From Pinterest to Reality {Bucket Lists}

Family adventures ahead!

katieballa via pinterest

Reality: I just printed these out instead of making our own. I think I will make our own next year so it has things we would actually do. Like the winter one, has shuck oysters--maybe this is a Christmas tradition in other parts of the country but here on the west--not so much. And no I do not want Rocky Mountain Oysters either. It was fun though to do things together as a family instead of just our usual.

from pinterest to reality {Our 2011 Christmas Card}

I love sending Christmas cards--and I love ours to be a little unique and fun for our family and friends. So this year I wanted to try...
My pinterest inspirations:

minted via pinterest

designworklife via pinterest

the reality google docs plus some basic digi scrapping skills:

Thanks to the work of the fabulous Lynette, a great Christmas kit from the Holiday Templates class I am taking, Google Docs, and Persnickety Prints here is our card.
I used a Google Doc template and edited the colors and facts to fit our family rather than write the year end newsletter this year. Plus I talked to Persnickety Prints who was one of the few companies that did 2 sided cards(and even though I couldn't upload both sides they took my file over email--and didn't even charge me for the second side!). Their pearl cardstock makes our card so pretty and sparkly and I had them in my hands Tuesday night after submitting my design Sunday night.
The picture on the front was from our very recent family pictures--and trying to get a decent shot of our very active toddler was a a riot. But Lynette is a trooper and got some beautiful shots--more to come later. If you live on the Front Range--get in touch with her for any of your photography needs!!

Favorite Books of 2011

I am interrupting my Pinterest to Reality series for a couple posts.
My goal this year was to read 100 books, and I have read 108 with a couple weeks to go in December but I think it is safe to post my favorite books of 2011. An eclectic list for sure, heavy on the Young Adult literature. But 2 non-fiction selections made it on--if you haven't read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks you should! Thanks to my book clubs I have read some books I never would have picked up and many friends suggestions ending up being my favorites!

my read shelf:

pinterest to reality {hot cocoa cookies}

Ahh cookie exchanges...

rachael ray recipe on pipandebby via pinterest

Reality:TIME CONSUMING but worth it! The dough had to chill for an hour--and they should tell you to cover it--the top and sides of mine hardened and made it hard to get it into scooped out balls. Plus since you had to bake, then remove and add the marshmallows and chocolate, you had to stand around. I used a cookie scoop rather than making the balls with my hands--cocoa stains!! And I didn't grate chocolate over them, I just wanted to be done by that point.

pinterest to reality {rocky road crockpot cake}

An adult birthday is a chance to spoil your friends and make their day special. To make a dessert they wouldn't make for themselves. To spoil them. So in the midst of a crazy morning, I managed to get all the ingredients and supplies to school and mixed together to make this cake!!

Bless this Food via Pinterest

Reality: soooo good. I had to make this recipe for a friend who loves chocolate as at home my hubby would have declared this too rich and be done. This is a dessert to savor. I wish I had had the time to get the ice cream to serve with it to cut down the richness a little, and it is one of those warm gooey desserts. Definitely on the make again. It is pretty easy and I followed her changes.

from pinterest to reality {a boho bun}

I have never been one to do much with my hair, I have a great stylist and I keep up with my cuts and highlights. And I pretty much blowdry it and wear it down one day and then put it in a bun or a twist for the next day. My biggest leap in hairstyling was to get bangs a couple months ago. So I have been wanting to do something different. And do you ever notice that those messy carefree styles take way more time than they should?
From Pinterest


bellaMUMMA via Pinterest
Reality: yes my bathroom lighting still sucks and this isn't the best picture. I had tried this hairdo yesterday and it didn't quite work--I needed slightly dirtier hair and some more bobby pins--and time without Elle hanging on my legs. It wasn't that hard to do--I tried the backcombing, I just can't seem to make that work for me; so I stuck a small bumpit in and used some bobby pins to make the top poof. Then I rolled the sides and pinned them in and then used my SpinPins to make the bun. I am out of hairspray so I am just hoping I have enough pins stuck in there to make everything stay put.

from pinterest to reality {skinny crockpot italian meatballs]

snow was in the forecast, football was on TV, so we were staying in. I fired up the crockpot to try these meatballs...
From Pinterest:

SkinnyTaste via Pinterest

Reality: my picture isn't all that great, a couple of the meatballs disintegrated in the crockpot into the sauce. But we all liked it, even Elle who mostly ate noodles and refused the meatballs, but she got some protein from the broken up pieces in the sauce. Also very easy to make, and made the kitchen smell wonderful.