if you stop by our house today, you'll find us in the kitchen baking making THESE. maybe if i get brave we will attempt a gingerbread house. i haven't made one since i was a kid... any tips or tricks you might be willing to share?

it may be 79 degrees outside, but it's definitely beginning to look a lot like christmas. december 1st in our house means we are in the midst of holiday decorating. it also means that the annual christmas countdown has begun. so how do you countdown? add a new ornament to the tree each day? celebrate with a small gift or special treat? read a different christmas book each night? a couple of years ago we started a new family tradition - an "activity based" advent calendar. sometimes our "activities" are big outings & sometimes they are just little things, but we try to do a little special something, every single day... spreading christmas cheer throughout the entire month. so here's this year's list:

1. write letters to santa
2. watch: how the grinch stole christmas
3. go to disneyland
4. attend a christmas tree lighting
5. holiday toy express
6. read: the tale of the three trees
7. ride the irvine rail roade christmas train
8. make hot chocolate floats
9. watch: the nightmare before christmas
10. start our own "white envelope"tradition
11. have a picnic dinner by the christmas tree
12. dana point harbor boat parade of lights
13. read: the christmas orange
14. ding dong ditch christmas treats
15. gingerbread house
16. watch: white christmas
17. make home-made bread for hot chocolate & toast
18. have breakfast for dinner
19. newport beach boat parade
20. read: why christmas trees aren't perfect
21. have a fondue/ candy cane dipping party
22. drive around to see the neighborhood christmas lights.
23. watch: elf
24. sing christmas songs, tell the story of the true meaning of christmas, & read the christmas story

here's to a happy holiday season! it's definitely one of the happiest times of the year!

what seems impossible one minute becomes, through faith, possible the next. -norman vincent pealetoday is the first day of the rest of your life. -american proverb

it's been one of those days, er weeks, okay... months. it feels good to say it out loud, let the healing process begin.

as much i wish i were, i've never claimed to be super mom, or to live a practically perfect life. that's the stuff fairy tales are made of. & while i am living my own version of "happily ever after," it's definitely not disney material. but lately, things aren't even close to being perfect, in fact, life seems to be utter chaos. these days, i've been fighting the blues, you might say i've been just a wee bit grumpy. i don't know, maybe you can relate, or maybe you'll think i'm completely off my rocker - but it feels as though i'm slowly drowning. i try not to let it show... that's what i do, what i've always done. i like to build a wall or fortress around myself, slowly shutting out friends, family & the world - transforming myself into what jeffy lovingly calls the "ice princess." sweet of him, huh? it's the sad, but real, truth. i can feel it happening. so i'm trying hard to fight it. each and every day i wake up & try to put on a brave face. i try to think of all the things i'm grateful for, for all of the wonderful blessings and opportunities i have & have had throughout my life. and most days i manage to come out on top. but not lately.

if you know me, you may or may not have noticed a difference. maybe you've realized that i don't call as much, that i'm not as "bubbly" as usual, or that i'm just not any fun to be around anymore. but, if you were to ask me about it, i probably brushed you off, or simply said "i'm fine." but that's just it, i'm not fine. but, i don't really want to complain, & i definitely don't want to talk about myself. yet here i am, doing both - complaining & talking about myself.

but, i've finally decided, instead of drowning in my own personal sea of sorrow, i'm going to "put it all out there." i'm going to open myself up, think good thoughts, & hope the universe takes pity on me. either that, or maybe i'll just move to austrailia - i hear the weather's nice & maybe i'll run into alexander, he knows what it's like to have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day month. but don't mind me, pretty soon this blog will be back to it's regularly scheduled programming, that is if anyone is even reading it still. & if you do happen to still be reading, i hope i didn't just scare you off.

image via here.

this week i thought i'd share the five blog posts that i most recently "starred" in my google reader... maybe you'll find a favorite you'll want to "star" yourself.

1. peanut butter pie: an oreo cookie crust & reese's peanut butter cups... oh yum!

2. nie nie's red hat and his brown eyes:i don't think i've mentioned it before - but when i grow up, i hope i can be as amazing as miss nie nie, she's my hero.

3. gettin' crafty, a little mod podge is an amazing thing: a new-to-me spin on freezer paper stenciling that uses one of my favorite crafting supplies - mod podge.

4. party in the usa music video: i'm loving this home-made miley video

5. $5 refashion, the ruffled tuxedo: this might just be the project that breaks my sewing machine out of hibernation

now that i've shared some of my recent favorites, what's the most recent blog post that you've "starred?"

finished. yep! costumes are finished (at least the kids' are. costumes for me & the mr. are still in the works.) however, the house is still covered in a mess of glitter & tulle. any guesses on what we are going to be for halloween?

ready to "BOO" your neighbors, or perhaps you've already been "BOO'ed" & it's your turn to deliver some tasty treats. why not whip up a batch of THESE ghouls? they are super easy (30 minutes tops) & you can never go wrong with nutter butters. for instruction & the how-to go HERE.


image via MartaWrites.blogspot.com

okay, okay. i know, halloween hasn't even happened yet & i'm talking about christmas. but i'm just so dang excited! we're already celebrating the holidays over at just spotted. i don't want to spill the beans, you'll have to go THERE yourself to find out all the details. but, i will give you a few hints... it involves a "giveaway" & "the happiest place on earth ." have i piqued your interest yet?

around halloween, one of our favorite family traditions is to ding-dong-ditch friends & neighbors. we pack up several plates of goodies, attach the following poem & watch as the ghosts take over the neighborhood...

you've been BOO'ed!
the air is cool, it’s time for fall,
soon halloween will come to all
ghosts and goblins, spooks galore,
tricky witches at your door.

the spooks are after things to do,
in fact a spook brought this to you!!!
the treats that came with this short note,
are yours to keep, enjoy them both.

the excitement comes when friends like you,
will copy it & make it two,

we'll all have smiles upon our faces,
no one will know who BOOed our places!

just be sure that you don’t tell,
keep it secret, hide it well.
please join the fun, the seasons here.
just spread these "BOO's" & halloween cheer.


want to start the tradition in your neighborhood as well this year? print out your very own "you've been BOO'ed!" template HERE.

so, we went to disneyland yesterday. yep! one the perks of living in orange county is that we can drop everything & anything and head over to disneyland, just to have dinner & watch the fireworks show. (last night i had the famed disneyland monte cristo, & let me tell you - it was amazing!) anyway... as we're walking along, jeffy asks "do you even notice anymore?" "notice what?" i respond. "notice the way people stare."

it's true, people do stare. & not just at disneyland. everywhere i go, people stare. & it's not because i'm profoundly beautiful. (although, i'm the first to admit that my new hair-do is smoking hot. it's just a little bit sweet & a whole lot of sass. did i mention that i cut, no chopped, all my hair off? i can't remember if i shared that little bit of news. anyways... i'm off the subject again.) people stare, point & whisper at my children. at first, it's my stroller that gets their attention. having had my stoller for years, i (wrongly) assume that everyone has heard of phil & teds strollers, but judging by the number of "oohhs!"& "ahhhs!" i get, i guess everyone doesn't know about the greatness that is the phil & teds.

once they get over how incredible my stroller is, they are soon amazed by my little charlie... snug as a bug in the cuddly wrap. i'm the first to admit at first glance, the cuddly wrap can be just a tad bit intimidating. but trust me, after tying it on a couple of times, pretty soon it became like second nature. pretty soon i realized it was the greatest invention in the entire world. my children have traveled around the world bundled up in that little wrap. they live day & night in it, how else would i ever get anything done? my little charlie... she may look like a little angel, but she definitely has got a pair of pipes. right now, her favorite past time is definitely screaming. but, once she gets bundled up in her little wrap, she can sleep for hours at a time.

i'm telling you - if you're prego, have a baby, or need a gift for someone who is having a baby... this is THE must-have. if only i had a dollar or two for every time someone asked me about my cuddly wrap, i'd be a very rich gal. maybe i should look into working for them on a commission basis, i think i could make some serious cash. so there you have it, my cuddly wrap sales pitch.

p.s. by the by... do you like my pink-ish tint on my photo, in honor of national breast cancer awareness month?

so, i LOVE halloween time at disneyland. & not just because they treated my family & i to a super fantastical day filled with all things halloween time-ish, but because it is absolutely & completely freak'in AWESOME! this year the "villains" took over the parks & let's just say they really outdid themselves. there's "boo-tiful" decorations complete with candy corn hanging from trees. jack skellington has once again returned & made the haunted mansion his home & a ghost has taken over space mountain. but best of all is the disneyland halloween screams firework show. it is amazing! absolutely A-MAZING! once again, the "villains" know how to take care of business...  as the fireworks explode in the night sky, the castle is bathed in ghostly lights, all the while each of the "villains" takes his or her turn commanding "center stage," so to speak. but, words alone can't even begin to describe the firework show (or extravaganza as i like to think of it), you absolutely have to see it! here's your personal 11-minute sneak peak of the disneyland halloween screams firework show. (and if you want to catch the real thing, all you have to do is head on out to disneyland before november 1st & trust me, you don't want to miss it!)





11-minutes a bit too long? not a problem.  here's disneyland's much better produced & less shake-y hand-ish  30-second version...

dessert... i think it's my favorite word in the entire english language. it's the one thing i look forward to all day. it's the reason i run every day. it's the thing that keeps me sane. here's a list of my all-time favorite dessert recipes in no particular order.

1. chocolate brownie trifle

2. lemon freeze with raspberry sauce

3. 5 minutes in heaven aka chocolate chip bundt cake

4. caramel crack

5. lemonade cake & if you want a little extra pop! make this lemon-y frosting too

6. big, fat, chewy chocolate chip cookies

7. old fashioned bread pudding & vanilla-caramel sauce

8. peanut butter surprise

9. chocolate whipped cream cake

10. chocolate haupia pie

here's a new spin on tin-foil dinners. ALL of my boys loved it & it was definitely a sneaky way to sneak in some veggies. they gobbled it up so quickly they didn't even realize they were eat zucchini, peppers & tomatoes.

chicken pizza packets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tb. olive oil
1 small zucchini chopped into chunks
1 small package of pepperoni (can be used whole, although i like the pieces smaller, so i chop them up)
1 small green pepper, julienned
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. epper
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup+ shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup+ shredded parmesan cheese
(i use an entire bag of the pre-shredded italian cheese mixture, but i like lots of cheese)

1. in a large bowl, combine everything except the tomatoes and cheese.
2. coat four large pieces of heavy-duty foil (about 12in. square) with cooking spray
3. place 1/4 of the chicken mixture in the center of each piece & fold foil round mixture and seal tightly.
4. grill, covered. over medium-hot heat for 15-18 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
5. carefully open each packet. sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese. seal loosely, grill for 2 more additional minutes (or until cheese is melted).

recipe via taste of home

summer is nearly over. i can smell it in the air & there is a distinct color change currently going on. i know, i know, people always say that california doesn't "do" the change of seasons, but i'm to tell you they are all wrong. although our leaves might not change colors as the fall approaches, there is definitely a change of lighting. call me crazy, but i strongly believe that fall in california has it's own look, it's own color of sunshine if you will. a little more amber with that autumn golden glow. anyway, with the days getting shorter, & the kids back in school, before we know it - halloween will be here & summer officially over. i guess now's the time to get in one last bbq, one last summer celebration. so here are five tasty dishes you can serve at your "goodbye summer" celebration...

1. sizzling country ribs & patio beans: so you're getting two for the price of one today. these are two absolute staples at all of our family bbqs. both are my mom's secret recipes (don't tell her i spilled the beans) & are often requested by both friends and family.

2. spinach tortellini salad: delicious & oh! so pretty to look at. plus, it's one of the few salads that you can actually eat the leftovers - no wilting, you gotta love that!

3. corn & black bean salsa: what's a bbq without the chips & dip? this salsa will ensure that all your chips get eaten. but don't worry, when the chips are all gone, you can keep eating the salsa with your fork as a side dish - it's that good, you won't be able to get enough.

4. cheese bread: don't be scared off by the combination of mayonnaise or worcestershire sauce, i promise it's good.... in that fattening, good thing it's the last bbq of summer kinda way.

5. big, fat & chewy chocolate chip cookies: on their own, they are absolute perfection. but pair with some ice cream & some homemade hot fudge? oh la la! perfection!

hope i've inspired you light up the grill at least one more time this summer!

i had the greatest weekend ever. i spent it with over 100 ladies (& maybe one or two gents) who are creative, inspiring & overall just complete visionaries. i loved getting the opportunity to meet and greet a few new, & several familiar faces. i loved chatting & getting to know new friends. i loved feeling important as i exchanged business cards. & i loved, loved, loved, LOVED getting to meet several of my absolute favorite blog crushes... marie of make & takes, allison of petite elefant, & carrie of this is me journal & this mama makes stuff (okay, you caught me. carrie & are practically bffs from way back when, but i did LOVE getting to spend the weekend with her). but that wasn't all! i also got to spend a little time with the beautiful, creative & awe-inspiring heather bailey. (excuse me for a moment while i pinch myself, i still can't believe i actually got to meet her. & yes, she is absolutely amazing! definitely one of those people you want to hate, but you just can't - she is just sooo incredibly genuine & gosh darn nice!)

it was so incredible being surrounded by so much "greatness." i felt like a starstruck little kid, visiting disneyland for the very first time. it took everything i had to restrain myself from taking pictures with everyone & asking each one of them for their autograph.

if you ask my boys what their favorites rides at disneyland are, they will answer: pirates, the ghost house (otherwise known as the haunted mansion) & buzz. although, i'm the first to admit, i don't know who likes buzz more - the kids, or us adults. my hubby & i constantly competing to see who can walk away with the highest score. unfortunately, he wins most of the time. (i think it has something to do with all the video games he played as a kid.) but I'm proud to announce to the world that my losing streak is over (or so I hope, at least).

being the competitive person that i am, i didn't like the fact that i did more losing, than winning during our buzz competitions. so, lately i've been doing some reconnaissance, & i thought i'd pass along a few of the tips & tricks i've picked up...

ever wondered how the scoring works in general?
circle shaped targets are worth 100 per shot
square shaped targets are worth 1,000 per shot
diamond shaped targets are worth 5,000 per shot
triangle shaped targets are worth 10,000 per shot
(so, my super obvious tip is to aim for the triangle & diamond shaped targets... don't waste your time on the circles & squares!)

&, if the targets are light, they're worth even more:
circle shaped targets are worth 500 per shot
square shaped targets are worth 5,000 per shot
diamond shaped targets are worth 10,000 per shot
triangle shaped targets are worth 100,000 per shot

a few of the other "gems" i've picked up are:
* even though i've previously stated that you shouldn't waste your time on circles, often times, if you hit a circle target you can get a higher value target to "appear". for example: the "jack-in-the-box" target... if you hit the target to open it, there's a diamond target on the inside of the box, & after the "jack" pops up there is a triangle target.
* once you've hit a target, keep shooting baby! i used to think that the targets needed time to "reset", but that's not the case. so as long as you have a shoot, keep going for it! (i'm hoping the ride "stops" momentarily next time i'm riding... you can really rack up the points then!)
* & finally, they are a couple of "hidden" targets that can be found on zurg... during the ride you'll actually come across two different zurgs. both times, right below the "z" medallion holding his cape together, you can see a line running down the center of his chest. Just below his cape you'll notice a small circle (it's very dark, very small & very hard to see). aim for that circle - if you hit it you'll get 50,000 points! the first zurg you come across is the easiest because it's much closer, but you can find the "secret" target on BOTH zurgs.

hopefully these tips will help me kick the hubby's butt on our next buzz go round. if you want even more disneyland tips & tricks, feel free to email me (accordingtokelly@gmail.com) or, read up HERE.

my crock pot is one of my absolute best friends. we spend a lot of time together... she's the type of friend that is always making me look good - she's does all the work & i take all the credit. this week i thought i'd share some of my favorite, go-to crock pot recipes!

1. rootbeer bbq beef sandwiches. although THIS recipe is pretty dang good too!
2. zesty crock pot chicken
3. cafe rio style sweet pork salad with creamy cilantro dressing
4. marta's meatballs
5. chicken salsa tacos

have i missed YOUR favorite crock pot recipe? oh please! do share your favorite crock pot go-tos.

the barefoot contessa's coconut cupcakes definitely make that list.

image via food network

barefoot contessa's coconut cupcakes

ingredients
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

for the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

directions
preheat the oven to 325 degrees

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. with the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. in 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. mix until just combined. fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

line a muffin pan with paper liners. fill each liner to the top with batter. bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

meanwhile, make the frosting. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

these babies are de-lic-ious! excuse me while i wipe the drool from my chin!

i spent a lot of time creating the "perfect" running playlist... chock-full of tunes that would get my feet moving & my heart pumping. unfortunately, i was too blonde, or maybe it was too early in the morning, or perhaps i was just a little bit nervous - whatever the case, i couldn't figure out how to work my cool new earphones. that is, until 5 minutes after the race was over, when it occurred to me to check the volume control on the earphones. (did i mention i was blonde?) so, i ended up running sans any musical motivation. but, i received so many inquiries about my 1/2 marathon playlist i decided to make it available to the "masses." you can check it out HERE.

early sunday morning, along with about 13,000 people, i laced up my sneakers, loaded up the playlist & hit the pavement running... for my first ever 1/2 marathon. although running 13.1 miles is definitely a daunting task, it's a wee bit easier when you have a friend or two by your side (or at least in the near vicinity).with an "official chip time" of 2 hours, 13 minutes & 15 seconds and a division place of 239 (of 1252 women ages 30-34), i'm feeling pretty good about myself. not bad for a gal 4 months & 4 days post baby, & about two weeks of training. now the question is, what's next?

recently i was challenged to write about myself using 25 words or less. kinda like my own, self-describing personnel ad, complete with self-portrait. here was the end result...

cherry coke drinking, crushed ice loving, bike riding, apron wearing, marathon training, surprisingly shy, REAL orange county housewife & mama of 3 with ADD crafting tendencies.

care to play along? i'd love to get to know YOU even better.


step one: take your self portrait. no primping necessary (check me out in all my mountain biking glory... complete with helmet hair & a thin coating of dirt)

step two: describe yourself in 25 words or less

step three: introduce yourself to the world (or at least me), by posting it to your blog. just make sure to leave a comment here, so i can make the blog rounds. or, if you're feeling lazy, just post your 25 word bio in my comment section. either way, i can't wait to get to know you just a wee bit better.

here's my list of 5 things EVERY new mom needs whether she's having her first or her fifth. the perfect shopping list for yourself, or pick up an item or two for the next shower you are attending...

i quit.  call me a failure. call me lazy. call me anything you want. but honestly, i don't care. sometimes, kids just aren't ready for potty training - and that's my professional opinion. i honestly thought it would be easy, but obviously those were just delusions of a sleep deprived mother. i was excited, i was looking forward to it, it looked so easy on the dvd. unfortunately, owen didn't share my same zeal for the project. one month later, i'm officially hanging up my potty training hat, at least for now. it's just not worth it. & honestly, i don't mind changing diapers all that much. in the mean time, i think i better come up with a better plan of attack. anyone out there got any suggestions for me?

this weekend i did something that made jeffy get all hot & flustered. get your minds out of the gutter, please! it was nothing like that! what i did, probably made him more excited & happy then that ever could... i went mountain biking.

although getting all geared up in my shorts & jersey, helmet & gloves didn't exactly make me feel pretty (or even remotely sexy), jeffy seemed to think i looked pretty hot - or at least that's what he says. i guess it's true what they say... boys like dirty girls.

so there i was, looking totally & completely professional. & yet, i was a jumble of nerves on the inside. the last time i had taken to the hills on my bike, i fell not once, not twice, but three times. & these were full-blown, over-the-handlebars, twisted-up-in-the-bike, dirt-on-your-teeth types of falls. when i realized, just a few days later, that i was pregnant, i decided it was time i hang up the mountain bike, at least momentarily.

this weekend, i decided that it was time for my riding sabbatical to be over. i broke out my riding shoes (classic vans with a rose patch covering the hole from my last bike ride, because i'm way too scared to "clip in" quite yet), strapped on my helmet & straddled the bike. & let me tell you, even with an entire year to work up to this ride, i was still terrified. the feel of the dirt, rocks slip-sliding under the weight of my bike, the fear that at any moment i could (& very possibly would) go flying over the front of the handlebars, made my entire insides shudder with every dip & bump. i did everything i'm not supposed to do, & nothing that i should do. & through it all, i held my breath, & continually prayed that i would make it off the mountain alive.

i did eventually make it off the mountain, but let's just say i descended rather slowly... i don't know if i'll ever be comfortable going fast. give me a hill to climb, any day. but unfortunately, what goes up, must come down. so down i came, grasping the handle bars tight as i can, sticking out my butt as far as i could, with the phrase "i think i can! i think i can!" constantly on the brain.

remember those kix treats i was trying to find the recipe, way back when? well, i found the recipe. made them yesterday, & they are just as yummy as ever. so, i now present to you, without any further ado...

katie's mom (becky's) world famous, peanut buttery, butterscotch-ey treats
ingredients:
peanut butter
1 bag (11 oz) butterscotch chips
1 can (12 oz) lightly salted peanuts
1 small box of kix cereal