New Year 2019 || More & Less

Still cleaning up pine needles and munching on candies and baked goods from friends and family. However, the smell of lavender moving throughout our home from fresh cleaned counter tops and floors provides that “new start” feel which I LOVE!

We have BIG goals coming up in 2019 which include painting and decorating another nursery! I'm so excited to say that in short 6 months we’ll have another little one under our roof!

So, in the spirit of transforming merry + bright to fresh starts and BIG changes in the new year as mothers. I thought I’d share what I'm intentionally working on getting “more of” and “less of” the next 6 months while I change from a mom of one, to two!! 

More new recipes made

Less eating out

More mother-daughter time

Less distractions

More travel and adventures 

Less mindless spending 

More vulnerability 

Less care of judgment

More risks in business

Less fear

More exercise in the morning

Less nap time hustle

 More reading & listening to podcast

Less internet 

 I hope this helps inspires you to create your own “more of” and “less of” plan. 

May this NEW year be a great one! Because 365 days and 365 new opportunities sounds like a great reason to keep moving forward intentionally.

Warmly, Steph

Sugar Plum Fairy Sugar Cookie Recipe

Our regular sugar cookie recipe this year was brought to the next level by turning them into, “sugar plum fairy cookies!” Which basically means Abby and I colored 4 different shades of pink our butter cream frosting recipe (listed below) and decorated them in everything and anything pink!!

The Nutcracker ballet has been long standing tradition in my heart both on and off the stage. So even though a true sugar plum is purple, I will always think of the sugar plum “fairy” being pink. As this was always the color of her costumes for me growing up in a dance studio which I now teach in!

These are SO good, people always think I buy them from a bakery (as will yours!) ; )

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 cup of sugar

3 cups of flour

4 oz soften cream cheese

3/4 cup of butter soften

1/2 tsp. lemon powder

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

|| 1  ||

Preheat ove to 350 degrees

||  2  ||

Mix in large bowl; butter, cream cheese, sugar and egg.

||  3  ||

Leave the flour aside, and add in rest of ingredients mixing all together. 

||  4  ||

Add in flour and mix all together.

||  5  ||

Roll dough out onto heavy flour surface.

||  6  ||

Cut out cookies and lay on top of parchment paper.

||  7  ||

 Bake for 8 mins. Then let place on cooling racks.

Pink Buttercream frosting

Ingredients:

1 box of confections sugar

1/4 cup of milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 stick of butter

Pink all natural food coloring

Directions:

||  1  ||

In a medium sized bowl mix together all ingredients with a kitchen aid, mixer or whisk until completely smooth. 

||  2  ||

Using 4 small bowls, divide frosting mix equally into each bowl.

||  3  ||

Start with 3 drops of pink all natural food coloring in the first bowl and continue to add 3-5 more drops than the previous so each bowl is a shade darker than the last. 

||  4  ||

To turn your pink frosted cookies into, "sugar plum fairy cookies" add all the pink, silver and white sprinkles, gum drops and candy you can find!

We wish you a very merry + bright Christmas! 

And may this recipe help add to your holiday!!

Warmly, Steph

Toddler Girl Stocking Stuffers

For the first time ever, I purchased ALL my stocking stuffer items online! Including these pink cherry flavored candy canes. I LOVE online shopping so, I decided to start changing how I spent my week before Christmas. Usually you’d find me gathering items up and down the isles of Target (which I love it there) though starting this year, I wanted to focus on what I love the most about this week… baking!

And since Christmas is officially a week away (Ekk!) I decided to use every mom’s best friend, Amazon in creating a last-minute Toddler Girl Stocking Stuffer guide.  

For under $13 I got Abby these pink and white striped jammies and a pair of darling reindeer slippers to go with it! I swear she could live in those jammies and slippers all week if I let her however, we love our bath time, specially bubble bath! So naturally this bubble bath is making its way into her stocking.

Also, this pom-pom hat Abby has been wearing all season long which is even cuter in person, I swear! So I had to add it!

When we go out to eat, these magnetic stacking blocks are a favorite pass time of Abby’s and it’s so fun to see her create towers and structures. (While at the same time teaching her about patience and persistence.) We are headed on a snow vacation next month so I found these organic snow mittens which I really love because they are attached! No lost mittens in the snow!! Amen. 

Then lastly, I put these felt fruit and veggie baskets in her stocking last year to go with her DIY upgraded all white play kitchen. So, I had to add these since we play with ours daily over here. You can find both cheaper at Ikea although, it's also really nice the week before Christmas to have them delivered! : )

I hope this Toddler Girl Gift Guide helps you with your last minute shopping! And check back soon, I have another blog post coming later this week!!!

Warmly, Steph