The Chocolate Cookie Dough Truffles didn’t disappoint and neither did the recipe. The recipe was very easy to follow and the Truffels were a hit at our appetizer throw down Christmas party.

Cookie Dough Truffles

While this is something that I pinned onto Pinterest I did follow the recipe via RecipeGirl.com. Be sure and read through the comment section of  her blog for the comments regarding the Cookie Dough Truffles. You may find some helpful advice from other readers.

Feel free to follow my boards on Pinterest and I’ll follow you back!

I will make these again for sure, they are absolutley decadant. Thanks Recipe girl for a fabulous desert idea.

Pine Cone Christmas Tree

My first Pinterest crafting project was a pine cone Christmas tree. I obsessed over this craft that I first discovered while browsing for Holiday ideas on Pinterest. I repined and liked instantly. Of course I thought to myself, “I can do this, it will be so easy.”

And so I began my crafty project of the season. Since I live in North Carolina getting pine cones wasn’t a problem. I went for hikes and had a couple of neighbors round some up for me. Pine cones are plentiful and diverse in size and color here in NC.

Since there wasn’t a tutorial on the link I did some research of my own and based on a couple of sites I visited I came up with my own game plan.

 Materials used

Plenty of Pine cones. preferably small ones

2 Styrofoam: Cone shapes or any shape you want

1 package of glue sticks

1 Hot glue gun

1 can of brown or brownish spray paint

Pine Cone Christmas Tree Craft

Directions

1)   First I went through the pine cones and picked out the smallest ones. I thought they would be easiest for gluing together.

2)   I sprayed the cones with the brown spray paint. (this doesn’t work so well)

3)   I simply started from the bottom up.  I glued the pinecones on length wise and completed the circle.

4)   I continued the same pattern being careful to overlap the lines. I thought this would provide more coverage.

5)   Toward the top of the cone I got the idea to break apart a few pine cones and simply layer the little pieces to the foam. This provided a really cool layered look and could be an option for coverage instead of spray paint.

As you can see my artwork doesn’t look quite like the ones in the magazine pictures but there is a learning curve right? I ended up using the decoration for a center piece on my screened in porch. I did get some compliments from my supportive neighborhood gal pals but I did learn a few things along the way.

Pine Cone Christmas Tree Craft

Lessons learned

- Do break apart the pine cone. I really liked the layered effect created by the little pieces.

-Do give the glue a few seconds to cool before putting the pine cone on. This gave it a stronger bond.

- Next time get smaller pine cones.

- Hot glue cones from the bottoms out.  This will provide ample coverage. (like the picture on my For The Home Board on Pinterest.

-Don’t use

spray paint on foam. It doesn’t work.

Our Asheville weekend

Since 1999 I wanted to visit Asheville, North Carolina. I had never been there and I’m not sure why I wanted to go.  In fact when I graduated from Western State College in Gunnision, Colorado I had full intentions of packing up my 87 Tercel and driving east with my dog Summit. Destination: Asheville, North Carolina. I can’t tell you what was pulling me there but I can tell you that I never made it. I got a job as a reporter for a small paper in Denver and never looked back.

My husband and I moved to the Raleigh area about 2 years ago and visited Asheville for our 5 year wedding anniversary. It  was a whirlwind weekend of hiking, eating and well….more eating. This started my love affair with the city.

Everything that you read or hear about this lovely gem is true. The food is great, the vibe is brilliant and people are fantastic. In fact I would move there tomorrow. I have lots of little stories to tell about our weekend getaway but will write up some personal reviews about our weekend in another post. In a nutshell, Asheville is a great place to go for a romantic weekend without the kids. But it’s also a fantastic family spot.

This is kind of my push to get that going. *insert* smile.

Oriental

One advantage to living near the coast of North Carolina is visiting the quaint coastal towns near us. They are charming, picturesque and best of all they make great day trips. And with a family that includes to dogs that hate to be alone, it’s a big bonus.

Our first day trip was in the Spring when we took a 2 hour drive east to  Oriental, North Carolina, the sailing capitol of the state.

Oriental is nestled in Pamlico County and is an easy drive from Raleigh. We took Hwy 70 to Hwy 55 east right into the sailing community. We didn’t go with a plan except to hangout and be by the water. There are some access to parks but not much in terms of sandy beaches. We loved that our leashed dogs were welcomed as well. Being from Colorado where everyone loves dogs we found the same love and acceptance in Oriental.

A sea side gem

For lunch there are some cafe’s and small restaurants. We ate at M & M’s Cafe and had a great meal. Our dogs were leashed outside by a large tree and were welcomed. After lunch we walked around the water front and looked around at some of the sail boats. We then headed out of town and took our first fairy in North Carolina from the Pamlico sound over back to 70. We were home by 6 p.m.

I highly recommend a day visit to the sailing capitol of North Carolina. We hope to make another visit there during the Summer months.

I bought this pair of plastic Adirondack chairs a few years ago and they really needed some TLC this past spring. With about 4 bottles of spray paint they were good as new. I chose the purple color to add a hint of color to my suburban backyard that needed some spice.

Before & AfterAfterAfter

My Fair Ladies

If one one deep fried ambassador is good imagine how tasty 3 would be! Giving you three unique perspectives on the 2011 NC State Fair, we three fabulous ladies will cover the full gamut of food, rides, entertainment, competitions, exhibits and fun “only at the Fair” odd bits. Telling the story through photos, videos and, of course, wildly entertaining words, this gaggle of gals is sure to make everyone want to come out to the Fair.

• The Kamikaze – aka Rebecca Aslaksen – Nothing stops this Fair enthusiast. No food will be left uneaten, no ride unridden. Put a plate before her and she will devour it. Beat: Food & Rides
• Fairly Odd – aka Dawn Crawford – Fun just got a little funky at the State Fair. Get a backstage look at the music, the best of our state’s produce and livestock and side-shows. Exploring the entertaining, wacky and downright odd parts of the Fair. Beat: Competitions & Entertainment
• The Wrangler – aka ME! Valentina Garcia Gerdes from Worldview Mother – Armed with sunscreen, family meet-up points and a purse of non-sugary snacks, this mom knows how to make the Fair fun for all ages. Beat: Family Activities & Exhibits

And here is my story of why I want to be a Deep Fried Ambassador:
I’m always looking for awesome adventures with my family. The State Fair holds a treasure of fun, out of the ordinary activities. My goal as The Wrangler blogger for the 2011 NC State Fair blog will be to inspire families to kick-up their heels and venture off the beaten path.

If I didn’t step out of my ordinary suburban life every now and then I would seriously loose my mind. I’m a sucker for all things Americana and I get a nostalgic feeling when I get around the smell of a state fair.

I don’t really know what draws me to seek unique cultural experiences like the state fair. Perhaps it a combination of my Latin roots and coming to the United States at such a young age, but I am drawn to these learning and growing opportunities, especially when it comes to my local community.  As a journalist by nature and trade, I am compelled to help others find out about what is current and happening in their local environment. That’s why I want to be The Wrangler mom and a Deep Fried Ambassador.  And I want to encourage families to venture off their beaten path, to step out of your box and get out of their daily life activities and into something fun and exciting.

I live in Johnston County, in Clayton to be exact, and relocated here from Denver, Colorado just last year. I’m a Latina with Midwest upbringing and a mountain heart.  And I credit my background with my zest for learning through others.
I’ve only lived in North Carolina for a year but already feel like a local. Armed with my new and shiny GPS, my vivacious 5-year-old and my iPhone we ventured out pretty quickly.  Within my first month in the Triangle we had experienced to the Museum of Life and Sciences in Durham, Marbles Children’s Museum and the NC State Farmers Market. Not to mention the beaches!!

People tell me I’m so brave to venture out so quickly but really I’m just curious and want to experience all that North Carolina has to offer. I’m a mom on the go and proud of it.  Plus, as I mentioned before, I would loose my mind if I didn’t learn something new and exciting on a frequent basis.

When you roll up my life experience you’ll find a journalist, a mother, and a socially driven communicator. I can’t wait to be the Deep Fried Ambassodor!! And it’s okay to eat cotton candy for dinner every once in a while. It’s going to be okay.

Hockey at Marbles

Don’t let being new to a city slow you down let alone intimidate you. I know it’s scary driving around with tots in tow but get a GPS, hop online and search for fun things to do. When I’m new to a town I love to jump in news Websites and Chamber of Commerce sites. You can easily find out what’s going on around town and what family friendly things are going on. Bug Playing hockey at Marbles.

First on my Raleigh agenda is the Marbles Kids Museum.  Before we left Denver a group of my mommy friends from the Website Momslikeme.com gave us a membership to Marbles. I honestly didn’t have an expectations so bug and I drove there one day to check it out.

All I can say is WOW! This is one heck of a museum. It’s of 3 levels filled with imaginary play, creative play, exploration and movement. I think I fell in love at first site. The entrance is marvelous and it has ample space and you never really feel crowded.

We love every part about it but my son is a sport enthusiast so we spent about 2 hours at mock ice rink that is sponsored by the local hokey team the Hurricanes. There’s also a mini soccer area, dancing, rock climbing, surfing, biking and a mini yoga mats and a mini music station for kids to get their groove on. I also love the attention to the world and other cultures. You know that gives Marbles a thumbs up from me.

If you’re in doubt about Marbles you shouldn’t be. The museum is so much fun and it’s well worth getting a membership. Get out and have some fun!

Curious George celebrates Hispanic Heritage month

The all new season of Curious George is off to an arts inspired start and along for the ride is once again Marco his Latino friend. The two amigos are set to commemorate Hispanic Heritage with a show scheduled to re-air the week of September 19th.

Starting with fresh new episodes on September 5th the new season is all about the arts and creative play with hints of math and engineering skills.

In the “Sock Monkey Opera,” Betsy becomes ill with the chicken pox and can’t go to see the show. But have no fear that George puts on an adorable show that will send your kids into a giggle.

My son and I love the new season as George captivates and inspires us through sculpting and photography in Shutter Monkey and George and the Giant Thumb. Take the great moments to capture and inspire creativity in your kids by coming up with your own plays. Andale, dress up and have some fun!

Just like season 5, season 6 of Curious George engages kids to get up and get going. I’m especially pleased with the real life vignettes after every show that promotes creativity.  Like I previously said, it’s taking George and Marcos’s creative moments to inspire moments in your real life.

Not only are the arts and sciences for cognitive development, it will pay off in the long run as noted by WGHB Executive Producer Dorothea Gillim.  “With this new season, kids will be inspired to dance, sculpt, and paint along with George, and they’ll also come away with knowledge of important STEM concepts.”

Enjoy the show and be sure to check out PBSKids.org for special features, contests and goods from Curious George.

As I prepare for bug to start Kindergarten I feel like I need to give up on the expectations that I had that he would go to a dual language school. When we left Denver for the suburbs of Raleigh, I knew that life would be different, but just how different? That was something that I had to learn of the course of last year.

I always wanted my son to go to a neighborhood school, one that he could attend with neighborhood friends just as my husband and I did. I wanted the school to be free of fuss and really include the basics but I wanted that school to be dual language.

I got most of my wishes but I didn’t get the dual language. This is something that I will have to deal with but it’s been a hard one to swallow. I’ve had to let go of my dream.

What I have done instead is to round-up resources, such as Mommy Maestra, a resource for home schooled Spanish speakers I’ve also increased the amount of Español en la casa y en el carro.

With my dreams coming to an end I’m learning to pick up new ones along my suburban way. Stay tuned!

 

How to make a piñata.