Isn't it a great feeling when you find that perfect gift for the special someone? You just know that they are going to absolutely love it and you can't wait until they open it? You might actually be more excited about it then they even are! Well, Mother's Day is upon us and, if you're like me most years, you still haven't figured out what you want to get for the woman who has everything! I have made progress this year and have TWO ideas!!! That's right folks... TWO! Ha! Since my mom reads my blog I won't be giving away the second. Sorry mom. You're going to have to wait until Mother's Day just like everyone else. =)

But, for everyone else, I thought I would share an idea I think is so cute and have already "suggested" to my husband. By suggested I mean sent him an email saying "get me this." Lol! Personalized hand stamped jewelry! Ok, so it's not exactly a new idea but I found some really cute ones on Etsy so I thought I would share. If you already used this gift idea then sorry friend, you're on your own.

For the beachy mom, I thought this was really cute!

I LOVE the little peanut for a mom with a newborn!!!

This one is a classic and would also be great as a keychain!

I thought this was cool and might even work as a Father's Day or Anniversary gift if your guy would wear it.

And, last but not least, my personal favorite!!! I love that it's decorative but also personal! If you get sick of the bird you can remove it and it's easy enough to add more charms as you add more kiddos!

To all you mom's out there... Happy (early) Mother's Day!!! And to all of you gift seekers... happy hunting! =)

PS- Click on the image if you would like to go to the item's listing!

Enjoying a beautiful spring day with my little girl! Her first time sitting in the grass and getting to explore the plants and flowers!

Just a few pics from my birthday. Thanks to everyone who made it so special!!!

My birthday card from Jordan: "Happiness is like peeing in your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel it's warmth." Hilarious!

Jordan helping me open my presents...
Jordan's favorite thing was the box the gifts came in!
"Don't send me away!!! I love you!"
My hubby looking at the gift he gave me! COOKING CLASSES!!! YAY!
I love my family!!!

I have been scouring the bookshelves for a cookbook that is healthy but with recipes that don't taste like cardboard! After a few fails and some frustration I think I have finally find a keeper!!!

Cook This, Not That is ingenius!!! It goes through tons of popular foods from quesadillas, burgers, wings (all the favs) and tells you how many calories it would be at a particular chain such as Ihop or Fridays and gives you a tasty recipe that is half the calories! Can't beat that right?

The book also has my other favorite thing... pictures of every recipe! Plus all kinds of tips on eating and cooking smarter. So far I have only tried two recipes out of the book but they have been really good! I am looking forward to trying more of the recipes and will post again as I do!

Tip: The book is listed at $20 but I got it at Sams Club for $10!

Upon watching The View today, the heavens opened and there stood... The Pioneer Woman! Who? Yeah, I had never heard of her either. She is a woman who grew up in LA, married a cowboy and now lives on a ranch in the middle of no where where she home-schools her four children. That's a change, huh? But I left out the best part. She had to learn to cook for her cowboy... and so a blog was born! What's my point. Here's the thing. Have you ever been in the middle of a recipe when you find yourself thinking, "Is it supposed to look like this?" Well, she takes tons of pictures of every step of the recipe!

I made her mac and cheese the other day and it was magical!!! I would definitely recommend it! Sean was actually not all the impressed with it for some reason. It's probably because it's not as predominantly cheesy as many other mac and cheese recipes. But it's a really great southwestern meal! Even if you're not interested in this recipe you should definitely check out her website and other recipes: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

Spicy Macaroni & Cheese

4 cups cooked macaroni or cavatappi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion
Equal amount diced red bell pepper
1 finely diced jalapeno
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cream
1 generous cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper

Boil pasta until al dente. In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chilies and stir around, then turn off heat. Drain pasta and add it to skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve.

Serve with juicy steak, with grilled shrimp, chicken, or on its own. It’ll change your life for the better.

I've finally finished my second pair of baby shoes!!! AND, the best news, I've even sold them! Yay!!! Thanks Stephanne! I promise to get them to you soon!

I am still working on my "technique" but it's coming along. Ideally, I will get to a point where I can get a pair done from start to finish in one sitting... but how often do I actually get to work on a project for that long anyway? Oh, well. How about a more realistic goal like the next pair actually fitting Jordan! One baby step at a time. Enjoy!

In the last few month of being a stay at home mom one of the things I have been trying to work on are my cooking skills. There are so many recipes and recipe books and people who swear by this one or that one that it's dizzying! The problem being... taste is subjective. I'd like to think that there are certain foods that are objectively fantastic but I'm sure someone, somewhere would argue with me.

In my quest to find the "best" recipes I am also trying to find the best way to catalog my finds. I found these adorable recipe cards on ETSY that I am thinking about ordering. It's nice because you pay for a downloadable file so you can type in your recipe and print out as many as you like! I am thinking I could laminate them or something so I don't make a greasy mess of them.

Now I just have to find a cute tin or something to keep them in. And, as always, the search goes on for some great cookbooks and recipes. Feel free to post a comment on a cookbook you would recommend!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!! Hope you had a blessed day and we miss you all!