{Gluten Free} Pineapple UpsideDown Cake

Earlier this week I was at a lunch play date and the host (aka. a wonderful BFF) absolutely spoiled us with the perfect, summery dessert! And to boot, she made it gluten free!! (This is when you KNOW its true love, when she never lets me go without the amazing yumminess!!)

I could hardly wait for an excuse to recreate this divine little cake, so I didn't! I made it the following evening for dessert! What a hit! Its moist, perfect, delicious and so crazy easy to make. Its the perfect potluck dessert, too... just be prepared for the invitations to come rolling in once you share this with your friends!

Jamberry Journey

Its been a while (yet again) but I am finally getting a few minutes to sit down and share. We've been spending most of our time outside in the nice weather. Its almost impossible to get the boys inside long enough to eat a meal before they are gone again! I can't complain though, I was sooooo ready for coats & boots season to end. 

I'm really excited to share with you that I have joined Jamberry Nails. I have been using them for a few months now and decided to take the plunge and see where it takes me. I'd like to take the opportunity now to share a little bit about these trendy, fun nail products and to share why I'm so in love!

Jamberry is a family-based business. Briefly, three sisters came up with the idea to create these durable, easy-to-use nail wraps in beautiful colours and designs to appeal to nails everywhere! The nail wraps are non-toxic and can be applied right to your nail with heat and pressure.

I'm a nail polish-aholic, and I love doing my nails so I couldn't wait to try these wraps! There are many benefits to using them, including the ease of application, no dry time, and no chipping! This is super exciting for me as a busy Mom of 4 little boys. I rarely ever have time to paint my nails and have them dry without someone needing something and the consequence is always bumped and flawed manicures. Also, within a day or two, polish always chips, and that's a real bummer.

Once I learned the proper way to apply Jamberry, I was hooked! They last on my hands up to 16 days (I might have been able to leave them on longer, I was dying to change it up!) I've done my toes as well, and I got well over a month on my first attempt! 

There are more than 300 nail wrap designs, solids and tips to choose from so no matter what your preference, we've got you covered. If you can't narrow down the choices, don't worry! Wraps are Buy 3 Get 1 FREE!

The nail wraps come with enough to do 2 complete manicures & 2 complete pedicures, with enough leftover for a bunch of accent nails.

Here are a few pics of my recent Jams.  

Lovely Spring Shamrocks & Rainbows

Even did a Toe-Jam!

These Get Hoppy Easter wraps were so sweet!

Gelato & Rose Gold Sparkle

And finally, Desert at Dusk!

I would love it if you would check out the styles over on my site, and let me know with a comment here about what designs you LOVE! Everyone who comments will be entered to win a sheet of accent wraps!

Check out the application video!

Let me know your fav design!

{Gluten Free} Mini Pumpkin Pie Cakes

It feels like FOREVER since I've shared a recipe! I'm not even going to look back and see how long its been! This one is better-late-than-never, but I have a few reasons for that.... Its been crazy busy here this fall. So that's one. The second reason is that I have tested this recipe several times and its finally tweaked to perfect (if I do say so myself!). The third and most important reason is my little bambino who just absolutely loved to be held (by me) pretty mush all the hours that he is awake.... And he's not a fan of sitting still for me to blog. 

In case you didn't know it, I'm a pumpkinaholic. I love pumpkin almost as much as my kids and chocolate and so I have been seeking really good pumpkin recipes that are gluten free. For those of you who eat a gluten free diet, you will understand just how important 'good' recipes are. There are a lot of different products out there, and recipes, but its hard to find DELICIOUS ones. I have pretty much perfected this recipe and I am excited to share it!

Fabulous Product Alert! 3D Fibre Lashes & Much More from Younique

I've got a new love in my life. 

There. I said it. 

I'm totally OBSESSED with a new product and I'm so excited to share I can hardly stand it! 

DIY Father's Day Photo Gift

Looking for a last minute Father's Day gift? The boys & I made this great gift in no time at all (well maybe like 8 minutes). Quick & reasonably easy, this is perfect for and Dad or Grandpa. 

Washi Wreath Night - Washi Anonymous

This week was very exciting for some friends and I. We have decided to start a craft group and we are going to have either monthly or bi-monthly get togethers where we will create something wonderful. We decided that for our very first event, we would plan a craft that we would all do and see how it went. In future, we will probably do some nights with a plan and some where we just bring whatever we are working on and go to town!

Since a few of us are totally addicted to washi tape, we called our little group Washi Anonymous. We even made a Facebook group to organize and plan and inspire each other. I am so happy that we have started this group for a number of reasons. Now that we have had our first event I am pretty sure the #1 reason I love it is for the awesome girl time! We crafted and chatted and ate yummy snacks! It was so refreshing!

1000 Facebook Likes Giveaway!!

So, as promised, I am finally celebrating my 1000 Likes on Facebook!  And you're going to love it!! 

One winner will enjoy a $25 Plum Box from Pick Your Plum!  That's right!!  I'm so excited to share this giveaway with you!!

DIY Baby's Nursery Sign

Here's a cute and easy little project that my wonderful friend and I made during my exciting hospital stay! She brought all the supplies and surprised me with this project.  It couldn't have turned out cuter!  What a better way to put in an evening than with washi tape and a glue gun?!

I really hope that when we use this on the baby's door, the boys get the message! Maybe we will start hanging it in preparation and they can practice...

DIY Bassinet Makeover

I've been getting ready for baby... cooking, baking, filling the freezers and nesting around the house. Things are really starting to come together here, especially with the motivation that comes along with this condition that I have been diagnosed with.  I have been really trying to get ahead of things just in case. If you haven't already read them, I've posted a couple of recent updates here and here. Things are moving along, and I can't believe its only a few short weeks until baby arrives!

I've been finding it hard to decide on what new things this baby needs, as we've already got most of what we need from all these other kids, and I am not into doubles of items. I also like to reuse what I've got, no need to update with each baby. I have to say that even after three boys, most items are holding up quite well!

I had a wonderful idea a few weeks back, and I purchased the supplies I would need to make it happen. In typical me fashion, I put it off until just last week (nothing like waiting til the last minute for these things). I am so excited to share this project and I am happy to report that it was way easier than I had originally planned on, which was a total bonus!  I had anticipated a few days worth of work and time but had it completed in one afternoon!

35 Weeks - Pregnancy Update

Well, the week is here.

This week marks 35 completed weeks of pregnancy. Baby is moving like crazy. I constantly feel kicks into the right side of my ribs, and those little kicks are harder and stronger everyday. This is always something that I try to commit to memory. I love how it feels and I really miss it after baby is born. Everything else is same old, same old. Acid reflux, insomnia, aches and pains, all the fun symptoms pregnant women get to enjoy. I can't really complain though. I'm still enjoying the pregnancy.  I always find this the bittersweet part where you know its almost over, but you anticipate the sadness of it being done.

For me, this is the dreaded week where I will find out when I will actually be admitted to the hospital to await the arrival of little baby #4. At my appointment on Monday, things were more hopeful sounding. I asked all of my questions. I prepared for the worst. I will have yet another ultrasound on Friday morning and this one will determine where things are at, and when I will be hospitalized (unless things have improved which I am hoping and praying for!). In the meantime, I'd like to share what I'm experiencing right now....

If you haven't read my informational post about Placenta Previa, head over here and check it out. Basically, this whole thing has been out of my control. There is no treatment, no yoga, no medication, no anything that can change this misplaced placenta... only time and hope that my body figures it out and pulls it to a more reasonable location. I am a person who likes to be planned, organized and in control and therefore this entire experience has been daunting and unknown. Not cool.

I've been feeling kind of doomed.

Doomed to a hospitalization while hubby & the boys are 'abandoned' at home (I realize that is NOT how they will see it, but its how I feel).

Doomed to a caesarean section and the accompanying spinal analgesia, panic, post-op recovery, pain and everything else that will come along with the surgery.

Doomed to probably have this little one a lot earlier than I would like. What I like growing my babies to term, I even had two of them 6 days over due.

Now I realize that anyone reading this who has had a caesarean section birth is probably thinking, "what a whiner!", but these are all of my fears at this point in time as I have only ever seen the procedures as a third party, and never gone through it. I know that lots of people have them everyday, and life goes on.... but this is all new to me as the patient, and I just feel like I'm on a runaway train that's coming to crash into an outcome that I'm not ready for.

So there. I said all of that. It feels better to talk about it but I still hold onto these fears, irrational or otherwise.


I'm trying to focus on the positive. I'm doing as much as I can to prepare for this time, and it helps me to feel like I can at least control some of the situation. Like meals, for example.  I have made and frozen lots of meals for the boys while I am gone. And laundry... I'm keeping the mountain to a minimum to try to alleviate some of the stress that hubby will have to deal with in my absence. Nesting.  I'm doing a ton of this. I've gotten the kids' rooms done, clothes downsized, things organized, a new little play area created, etc. And I've almost gotten through my downstairs spare room. It was bad. When its finally presentable I will show you all what I have done. I'd really like to get my craft space organized but I'm thinking that will have to wait a few months at this point. But doing these little things that I can control makes me feel at least as if I'm not just sitting here waiting to sit in the hospital and wait.

At this point I am remaining hopeful, after all... what a total rip off this would be to turn out the way that ends with caesarean section and all that comes with it. I'm believing that there is still a chance that this whole thing could go away and I could just get on with regular life instead of this worrying-about-things-I-can't-control life.

Today, I'm going to take some time to stop feeling like this and I'm going to (hopefully) get a really awesome baby project finished so that I can share it before heading in to the hospital.

Oh, anyone have any tips on packing for a 2-3 weeks stay?  I'm leaving that until the last minute....

10 Craft Space Organizers {Perfect Pins}

With all of the nesting that I've been doing over the past couple of weeks, I decided to start looking for ideas to organize my craft space. Its likely just going to be the closet in my downstairs spare bedroom, but I'm excited anyway to eventually have an area for crafting & sewing, instead of using the dining room table.  

Here are 10 of the most awesome ideas I have come across so far. There are at least a few that I will be incorporating into my craft closet!  Just have to wait until the baby comes and I'm feeling well... then baby and I will head down there and set things up!

10 St. Patrick's Day Treats {Perfect Pins}

St. Patrick's Day is a school day this year!!  YAY!!  I hope that I'm going to be able to make one of these treats below to send with the boys to school.  It will be an exciting day as its the first day back from March Break.  I can't believe how fast this week is going by. Its almost over & I'm sad!

I'm thinking that maybe Sunday I will try to get treats made, and maybe make it a team effort and the boys can help...  It will be a fun way to end the weekend and they will (hopefully) be just as excited as I will be to send some fun treats to school!

Tomato Zucchini Soup

Recently I have been trying to fill the freezer with meals that will be handy for when I'm in the hospital, and for once we are home with this new baby.  I'm all about convenience and fast meals.  

Here is the easiest soup recipe you have ever made. Well, its not quite as easy as opening a can... but its pretty darn close!

10 Free Printables to Organize Your Home {Perfect Pins}

This winter has been feeling longer and longer. I've been sort of house bound for the past month and so I have been going from room to room trying to purge, rearrange, organize and get ready for the new addition. I have been looking to bins and storage ideas to keep things more under control. I am hoping that this time things will be more permanently tidy.  Fingers crossed.

I think there is nothing worse than being unable to find something, or forgetting about what's in that box until its too late.... like baby clothes that you drag out too late because you thought they were size 6 months but they were actually newborn!  I've done this a few times.

Here are 10 awesome (free) printables to help you keep things labelled and tidy. 

Everything I Didn't Want to Know about Placenta Previa

The countdown is officially on and this baby will be here soon!  I'm now in my 32nd week and feeling pretty good.  I'm little sore, terrible heartburn and having trouble sleeping... typical pregnancy things. This time has been very different from the others.  As it draws closer to the end, I am in a bit of panic mode and I'm going to tell you why......

Fourth time is apparently not the charm, and I have a condition called Placenta Previa. In this condition, the placenta placement is less than favourable... and its either covering the cervix (complete) or very close to the cervix (within 2cm; marginal).  

I found this little visual on Baby Center.

Valentine's Day Treats: White Chocolate Bark

This is a quick and fun DIY that looks fabulous and takes very little time to prepare!  I had so much fun making it!  The boys were really excited to see how this White Chocolate Bark turned out, and they couldn't wait to share it with their classmates!!

Valentine's Day Treats: White Chocolate Pretzel

They boys' class parties are today and I was busy last night helping them get ready!  Middle guy wasn't himself last evening and so he didn't feel much like it, but the Biggest and I sat down and got at it!  (And Daddy too... I think he likes Washi Tape almost as much as me!!)

I love sending in treats so I made two different kinds to send for the parties...  Here are the White Chocolate Pretzel Treats!  Y'all ready for this?  So easy to make and they look so wonderful!!

10 Gluten-Free Desserts {Perfect Pins}

Some weeks around here are crazier than others. This week we survived one sick boy (and managed to prevent the others from catching it!).  After all the love and snuggles and extra cleaning/laundry, I'm feeling wiper out!  I decided that the best way to curb this feeling, is to find a bunch of yummy gluten-free desserts to share.  I hope to find the motivation to make something tomorrow.  I think it will be nice to have a delicious dessert for Valentine's Day, and who doesn't love eating yummy things to celebrate a rough week??

Speaking of gluten free treats, did you see the Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie recipe that I posted?  They are DELICIOUS!  Big hit here!

I'm sharing the best 10 recipes I could find, and I am feeling super motivated to try most of them!

Valentine's Day Treats: DIY Gift Bags

With Valentine's Day right around the corner we are still doing preparations for the boys' parties at school. I'm having so much fun finding ideas and doing the prep!  We have yet to make the Valentines for their classmates, that's on the agenda tomorrow if everyone is healthy.  My middle monkey is sick with a bad case of the barfs since the middle of the night and so we've pretty much been sticking to the couch today.  I made him a "Sickie Station" on the little couch and he hasn't moved much since.  I'm pushing the water and chicken broth to him while he's awake... and waiting.  Oh, and I also have a very sparkly bathroom that I cleaned top to bottom in an attempt to prevent everyone else from contracting this yucky bug.

Meanwhile, lately I have officially gotten into my Washi Tape stash, and I now want to use it for EVERYTHING in my whole life! (Oh if only it could cure this little boy!) It is so cute & happy! So today while my sick middle boy napped, I made these sweet little gift bags to use for the DIY Teacher Gifts that we made last week.

The supply list is short, they take almost no time to make and they are really cute!  And, BONUS, they match the gifts!

FLASH FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY!

Hello Everyone!!

I'm so excited to share this event with you!!!

11 other bloggers and I are teamed up for a round-robin style Facebook giveaway! It will run from tonight, February 12, 2014 at 7:00pm EST until tomorrow night, February 13, 2014 at 7:00pm EST. Please watch my Facebook Page  for all the details starting later this evening!

Good Luck!