Mint Chocolate Chip Brownie Trifle + Springtime Ice Cream Sundae Bar

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SoHoppinGood #CollectiveBias

We are so incredibly excited that spring has finally arrived, and since we are in a new area now, we decided to celebrate with a little get-together so the kids could get to know some of our new neighbors better. I pulled together a super quick and simple build-your-own ice cream sundae bar for an easy and fun party. We had a great time!

And for the grownups, I also made a crazy easy but crazy delicious trifle with brownie bites, Blue Bunny® Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, whipped cream, and hot fudge sauce. YUM.

It seriously took about 5 minutes to put together, but it tasted so good and looked pretty too. Win-win.

Let's start with the kids' adorable sundae bar, then I'll share the trifle instructions.

My kitchen hutch was really easy to deck out for spring with fresh white serveware and darling pink dishes, so it seemed like the perfect spot for a springtime ice cream party. I'm a firm believer that a simple party is the best kind there is. No need to stress out and make your life hectic and miserable to host a get-together. All it took was some yummy treats, simple dishes, and minimalistic decor to make this spot perfectly party ready.

I found the cutest little waffle bowls -- adorable, delicious, and they cut down on dishes I have to wash after everyone goes home. They are a triple threat. I set them out on a cute tray along with some spring decor.

And I put out an array of fun toppings for the kids to choose from. From left to right, we offered salted peanuts, brownie bites, rainbow sprinkles, banana slices, and chocolate sprinkles. We also had hot fudge and whipped cream, which I kept on the kitchen counter so kids wouldn't serve themselves and accidentally drip/spray it all over. The less hot fudge ends up on my kitchen floor, the happier Mama will be.

The 'Bunny Treats' sign felt very appropriate to put out on display with our Blue Bunny®  ice cream options. How cool is that new clear packaging? Love that you can see the flavor swirls through the packaging -- it makes choosing flavors in the store way more fun since you can see exactly what you're going to get!

Our tasty ice cream bar options were Blue Bunny® Super Chunky Cookie Dough (the crowd favorite!), Blue Bunny® Homemade Vanilla, and Blue Bunny® Mint Chocolate Chip. I picked them all up (along with all our party goodies and toppings) at Walmart during my regular weekly shopping trip, so it was quick and painless to prep for this party.

A few more white dishes and potted plants, and this made a cute little ice cream party station.

Now to serve the hungry little party animals! Certain little guests kept things simple with just a scoop of ice cream and no toppings (what?! why?!).

But others went all out and requested EVERY topping available. That's more like it.

But I'm pretty sure there are no wrong answers when it comes to a sundae bar. Except for maybe not partaking from the sundae bar at all.

I've never seen these adorable waffle bowls before, but I think they are going to be a must-have for future ice cream nights at our house. They were so tasty, so cute, and the perfect size for a little sundae!

My talented sister Rebekah (of Ritzy Reba designs) helped me out by designing this adorable coloring page for the kids to enjoy after they finished their sundaes. How cute is this?! Just right click on the image and hit 'save' to keep it and print at home for your own party! Please use and enjoy this design at home -- not for any commercial use :-)

For anyone unsatisfied by a build-your-own sundae bar (although I can't imagine WHO that person might be or WHAT their problem is), this amazing trifle should fit the bill very nicely. All the fun of a sundae, pre-stacked and ready to serve.

Mint Chocolate Chip Brownie Trifle

1/2 gallon Blue Bunny® Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, softened
1 9x13 pan of brownies (I used a box mix), cut into bite size squares
1 (16 oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
hot fudge sauce (enough to drizzle on top)

In a glass serving bowl or trifle dish, layer ingredients as follows:
1 - ice cream
2 - brownies
3 - whipped topping
4 - drizzle of hot fudge
5 - ice cream
6 - brownies
7 - whipped topping
8 - big drizzle of hot fudge
9 - brownies for garnish

Freeze until ready to serve, and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

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Visit Blue Bunny® for more delicious #SoHoppinGood ice cream ideas!

Living Room Idea Board

We decided shortly before closing on our new house that our collection of mostly hand-me-down living room furniture was going to look a bit shabby in such a pretty new build.

I don't think our old furniture was bad by any means -- it was pretty neutral and in decent shape, but definitely starting to show its age, and not well suited for this new space. You can see our old living room setup in THIS post. (Bear in mind that everything always looks nicer in blog photos than in real life!)

With the new house being so open and light, we want to go for a new look. Here's our idea board that I very inexpertly pulled together just now. Thanks to my mom for always working for me for free :-)

- I've wanted a white couch FOREVER but have never felt like it was a practical choice with our little monsters. But after reading roughly 4000 reviews of the Ikea Ektorp, I think I'm ready to go for it.

- For some reason, light colored chairs don't sound half as terrifying to me as a light colored couch (maybe because my kids always, 100% of the time, opt for sitting on a couch instead of chairs). I already purchased THESE chairs from Joss & Main (which were at least $50 cheaper a few weeks ago!) and Scotch Guarded the crap out of them.

- The coffee table and sideboard on the right we already own (not those exact ones, but similar). My sideboard is a dark walnut color, and I want to do something to it -- paint? strip? I can't decide. It looks great in the room, but the color just isn't right, and I don't know what to do with it. Suggestions welcome.

- The sideboard on the left is just a dream at this point. We have one very large, very long, very empty living room wall that would look great with a long, impressive sideboard. And of course, I chose a very expensive one to set my heart upon. I actually couldn't find a picture of the exact one I want, but the one shown is the same maker and style, just a smaller version of the one I want. I'll need to save up my pennies for it.

A Month of Dinner Menus #3

I've mentioned previously that I really enjoy making dinner menus. I know that SO MANY people despise menu planning, so I'll occasionally post a month's worth of mine. You can see previous dinner menu posts HERE and HERE.

My menu planning looks more or less like this: I sit down on Sunday night, open up Pinterest and any favorite recipe blogs/cookbooks, and make some choices for what sounds good for the week. I usually try a few new recipes each week, as well as a few repeat recipes that I know we enjoy. I plan out one or two sides for each dinner (usually quick, simple stuff, like bagged salad or frozen veggies), and jot down a shopping list for the week. I plan out 5 days of dinners -- the two extra nights are usually leftovers, eating out, or scraping something really fast and simple together (like pancakes and scrambled eggs).

Week 1

photo via Allrecipes

Monday: Italian Sausage Soup with breadsticks and salad. Not the world's prettiest soup, but filling, delicious, and healthy. One of my long-time favorites!

Tuesday: Green Chile Breakfast Quesadillas with fruit salad. Super fast and simple. I've made these quite a few times, and they make an awesome breakfast or lunch, too.

Wednesday: Avocado Chicken Pitas with salad and apple slices. A really quick, light meal. I ignore the guac instructions and just mash my avocado up with salt and lime juice to taste. Really yummy.

Thursday: Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl with green beans and grapes. A repeat favorite -- don't be intimidated by the longish ingredient list. This is good stuff.

Friday: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with rolls and broccoli. I've tricked my children into thinking this is chicken. Suckers!

Week 2

Monday: Chicken Fajita Salad Wraps with sweet potato fries. An awesome lunch or dinner that you can easily prep ahead of time. I love it.

Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie with rolls and salad. Mel's recipes are always good. This one was a bit of a longer prep time than I usually spend, but totally worth it, plus leftovers for days.

Wednesday: Alfredo Tortellini with salad and grapes. This one was yummy, but much spicier than I expected. Start slow with the red pepper flakes and add as necessary.

Thursday: Chicken Noodle Stew with salad and rolls. Tasty and satisfying, but I had to add tons of salt to my bowl. Not sure if I just love salt too much, or if the recipe needs a bit of tinkering.

Friday: Chicken Ranch Tacos with Mexican rice and apple slices. One of those rare recipes that we all like, both kids and adults. 

Week 3

Monday: BBQ Turkey Quesadillas with grapes and green beans. A great way to use up leftover turkey or (more often for me) chicken. I love this recipe!

Tuesday: Greek Style Pita Sandwiches with chips and baby carrots. Another long-time favorite of mine. Fresh and delicious.

Wednesday: Sausage, Potato, and Spinach Soup with breadsticks. I honestly can't remember this one, but it's very similar to my favorite copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe, so I'm guessing I liked it!

Thursday: Homemade Pizza with salad. I don't really follow a recipe for the pizza, but I like to make my own dough -- my favorite recipe is THIS one. I've been using it for years! We like to set out a few toppings and let everyone make their own personal pizza.

Friday: Baked Honey Mustard Chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli. I don't care much for mustard, but still enjoyed this chicken. I added some rosemary and thought it was great.

Week 4

Monday: Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Pancakes with scrambled eggs and fruit smoothies. A favorite of ours, and one of the only ways to sneak a vegetable into Forrest's diet.

Tuesday: Oven Baked Ranch Chicken Tenders with rolls and corn. A good chicken tender, but didn't really taste any different to me than a typical chicken tender without ranch. 

Wednesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Creamy Tomato Soup and peas. Gotta love a good comfort meal like this one. But I did add quite a bit of seasoning to the soup -- tasted a bit bland to me as written.

Thursday: Easy Quiche with baby carrots and apple slices. I haven't made a quiche in quite a while, and was very happy to rediscover them with this dinner. 

Non-Candy Easter Basket Gift Ideas

Now, right off the bat: I have no problem with candy. None whatsoever. We eat plenty of it around here, and there will definitely be candy in our kids' Easter baskets.

Just wanted to get that out of the way in case anyone was getting ready to feel judged or looked down on. No sugar-hating here.

But I know lots of parents like to walk the non-candy path for Easter, or add a little toy or gift to their kids' Easter goodie baskets, so I thought I'd gather up a few fun items that we've either used in the past, or are looking at this year, that are perfect for tucking into an Easter basket.

1. I love including Easter outfits in the kids' baskets. They'll be receiving an Easter outfit anyway, so why not fold it up and stick it into their basket so it feels more like a present? I love these striped shorts and this cute poplin top for little guys.

2. I already bought Darcy's Easter dress but can't find it online anywhere (sad!). The one I chose for her looks pretty similar to this darling embroidered chambray dress (LOVE it!), and how cute would it be with a floppy straw hat on top?

3. Of course I can't leave books out. These three picture books are bright, cheerful, and perfect for spring: Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld, My Garden by Kevin Henkes, and Duck & Goose by Tad Hills.

4. I've written a few times about my undying love for Beddy's awesome zipper bedding, and let me assure you, that love burns on (and sizzles yet brighter every morning that Forrest makes his own bed neatly without my help, and my own bed takes like 10 seconds to zip up). You can see their bedding in Forrest's room HERE, and in my bedroom HERE.

Beddy's has just come out with an adorable new product -- Beddy's Buddies. They are soft and squishy plush monsters that come with a hardcover picture book encouraging kids not to be afraid of monsters under their beds. They sent a set of monsters to my kids, and I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that their monsters have been dragged everywhere we've gone since the day they arrived.

They're big, fuzzy, and super snuggly, and would be so cute as an Easter basket item! You can save 20% on your buddy + book combo with coupon code BUDDIES.

5. I love giving something that gets the kids outside to take advantage of spring weather (like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or a big bouncy ball), and this sprinkler looks like so much fun! And it has over 400 5-star reviews, so it feels like a pretty safe purchase.

Do you have any Easter basket traditions in your family?

15 of Forrest's Favorite Picture Books

It's been a long time since I shared a kids' book list (my last was 8 of our favorite wordless picture books back in November!), so I figured 4 months was plenty of time to space out for a new one. It's actually kind of silly how infrequently I post about picture books, since we are constantly reading them. New goal for the year: make this a monthly thing.

I flipped through some of our collection, trying to decide on a theme for today's book post, and finally decided to share some of the books that Forrest (age 5) remembers, talks about, and asks for the most.

It may look like a rather random selection, but the theme today is simply "Forrest-approved."

Affiliate links ahead.

 The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

From the moment the baby arrived, it was clear that he was the boss. Drinks made to order, round-the-clock meetings, a private jet plane -- and all this without him saying a word.

Such a cute read about new babies and how they shake things up at home. Forrest loves it and frequently refers to Darcy as our boss baby (which is both hilarious and sadly accurate).

Crankenstein by Samantha Berger 

Crankenstein may look like a regular kid, but it only takes a tiny mishap to transform him into a grouchy, grumbling monster. When he meets a fellow Crankenstein, it could lead to a huge blow-up . . . or be just the thing he needs to lift that cranky mood.

Forrest thinks this books is so funny, and 'Crankenstein' has entered our normal vocabulary when he's in a bad mood (and letting him know he's acting like Crankenstein actually perks him up, nine times out of ten).

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea

I know there are quite a few 'Dinosaur Vs.' books, but this is the only one we've read so far. We've checked it out from the library more times than I can count.

Dinosaur is victorious in every match-up during the bedtime routine, until he finally gives in and lets bedtime win. The illustrations are simple, bright, and fun, and Forrest loves supplying the 'roars' on each page.

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Trixie brings her beloved Knuffle Bunny to the laundromat with Daddy, but their exciting adventure takes a disastrous turn when they return home and Trixie realizes someone was left behind.

Forrest talks about Knuffle Bunny quite a bit since he is still very attached to his precious blankie. And the sequel actually helped get him through a sad night when he left his blankie at Grandma's house and had to go to bed without it for the first time in 5 years.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

I really could have mentioned any of the many Pigeon books here, since Forrest has loved every one of them.

When the bus driver takes a break, he implores the reader to make sure that Pigeon will not be allowed to drive the bus in his absence. Pigeon puts up some pretty convincing arguments, though.

Forrest thinks Pigeon is hilarious, and loves trying to spot him in Willems' other books.

Moo! by David LaRochelle

This mostly-wordless picture book brings us along for the adventure of a cow's lifetime as he takes a joy ride in the farmer's car. Each page has just one word (moo!), but in a variety of expressions for each page.

Forrest loves 'reading' this one to me, and experimenting with different expressions for each "moo!" I think it's a great one to help kids learn to 'perform' and read aloud a story.

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

We waited for weeks and weeks for this one on the library hold list, and it was totally worth the wait. Baby Billy is born with a full, glorious mustache. Most days, he's a good boy . . . but sometimes the mustache curls up at the ends and becomes a dreaded 'bad guy mustache.'

Adorable illustrations and a really cute and funny story. Forrest loves it and requests rereads often. "I'm having a bad guy mustache day" has become a regular expression around here. He also loves the sequel!

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

As if the lack of words didn't make me nervous enough, I find that cover totally unappealing. But this wordless picture book is so creative and fun, and Forrest adores it, and loves 'reading' it to me. He even brought it to school for show and tell recently and was so excited to share it with his friends.

Mr. Wuffles batters a 'toy' spaceship . . . and the real aliens inside must get creative to repair it and outwit Mr. Wuffles to make their escape. So clever and imaginative!

Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman

Forrest is in a bit of a robot phase at the moment, and this is the cutest robot book we've read yet.

A boy and a bot meet and have a great time playing together. But when Bot gets switched off, Boy tries all the remedies he can think of (applesauce, reading a story, etc.) to no avail. Then Bot worries when his friend powers down (falls asleep), and tries remedies of his own (oil, a new battery, etc). A very sweet friendship story, and Forrest loves adding his own robot voices to the narration.

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

I had some serious doubts about how fun this book could possibly be, but there's no need to worry. It doesn't need pictures to crack Forrest up and have him asking to read it again and again.

Any word the reader sees on the page, they have no choice but to say. Even silly words like BLORK and BLAGGITY BLAGGITY. Forrest has laughed himself to tears over this book.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

In this book, Duncan's crayons express their grievances to their owner -- Black hates being used only for outlining. Orange and Yellow each feel they are the color of the sun, and are in a fight about it. Blue is exhausted from constantly being used to color in oceans.

This book is a bit longer than the average picture book, so I expected it to bore Forrest, but he loves it. He also got the sequel for Christmas and was so excited to open it!

No, David! by David Shannon

Another one I ought to just purchase already, since we've borrowed it from the library about a dozen times. Naughty David is always getting in trouble, and the majority of the text is just David being scolded while caught in various mischievous acts.

Forrest laughs himself silly over David's antics, and especially loves having David's name replaced with his own (or Darcy's, or a friend's, or Daddy's . . . etc).

Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter

Larry only has one rule: do not push the button. Don't even think about it.

I always love a book that is interactive, and this one is so fun for Forrest (and Darcy loves it too!). The kids get to push the button with Larry, then help him fix all the problems that pushing the button ensues, like shaking the book to get rid of extra monsters, tickling Larry to return him to his regular color, etc. Such a fun one to read together.

Any and all Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems

Any time we visit the library, Forrest always makes a beeline for the Elephant and Piggie shelves to check for any new titles. There are dozens of books about these two cute friends who have hilarious discussions and adorable everyday adventures together.

They are really simple readers, and they are a great fit as read-alouds and for kids learning to read. Forrest loves them all!

Otis by Loren Long

There are quite a few books about Otis the tractor and his farm friends, but the original has been Forrest's favorite so far.

Otis loves working on the farm with his farm friends, but the arrival of a big, strong, shiny yellow tractor sends Otis out back behind the barn, forgotten. But one day, his friend the little calf gets stuck in the mud, and only Otis can help.

A sweet, lovable story with darling illustrations and a cute message. Forrest loves Otis.

I'd love to hear some of your most-requested picture books, too!

New House Tour

I've got a few pictures to share with you today of our new house! I wish with all my heart that I had taken more/better pictures before we moved in, because I really want to show it to you empty before I start sharing any of our decor ideas. I saved the photos from the MLS listing, but I'm worried some psycho will reverse image search them, find the address, and come murder me in my bed.

So instead of that highly appealing option, I proudly present: cell phone snaps taken over a month ago!

Please don't come murder us, mmkay?

We didn't have anything to do with the building process, but this house is a new build. Kind of fun to have something fresh and new without having to make any of the tough decisions or deal with any stressful waiting. It's a rambler style with all the main living on one level, plus a large unfinished walkout basement.

We'll start with my favorite room in the house: the kitchen.

White cabinetry is my love language. I love how bright and fresh this space looks, and I'm crazy about the tongue and groove ceiling. 

Also: DOUBLE OVENS!!! I remember saying to Jeff when we looked at the house that they felt like a bit of a waste, and I thought I'd probably only need to use them on holidays. FALSE. I have used them quite a few times already in the (not even) two weeks we've been here, and they're amazing.

I don't think I really understand the framed accent tile over the stove top -- I can't say it's my favorite part of the house, but honestly, I'll probably never bother changing it. My plan is just to hang something in the middle of it and call it a day.

The doors on the right open onto a deck. The lot is sloped, so the front door is at ground level, but the back of the house here is the height of a second story. The deck overlooks a nice lake view, and I think we'll really enjoy it in the summer. The closer doorway on the left leads to a small mudroom area, the laundry room, a half bath, and the garage. The farther left door is the pantry.

Backing up a bit, this is the view from the entryway into the living room and kitchen area. Of course I bought the first house I could find that was constructed of more windows than walls. Love me some natural light. That stair rail you see at the left leads down into an unfinished basement -- we'll save up and tackle that project in a few years.

And from the other direction, you can see the entry, the stairs going to the basement, and a lovely board and batten wall. And also my little helper, measuring the living room for me.

Directly off the entry is a smaller room that I am extremely excited about. It's too small to be a family room, and I'm not sure what the builders meant it to be used as (probably an office, or small sitting room for visitors?). Whatever their plans were, I've been waiting forever to make a little reading nook in a house, and I'm finally getting it here. Welcome to my library room.

Nice big windows on one side, and we'll be adding built in bookshelves along the opposite wall (on the right in the picture below). I'll add a couple big cozy chairs and reading lamps, a few little side tables. I'M SO EXCITED. I made sure Jeff realized that building a library room will only encourage me to buy books much more frequently. We have an understanding that many new books will need to be purchased. #happydance

I don't have any pictures of bedrooms or bathrooms (which are down a hallway on the opposite side of the entry from this room), so those will have to wait until they're all set up and ready to share. So this is a brief and partial tour, but it's a start, at least! Thanks for visiting our new house with us :-)

February 2016 Reading Recap

Thank you all so much for your kind words about our new house! We're so excited about it, and it's so fun to have you share our excitement, too.

I know you were probably expecting to see more house pictures today (sorry, I didn't mean to be a tease with only one photo in the last post), and I'm planning to get to that Friday.

But today, I've got to wrap up my month of reading for February. I'm sorry to say that this wasn't my most successful month of reading -- there was only one book out of this bunch that I really loved and would be happy to recommend to you!

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

This middle grade novel about one classroom of 5th grade students is told from the points of view of seven different students, showing us how their dynamic young teacher, Mr. Terupt, changes each of their lives. It's rated very highly on Goodreads, and I chose it to fill a category on my Worthington Ave. 2016 reading challenge: a book that's set where you were born (Connecticut).

I thought it was cute, and can imagine myself loving it back when I was an elementary school kid. As an adult, it was fine, but nothing life-changing.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo 

The once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a mysterious darkness filled with lethal monsters. When her best friend is attacked, unremarkable Alina discovers a power with the potential to destroy the Shadow Fold forever.

This trilogy is very popular and I've heard a lot of praise for it. I enjoyed it, but the world-building and characters felt weak to me -- I never felt like I understood the world, or the magic, or even the characters themselves. I started the second book, hoping for more substance, and quickly abandoned it. Not for me.

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card

Another book chosen to fill a Worthington Ave. reading challenge categoy, this time "a book based on a fairy tale." I chose this modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty, despite not being Orson Scott Card's most devoted fan. As a child, Ivan stumbled onto a clearing in a forest where he found a beautiful woman sleeping on a pedestal, guarded by a magical force. After pushing aside the memories for a decade, he returns to make sense of what he saw, and is drawn into a centuries old fairy tale. I thought it was creative, but it was a major chore for me to finish it.

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

I really enjoy Liane Moriarty (my other favorites are Big Little Lies and The Husband's Secret), and this one was an absolute delight, too. Sophie Honeywell unexpectedly inherits the home of her ex-boyfriend's elderly aunt on a quiet island that is home to an unsolved mystery. She moves to the quiet island and learns that everyone there seems to be hiding something. It's fast and enjoyable and funny without ever feeling too 'fluffy.' Chapters are alternately told by different characters, and the parts told by a new mother going through postpartum depression made me absolutely ache. They hit a bit too close to home for me. Loved it all, though.

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

24-year old Ashley Cordova's death is ruled a suicide, but an investigative journalist suspects there is more to the story than meets the eye -- Ashley's father is a reclusive cult-horror-film director whose dark and gritty films seem perhaps too horrifying to be entirely fictional. The story only becomes more strange the deeper he digs, and family secrets come to light.

There were parts of this book that I loved, and ideas in it that I thought were really interesting. But overall, it felt too long and, in the end, totally underwhelming for me. Womp womp.


What have you read recently?