Blue Berry Special Muffins

On May 17, 2018June 3, 2018 By JillIn The Cookie Chronicles, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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This is a cute and easy idea to thank someone or just tell them that you love them or are thinking of them. And it’s super easy!

I made the labels on Microsoft Word. I stuck a blank label to the sticky back of a printed one.

Then I taped the label onto the toothpick and stuck them in!

Here is the recipe for the blueberry muffins.

Easy Blueberry Muffins

Servings: 12
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
Print

Delicious, easy blueberry muffins.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/3 – 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 to 8 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions

MAKE BATTER

• Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add oil to a measuring cup that holds at least 1 cup. Add the egg and then fill the measuring cup with the milk. Add vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the milk mixture to the bowl with dry ingredients and then use a fork to combine. Do not over mix. (The muffin batter will be quite thick — see note below for more details). Fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter between muffin cups. (If making big-topped muffins, the batter will come to the tops of the paper liners). Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each muffin.

Bake muffins 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are no longer wet and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out with crumbs, not wet batter. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Themes and Mommy Growth- Jewelry Week

On July 21, 2014July 21, 2014 By JillIn THEMES, Uncategorized, What's Going On?6 Comments

When I was in college, my Mom sent me this mouse pad (remember those?) and it had a motivational message on it. It said, “Do something.”

Yup, this simple task of simply doing something was a struggle for me (perhaps undiagnosed ADD?) I had all of this stuff in my head but couldn’t get going, continue going, that sort of a thing. This was particularly an issue in college, I couldn’t study well, write papers, or complete projects without major procrastination, and extreme debilitating anxiety. I remember wasting weeks writing index cards to study for an Anatomy exam… but then I didn’t really study the cards. I ended up failing that class and had to retake it…

This kind of a thing made the academic part of college and my work life difficult and very stressful. Extra thinking always plagues me… Researching, talking, wondering, a little progress, but mostly staying in a world of confusion, never feeling like I make a complete, satisfactory decision or complete a project with gusto is a frustrating part of my life.

And now your wondering, what does this have to do with anything? I decided to create weekly themes with the girls (for the summer) while working on some of my own problem areas…

This week was JEWELRY WEEK and my problem area that I worked on was too much thinking.

The following is the picture montage of the creative week.

Macaroni necklace and bracelets

POPCORN and gummy bear necklaces

FRUIT NECKLACES

Now we eat the fruit with yogurt- yum!

Candy necklaces – maybe not the best idea! BUT SO PRETTY!

Look at all of the candy! I think I have a problem with excess!

Making bead necklaces with friends!!! So much fun!

As for me, I took steps to just do it, buy some supplies and get working with the girls – not worrying about Ari having an accident in Michaels, perseverating on other messes in the house, getting distracted, etc…the usual thinking fluff that clogs my brain – the rust and gunk in the pipes preventing the flow of “Jilly water.” Yup, I decided to coin the flow of ideas in my head as Jilly water.

Here’s a picture of my chart. On top is an artistic masterpiece of a necklace. I colored in a “jewelry bead” at the end of the day and wrote a little note to myself. Mission accomplished – the question mark is for next week’s personal growth.

Who needs’s a self help book when you have this fab chart?

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Slowing Down

On December 30, 2013December 30, 2013 By JillIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s the Monday after Christmas and I had absolutely nothing planned to do with the kids for today. This is uncomfortable for me. I find myself staring out the window, then glancing over at the girls, thinking to myself ,”what on Earth are we going to do? How am I going to get through this day? How am I going to straighten up, clean, and play with them in a fun and meaningful way? Why did I throw out all of my organized cards… What was I thinking trying to be this go with the flow, creative Mom. I AM NOT CREATIVE!! I feel boring and depleted! Darn – how am I going to write a really cool blog about being so new and changed and go with the flow. I’m already at a loss on day two!

Somehow the day got moving and I suggested that we decorate bags – just plain shopping bags with stickers and crayons and such.

Typically I try and get chores done while the girls are occupied but I just sat down with them and it was fun. I actually relaxed and felt a little bit creative for thinking of this. I am certainly not a pinterest, crafty diva- I’m just trying to enjoy this stay at home experience a little more.