The circles were designed to be used as cupcake toppers. Use a circle punch or a scallop punch to cut them out after printing on cardstock. Then hot glue a lollipop stick (Wilton makes them and you can buy them for cheap at Walmart) to the back. You can add some ribbon if you would like or just put them on the cupcakes as is. (I’ll post pictures after the party on the 3rd of what ours look like.) I made them in two file formats, .psd and .jpg. Download whichever is more convenient for you.

These are for snack bags to go in the goodie bags. My plan is to include some cheerios in the goodie bag since those are T’s favorite snack, but you can choose whatever you can think of to put in the baggies. As with the cupcake toppers, print on cardstock, cut out, and fold on the middle yellow line. Then all you need to do is staple to the top of the snack bag. Once again I included both a .jpg and .psd file for you.

I’m planning on creating some printables for brown paper bags (which will hold the goodies), for bubbles, and for baby food jars (which will hold the playdough). So be on the lookout for those pintables as well.

Hope these bring some inspiration to you as you are planning your little one’s birthday party!

*Note: I found the clipart online from free.clipartof.com. I did not pay for the use of it. Be warned that using it for personal purposes is allowed, but it is in violation of copyright (mine and theirs) to try to sell it.

Here’s a picture of my little man when he was first born.

Isn’t that the most precious face? (The only face I have ever seen that competes with that little face is my little S. But then I am a little prejudiced.)

And here’s a photo of him just a few weeks ago, cruising all over the place.

Look at that amazing smile!

His birthday isn’t for another week and a half, but as I am preparing for his birthday party, I have been having fun thinking back on all the great things he has accomplished this last year. I am so proud of my little guy and all that he has accomplished.

To celebrate this past year and the joy we have gotten to experience by having T in our lives this last year we are going to have a birthday party at Chick-Fil-A. They don’t have party packages or anything but are very accommodating and allowing us to reserve the space and bring our own balloons, cake, and goodie bags. Saves me on the clean up, space, and providing the food/drinks.

Here’s what I have been working on.

1. Goodie bags: Silly straws, bubbles with personal labels, pipe cleaner wands, homemade playdough, handmade coloring books with crayons, and cheerios because they are his favorite!

2. Balloon for each child who attends (Decoration for the party and it also goes home with the kids. Win win!)

3. Cupcakes and a small cake for the birthday boy! I’m thinking chocolate…

4. Banner for his high chair, and a special birthday hat.

5. Collage with a picture for each month of the last year (to display near the cake).

Finished:

1. Target gift registry: Hopefully this will make gift giving much easier for everyone.

2. Invitation Flyer/Facebook Event Invite: I made a super cute flyer on photoshop to have my hubby display in his office. So much cheaper than doing individual invites and that way I don’t forget anyone! Also, created an invite on facebook.

3. Shopping: I found the bubbles and silly straws at the dollar store. I have been collecting baby food jars to decorate and put the playdough in (once it is made). And I have cupcake liners (although I am thinking of designing some cute ones to go around them).

4. Brainstorming: I’ve been searching online for ideas for the theme (went with the cow theme since T loves the cow from Chick-Fil-A and it fits so well with the restaurant). I’ve also looked for ideas on what to put in the goodie bags, how to make them cute, and how to personalize them myself.

So, needless to say, I’ve been busy with birthday planning. I may not be blogging much in the next week as I get all the stuff together. Be looking for pictures from the party!

The prompt this week was “good.” At first I had no clue what to do for such a basic word. There are so many different things in my life that could be considered good!

This week I did some experimenting with a green monster smoothie. Spinach is so wonderful and healthy, and since I don’t like it cooked, and can only eat so much of it in salads, I decided to mix it up in smoothie form.

We’ll start with more information on the photo. I took the photo on my cluttered kitchen counter. It was an alright picture but I hated the fact that there was so much stuff in the background. I also took the picture while holding my almost one year old in my arms.

When I first uploaded the picture I was disappointed. The smoothie looks so perfect and delicious but there was just too much noise in the background. Now I am not working with a great camera, just a point and shoot digital. And I am not a professional photographer by any means. But I do like to try to take the best pictures that I can. So I was bummed that this picture was such a disappointment since I had my heart set on using it.

In comes photoshop. I’m still learning all the tools and tricks. And I am sure that I will never manage to learn all of them. But I love that I can cut out a part of a picture and move it to a new background.

I started by creating a new file, making it 8″ X 10″. A watercolor brush, some paint, and a few minutes later I had this background.

You can download your own copy either in .psd or .jpg for your own use if you would like.

Next I moved my glass over from the original picture by lassoing it and utilizing copy/paste. I then added text and a frame (by using the stroke feature). And here are the results.

Its not perfect, but it definitely brings out the wonderful green color of the smoothie!

Now for the recipe. I don’t measure things very much so you will have to adjust the measurements for your own tastes, but here is my general green monster smoothie recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Flax Seed
• 1 Large handful of fresh Spinach, chopped
• 4 Frozen Strawberries
• 1 Large frozen Banana, peeled
• 1/2 Cup of Blueberry Keifer
• Milk

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the blender starting with the flax seed and spinach. Use the ice function to break up the frozen fruit. Puree the ingredients. Use the milk, and blend until you get your desired consistency. I found that I needed to add more milk as I pureed the ingredients in order to get a light and fluffy drink, but you may want to keep it thick and creamy, and therefore use little milk.

Pour into a fun glass, pop in a straw, and enjoy your veggies!

*****************************************************************

And now for my gratitudes. Are you remembering to count your blessings? What are you thankful for this week? I would love to hear!

Gratitude 44: I am grateful we checked on S when we did. He had a low of 46. Thank God we caught it and were able to get juice and crackers into him. Praying his numbers don’t go too high or drop again tonight and that I can sleep until his next check.

Gratitude 45: I am grateful for the pretty flowers that my hubby brought me today. And for the three Valentines we have had to spend together. Here’s to years more!

Gratitude 46: T passed his evaluation with flying colors! I am so proud of my little guy! Although they will be keeping him on the books for 6 months more in case he has a relapse and falls behind, he is going to be discharged from his PT, and they were super impressed by how well he is doing. My boys are amazing!

Gratitude 47: I am simply grateful to be alive. Thank you God for creating me. Thank you mom for giving birth to me and raising me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you and your wonderful love.

Gratitude 48: Just cut out a bunch of cards that I laminated the other day for Sherwood. It made me feel like I was back working at school. Although I don’t miss Los Ninos specifically I do miss some of the great teachers there! I am so grateful for those wonderful friendships that I made the three years that I worked there, and even more grateful for the friends that I am still in touch with.

Gratitude 49: I am grateful for all the cooking that I was able to get done. Thanks Aaron for taking care of the boys so that I could prepare some freezer friendly meals.

Gratitude 50: a) I can’t believe that I made it through 50 days! Yay! I am thankful for the way that I have been able to see my world in a brighter way. Sometimes it takes some searching to find my gratitudes but I am so glad that God is helping me to see them. b) I am grateful for two of my wonderful friends this evening. Deanna, who has been one of my best friends since we were only 11 years old. And Kyra, who has been my super friend since we sat next to each other on the bus at 14 years old. Both of you are amazingly beautiful women whom I can’t imagine living life without. Thank you for your friendship! I love you both!

May God pour blessing onto your lives this week and always!

This week I have been planning, and searching for recipes. I was looking for things that my family already eats that can be frozen, or things that it looked like my family would really enjoy.

After a shopping trip yesterday afternoon I began my adventure!

Here’s what I made:

1. Skinny Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese:

This delicious casserole was what we had for dinner tonight.

I substituted half of the cheese for pepper jack cheese and used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose. I didn’t have chicken broth so I used the low-sodium, organic vegetable broth that I did have on hand. I skipped spraying the pan with oil as there is plenty of oil in the dish already. I used unsalted sweet cream butter for half of the butter amount and then used a vegetable oil spread for the other half. I also made my own breadcrumbs from whole wheat bread, using minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder to season them.

The results were fantastic! The only change that I would make is to add chunks of cheese in right before baking in order to make it a cheesier dish like the mac and cheese that I grew up with.

Fortunately I have two huge casserole pans (aluminum from the dollar store) of it in the freezer along with a few individual containers. So it will be something that we will be able to enjoy several more times in the next few months.

2. Shredded Chicken:

Next I cooked up some shredded chicken. This was kind of cheating since the crock pot did most of the work. Before I went to bed last night I put three (HUGE) chicken breasts into my crock pot along with the rest of the vegetable oil that I used in the macaroni and cheese. Then I let the crock pot do its thing on low all night.

This morning I woke up to some delicious smelling chicken that was ready to be cooled and shredded. Once it was cooled, and shredded, I separated into three 1/2 pound portions. I then put them in quart sized freezer bags with just a small portion of the broth and froze. Now I have shredded chicken on hand and ready for a variety of different recipes!

3. Homemade Frozen Pizza:

We love pizza! There is nothing more enjoyable then having a hot, cheesy slice of pizza on a long hard day. But I hate the fact that the majority of pizzas are horribly unhealthy. Plus, spending all that money on grease is just a shame.

I picked up 4 pizza pans at the dollar store. I went with the regular ones rather than the disposable because that way I can use them over and over again and not worry about them being too flimsy. And they were the same price!

Next I got myself some Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast. It wasn’t my original plan but I am glad I did because it was super easy to use!

I used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose. Next time I buy all-purpose I will be buying the non-bleached kind so the dough will be even healthier and also much darker. But for now I went with what I have on hand.

For the tomato sauce I bought a can of Hunt’s spaghetti sauce and added my own seasonings, allowing it to simmer in a saucepan. I wanted to make it from scratch but found that it would actually cost me more. So I went for the lowest price, sauce with the least amount of ingredients.

The alfredo sauce is my favorite jarred sauce, and I didn’t do anything to it. The chicken I cut up, seasoned with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper, and cooked in my skillet until just cooked through.

Right now everything is cooling. But in a bit I will assemble the pizzas. I will have two that are chicken alfredo and then two that are half cheese and half pepperoni/mushroom (for my hubby).

Hopefully this will be a deliciously healthy alternative to either ordering pizza or buying frozen pizzas at the store.

4. Pinto Beans:

My crock pot is currently cooking a batch of pinto beans. I decided to use the left over chicken/vegetable broth (after I put some in the bags with the shredded chicken and froze some in star shaped ice cube trays) mixed with my seasonings and water. When it is done cooking I will freeze the beans in 2 cup portions so that I can quickly grab them from the freezer and make refried beans whenever I want.

This is a big deal for me. I hate spending the money on canned refried beans but there are days when I want beans and don’t think about it early enough to get them done in time for dinner. This way I can simply defrost the beans, puree, and reheat, adding in salsa, cheese, onions, and garlic as desired. Its an amazing time saver, far cheaper, and much healthier. Just be sure to freeze a bit of that bean broth with your beans to aid in the reheating process.

5. Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken:

Doesn’t this look delicious?

I’ll be honest. We haven’t tried it yet. But I figured it would be easy enough to go ahead and prepare it so that I can just throw it into the crock pot some morning without having to really think about it. (I intend to make up some rice to freeze in the next couple of days as well.)

I did make a mistake in my reading of the directions and added all the ingredients together in the plastic bag, but I doubt that it will make that much of a difference. I’ll try to remember to come back with my opinion once we try it. I’ve heard it is amazing though!

*********************************************************************

I still want to make up some packets of dry cookie mix, some breakfast foods (pancakes, muffins, quick breads, pb&j…) for those busy mornings, and some lasagna (chicken alfredo with broccoli and carrots, and meat/vegetable) once we get paid again. But I managed to create about 10 frozen meals without too much effort. It’ll definitely help on those busy nights or when I am just too tired to want to prepare a healthy meal.

Do you have any make ahead healthy recipes to share?

But I just can’t think about anything tonight other than the fact that I HATE diabetes.

Here’s what brought up the emotions.

It started on Wednesday.

Our church group is studying the concepts in “Lose it for Life.” This week we were talking about the things that stand in our way and keep us from making healthy choices.

As we were talking I shared the way my day goes with the boys. I mentioned how I have to think about food every 3-4 hours in order to feed S and when I feed S I usually have to come up with something to feed T. Its hard enough to feed a picky toddler but even harder to feed a picky toddler who has dietary restrictions.

When we were talking about how often I have to think about food and what to feed my picky eater, I started to realize how much of my day is taken up with feeding the boys and taking care of S’s diabetes.

Fastforward to tonight.

It was time for the nighttime check. The one that we always do before Aaron and I go to bed.

Aaron had fallen asleep on the floor while we were watching tv so I wasn’t expecting him to be up there helping me. S was so sound asleep. I hate waking him up when he is so tired. But I poked his precious little finger and took the sample.

He was high. 359. Not such a good thing.

Next we do a ketone strip to make sure that he does not have high ketones present. But I couldn’t see. The meter light wouldn’t come on. And his finger stopped giving me blood. It timed out and Aaron had to go get another ketone strip.

Take 2. Same deal. Meter would not light up, blood would not come out, and the strip timed out.

Meanwhile, I am milking his poor little finger and making him cry. His brother, in the crib next to him starts crying too. Hormonal mommy leaves the room, stomps down the stairs, throws the meter and lancet, and sits on the couch in tears.

Yeah, real mature. I know.

But it just got to me. I knew I was going to have to go back up and distrub the poor baby by giving him his shot of insulin. I knew that it was just another moment in the continuing cycle. And I just couldn’t take it.

My poor baby will always have to have finger pricks, insulin, and watch everything that he eats and does. He will always have to be careful to make sure that his sugars are balanced or he will end up in the hospital.

He will never get to just have a drink of Kool-aid, or a regular soda, or even just a simple glass of juice like other children can have. Even milk has to be covered and counted. He will never be able to just have a random piece of cake or sweet treat. And I’ll be honest, it bums me out.

Sure, he will be able to have those things. But not in the carefree manner that other kids can.

And the worst part is, I have to be the mean one who says no, who pokes his fingers (until he is old enough to do it himself and when daddy can’t do it), and who gives him his meds. I’m the one who spends all day and night making sure that he is healthy. And its hard, and tiring. Physically and emotionally.

So yes, I HATE diabetes. I hate the things it has taken away from my baby. I hate the way it causes him pain. I hate the time it steals from me. And I hate the fact that this is “all he will ever know.”

But I love my little man. I love him to pieces. And I am so grateful that he is still alive. I am grateful that we caught this disease before it caused any major complications. I am grateful that we have insurance that covers the supplies that we need to keep him healthy. I am grateful for the medical advances that have happened over the last few decades that allow him to lead a relatively normal life.

And I am so grateful that he is a trooper about it all.

In many ways, he is my hero. My super baby who is fighting the evil that is diabetes.

So I will continue on. I will be strong. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) And I will push through my hatred for the disease. Because he needs me to.

Until there’s a cure…