Pneumonia.

image from here

What a day! I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. My baby has been sick for a couple days with a fever and bad cough. He spit up blood this morning, which made me panic. I immediately took him to the doctor. After 5 hours in the hospital, they told me he had pneumonia. My poor baby is bruised from having unsuccessful blood draws in both arms and a successful one in his head. He had to have a catheter, chest xray and a test by a respiratory therapist where a tube was stuck down his throat. No fun. When they are this little, it is so sad.

Baby D was a trouper. He cried when they started to draw blood from his head, but then, through tears, he tried to smile and coo and the nurses. They told me it was so hard to poke a baby who was trying so hard to be happy. He really is the sweetest baby.

We are home from the hospital now, thank heavens. Hoping we can keep his fever down so we don't have to go back in tonight. We have an appointment in the morning to see if he's improved from the antibiotic shots they administered.

Thanks to all of you who emailed and called. It really meant a lot to know that so many of you cared. Please excuse my absence while I take care of my sweet babe.

Computers and Cake.

My computer has been acting up for the past couple months and I'm finally going to take it in to a repairman today. Not sure if this is going to be a hard break or a welcome one. I'm quite attached to my mac, but it may be time for a replacement. I've had this baby for 4.5 years. Isn't that about the lifespan of a computer? I'm hoping the computer expert can fix it. I'm rather fond to this white imac.

My postings may be sparse while my computer is out of commission, so I thought I'd leave you with one of my favorite recipes ever. This may look like an ordinary chocolate cake, but it is so much more! Seriously Delish. (Check it out...no eggs! Vinegar in a cake? Don't be scared. It's really, really yummy.)

FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CAKE
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. water
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. vinegar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt. Add the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar and mix well (batter will be thin). Pour into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Frost with following frosting.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. baking cocoa
Dash of salt
2-3 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

Baby Shower Service.

I designed the above baby shower announcement for Service Soapbox. We are throwing a Baby Shower for needy moms through the March of Dimes and would love your support.

Want to get involved? Check out the Service Soapbox Blog for more information.

Birds.

Am so excited that spring officially arrived last weekend. (Utah was uncooperative, however, and still provided us with less than spring-like weather. I have great hopes for warmer weather this week.)

I adore birds. I currently have a few bird decorations adorning my home, including a wall silhouette of birds on a line in my craft room. I'd love to have more. I found a purse with a bird on it that I immediately fell in love, which conciquently led to me scouring the internet for more birdies.

Get a closer look at my finds:
Bird and Flower Double Bell Clock
Printed Canvas Shopper 
Jewel Bird Couple Tee
Chickadee Paper Clips
Wren
Coats in a Row Door Hooks
Birder Dishtowel
Old Time Pocket Watch Necklace
Sculptural Birds

I Heart Lists.

I was informed recently that the correct way to blog is to separate your different subjects into different posts, but I must disagree. My favorite posts are random lists. Why not smash all the links and thoughts into one delicious post? How do you feel about the matter?

Experience the Random, List-y Goodness:
Hilary Lists
Marta Lists
Miranda Lists
Tiffany Lists
Summer Lists


And, in an effort to be truly rebellious, I will conclude by offering you a random list of my own.

--Thank you for the comments on my last post. I feel great about posting about the "real" uplifting things in my life. The too-personal items will be saved for my personal, non-virtual journal.

 --Watched Food Inc. and cried. My husband thought I was silly crying over chickens. We are now a hormone-free household. (Costco has hormone free eggs at a great price, by the way.) The movie really changed the way we eat. Watch it. "You'll never look at dinner the same way."
--Finally folded and put away that pesky pile of clothes. My house, which is in need of a serious spring-cleaning, is a tiny bit closer to clean.

--Bought a new pair of shoes at an insanely, almost free price. Thank you, coupon codes. Shoes for under $5 that are comfy AND cute? Be still my heart.
--Am head over heals for my new Papertry Ink Stamps. Have been card-making the weekend away. Stamping and coloring with copics. Sigh...
--Daughter seems to be a mini-me. She is an up-and-coming crafter and spent the weekend being my card-making partner on the craft table. She made a card for each of her aunts. Inside, she wrote, "Utah is Cold." So true.

Let's Talk.

Last night, my husband and I watched House. The patient was a blogger who blogged her life. EVERY piece of it. It was hurting her relationships. Everyone knew that they needed to be careful around her because what they said might be blogged. How sad.

I'll admit, I do not always put the whole truth on this blog. I don't think my entire life needs to be shared on the world wide web. I don't think intimate details of personal relationships should be revealed with such a large audience. I try to put my real life before my virtual one. The feelings of my family and friends come before entertaining my blog's audience.

I recieved an email and a couple formspring questions lately that have disturbed me. They all asked the same thing. One said, "How do you do it all? How do you keep a perfect home, cook perfect from scratch meals, wear perfect clothes, all while working AND blogging?"

Blogging is a funny little thing. It truly is. Bloggers show you what they want you to see. No matter what blog you read, you are viewing and reading what the author wants you to know. Remember this: when a blogger's life seems too good to be true, it probably is.

I wish I could back up from some of those food pictures I have taken. My kitchen is a mess in a lot of them. I've cleared the clutter from the camera's lens. I'm showing you what I want you to see, because frankly, showing you my dirty dishes would be embarrassing.

The truth? My kids whine. My husband and I disagree. My laundry is unfolded on my bed, again. I am NOT a morning person and am easily provoked before 8am. I ate a donut yesterday and made pesto from a packet. I take my kids to school while wearing sweats. My daughter has holes in EVERY pair of jeans she owns. I have way too many freckles. On Monday, I locked my son in his high chair in front of the tv with a packet of fruit snacks because I was at wits end. On Wednesday, I cried to my boss. My hair's current state, a wet bun, is not pretty. I am wearing maternity pants. (They are falling off, but I don't fit into my pre-preggo jeans yet.)

This isn't a pitty post. I am happy. I am extremely in love with my life and with my husband. But, I want you to know that I am real. I am human. I make mistakes, show up late, burn my food, get irritated, and could afford to lose 10 pounds. Unlike the blogger on House, I probably won't discuss every detail of my life. I want to keep it real, but I also believe in focusing on the positive, the pretty and the uplifting.

I hope this answered your questions. The truth is I DON'T do it all! I really, really don't. Something's gotta give, even in my life.

THIS post is wonderful. A must read.

Winners!

Thanks to all who entered! The winners are:

Betty Crocker Bake Set: kirsten and josh
$50 Safeway Gift Card & Fiber One Gift Set: Tiffany
$25 Target Gift Card & Wanchai Gift Set: Emily
Blender & Smoothie Gift Set: sarahmartina

Email me with your contact info and I'll get those gifts out to you! Congrats!

Couponing

I just designed a blog for Melea, the couponing queen. I discovered her blog when she was on our local news and was thrilled when she wanted me to redesign it! She has some wonderful information on her site for all of you wanting to cut back on spending and start using coupons. I have scored some excellent deals since following her blog. (I was checking out at Target a few weeks ago and my total for everything rang up to almost $200. After following Melea's tips, I couponed my way down to $98! Seriously!)

You all should really check out her blog. (Especially you Utahns!)

Giveaway #4: Yoplait Frozen Smoothies

Blogspark sent me a coupon to buy a Yoplait frozen smoothie. I loved it! It is now part of my breakfast at least once a week. Try it yourself! To save $1.25 off one package of Yoplait Frozen Smoothies, click here for a coupon.

Today, they are giving away a Yoplait Frozen Smoothie gift pack, which includes a blender to make the fruit smoothies.

Please comment on this post by 11:59pm, Wednesday, March 17th to enter.

for extra entries: (please leave a new comment for each entry.)
01. Tweet, Facebook or Blog about and link back to this giveaway.
02. Add the Sherbet Blossom Button to your sidebar.
03. Become a follower of Sherbet Blossom.

The winner will be announced on March 18th.

Be sure to enter the other three giveaways sponsored by BlogSpark!
Bake Life Sweeter Gift Pack
Wanchai Ferry and Target Gift Card
$50 Grocery gift card and Fiber One

The coupon, blender, information and additional prize pack to give away were all given to you from Yoplait and MyBlogSpark™.

Giveaway #3: Wanchai Ferry & Super Target

We all have those days, once or twice a month, that we are just too busy to cook a whole meal from scratch. Wanchai's frozen entrees are a great alternative and actually taste really yummy!

If you win this giveaway, Blogspark and Wanchai will send you a Wanchai Ferry "Perfect Night In" prize pack that includes one VIP coupon valid for a free package of any of the Wanchai Ferry frozen entrees, in addition to a set of great Asian-inspired rice bowls, chopsticks, bamboo placemats, flavored fortune cookies, and a $25 Target gift card.

Please comment on this post by 11:59pm, Wednesday, March 17th to enter.

for extra entries: (please leave a new comment for each entry.)
01. Tweet, Facebook or Blog about and link back to this giveaway.
02. Add the Sherbet Blossom Button to your sidebar.
03. Become a follower of Sherbet Blossom.

The winner will be announced on March 18th.

Be sure to enter the other three giveaways sponsored by BlogSpark!
Bake Life Sweeter Gift Pack
$50 Grocery gift card and Fiber One
Yoplait Smoothies and Blender

The prize pack, information were all given to me from Wanchai Ferry through MyBlogSpark™..

Giveaway #2: Safeway Fiber One Gift Pack

I first learned about Fiber One bars through my friend, Jeri. They are a really easy and great way to get lots of fiber in. I tried the yogurt last week and was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted!

Today, they are giving away a $50 Safeway Gift Card! (Also good at Dominick’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, Genuardi’s.)

Please comment on this post by 11:59pm, Wednesday, March 17th to enter.

for extra entries: (please leave a new comment for each entry.)
01. Tweet, Facebook or Blog about and link back to this giveaway.
02. Add the Sherbet Blossom Button to your sidebar.
03. Become a follower of Sherbet Blossom.

The winner will be announced on March 18th.

Be sure to enter the other three giveaways sponsored by BlogSpark!
Bake Life Sweeter Gift Pack
Wanchai Ferry and Target Gift Card
Yoplait Smoothies and Blender

Safeway and Fiber One provided me with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark™.

Giveaway #1: Bake Life Sweeter

Today, Blogspark is sponsoring four giveaways on Sherbet Blossom! They will be posted hourly, so come back and enter in each one. They are giving some fabulous prizes and they only last until tomorrow night!

First up: Bake Life Sweeter Baking Set
On Sunday, I used a cake mix and frosting that Betty Crocker sent me for the shamrock cupcakes. As one who doesn't often use cake mixes, I was amazed at the ease and how quickly it whipped up!

Today, they are giving away a Betty Crocker “Bake Life Sweeter” prize pack to one Sherbet Blossom reader that includes VIP coupons and all the baking tools you would need to make a fabulously decorated cake!

Please comment on this post by 11:59pm, Wednesday, March 17th to enter.

for extra entries: (please leave a new comment for each entry.)
01. Tweet, Facebook or Blog about and link back to this giveaway.
02. Add the Sherbet Blossom Button to your sidebar.
03. Become a follower of Sherbet Blossom.

The winner will be announced on March 18th.

Be sure to enter the other three giveaways sponsored by BlogSpark!
Wanchai Ferry and Target Gift Card
$50 Grocery gift card and Fiber One
Yoplait Smoothies and Blender


Betty Crocker provided me with VIP coupons, gift card, Flip video camera, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark for this giveaway.

St. Patrick's Day Party: The Gold Hunt

Sarah, my little sister, invented this game when E was two years old. It was a huge success and became an instant tradition. The "Gold Hunt" is a simple scavenger hunt to find the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow clues. Here's how it works:

01. Click, Save and Print the Gold Hunt rainbows above. Cut out; laminate if desired. Write clues on the back of each one that will lead to the next rainbow clue. Place them in their respective hiding spot.

02. Hide a "pot" of gold at the end of the rainbow clues. We use gold-wrapped candy and/or make caramel corn to be the "gold." (Sarah will be posting the recipe for this delicious caramel corn on her blog.) (We had a black witch's cauldron we used as the "pot," but couldn't find it this year, so we used a basket. The cauldron looked so much cuter. Will be on the lookout for another one around Halloween time this year for this purpose.)

Hope you all have a fabulous St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday! Don't forget to head on over to my sister's fabulous cooking blog for more delicious party recipes. She will be telling you how to make the delicious Irish Soda bread we serve with the stew and the caramel popcorn we use for the hunt!

St. Patrick's Day Party: Irish Stew

My friend, Emily, gave me this recipe for Irish stew a few years ago. Sarah and I tried it, fell in love and have made it every St. Patrick's Day since. It is a fabulous and flavorful soup. I have made a few minor adjustments over the years. It is really, really yummy and perfect for a St. Patrick's Day bash. Even the kids gobbled it up!

Irish Beef Stew

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large garlic cloves, minced
8 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.) Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes:
-Makes 4 to 6 servings.
-You can use russets if you prefer.
-We love carrots in our family, so I always double the carrots it calls for.

St. Patrick's Day Party: Shamrock Cupcakes

On Sunday, we had my sister's family and friend over for an early St. Patrick's Day party. We throw one every year. (Having a lot of Irish blood running through our bodies, we feel an obligation.) We've developed some really fun traditions, and I thought I'd share them with you. It will be a three part series I'll post through-out the day. (Sarah, my sister, will post some of our party recipes on her blog as well, so head over there to hear more.)

My daughter wanted to make green cupcakes this year, so I made shamrock candies to top them. They were easy and make the cupcake look that much more festive. Here's how:

01. I used candy wafers by Make & Mold along with their little squeeze bottles. They were yummy and so easy to use. I purchased the dark green vanilla flavored wafers and the milk chocolate wafers. (You can buy these items at most specialty candy or craft stores.)

02. Click, Save and Print the shamrock template above.

03. Lay the template on a flat surface and put a piece of parchment or wax paper over it. Melt the milk chocolate wafers in one of the bottles and trace the outline of the shamrocks. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.

04. Melt the dark green chocolate wafers in the second bottle and fill the shamrocks. Place in fridge until hard. (About 10 minutes.)

05. Remove shamrock candies from parchment paper and place on cupcakes. (I used Betty Crocker cake mix and frosting to make my party prep a little easier. Come back tomorrow for a giveaway from Betty Crocker and BlogSpark!)

Designing. busy.busy.busy!

I have had a crazy weekend already. I had to go into the office to look over the magazine proofs on Friday and then have been designing all weekend.

Am especially excited about this logo and blog I designed today for a wonderful cause:

Service Soapbox was started by a group of bloggers of which I am a part of. We all have blogs and decided to use them for good. (I've met some great people while doing it, which is a definite bonus!) We plan charity events to help a variety of different organization. If you want to be involved, please do! You don't even have to live near! Follow the blog for more information. Sue is the mastermind and can answer any of your questions.

Outfitting on a Budget. Bright and Flirty

This outfit makes me happy. Easter, perhaps?

Dress
Shrug
Bag
Shoes
Necklace (not pictured...)

I just realized this outfit is the same colors as my first. I'm kind of into the turquoise & coral combo, I guess.

2 months. motherhood=joy

Two months old already? Oh, my! Thinking about it makes me panic. Did I document all his firsts? Will I forget the smell of his newborn breath? Will I remember the way he sounds when he giggles or the way he nuzzles and falls asleep staring at me, his mouth hanging wide open.

He is proving us wrong. He no longer fusses. He smiles and coos and kicks and yawns and SLEEPS. He is a complete angel. My little boy is mellow. Oh, how I was praying for a mellow-jello.

I have three darling children who I adore. 

Motherhood is such a joy.
I am so lucky.

Crocheting. A new obsession

These pictures sum up my weekend. Whenever my poor husband tried to talk to me, he was rudely ignored. Not on purpose, mind you; my brain was just engaged otherwise. It took a few "Hannah? Hannah?? Hannah????"'s to get my attention. When I get wrapped up in something, it is hard to divert my focus. I spent most of the weekend listening to a book-on-tape (er...book on ipod) and crocheting a cute little stripped blanky for my new babe. The blanket is nearly finished. Debating on the border color. Dark gray or brown? At the moment, I am leaning towards gray.

(Thanks to Kelly for teaching me to crochet last Thursday. I am officially obsessed.)

I did stop the yarn work for a few hours, though. A few other weekend happenings...

--Took a lovely drive with the family to enjoy this beautiful almost-spring weather.
--Planned the garden. Daughter wants corn; son wants grapes.
--Made a batch of my gma's oatmeal cookies. Delish! I ate one after exercising this morning. It probably destroyed any of the good the workout did. Le sigh.

Books On Tape. This new mom's lifesaver

I love books and I adore reading. When my first child was born, I read 18 books in the first month while I fed and snuggled her. I read almost as many with my second. It is such a sweet, relaxing time of motherhood. Right? RIGHT??

I was blessed with two angel-babies and expected my third to be the same. But, although adorable, he came out a bit of a cranky-pants. (Oh, you mothers of colicky babies who I never understood, I DO now.) This little one has stomach issues and my only relief from his crying was the car. I frequently took my kids on rides in the car. The older ones played with toys and mini-man slept. (Oh the silence! It was music. Beautiful, beautiful music.) Sometimes, I popped in one of my books-on-tape from the library. I have been through quite a few now and am ADDICTED. The picture above shows the ones I have listened to in the last couple weeks. (Well, fine...the bottom two are my husband's, but they made the picture's composition look better.) This is a trick I highly recommend to all you moms-of-fussy-babies.

If any of you have book recommendations, please let me know. I need to reserve some more at the library asap! I only have 30 minutes left!

FYI: In the past couple weeks, my little cute stinker has FINALLY decided not to cry for the majority of his wakeful hours. Phew! He is a happy little guy, although I can tell he is still having stomach pains and it breaks my heart. We are going to pick up some gripe water like so many of you suggested today and see if it helps.

Casual Blogger Conference. Are you going?

I've never been a conferencing blogger. I've been invited to several, but not until now did I feel one really "fit." That is, until I found the Casual Blogging Conference. It is for the everyday blogger that most of us are, and for those who want to take their blog to the next level. (I am most excited about the writing classes!)

The 2010 Casual Blogger Conference has some amazing speakers lined up and I can't wait to learn from them! The conference promises that "you'll learn how to find your niche, grow your readership, jump start your blog income, manage your time, and build better personal and business relationships!" Sounds PERFECT!

Get your ticket now for the first annual Casual Blogger Conference on May 28th and 29th by clicking on the button in my sidebar or at the bottom of this post.

I so hope that I will get to meet many of you there!!

Outfitting on a Budget.casual and feminine

*This post is part of a series of outfits. As a new mother of three, I have found my wardrobe in need of a makeover and am looking for advice from the blog world. 

I'm loving ultra-feminine blouses paired with grungy jeans. This shirt was more than I wanted to spend, but I REALLY love it; let me know if you find a similar one for a better price. I'm sure those jeans will go on sale, so I'll be waiting for that to happen.

Lace Tee

Printed Top

Patched jeans

Sandals 

Edited to Add: Thank you, Anna, who emailed me about this darling, on-sale shirt alternative from Shade: (12.99!)

Hello, March. thoughts for a new month

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! Ours was not-so-fun, as we have an entire houseful of sickies. (Even my newborn. Oh, I hate when newborns have colds. It is so sad!) In better news: Baby D seems to be getting over his fussy/colicky self. He is turning into a delightful little personality and is always ready to give us a big, wide grin. He is truly a joy and we love him!

Other news:
01. I am planning a BIG Mother's Day celebration that will be held here in April! Expect some fabulous giveaways, wonderful gift-ideas, and pretty crafts for moms. Stay tuned! It will be great.
02. Are you reading Marta's blogging class?? It started today. I am so excited to learn from her!
03. Thank you for your enthusiasm for the outfit I put together and asking me to do more. I have a few other combos that I have put together and will post soon.
04. My chore chart has been sent to the printer and will be ready for purchase and/or downloading! I am so excited to share it with you!
05. My February goals were a success. Small goals are working much better for me. Are they for you? Click + Save + Print the March calendar below and set some goals for youself, if you'd like.