Birthday Breakfast

My little guy turned 4 this month. I both can't believe he is four and can't believe he is only just now turning four, all at the same time. How does this happen so quickly?! I swear I can still feel the contractions like it was yesterday! But, on the other hand, he is old and familiar, like he's always been here with me.
There aren't any real birthday traditions in my or my husband's family so I decided to start a birthday breakfast tradition prompted by a pin that I found on Pinterest... Cake Batter Pancakes! Yes! Now these pancakes aren't a regular part of our otherwise very healthy breakfast options, but you only get one birthday a year!
My little guy decided to use his Spider-Man sprinkles that he got from his Grammy for Christmas to make these pancakes extra special. Now my daughter can't wait to personalize her own birthday pancakes when the time comes!



Cake Batter Pancakes
Adapted from Chef-in-Training

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cake mix
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 cups milk
2-3 Tbsp assorted sprinkles

Combine flour, cake mix, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix. Add 1 cup of milk, egg and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. You want the batter to look like regular pancake batter; not too thin, not too thick. This will vary greatly on the brand of cake mix you use. Start with 1 cup of milk and add more if needed. (I needed more milk to get it to the right consistency.)

Preheat a skillet on medium heat (or an electric grilled and turn it to 250 degrees). Fold desired amount of sprinkles into batter. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute.
Serve with vanilla glaze or whipped cream with extra sprinkles on top :)

Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix milk, extract and powdered sugar until glaze forms. You may need to add a little more sugar or milk to reach desired consistency. (Again, I needed to add more milk.) Mix into glaze and drizzle on pancakes.




~Alissa

So, here it is, mid-January and I am finally getting around to my first blog post of the year. In my defense, I generally use my iPhone or my iPad to post on my blog and the app I was using kept crashing. As a matter of fact, I had written up and saved a very awesome kids' snack post that got deleted, pictures and all. I promise I will rewrite the recipes and repost it soon... Lesson learned!
Anyhow, to the matter at hand. Goals for 2012! I have a few, which I will list here, and I will hope that you will continue to be my friend and follow my blog after you read them. Not that they are bad, just kinda crazy. So, here goes...

#1: Get in shape.
Cliche, I know, but hear me out. I just want to be able to exercise for more than 10 minutes without being winded. Not so much to ask, right?

#2: Do less stuff.
I'm tired of being too busy for the random, last minute play date or coffee date with a friend. I am tired of going to meetings 2-3 nights a week when I should be home putting my kids to bed while they still let me.

#3: Be in the moment.
I spend way too much time worrying about what might happen or what has happened to enjoy what is happening in the present. That's where it counts. Right now. Right here. I often find myself at a birth, worrying about what the kids are being fed for dinner or if they were picked up on time from a friend's house. I should be soaking in that moment, my experience, and just BE with that momma and that baby. Learn and grow from the lesson that moment gives. I need to work on letting go of the things I cannot change (which may be a whole other goal in itself).

#4: Learn how to take a better picture.
I have a nice camera and I have no idea how to use it. Besides, you guys don't want to keep seeing Hipstamatic pictures on my blog do you?

#5: Blog more.
This one may seem silly but I really do enjoy sharing my life with others. My life is kind of like a boring reality TV show. Working at the preschool or baking big ol' cakes by day and helping laboring mothers by night, all while raising my own two kids and trying to stay sane in the process. (Maybe I should re-evaluate #1. I don't have time to exercise! Silly me!)

#6: Date nights.
More please! Of course, this includes broadening our babysitter base which is ridiculously lacking.

#7: Sew more.
Me time? Wishful thinking...

I'm sure there are more and the list will grow as the year moves on. So, I will post this bad boy on the fridge next to the cute pictures and drawings where it will be sure to be forgotten and hope that, when I do come across it later, some of my goals will have been achieved.

What are your goals this year? Or do you prefer to use the word resolutions? I'm not a fan. Resolutions seem to be quickly made and quickly forgotten. Goals are something to strive for all year long. I'm trying goals this year. I'll let you know if that works out...

Let's do this!



~Alissa

Location:Not so New Year's Goals {not resolutions}