Chocolate Chip Banana Peanut butter muffins.

OK YUM!  I am not known for passing around recipes, basically because I just throw stuff in a pan.  I thought I would share this super simple sinful muffin Idea. It comes with photos... so you should be good to go...

Those are your ingredients above, 2 bags of the Martha white chocolate chip muffins. TWO bananas smashed up, two tablespoons of that better'n peanut butter banana and enough milk to moisten the batter.  spray the muffin cups with non- stick spray and scoop the muffin mix in. Bake at 350 for around 20 minutes. my oven is 30 years old, and the time varies so CHECK your muffins!

iSew Academy: Presenting the iSew Academy the world's first sewing project app

iSew Academy: Presenting the iSew Academy the world's first sewing project app SO do you want to know more? click on the link!

Unemployment/ Redundant

So one year ago today my husband lost his job, and as you all know I have been a Stay at home mum for many many years.  I decided to shift my blog to a bit about what we did to help those of you that may be facing a job loss, from one income to NO income, except for that unemployment insurance that doesn't even pay for groceries for a family of 4. I will be posting it over some time as he was out of work for 9 months. Thankfully we both now have jobs but you will have to read on to find out how and when that happened.

I love in Australia that they call it Redundant when you lose your job, sounds much more positive than unemployed.


This was me pretty much as I found out. That is what I felt like.  But instead I prayed, and spent a lot of time having Faith.

The very first FIRST thing We did was UPDATE RESUME"S and well mine was a bit of a task because as I said I hadn't worked in a LONG time.  I used to do resumes for my old job as a social worker so I pretty much knew how to do one and what looked good. I did send it around to several friends of mine that still had jobs asking if they would look at it, review it and let me know.

My husband well he updated his resume, put it out there on Linkedin and Twitter, and let all of his colleagues know.  Then we Got our "ducks" in a row to speak. We were not going to have insurance so the first thing I did was contact the state, the children qualified for the state care, but we did not. Rather than pay the HIGH HIGH fees for Cobra we the grown ups,  just went with out. (Risky )

The next thing we did was to call our Mortgage company who worked with us on lower payments, for 6 months..... ( what we did after that will be in a later blog).

Then I cut out all non - essential things, ie, swim team, and started selling all kinds of things on Ebay.
I also RE- Vamped my ETSY store, and spent several days asking for help on making things look better on the ETSY blogs.

I spent HOURS at the library looking for books on job loss, job finding, resume's,  Linkedin,  Social blogging,   I had not yet sought advice from friends nor let too many people know.

I cut out all Races which means if I ran it would be free or just for running. Something I was not used to doing.

stay tuned.

iSew Academy: Fabric

iSew Academy: Fabric

A wonder of a new app.

 So those of you that Sew  will understand these next pictures..

These are my patterns, I never know what to do with them... once they are cut... at first I just wadded them back up... as folding them is next to rocket science for me...and stuffed them in a ziploc bag. Next I tried to organize them.. totally did not go well. Then, some that I use over and over..  I stuffed on the top shelf here.. that you see.. Just looking at this makes me ashamed.  I am usually such a neat freak, and this room I usually keep shut hidden from the world.. SHH 

I tired stuffing them in the drawers with samples of the fabrics I wanted to use on them... and as you can see that did not go well either.

SO when My darling Doppelganger in Australia: Louise Stuart

( thats a picture of my twin when she came to America....) of  http://www.louisestuart.typepad.com

came up with this new app, for the IPAD http://academyapps.com I thought BRILLIANT! 

& the ring of roses

iSewAcademy

PROFESSOR Darcy

HERE IS AN APP WITH PATTERNS THAT FIT IN MY IPAD, Patterns you can download

 for $0.99  -$5.00  and keep and print and store!!! I thought DEAR ME CAN IT BE SO SIMPLE!???? and yes,  yes it is.

http://academyapps.com/rs/7/sites/1102/user_uploads/File/iSew_ring%20of%20roses_LR.pdf

In addition to the App there are also a ton of free CUTE things to make on the website to http://academyapps.com http://academyapps.com

GET ON OVER THERE AND CHECK IT OUT! 

Peanut butter Trifle

OH my word, You will make so much of this your eyes will pop... So basically I found the recipe over on Taste of home and tweeked it a bit to match what I wanted.. so here goes... Instead of Peanut butter cups you could always add chocolate chip cookies.

1 pack Fudge brownie mix
1 package of peanut butter chips
1 package of mini peanut butter cups
4 cups cold milk ( chocolate milk option )
2 packages instant vanilla pudding.. ( i hate instant pudding to me worth the wait to use cook pudding)
1 cup creamy peanut butter... ( how about hazel nut spread next time?)
4 Teaspoons vanilla
2 cartons of frozen whipped topping, thawed..


prepare brownie batter, according to package, cut down on calories, instead of oil use plain yogart or apple sauce bake in 13 in x 9 in pan at 350 for 20-25 mins

cool. cut into pieces


cut peanut butter cups in half, and then half again. set aside some for garnish. In LARGE bowl whisk milk and pudding ( or prepare according to package, and set aside to cool) ADD peanut butter and vanilla, mix well, fold in 1  1/2 carton of whipped topping.

Place 1/3 of brownies in glass bowl ( trifle bowl or large punch bowl) we used a punch bowl. Spoon a third of pudding mix over top of that and repeat. Cover with remaining topping, drizzle with chocolate sauce.... and Garnish. SEVER refrigerated.

this is NOT low cal about 700 calories are in 1 cup of it. I use skim milk so mine probably only has 450 calories. But it is not intended for you to eat a lot of because it is VERY Sweet.

ENJOY

Half Marathon finish!!

 jersey pug goes WILD:)

 Here is my photo before.

3 days after my half marathon, and feeling GOOD:) I had allot of fun. I will try to do it again next year. www.huntersvillehalfmarathon.com it was a chilly morning. My son who is 11 came with me and waited the whole 2:29 minutes until I finished..