Sunday Surprise! I'm back!

Hey there Pinstrosipeeps!

How the heck are you? Rachel, here. Since you haven't read a blog post from me in about three months, let me re-introduce myself. Haha, just kidding (only kind of).

I hope this Sunday Surprise post finds all of you well, and crafting up a storm. After looking through what everyone has been up to this summer, it looks like the 4th of July pinstrosities went over smashingly. 'Merica!

In case you're wondering what I've been up to, let me fill you in. If you're not, just scroll down a ways. I'm going to make a list so it's quick, ready? Go!

• Mother's Day Festivities
• Father's Day Celebrations
• Family in town
• Laid off from job
• Worked for mom when she injured her hip
• Got new job
• Returned to work
• Busy busy busy

The good news? Life is going well, and thank goodness I am working again. The bad news? I've got no real pinstrosities to report to you. As a matter of fact, I have hardly been on Pinterest. However, today's post is going to revolve around my wonderful mother, Beth. Why do you ask? Because she's a Pinterest addict like we are AND she taught herself how to send me pins. This means that I frequently log onto Pinterest only to have 40 notifications all from my mother. So, without further delay, today's Sunday Surprise post is a fun collection of pins sent to me by my dearest mama.

1. The Best Daughter in the World

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6d/75/ab/6d75ab4208768c8acd4a9856c366da7b.jpg

2. Puppies. 

Because, really, who doesn't love puppies.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/66/ab/02/66ab02be25b4e6b3440ad3ba0f0d2e8b.jpg

3. Friends

https://www.flickr.com/photos/merlsmom/

4. Math and Driving

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/8b/94/d5/8b94d59bd81d2dfab264426de085c4ae.jpg

5. Happy Little Trees

Yay Bob Ross!

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/df/1f/e8/df1fe8fca29e451e11a4f7d4eea1391e.jpg

6. Sass

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9a/a3/47/9aa3471c0937980e54f908d8e1d82981.jpg

7. Astronomy

I'm still not over it.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/8d/6b/e38d6bde68064209a12c8692f3bdceeb.jpg

8. Flirting

Seriously, my mom knows me too well.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5a/f0/08/5af008383a58bd5d3357fd1c7517dc10.jpg

9. Facing Your Fears

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3d/3c/86/3d3c8695a6fe18d03f956505c5a6e24b.jpg

10. Kitties.

Because, c'mon, who doesn't also love kitties?

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/c4/3d/d3/c43dd322bb373546de237ada93850127.jpg

If you'd like to follow my mom on Pinterest, you can do so here! I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday, and hopefully, I'll have some projects for you soon.

Internet-hugs to all of you!

--Rachel

Flashback Friday-Healthy Ice Cream???

Em here, so this is one of our VERY FIRST POSTS EVER!!! And it's summer so I feel it is relevant in that it is about Ice Cream :) Homemade healthy ice cream...too good to be true?? Check it out!


Healthy Ice Cream?

I was looking for sugar free desserts the other day and came across a recipe for yogurt, honey, cinnamon ice cream. I pinned that faster than...something really fast. I LOVE cinnamon. I love honey. I love ice cream. A combination of the three? Yes please. This sounded heavenly.

The Original Pin

 

Source: weelicious.com via Marquette on Pinterest

You'd think with three ingredients, this would be pretty fail proof. 

What Went Wrong:

• Our gel canister ice cream maker was way too cold and the yogurt concoction froze solidly to the sides almost instantly, so the paddle couldn't turn. 
• With the sides of the ice cream maker coated in a solid layer of overly frozen yogurt, the yogurt in the middle just got cold...it didn't freeze much at all. 
• I wanted ice cream and this definitely was not ice cream. It was good yogurt, but it didn't even come close to ice cream for me.

This is 20 minutes after scooping out the soft yogurt...it's still frozen solid. I could mortar a house with this stuff! You can't use metal on these gel canisters...and as you can see, a wooden spoon just doesn't cut it.

How to fix this:

• Let the ice cream maker thaw out some before I try and freeze yogurt
• Try the alternative method given in the blog of freezing in in popsicle form. 
• Try different flavors in the yogurt...maybe I can make it less yogurty and more desserty.
• Vanilla and caramel flavorings
• Throw in some fresh fruit (ooh...berries!)
• If you still want to make it healthy and sugar free but don't want the honey taste, try using Truvia or some other natural sweetener. We like Truvia at our house.
• Buy ice cream if it's ice cream you're wanting. 

Do note, that this isn't a bad recipe at all for regular yogurt when yogurt is desired. I'm going to make it again, just not when I'm craving ice cream.