Chocolate Chip Cherry Chunky Bars

I made these bars for Christmas Eve and they were a huge hit! 

Even John loved them, which is saying something because he usually questions any dessert that I put "fruit" in! 

They are also CAKE MIX RECIPE #59

Your Shopping List for the Chocolate Chip Cherry Chunky Bars:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix 
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 8oz container red candy cherries, roughly chopped (you can find them in the baking aisle)

Now Let's Make the Chocolate Chip Cherry Chunky Bars:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray or butter
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, melted butter, and beaten eggs until a soft dough forms
3. Fold in the chocolate chips and the cherries 
   
4. Press dough into prepared pan
5. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until the edges of the bars are lightly browned
6. Remove from oven and use the back of the spatula to press down over the surface of the bars, making them flat
7. Cool completely in pan
8. Cut into 24 squares and store in an airtight container

All you need for this recipe is a rubber spatular, mixing bowl, and 9x13 pan!  No mixer required! 

If your local food store doesn't carry the red cherries, you can get them on Amazon here:

Show and Tell Tuesday: Momfessional Moments

It's Tuesday - Show and Tell Tuesday!

And I'm linking up over at Momfessionals to bring you my Momfessionals Moments!

You know those Mom Confessions.

The Potty Is Closed

Listen, like most people I hate public bathrooms.  I hate public bathrooms even more having two potty trained children.  Now I know my girls can hold it - Especially Lacie who sleeps for 13 hours at night without using the bathroom.  So sometimes when we are out in public, and one of my kids has to use the bathroom, I will tell them anything to get out of it...

*the bathroom here is closed for cleaning

*they don't have a potty here

*the potty doesn't open for another hour

And I am not above bribing them with a treat if they can hold it until we get home! 

I Lock the Door When I Go to the Bathroom

every.single.time.

My kids always want to be around me and they will follow me into the bathroom.  Sometimes a Mama just needs a minute....or five. So when I go to the bathroom, I lock the door.  I may or may not even have to go to the bathroom!  

Bedtime is 6:30pm

ON THE DOT!  There are very few exceptions to the bedtime rule - Christmas Eve and Disney World have really been the only times my girls have stayed up significantly later.  I am a firm believer in a set bedtime.  Sometimes my girls are exhausted and fall asleep before I even get downstairs and turn on the monitor.  Other nights Lacie and Blakely can be heard talking to each other until after 8pm.  I don't care as long as they're in their room!  It gives John and me alone time every night - we eat dinner, watch our shows, and have a mini date night at home every single day! 

Cribs Til College

Speaking of bedtime...all three of my kids are still in cribs!  I love their cribs!  They really love their cribs - it's their safe space!  It keeps them in their bedroom.  No leaving for a drink of water, potty break, etc.  When I put my girls to bed and say "I will see you in the morning" I mean it!  Lacie had a toddler bed for a brief period of time, but that didn't work out.  I suppose I should put her in a bed before Kindergarten...

Artwork...Goes in the Garbage

I feel terrible even typing this but all of the papers that Lacie brings home from school goes straight into the garbage (I'm sorry Mrs. Latini).  But seriously I just cannot save all those papers and projects.  So far we've saved one piece for her forever bin and the Christmas ornaments she's made...but that's it.  I just cannot save everything! She has 13 years of school left...I have to be very selective about what I keep!  

No Craft Zone

Speaking of arts and crafts...I don't like them.  I want to - I really really want to be that crafty Pinterest-ing Mom...but I'm not.  It makes such a mess - it takes longer to set up and clean up than it does for the kids to do a project.  If you see any crafts around the house, Nana did it with them!  You know what I'm a big fan of - those Color Wonder coloring books and markers that do not write on anything else except the special paper! 

Starbucks

Lacie and Blakely can't read yet...but do you know what word they can read...Starbucks!  Anytime we are in the car and we pass a Starbucks they announce it! 

When we are having a really long day, I put the three kids in the car and head to the Starbucks...

and not the local Starbucks either...

I drive to the one in another town because it has a drive thru! 

When Lacie gets older (16 because that is how old you have to be to drink coffee in the Hilosky House) she's going to order a "Caramel Macchiato with extra drizzle."

Seriously, she has her order ready in 12 years! 

Matching

I know some mom's aren't into it...

But if I could I would have my kids wear matching clothes every single day! 

Not only do I think it's adorable but it is so much easier! 

If I ever send my kids to Catholic School it will be for the uniforms! 

I think public school should jump on the uniform bandwagon too!

I would love to hear about your Momfessional Moments!

Mommy Mondays: Lacie Jane Allergy Update

If you are a regular reader (or if you know me in real life) you probably already know that Lacie was diagnosed with a peanut allergy at 14 months old.  It was definitely one of my scariest days as a Mama and it has been my number one source of stress since she started school in September.

Up until she started school, Lacie was with me or other family 100% of the time.  Even when she went to dance once a week, I waited outside of the classroom with the other parents.  So sending her to preschool is the first time I've left her anywhere.  So naturally I'm worried every single day she will eat something that could make her really sick - again because if you are regular reader of my blog you know that Lacie loves to eat! She loves food and has no anxiety about her allergy so she will eat anything that anyone gives her despite all of the conversations we've had about her allergy.  

Right before Christmas, I took Lacie to her pediatrician's office for IGE and peanut component testing (this is done through a blood draw rather than skin testing).  Her numbers came back really good - her IGE level went down from over a 6 to a .98 which made us really hopeful that she could perhaps pass a food challenge.  

So last week, we made the three hour trip up to a new allergist office in West Hartford, Connecticut to see if Lacie would be able to do a food challenge.  Unfortunately, we didn't make it past the skin testing.  

This is what her arm looked like 15 minutes after testing.  Top to bottom is peanut protein, control (which shouldn't even have a bump but did), histamine, and actual peanut butter.

This was her testing back is June.  Top left is the control (which didn't react at all - it's not supposed to), top right is the histamine, and bottom is the peanut protein.  

Here is a side by side of her test from June and her test from January.  You can definitely see that the spot with the same peanut protein (which in the picture on the left is the bottom and the picture on the right is the top) came down.  

 She was so so so brave! 

So now we have to decide the next step.  We could continue on like we have been.  Avoid peanuts and peanut butter as well as things with cross contamination.  Carry EpiPens and continue to educate Lacie and the people that she comes into contact with about her allergy.  Hope that Lacie doesn't eat anything she is not supposed to.  This has worked so far.  Lacie has never had a reaction after that first one at 14 months old.

Or we could start a peanut desensitization program at this new allergist's office up in Connecticut.  This program, called OIT, is something that is offered at very few places across the country.  It would involve Lacie eating peanut flour in microscopic doses and very slowly increasing the amount until she was able to eat 3 entire peanuts without having a reaction (this process could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years depending on how Lacie does).  While this sounds great in theory, there are some reasons I'm hesitant to start OIT...

Right now we are weighing the pros and cons!  I'll be sure to keep you updated once we decide! 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!!!!

Today I am linking up over at Momfessionals and bringing you the things that I loving this week! 

THREE DAY WEEKEND

Hands down, this is what I am most excited about today!  Lacie has Monday off from school and John has Monday off from work!  I love when we get extra family time!

My FitBit

My inlaws got me a fitbit for Christmas!  I've been telling John that I wanted one of these for awhile so I was really excited to get it!  I love that it counts my steps!  I also really love that it tells me how I sleep!  Now of course mine is pink!!!  But they come in a ton of different colors! 

Peanut Free Snacks

I am always on the hunt for peanut free foods for Lacie (and the rest of our family too).  I was really happy when I walked into Wegmans this week and they had an entire display of School Safe snacks!  They had a great assortment of peanut free snack cakes and cupcakes!  They are also tree nut and dairy free too, which really does make them a great school option!  And even though we didn't really need any treats in the house, I had to buy some!

My Erin Condren Planner

It's a new year, so of course I've been using my new planner, and I AM LOVING IT!  EC made a few changes to this year's planner, and I love it even more than last year's planner!  

You can click on my referral link to get your own planner! 

http://erincondren.com/referral/invite/lindsayhilosky0801

Our New Wall Calendar 

Every year, I use iPhoto to make a new wall calendar for our kitchen.  I go through and put pictures on every single month from the coordinating month from the year before.  For example, my January 2016 page has pictures that I took in January 2015!  I love it! 

Mustela Hyra-Stick

This little stick that costs less than $10 is a complete winter skin saver!  I apply it to the girls faces constantly.  It's basically like a huge chapstick for their face!  I've been using it a ton for Paisley lately because she's been getting a rash around her mouth from her skin always being wet behind her pacifier.  

Rose Salve

For my own winter skin survival (and for only $5) I am completely obsessed with this Rose Salve!  It's so great for lips but I even use it on my hands and cuticles! 

What are you loving this week?

#hiloskyeveryday2016 Week 2

 Day 7 - The girls posing in their adorable new outfits from Grandmom and Grandpop!

Day 8 - It's Lacie's turn to get back to dance class!

Day 9 - sweet sister snuggles!

Day 10 - I mean she just walks around like she owns the place now! 

Day 11 - Wegmans had an entire display full of some new peanut free treats! 

Day 12 - John and I took Lacie on a long road trip all the way up to Connecticut to see a new allergist.

Day 13 - my little bumble bee ready for dance class!

Crockpot Apple Pie Oatmeal

I can already tell that my crockpot is going to get a workout in 2016!  The older the girls get, the busier we become...and the more and more I use my crockpot! 

This recipe is a great way to make breakfast the night before if you know it's going to be a busy morning!

Or you can make it during the day to have breakfast for dinner!

Your Shopping List for the Crockpot Apple Pie Oatmeal:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup steal cut oats
• 3 fuji apples, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp butter
• cooking spray
• oatmeal toppings for serving - we added toasted, sliced almonds and honey

Now Let's Make the Crockpot Apple Pie Oatmeal

1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick spray
2. Add all ingredients
3. Stir once
4. Cook on low for 5 hours
5. Stir and serve with toppings of choice

The crockpot I use for all of my slow cooker recipes is this one:

Mommy Mondays: Paisley Jean's First Birthday Party

I already shared all about my sweetest girl turning ONE last month!  You can read those Mommy Mondays here and here!

Well, we decided to throw a little Brunch for her the Sunday after Christmas!  

We did it at 11am because Paisley is still taking a morning and an afternoon nap!  This is different for me because both Lacie and B dropped their morning naps well before their first birthday! 

We had bagels, donuts, egg casseroles, and fresh fruit - fun and simple breakfast foods!  This was really easy! 

I also made two kinds of bread:

My Double Chocolate Banana Bread
and 
My Pumpkin Spice Bread

The Birthday Girl

Paisley's First Birthday Outfit is by Mudpie and it looked super sweet on her!

We of course took it off and let Paisley eat her birthday cupcake in just a diaper!

She ate every last crumb of that cupcake! 

 I also took all of her monthly pictures and hung them up along with a chalkboard that shared her one year stats and some of her favorite things! 

I used a simple wall chalkboard like this:

And I use chalk markers like these to write on the board: