Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

 

Pumpkin pie always seems to be too much after a heavy Thanksgiving meal. I like a little bit size and this cheesecake recipe is so yummy!

What you need...
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
18  prepared mini graham cracker crust (come in a 6 pack)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Whipped topping as desired

What you do...
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.

3. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 23 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.
Enjoy!

The Skinny on Juicing

We have been in our new home now for about a week and I have barely unpacked!!! I feel the mountains of bags and boxes, which I've realized I am not a very good packer or unpacker, have taken over my life!! One of the first things that I was delighted to dust off was my Breville Juicer!!!

A year ago, I attempted the juice fast by Joe the Juicer. That was the most mind crazing diet I have ever attempted and also the best I have ever felt. Here's the skinny on juicing....



I thought I would share a few of my favorite juice recipes to start your morning right!

Here is one from the website that I absolutely love... Have I told you about my obsession for beet juice. I hate eating beets, but for some reason I love the earthy taste in liquid form!

It's called Bright Pink-A-Licious Juice!!!

By Kelly from Nosh and Nourish!

Ingredients:
1 – 2  small beets (beetroot), peeled
4 carrots
1 orange, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
1/2 lemon, peeled  

Directions:
1.) Wash all ingredients well.

2.) Peel the beets, lemon, oranges and sweet potatoes.

3.) Cut the fruits and veggies into pieces small enough to fit through your juicer chute.

4.) Juice all produce and enjoy over ice.

 I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!!!

P.S. I always recommend using only ORGANIC fruits and vegetables when juicing. It defeats the purpose.

The Journey Begins

I am currently in the process of starting my own photography business!!! I have been passionate about photography from a young age and look forward to sharing more with you!!!

Check back soon for more info and updates as this journey unfolds.....

In the mean time, check out some of my favorite portraits on my Pinterest board!

If you have any questions, please contact me at 3wittlebirds@gmail.com

DIY: Refurbished Kids Cottage

Have you seen that thing on Pinterest, with the DIY of the Little Tykes kid cottage? Well, I tried it! 

I used Krylon Fusion for Plastic in red, white and brown. 

What I used....

3 cans of white

2 cans of red

2 cans of brown.

Here's what I did....

1. Dissembled the house. I took off the door and shutters.
2. Power wash both sides of all pieces of the play house and allow to air dry
3. Use a drop cloth or a large piece of cardboard under to protect the grass or drive way from the spray paint.
4. Evenly spray coordinating pieces with the color you choose. Allow to dry for at least 45 minutes.
   
5. Turn over the play house pieces and spray paint the opposite side as well as the sides.
6. Allow all pieces to dry over night to avoid chipping when you put the house back together.

Tip: Do this outside and on a day that is NOT WINDY or you will go through too many cans of spray paint!

Also, I only did the outside of the house in white. Since the inside was a faded yellow, I didn't really notice that much of a difference and it saved me time and money!

How did it really go?.....
I spent about 40 dollars on spray paint and from a distance this actually looks pretty cute. When I started to put the house back together, some of the red paint, on the doors and shutters,  smeared with the white pieces. It makes it look a little cheap but my girls really enjoyed it.

I spent all total of 5 hours and a sunny afternoon. For the time and the money, I probably wouldn't do this again. It was a free garbage picked playhouse that needed a little face lift.

Here is what it used to look like....



Don't for get to follow me on Pinterest !!!

What's so bad about the Princesses?

A few weeks back, I read an article about this mother who photographed her little girl in costumes to replicate historic female role models. At first, I was pretty impressed. I just died over the Cocoa Chanel picture, even though the real model had a cigarette perched between her lips. What bothered me as I read, in addition to the title, the captions of each picture, was the insulting comments about Disney Princesses.

These historical women are great role models and I have every intention on educating my girls on important women through out our history. I also believe, we are not lacking in powerful career minded female examples.

Maybe it's the fact that I absolutely adore all things Disney, but why are these Princesses always portrayed in such a bad light? As if, wanting to find the one true love of your life and stay with that person forever is such a bad example. I mean, we should all get with the times because divorce is just something you do when you get tired of the person your with..... right?

We are raising our daughters to be strong willed and independent women, who can accomplish anything and that's great! One of the most important things for me, is teaching my daughters self love and respect. However, we forget to include the values of a true women (gasp!). What sets us apart from our counter parts is that we are sensitive and have a softness.We share a warmth and compassion that makes us nurturing. It's okay to be these things, even though media and society encourages different. It's okay to show a softness and light in the darkness of this rigid and cold world. Teaching bravery, independence and self sufficiency shouldn't come at the expense of the moral values that our little girls need.

I could give you a run down, list by list, of the individual characteristics that these lovely Disney royals bring forward, but I think it's more than obvious where I am going with this post.

This world can use more LOVE, KINDHEARTEDNESS, SOFTNESS, BRAVERY, FORGIVENESS, GRACIOUSNESS, OPTIMISM AND CHARITY..

Doesn't she look sweet?.....

Thirty Something Bucket List

It's been over a week now that I have reluctantly celebrated my 30th fiesta. While so much has changed in the past year, reality has awakened me to realize I have more work than ever to get started on.

I had a quarter-life crisis last year turning 29 and had a whole year to cope with the fact that I'm no longer a spring chicken. One of the things I did want to work on, my over all health, I have failed miserably at. Within the last few months, I've completely let that task go and was brutally made aware after viewing some pictures from my surprise birthday soiree my hubby threw me. Yeah, he's sweet like that!

Over the past week, I indulged in a makeover session to which I found that I was sporting the wrong hair style all along. I also managed to shot my first gun ever! I was terrified and made me realize how dangerous these things are!

Turning 30 has made me re-evaluate my life and with the closing of our very first home next week, I have created a bucket list of the things I hope to accomplish for this next year.

1. Get healthy and fit.
2. Grow an organic garden.
3. Devote more time to my blog development
4. Work towards a Proverbs 31 wife.
5. Devote more time to prayer
6. Be more environmentally conscience and educate myself on self sustainability.
7. Be more present for my children and by present I mean engaged not just physically there.
8. Finish my Bachelor's in Communications (expected Oct 2014)
9. Write an eBook
10. Start up my own business.... already in the works!
11. Get a tattoo
12. Make our new home into a haven.
13. Learn how to handle a gun.

Maybe someday I will share my life long bucket list:)

Do any of you write bucket lists? What is your number one?