Caught my "Pinterest" ~ 12/21/11 ~ Family and Child Custom Portrait Photographer ~ McKinney, TX

Pinteresting Pancakes

My kids love pancakes. They ask for them almost every weekend. They don't get it but they do ask. Their love has caused me to have to be creative in making them so it's not just plain or with fruit on the side.

For Christmas morning we started the tradition of Gingerbread Pancakes a few years ago. (our favorite recipe is listed last) Thanks to Pinterest I have seen some other yummy options we may have to try out. 

1. Gingerbread Biscotti ~ 

Just in case pancakes are not your thing or you're not a big breakfast eater, I am including this yummy recipe because I like biscotti. It is so easy to make! I made several flavors a couple years ago for our cookie exchange and for neighbor gifts. I was a little intimidated but once I made my first batch I was hooked. Really simple and goes great with one of my other favorite things, coffee.

2. Peppermint Chocolate Chip Pancakes ~

Love peppermint stuff. Love chocolate. Love pancakes. Can't lose here. 

3. Or here (Christmas Pancakes with Candy Cane Chocolate Syrup ~

WOW! I am not sure I could be trusted with that sauce in the house. Bonus, you could use Agave syrup in it, love that stuff and use it on our pancakes a lot instead of maple syrup. Just to keep the sugar high down some. 

4. Red Velvet Pancakes ~

These were listed for a Valentine's Day breakfast but I think if you add some whip cream and green sprinkles, or something like that, you could make these Christmasy in a snap.

5. Eggnog Pancakes ~

I am in the "pro" eggnog camp. But just a little will do the trick. So with the leftover eggnog you could make these!

Finally, our family's fave ~

I got the recipe off of Food Network from a friend, hugs Kim, but the site doesn't have a picture. Odd for a food website to not have pictures to go with all their recipes. Anyway, there are a ton of gingerbread pancake recipes out there I found when searching for a link with a pic of this recipe from Magnolia Cafe. 

What's your Christmas/special holiday breakfast tradition? If you make one of these let me know and of course share some pics and reviews!

Merry Christmas,

Angela

Caught my "Pinterest" ~ 12/14/11 ~ Family and Child Custom Portrait Photographer ~ McKinney, TX

Tis the season for giving!

For this Pinteresting post I thought I would "give" some ideas to the pinning community instead of just taking. I have not seen them on Pinterest before so I will add them and hope they will help others, maybe you :)

1. Our Letters to Santa ~

We started the Elf on the Shelf a couple years ago, about the age when my oldest really started to "get" the whole Santa thing. I selfishly would like to keep those precious letters for myself and not see them stuffed in a mailbox or fake box or whatever. Our Elf takes the letters on one of his flights to the North Pole. We write them, place them on the tree so he can't miss it, and when we least expect it (we have been approved for the nice list) our letters are gone!

2. What to buy Mom?

I think us moms are the hardest people to buy for sometimes. I always thought my mom was when I was little, she's practical like me. Or maybe I am practical like her, hmm. Anyway, I started a new tradition for my kids to help that along. 
        My MIL gave me my first nutcracker. A couple years later my husband got me another one. Then we had our first son. I would have been happy to just stop there with the nutcrackers; I personally am not a collector or knick knack kind of gal. I figure it is more for me to dust. Whenever that is. But for Christmas I always put a nutcracker on my list. That way my kids know for sure they get to pick out whichever one they want me to have and it is always the best one ever. Can be any kind of nutcracker. Like my surfer guy? We went to the beach with my littlest for the first time so it was actually significant for that year. I love seeing what they pick and I look forward to it each year.

3. Advent calendar ~

Got this one this year to go with my nutcracker guys. I have tried all kinds of crazy ideas and finally settled on not being creative and just buying a dang box to hold my little slips of paper. But it is a cute so I am happy. I do not make all the days about candy or treats. I try to just make them "Christmas-y" activities. Shopping for a toy donation, making our Santa Letter, reading a new Christmas book, going in our pj's with hot chocolate to look at lights. Anything to keep the focus on us and not just the countdown to getting the presents.

4. Cookies for Santa Plate ~

This plate is very special to me. I made it at the right age and was able to get both sets of hands and a foot from each kid together on it, had to use the biggest size they had and squish them close but I did it. This plate was actually painted by the studio, not me, but is based on my request and design. I take their picture next to it with their Santa cookies each year.

5. Hand print Tree Skirt ~

I take no credit in originality for this idea, got it from a mom that used to be my MOMS Club group. I loved that she thought it was a great idea when she had one kid and then had to start improvising when she had four! Each year the kids paint their hands and place them on the tree skirt. I chose to alternate their paint colors each year with the littlest one's hand prints always on top. I try to get them close together so we can get as many years as possible on one skirt. Start this when they are little and watch them grow!

6. My Friends Ornament ~

My oldest son and I were lucky enough to be a part of a playgroup from when he was less than one. We have grown up with these friends. I wanted to make something special for our last Christmas party together before everyone started going to kindergarten and we didn't get to see each other as often. I had never seen this idea before when I made it so for myself I claim originality points. Don't burst my bubble if you have seen it before. We took clear ornaments and gave each kid a bottle of glitter. They got to choose the color. We used to-go cup holders (like from McD's) instead of egg cartons to make them sit very still. Paper for funnels. Each kid walked around the table and poured some of their glitter in each ornament, as little or as much as they wanted. Then we glued the lid shut and attached this note with a list of all their names with the color they chose. One of my favorite ornaments each year to put on the tree. Reminds me of play dates and special friends and my kids being little.



Hope you find these ideas pin-worthy!

Angela

Caught my "Pinterest" ~ 12/7/11 ~ Family and Child Custom Portrait Photographer ~ McKinney, TX

         Have you finished your gift shopping, planned for all your parties, and decided on what cookies Santa will get this year? If so, I am impressed. You need not read further; but you can email me and tell your secrets.

         I am actually doing pretty good this year and I am not as far behind as I have been in the past. I have seen so many cute Christmas pins that I thought I would share a few to inspire and help you get your list shortened so you have more time for eggnog and sappy made for t.v. holiday movies.

1. Christmas Lists for your Christmas lists

This pin led me to the cute blog of a very organized mom. She was nice enough to share some FREE printables for holiday organizing. I love the the Santa Survey for older kids and adults. The gift list can be used to list gifts you wish to give and I think you could multipurpose it and use it for gift you have received.

2. Candy Cane Wreath

I love holiday crafts! Christmas is really one of the only times of year I feel excited about crafting. I think this one is great for little kids. Not too hard, no glitter, and you could give it as a cute classmate or neighbor gift. Put your holiday card in the middle and you are good to go. Would be cute with mini candy canes if you can find them individually wrapped instead of bag. Also, customize by using different colored canes. Plus it's not a clutter piece, take it apart and enjoy the candy after the holiday!

3. Needs vs. Wants

Help the kids with the gimmes! (and maybe pass some time over vacation leading up to the big day) I thought this was a good visual, and use of all those extra ads and catalogs we get in the mail this time of year, on wants vs. needs. Help kids get a perspective on what they really need and what is just a want. And maybe get some last minute gift ideas :) Other cute ideas on this blog that is from a kindergarten teacher and her class. 

4. Christmas Tree Brownies

Ok, you will not be seeing this on my From Pinterest Board to Reality board. I think these are so adorable (that's a strawberry under the icing) and would be the neatest thing to bring to a cookie exchange. If you make this I would love to see how it comes out. I have some other cute holiday cookies and brownies on my Christmas Board for those of us that are less ambitious. But I am just so impressed with this I had to share! I will say I do have my cookie exchange cookies picked out already and yes they idea came from a pin.

5. How to take a better Christmas tree picture

I don't have a pic to insert to illustrate this but follow the link and there is an example. Really good tips - move away from the tree some, get down on the kiddo's level, and take the pic during the day! Personal tip to add - want the kids to be still to take the pic? Give them marshmallows as a reward - small treat, doesn't show in their teeth, you can keep giving them slowly to get your shot. Good luck!

Angela

Caught my "Pinterest" ~ 11/30/11 ~ Family and Child Custom Portrait Photographer ~ McKinney, TX

     I big puffy heart love Pinterest! Yes, I do see the argument that it is a time sucker/waster. But I guess that is all in what you do and how you do it. I don't stare at cute puppies and kittens for hours on end, maybe one or two, but for the most part I am finding new recipes to try from sources I wouldn't have known about, crafts for the kids to try, and photography articles that would have taken me much longer to come across. It's like a bookmark, makes it easier to reference things I want to try or remember. Oh and the paper saved from not tearing out magazine articles :)

     I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite "pins" that I have come across, or I thought were super useful, or even the ones I have made. Some will be photography related but not all. I hope that this gives someone else inspiration to try something new and let's you get to know me a little better! I hope to do this weekly. If you use Pinterest you can follow me (button to the right) and I will follow you back. If you choose not to use Pinterest, hard to quit the habit once you start, I understand and hope you enjoy my version as a blog post.

Let me know what you found the most "pinteresting"!

Angela

Pin It

1. 100 Mischievous Elf on the Shelf ideas

We love our elf! Lightning, from McQueen and actual lightning - because he's so fast like McQueen! Clever kid. This is one of my family's favorite traditions. This link has lots of cute ideas in one quick and easy reference list. I have a Board devoted to elf ideas and hope to be more creative with it this year b/c of it. If you have an elf antic that went over well with your kiddos let me know!

2. Fabric Frame

What a great re-use idea! I just took a bunch of frames down and put them in the garage sale pile. For the garage sale I swear I will have.someday.soon. I'm not spectacular-ly crafty I don't think, but I could do this. Use a holiday ribbon or fabric or a fabric that would match a particular room. oooh, print one of the fun holiday posters I have on my Christmas Board and you have an inexpensive and cute centerpiece!

3. Reindeer food

We have done this every year and the kids think it is great! Didn't need the pin to remember it but loved the Reindeer Games party theme so I had to include this. We leave out cookies for Santa and this mix for the Reindeer. We also leave carrots out for them too ~ they are soo messy with carrots, pieces all over the yard in the morning ;) The poem makes it even more fun.

4. How to make a microwave rice heating pad

This link is inspired by this pin. I will be making this this year for gifts and stocking stuffers! I promise to post when I do. Again, I'm not too crafty but when I am inspired I can pull of some stuff.

5. Memory Jar

The gift that keeps giving! I have made this and am thrilled to say it is working for us.  This was a pin inspired project.  I usually keep little things like programs and ticket stubs. Now we have somewhere fun to put them. Read over the memories from the year on New Year's Eve, empty the jar to a storage box and label, start refilling with new memories! We did not label this with a year so we cand keep using it over and over. Easy and great gift to give, especially for a new family. We have forgotten so many things we thought we wouldn't. That's why I attached paper and a pen to the top, we can write it down the moment it happens. Also, less intimidating to me (and my husband) than a scrapbook and less time consuming. 

Hope you have enjoyed and let me know what you think!


Angela Drabek