Jacinda and her Texas brethren will probably call this sacrilege, but I like to make BBQ ribs in the slow cooker. It’s so easy and so mouthwateringly delicious. I usually have the most energy first thing in the morning, and knowing that I’ve already prepared dinner gives me a boost for the rest of my day, knowing that I don’t have to worry later about what I am gonna cook or if anyone is going to have a meltdown because there was too much homework and then I’ll forget to marinate the meat, etc.
So slow cooker it is! This crock pot bbq ribs recipe is so easy and the ribs are fall-off-the-bone delicious. My family loves ’em, I hope yours does too.
After our super fun and inspiring Mother’s Day workshop here in Texas, Anthropologie schemed a big double-trouble redo both in Dallas and LA to celebrate Back-to-School. Not that you would celebrate Back-to-School, I mean who would want to spend 7 hours away from their three kids every day? [Que mothers across the land snickering knowingly.]
So while Jaime and I wish that we were attached at the hip, rather than just attached at the heart, geography keeps our love affair long distance. The next best thing was throwing nearly identical craft workshops in our respective cities.
Jaime was in LA doing all this…
Yes, her handsome husband was there kid-wrangling and lending a crafty hand. Swoon.
Meanwhile, I was in Dallas doing all this… (more…)
Our love for washi tape continues to grow as washi tape makes its way from the craft table to the home. Be inspired to bring new life to a blank wall, or even your refrigerator, with this colorful adhesive. When you want to remove it you can just peel it away without destroying the paint, or leaving any residue. Washi tape comes in a variety of colors and sizes (there’s even giant washi tape), so the possibilities are pretty endless.
Check out the creative ways people have been using washi tape as part of their home decor after the jump…
There are several different ways to press flowers, however, some of these techniques take a few weeks to do. For those that are not so patient, or get the urge to craft right that minute, I’m going to show you how to press flowers in just five minutes or less. Once you have your bouquet of pressed flowers you can craft the day away making cards, decoupage projects, and more.
This post is sponsored by got milk?. Thank you for inspiring us!
Since Scarlet first started school, Carleton and I have always made sure to slip a surprise note for her in her lunch box. It’s especially exciting now because she can read them on her own! Normally the morning routine is a bit…what’s the word? Hectic. In order to make things a bit easier, I made these cute Printable Lunch Box notes. They sit right on our counter, so Carleton and I can write her a message while we pack up her lunch. They’ve been such a hit in our home, that I sent them to some of my friends too. Here is Colleen’s adorable niece, Anabelle, with her lunch box notes.
I was inspired by got milk? to add little reminders at the bottom like, P.S. Drink your milk, since I wanted to make sure Scarlet was getting her fill of calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, protein, and more, even when I’m not right there. It’s important to us that Scarlet drinks milk daily, so that she can grow up to be strong, healthy, and President of the United States (no pressure, Scarlet). There are also reminders to eat your veggies, keep up the hard work, and most importantly to have fun.
The Irish Aran sweaters, with their classic cable stitch, are an absolute favorite of ours (and Vogue!) this fall. The name Aran comes from where they originated – the Aran Islands off the west of Ireland. We love their intricate patterns and wonderfully classic look. The popular cable stitch seen in many of these sweaters was actually made to depict the Irish fishermen’s ropes, and was meant to wish them good luck while at sea!
See our favorite Aran knit finds you can buy after the jump…
Before we get into the most awesome Ricky Ricotta, or the deliciousness of Ricotta Pancakes, or your impending family bonding time spent making breakfast that looks like the solar system, let’s discuss Pluto. Yes, I included Pluto and I am sorry(ish). I know it’s not right but my heart will always belong to little Pluto and so it has a place amongst my pancake planets. Feel free to lop off the little guy if you care about things like “accuracy” and “science.” Now let’s get back to the most fun you will have with breakfast in a few light years.
When we were invited to create a project inspired by the new full-color series of Ricky Ricotta books by Dav Pilkey(Captain Underpants, The Paperboy,) we knew it had to celebrate our kid’s love of outer space. In each book, Ricky and his giant flying robot bestie outwit aliens from a new planet in our solar system to keep Earth safe. My reading-aged children love the comic strip format and even 3 year old Gordon can enjoy the stories by following the cartoons… with a side of pancakes of course.
Here’s how you make ’em…
First up, make a batch of your favorite Ricotta Pancake batter.
Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Water
2 cups classic pancake & waffle mix
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
optional: frozen blueberries
Instructions:
Stir water and vanilla in a large bowl with a rubber spatula. Add pancake mix and stir until just moist with lumps. Stir the ricotta into the pancake mixture to incorporate, maintaining a lumpy batter. Optional: Fold in the blueberries (I added a few at the end of using my batch for Mercury and Pluto)
Heat a pan or griddle to medium & brush with butter. Working in batches, make pancakes in a variety of sizes using batter anywhere from 1/3 cup to a tablespoon to get planetary variety. Cook pancakes approximately 3 minutes per side, watching for bubbles to pop up in the center, that’s when you know it’s time to flip!
Now that you have a stack of delicious ricotta pancakes, gather and chop your toppings. Get creative with what you have on hand. No need to break the bank buying every fruit in the galaxy.
We used:
green grapes
blueberries
nectarines
bananas
raspberries
raspberry syrup
honey
yogurt
It’s time for fun. Together with the kiddos, arrange your variety of pancakes in order of planetary size and get to work piling them high with yummy toppings.
1. Admire your work. 2. Take an Instagram photo. 3. Dive on top of them like a pack of wild monkeys because Ricotta Pancakes are amazingly delicious. 4. Brainstorm how you can incorporate more scrumptious breakfast foods in your family science lessons.
by Jacinda
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After our super fun and inspiring 
