Mommy's New Best Friend!

Paperclips in a box provide HOURS of fun for a 14 month old. Who knew? 

When Bad Hair Days Are Cute

Isabella woke up today with a curl mohawk. 

Dear Baby,

Look how comfy your crib looks! I say you give it one more try (please for the love of god)! Fourteen months with us in our bed was sweet. But, I need some sleep and you are hogging the sheets.  I still love you, really, I do. Kitty tested it out for you and approves.

Mother's Day Special!

I have a special going on in my Etsy shop for Mother's Day! 15% off jewelry taged either "rose" or "flower" in honor of mom. Free gift wrapping is included!

www.julylamoon.etsy.com 

Also, if anyone actually reads this blog, I will include a free pair of vintage jewel earrings (my choice) for those that mention in the "notes to seller" that you saw this blog post. 

Happy days to everyone!

My Endless Skills at Photography

Yesterday, I had to drive to North Shore of Tahoe. What a gorgeous day on the lake! I pulled off the side of the road to try and capture the splendor of the North Shore. The mountains were mirrored perfectly by the variegated turquoise water, puffy white clouds gracefully aloft the snow covered peaks, breathtaking! I blame the camera, not the photographer, for the lack of visual translation from real life to these photos. 

Okay, I suck at taking pictures. le sigh...

Awesomeness!

If you are like me then anytime bread pudding is offered on the dessert menu I order some. Even if I am stuffed to the point of exploding I just have to indulge in warm, creamy bread pudding! We had about three quarters of a loaf of sourdough french bread leftover from dinner two nights ago. So,  I decided to look up a recipe for bread pudding just for fun. I ended up making the most delicious bread pudding! We have eaten almost all of it straight from the pan and I can't stop. Here is the recipe adapted from the one I found online by Margaret Burger. I added some nuts, spices, rum extract and half-n-half.

Butterscotch Bread Pudding

• One loaf of day old french bread, torn into pieces
  
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup half and half (I used fat free)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter (one stick)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• dash or two of: cinnamon, cloves and allspice
• dash of salt
• one cup of whole pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together to form a soupy oatmeal consistency. Pour into 9x13 inch glass pan and bake for 45 minutes. It might take up to an hour for the middle to set or have a gentle wiggle when you shake the pan. I prefer a bit more sauce than this recipe produced but the flavor is to die for. Try it!

New Kitten

Well, it has been a few months since I started this blog thinking that I would write every day. Apparently I have little to say. So, we got a kitty. I have had nothing but negative feedback from my family and neighbors ever since. Like, kitty will lick milk off baby's face and *eye roll*. I love her anyway. She helps me feed the baby by sitting on my shoulder or chest. And I can blame her for the messy house. She is such a little pig.