SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE GIFTS FOR BABIES AND CHILDREN

Monday, May 31, 2010

MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE - HONORING THE FALLEN


In honor of Memorial Day, members of the U.S. military plant flags next to graves at Arlington National Cemetery.  CNN has a video link that pays tribute to our fallen heros.  No words, but it brought tears to my eyes. 

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/05/28/natpkg.arlington.flags.cnn

Sunday, May 30, 2010

TRIPLE BERRY CREAM PIE RECIPE


What a perfect red, white, and blue dessert to serve on Memorial Day.  Enjoy it whenever you have a patriotic celebration!  

INGREDIENTS

store bought pie crust
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters (8 oz.)
1 (6 oz.) basket raspberries
1 (4.4 oz.) basket blueberries

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Bake store bought pie crust according to package directions.
  2. Let pie crust cool.
  3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on high speed.
  4. Beat in cream and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl, until fluffy and well-mixed.
  5. In another bowl, gently mix berries.
  6. Spoon two-thirds of cream mixture into crust; smooth top.
  7. Spoon two-thirds of berries over cream.
  8. Mound remaining cream in center and top with remaining berries.
  9. Chill for 1 to 4 hours.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

PATRIOTIC COOKIE PIZZA


Show your patriotic red, white, and blue colors this Memorial Day holiday with a fun and festive dessert. Raspberries, blueberries and creamy filling are the red, white, and blue toppings on the easy cookie crust dessert.  This recipe comes from Pillsbury.

INGREDIENTS

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup apple jelly, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices; place in pan. With floured fingers, press evenly over bottom to form crust.

2. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool completely, about 25 minutes.

3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon peel until fluffy. Spread over baked crust. Arrange raspberries in large star shape in center. Arrange blueberries around raspberries. Drizzle or brush with melted jelly. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Friday, May 28, 2010

HOW TO PROPERLY DISPLAY THE AMERICAN FLAG

Helpful tips on properly displaying the American flag. 
Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

SELF IMAGE CARTOON

How true!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

END OF SCHOOL MUSICAL

Enjoyed the morning watching the granddaughters sing in their school's musical program.  Later that afternoon, we celebrated "the end of school" with an ice cream treat.  Such sweet memories!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

CLASSY BABY CREATIONS DESIGNED WITH ALEXANDER HENRY'S "YOKO"

Alexander Henry has a classic black and cream floral fabric collection called "Yoko".  Here are a few classy creations made from this designer cotton fabric.
 
Security Blanket or Lovey by Snazzy Snugglies

 Adorable Pillowcase Dress by Dilly Dally Designs

Classy Cream Clippie - Satin and Pearls
by Southern Baby Boutique

Hair Bows and Crochet Headbands by Southern Baby Boutique

 
Trendy Bib and Burp Cloth Gift Set by Dilly Dally Designs

Nursing Cover by Lilacs & Lollipops

Baby Sling by Essie Designs

These creations and shops can be found on etsy
and/or
etsykids

Monday, May 24, 2010

BUTTERFLY GARDENS

Butterflies are some of the most beautiful and interesting creatures on Earth. A butterfly garden is an easy way to see more butterflies and to help build new habitats for them. It is easy to increase the number and variety of butterflies in your yard. Simply grow the plants butterfly caterpillars and adults like to eat!

The following link provides you with a variety of subjects pertaining to butterfly gardening:
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/gardening.shtml
  • Creating a Butterfly Garden (the basics to get started)
  • Butterfly Nectar Plants (plants adult butterflies like)
  • Butterfly Host Plants (plants caterpillars like)
  • Butterfly Gardening by Area (what butterflies live in your area)
  • Butterfly Garden Plans (the layout and design)
  • Butterfly Behavior To Watch in the Garden (feeding, basking, etc)
  • Sprucing Up Your Butterfly Garden (spruce up your existing garden)

  • Raise Butterflies & Build Them a Home (add butterflies to your garden)
Here are some butterflies you will see in the north central Texas area.

   BLACK
SWALLOWTAIL


RED ADMIRAL


GULF FRITILLARY

MONARCH

Friday, May 21, 2010

PATRICIA CORNWELL

Patricia Cornwell is one of my favorite mystery authors.  If you love mysteries and forensics cases, Patricia Cornwell should be on your reading list.  Here is a listing of her books revolving around her popular medical examiner, Kay Scarpetta.  This is a link to her official website:



Postmortem
1990                            

  • Body of Evidence (1991)

  • All That Remains (1992)

  • Cruel and Unusual (1993)

  • The Body Farm (1994)

  • From Potter's Field (1995)

  • Cause of Death (1996)

  • Unnatural Exposure (1997)

  • Point of Origin (1998)

  • Black Notice (1999)

  • The Last Precinct (2000)

  • Blow Fly (2003)

  • Trace (2004)

  • Predator (2005)

  • Book of the Dead (2007)

  • Scarpetta (2008)

The Scarpetta Factor
2009


Thursday, May 20, 2010

NUTRITION - THE POWER OF BLUE & PURPLE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The March 2010 issue of Southern Living magazine had an article called "The Power Of Color" which provided a guide to the benefits of and best sources for the different colors of fruits and vegetables. This part deals with blue and purple fruits and vegetables.
MAJOR BENEFITS OF BLUE & PURPLE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
  • increase memory function
  • lower LDL cholesterol
  • improve urinary tract health
  • reduce cancer risk
  • encourage healthful aging

BEST SOURCES FOR BLUE & PURPLE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
  • eggplant, purple cabbage
  • blackberries, blueberries
  • purple grapes, plums
  • figs, raisins


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

NUTRITION - THE POWER OF ORANGE & YELLOW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES


The March 2010 issue of Southern Living magazine had an article called "The Power Of Color" which provided a guide to the benefits of and best sources for the different colors of fruits and vegetables. This part deals with orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.

MAJOR BENEFITS OF ORANGE & YELLOW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
  • support the immune system
  • support vision health
  • reduce cancer risk
  • promote collagen formation
  • promote healthy joints

BEST SOURCES FOR ORANGE & YELLOW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
  • carrots, corn, sweet potatoes
  • yellow peppers, yellow squash
  • cantaloupe, pumpkin
  • oranges, mangoes
  • peaches, apricots

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

NUTRITION - THE POWER OF GREEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES


The March 2010 issue of Southern Living magazine had an article called "The Power Of Color" which provided a guide to the benefits of and best sources for the different colors of fruits and vegetables. This part deals with green fruits and vegetables.

MAJOR BENEFITS OF GREEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
  • promote vision health
  • lower blood pressure
  • normalize digestion time
  • boost immune system
  • reduce cancer risk

BEST SOURCES FOR GREEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
  • dark lettuce, asparagus, cucumbers
  • celery, green beans, broccoli
  • leeks, okra
  • kiwifruit, avocados, honeydew





  • Monday, May 17, 2010

    NUTRITION - THE POWER OF RED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

    The March 2010 issue of Southern Living magazine had an article called "The Power Of Color" which provided a guide to the benefits of and best sources for the different colors of vegetables and fruits.  This part deals with red vegetables and fruits.

    MAJOR BENEFITS OF RED FRUITS & VEGETABLES
    • promote heart health
    • help to lower cancer risks
    • protect against memory loss
    BEST SOURCES FOR RED FRUITS & VEGETABLES
    • beets, radishes, tomatoes
    • red bell peppers, red potatoes
    • strawberries, raspberries, cranberries
    • blood oranges, red grapefruit
    • watermelon
    • pomegranates, cherries

    Friday, May 14, 2010

    TOP 20 PERRENIALS FOR YOUR GARDEN

    Shown below are seven of the top twenty perennials for your flower garden.  Perennials are great because they keep reseeding themselves for years and years of visual enjoyment.


    PURPLE CONEFLOWER


    This prairie wildflower achieves a level of sophistication in the 'Magnus' variety, which throws its petals out horizontally daisy-style. Coneflower tolerates heat and drought, and it blooms all summer long. Plant this 30-inch-tall beauty in the middle or back of the bed.



     
     
     
    BLACK-EYED SUSAN
     
    This flower is an American icon. Blooming from midsummer until frost, its orange or golden yellow blooms just keep coming. The variety 'Goldsturm', shown here, tops out at about 2 feet, making it perfect for the middle or back of the bed. It loves sun and is drought-tolerant.
     
     
     
    SEDUM


    The fleshy leaves and bright flowers make sedum a popular perennial. It is practically foolproof, and offers spectacular color during the latter part of the growing season when most other flowers are fading. One of the best-know varieties of stone crop is 'Autumn Joy' sedum. This 18-inch-tall upright plant produces a bumper crop of rosy, flat-topped flowers that persist from late summer to frost, fading to brick red as the weather turns colder.



     PEONY

    Often sweetly fragrant, the peony is a very long-lived plant that forms 2- to 4-foot-tall clumps in shrublike bunches. Its numerous varieties offer a wide range of colors -- almost every shade except blue -- with some bicolors, and blooming periods from late spring to early summer.



    COREOPSIS

    Tickseed, or coreopsis, comes in a wide range of sizes and several colors. The threadleaf varieties produce blankets of small daisy-like flowers all summer long in yellow, pink, or red, with soft, ferny foliage. (In hot areas, flower production may slow temporarily.) Grandiflora varieties (Early Sunrise) produce larger orange-yellow blooms. Give this plant a starring role in the middle of the bed.


    BLANKET FLOWER

    Blanket flower (gaillardia) is a drought- and heat-tolerant perennial wildflower that provides long-lasting color in a sunny border with poor soil. In red, gold, or brown, its daisy-like, 3-inch wide, single or double flowers bloom through the summer and into the fall. Although often short-lived, it is easy to grow and will flower the first year from seed.



    GARDEN PHLOX

    Phlox paniculata -- garden, tall, or border phlox -- grows 3 to 4 feet tall and bears large trusses of fragrant flowers from summer to early fall. It's an old-fashioned favorite that has few rivals for its color display and light, sweet fragrance. It's well suited to the back of the garden and cottage gardens.

    You can view the other top perrenials at the following Better Homes and Garden link:

    Wednesday, May 12, 2010

    PRETTY IN HOT PINK

    Traditionally, blue is for boys and pink is for girls - but any little girl or mama will love these HOT PINK items.  If you are looking for a special gift, these are sooooo cute!  Check out the hot pink gems and visit the shops for more beautiful and creative gifts for both girls and boys!



    Soft
    and
    cuddly
    lovey
    by
    Snazzy 
    Snugglies






    Boutique
    hot pink
    headband
    bow
    by
    and Jane



    Funky fun
    pink limeaide
     toddler flip flops
    by




    Adorable
    hand knitted
    hot pink 
    toddler top
    by
    ilutegija Designs








    Cute summer brim beanie
    by
    ilutegija Designs


    Personalized growth wall chart and framed wall art
     by
    Baby Chick Designs


    All these shops are listed on etsy and are proud members of etsykids!

    Monday, May 10, 2010

    SPRING CLEANING - PART 5 - ORGANIZING A CLOSET

    Here is a neat set of videos by Better Homes and Gardens on organizing closets....

    http://www.remodelingcenter.com/bettertv/?bclid=1184739009

    Saturday, May 8, 2010

    HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

    I received this through a friend.  What a wonderful set of photos and thoughts on being a mother. 



    Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.



    Before I was a Mom, I had never been puked on, pooped on, chewed on, or peed on.  I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night. 
     
     
    Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.  
     

    Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.


    Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.


    Before I was a Mom, I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

    GOD BLESS YOU MOM