The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 14: Foodie Penpals

The Lean Green Bean

I love mail, don’t you?  E-mail is great, but there is nothing like going to the mailbox and finding something other than bills there!  Last year, I participated in a blogger swap and I hosted two Mamma Support Swaps.  Both were so incredibly fun!  So when I heard about the Foodie Penpal Program, I couldn’t wait to sign up! 

I met two new girls by participating in Foodie Penpals: I sent my package to Katy at Savor Life’s Flavors, and Heather at Happy & Simple sent one to me! 

Katy lives in Massachusetts and is a New England Patriots fan…yay!  I decided to go with a Football Muchies theme for her box and included a bunch of semi-healthy choices.  This is what I sent:

When Heather’s box for me arrived, the entire family was so excited to see what was inside!  She really knocked it out of the park…we loved (and quickly devoured) everything!!

 
These dark chocolate raspberry bites were amazing.  I need to contact Heather and get the recipe!

I had such a wonderful experience and can’t wait to swap again!  Foodie Penpals occurs monthly, so you can jump in at anytime.  If you’re interested, read more here. 

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 13: Laundry Room Inspiration Board

I am writing today’s post from the laundry room.  Well not really, but I might as well be.  With four children and an active husband, I seem to be in there on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.  Oh laundry, you are a chore I am learning to love…
 
Anyway, if I am going to spend so much time in one room, I might as well make it pretty to look out and be in, right?  Painting, organizing and decorating time!  If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this picture:
 
 
This was the moment when inspiration hit!  After I got my thoughts on paper, I checked my Pinterest boards for a few more ideas and this is what I came up with: 
 

I plan on painting the room the same color as the first floor, Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan.  I’m just a little bit in love.  Neutral, but not drab.

1.  We currently have wire shelving above our washer and dryer.  They are fine and get the job done, but I hope to eventually replace them with white cabinets and a hanging rod. 
2. I love the vintage look of schoolhouse lights.  I think this one would work (different from the one pictured, since it is semi-flushmount vs. a pendant).
3. This rug from West Elm is beautiful and in the blue/gray palette I’m going for. 
4. I have one small window in the room.  Still undecided, but I’m thinking bamboo blinds (to add a different texture) or possibly roman shades.  This tutorial is for the faux version and no sew! 
5. Since the laundry room also doubles as a makeshift mudroom, we’ve got all kinds of craziness going on.  Shoes are everywhere!  I’m hoping to pick up two of these Ikea shoe cabinets soon to get things under control.
6. My husband frequently wears a shirt and tie for work, so the ironing board actually gets some use!  I’m hoping to find a space to hang ours up like this.

So that’s the plan!  What about you?  What’s your laundry area like?  Seen any great ideas on Pinterest?  Please share!   

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 12: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

As part of our resolutions this year, my little family is trying to cut out processed foods.  The transition has been pretty painless…until we get to the sweet section of the store.  Goodbye Oreos.  See ya later Chips Ahoy!  To satisfy our sweet tooths (teeth?), I’ve decided to make cookies here at home.  Hence, my Pinterest board, The Cookie Project, was born!  Today’s recipe is a good one.  I added a big handful of chocolate chips to mine, but you definitely don’t need them…they are delicious as is.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
orginial recipe from The Girl who Ate Everything, chocolate chips are my addition 🙂

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 heaping cup raisins
1 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Melt butter and let cool slightly.
3. Mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the cinnamon, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk for 2 minutes or until light and creamy. Mix in the flour mixture until just blended. Add the oats, raisins, and chocolate chips. Mix until just blended.
5. Bake 14-16 minutes, until the edges are brown and the centers still slightly soft. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

 

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 11: Snow Crafts with the Kiddos

 
Happy Monday, friends!  How was your weekend?  Did you see snow in your neck of the woods?  We heard rumors of 4-6 inches, but ended up only getting a dusting.  My boys were ecstatic anyway!   
 
 
Afterwards, my oldest and I snuck away and did a snow day craft, just the two of us.  We don’t get one-on-one time very often these days.  It was special. 
 

The pin is from the blog, Art, Paper, Scissors.  For maximum creativity, I explained the craft to M without showing him the picture.  The result was so him!  It is now taped proudly on our wall.  

In the mood to do a few wintery activities with your little ones?  Check out these links:

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