Beckett's Doppelganger?

Just sayin...

What's cooking...

Ah, Saturday.  It's the day of unlimited potential.  On today's to do list:

- menu planning
- farmers market
- grocery shopping
- making refrigerator pickles
- making granola
- start a new sewing project
- laundry
- cleaning

On the accomplished list:
- menu planning
- grocery shopping
- made granola

Ah well.  I did get to pick some yummy tomatoes fresh from our little garden though, and I took plenty of time to play with sweet little Beckett.  Even found a few of his ticklish spots and got some great giggles.

I made a delicious granola recipe today - it's the first time I've ever attempted granola.  I know you're saying to yourself, "Self - why would Miranda tackle something like THIS if she's never even made a simple granola recipe?"  I wish I had a good answer, but I don't.  Anyway the finished product is so yummy I wanted to share it with you!  The original recipe calls for dried cranberries, but I used dried cherries instead.  A dark chocolate granola with dried cherries and almonds?  YES PLEASE.

You can find the recipe by clicking HERE.

And for WW users - this recipe makes 8 servings and is 7 pts per serving.

Also, don't forget to enter our GIVEAWAY. - Make sure you like Macie's Little Hat Co. on Facebook AND comment on the blog to tell us which hat you want.  Your entry won't count unless you do both.  Thanks!  Good Luck!

Mmmm...granola...

Getting ready to go into the oven:

Ready for snacking!

Happy Giveaway Day!

A couple years ago I met my friend Jamie.

She remembers me as the girl in the red heels dragging a kid behind her through church.  I remember her as an effortlessly cool and stylish girl with awesome hair.  

When I found out that she was as snarky and sarcastic as I was, I knew we were destined to be good friends.  We are both Yankee girls married to true Southern boys.  She had her first baby - her daughter Macie - in January, and Beckett was born 4 months later.  We are already planning their wedding.  

Jamie is as talented as she is funny - and she recently opened Macie's Little Hat Co. on Etsy.  She hand knits beautiful hats, and was kind enough to send me a few for Beckett to wear and model in his newborn pictures.  She has generously offered to GIVE AWAY one beautiful hat to a lucky reader!!  Are you excited??  I am!

Here are the rules:

How do you win?

{Main Entry-Required}
Find Macie's Little Hat Co. on Facebook by clicking HERE.  "Like" her page, check out her hats and then leave me a comment here on my blog about which hat you'd like to win.  You MUST comment on my blog, and not on my Facebook page.  If you are already a fan of Macie's Little Hat Co on Facebook, you just need to comment on my blog.

Want an extra entry?

Become a follower of That's What She Said by clicking the Join feature on the right hand side page of my blog.  This automatically gets you an extra entry in the contest.  If you are already a follower, you will get another entry without having to do anything extra.  

This contest will run until midnight on Friday, August 5th and the winner will be announced on Monday, August 8th through a random selection.

Enter today, and tell your friends and family!  These hats make the best baby shower gifts, and adorable props for newborn pictures.  See proof of cuteness below!

Photo courtesy of RaeElle Photography

(PS - Jamie was originally making a bunny hat, but hated the way it looked so she decided to turn it into an aviator hat! See what I mean??  TALENTED.)

And a big thanks to Jamie for offering up such a fun prize to my blog readers!

I'm in the MOB

The MOB Society that is.


Are you a Mother of Boys?  If you are, you definitely need to get connected through this awesome online forum - they are doing their very first ever Boy Mom Blog Hop and you should check them out.

So, to all my fellow "Mob"-ers, here's a little bit about me.

I'm Miranda and I'm married to Todd, who helps pastor a church in Charlotte, NC called Next Level Church.  We have an unusual story when it comes to ministry families - Todd has 2 boys, I have one and we have one together.  Yes, that's right - FOUR boys, ranging from 10 weeks to 16 years.  Talk about being encompassed in everything boy.

I used to blog HERE, but got bored with that so I moved over to Blogspot.  We'll see how long it lasts.

And finally, here are my 2 - Logan, 10 and Beckett, 10 weeks.

(Beckett attends band practice with me when I sing in the worship band...gotta protect those sweet little ears!)

And, make sure to check back in tomorrow - we're doing our very first giveaway and you won't want to miss it!

Tasty Tuesday: Midnight Snack

Do you guys know what this is?

Ok, yes it is a really bad iPhone snapshot...but it is also a slice of RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING.

 I made it.  And it is GOOD.  Of course, if you put cream cheese frosting on a hunk of dirt, it would still taste good.  I mean, hypothetically speaking of course.

(Side note: See how the middle layer of frosting is uneven?  I just want to point out that it is not my fault.  We have one burner that gets crazy hot when the oven is on...and after I took this beautiful cake out of the oven and was letting it cool, my dear husband unknowingly moved one cake on top of said burner while he was cooking.  Ten minutes later I came out to find the cake with a large sinkhole in the middle.  SADNESS.)

I was trying to avoid the cake - because you know, pesky baby weight and all.  But I still have 12 Weight Watchers points to eat today and it's 11:47 pm...so what else is a girl to do?

Answer: Obviously eat a generous slice of cake filled with yumminess, and ignore the pesky voice in your head warning you about red dye #40 and CALORIES.

What is your midnight snack of choice?

AND: Don't forget about the giveaway that will be announced on Friday!  If you're a fan of cuteness you won't want to miss it.  And if you're not a fan of cuteness...I am sad for you.  

Fishy Business

This is Stan.

Stan is a seahorse.  I think.  Stan kept watch over us at the Ocean Isle Inn when we were on vacation last week.  Stan is somewhat precariously perched directly over the bed.  What you can't see from this picture is that Stan had a fin that actually stuck out and hung over the bed.

I guess this is some kind of 3D art stuff.  And I use the term "art stuff" loosely.  I feared for our lives.  I worried that Stan the 3D seahorse would fall from the wall and impale me as I slept.  Stan was weird.

Beckett loved Stan.

He talked to Stan every time he saw him.  He cooed and babbled and I'm pretty sure that Stan kept Beckett up one night with tales of the sea and other various excursions. Beckett had more fun with Stan than he did with me.  (Side note: this was the day we were packing up to leave.  That's why the bed is in such disarray.  Normally I am a super big neat freak and make my bed up every morning, complete with hospital corners.  You can even ask my husband.  On second thought, don't.  Because I'm a liar.)

I don't know what it says about my child that he happily befriends the very thing THAT MAY IMPALE ME WHILE I SLEEP.


In any case, we were sad to say goodbye to Stan  the ocean.

Disclaimer:  None of the seahorses pictured here were harmed in the writing of this blog.  And I totally made up the name Stan.  It has a nice ring to it, right?

ALSO: Stay tuned this week for a fun giveaway announcement.  If you have a baby, have a friend with a baby, have friends who may EVER have a baby...this giveaway is for you!

Wordless Wednesday

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tasty Tuesday: Banana Blueberry Muffins

Sweet Beckett is two months old today!  I can't believe it's already been two months since he was born - we are having so much fun with him.

Speaking of Beckett...what's more fun than losing baby weight?  Since Beckett was born I haven't really baked much - really not at all, save a few dozen Peanut Butter Blossoms to send on a road trip with Todd and his boys.  I miss it, but I am trying to stay focused.  Since Todd and I are heading to Ocean Isle for a few days, I decided to stock up on healthy snacks and I made a batch of banana blueberry muffins to take with us.

I searched around on the internet and came up with a few recipes that I've modified and pieced together to make this healthy alternative.  And, for any Weight Watchers gals (or guys!) each muffin is worth 3 points on the new PointsPlus program.

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt

1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 3 mashed ripe banana
• 1 cup regular oats
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pint fresh blueberries

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed of a mixer. Combine banana, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist and add blueberries.  Stir and spoon batter into a muffin tin coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
• 
  
• 
  
• Happy Snacking!

Back in the Saddle

I've sorely neglected my blog since Beckett was born.

I know, you're nodding your head, full of understanding.  After all, baby humans are EXHAUSTING.  You feel compassion for me.

Lies, all lies.

Beckett is pure perfection.  He coos.  He smiles.  He eats like a champ.  He fusses only when tired or hungry.  He SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT.


I didn't know they made babies like this.  I really didn't.

I've neglected my blog because I spend my days doing this:

That's Beckett in a Maya ring sling.  And that's me just sitting contentedly with him.  Can you blame me?  Look at that sleepy little face!

Side note:  I publicly declared my hatred of ring slings.  But then I figured them out and now, I love.  So, dear ring sling inventor - please accept my sincerest apologies.  My bad.

Now, hopefully you noticed the new blog site and layout.  I hope this gives me some inspiration to write again a little more consistently.  If not, at least it's prettier to look at than the old site, right?