Another Snow Day

More sub-par phone pictures from another snowy day!  I wish I had access to all my good photos, but I only get internet on my computer when using my phone as a hot spot, and it would be too much data to upload photos on here.  So for now, I guess it still works to upload them with the Blogger app.

Anyhow, here's what we did on our snow day at home yesterday!

Our selfie - we were watching the Today show in bed and they were discussing a new documentary called 'Selfie'.  It's about mothers and daughters and their idea of beauty.  Mothers and daughters were challenged to take selfies and see their own true beauty.  I hesitated, because I often don't feel beautiful first thing in the morning, but then went for it.  Here's our selfie!  (we had to make sure the bear was in the photo too.)

After breakfast we all snuggled back into bed to watch The Price Is Right.

We made cupcakes!

We played lots of Guess Who?!

The kids built towers and pyramids with blocks.

I just got these blocks last week - I love them!  They are made by the company Uncle Goose and are made in Michigan.  They have tons of different options for their blocks; classic, bugs, all numbers, all caps, nursery rhymes, presidents, and over 15 different languages.  I've been giving these to lots of kiddos lately, but I had to get these Dutch ones for our house.  I'm 100% Dutch and although I only know a few words, I needed to have these.  We will bring them to my grandparents on our next visit to get the pronunciations correct.  

Laundry is a given

Daddy even got in on some Guess Who at lunch time!  (oh and yes, I still have all my Christmas stuff up - I think it's coming down this weekend)

Mackenzie was helping me with the laundry and she had just carried a warm load into the living room.  I watched as she dumped some of it out, crawled in….

…and cuddled up to all the warm clothes!  She had no idea I was snapping these photos.  It was so funny, but the best part was that right then, Rylan walked through the living room, saw her and very nonchalantly said, "huh, well that's not something you see every day."  I about died!

But the best part of my day were these cupcakes!  I tried a new recipe and it's my favorite cupcake I've ever had!  The cake itself is a doctored up cake mix and the frosting is super easy and out-of-control delicious!

Cupcakes:

Make a box cake mix, but instead of following the exact directions, make these changes:

-use milk instead of water

-use melted butter instead of oil and double the amount 

-add an extra egg

-add 2 teaspoons vanilla

-fill cups 3/4 full

-preheat oven to 350, but reduce to 325 when inserting pan

-bake for 25 minutes

Chocolate Mint Frosting:

-3/4 cup butter, softened

-1 2/3 cups powdered sugar

-pinch of salt

-2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

-14 chocolate mint candy (Andes), chopped (14 candies is half of a 4.67 oz package)

-green food coloring

Beat butter on low speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until creamy.  Add vanilla, beat 1 minutes.  Gradually add powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, beat 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add chopped candies and green food coloring; beat 2-3 minutes, until creamy and blended.

Spread on cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with remaining package of chopped candies.  Then try not to eat every cupcake in one sitting!