So much to organize and do around here. Trying to organize my blog, live life and put together content for my blog. Well ISN'T that fun!? It kind of is.
We just celebrated my the littlest grandbabies first birthday. I can hardly believe that he is one. Time just goes by so fast and it goes by even faster as a grandparent. Before I know it. I'll be an old lady and he will be a grown man. WOW.

River @ his first birthday party playing with his
 buddy LJ.
They have alot of fun for lil guys!

I do want to tell you about something that makes me feel quite young at heart and I enjoy being a part of so much. You'll enjoy it too!!! I mean who doesn't like trying out new stuff and getting FREE stuff at that? It's a great community with a great bunch of people.. Check it out!

It's Called Influenster and you can click this link to join!

I was so excited to get my #TreatVoxBox from +Influenster 

We had lots of fun this weekend trying out things.Started out with the big reveal

Of course I'm a huge fan of Yogi tea so I got to try out 2 new for me flavors Skin Dedox and Healthy Skin.

 #YogiTeaMom

The Skin Detox is a Fragrant Rose Petal and Hibiscus Organic Green Tea with Burdock and yellow Dock, Red Clover.

Healthy Skin is Nettle Leaf, Mullein Leaf and Schisandra Berry, Ayurvedic herbs. Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom Seed,fragrant, Cocoa Shells and Vanilla Bean. I loved it This time around I drank it with a bit of sugar and that made those flavors pop even more! Yea Yogi!

 I'm saving Skin Detox to go with my Lavender Vanilla Sugar cookie that I made with my @Country Crock that I got as a part of my Treat VoxBox! Blog coming with pics and recipe later. Since the dough is chilling right now.

A little sneak peek

+Country Crock 

My daughter chose to try the Hills Bros Cappuccino to start with

  

This was a hit because my husband wanted one of them and my daughter talked him out of his. He he. I had mine for my 3rd cup of coffee today. There is only ONE problem. One packet doesn't work well in my big cup hahaha. I only had one packet left at that point. Guess it's time to run to the store with my 1.00 off coupon that came in my box!     

Since my coffee pot is being rediculas I'm actually going to go to the little store in our neighborhood and borrow their's to make myself and the store owner a cup of the K Cups you see here which are in 4 flavor's Double Mocha, English Toffee, French Vanilla and Salted Caramel. But the other two which is going to be the Salted Caramel and English toffee I am going to use in a few recipes I found at Hills Bro's website

 Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
¾ cup flour
1/8 t. baking powder
1 1\4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons of Hills Bros. Salted Caramel Cappuccino
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped into large pieces
½ t. sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 8x8 baking pan with Parchment paper.

Place flour, baking powder and brown sugar in large bowl, mix to combine.

Add the eggs, HBC, vanilla, and butter. Stir until smooth.

Stir in chocolate pieces, spoon mixture into prepared baking pan.

Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 40-45 minutes. Enjoy warm or cold!

 (Thank You @Hills Bros Cappuccino for recipe) and 

Hills Bros.® English Toffee Cappuccino Apple Turnovers

Ingredients:
2 apples, peeled, cored, sliced thin and cut into small pieces
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup Hills Bros. ® Cappuccino English Toffee
½ cup sugar
1 package of refrigerated/frozen pie crust dough
1 egg plus one tbsp. of water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine apples and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir. Add Hills Bros. ® Cappuccino English Toffee and sugar and stir until apples are evenly coated. Set aside.

Roll out pie crust dough on a clean, flat surface. Using the lip of a ramekin or a large cookie cutter, press eight circles into the dough. Remove the dough scraps from around the cut circles and form the dough into two balls. Re-roll the dough to create two more circles.

Spoon a small amount of the apple mixture into the center of the dough circles

Next, whisk egg and water in a small dish. Brush a small amount of the egg onto the edges of the dough circles.

Fold the circles of dough in half and pinch edges together. Using a fork, press the dough edges to form a complete seal. Brush each turnover with additional egg wash. For added crunch, add a pinch of sugar to the tops.

Place turnovers on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges brown.

(Thank you Hills Bro's for this recipe also)

This one I think I'm going to make for my parents!

While we were coloring eggs Saturday night we decided it was time to make a video and while doing that we gave River his first @Yum V's It's so cute I wish I could share it right now and maybe I'll add it soon because I am editing the video to just that frame so look for it soon His little num num num is just tooo cute!. In the mean time here is a picture of him eating it today

Last but not least was my Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Lotion Nourishes Dry, Mature Skin. The awesome thing is it did. I even did dishes twice and my skin still feels great! Very velvety and with my RA I was tickled to see how much smoother and firm my hands are today. It has pomegranate seed, apricot kernel oil, shea butter, Organic sunflower and sesame see oil as well as being fragranced with neroli and sandalwood. The combination with the pomegranate is very enjoyable. I couldn't stop smelling my hands. Num Num Num. I was also thinking yesterday I remember seeing some of this in my grandma's collection of goodies once and it is always nice to use a product that has stood the test of time. The company was formed in 1921.

I want to say a big thankyou to +Influenster  @HillsBrosCapp, @Weleda @YogiTea @Yumv's & @CountryCrock  for the opportunity to try this products for free all reviews and opinions are my own! Your AWESOME!

Good Morning!

Good Morning!

Well this lil sweetie pie isn't just anyone. It's River my youngest grandson. My daily wake up call. He will be one years old next month and I just can't believe I've not gone on and on about him. We spent the morning listening to music trying to find a particular song of which we still haven't found. Now on to all the other good stuff. Working on my blog trying to find some sponsors and some other good stuff. Have I mentioned that this kiddo. LOVES music. My youtube page is full of his favorites as much as mine. lol

Bear with me while I continue to work out all the good stuff here. It's coming along rather nicely.

Luv, Dena

Saturday Playdough time!

I'm happy to tell you our crafting time was a major success. We had no major melt downs or fighting. Our playdoh did not fail and the kids spent hours playing with it, actually most of the day.

Today I had 3 of my charmed ones and 2 of my lil men.

    I can truly tell you that even as a photographer this bunch NEVER, ever gives me a perfect picture but they always give me lots of lovin and happiness.

As I mentioned to you yesterday I wasn't sure which project I wanted to do with them. It was between play doh or bouncy balls. The play doh won out because the bouncy balls had to be stored in plastic after they were made and were not very bouncy. I can tell you that with my grands that would been a royal mess so I've opted I will be doing a bit more research on the subject and maybe a handful of my own scientific projects first.

We decided to try a different recipe than the one priorly used by Hanny B's momma and see how it came out.
I'm thrilled to tell you this recipe is a perfect success. We found our recipe @ Adelyn Stone Blog!
Perfect recipe.

The first thing we did of course was set the rules of our crafty session passed around the bowls and made got our crafting buddy. Jade with me, Bubby and lil man, then Ruby and Hanny B.

Next Jade and I divided the 1 cup of flour in half as well as dividing the salt apart so each person could add some to their bowls. I added the smaller ingredients and then we divided the water too. Of course they split the stirring time as well because that is only fair after all.  While we were doing this, I discussed with them what colors and flavors they liked the best because we chose to use food coloring and extracts for yummy smells for our play doh.

The boys picked the color and flavor of orange. Hanny B and Ruby picked Cherry and Pink because they are lil princesses. While Hailie and I picked Purple and Coconut because they are our favorite things.
The kids started stirring just as soon as the flour and other dry ingredients got into their bowl because they didn't want "lumpies" in their dough.

 Bubby was so fascinated by this fun project but he though for sure grammy was making him cookies. HA HA yes he loves chocolate and he loves food period. Doesn't he look so handsome in his new hair cut? He doesn't look like much of a baby anymore. My lilest grand is growing up to fast.
Lil man of course is sporting his awesome hair. This lil man loves his Mohawk cut that grammy gave him. I can't take credit for bubbys though...

 OH back to our play doh. Ha my mom calls those "bunny trails" when your mind wanders else where.

Ruby and Hanny B are working on special projects and that is sharing and not getting upset easy. That's why they got to team up. This is a great project to do if you want to help your lil ones get along and work together especially if you team them up to do the activity.

Then we added the water food coloring and extracts.
We definitely like colors that aren't your ordinary colors and they were awesome colors indeed

                                                                                                    






Stiring time and a peek at these cool colors prior to cooking.

I had to work with Hanny and Ruby to explain each of them will have lots of mixing time because there is ALOT of stirring involved.

Hanny B and Lil Man sure had fun with this project. Hanny really wanted to stop sharing at this point but she was such a big girl and didn't give up

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Next came the cooking. It really helped while working with 5 kids to do the entire project in shifts or halves. While Ruby, lil Man and Hanny B continued to stir out any lumps, Jade began cooking her's

Be sure you don't let your kiddos handle the dough right of the bat. Let it set for a few because it will burn them if you don't. Once it's cooled down to a warm stage let them start shaping the dough into a ball so it's nice and mixed up.
Once the kids had that all done, I took the dough rolled it into a roll and divided it up in 5 pieces. One of each color for each of them. If you have left over mini play dough containers or Yogurt containers with lids these 5 divisions will fit perfect in them. ( I'm a recycle fanatic and always try to reuse) .

 If you don't have a container to place it in you can put it in saran wrap and it will keep fine as well. I have to make a note here only because I saw it suggested not long ago on pinterest, please do not use medicine bottles. That is so unsafe especially if your working with littles.

We had lots of fun today and the kids were so excited to have this time together doing something fun with grammy. Next project that lil man wants to do is make him some Gack. LOL

This morning ms Hanny B decided that since bubby go so many awes over his hair she wanted to cut her hair like Bubby's and Papa's hair. Never mind that her mommy got her hair cut yesterday too. SO what did miss sunshine do? She decided she'd find the scissors and take them to her hair. UGH all my grands seem to be born beauticians just like grammy was as a lil one.
As you see her hair in the prior pictures is much longer. Grammy had to give her a shag cut of sorts to compinsate for all the wacky lengths she made.
She wanted to show off her 3rd haircut. Now Hailie wants gramma to cut her hair to her shoulders I said NOT on  your life missy. I'll trim it but it's not getting cut. Told her she'd be in loads of trouble if she pulled a hanny b. HA HA
Here is pics of Hanny B's new do.


 I hope you enjoyed our day and that it has brought
you some inspiration too. Again thanks for sharing this
with us Adelyn! My lil charmed one's are working with
Grammy on a icon for all our thumbs up crafts we find

on Pinterest or other blogs stay tuned. We will send you
a message when it's done so you can add it to your Blog.

Lotsa Love,
Grammy, Jade, Ruby, Lil Man, Hanny B, and Bubby!





 

Sunday is crafting day

Credit for photo and play dough recipe goes to Adelyn Stone.

 Today was a pretty great day around the home front. We got our house shampooed. Yummy smelling around here. Tomorrow will go around and spritz some essential oil spray *yes hand made* around the house.

Because we have so many projects at hand on Sunday Ruby and Jade will help me get all the prep work done tomorrow. I think we are going to sneak in some more fudge. just before we get started on our project.  Darn fudge really messing with my healthy living.

Credit for this picture and recipe goes to Mom to 2 Posh Lil Diva's

Because Hanny B will only be here for a few hours tomorrow we will do a small craft with her and the boys.
I'm not sure what project we are going for just yet but one of their favorites is play dough. I've tried and fell in love with Adelyn Stone's recipe.

Such a tough decision for me because I've also been wanting to try out DIY bouncy balls! All the kids will love them!.  Such a tough choice!
I found this little gem on Pinterest as well. Fun thing is now I'm addicted to this blog too. Such fun.

I really love creating my own goodies but this honestly has been so much fun trying other crafter/artists projects.


We will be sure to take pictures and follow up with you all on how this recipe turns out.

The Charmed Ones are off to fairy princess dream land so for tonight.
Lotsa Love,
Grammie

Latest update

Good Morning my dear friends. I'm so happy that I soon will be sharing with you many of the crafts and projects that my granddaughters and I will be doing in the future. Sometimes we will include guests such as their brothers or aunties and uncles.
Some of you may ask why do you call this blog the charmed ones. Plain and simple my grand babies are charming, magical and full of such amazing life this is the most whimsy way to describe them and the pure amazement that occurs when they do fun things with me.
"Ruby and Jade" have their own clothing line and soon we will be starting something that "Sunshine and Hanny B" love to do. I've chosen to use their nicknames vs their names to protect each of them.
All our photos and projects will be allowed to be shared on pinterest but I do ask for a direct link back to our blog as we each do this for others and so as a grammy I am able to keep some control of my grands pictures on the internet. Just common respect.
We are going to be trying to do a project every weekend and we will post our fun, unless it's a present for someone for next christmas. he he.
Looking forward to this fun with my grands. Reminds me of doing fun things with my daughters and sons when they were kids!
Awe my home is filling up with whimiscal fun and lotsa love again!
Lotsa Love,
 Dena

ps sometimes the girls will be the ones posting the blog and pics as well. Gotta develop that wondrous imagination of theirs.

Interesting things your children say

Today my daughter and I were sitting on my bed, while I was crocheting a new scarf. She suddenly says to me mom your old. It still takes me back when I hear such things cause I surely do not feel old. Maybe physically but my heart is still young. I asked her why? She said because I am crocheting and doing all this stuff. I laughed. I've always done these things throughout her whole life.
My one sadness is I don't feel like I taught my kids enough of my crafts that they could pass them on to their kids. I creating something that I made, It's an amazing feeling.

Going into week 3 of being a vegitarian

I only thought I'd being a practicing Vegan for 2 weeks it is rolling into 3 weeks. No meat. I did try a piece of chicken 1 night and honestly it made me sick to my stomach. Tasted awesome but was just to much on my tummy.
I've really enjoyed the process for the most part though I do feel a bit alone. My husband seems very supportive and understanding but then the next moment not so much. I've learned an interesting outlook on that however. Human nature doesn't always know how to behave when something is out of the norm and as to which one of us is struggling more is left up for discussion.
Right now I'm soaking lentils so I can make some textured vegetable protein from scratch. If it works well I'll have another option that is so much more of a budget pincer leaving more for fruits and veggies. this is from 2011

I've lost 25 pounds!!!!

WOW! To hear myself say this for the first time in my life amazes me. I have been on so many diets since the birth of my 17 yr old I could make a persons head spin. Each have been positive but the minute they stop, so does the weight loss and here comes the pounds again.
Changing my food lifestyle has been by far the best choice I've ever made. When I stopped wrapping my head around the need to loose the weight and focused on the fact that if I didn't change the way I thought and how I ate I would die before my time. No longer concentrating on the scale.
As people and a society I believe now with all my heart that we make life much harder than it has to be. I've always said " life is so precious and I don't want to waste one moment on trivial things." What an wonderful thing to realize just what that means to my very core.
So for once in my life I can say this is the proudest 25 pounds I've ever lost. I'm sure people will want to know how I am doing this so I'll share a bit more and hopefully it may help someone else. First off I eliminated ALL meat. Yes I still eat cheese and eggs and I guess I admittedly always will. As I have mentioned before. I do believe in animal rights however I did not become a "vegetarian" or "vegan" or semi vegetarian for that purpose, I did this for myself and my personal health. As time goes by I have begun introducing fish.
This was written back in Sept 2011. I had been a vegetarian along time before this I just had not been "rebel vegan" til Sept.

30 pds down and still going strong. plus a few extras...

I am so happy to say that I've lost a total of 30 pds since I started my vegetarian journey. Unbelievable that I'm still going strong. Admittedly this week I have had a little bit of meat. I suspect it is because I'm out of my whey protein and my fish oil that my body is throwing baby fits. Ironically though the fish made me sick but I had a spoonful of tuna fish on a small slice of garlic bread today and it was fine plus the big I can't believe this... I had a chunk of ham and it didn't make me sick either.
However I am going to continue on my journey and not sweat the small stuff if my body and mind decide on occasion it wants meat. Why shouldn't I? I'm doing well and I'm doing this for me and my health, period.
I'll eventually get some pics up but I'm just not quite there yet for me @ 50 pds I probably will feel good enough and accomplished enough to show off a little.

On other notes. I've done some pretty cool photoshoots lately and designed a few new outfits that I want to show off.

       

Down 65 pds!!!

It's been awhile since I posted and I had hoped they would let us link our Google plus accounts to our blogger accounts but I only see it showing up in our google profiles grr. ANYWAY. The happy news is I'm down 65 pounds and it's been such an increadable journey I just had to share a new pic with everyone. I have tons of things going on in my life but the best for me is the growth between my husband and I. Since we moved to our new home I can hardly think of a tough time or even a moment that he didn't make me smile. I guess with age comes wisdom and understanding. Comfort and connection. I'm happy to be 46 and even happier with who I am today!

Still going strong

Despite all the recent "craziness" around here I am still proud to say. I still have kept meat out of my diet.
I admit the smell of meat is 1 big reason but the biggest.... The scale. I have steadily continued to loose weight. I've tried every diet and undiet you can think of. It is hard to believe that something so simple as not eating meat was the factor. I know that someday when I feel comfortable with portion control I will introduce fish and chicken and turkey but the days of a big fat juicy hamburger. No thank you. The fact that I've found that wonderful ticket to getting healthy again and it's not so bad. I will choose it any day of the week.
I'm still on my mission to find the best vegan cupcakes and have had some awesome successes but I can't say I've found that to die for one just yet, or could it be I like the challenge and the mystery of wandering if there just might be another one out there that might be the better choice.
So for now I continue to search. Today however will be another mexican chocolate cookie recipe to see if I like my version or theirs better. We shall soon see.
I've found myself spending more time reading other peoples blogs lately and not getting to my own. A sad but true reality of learning to blabber out loud for the world to read.
Well for now I'm off to decide what's for dinner and to start on my cookies.
OH and on another note. I found a place that is free to post your art's crafts and for sales! Gone are the day's of etsy for this girl. Post it soon as I'm finish adding my wares to my site!

Several weeks into this new lifestyle update

Wow time has flown by. I had my first taste of chicken tonight and I'm still just not quite ready to go back to it. Though watching Food Network or the cooking channel is not helping me a bit. HA HA
In all honesty I am very proud of myself and this choice I've made. It makes me laugh when I'm in the kitchen cooking something good and out pops my daughter saying yumm that smells so good what are you making I want some.. Hmm if you knew what it is, I just don't think you really would. =)
Today I made a batch of textured veggie protein I found the receipe on the cooking channel website. While it was good I just do not think that just yet it is what I'm looking for so back to the search for a receipe.
Right now I wil continue not having meat in my diet but if someone sticks a nice slab of salmon in front of me trust me... I'm eating it HA HA I said vegitarian not vegan it's my body that said otherwise.
The greatest part of my day was when my husband walked in with top of the line pots, pans and bakeware and utensils. I was beyond myself with joy. Always pays to do cleanups for people. So now I have beautiful pots and pans again. They didn't even cost me a dime. That was nice.
I've also been slowly adding other peoples blogs here. Some are friends and some I've just fallen in love with. If you have a nice blog you'de lie me to check out feel free to suggest it. I may actually start talking about other blogs too. You just never know where this artistic mind will take me.

I haven't posted in a few days but I've made some serious changes. Well I'd have to say that my body actually chose it for me. I've gone vegetarian again. I am choosing to go completely meatless for 2 wks at which time, I will decide if I will introduce only fish and foul.
I'm down another pound!! The process to rid yourself of cravings is such a pain in the butt! Went back to craving ice cream last night. Solution. 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup mixed fruit (no sugar!) and a handful of ice and I had myself fix.
The funniest part of the day was when one of my granddaughters told the other that I was now a vegitarian and their mom's friend had told the second grandchild I don't eat meat first thing she said, she'll die.... Should say alot about changes that need to be made round here but I'm an army of one and it's my battle. My 17 yr old tells me I should pay everyone a 100 bucks to join me.. UM NO... your life your fight you have to do it for yourself... That's how I see it. I've tried to incorporate this lifestyle to everyone in the house. It just isn't going to happen until the person wants it to unless you raise them healthy and stay that way.
So that's about it for today. I need to get alot done around here plus put in a visit to my son later. Unfortunately while I'm getting healthy everyone around here appears to have a tummy bug so no gym today.