Cinnamon Roll Pull Aparts

I mentioned last week that I was going to be making a recipe for

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread.

So I did and I used this recipe and made some changes of my own.

Here's my version:

Dough:

3 c flour

2 T cornstarch

3/4 t salt

1 packet of yeast

1/2 c sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 c water

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar

3 t cinnamon

1 t cornstarch

1/4 c melted butter

chopped pecans

Icing:

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

2-3 T milk

(I like my icing THICK so I went easy on the milk)

Combine cornstarch, sugar, yeast salt and 2 1/2 c flour.

Heat butter and milk until butter is melted.

Add water and vanilla.

Pour all of the liquid into the flour bowl.

 Mix, adding one egg at a time and remaining flour

 until dough forms a ball.

I added a teaspoon or two of cinnamon to the dough.

Knead dough for just a bit and 

Let rise for 30-45 minutes.

Make the filling while your dough rises.

Mix the dry ingredients first and then add the melted butter.

Risen dough:

Add a little flour and knead.

Roll out dough.

 Generously spread with butter.

 Top with filling.

 Evenly spread out 3/4 of the filling.

Optional (but I'd highly recommend) adding chopping pecans.

 Roll it up carefully.

Slice it in about 1/2 inch circles.

 Top slices with the remaining 1/4 of the filling as topping.

 Put on a greased jelly roll pan in any arrangement you'd like.

Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes.
Let cool for a few minutes and then start icing.
I put a glob on each roll and then went back to spread out the icing evenly.
This helps to make sure that you don't run out of icing
and that your icing is equally distributed.

 They pulled apart so nicely.

Overall review: Delicious and I will be making these again.

 These Cinnamon Roll Pull Aparts were best the day of
and pretty good microwaved the following day.
Enjoy!

Whitney's Wardrobe

I really enjoyed putting together outfits this week

and I think it shows...

lots of color, prints and accessories.

Here's what baby girl and I have been wearing!

1. Neutrals with a Pop of Pink

earrings - Limited

scarf - Charlotte Russe

top & boots - TJ Maxx

pants - Motherhood (NEW)

 2. Bright and Cheery

earrings - vintage

top - thrifted

scarf - TJ Maxx

jeans - Motherhood (NEW)

wedges - Naturalizer

 21 Week Bump watch:

 3. Mustard, Stripes & Polka-dots - Oh my!

blazer- TJ Maxx

brooch - vintage

spikey bracelet - Groop Dealz

top & jeans - Motherhood (NEW)

belt - Macys

wedges - Naturalizer

 4. Feeling Refreshed after a 4 day weekend!

top - vintage

dress/belt - Old Navy (NEW)

sherbet flower earrings - Polka-Dotty Place etsy shop

flower pin -

booties - DSW

I'm linking up with

Catch a Glimpse

It never gets old catching a glimpse of your little one.

21 week ultrasound pics from yesterday.

Wave your hands in the air...

 A little profile shot

 4 heart chambers that sneakily resemble a four leaf clover...

she's an Irish fan already :)

 And the money shot of the bum...

It's a girl!!

Things are looking & measuring great!

Music to my ears.

Everything is right on track for 6.3.13

It's A...

At 21 weeks, it's official...

Boy or Girl??

 Today's the day.

We are having our official gender appointment this afternoon!!!
21 weeks

We're going to find out if Baby J is a boy or girl.

We don't have a preference at all but we are dying to know.

I can remember hearing people say things like,
We don't care as long as the baby is healthy.
I never really got it until now.
Bringing home a healthy baby really is the best gift in the world!! 

We are both feeling like it's a GIRL but we'll see if we are right.

Stay tuned...

via thelittleredheyn

Resolutions I won't be Making

In 2013...

I won't be vowing to go to bed earlier
because I've decided it's a hopeless cause.
 

I won't be perfecting my ironing skills
because I hate ironing (sorry mom).
 

I won't be resolving to take it easy on Pinterest
because it's addicting.
 

I will not stop thrifting
because there is always something out there that I NEED.
 

I won't be eating fewer desserts
since this is my favorite food group.
  

I won't be making my bed every day
because I don't get up early enough.
 

I won't floss as much as I should
because I always forget.
 

I will watch too much TV
because it's always on at my house.

I won't stress out about being a first time mom this year
because I'm sure I'll figure it out as I go. 

Surely there are more important things on the horizon for me to worry about.
Definitely.

High Five; it's Friday!

 I'm excited to kick off a 4 day weekend

with my highlights of the week!

1. I think these mailers are a sign

that I should be planning some sort of vacation.

2. I've started getting BABY mail this week!

 I also received a fun package for BABY J

 Awkward Story:

The post office man knocked on my door to deliver my package.

I opened the door and he said,

"Is there a BABY J that lives here?"

Awkward pause... "Yeah, uh that's for me."
"Okay?!?!" obviously thinking MY name was BABY J!!

I quickly shut the door opting not to further explain away the situation

 

I opened the box to find a note titled "Baby J Essentials"

and 8 wrapped gifts.  Yay for unwrapping unexpected gifts!!

The note had corresponding numbers explaining to this newbie mom 

why the wrapped items were baby must haves.

So fun!!  I don't have a.n.y. baby items so I was thrilled to get tips from my Sis 

about what I had to have in preparation for a little one.

Such a fun, thoughtful surprise!!

3. I got this 5 year journal for my birthday back in November

and decided I'd wait until the new year to start it.

It's up and running and I think it'll be fun to see 

how my answers/perspective changes over the next 5 years. 

4. I just discovered ifly.com !

Have you ever heard of it??

My husband has had several work trips this month 

so I've enjoyed  tracking his flights to see where he's at while he's away.

You just need to know the airline, flight number and airports to track a flight.

 5. My goal is to work hard to learn how to use these two Christmas gifts.

1. A tripod & the timer on my camera

2. A curling wand

I'm a novice at both so it should be fun to figure them out.

I'm linking up with

wiww

I'm at a weird point in my wardrobe.

20 weeks, half way into my pregnancy

and none of my non-maternity pants will zip,

skirts are getting tighter by the day

and I'm gravitating towards stretchy waistbands.

My maternity pants are coming out in full force 

and I'm still able to wear several of my non-maternity tops.  Yay!

My 3rd graders have put themselves on "bump watch"

and are doing a day to day analysis of my bump growth.

Exciting and grounding all in the same breath. 

Here's what I've been wearing this week:

1. Stripey Bump

dress - H&M (NEW)

fabric flower - Nordstrom Rack

booties - BORN

 2. My Favorite Colors

striped top & colored jeans - Motherhood (NEW)

scarf - Macys

flower pin - JC Penneys

charm bracelet - Brighton

navy bow flats - TJ Maxx

clover earrings - vintage Avon

Looks like my closet is quickly filling up with stripes this season.

I'm linking up with

Crepe Bar

My super room moms put together an amazing party for my class this year.

We had a 

CREPE BAR

One mom (who just happens to be French and an amazing cook) 

 made homemade crepes at home and brought the finished crepes to our party.

She put a piece of wax paper in between each crepe.

They had raspberries, strawberries, bananas,

peanut butter, syrup, nutella

and whipped cream.

The kids were thrilled to make their own crepes combinations.

Many kids were familiar with the art of eating crepes

so it was old hat to them.

A few, including myself, had never had them before

and we were excited to give these flat pancakes a try.

Everyone really enjoyed them.

I'm glad the mom made the crepes in advance 

because it made the line flow so smoothly.

 This was my creation once all the kids had gone through.

I loved the berries and chocolate nutella.

Next time I'd leave off the whipped cream.

I think adults and kids would love crepe bars 

at slumber parties, brunches, or breakfast get togethers.

Now I just need to get this crepe recipe and try to make some of my own.