Thank you!!

Thank you for supporting me during my BABY BOARDS GIVEAWAY! Only one week left to take advantage of this awesome deal! Check out some of the BABY BOARDS* in the works this month:

*Each BABY BOARD comes with #'s 1-12 to velcro onto that little white square you see pictured.

She thinks I'm wonderful.

There is nothing like watching a dog watch you. Markley is so precocious and investigative yet, so credulous and uncomplicated. Everything is new and everything is great. This morning, while Markley watched me get ready from her favorite off-limits* carpet locale, I thought to myself, she thinks I'm wonderful. She sat, poised and ready as if I might ask her to curl the back of my hair or help me decide which t-shirt to wear. She watched me open each cabinet and slide each drawer closed, eagerly waiting to see which product was next to be unveiled. Like a flower girl watching a bride, I saw her memorizing my movements. She could have chewed her bone or chased her tail (two of her favorite pastimes) but she didn't. She wanted to be with me. There is nothing like loving a dog who loves you in return. She thinks I'm wonderful. And I think she's pretty great, too.

*That's right, folks, Markley's also extremely rebellious and although she's been told over one million times that her presence has not been requested in either of the carpeted bedrooms, she is just so darn cute I sometimes cave and allow her to defy me.

This baby...

This baby was born on May 14, 1981.

This baby would grow up to be highly educated

with a vast array of interests, skills, and passions.

This baby would prove to be the most loyal

friend, brother and son.

This baby would one day marry

the most beautiful girl in all the land a nice, Jewish girl from Texas.

This baby would have one request when celebrating his 30th birthday:

to go to Vegas, baby.

Happy Birthday, Baby.

Your wish is my command!

I love you.

Let Them Eat (Crab) Cakes!

Crab Cakes!

Half of the Austin Luskeys has a strong commitment to a healthy lifestyle. The other half prefers creamy, sugary, indulgence is working on it. To aid in the fight against temptation, Brian purchased a subscription to Clean Eating Magazine and although I've only made one recipe from said magazine, I'm already hooked!

For your cooking/eating pleasure...

Crab Cakes:

1lb crabmeat, drained and picked for shells

1tb Dijon mustard

4tb whole-wheat panko bread crumbs

2tb chopped fresh parsley

4 scallions (white and some green parts) thinly sliced

Zest 1/2 lemon

1.5 tsp salt-free chili or cajun seasoning (like ms. dash extra spicy seasoning blend)

1tsp smoked paprika

1/8tsp sea salt

1lg egg

1lg egg white

1/4c whole wheat flour

fresh ground pepper to taste

2tb safflower oil, divided

Lemon wedges for serving, optional

Instructions:

In large bowl combine crabmeat, dijon, panko, parsley, scallions, lemon zest, chili season, paprika, salt, egg and egg white. Gently fold mixture with rubber spatula to blend to form patties, firmly pack crab mixture into a 1/4c measuring cup. Invert crab into your palm and press into the shape of a disk, about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a plate and repeat. Add 1tb of oil to large, heavy skillet and heat on medium. Add half crab cakes to cook until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side.

Yields: 10 crab cakes

Optional Salsa:

1c honeydew diced

1c strawberries diced

1/2sm red onion diced

1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced

3tb chopped parsley

1.5tb fresh lemon juice

pinch sea salt

Mix all salsa ingredients. Can be made upto 4 hours ahead. Serve at room temp.

You're welcome,

BABY BOARDS IS BACK IN BUSINESS + A limited time GIVEAWAY!

"BABY BOARDS by Kimberly" is a home business I started a little over a year ago for three simple reasons:

1. I love crafts.

2. I love babies.

3. I love being the boss.

I also love how Facebook ads tell me where I should be in my life. Four years ago, I noticed the left column of my homepage profile had begun to fill with ads for diamond rings and romantic restaurants. A few months later we officially took our relationship to the next level by changing our relationship status getting engaged and all of the sudden my sidebar ads changed to bridal bootcamp, floral design discount, and party supply rentals. Another relationship status upgrade later and lo and behold - puppy training classes, home decor, maternity wear. Another telltale sign of the times- profile pictures. We've all seen the profile progression - silly/girls night out, romantic date night/first trip together, beaming smiles and an upturned left hand showing off the bling, kissing while cutting the cake, first family portrait as a threesome (you, spouse, puppy). We all know what comes next... babies! And although I'm fine simply looking at other people's babies for the time being, I did notice a void that no Facebook ad was offering to fill.

I kept seeing young mamas posting pictures of their adorable babies with pathetic (no offense), handwritten, monthly birthday signs and thought, "Someone needs to make cuter signs for these babies!" And then I asked myself, "Why don't I just do it? I'm crafty! I like babies." I hightailed it to Michael's, made four prototypes, emailed a few mamas and asked if they would take pictures of their babies with the BABY BOARDS, ran to the post office, waited by my computer, constantly refreshing my email inbox patiently for the pictures and the rest is history!

So here's the scoop - BABY BOARDS is back after a brief hiatus while it's CEO moved across the country and now I need your help! For the month of May ALL BABY BOARDS will be FREE!! (Plus the cost of shipping = $5. Limit one per person.) All you have to do is follow these three easy steps:

1. Follow our blog!

2. "Like" the BABY BOARDS by Kimberly fan page!

3. Leave a comment on this post saying you've completed the task!

Call me vain, but I like knowing people are reading and enjoying this little online diary of mine. So if you like what you read - follow me! The fan page on Facebook also proves to be entertaining. While you're there, check out the adorable pictures sent in by BABY BOARD fans. (That's not a requirement to get a discounted BABY BOARD, but trust me, you'll want to.) It's hilarious to see the tiniest babies propped up looking so small next to their personalized BABY BOARD and so awesome to watch them grow month after month.

May is going to be a great month full of taking chances! Who knows... I might even fill out the application for that secret job I mentioned while complaining about my impatience. Either way, I'm excited to see the opportunities this giveaway brings!

Lovely doing business with you,