I've Moved!

Merry With Children has moved to www.merrywithchildren.com!  I hope you'll come join me over there as this site will go *poof* in a few weeks!

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What Do You Hide Behind?

I consider myself a pretty confident person.  I can talk in front of large crowds (500+), I can make friends with strangers, heck....I even let a magician juggle knives near my head but I still have moments where I wonder if I've got what it takes.

That's not so unusual, really....everyone questions themselves at one time or another.  My question is more aimed at those things that you hide behind in your day to day life.

For me it's makeup.....

I started wearing makeup in 9th grade.  Before that I was a bit of a tom boy and never really thought that much about my appearance.  I had thick glasses and quite a few bad perms so that was probably a good thing.  I lived in a foster home for a while and while I was there they helped me "figure out" my style.  Enter hot rollers and pan stick makeup.  

Thankfully I've toned down the makeup a bit over the years but I still refuse to go out of the house without makeup.  Okay, okay, I will go without it if I'm going to yoga but only if I'm going straight there...any stops...makeup.  

Here's the crazy thing, though, I don't wear all that much usually.  Often at the end of the day I look like I barely have any on but it doesn't matter....I have to wear it.  

Why?

I have no idea.  I think it's my mask I hide behind.  It makes me feel put together and ready to face the world.  Don't worry, I'm not doing this post to announce some new non-makeup wearing me....um...no.  

I will, however, post pictures....

No Makeup

Full Makeup...

Not a ton of difference, right?  So why can't I "just say no"?

What do you hide behind?

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What's Cooking Wednesday - Speedy Cinnamon Rolls

Have you ever really, really wanted homemade cinnamon rolls but didn't have the 2 hours plus it takes to make them from scratch?  If so, this recipe is for YOU!

Speedy Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from this recipe

3 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

1 1/4 cups milk + 2 Tbsp vinegar (or 1 1/4 cups buttermilk)

1 egg

3 Tbsp butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1-2 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine first 5 ingredients.  Mix well.  Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture looks like crumbs.  

Combine milk & eggs in a small bowl.  Add to crumb mixture and mix into dough.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 10 - 15 times.  Don't over knead but make sure dough is fully combined and not sticky.  Roll dough into a large rectangle (approx 16" X 12").  

Brush dough with softened butter, spreading evenly.  Sprinkly brown sugar and cinnamon over butter.  Roll the dough starting from one long side.  Pinch seam together and cut into 1" rounds.  Place on baking sheet (touching) and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe Notes:  Well, I forgot to put the cinnamon in these.  I didn't realize my mistake until right after I put them into the oven.  I pulled them out & sprinkled cinnamon all over the tops of the rolls.  They still turned out great.  These are more of a cinnamon biscuit than what you normally get as a roll because it doesn't use yeast.  My family has decided they actually prefer these.

If you prefer "real" cinnamon rolls, you can find recipe for those here and here.

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Wordless Wednesday - He Was Getting Kinda Bieber-iffic

 

This picture is actually a little misleading as his hair was laying down more than normal.  He was beginning to look like a cross between Justin Bieber and Kramer.

 

Worst picture ever....His nice new haircut that after I tried to get the 1.5 million hairs out of it that kept falling out.  Oh, and they had just given him a sucker.  Standing still for the picture was right up there with torture at this point.  

I decided to try the Great Clips near our house for his cut this time.  They had a sale so it was $7.99....definitely worth that price!

This Wordless Wednesday post is linked up at A Lot of Loves, 5 Minutes for Mom and My Organized Chaos.

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