Cricut Cake?

I'm honestly intrigued by this product. I don't have any experience with the original cricut, but the concept is a good one, especially for teachers and scrapbookers. The machines are just so darn expensive! I think the cake machine itself is close to $300, and that's not including all of the additional patterns. I like to bake and this would definitely make some of my cakes more dynamic, but for the cost, it's definitely not something I'll be purchasing. I'm really curious to see a cake decorated with cricut cake in person though.

I'd love to include a link to the cricut cake site, but it's under maintenance right now. Boo.

Protect Your Kids from the Sun

While it's rainy, windy, and 43 degrees in Omaha as I post this, I know there are plenty of other places where people are welcoming spring and soaking up the rays. While we pediatricians definitely encourage outdoor activity, please be sure to protect your kids from the sun. Make it a routine each spring to check the expiration date on your sunscreen and toss the ones that have expired. Believe me, I know from personal experience that sunscreen can actually expire.

Again, topic copied from American Academy of Pediatric's Healthy Children.

What's the best way to protect my child in the sun?

Follow these simple rules to protect your family from sunburns now and from skin cancer later in life.

* Keep babies younger than 6 months out of direct sunlight. Find shade under a tree, umbrella, or the stroller canopy.
* When possible, dress yourself and your kids in cool, comfortable clothing that covers the body, like lightweight cotton pants, long-sleeved shirts, and hats.
* Select clothes made with a tight weave - they protect better than clothes with a looser weave. If you’re not sure how tight a fabric’s weave is, hold it up to see how much light shines through. The less light, the better.
* Wear a hat or cap with a brim that faces forward to shield the face.
* Limit your sun exposure between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, when UV rays are strongest.
* Wear sunglasses with at least 99% UV protection (look for child-sized sunglasses with UV protection for your child). - UVB!
* Use sunscreen.
* Set a good example. You can be the best teacher by practicing sun protection yourself. Teach all members of your family how to protect their skin and eyes.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen can help protect the skin from sunburn and some skin cancers, but only if used correctly. Keep in mind that sunscreen should be used for sun protection, not as a reason to stay in the sun longer.

How to Pick Sunscreen

* Use a sunscreen that says “broad-spectrum” on the label - that means it will screen out both UVB and UVA rays.
* Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. The higher the SPF, the more UVB protection the sunscreen has.
* Look for the new UVA “star” rating system on the label. - this is news to me!
o One star is low UVA protection.
o Two stars is medium protection.
o Three stars is high protection.
o Four stars is the highest UVA protection available in an over-the-counter sunscreen product.
* For sensitive areas of the body, such as the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears, and the shoulders, choose a sunscreen or sunblock with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. While these products usually stay visible on the skin even after you rub them in, some now come in fun colors that kids enjoy.

Sunscreen for Babies

* For Babies younger than 6 months. Use sunscreen on small areas of the body, such as the face and the backs of the hands, if protective clothing and shade are not available.
* For babies older than 6 months. Apply to all areas of the body, but be careful around the eyes. If your baby rubs sunscreen into her eyes, wipe the eyes and hands clean with a damp cloth. If the sunscreen irritates her skin, try a different brand or try a sunscreen stick or sunscreen or sunblock with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. If a rash develops, talk with your child’s doctor.

How to apply sunscreen

* Use enough sunscreen to cover all exposed areas, especially the face, nose, ears, feet, and hands and even the backs of the knees. Rub it in well.
* Put sunscreen on 30 minutes before going outdoors. It needs time to absorb into the skin.
* Use sunscreen any time you or your child might sunburn. Remember that you can get sunburn even on cloudy days. Also, UV rays can bounce back from water, sand, snow, and concrete so make sure you’re protected.
* Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours. Sunscreen wears off after swimming, sweating, or just from soaking into the skin.

I like to stock pile

I'm attempting homemade pitas for the first time today. I just used my last packet of yeast and immediately thought, "Better put that on the grocery list." The fact of the matter, I don't use yeast all that often, but I like having it on hand for spur of the moment baking like this morning. The other fact of the matter, we're moving in three weeks! I really need to adjust my stock-piling attitude or we'll be moving cross country will way too many kitchen goods.

I have two cans of pumpkin in the cupboard. I probably should use them up so we don't have to move them, but I'm worried about another pumpkin shortage. What if I want to make something this fall and I can't find any in the stores? Yes, I've become obsessed with cooking and thinking way too far ahead. I probably should just use them up.

Here's to trying to empty our pantry!

Fix It Friday - 51

iHeartFaces

Time for another Friday of editing fun. I used Coffeeshop's painted borders for this one. I don't want to become dependent on actions, but I definitely love how they put everything in one place!

Left is the original, right is my edit. The photo was pretty darn good SOOC, so it didn't take much.

Glad I know how to edit

I try not to dwell on it, but now that I'm learning more about photography, I realize how disappointed I am in most of my wedding photos. Really, if he just manually white balanced, I think I'd be so much happier. Well, at least I have the rights to my photos and can edit them myself.

Mom wanted to print out a picture of my brother from my wedding. Before I emailed it to her I realized I HAD to edit it. I couldn't stand how red it was, or "warm" as the photographer would say.

The left is my photographer's and the right is mine. Yes, it took about 30 minutes of editing, and I don't expect my photographer to spend 30 minutes on each photo, but you get the point. Ugh. I'm still not completely satisfied with the skin tone, but it's much better (to me at least).

*Photo by Daniel Henry

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Good, but not to die for. Personally, I think the cheesecake needed some more peanut butter. I'm glad I gave these a try, but still sticking with my go-to peanut butter brownies from my aunt.

Recipe from Kraft Foods

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (omitted)

20 maraschino cherries (omitted)

DIRECTIONS

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE brownie batter as directed on package. Spoon into 20 paper-lined muffin cups.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar, egg, peanut butter and vanilla with mixer until blended. Spoon 1 rounded Tbsp. into center of batter in each cup, pressing down slightly into batter. Bake 30 min. or until centers are set. Cool.

SERVE topped with COOL WHIP and cherries.

The Battle of the Labyrinth

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It was definitely nice to reconnect with Percy and his friends. I wish I had something more profound to say, but not really. It was good, enjoyable, still kind of Harry Potter-esque, and now I want to run out and find how the series ends.

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