happy new year

It's hard to believe that it has been a year since I decided to take the blogging plunge.  Check out my very first post here .  A lot can happen in a year-and it has.   I set some goals for myself and I am pleased to say that I stuck to them except for the planned nightly dinners and washing the sheets once a week.  I mean come on, I can't do it all!!!   This month I've been so busy with the kids school and their activities, carving time out for the gym each day, and working on some decorating projects around the house that I've put blogging aside.  I feel that it's important to devote my time to the things that need to get done around here.  So for the last few weeks I have missed the creative outlet that I find this blog gives me.  This little space gives me a chance to express myself and chronicle my life's little pleasures.  I am thrilled that so many people have become interested it what I have to say and I'm extremely grateful for every...

The kids are coming home from school every day hungry!  They raid the pantry like food bandits.  So it's important to make sure that they are fed before the food frenzy sets in.  These easy no bake granola bites are  the perfect treat after a hard day on the job.  They taste like balls of raw cookie dough but don't  contain eggs, butter or flour.  So I guess you can call them healthy:) Granola Bites 2 cups quick oats 1 cup granola-I like vanilla almond 1 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup honey 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup mini M&M's 1 tsp vanilla Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Mix peanut butter, honey and vanilla and put in microwave to soften for 25 seconds.  Add to the dry ingredients, form into balls and place on parchment paper.  Put in refrigerator for 15minutes to cool. Store in airtight container and serve as a healthy and yummy after school snack. Enjoy!

Well it's official.  Summer is officially over.  Not on the calendar but in our hearts and minds.  School started last week for the kids and Labor Day has come and gone.  Though the sun shines bright and the temperatures are warm the kids are back to a schedule and I am back to an alarm in the morning.  The dreaded alarm signals "it's go time".  The kids are off in the morning and when they come home it's homework, dance, soccer, football, cheer, quick dinner, showers and bed.  Our time is short and often rushed.   I know that schedules are so important and the kids thrive on routine but I have mixed feelings about them going back.  The start of a new year means that my kids are growing up-and fast!  So often, I find myself wishing to be at the next phase and then once we get there I can't believe how fast time has gone.  "I can't wait  til he's walking" and now he's running away.  "I can't wait until he can feed hims...