Ikea Chalkboard Table Hack!

Tweet

 I can't believe I actually have time to blog this!! I completed this hack about a month ago, and am just getting around to this now!! Things are a little crazy over here!
 I have seen this hack around before, so I am definitely a little late in the game on this one, BUT it was my first time doing this hack, so I thought I would share!!

The best thing about this is that the table costs $19.99. Between that and the paints you need, you are looking at about $35.00 total for a really cute customized kids table!

First, start by ordering the table here. Or just go to the store if you are lucky enough to have one close by.
Once the package arrives take out all of the pieces and paint them!!

I found that I needed 2 coats of spray paint and about 3 coats of the chalkboard paint!

Assemble!
I bought 2 white hooks from Lowe's and attached them to the side.
The pails are from the dollar bin at Target!
That's it!!

Funny thing is that the first set they sent me was missing a piece so not only did they send me the piece but a whole new one?! What?! So now I am going to make a second one!! I think I am going to do it gold and pink (big shocker I know!)

The Best Zucchini Bread Ever

Tweet

 No, it really is. I love love love me some zucchini bread, and so does everyone else in this house! I have tried so many recipes for zucchini bread, and this one BY FAR is the best. Perfect texture, and it makes two loaves! The only downside I can find with this is that it does have vegetable oil in it. I tried substitutes but it just isn't as good. I specifically only keep veg oil in the house for this recipe, and that's IT. (if this is the only time I am consuming it, I am not mad about that, ha).

You need:
-3 cups flour
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-3 tsp cinnamon
-1 cup vegetable oil
-3 eggs
-2 1/4 cup sugar
-2 cups grated zucchini (do not drain)
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-(1 cup of nuts is optional)

-Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.
-Grease two loaf pans.
-Sift dry ingredients. (flout,salt,bkg powder,bkg soda,cinnamon)
-With your mixer, blend oil,eggs and sugar
-Add dry to the wet ingredients
-Add zucchini (and nuts)
-Mix well and pour into the pans
-Cook for about 50 to 60 minutes

Enjoy!

Leek Dip

Tweet

 Pat,Annabella and I have a severe addiction to Wegman's Leek dip. Let's be honest, we have a Wegman's addiction. If you are unlucky enough to not have one, it is hands down the best food store on the planet. It even has it's own buzz feed.
 So we are moving back to the Philadelphia area in a few months…the cheese lady at my local Wegman's informed me that very few Wegman's still make this dip. She informed me it isn't as popular other ones. (which my brain cannot fathom, because it is hands down THE BEST one they make). Now I haven't asked around to see if the stores in Philly make it, but I decided that I am not taking any chances. I simply looked at the ingredients and went from there.

I used:
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
a quarter packet of french onion dip mix
about 2/3 cup of chopped/sauteed leeks (butter to saute)

I for one have never prepared leeks before, so here are some links for those of you that also have not.
cleaning
more cleaning
cooking leeks

-I started out by cutting and cleaning the leeks.
-I then sautéed them in a little bitter of earth balance butter for about 5 to 6 minutes.
-While I was cooking them, I added all of the other ingredients together.
-I used a quarter of the dip packet. The spread we buy at the store does not have a strong taste of this dip. If you prefer a stronger taste, you can add more.
-add cooked leeks to the mix and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.

- You don't want it to be too "wet" it is supposed to be thicker, so if it's too wet looking you might want to add more cheese, leeks and powdered dip mix ;) 

Now here is the eating it part. When we first tried this dip we spread it on baguettes. I would recommend doing this first!! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spread the it on generously and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. It's heavenly.

At this point our addiction has taken us to being really lazy and just slathering it on nut thins cold and eating it right out of the fridge. Still amazing, but do yourself a favor and try the cooked way first ;)

The Perfect Pastel Purple

Tweet

 I found it! Every since I went purple a few months ago I have been searching for the perfect combination. Although it may have looked good so far, I had to go really dark purple a few times and have it fade to the color I wanted or use colors that were supposed to be pastel purple and just weren't "right". I also found that mixing with regular conditioner made it really splotchy. Someone anonymously posted the formula for the pastel Pravana (since it has been unavailable for some time) and I have to thank whoever you are because it is PERFECT!!! PERFECT!

I used:
~1 tube of Pravana Clear
~1/2 tube of Pravana Pink
~1 drop of Pravana Violet

Andddd, it's perfect!! Thanks again to whoever posted that on here, you're seriously the best!!

(this is after one wash!!!)

Right Meow

Tweet

How adorable are these "Right Meow" shirts?? All three of us girls have them! (Although we haven't all been able to wear them on the same day yet!!) we have actually had some mild(er) weather and some sun this week, so we took a stroll at the lake.

You can find these tees and more at IndieNook

Spray Painted Crib/Priscilla's Room

Tweet

We had not planned on getting Priscilla a toddler bed at all. Actually, we are moving in a few months and the plan was to keep her in her crib until we move and then as per Annabella's request, get bunk beds for the girls…..well, we have a crib hopper. I watched her do it once and that was enough to get her into a toddler bed! It looked VERY dangerous!

 So here I am searching the internet for toddler beds when I remembered that the front of her crib comes off to turn it into a toddler bed! (duh!) Wanting to make it a little more special, I decided to spray paint it.

 I used Rust Oleum Painter's Touch in "Candy Pink"…I mean…there is even a crib on it, ha.

Now, I don't know how safe this paint is for a crib if you have a crib biter. Annabella was definitely a crib biter, but Priscilla isn't so I feel safer using this. You could always use a crib guard to prevent them from chewing.

I also searched everywhere for decent toddler bedding. I ended up going with The Dream Girl set from The Land of Nod. I LOVE this bedding!

Here are some more pictures of her pretty pretty room while we are on the topic:

This was the way her dresser and frame wall were in the beginning. Then we had to rearrange 

FYI….

Tweet

 I'm still here!!!! I have had a few people comment on my IG and ask when I will have a new post!! I wasn't feeling right for about two weeks! I have been extremely extremely tired with stomach pain and I pretty much used all of the little energy I had taking care of the girls and making sure my house didn't fall apart!!
 So after weeks of going to the doctor, having blood labs done, ultrasounds,sonograms and everything else, it turns out I have a large ovarian cyst. (which is better than what I thought, I was fearing it was my gallbladder!) Now…..most things I read say ovarian cysts are "painless" and "symptom free", well NOT in my case!! This thing has been messing with my life for weeks now! Fatigue, nausea and intense pain, frequent and URGENT trips to the ladies room to pee…I'm talking like every ten minutes.  I am basically never listening to google again. Ovarian cysts CAN be painful guys!!
 I go back to the doctor in a few weeks to see if the size of it is changing or anything, but I have started to feel a little better the past few days! So do not fear! I will be posting again this week! I have a lot to catch up on!!!!!