Extended Self Family Egg Hunt

We participated in the annual egg hunt with all the Self Grankids. Always fun....

Blueberry Lemon-Zest Croissant Puff

We enjoyed an Easter Brunch...our first holiday in the new house! I decided to try a new recipe simply because it looked so good in the pictures I saw on Pinterest...I am a sucker for food that looks delectable in photos. I altered the recipe a bit and had to double it to feed my crew, but it was so good AND every child liked it. (Sometimes it is the little miracles in life that bring joy!)

Blueberry Lemon-Zest Baked Croissant Puff 

2 8oz cream cheese packages, softened to room temp
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup sugar
lemon zest
2 cups milk
Blueberries...as many as you want
6 croissants
(These ingredients are the doubled sizes to accommodate a 9x13 pan)

 Break, cut or tear your croissants into bit size pieces

Add cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, sugar and lemon zest to mixer. 

 This is how a mom with a cranky 4mth old cooks Easter Brunch...gotta do whatcha gotta do!

 

Cream together eggs, cream cheese, lemon zest, vanilla and sugar. Then slowly add milk. (I had some cream cheese chunks because it wasn't completely softened, but I didn't mind, and does not affect taste.) 

Add blueberries (I used frozen because fresh were not on sale, but would have preferred fresh)

Pour mixture over croissants and blueberries

Bake at 350 for approximately 40min, or until firm. Enjoy warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar!! 

Happy Easter

We enjoyed a moving and beautiful service at our new church, Mission Community Church. It is a blessing to live in a country where we have the freedom to worship. It is a glorious day remembering the sacrifice and love of our Savior!

We hope your life has been touch in someway by our Lord...Happy Easter!

WE MOVED!!

After a fantastically up and down roller coaster ride for the past 6mths we finally moved into our dream home! It was a journey of faith for sure and after having been in the house for a couple weeks now, we can see God's hand prints all over this house, this move, our finances...EVERYTHING! It does leave us a bit humbled by the whole thing, well me especially, since my faith struggled in the complete trust department. To be completely honest there were a few times I thought it was all falling apart. I wake up thankful every day for this gift, and I guess the journey too.

I have pictures to share of course! I have begun to paint and am making good progress on making it feel like home. The space for all of us has been a thing to get used to. The big kids all have their own rooms and the trip to each room to say goodnight is significantly longer, and we chuckle about it. We absolutely LOVE having the master downstairs and it has given the grown ups a chance to talk at night and feel like we too have our own space. (which of course we do in the master, but the whole downstairs is ours after the kiddos go to bed...it is pretty sweet!)

We want to thank all our friends and family who helped us move in...we are blessed!!

Extra Early Release Treat

Our public schools have these random 'extra early release' days sprinkled in to the school year. Of course the kids love them, me not so much. They seem to sneak up on me and I feel unprepared most of the time to have them all here i the middle of my day. Alas, I was prepared for this one! I even baked them a special treat! It was way easier than making individual cookies in my short day at home.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Pre-heat oven 350, I used a 9x13 pan

2 cups + 2 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup salted butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1 small box of vanilla instant pudding
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 cups, or as much as you want, chocolate chips

Cream melted butter, sugar and vanilla pudding mix together.
Add egg and egg yolk
Add dry ingredients
Mix together in a stand up mixer or hand mixer
Fold in chocolate chips

Line 9x13 pan with foil, spray foil with nonstick cooking spray
Add cookie dough to pan, I used my hands to spread it out and make it even across pan
Bake until golden brown, approx 20min...I kept checking on them since this was the first time I have ever done it this way.

ENJOY!!