Chocolate (Pumpkin) Donuts

I mean...what kid wouldn't be excited to hear those words come out of mom's mouth? And Mom, you can feel good about it! My 4 year old and I love to make these and they are always a hit. The recipe is an adaptation of a Jessica Seinfeld recipe, just tweaked a bit, a la #fitmamafitwifefitlife 

Makes 12 medium donuts

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 coconut palm sugar
1/2c milk
1 egg white
1T Vanilla
1T coconut oil

1c AP flour (you can use whole wheat flour but it would need to be WW pastry flour to keep donuts light)
1t cinnamon
1t baking soda
1/2t baking powder
1T unsweetened cocoa powder
(Powdered sugar to make them pretty after baking)

Heat oven to 350*, spray donut mold (mini muffins work too if you don't have the donut pan)

Beat together palm sugar, egg white, pumpkin, milk, oil, vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda & powder, cinnamon & cocoa.

Fill pan and bake about 16 minutes (less for mini muffins)

Father's Day Crafting - Homemade Coaster Tiles

What's that? You forgot that Father's Day is this weekend?!  You need a quick homemade activity that can be done in one sitting?! I've got you covered.

(No time for the craft store?  Bonus…all of these materials are available via Amazon Prime. BOOM!)

Materials:
ModPodge
Foam Brushes
Scissors
Plain Tiles, Coaster size (think 4"x4")
City Map or Photos, depending on what look you're going for - we're doing a couple of each
Optional: Cookie Cutters & Small Felt Circles

Choose what you would like your coasters to have on them.

We are doing a couple of coasters with family pictures, and a couple with cut-outs from paper road maps of areas that we have lived.

(If you choose to get extra crafty, let the kids pick out their favorite shape cookie cutters to trace on the pictures or maps.)

Apply one coat of ModPodge to the coasters.  Place photo shapes or map cut-outs on the tiles while ModPodge is wet.

Apply 3 more coats of ModPodge over the images/maps.

The coats will look white-ish but will dry clear.  Allow at least 3 days for the tiles to dry before using…but feel free to wrap them after a day if needed ;-) We ended up doing our project outside and the summer heat REALLY helped to expedite our drying!

(If desired, you can stick felt pads on the bottom of the tiles to prevent any undesired scratching on furniture.)

Don't forget to pick up Dad's favorite Bevy to put the coasters to use on Sunday!

Need more Father's Day Ideas for Grandpa and Uncles?  Check this one out - Simplest.Craft.Ever.

Just What You Need

There have certainly been times when I got my workout in because I was supposed to. Maybe it was the scheduled workout of the day or I was working toward a certain goal and the workout had to happen - so it did.

After a day at the hospital, a run for mama was just what the doctor ordered.

But today was different.  Today the workout was not because of a goal or a schedule, and I had every reason to not make it happen. But after a long, emotionally exhausting and physically sedentary day, getting a workout was what I wanted. My body was just asking for blood flow, movement, and my mind was begging for moments to myself, a chance to zone out on my breathing and the road.

The better part of our day was spent with tonsillectomy recovery snuggles. Amazing for the heart and soul, not so great for my back.

After getting the kids settled in for the evening, I knew I still had a small window of daylight and could squeeze in a run. It wasn't long, it wasn't intense, but it was wonderful.

That's a turning point. That's a NSV (non-scale victory…a fitness "win" that has nothing to do with the numbers on the scale).  Giving your body exercise for no other reason than because you want to and you know its going to be just what you need.