Easter Sunday with Grammie and Granddaddy

This Easter, Blakely and I were able to come to South Dakota so we could spend some time with her Grammie and Granddaddy. We have had the best week and my parents have had so much fun with her. Kevin was unable to come with us (and we miss Daddy) but we're having a great time in Sioux Falls.

Here are a couple of pictures from Easter Sunday.

Happy Easter!

Making Fabric Pom Poms

I've decided to re-post this project that I made for Blakely's nursery last year. It was such a fun project and although a little time consuming, was very easy and cheap. I just love the way they look in her nursery!

Materials

• different sizes of styrofoam balls (I used a 6" ball, a 5" ball, and two 3" balls.)
• a hot glue gun
• any fabric of your choosing (I needed 1 1/2 yards for the 6" ball, 1 yard for the 5", and 2 yards for both 3"balls.)
• string
• something to trace with 

Instructions

I used the top of a red wine goblet and traced a circle on a piece of cardboard from a pizza box.

Then I used it to trace dozens of circles all over the fabric and cut them out. **Helpful hint**-Double up your fabric before tracing and cutting. It will save you LOTS of time.

Fold each fabric circle in half.

Then fold it again and place a little bit of hot glue at the bottom tip to hold it together.

What you have looks like a little fortune cookie.

Hot glue your string around the entire circumference of the ball.

**Helpful hint**- I would use fishing wire or something more invisible instead of string. I found that after the project is done, it looks very busy with the string so you need something that doesn't show as much.

Hot glue each fabric circle around the ball. The bottom tips don't have to touch because then the circles will be too close together and will be flat. Just make sure there aren't any gaps and that the tops of them are spread out enough so that they look full.

Once they are finished, arrange them and hang from the ceiling.

I used push pins to hang them but you can use whatever works for you.

**Helpful hints**
Looking back, I think 3 different sizes was too many. I would focus on only using two different sizes. Also, hang them where they can possibly spread out more. I need to rearrange mine so they aren't so close together but for now, this is where they will stay.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes

I saw this idea on Pinterest and just knew I had to do it. I made a vanilla cupcake and added cinnamon. Then made a whipped cream cheese frosting and added crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Yum!!
Enjoy!!!

Cupcakes (Makes about 18)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• **1 3/4 cups cake flour (see note)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

**Cake flour: I didn't have cake flour so I made my own. For every cup of all-purpose flour you use, take out 2 Tbs. and add 2 Tbs. of cornstarch. Transferring from one bowl to the next, sift the flour and cornstarch about 4 times until it is really fine.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla.
3. Using a spatula or fork, mix together well to break up any clumps created from the vanilla.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the sugar and vanilla mixture and mix until well combined.
6. Add butter and mix on medium-low speed.
7. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
8. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
9. Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. 
10. Add in cinnamon.
11. Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full.
12. Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done. 

Frosting

•  1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• **1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
•  **2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• **1 1/2 cups crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

**The recipe I originally saw called for a lot less vanilla and sugar. It didn't taste all that great so I just kept adding vanilla and sugar until it tasted right. I'm not totally sure these are the right amounts but it's my best guess based on how much I think I added. I didn't measure out the cereal but I'm pretty sure it's around 1 1/2 cups. Really, it's all a matter of taste so you may prefer more or less of each of these ingredients.

1. In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream. 
3. Mix in crushed cereal.