Some Have Asked...

...how to grow wheat grass. I thought I'd share here. It's really very easy.

Start with some potting soil/dirt in any container. Moisten it with some water. On top of that, put a thin layer of wheat berries (the kind you use in a wheat grinder to make bread), so that they're touching, but not overlapping. (I got my wheat in the bulk section at Whole Foods, but you can order it from LDS Distribution or just borrow from someone who has some in their food storage).

Place the container in a window and make sure to water if it gets lots of sun. I grew mine in a window with indirect light and it grew just fine. When the seeds begin to sprout and touch the plastic wrap, take it off and continue to water when the soil gets dry to the touch. Don't overwater. You should have nice, spring-green grass blades in 5 to 7 days.

Chocolate Rush

This was the finished product. There were so many good desserts last night that I think I ate at least 2,000 calories worth. Maybe more. Yikes. That's why I went to the gym today and I feel much better.
Lest Finn be left out, he requested I take a picture of him and his turtle. (Eyes closed? Yes).

Have a lovely Thursday!

I am going to:

• get some wheat to grow wheat grass
• visit the chocolate store to taste the chocolate I am going to buy
• not clean my house
• have leftover lasagna for dinner
• rejoice that we insured our other car so now Travis can drive the carpool to school and I won't have to drive him everyday!
  

Spring Is Springing!

{I know it's only February! I've got to have something bright to cheer me up!}

I've been wanting to make an arrangment out of cherry blossoms, but couldn't find any artificial blooms that looked real. So, yesterday, I saw some cherry blossom branches in a flower shop that were just what I was looking for! The owner had taken real shrub branches and glued just the fake blossoms onto them. It looked real and I loved it. So, these are the branches I got at JoAnn's last night to try and duplicate what I saw yesterday.
And, I was going to plant some wheat grass and make a centerpiece for my dining room table, but I am apparently too lazy! When I saw this cake plate at TJ Maxx yesterday, I thought, easy and elegant. Add whatever fruit you have on hand and it is now a centerpiece!
Finn pulled apart this succulent in the flower shop and I had to buy it. I like it okay and I think I'll like it even better after I replant it in the pretty brown pot it's in.
I couldn't resist this blue fruit bowl at TJ Maxx yesterday either. I couldn't decide which one and brought the two pedestal-things home, thinking I would pick one for the table and take the other one back. I think I'm going to have to keep both of them. Don't you think?
And, Brittany, bless her heart, brought us these yesterday. What Valentine's Day isn't complete without some pink frosted sugar cookies (with sprinkles, no less!)?

Have a great Friday! I want to see what you're working on!

How She Went DownLast night was our Relief Society Birthday dinner and above is the invitation for it. I was inspired by this for the invitation.

As I'm typing this, I'm polishing off the cupcake I saved and man, is it good. I got the idea for them here and this gal did a phenomenal job making her signature chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting.

We wanted to keep the serving to a minimum and actually we didn't have to lift a finger once the evening started. Everything was on the table: the chicken salad sandwiches, chocolate dipped strawberries, cupcakes and veggie trays with dip.

I loved how the vegetable trays turned out too (thanks to this talented gal).

If I could just have one of those cupcakes ready to eat whenever I felt like eating one!

Overall, it was pretty inexpensive to pull off (the perfect recession kind of event). The wheat grass cost next to nothing to make, and the balloons were a Wal-Mart special. We just had to rent a helium tank to fill them, but if I do this again, I would just buy the balloons already blown up by the dozen at the party store (I think it would've been cheaper, plus alot less work).

This was alot of fun to execute. Now I've got to keep a mental storage of ideas for next year's party.

Someone Pinch Me

I went to a yard sale this morning and I thought I'd stepped into McCoy's pottery studio in the 1930's. It was heavenly. This guy had so much pottery and he was selling it for so cheap. I got some Fiestaware too, because we've broken a few of our everyday Fiesta dishes over the last few months.

I felt as if I was turning into my Mother. I was thinking, "How could I buy these and sell them or turn them into something extremely cool?" Cleveland-ites: you might be seeing a Spring Show in my home (something my Mom did for years). At any rate, I am going to use these for wheat grass and other kinds of temporary arrangements around my house. I love vintage pottery and the prices, oh the prices!

And, it's only Thursday...I can't wait what the sales for tomorrow and Saturday will bring!

Miles Betrothed

Could this be an extremely early engagement photo? (Little Lucy H. is only one month older than he is. Aren't they a cute match?)

But I know who Miles number one love will always be.

Here's the little space monkey in his new favorite spot.

And the wheat grass is two days away from making its debut as a centerpiece.

I'm off to finish my dinner preparations. Tonight's menu: homemade Andelin tortillas, beans and rice, sauteed zucchini and red pepper and Special K bars for dessert (I've already sampled those, just to be sure they taste good).

I also am in the midst of cooking batch after batch of chicken, for the chicken salad sandwiches we're serving at tomorrow's dinner. (Don't worry, I put barrettes in my hair to act like a hair net!)