lt. Governor who happens to be walking up the aisle. [*blush*]

Any old who... had a great time in Florida! Wish we could have stayed longer!! My little babers certainly enjoyed the sun and sand (well, at least she enjoyed trying to eat it!)