Crock Pot Classics: Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

Its been awhile since I shared one of my favorite Crock Pot recipes with you, no? Of course that doesn't mean I am not cooking them, I am just not posting them. So, I decided to share this quick, easy breakfast  with you to beat off the cold that hopefully some of you are seeing. It also makes a great addition to every one's favorite meal: Breakfast for dinner.

This started out in our family as a regular french toast kind of deal but then my boys became addicted to cinnamon raisin bread so we switched to making it with that instead. You can use regular bread but honestly, the raisin bread is best.

This recipe also serves kind of a dual purpose here. You will find that this recipe will make a lot of French toast. So unless your family is large or ridiculously hungry, you will find your need to freeze some of it to have another day. I usually cut slices out (think cake slices) and tray freeze them. Then I can just defrost a few slices and have an easy breakfast. Of course you can half the recipe but you'll need a smaller Crock Pot than I own or you won't need to cook it near as long. Mine is 6 quarts.

Ok, time to gather your ingredients:

1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread (cut into chunks or half slices)
12 eggs
2c Milk
2tsp Cinnamon
2tbsp Light brown sugar
2tsp vanilla

Whisk all of the ingredients except the bread in a bowl. When it is well blended, gently fold the bread into the mix. Or you can put the bread into a big bowl and pour the mix over it. You don't want the bread to fall apart really but you do want it all coated and soaked in the mixture.

When its all coated and most of the liquid has soaked in (you can stick it in the fridge and let it sit if you want) dump it all into a well greased Crock Pot. Well greased people. Seriously. Cook it on low for 6-8 hours. Sometimes it takes mine a little longer for some reason.

Use a spoon to serve or even just dump it on a plate and slice it up. Enjoy!

Famous Footwear is Coming to Suwanee!

If you have kids, you know how absurd it is how quickly they out grow their shoes. In my house, it never fails that they always outgrow their shoes at the same time. Usually two or three times a year, I am shoe shopping with the two of them and while K is easy to shop for, D is increasingly picky about the style and brand of all of his clothing.

Good news for us, Famous Footwear announced today it is opening a new store in Suwanee, Georgia, located in the John’s Creek Town Center at 3630 Peachtree Parkway, marking its 16th location in the Atlanta market!

The 6,000-square-foot store will open on July 23 and will host a

series of grand opening event activities throughout the day. To celebrate the opening in Suwanee, Famous Footwear is hosting

an all-day grand opening event on August 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shoppers are invited to experience fun activities including:

· A local shoe artist customizing shoes for customers from noon to 6 p.m.
· Drawings every hour from noon to 6 p.m. for a chance to win free shoes.
· An appearance from popular local radio station, WWPW-FM 96.1, giving shoppers the chance to meet some of their favorite radio personalities.
· A DJ spinning live music!

Famous Footwear is a leading, easy-to-shop footwear destination, featuring brand name merchandise for women, men and children, making it a one-stop-shop for the entire family. Shoppers can access Famous Footwear’s loyalty Rewards program and vast style selection in-store to meet their family’s footwear needs.

Famous Footwear recently launched their new mobile app which gives Rewards members 15 bonus points just for downloading, makes redeeming Rewards points even easier and gives shoppers access to exclusive mobile offers. The Famous Footwear app is available for download today on Google Play and iTunes or simply by texting APP to FAMOUS (326687) to get a mobile link.

For more information, visit www.Famous.com or www.Facebook.com/FamousFootwear.

*I was provided a gift card in exchange for spreading the word about Atlanta's newest location but all opinions are my own.

Two Swimmy Fish

Its official, both my boys can swim! D learned to swim unassisted last Summer but has only gotten stronger and more confident this year. Lately he has been perfecting his dive. Its progressed from a cringe worthy belly flop to a much more sophisticated looking dive.



K on the other hand refused to be in the water and not be wrapped around your face and/ or have a swim vest on until this year. I even tried swim lessons to make it easier and it didn't help.

At the beginning of the swim season this year, I got him a new vest and let him have at it. He has been so much more confident this year its almost like a different kid. He jumps in and puts his face in and swims all around the pool chatting up strangers all day as long as he had his vest. If I took the vest off he would panic. Until recently. His confidence I  the water has grown by leaps and bounds in the last month. Then, today, I decided to try again.



Little fart had me snowed! He took off across the pool like it was no big deal. Jump in and swim to you, mom? No problem. Go fetch that diving ring from water over my head? Check. The only thing I cant convince him to do is backfloat. He is convinced he's going to drown on his back for some reason. Still, I'm impressed as heck. First they taught themselves to use the potty, then they taught themselves to swim. No complaints here!

How old were your kids when they learned to swim?

Going Grey

I remember the day I found my first grey hair. It was two days before my 21st birthday. I was shopping to find an outfit to go out with my friends for the big day and the light in the dressing room caught the glimmer of grey shining out in the rest of my dark brown head. I pulled it out and told no one.

Fast forward five years through a wedding, years of unbelievable stress, and the birth of two children and suddenly one morning there were two. They were just there. Taunting me from the very top of my head like beacons of a coming storm. I pulled them and told everyone.

For years after that I colored my hair. It went through a myriad of shades of brown and red. I considered blonde but I always chickened out and couldnt commit to it. With hair as dark as mine it would require lots of bleaching and upkeep that I dont have the time or money for.

The last 3 years my hair has reverted to its natural color. I started with dying it back as close as I could get it to my natural color and let it grow from there. I've cut the ends off and let it grow its self back to the dark, chestnut brown I was born with.

Now, the grey has reached the stage where its no longer "pullable". If I pulled all the grey on my head right now I would look rather odd to put it lightly. It seems like it has gathered mostly around the tops of my ears with scattered loners appearing occasionally on the top of my head. 

So now I am faced with the quandary that most women in their 30s deal with. To dye or not to dye? Do I repeat the process of dying my hair every month only to have to eventually let it revert to its natural state eventually anyway? Or just make peace with the aging process and let it take over? Odds are good natural will win out. At least for the time being. 

My Very Own Toothless

Ok, maybe not toothless but a tooth less for sure! 

First tooth gone!

Who told him that he could grow up??