{Healthy} 3 Ingredient Cookies

On one of my recent Pinterest pinning sprees I came across this recipe for healthy 3 ingredient cookies. They looked pretty delish, and it seemed like they would be a good balance between my love of baking and sweets and my goal to eat healthy.

Here is my version:

Mash 2 very ripe bananas in a medium bowl
Add 1 cup of quick cook oats
Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix well and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

This recipe was super easy and delicious! Next time I am going to experiment with adding peanut butter to change up the flavor and add some protein.

Enjoy!

A Tisket, A Tasket, A Grown Up Easter Basket

It is probably childish of me, but I love an Easter basket. I really miss getting them, even though my mom made them for me until I was probably way too old...I was in college when I got my last Easter basket (don't worry I didn't have any illusions about the bunny still...). I have no shame though. There is something about digging through and finding all of the little treasures hidden inside. It may not come as a surprise to you that my favorite part of Christmas is the stocking. I just love a little collection of treasures and gifties!

Now, I love a traditional basket, but if we are having fun here then let's get a little fancy. Here are some of my favorite finds for a grown up girl's Easter basket:

 

Source {1, 2, 3}

After finding the perfect basket it is time to fill it up!

An Easter basket definitely needs some candy. Here are some of my favorite Easter treats:

Robin's Eggs

source

Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs

source

Bubble Gum Easter Eggs (a childhood classic...they must be in the little egg carton)

source

Coconut Cream Mary Sue Easter Egg (a Baltimore and childhood favorite)

source

Mary Sue Pecan Nougat Egg (another Baltimore and childhood favorite)

source

Oh nom, nom. Now that I am drooling I will stop with the candy pictures. 

One of the best things about my mom's Easter baskets was that they included more than just candy. Just like a good stocking they included fun little gifts and trinkets too. Here are some of my favorite goodies:

Shop these goodies here {fun nail polish, Starbucks gift card, chick flick, bright and bold accessories}

Any other Easter basket lovers out there? Hopefully the Easter bunny is kind to you this year!

Hello, Spring {Mantle}!

Finally, what I have been waiting for since January....spring! Sure it may not feel like it (it was snowy here this morning), but the calendar telling me its spring means we are one step closer to the real thing.

I don't have any spring decorations to speak of, but with a change in the seasons I was in the mood for some bright pops of spring around the house. If it doesn't feel like spring outside it might as well feel like it inside, right?

One spot that could use a little decorating love in my house is my mantel. It looks good in the fall and at Christmas, but during the rest of the year we are in a fight. I am never happy with how its decorated. When I got this recent urge for spring decor, what I really wanted to do was go to Hobby Lobby and explore all of their fun springy decorations. I knew they would have what I needed to create some fabulous over the top mantle decoration, but for a girl on a budget that wasn't an option.

I got resourceful (as a kindergarten teacher and budget savvy diva are prone to do) and scrounged around the house to see what I could find.

Here is what I came up with:

The yellow bird has lived on my mantel off and on for a year or so now and he came from Hobby Lobby. The beautiful daffodils came out of my yard and the Ball jar out of my cabinet. The robins eggs are votive candles that my Grammie brought me as a hostess gift in January. The raffia nest was part of the packaging and the ribbon on the Ball jar came tied around the candle box (that is why it is kind of crinkly and wonky). I nestled all of those things in a fruit dish, also from my kitchen cabinet.

So, what do you think? I am very happy with how it turned out. It is simple and sweet, although once the daffodils die I am SOL again since I cut all of the good ones out of my yard, but for now it is a happy promise of the warm spring weather to come.

Do you ever go shopping in your house when you get the urge to decorate? It is fun to see what you can come up with!

Happy spring!

Do you follow?

Hi Friends! Sorry I have been MIA again. If you follow me on FB (if you don't you're totally missing out....find me here), you know that I have been super busy with lots of fun projects for baby girl. It feels so good to check things off of the to-do list!

You also should follow me on Bloglovin'! If you are a blogger or a regular blog reader you may have heard that Google Reader is going away and Bloglovin' is the way to go now. I am not even going to pretend that I have an opinion because I am still slowly figuring out how this whole blog world works. But, I am sure Bloglovin' will be fabulous so go on and follow me there too, don't be shy!


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Oh, How Pinteresting

Hi Friends! It's been a little while since we've chatted. I have had a lot going on in life and I am just plain exhausted. But, its Wednesday and that means "Oh, How Pinteresting" link-up. Since I am too tired for any witty thoughts of my own, I present you with my witty words and thoughts via Pinterest. Enjoy...

My thoughts exactly this morning...

Source: hilarioushumorfromouterspace.com via Sarah on Pinterest

and then I thought...

Source: alamodefabric.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I made it through the work day and then...

Source: tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

My hubby got home and saved the day (which he does often) when he went out to get us a cheese steak (and fries!) for dinner instead of having the healthy meal we planned. Don't worry I love him for many more reasons than cheese steaks, but it is one way he was my hero today...

Source: juicylucydesigns.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Already had a good laugh and I have plans for a long sleep tonight...

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah on Pinterest

And as today comes to a close, here is some inspiration for tomorrow. The day before Friday, ahhhh....

Source: lovemademedoitx.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Have some fun, meet some new friends, and join the link-up here:

Giveaway Time!!!

If you have been around for a bit you have probably seen me write about the website What's In My Belly and their blog The Belly Blog. If you missed those posts you can read them here and here.

To catch you up, I am a contributor for the blog and on today's post {by yours truly!} we are having a giveaway!!! The giveaway runs until Tuesday so hop on over to enter and then spread the word. Check it out here!

You might be wondering if you need to bother if you are not pregnant, but if you have a friend or family member who is pregnant stop on by and enter because I am sure she would appreciate the prize if you win it!

Good luck!

Tuesday Randomness

Hi friends. Thanks for stopping in for Tuesday Randomness! This week is entitled the pregnancy edition...

First, I am really really irritated by the weather situation, as is every other teacher in Central Virginia. I was so in the spring spirit and then I was taunted to get on the snow day train. Once I was there...BAM! No more snow. How rude! How will my laundry ever get done now?

At this moment I am craving homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes and biscuits (the biscuits are all because of you, Crissy!) AND pecan pancakes, bacon, and orange juice from Cracker Barrel. Oh my...

Speaking of orange juice my citrus craving is still going strong. I stopped on the way in to work this morning to get orange juice because I just had to have some. Yummy!

Warning, TMI about to happen...preggy friends that read my blog, maternity underwear are the best invention ever. If you have not ventured there yet, run waddle to your nearest maternity store and get some. I am not kidding. Now. I could go on and on, but I won't. You're welcome.

I am starting to get a little stressed about all of the things I need to get done before baby is here. One of my current projects is researching birthing options and thinking about making a birth plan. I am very interested in a natural birth, so that is what I am reading about now. Here is what I got at the library this afternoon:

Once I complete some of my reading and research I am going to be doing a post over on The Belly Blog at What's In My Belly. When it's up I'll make sure to share so you can see what I've learned. Until then, time to get reading!

Yesterday I had my 24 week appointment. Everything went well and baby and I got a good report. BTW, baby's name is Emma. :)

Hope your Tuesday was random and wonderful!

Link up here to share your Tuesday randoms:

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