Mom Blog - Tips from a Typical Mom

Girls Hair Do {Waterfall Twist Braid Crown}

2012-02-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

This hair do is beautiful. Perfect for curly hair also. Romantic and soft. This is a twist instead of a waterfall braid.

Click here to watch the tutorial video!~ Enjoy!

Girls Hair Do Tutorial {Bohemian Style Low Buns}

2012-02-24T20:39:00.001-07:00

I LOVE this Bohemian (BoHo) Style Hair do for girls. I think it would be perfect for a Wedding Hair Do or a Prom Hair do also! The hair is sectioned off in to pony tails then made into loose messy buns with bobby pins. These ponies can be made on different levels for a 'cluster' look too!

Click here to watch the tutorial~ Enjoy!

Hair Do {Messy Bun} Perfect for Wet Hair~ Girls Hair Do

2012-02-24T20:34:00.002-07:00

This hair style is fun and cute. Easy and quick. Perfect for a busy morning and wet hair right out of the shower~

Click here to see the tutorial~ Enjoy!

FREE {Saint Patricks Day} Party Template Printables!

2012-02-16T12:53:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone! I just thought I'd share some love to all my great readers and give you guys a free printable for Saint Patrick's Day Parties! I created these using photoshop and they will come to you as JPG. You can print them on regular card stock size 8.5x11". And to share the love back, please share this with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook! Have a great day!

Click HERE to download yours! They are zipped, so you will need to unzip them :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2011-09-25T09:51:00.003-06:00

These pancakes are just perfect for those lazy Fall Sunday Mornings, and SO easy and yummy too!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancake Recipe:
4 cups pancake mix (I like Krusteaz)
3 cups water
1 15 oz can 100% pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
Chocolate Chips

Mix together the pancake mix and water. Add the pumpkin and mix well. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. If the batter is too thick, add a little more water. It should be the consistency of cake batter. Heat your griddle to 350 degrees. Use a 2 T cookie scooper to drop dough onto the griddle. Sprinkle chocolate chips onto the pancakes and press down into dough. Once the pancake is full of bubbles, flip over and continue to cook until the dough bounces back when pressed with your finger in the center. Serve with HOT all natural Maple Syrup from Vermont ;) Ha, I used cold Mrs. Buttersworth!

I didn't count how many pancakes this made, but I have a family of 7 and we still have a plate full of leftovers because these are filling. Freeze your leftovers for your kids to use on School Mornings. Just pop them in the toaster or microwave for a little bit.

Enjoy your Fall Y'all!!

Bake Sale Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes! And Free Lemonade Stand Printables.

2011-06-07T09:14:00.002-06:00

Ooohhh! These are really good! And the word we all love... EASY! Is your mouth watering yet! I thought these would be perfect for your Summer Lemonade Stand or Bake Sale's. BTW, here is a FREE printable for decorating your Stands and making them cute and desirable (not like my kids stands where they pull anything out of the garage and use it to put the lemonade on! HA!) If you are reading this and you live in my neighborhood, don't even think about using these for your own kids, I call it first!! ;) (just kidding... kind of)

Here is a sneak peek at the printables: Click Here to get yours!

Recipe:

Lemonade Cupcakes
1 box white cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. lemon juice
3 T. sour cream
Yellow Food Coloring (optional)
Follow instructions on box and bake into cupcakes :)

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
This recipe makes a LOT of frosting, you could cut it in half, but I like to make more for chocolate cupcakes, and homemade Oreos too :)
4 large strawberries at room temperature
2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
about 2 pounds powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Chop strawberries finely and place on paper towel to soak up some of the moisture. Add butter to bowl and beat with a mixer until fluffy, add vanilla and about 2 cups of the sugar. Blend well, incorporate cream. Add in small amounts of powdered sugar, blending well after each addition, to reach the desired consistency, beat until fluffy. Frosting should be smooth and soft, yet hold its shape.

How to Decorate:
I use a gallon sized zip lock bag with the end clipped off to decorate the cupcakes with. Please don't look closely at my 12 Year old son's fingernails in this picture!

Organize Yourselves Checklist

2011-05-26T13:35:00.000-06:00

I made a checklist for my house today and thought I'd share! I am planning on using it for:

1. An organized shopping list. Red will be for Fruits, Green for Veggies, Orange for Health and Beauty, Blue for freezer items. etc.
2. A Daily to do list divided into Outside, Inside, Kids, Work etc.
3. Divided checklists for the children.

You can download your own HERE!

Enjoy!

Teacher Gift Sayings...

2011-05-26T12:52:00.000-06:00

I always struggle with what to get my childrens teachers at the end of a school year. I have 5 kids (4 of which are in school) and it could get costly! But here are some cute inexpensive ideas to get you through...

"You are out of this world" tag attached to a Milky Way or Mars candy bar
"You deserve an extra payday!" tag attached to a Payday candy bar
"There is no 'sub'stitute for you!" tag attached to a gift card for the local sub shop
"You are 'extra' special" tag with a pack of Extra Gum
"Thanks for helping Blake 'bloom'" tag with a bouquet of flowers
"We appreciate the 'mounds' of work you do!" tag attached to a Mounds candy bar
"Thanks for giving Blake a hand" tag with hand lotion
"Thanks a 'latte'!" tag with a gift card from local coffee shop, special coffees or travel mug
"You are 'souper'! - soup mix, custom decorated soup bowls or homemade soup
"Thanks for holding everything together" tag with fun paper clips
"Just a note to say you are special" custom made note pads , purchased notepads or post it notes
"You are a 'treasure' tag with Treasures candy
"You really measure up" tag with a cool ruler, yardstick or measuring tape
"You are 'sum'body special" tag with a calculator or math game for the class
"You are the apple of our eye" with a basket of apples (construction paper leaves with nice sayings---A+ teacher, you're special etc. can be hot glued to the stems)
"You are 'tea'rrific!" tag with a selection of teas
"You deserve a 'break' today! Thanks for your hard work" tag with a Fast-Break candy bar or McDonald's gift certificates
"You are a smart cookie" tag with homemade cookies
"Thanks for a 'picture' perfect year" tag with movie coupons or nice picture frame
"Thanks for making our school year bright" tag with a package of highlighters
"Thanks for helping Blake grow" tag with flower seeds
"You are o'fish'ally the best!" tag attached to Goldfish Crackers
"Thanks for lighting the way" or "You light up our world" with a flashlight or nice candle
"We are your biggest 'fan'!"with a cute desk fan, hand held fan or paper fan.
"Thanks for the 'time' you spend with Blake" tag on a cute clock, fun watch or pretty appointment book
"We are fortunate to have you!" tag with a Chinese take out box filled with fortune cookies
"You have been a 'bright' spot in our year!" tag with a package of highlighters
"You are a joy!" tag attached to an Almond Joy candy bar
"Thanks for giving Blake a hand!" tag attached to work or garden gloves filled with candy
"You have been just 'write' for Blake!" package of nice pencils or pens in a case or container
"You rock!" tag with pop rocks, rock candy, Rock Star soft drink or painted rock for a paperweight
"You have been 'key' to Blake's success!" tag attached to a key ring, maybe a pretty handmade beaded one
"We are 'nuts' about you!" tag attached to some nuts
"You 'float' above the rest" tag attached to a balloon or a fun pool float for the summer
"You are worth more than a 100 grand to Blake!" tag attached to a 100 Grand candy bar
"You 'mint' so much to us this year" tag attached to some mints
"You were 'mint' to be a teacher!" tag attached to some mints
"Here is a 'pat' on the back for doing such a great job!" tag attached to a gift certificate for a massage
"You are an 'amazing' teacher" tag attached to an Amazing candy bar

Have fun having your kids at home for the Summer!!

Tin Can Treats for Mothers Day!

2011-05-06T10:52:00.000-06:00

I just love the Our Best Bites web site and they came up with another GREAT idea! This doesn't have to be just for Mothers Day! Use it for anyone who could use a treat. I have made my own prinables and I thought I'd share them with you. Here is an image of what they should look like afterwards using your own paper and the printable word tags from Our Best Bites. Go to their web site HERE to find the directions...

Here is the printable that I made so I could just print it all out and not have to do so much cutting :) Just click on the image and right click and choose copy or save as and save it to your computer. Then you can print it on an 8.5x 11 sized piece of paper. They should be the exact measurements you need!

Easter Birds Nest Cookies

2011-04-13T10:26:00.000-06:00

Do you remember these Birds Next Cookies from when you were a kid? Mmmm... butterscotch!! (image from here)

Bird's Nest Cookies

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Allergy note: contains dairy and wheat ingredients

12 oz. package chow mein noodles
12 oz. package butterscotch morsels
90 egg-shaped candies

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Pour the butterscotch morsels in a microwave-safe bowl and place them in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds then remove to stir. Return to the microwave and heat again for 30 seconds. Stir until melted. Add in the chow mein noodles and mix till combined. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to portion out the cookies onto the baking sheet. If the mixture starts to solidify in the mixing bowl, you can reheat for 15 to 30 seconds to melt. Place three egg-shaped candies in the center of each cookie. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before serving or transferring.

Easter Egg Carton Chicks

2011-04-13T10:17:00.000-06:00

These little chicks are such a good idea for teacher or friend Easter gifts, and the kids will love making them!! Check out the instructions here.

Easter Egg Topiary

2011-04-13T10:13:00.000-06:00

I think this topiary is so pretty! I found it here...

Feather your nest with topiaries made from paper napkin–covered plastic eggs glued onto Easter grass–covered Styrofoam cones.

Materials

• Newspaper or scrap paper
• Styrofoam cone (ours are 17 7⁄8" x 4 7⁄8", $7.99, and 12" x 4", $4.99; Michaels.com for store locations)
• Spray adhesive (we used Scotch
• Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive, $25.95; Amazon.com)
• Paper Easter grass (we used Ostergras in Cloud White, D. Blümchen & Company, $3; Blumchen.com)
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• Paper Napkin–Covered Eggs (see directions, below; we used 45 eggs for the large topiary and 25 for the small one)
• Pedestal bowl or platter

Directions

1. On a newspaper-covered surface, coat a Styrofoam cone with spray adhesive. Adhere handfuls of Easter grass to glue, pressing lightly, until cone is covered.

2. Apply hot glue to bottom of one egg and adhere to top of cone. Continuing from the top and working in horizontal rows, hot-glue backs of eggs to cone, spacing eggs about 1" apart on all sides.

3. Fill in spaces and sparse areas between eggs by pressing bits of Easter grass onto the cone, which should still be tacky with adhesive. Place topiary on pedestal bowl.

Contributor Eddie Ross, a publishing veteran, has appeared on Bravo’s Top Design and HGTV’s Celebrity Holiday Homes. Together with his partner, Jaithan Kochar, he chronicles his decorating and entertaining projects on his blog, EddieRoss.com.

Easter Wreath

2011-04-13T10:10:00.000-06:00

I love these next two ideas from SheKnows.com! The Easter Wreath looks really easy to make and the Easter topiary looks like a lot of fun for you and your kids!!

Materials:
Eight 3-1/4" x 2-3/8" Styrofoam Eggs, Design Master Colortool sprays: Raspberry, Sonia, Yellow/Yellow, French Blue, Perfect Pink, Orange, Hill Green, Violet, Design Master Tack 2000 Spray Adhesive, Design Master Dresden ClearGlaze, Crystal Diamond Dust, 16 Wood Picks or Skewers, 14" Macrame Ring, Wire Clippers, Low Temp Glue & Glue Gun, Three Yards Ribbon

Directions:
1) Insert wood picks in the middle side of eggs. Holding this handle, spray eggs with a variety of bright Design Master Colortool sprays. Follow spraying directions on the can to prevent melting the foam. Allow to dry.

2) Working a few eggs at a time, spray Design Master Tack 2000 Spray Adhesive onto eggs. Allow adhesive to become tacky then sprinkle with Diamond Dust Crystals. Let eggs dry.

3) Seal eggs with Design Master Dresden ClearGlaze.

4) With wire clippers snip through macrame ring at seam. Put slight pressure on the ring to bend so that cut ends slightly overlap when pressure is released. This will aid in keeping ends together when finishing the wreath.

5) Remove wood pick handles and thread eggs onto ring by piercing through the middle side of each egg. Alternate sizes.

6) Secure ring ends together by gluing wire ends and inserting into middle of adjoining eggs. Hold ends in place while glue dries.

7) Tie the ribbon in simple bow and attach it to the wreath.

Easter Topiary

2011-04-13T10:06:00.000-06:00

Materials for topiary form:
2 Styrofoam balls in graduated sizes, (2) ¼ inch round wood rods cut to a length of 6”, 1 block of floral foam (also known as oasis foam), 1 small flower pot, small river rocks (approximately 3 cups), glue gun and glue sticks

Materials for covering the candy topiary:
8 six-ounce bags of gumdrops, 2 six-ounce bags of lemon drops, 1 (500 count) box of toothpicks

Directions for creating the topiary form:
1) Cut the block of floral foam so that it will fit snugly down into the flower pot to form an anchor for the topiary.

2) Taking one of the round rods, gently push it about 2” into the center of the larger Styrofoam ball. Use the glue gun to secure the area where the rod and Styrofoam meet.

3) Repeat step 2 with the remaining rod and Styrofoam ball.

4) Gently press the end of the topiary down into the floral foam inside the flower pot. Use the river rocks to brace the stick.

Directions for covering the topiary with candy:
1) Break the toothpicks into two pieces and insert the pointed end into the gumdrop.

2) Gently push the gumdrop into the round Styrofoam ball until the base of the gumdrop is almost touching.

3) Continue steps 1 and 2 until the ball is covered with gumdrops.

4) Finish off the project by covering the river rocks with Lemon drops.

WIN IT WEDNESDAY!!

2011-03-16T10:29:00.000-06:00

Head over to my other blog to enter to win the cutest headband!!

LUELLA BELLA BEANIES

A giveaway!

2011-03-01T08:27:00.001-07:00

Go check out this awesome website with tons of Ideas and cute printables for parties!

Check it out here at Kara's Party Ideas!

They are doing a giveaway right now!

Also! I'll be announcing the winner of my giveaway on my creations blog in a min!!

Check it out here at Luella Bella Beanies!

Figure 6 hair crown- Girls Hair do's

2011-02-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

How to Krimp or Wave hair with a straightener

2011-02-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Rose Curls on top of Head- Girls Hair do's for Prom or Wedding

2011-02-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

This Hair is Perfect for Easter, Prom, Wedding, or any special occasion and all you need is a curling iron and bobby pins!

Pony Tail Flips- Girls Hair Do's

2011-02-15T09:09:00.002-07:00

"Tangled" Braid and French Braid Headband

2011-02-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Full Body Curls with a Curling Iron Girls Hair Do's

2011-02-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

This style of curling is perfect for a quick do and perfect for proms or weddings!

Giveaway!!

2011-01-26T11:25:00.002-07:00

Check out this awesome giveaway!

over $250 worth of prizes will be given away!!

http://wishfulthinkingphotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/big-birthday-bash-giveaway.html

Girls Hair Do's- Valentines Day Heart on side of Head

2011-01-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

A lot like the Heart Pony (next blog post) but smaller and on the side of the head. Perfect for Valentines Day!

Girls Hair Do's- Valentines Day Heart Pony Tail

2011-01-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

This hair do is super simple and fun for Valentines Day!

Boy's Hair Do's- How to spike a boy's hair

2011-01-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

Girls Hair Do's- Front Twist for Bangs

2011-01-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is perfect for a quick hair do when you are late for school! Also, it keeps the bangs out of the face. Really easy!

Girls Hair Do's- How to brush out tangled hair

2011-01-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

This is how we brush out tangled hair without tears or screams!

Deep Cleaning Day!

2011-01-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

Friday is deep cleaning day at our house. Mainly because the kids get out of school early, and I HATE spending the whole day cleaning on Saturday. I think the kids deserve a day off (except for yard work, that is always done on Saturday cause daddy is home). Here is how we do it...

Child One (and toddler): Living Room and Office
(done in both rooms)
     -Picks up everything and puts it AWAY!
     -Vacuums whole floor moving what can be moved and vacuumed under
     -Dust anything that has a surface
     -Cleans the front of TV
     -Cleans windows
     -Dusts desk and computer

Child Two: Childs Bathroom
   -Cleans counter, sink and faucet
     -Organizes drawers
     -Cleans toilet
     -Cleans shower and tub
     -Picks up floor and sweeps
     -Takes out garbage

Child Three: Kitchen
     -Empties and Loads dishwasher
     -Scrubs Sink
   -Wipes down countertops and table with clorox wipe
     -Wipes down chairs and barstools
     -Sweeps floor (including halls)
     -Spot cleans floor (I always mop, call me obsessive)
     -Takes out garbage
     -Wipes down appliances

My kids have flip cards laminated and put on a circle ring to help them remember what needs to be done in each room. They just flip the card to see what's next (and it has a picture of the things they will need to accomplish this job also) and when they get back to the beginning, they know they are done :) It's the best thing in the world! You can download the ones I made HERE.

One more great thing about this... they are in charge of that room for the WHOLE WEEK!   So if the dishes need to be loaded, the Kitchen Kid does it, or if the Living room needs to be vacuumed, the Living Room Kid does it :) This way they learn how to pick up after themselves.

Oh, by the way, my kids also do their own laundry. Tuesday is the girls day and Wednesday is the boys day. They separate their clothes into lights, whites, and darks, and they know how to turn on the washer, add soap, and add the right amount of clothes. Then they switch the laundry and fold and hang up their own clothes. I was hoping this would stop them from putting clean clothes in the hamper because that would give them less work to do, but no such luck yet. Hopefully they will catch on soon!

I hope this helps your weekly and daily chores. I believe children should be responsible for helping out around the house. They need to learn that Mom isn't a slave. Even though my kids are in charge of these things at our house. I am still always busy cleaning up in between Fridays.

New Videos!

2011-01-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am working on some new videos for the blog and was wondering what you would like to see! Give me suggestions and I will work on it.

Up coming videos include:

-How to care for a newborn

-Girls Hair Do's

-Crochet Tutorials for hats, fingerless gloves, spiral scarfs and flower headbands

Let me know what else you would like to see cause your opinion is what matters :)

Mom Guilt... 'nuf said!

2011-01-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

You know you have it! If you are a mom... you FOR SURE feel guilty about at least 10 things each day! Let's see, today I feel guilty that my husband got up with our daughter while she was throwing up last night while I laid in bed, I feel guilty that I slept in instead of getting up with my 11 year old before he went to school and he had to come into my bedroom and say goodbye to me, I feel guilty that I stayed in my jammies until 2 PM, (well there is a good reason for that, I was at home with a sick kid). But today is a rare one because I didn't yell at my kids ONCE while we were on the way out the door for school! YAY FOR ME! Each day we do something that we feel was not quite right, but it's good for our kids to know that we MAKE MISTAKES! Just like every human being on the planet. The important thing is that we say we are sorry when we know what we have done is wrong. But for those small things... we don't need to feel guilt. Here is a list of 31 reasons we shouldn't feel mom guilt about... brought to you from Parenting Magazine at Parenting.com.

1. Taking a vacation with only your husband.
It's such a tragedy for the kids to spend time with their superindulgent grandparents! Besides, they'll benefit from you two not giving each other the stink eye during dinner.
2. Feeling smug that you're a better parent than those on Supernanny.
No worries. We all feel smug watching Supernanny. Until we don't, at which time we employ her techniques.
3. Not signing up to be class parent.
Think of it this way: Your ability to say no to volunteer tasks you can't handle will leave you better able to concentrate on what only you can do, like getting your kids fed, dressed and onto the bus. Some days, that's huge!
4. Yelling at your son when he actually didn't do anything wrong.
Sure, not a great move, but it's a good opportunity to show him that even you screw up sometimes, and that saying sorry really does help make it better.
5. Enjoying your work.
You can love your kids and still have that "Thank God It's Monday" feeling, well, every Monday. Especially after a long and dreary winter weekend.
6. Buying your daughter the generic UGGs.
She'll live without the label, even if she thinks she will not, and her tootsies will be just as toasty.
7. Buying yourself the real ones.
You treat your shoes better than your kid does, and you won't outgrow them. Plus, they're really cute. Being the wage earner has its perks.
8. Giving him the answer to the last problem on his math homework.
He'll get more practice with the teacher in school.
9. Dipping into your son's goody bag when he isn't looking.
What's a funsize Snickers between family members?
10. Not going in the pool with them.
Chlorine does a real number on your hair, and besides, that's what dads are for.
11. Accepting your son's compliment that you're a good cook when he's eating pre-breaded microwave chicken breasts.
You did your part. You pressed "Start."
12. Wiping your daughter's nose with a panty liner - the closest thing to a tissue you had in your purse.
For heaven's sake - it was clean!
13. Stashing the Häagen-Dazs in the back of the freezer, and showcasing the supermarket brand.
If they're not ready to dig, they're not ready to appreciate the premium stuff.
14. Closing the bedroom door in their little faces.
You did not magically lose your need for privacy when you gave birth. If someone's bleeding or not breathing, by all means, they can knock.
15. Giving in once in a while.
It can be a wise parental trade-off, especially if what you're acceding to will buy you a few minutes of quiet time, private time or time to regroup. You don't need to be perfectly consistent.
16. Making your daughter get down from the top of the monkey bars, simply because it makes you nervous.
Yes, she's done it a million times safely, and she'll likely do it again, but who says you have to watch? Your comfort level counts, too!
17. Making the grandparents take them to "Disney on Ice."
It's torture for you, but for them, it's a future memory they'll cherish forever. What's the problem?
18. Tossing their artwork.
After you've saved the truly superior thumb pots and the especially sentimental glitter collages, you will still have a heap of crafts the size of Mount Etna. Fill up a big black Hefty bag after they're asleep, pour yourself some wine, and then watch Hoarders. You'll feel better instantly.
19. Being psyched that the best friend you never liked has moved to another state.
You're not happy your daughter is upset, of course, and you'll help her through it. But being secretly pleased that you won't ever have to host Little Miss Caitlin-Who-Gets-to-Wear-Belly-Shirts for a sleepover again doesn't make you a bad person.
20. Neglecting to videotape his role as "third planet from the sun" in the school solar-system pageant.
There will be other, more important achievements, and you can bet your son won't notice.
21. Letting it slip that the tooth fairy was actually her daddy.
You didn't destroy her childhood innocence. You let her in on a grown-up secret that she must never, ever tell her little brother, which makes her feel mature and important.
22. Knowing you could go months without sex, without even missing it.
Guilt about not feeling frisky makes you even less so. So your libido isn't what it used to be when you had no children to wear you out by 9 p.m. If you can remain open to the idea of sex, and get into it when you can, that's fine until things change. Which they probably will as your children get older.
23. Only pretending to be sad that your child's birthday falls in mid-August.
No gigantic birthday parties, full of political decisions as to whom to invite.
24. Reading this article instead of soliciting donations for the PTA auction, cultivating your organic vegetable garden or cleaning out that kitchen drawer with the random rubber bands, screwdrivers and old keys in it.
Even machines need to unplug and reboot every so often.
25. Sitting and reading.
You do not need to be on the treadmill in your first free 20 minutes in three days. You'll exercise at the next break in the action when you can.
26. Looking forward to guys' weekend even more than your husband.
It's so much easier sometimes to just take care of stuff by yourself without having to take someone else's opinion into account. Plus, a little time apart is never a bad thing.
27. Not letting her pierce her ears until the age at which you were allowed to.
Just because.
28. Finding aspects of motherhood incredibly tedious.
If you didn't find watching your child go down the slide for the 100th time that day ("Mom, look at meeee!") or nagging him to put his socks in the hamper a bit of a snooze, you'd be too easily amused, and hence a moron.
29. Noticing the hot dad at drop-off.
Ahem, you have eyes in your head, and (sex drive or no) you're not dead yet! Did you lick him? No? You're okay.
30. Still being really PO'd about the stretch marks.
31. Forgetting to lay out her best outfit for school photo days.
Years from now, you'll appreciate seeing her as the adorable, rough-and-tumble tomboy she really was - instead of some dolled-up version of herself.

Christmas Neighbor and Friend Gift Ideas

2010-11-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but if I'm gonna give out neighbor gifts, I better do it early or it will never get done!! Here are some ideas I have done in the past along with the printables that go with them. Just click on the image to bring it up bigger and copy and paste. If you would rather I email you a copy, just email me a quick note asking...lgphoto@live.com

Here is a personalized poem that goes along with some Cookie Dough Mix... just copy and paste the text into your word processor then you can personalize it with a border or print it on some cute scrapbooking paper.

“Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Twas the night before Christmas at the “(recipient family’s last name) Homestead”,

The Parents were stumbling and fell into bed.

The presents were wrapped, the last bow had been tied,

And very honestly, (wife’s name) was fried.

When all of a sudden, (husbands name) sat up in a fright!

“I’m not sure Santa’s coming at all tonight!

We forgot to make cookies-Santa must be fed!

Will we get any presents?” they wondered with dread!

Then (wife’s name) replied, “It’s no problem my dear,

Don’t you remember the (your families last name) this year?

They gave us a handy, and most thoughtful gift,

It’s a bag of cookie mix, on the shelf it does sit.”

Then (husbands name) said in awe, “Those (your families last name) sure are swell,

They’ve saved the day for us, and for Santa as well.”

He hopped out of bed and put on his cap

Ran right to the kitchen- the cookies were a snap!

(Husbands name) set them out carefully on the new Christmas plate

Then whipped up some eggnog since it wasn’t that late.

He brought some to (wife’s name) and they had a small feast.

Eggnog and cookies-she didn’t mind in the least!

Then (husbands name) rubbed her back while she soaked her aching feet

For he understood “Christmas Prep” is no treat!

(Wife’s name) said “Those cookies, they sure hit the spot,

I’m sure ole Santa will like them a lot.”

With peace in their hearts, they got ready for sleep,

For the last Christmas duty was now complete.

As they pulled up the covers, their eyes all misty

(Husbands name) wondered, “Will Santa bring me my XBOX 360?”

Here is a really cute poem called "Not So Homemade Fudge" and all you have to do is buy some Symphony Bars to go along with it and it will make everyone smile! Just click on the image to view it larger and right click, then choose copy image. Then you can paste it into Photoshop and add your family name to the bottom :) The size you will need to paste it onto is a regular paper size, 11x8.5 and 300 Resolution.

I also gave out this cute note with some homemade gift tags, or you can buy some really cheap at Seagull Book, or you can buy the Avery Labels and make some cute ones using Photoshop or the Avery FREE software download. Just give each neighbor a sheet. These do need to be passed out at the beginning of December or you run the risk of those people who are really on the ball already having their gifts wrapped and ready to go! Just copy and paste these on to an 8.5x11 sheet in photoshop so you can print multiple ones at a time and just cut them apart.

We also thought in our neighborhood to just have a fun cookie exchange party and have everyone bring the money they would have spent on Neighbor Gifts and donate it to the food pantry. This way we can have fun visiting with each other and the money would go to a worthy cause, because let's face it, who needs a Symphony Bar laying around the house calling out your name?

I need Help!

2010-11-10T10:12:00.002-07:00

I need suggestions on your favorite heart warming children's books. I have decided to record myself reading it and giving it to my kids for Christmas, so I need five. One for an 11 year old boy, 10 year old girl, 8 year old girl, 5 year old boy and baby boy. Shhhh, don't tell!

Also, what are your favorite children's CD's?

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter Recipe!

2010-11-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

This butter recipe tastes just like Texas Roadhouse cinnamon butter! Try it with my recipe for Golden Corral rolls and you'll be in heaven!! I think next time I will substitute the corn syrup for honey though, since on their web site they call it "Cinnamon Honey Butter".

Photo courtesy of Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, chilled

1/2 teaspoon corn syrup

3/4-1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until mixture is smooth.
Serve with hot rolls or muffins.
This may be stored in the refrigerator.

A Family Project: Gratitude

2010-11-04T10:50:00.000-06:00

This idea comes from non other than Becky Higgins... love her blog!! We are definitely doing this as a family...
Here are some pictures from her project.

It think we will take her suggestion and use a different colored pen for each family member. I think the most important part of this project is to teach our children about gratitude first, what it does for us and those around us, and how we can show it to others and our Heavenly Father. Go read her post here, and see how she set it up. I'm so excited! I am going to Roberts right now to get the supplies :)

Copy Cat Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

2010-11-03T16:06:00.000-06:00

Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
1−1/2 cups graham crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. sugar
Filling:
3 − 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
Whipped Cream
Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the
bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 mins. at
350. Set aside. Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until
smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs,and spices, beat till smooth
and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60−70 mins.or till the top turns a
bit darker. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then
refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut.
Serve with whipped cream.

Or you can buy it here for $50!!
http://shop.thecheesecakefactory.com/order/cheesecakes/pumpkin-cheesecake-10-inch-dessert.html

Copy Cat Boston Market Stuffing :)

2010-11-03T16:02:00.000-06:00

Copy Cat Boston Market Stuffing
Just in time for Thanksgiving!

10 Ounce Can sliced carrots; undrained
4 Ounce Can sliced mushrooms; undrained
14 Ounce Can chicken broth
2 ribs celery; cut 4−5 pieces
1 Tbl. Rubbed sage
12 Tbl. Poultry seasoning
1 Tbl. Chicken bouillon powder
3 Tbl. Bottled liquid margarine or melted butter or margarine
3 English muffins; cut into 1/2" cubes with crumbs
8 Ounce Bag unseasoned croutons
1 Tablespoon Dry parsley; minced
2 Tablespoon Dry minced onion
When you open the can of carrots, run the blade of a paring knife through
them right in the can so that you've reduced them to tiny bits without
mashing them. Empty it then into a Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms; set aside.
Empty the cam of broth into the blender and add the celery along with the
sage, poultry seasoning, bouillon powder and margarine. Blend a few seconds
on high speed, only until celery is finely minced.
Meanwhile, add the English muffin cubes, (crumbs too), croutons, parsley and
onion to the Dutch oven. Pour blender mixture over and stir to combine with
rubber bowl scraper until completely moist.
Cover with a lid and bake at 350* about 45 minutes to an hour or until
piping hot.
Refrigerate leftovers to use within a week. Freeze to use within 4 months.

Substitute for Sweetened Condensed Milk

2010-11-03T15:59:00.000-06:00

Borden's Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup plus 2 Tbls. powdered milk
Combine all ingredients. Heat to boiling.
Cook until thick, this will take 15 to 20
minutes. This equals one can.

Hello from the black hole of pregnancy...

2010-10-31T12:28:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know it has been a long time since I have posted something worth while. I blame it all on this pregnancy. It seriously seems like and eternity that I have been pregnant this time, but I know that these next few weeks I have left will go by fast...well, they better. I am ready to see this little guy. He has been keeping me company while the kids have been at school, kicking my ribs and trying to push himself out on his own. Ouch! Anyway, I just wanted to keep in touch and show you one of the things I have been working on now that I'm starting the "nesting" phase of this pregnancy. These cute hats were made using the Knifty Knitter small blue loom. These were made in about 45 min. each! Super easy! My 10 year old daughter made the white with blue rim and pom pom. Check out the knifty knitter here. I have also started crocheting some baby booties, but the first one wasn't really photo worthy. You can find all sorts of projects on you tube, some really cute stuff! Also, there are a lot of tutorials for the knifty knitter on you tube too! Just search for them. You can make scarfs, pillows, prayer shawls, etc. Lot's of fun!

Now I wanted to post a pic of me pregnant. Before photoshop I would never have done this :) But now that I can fix my uneven skin (due to pregnancy mask) and tighten my chin, and add a really pretty finish to it, I thought "what the heck" I'm on my 5th child, maybe I should actually let someone take a picture of me pregnant. So we drove up Kolob Canyon (one of the most beautiful places on earth) and picked some Elderberries to make jam with (which turned out being Elderberry syrup) and I had my husband take some snapshots of me. Here is my favorite!

Before you know it, I will be posting some pics of our new bundle of joy! I can't wait to see who he resembles and if he has that same little man cry that my other 2 boys had. They seriously sounded like boys right from the beginning. I can't wait to have him curl up on my chest so I can bury my nose in his hair and smell the scent of baby powder! Until then, here are some of my favorite blogs I have been reading...

http://vanessascraftynest.blogspot.com/

http://www.babygoodbuys.com/

http://kaydenlane.tumblr.com/

Super Easy Homemade Donuts

2010-09-13T09:50:00.000-06:00

On Monday nights we have Family Night... and this was one of our treats. I was the easiest one so far and the kids had a blast making the holes in the donuts. Another tradition that includes donuts is on Halloween. After a full night of gathering candy, we come home and have homemade donuts and hot chocolate :)

All you need is:
-2 cans refrigerated biscuits (or Rhodes Frozen Roll Dough thawed)
-vegetable oil (enough to pour about 1" in your frying pan)
-Cinnamon and Sugar (in a bowl)

Take the biscuits out of the cans and let sit at room temperature for a little while (a good time to give a lesson about something for family night)
Heat up the oil on medium heat for about 5 min.
While the oil is heating up, have the kids poke holes in the biscuits and stretch the dough out slightly.
Mom or dad then dips the dough into the hot oil, one fluffed up and you can see that it's browning, flip it over with a chop stick and brown the other side. Immediately dip both sides into the cinnamon/ sugar mixture and let rest on a plate with paper towels.

I'm for sure making these tomorrow!!

2010-09-13T09:41:00.000-06:00

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes with

Peanut Butter/ Maple Syrup!!

Did your mouth just water a little? :)

This awesome recipe is from Our Best Bites.com... one of my favorites, thanks Julianne ;)

I can't wait to bite into these!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 1/2 C flour
3 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C buttermilk *
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs canola oil
1 large or extra large egg
2 small-med ripe bananas
1/4 C mini chocolate chips (or reg. chips roughly chopped) tossed with 2 tsp flour
Cooking Spray or butter for pan

1 C maple syrup
1/2 C peanut butter

*As a substitute for buttermilk, place 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 1/2 C measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Fold into batter. Add the chocolate chips that have been tossed with flour and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine. Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Use1/4 C batter for large pancakes (4-6") and 2 T for kid-sized ones (2-3"). Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes.

Yield:
28-30 2-3" pancakes (using 1/8 C batter measure)
14-15 4-6" pancakes (using 1/4 C batter measure)

Freezer Instructions: Let cooked pancakes cool to room temperature. Place in a single layer in the freezer until frozen and then place pancakes in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Reheat in a microwave or toaster until heated through.

Back to School Tips and Free Stuff for Mom's

2010-08-20T15:46:00.001-06:00

Well, it's that time of year again!! Time to dust off the old backpacks (or buy new ones is more like it), set the alarm clocks and actually make the kids a healthy breakfast! The public schools around my village started school a couple of weeks ago, that included my 6th grader, but my younger kids don't start until Monday the 23rd! I have been having fun searching my favorite blogs to get some great tips and ideas, so here I am going to share them with you. Being pregnant and getting the preschool ready to start and swamped with editing and taking pictures, I haven't had much time to be creative myself, so here are other's ideas :)

Becky Higgins blog is so great!! I want to be her when I grow up!

She has some great ideas on back to school along with a great FREEBIE of a school yearbook for your child to create! She is label happy as you can see in this picture below, so her kids never have to guess if an item is theirs.

She also has a great guest post here on the pictures you should be taking on the first day of school. If you have already had your first day, just recreate it! ;)

The Crafting Chicks blog

They have some great ideas on crafts for teacher gifts or we are happy to be in your class gifts for the first day of school! This one is my favorite, easy, cheap and a FREE download of the cute container, candy bar wrapper and a ton of others!

Here is a jelly recipe that I just love!! Since the staple of the school lunch box is PB&J!

NO - COOK STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM

4 c. ripe strawberries
4 c. granulated sugar
1 box Sure-Jell powdered pectin
3/4 c. water

Wash and hull the berries; crush them completely, a few at a time. (Should end up with 2 cups.) In large bowl, mix together the berries and sugar. Let stand 10 minutes. Combine pectin and water in saucepan. Bring to boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir hot pectin into the fruit bowl; continue stirring. Don't worry if sugar is not completely dissolved. Ladle jam into freezer containers. Put lids on immediately. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until set. Refrigerate for a few weeks or freeze for up to a year.

And since we are making sandwiches and want to be environmentally friendly...here is a cute idea for reusable sandwich bags.

And last but not least, what new outfit wouldn't be complete without a few new hair accessories!!? Here are some of my favorite Tutorials!...click on the titles to visit the tutorials.

Fabric Flowers by Maggie Holmes

Another Fabric Flower

I think these ones look awesome, I'm making them tomorrow!
Little Sweethearts:

The frayed Mum:

Enjoy your "time off"!

Great Summer Ideas and Fathers Day :)

2010-06-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

So I've really been out of it lately, with morning sickness, an out of place neck, sinus infection and exhaustion all mixed together!! I haven't been what you would call a "happy camper". But I have been doing a lot of research for ideas for my kids during the summer (cause they are already at each others necks). Here are some great sites that have some great ideas!

At the Prepared Not Scared Blog, she had such a great idea for keeping the neighborhood kids at bay while your kids are finishing up their morning chores. She made these adorable signs for their door:

What a great idea huh!? Now we just hope it's the kids that can read that are coming around, right!? At least they can understand the universal red means stop and green means go.

Another of my favorite sites: Secrets of a Super Mommy!

She has this great idea of posting 10 day's of summer fun with the supermoms. Check out here cute ideas here.
She has ideas for no sew library bags, rainbow pudding pops, upcycled sand toys, the Perfect Fireless Campfire, a "Welcome Summer" weekly activities organizational banner, and how to liven up that lemonade stand:

Another of my favorites is Our Best Bites! Don't these cinnamon rolls look perfect for Fathers Day!?

And finally, Family Fun always has great handmade and thrifty Fathers Day Gift ideas... check it out!

Pregnant!!

2010-04-10T20:09:00.000-06:00

Yes, the title say's it all! I think I might have found another niche for my blog. Since this little thing growing inside of me will be consuming my every thought and physical feeling for the next 8 months, I think I'll have a lot to say about it here :) So buckle up for a roller coaster ride of emotions, joys, complaints of being sick, maybe a few remidies, and some awesome new stuff I am finding for babies. Well, I don't know if they'll be new to you, but I have been out of the loop for a while when it comes to babies, so just bear with me!

This is what my baby looks like right now, although I am almost 6 weeks.

My kids are freaked out at this picture :) I don't blame them!

6 Weeks Pregnant

Parmesan Chicken with Asparagus

2010-04-08T11:22:00.000-06:00

This is a modified recipe by yours truly, and my family and I LOVED it!! It is definitely NOT for dieters, but could be baked FOR THE HEALTHY CONSCIOUS, instead of fried in all that scrumptious butter :)

Parmesan Chicken

-4-5 boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1 t. dried Italian seasoning
-2 garlic cloves pressed or 2 t. garlic from a jar ( I guess you could also use garlic powder or salt too)
-1/2 of one of those tubes of saltine crackers crumbled and pulverized into dust :) (and I guess you could use Ritz too)
-1 stick of butter (yes you heard me, one whole stick!)
-Shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese
-Your favorite spaghetti sauce

Start by melting the butter in the microwave in a bowl that would also be easy to dip the chicken in. Combine the next 4 ingredients into a separate bowl. First dip the chicken into the butter, then coat evenly in the crumb mixture. Set on a plate and continue with the rest of the chicken. Pour the remaining butter into a large saute pan and heat over med-hi heat until very hot. Place the chicken evenly in the pan like so...

Hopfully you heard a sizzle! Let the chicken sit, DONT MOVE IT AROUND OR YOU'LL LOOSE THAT GREAT BROWNING! Cook for about 4 min. then flip over and cook until internal temperature reaches 165 or there is no more pink juices coming out. Turn on your broiler to low.

Remove chicken from pan onto a "cooling rack" placed over a jelly roll pan like so... and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Now start the asparagus (and if you are serving spaghetti with it too like I did, start cooking the spaghetti too)

To prepare asparagus, wash it, then holding both ends with your fingertips, bend the asparagus until it snaps, it naturally breaks off the tender part to be eaten, cool huh!?

Melt in a separate, smaller saute pan, melt 1 T. of butter (to a whole bundle of asparagus). Add the asparagus and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Cook over med to med hi heat for about 10 min, or until tender.

BACK TO THE CHICKEN:
Put the chicken into the oven on the second from the top rack just until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes, but WATCH IT!!!

Heat the sauce and dollop on top of the chicken and spaghetti. Enjoy!!

Edible Tombs for Easter Treats

2010-03-29T15:09:00.001-06:00

I found this great idea on Sugar Doodle too!

A great activity that teaches the true meaning of Easter. Give each person a Hostess "snowball" cupcake (cupcakes upside down can work also). A white snowball would be ideal, but all I could find is hot pink and purple. : ) Give each person a "snowball" cupcake. Place it on the plate as the tomb.

1. Have a small paper plate (6") for each person.

2. I first had them smear the plate with a little chocolate frosting (soil)

3. Then sprinkled the "dirt" with green tinted coconut (grass)

4. Take a spoon and make a hollow spot in the snowball (Like the empty tomb)

5. Place a small sign in the hole that states "He is not here! He is Risen"

6. Take a wafer cookie (Nilla wafers work or 1/2 sandwich cookie) and set it over the hole.

7. I let them finish decorating with tinted marshmallow, sprinkles, gum drops, whatever I had available to finish decorating around the tomb. (flowers)

8. I finished the scene with a large gum drop punctured with a toothpick bearing a small sign that announced: He Has Risen.

Once the creation was done, they were told they could eat their creation...but only after they had shared with at least three adults the story that they had learned that day. And that, of course was the lesson of Easter that was discussed before and during the craft.

Keep Jesus in Easter~ Week long activity.

2010-03-29T07:44:00.000-06:00

I found this really good idea on Sugardoodle, and it starts today! So get ready for FHE with this idea and follow each day 'til Easter. I think it's very important to teach our children the true meaning of the Christ centered holidays :)

Click here to visit the web site and have fun!

Easter Egg Resurrection Countdown Eggs

2010-03-21T13:10:00.001-06:00

Here is a great idea found on one of my new favorite blogs, Secrets of a Super Mommy...

I have 12 eggs. Inside each egg is a surprise and attached to the outside of each egg is a scripture that goes with it. I printed out the numbers for the eggs, then backed them with paper and embellished them. Then I stuck them to the outside of the egg with a sticky dot.

Then I took thin rope and strung it through the holes in the tops of the eggs. I printed out the scriptures from Matthew, punched them at the top, and put them on the rope as well.

Here is a list of the 12 scriptures and the 12 surprises for inside:

one: a miniature paper or plastic cup (Mathew 26:39)

two: 3 dimes (Mathew 26: 14-15)

three: a piece of rope (Mathew 27:1-2)

four: a small piece of soap (Mathew 27: 24-26)

five: red fabric (Mathew 27:29-30)

six: a nail (Mathew 27: 31-32)

seven: dice (Mathew 27:35-37)

eight: several small rocks (Mathew 27:50-52)

nine: white piece of cloth (Mathew 27: 58-60)

ten: one large stone (27:60, 65-66)

eleven: sweet spices, I use cloves (Mark 16:1; Mathew 28:2, &5)

twelve: leave this one empty (Mark 16:6)

Candy Bouqets for your Childs Teacher

2010-02-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

I am not as crafty or ambitious as I once was when it comes to creating things by hand. I have become reliant on the digital stuff for everything now. Photoshop is my best friend :) This is not a good thing, because I am also a preschool teacher :/ Anyway, I thought I'd share a cute idea I found for a Valentines gift:
Click here for instructions on how to make these cute candy bouquets for your childs teacher (or anyone else for that matter) on Valentines Day!

Valentines Day Crafts FREE e-book

2010-02-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

Go here to receive your FREE Valentines Craft e-book. Full of 30 fun ideas for Valentines day :)

25% OFF Cosmetics

2010-02-09T14:18:00.002-07:00

Starting Thursday February 11th through February 13th all cosmetics will be 25% off at Rite Aid nationwide. Pair this with coupons and current sales for some really cheap makeup.

Family Library Picks for February- Valentines Day

2010-01-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to post about the great books my family and I are finding for kids at the library each month. We usually go to the library every other Friday because that's my kids early out day. BTW, I always put an alarm on my phone to remind me of the due date. Also, we keep a library bag reserved just for our library trips. It contains our library cards and receipts so they stay all in one place. Another thing we do to make visiting the library easier, keep a library basket in your home where the library books stay at all times when not being read. That way we don't have to go searching all over the house every other Friday looking for all the books.

Picks for February:

~Valentines Day:

     . Too Many Valentines A Robin Hill School book, reading level 1
     . Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine A detective book
     . Olive, My Love Yes, the same loveable Olive from Olive the Reindeer
     . The Day it Rained Hearts A cute story about a heart rain storm and a little girl who uses the hearts to make valentines for her friends
     . What's With This Room? I love this book! It's all about a little boy's messy room. So cute! Even my 10 year old thought it was funny! This was our favorite part...
     "Those clothes aren't heaped up because I'm a pig, I'm actually creating an archaeological dig! In a couple of years I'll give you a chance to dig and discover my petrified pants."
     . Being Responsible A very simple book explaining to children what responsible means.
     . Mouse's First Valentine A preschool favorite
     . Biscuit's Valentine's Day another preschool favorite.
     . Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine ages 4-8, Chapter book

Presidents Day:

. Kids Meet the Presidents a perfect introduction to the Nation's Presidents
. Presidents' Day a class puts on a play about the Presidents

Mommy's Favorites:

     . The Happiness Project I haven't read this book yet, but I am planning on it. I watched her interviewed on the Good Morning America Show, and I am trying to post something that brought me happiness on Facebook everyday until February, along with pictures if possible. I can't wait to read it, I think it's just what we need during these long winter months.
     . Photoshop CS3 One on One (of course, I'm a photographer so these are the books that make me happy!)
     . The 5 Love Languages This book made my marriage so much better! Everyone feels love differently and it's fun to take the test to see what your love language is, and maybe more importantly, what your spouses love language is :) They have one for kids too!

Have fun at the library this month!

Sibling Rivalry~ Ideas to help your kids stop fighting...

2010-01-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

I know that this is the thing that drives us as moms crazy! Not only do I get mad when my kids fight, but it just drains the energy away from me and I feel helpless as a mom. I have recently broke down in tears after a particularly hard morning, so I decided to write down some of the thinks I have done in the past to not only help my children fight less, but help them understand that their actions are hurting others.

1. Stop the fight right away and ask your children to express how they are feeling calmly with their hands in their pockets.

2. Send them to the forgiving bench. On this bench there are strict rules:
- Only one person can talk at a time while the other one listens until they are DONE!
- The person talking has to start their turn by saying "I don't like it when..." or "You hurt my feelings when..."
- They have to find a solution that both of them are happy with and hug BEFORE they can get up from the bench.
- They BOTH have to say sorry to each other (hence the name, forgiving bench)

3. Make them hold hands and sing a song to you swaying back and forth! I know that sounds so stupid, but it really works, they feel silly so they can't help but smile. This works for my 10 year old son, he never wants to do it, so it's the best punishment for him!

4. Make them hug for 3 straight minutes! They will come away giggling. (although it doesn't solve any major problems, so I just use #3 and #4 for small fights)

Hope these can help you a little in your home. Let me know in a comment if you have some great ideas too!

Super Moist, Slightly Dense, Cupcakes! Almost like 25 Main Cupcakes.

2010-01-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

These are so good! I didn't add any frosting so you could see just how moist they are! They don't even need frosting, they are that moist. I know some of you think that is blasphemy, but frosting is not one of my favorites anyway :)

Super Moist Cupcakes:

1 box Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Cake Mix ( you could use any flavor, just coordinate the pudding mix flavor with your choice of cake mix)
1 whole egg and 1 yolk only
2 heaping tablespoons of sour cream
1 box chocolate instant pudding and pie mix
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cup water

Mix until just blended, we don't want to add more air than needed! Bake at 25 degrees less than called for on the box, so 325. Bake for about 17 min or until springy in the middle.

PF Changs Lettuce Wraps Copy Cat Recipe

2010-01-27T13:35:00.001-07:00

PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Pouring sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot water
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced

Chicken Stir-fry
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed very small
1 – 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, minced to the size of corn kernals
1/2 cup mushrooms, minced to the size of corn kernals
1/2 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
6 large leaves of iceberg lettuce or nappa cabbage

Stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Begin by making the pouring sauce. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, then add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and throw in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Combine 1 teaspoons hot water with dijon mustard and garlic and set this aside in small bowl.

Combine oils and add to wok or large frying pan. Heat oil over high heat until it glistens, about one minute. Add chicken and saute until cooked through, then remove from the pan and cool. Keep oil in the pan, keeping it hot over a low flame.

Prep the stir fry sauce by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

Take pan that you cooked the chicken in, and turn it up to medium-high heat. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, wait one minute, and then add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier. Stir-fry everything until the mushrooms have cooked, about four minutes, mix in the chicken and remove to a serving dish.

Add mustard/garlic mixture to the pouring sauce, 1/2 a teaspoon at time to taste.

Serve stir-fry with iceberg lettuce or nappa cabbage leaf wraps and top with pouring sauce.

We also serve ours with rice noodles. Fried crispy!

Here is a picture of my 4 year old son devouring them! He loves these!

Perfect (and super easy) French Bread Recipe

2010-01-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in a magazine the other day and wanted to make it for Garlic Bread because it looked so easy, and it was! Here is the recipe:

Easy French Bread: makes 2 loaves

2 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour (I just used regular white)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and honey. Let it bubble up for about 5 min. Add the salt and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. If you have a dough hook on a stand mixer, let the dough hook knead the dough for about 8 min. If you don't have a dough hook, knead by hand until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide the dough in half. Shape into 12 in. long loaves. (I roll mine out into a rectangle and roll the long side kind of like cinnamon rolls then pinch the seam and ends under, and set it pinched side down on the sprayed pan.) Make sure the baking sheet is greased. Let rise again until doubled, about 30 min. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of the loaves. Bake at 450 for 15-20 min or until golden brown. Butter the top of the loaves right after they exit the oven. Enjoy!

Check out my recipe for garlic bread topping here!

GIVEAWAY!

2010-01-20T17:04:00.001-07:00

If you live in Southern Utah, check out my photography blog for a session giveaway!
Little Gems Photography Blog

What do you think?

2010-01-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

I changed the look of my blog! What do you think?

Since I'm here, I'll jot down a little mommy moment... I have always felt lucky to say that none of my children have tried to cut their own hair. I thought for sure I was out of those stages with my youngest being 4 (and a boy, so he doesn't care too much about his hair anyway). I was wrong. I was brushing my 6 year old daughters hair the other day and I noticed that a chuck of hair was way shorter than her bangs. I cut her bangs, so I know I didn't do it! I asked her about it and she acted very innocently and said "I have no idea mommy!" So a few days passed by and while I was fixing her hair, I round aboutly got her to admit it was she that did it! That little booger! Not only did she cut her hair, but she lied about it right to my face! Of course she got two punishments, as my children always do when they lie. One for the crime and one for lying. I asked her where the hair was and she said in the outside garbage. She knew I would have seen it in the garbages inside. Ah! The mothers life.

Manapua, or Asian Rolls Recipe- Char Su Beef

2010-01-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Manapua is this great little bread bun with Char Su meat stuffed inside typically found in China Town or at every 7-11 in Hawaii! Although usually this is filled with pork, we used hamburger because that's what we had on hand. It was just as good! Also, usually these are steamed so they turn out pure white, but we didn't want to go through the trouble of steaming them, so we baked ours and they turned out great!

This is a picture of my 4 year old sons hand helping us pull off the perfect amount of dough for the rolls! He had a blast!

Here are the ingredients:
Dough
* 2 cups lukewarm water
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 packages dry yeast (not rapid yeast)
* 8 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 7 cups flour
Filling
* about 2 lbs of hamburger
* 2 pkgs of Char Su Powdered Mix (purchase at any grocery store down the
Asian Isle)

Dough: Mix dry ingredients together (including yeast). Add oil and water and mix well. Knead dough until smooth (about 10 minutes). Place in a large bowl; cover with a clean damp cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours.

Filling: Brown meat and add the Char Su mix with about 1/2 cup of water, just like taco seasoning. Break up the hamburger into small pea sided chunks.

Preheat oven to 350.

Assemble: Pull off about 2 or 3 tablespoons of dough, flatten into a disk with the middle thicker than the edges. Spoon about a teaspoon or more of filling (it depends on how much dough you have)

Pinch the dough together like you are making a calzone.

Now pinch together the ends and gather together and twist. Shape into a round ball.

Place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise while you are assembling the other rolls.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, but watch closely, when they turn golden brown they are done. We actually could have baked them at 325 for a little longer because they were just a tiny bit doughy.

Enjoy!

Review on Mary Kay Satin Lips (Mask and Gloss)

2010-01-18T10:29:00.001-07:00

My sister in law gave these to me for Christmas and I am in LOVE! The mask gets rubbed onto your lips and works as an exfoliate. It scrubs away all the dead skin cells, then you finish it off with the gloss, and your lips are PERFECT! I have always hated my lips cause they are too thin, but now I love them! It almost changes the color of your lips too because all the dead skin cells are gone. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Click here to order or learn more.

A Review on Simply Ageless Foundation by Cover Girl and Olay

2010-01-18T10:23:00.001-07:00

I was sick of my mineral foundation because it was settling in the fine lines of my face and actually making me look older. I decided to look for something new, that incorporated something that would regenerate my skin also. This is what I found. It was made popular by Ellen. I have only had it for 3 days, and I can already see a difference on my skin. Even my nose, which has sun damage from not wearing enough sun screen. My skin is not blotchy anymore either after I get out of the shower, and my face feels smooth :) Besides the fact that I bought a shade that is too light for my skin tone, I love it! I will just be buying a darker color in the summer. One more bonus? It includes 20 spf sunblock! If you need something new, try it, I think you'll like it. Click here to purchase or learn more.

How to clean permanent marker off your white countertop!

2010-01-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, my 4 year old son thought it would be pretty to add a little bit of blue permanent marker to the white countertop in the kids bathroom! We scrubbed and scrubbed with the magic eraser to no avail. Tried soft scrub with bleach, a little better but not quite there. So I had to bring in the big guns, Clorox Bleach. I poured a little on my sponge, dabbed it on all the blue areas and viola! It's like a magic trick! I love bleach!

Scout Merit Badge Counselor Sign Up Sheet

2010-01-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

I know this is not a typical mom thing, but if you have boys, you might end up helping out your scout troop one day! I looked all over the internet looking for something like this and couldn't find anything, so I made my own and now I am sharing it with you!
Merit Badge Counselor Sign Up Sheet

Lemi Shine Review- Dishwashing Tips

2010-01-06T14:31:00.001-07:00

I have always had a problem with my dishwasher because of my hard water. I changed to powdered dish detergent which was supposed to help, but to no avail. I had a professional come out and charge me a butt-load of money to clean my dishwasher, what a joke. Day's afterward, my dishwasher was still leaving disgusting stuff all over my dishes! I now use vinegar regularly, but I have found something even better! It's called Lemi Shine. You can buy it at any grocery store right above the liquid dishwashing soap. This stuff is formulated for dishwashers using hard water. It cleans the dishwasher along with your dishes. All you do is add it to the main soap chamber, then add your favorite dishwashing soap to the prewash chamber, and out comes perfectly clean dishes and most importantly, glasses you can see through! Why haven't I heard of this before? It's my new best friend! :)

Parmesan Pull Apart Bread (or Monkey Bread)

2010-01-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is such a great recipe for any side bread, like garlic bread, monkey bread, cinnamon rolls, etc.

Ingredients:
25 Rhodes Roll Dough
1/2 Cup Butter Melted
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Thaw rolls by placing 6 around a large plate, covering with plastic wrap, and microwaved for 60 seconds, turning after 30 seconds. Using kitchen shears or a pizza cutter, cut the rolls in quarters and place in a greased square or deep dish baker (from Pampered Chef). Continue with the remaining rolls. Pour melted butter, Parmesan cheese and seasoning over rolls and toss to coat all dough rolls. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned on top. Pull apart and enjoy!

Before Baking:

After Baking:

Variations:

Cinnamon Roll Bread or Monkey Pull Apart Bread:
Replace the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning with 1/4 cup each brown and white sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Potato Soup Recipe- from the Machine Shed

2010-01-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

This is one of my all time favorite soups. It sounds a little complicated, but it's really quite easy. What's better than potato's, cream, bacon, onions, and cheese on a cold winter day? NOTHING :)

Machine Shed’s Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced into small bite sized pieces
1/2 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion cubes (use a cup of the hot potato water to dissolve, then use the cup of hot water in place of one of the above cups of water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream
***For garnish:***
Shredded cheese
fried bacon bits
chopped green onions

Directions:

In large pot, boil potatoes in water 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel over plate to drain more. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium-high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes. To the large potato pan, add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Do not let mixture boil. In small, heavy saucepan melt butter. Add flour and mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux. While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, and cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three. Serve hot!

How to add an extra header to your blog.

2010-01-01T17:12:00.002-07:00

Handmade Aprons, Ruffle Pants, and Dresses

2009-12-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome blog that my friend has. She makes the cutest aprons I've ever seen! She also makes dresses, ruffle pants, and ties for boys! They are so cute! You can even buy your own fabric for a 30% discount. Check it out!
http://justastitch.blogspot.com

Family Christmas Traditions

2009-12-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Now that my Preschool and Photography businesses are taking a little break for the week of Christmas, I have a little time to post some more! YAY!

I thought it would be fun to share ideas on Christmas Traditions that can be done with family! So I'll share mine, and you share yours as a comment! PLEASE! I'm always looking for new ideas to mix it up a bit! Five years ago we moved away from our extended family and so we were feeling a little bored without the BIG family parties. We had to get creative to make it feel just as special. We have no family that lives closer than a 4 hour drive, so we have made our neighbors and friends our family! :)

A few weeks before Christmas, the kids find extra jobs to do around the house to earn extra money. That money will go to buying their siblings a gift and a toy to donate to "Toys for Tots". It is such a fun time to go shopping with them when they are shopping for " Toys for Tots". I love their giving nature :)

After all the gifts are purchased, we call the kids in to our room one by one and they wrap all the gifts they are giving away to their siblings. The other kids stay out in the living room and watch a movie, the movie this year was Mary Poppins :) They love to come out of the room with their arms full of gifts and say "I'm not telling!" to everyones pleads! It's a blast! Our kids only get one gift from each sibling and ONE gift from Santa. Yes you heard me right, ONE! When my kids started asking me why other kids got more than one gift from Santa, I said "We are not going to make Santa carry more than he needs to just so we can have more presents! He already has a FULL sleigh!" I love that tradition. I hope it makes my kids think about something other than themselves.

A few days before Christmas we go to a live Nativity at Tuachan out in the red mountains of southern Utah. It is so beautiful and there is just something about being outside with the live animals that really brings the spirit of Christmas. I would recommend finding a live nativity close to you and attending it, or even better, volunteer to be a part of it.

I know a lot of you do this on Christmas Eve, but I thought I'd share it anyway. On Christmas Eve, we open P.J's, put them on and drive around the city looking at Christmas Light Displays. There is always that crazy person that has their house visible from outer space and crazy lights set to music, so get out there and find them! Also, we look for Rudolph's red nose while we are out, and guess what!? We always find it! ;) One of my friends go out and look at lights first and while they are gone, the Pajama Elf leaves them their new Christmas Pajamas. I thought that was cute too!

On Christmas Eve we have a picnic in the living room by the tree. We only eat finger foods. Crackers, special cheeses, smoked sausage, meatballs, cheese spread, veggies and dip, chocolate covered cherries, raspberry and orange sticks, etc. We eat until we are sick! We read my favorite Christmas book called "When Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem". It has the most beautiful paintings of the story of Jesus and the scripture script. Each family member takes their turn reading the scriptures that tell the story of Jesus in the pages in the book. Then we watch "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas", set out homemade cookies and CHOCOLATE milk for Santa, and go to bed.

On Christmas morning, we wait for the sound of the kids, then drag ourselves out of bed. The oldest child takes on the responsibility of handing everyone a gift at a time and opening it! When we are all done, of course we have to pose for a picture with all our gifts for mom's scrapbooks and blog! :)

Let me know some of your favorite Christmas time traditions!

How to curl hair, wavy, large, & spirals

2009-12-21T14:52:00.002-07:00

To get that perfect loose curl, here is how you do it. I learned it from my hairstylist friend, she's the BEST!

Start out by dividing your hair into sections, from top to bottom. I always start with the bottom layer and work my way up to the top of the head. Hold a section of hair and clamp the curling iron about 3" away from the scalp and curl towards the scalp. Wait a few seconds, loosen the clamp and pull away from the scalp, farther than before, and curl again. Repeat until you get to the end of the hair, leaving a very small amount out of the iron for a more loose look. Pull the iron out of the hair by opening it an pulling down. To set the curl you can hold it up until it cools, or for a more loose curl, pull down on it while it is still hot.

To get a WAVY spiral curl. Take a section of hair and twist it tight. Use the curling iron to hold on to the bottom of hair and curl like normal. That's all it takes! It makes a wave instead of a ringlet. Have fun!

A Fun, Crazy, Competitive Christmas Game

2009-12-13T11:14:00.001-07:00

I come from a very competitive family, and this is the perfect game for me because I am not competitive at all! I just sit back and laugh, and laugh and laugh!

First you need a really BIG box, but not too big that you can not reach the bottom leaning way over!

Second, wrap up a bunch of stupid things, like canned beans, and ugly ornament, rocks, etc. I use newspaper and a lot of tape, then I wrap it up with wrapping paper.

Third, buy a really good gift or gift certificate and wrap it the same way, so it's really hard to figure out what it is.

Fourth, crumble up a TON of newspaper, wrapping paper, paper towels, enough to fill out the box.

Fifth, get a snow hat and mittens and a bowl and 2 die.

Here is how you play! You start out by rolling the die in the bowl then passing it to the next person. If you rolled a double, you get to run and put the hat and gloves on and start opening presents. As soon as someone else rolls a double, they get to run up and pull the hat off you. You then would have to turn over the gloves and go sit down. You get to keep whatever you open ALL THE WAY. It gets really funny when one person starts running all over the house so the next person can't get the hat off them while they are opening a present! Everyone is speeding around and yelling, HURRY UP to the people rolling the die! It is the best party game by far!

Christmas Gift Exchange Poems

2009-12-13T11:00:00.002-07:00

I love Christmas Parties! I just went to a great one with a bunch of my friends. My friend came up with the idea of having us all get together and share yummy food and one $20 gift. Since we have so many friends, this makes it a lot easier on our wallet! She gave us all a number then she read the poem. After we chose a gift, we opened it, which made it a lot funnier and competitive :)

This is the cute little poem she used to decide who gets what gift:

Click here to see the poem: Sugardoodle.net

Here are a few others to choose from:

Lefty Elf

The Story of Crossy and Lefty

'Twas the Night Before Christmas Pass Along Gift Exchange

A Creative Way to Display Christmas Cards with Christmas Ribbon

2009-12-09T14:39:00.005-07:00

I get a lot of CUTE Christmas Cards from friends and family, and I love to display them. I used to just tape them to the wall and make a little display...I know, pathetic.

Here is a much cuter idea I came up with last year!

Measure out enough Christmas Ribbon to hang down your door or wall. You can either tape it to the top of a door, like I did (this door never gets opened) or you can make a cute bow to top it off and hang by a hook.

Buy the regular old silver paper clips. Or be more creative than me and get the cute scrapbooking ones :)
Measure out 5 1/5 inch increments on the ribbon and stick a paper clip in with the sharp end. Twist around and place on the ribbon as you would on paper.

Make more than one if your super popular :) Your DONE!

What I've learned about men, might help you out this Christmas! :)

2009-12-02T19:44:00.005-07:00

Here are some things I have learned to make my Holiday less stressful! Disclaimer: My Husband is Perfect. Now that I've got that out of the way, here we go!

-Men don't like to be told what to do. (just in case you didn't already know that!) They would much rather be ASKED. One little tip, say something like this: "Honey, Could you please get the Christmas Boxes down for me before you go to work today" or "Sweety, will you please take out the garbage on your way out?" Giving them a time line always helps out.

-Men DO NOT HAVE A CLUE that you might need help. I know that sounds like I'm not giving them any credit, I'm not. They really do not see things the way we do. We can look at the house and only see all the things that need to be done, they see nothing. We can look at the kids and know that they need a bath before bed, they see nothing. I am not kidding! You have to ask for help!!! Try saying it like this "I really need your help tonight, I'm on my last straw, it would help me out a TON if you could help the boys shower BEFORE BED tonight. Can you do that for me?"

-Learn about what makes your Husband feel loved and DO IT! Contrary to popular belief, not all men need to be touched to feel loved! :) I would suggest reading, TOGETHER, "The Five Love Languages" and find out what your love language is. Everyone feels loved and appreciated in a different way, and if we don't feel like we are appreciated and loved, we start to shut off.

-Give him a break! He needs some time to himself, and especially, time alone with you. Even if it's a 5 min. ride in the car to rent a movie. Men feel a completely different kind of stress than us moms. They feel the need to provide and protect, and if they are having a hard time at work, they need to feel supported by you.

-Tell him what you need from him. If you spent the whole day cleaning the house and he walks in and says nothing, DON'T GO OFF AND POUT! Say "Hey, I spent the whole day cleaning, how does it look?" or "I spent the whole day cleaning, and I NEED YOU TO NOTICE IT" with a huge cheesy grin on your face. Same goes for noticing your new hair cut.

Seriously, go get the book! Hopefully you can learn a lot about each other and learn how to make each other feel appreciated and loved.

http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

Tips for Packing Jewlery and Hair accessories for Holiday Travel

2009-12-02T19:34:00.003-07:00

I don't know about you, but I always get my necklaces tangled up with my earrings and hair elastics when I travel! Here is a pretty good idea I came up with during our last trip...

Each matching set is neatly packed in a separate "snack" size ziplock baggie. Earrings, Necklace, Bracelet etc.
Purchase a little plastic box like this one and hot glue two ribbon strips to hang from the lid. This is where I keep my daughters earrings. Add the baggies with jewelry, hair elastics and hair bows to the box and there you have it! One easy to keep track of (secure) little box with all your most important accessories!

Annette

Candied Yams

2009-11-20T14:24:00.001-07:00

Here it is, THE yams you have to make for Thanksgiving this year! My kids believe me when I tell them they are candy!

Thanks to Kathryn for posting some great ideas on what to do for Thanksgiving. She had a really cute idea on making mini cornucopias out of sugar cones, filling them with small treats and closing them off with cellophane. She has a great way of bending the points up to look more like cornucopias! Go see the comments under my last Thanksgiving Ideas post for the instructions!

These Yams are so good you’ll make them for every special occasion!

-3-4 Yams- peeled, cut up, and boiled for about 20 Min. Mash.

-or- 2 cans- 29 oz. Cut yams canned in light syrup, drained and mashed.

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-1/2 C. Butter

-2 Eggs

-1/2 C. Evaporated Milk

-3/4 C. Granulated Sugar

Mash these first 6 ingredients together then add to a greased or buttered 9x13" cake pan.

Topping:
-1/3 C. Softened Butter
-1/3 C. Flour
-1 C. Brown Sugar
?-1 C. Chopped Walnuts? (if desired)

Mash these ingredients together until they are crumbs and sprinkle on top of mashed yams mixture.

DO NOT COVER

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Super easy and super yummy! And I don't like yams!

Triple Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-20T14:14:00.002-07:00

Here is a pumpkin pie to die for! Three layers of heaven! On the bottom is the pumpkin flavored chocolate layer, in the middle is the pumpkin layer, and on the top, sweet sour cream! It takes longer than the original pumpkin pie, but it's well worth it!~

Ingredients

One pie crust (premade or homemade)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Prepare, chill, and prebake a Pie shell in a pie pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 350º.
Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler set over, not in, barely simmering water. Add the chocolate and leave it over the heat until melted (5 to 7 minutes), and then whisk it until smooth. Set aside the top of the double boiler to partially cool the chocolate.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl, gradually adding 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Next, blend in the pumpkin, vanilla extract, spices, and salt until the filling is evenly combined. Pour slightly less than half of the filling into a separate bowl and stir in the melted chocolate until evenly blended. Pour the chocolate filling into the pie shell and gently shake the pan to settle the filling. Bake the pie on the center oven rack for 20 minutes. Then let it cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Carefully ladle the remaining plain pumpkin filling over the chocolate layer and shake the pan to settle the filling. Return the pie to the oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. When done, the filling around the perimeter will have puffed somewhat, but not so much that it develops large cracks. Place the pie on the cooling rack until the filling levels, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Combine the sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Stir the mixture over very low heat for about 2 minutes, until it is fairly thin and slightly warm. Carefully pour it over the last layer and tilt the pan to evenly distribute the topping. Cool the pie thoroughly, then cover it with loosely tented tinfoil and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Thanksgiving Traditions

2009-11-17T15:28:00.004-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, I was down with a head and chest cold and a sinus infection which all spread to my family :( But now that I am feeling a little better, I am thinking about Thanksgiving Dinner! YUM! It has to be my favorite dinner of the year!

I was wondering what some of your Thanksgiving Traditions are. At our house they always revolve around food! It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without my candied yams, and of course Turkey! What also adorns my table? Cranberry sauce (or Lingon Berries), stuffing, and of course mashed potatoes and gravy! We couldn't do without pumpkin pie either!

I was wondering what some of your traditions are.... do you go around the table and tell what your thankful for, do you have special place settings, do you assign seats, do you dress up, etc. I need some more ideas to help make it special. This year we are going up to spend Thanksgiving with my husbands family, but I would love to bring along some great ideas! Leave a comment here to help me out! In return, I will post my Candied Yam's Recipe a little later after I make them this week, trust me, you won't have Thanksgiving Dinner ever again without them!

And the WINNER is .....

2009-11-06T11:39:00.003-07:00

ANDREA E.!!!!!

Congratulations! I'll e-mail you the information on how to get your cute prize! I'm so excited for you! If you want to see what Andrea won click here! This seller on Etsy is so talented, I love her mother necklaces! You HAVE to check them out! Just click to see the sellers other items for sale.

Thanks to all of you who entered the drawing by posting me on your blogs! It means a lot to me that people are actually reading my ramblings!

Have a great day!

Just like "Golden Corral" Dinner Rolls Recipe! (Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls)

2009-11-02T10:01:00.005-07:00

Hallelujah!! I have found it! The best dinner roll recipe ever! These are PERFECT for Thanksgiving dinner :) But, before I turn you loose, there are a few things you need to know about yeast!

1st- You cannot add yeast to water that is too hot! It will die! So when a recipe say's that the water or milk needs to be a certain temperature, make sure you use a thermometer!

2nd- Make sure that the yeast you are going to use is at room temperature.

3rd-Yeast always rises best in warm water with some sugar! If the yeast is not bubbling up, it wont allow the bread to rise, so start over!

With that being said, here is the recipe!

Ingredients

2-1/4tsp fast acting yeast (or 1pkg)
1/4c warm water (105°F-110°F) usually the hottest your tap gets is the right temp.
2tsp sugar
1c milk, just to scalding hot (do not simmer or boil) I microwaved my milk for 30 sec. then tested it, then 30 sec. more. It was perfect after that. It's important to take the break between each 30 sec.
1/3c sugar
1/4c butter
1tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ½ c bread flour (dough will be somewhat sticky, but the less you use, the lighter the rolls)
the remaining stick of butter for rubbing on top of the rolls right as they come out of the oven!

Directions

1) Dissolve yeast in 1/4c warm water. Stir in the 2tsp of sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes until mixture foams up.
2) Heat milk in microwave or in small saucepan on stovetop.
3) Add sugar, butter, & salt to hot milk and stir until butter is melted. Cool to 105°F-110°F.
4) Pour milk mixture into bowl of stand mixer.
5) Add the yeast mixture & egg and mix together.
6) Mix in all-purpose flour, beating to form a soft dough. Knead with mixer for 5 minutes, adding extra flour, if needed. (This is where a dough hook is your best friend!)
7) Place dough in warm oiled or buttered bowl, turning greased side up. Cover with parchment paper and let rise in warm place ( I turn my oven on to about 400 for a minute to warm up slightly then I put the bowl in there, like an incubator) until doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes.
8) Slightly punch down dough. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into round rolls. I do this by dividing the dough in half, and stretching it out into a loaf then cutting them into 6 equal parts. ** See below for how to shape the rolls, it's super easy! Place them, not touching, in greased 13×9x2 baking pan.
10) Cover with parchment paper sprayed with non stick spray & let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30–45 minutes.
11) Bake at 375°F for 18–20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
12) Brush tops of rolls with butter.

**To shape the dough, hold a section of dough in the palm of your left hand. Make a circle with your left pointer finger and left thumb. Using the thumb of the right hand, push the dough through the (tight) circle you are creating with your left hand. This reminds me of playing with play dough when I was little! :) When you get the dough pushed all the way through, pinch together the bottom and there you go! Add them to the pan pinched side down!

Tips for Taking Great Pictures on Halloween

2009-10-29T09:40:00.007-06:00

Jack 'o Lanterns

We love jack 'o lanterns! Especially because each member of our family carves one for their personality! But, sometimes you just cant get the warm glow effect of the candle to come out in your pictures! Usually, the problem is your flash. Most cameras will pop the flash automatically, especially if it's dark. The tone of the flash is cold compared to the warm glow from the jack o' lantern, so the photo doesn't turn out like you want it to. To fix this, turn off your flash, raise your ISO to 400 or 800, and slow down the shutter speed. Also, try using a tripod or table to avoid a blurry photo.

Kids in Costumes

My number one piece of advice for photographing costumes is to take the pictures early! The makeup is still fresh, the masks are on, and the kids' sugar rushes have not yet hit their peak. Take several photos: group shots, individual shots, posed shots, and candids. Use backgrounds to enhance your photo, like a spooky tree or a decorated yard. Encourage your subjects to act the part of the costume...you'll be surprised at how quickly both kids and adults will get into it!

At night, use the night mode on your camera. It still uses the flash, but it allows for the ambient light to come through also! Sometimes it actually might make the pictures a little more "scary" because of the cool lighting it creates! Above all else, come at your subject in a bunch of different angles. Get down on the ground, kneel at their level, take from above with them looking up at you, etc. Some of my favorite shots are of my kids running away from me down the road with their trick or treating bags flailing in the wind! Be sure to try out some different editing once your done too! Sometimes those ho hum pictures become masterpieces if changed to black and white or sepia!

Have fun, and stay safe!

Happy Halloween!

Snickerdoodles (along with some of my favorite Kitchen tips)

2009-10-27T15:15:00.006-06:00

Ever since I saw these on the Bakerella site, I had to make them! Not to mention, they make your house smell sooooo good! Here is the original recipe which I used from Bakerella's site.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. (I used one 14 X 20 and was able to get all 20 cookies on one sheet. Place about 3 inches apart and they won’t bake into each other.)
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream butter, shortening, and sugar on medium for about 2 minutes.
Add egg and mix until combined.
Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
Use a small 1 1/4 inch ice-cream scoop to form balls. Release in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll until covered. When coated, you can shape them in a nice round ball and place on the baking sheet. (reserve any leftover cinnamon sugar to top the cupcakes)
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies begin to crack. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.

Here are the ingredients you'll need to make scrumptious snickerdoodles!
Here are my all time favorite storage containers for sugar and flour! The one on the top is for my sugar, purchased through Tupperware! They close tight and keep things fresh. I have all the different sizes for all sorts of things like hot chocolate mix, homemade pancake mix etc. The 5 gallon bucket under the sugar holds my flour. It's only about $1 or $2 for the bucket and $5 for the screw on lid at Wal-Mart. I use these to hold those huge bags of flour and rice!
This little (very cheap) plastic shalt shaker (found at Wal-Mart) is what I use for my cinnamon sugar so my kids don't make a huge mess while making cinnamon toast! In this recipe though, you will need to put the cinnamon sugar in a bowl so you can roll the dough around in it.
My little Bosch Compact is my best friend while making cookies, and you HAVE to have one of the scoopers from Pampered Chef to scoop out perfectly shaped cookies!
Once you have scooped out a ball of dough, roll it in a mixture of cinnamon sugar.
There you go, the perfect Snickerdoodle!

Pilgrim Pies (Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting :)

2009-10-27T14:43:00.003-06:00

Mmmmm.... these are so good!

Ingredients for the Cookies:
2 eggs
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups light brown sugar
1- 15 oz can pumpkin
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Start by combining in a large bowl with a mixer the oil and brown sugar until well blended. Next add the vanilla then the eggs one at a time until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and powder, salt and spices. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture one cup at a time until well blended. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out on to a ungreased baking sheet (I use my stoneware pizza pan) about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 for about 13 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1/2 c. butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar

Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar a half a cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.
To assemble the pies:
Turn half of the cookies upside down, frost the bottoms and top with another cookie!
Makes 10-12
Enjoy!

Here it is.... the item to be given away!

2009-10-27T10:48:00.005-06:00

Here is the item I am giving away!!

Isn't it the cutest thing? Scroll down for more information on the giveaway!

Also, you can ADD YOUR NAME INTO THE DRAWING AGAIN by linking to my blog in one of your blog posts! Just send me the link to the post through commenting on this post!

Good Luck!

Things to do on Halloween for families!

2009-10-27T07:54:00.004-06:00

I am alway's looking for new things to do on Halloween, since it is not my favorite holiday, my brain just doesn't get creative! Here is a great web site with tons of ideas. You can also sign up for their weekly e-mail's packed with great ideas for every season!

Here is a list of not-so-scary Halloween movies for the family

Here is a "We still have to eat dinner on Halloween easy casserole"

And since Halloween is on a Saturday, I thought it would be fun to make Pumpkin Pancakes for breakfast!

When we are done trick or treating, we alway's make homemade donuts and hot chocolate! Click here for the Krispy Kreme recipe!

Have fun trick or treating~ :)

Giveaway!

2009-10-21T14:25:00.002-06:00

I have a great giveaway coming up! Here how it will work! Leave a comment here letting me know that you have me listed on your "Favorite Blogs List" blog gadget, and I will enter you into the drawing for a great handmade jewelry piece from Etsy!!

Better yet, get a friend to add me to their list and I will add you both to the drawing twice!!! Just let me know who reffered you.

Trust me, this will be a great giveaway, I love the stuff this lady makes, it's on my Christmas List for my husband. Her Etsy name is cinnamonsticks.

Let me know by leaving a comment, I can also check through google to see if I'm on your page, but I am too lazy to do that :)

I'll post a picture of the jewlery as soon as I decide on a piece!

How to get your kids to work at home! Children's Chore Charts

2009-10-20T13:26:00.005-06:00

I have taught my children to work from the time they were big enough to walk! There is no reason a child should not be taking care of their things as early as possible. Here are some things that I have done to teach my children how to help out around the house....

- As soon as they can walk, they are throwing away their own diapers. With a huge HOORAY from the family, they learn that work can be fun!

-My children alway's clear their own plates and cups from the table and a stool is pulled up to the sink so that they can rinse their own dishes. When they are old enough, they wash their own dishes or put them in the dishwasher themselves.

-My kids make their own beds and pick up their own clothes and toys in their room every morning before school. If it's not done before school, they can not play with friends until it's done. Try not to do it for them, they will learn that you will do it if they wait it out long enough, then you are creating bad habits for them!

-My kids have their own (age appropriate) chores around the house. Here is a list of things your child should know how to do at certain ages:

~Three Years Old:

-Dress self (I know it doesn't sound like a chore, but you are teaching them to be independent, this includes helping pick out their clothes)

-brushing teeth with supervision

-Picking up toys

-Clean the kitchen table

-Use the toilet independently

-Help sort laundry into whites, lights, and darks

-Start learning how to hang up shirts with a hanger

~Four Years Old: (in addition to 3 yrs old)

-Make bed

-Help make breakfast

-Help make sandwiches for lunch

-Cleaning room (with games listed below)

-Learn how to use the computer (learn how to use the mouse, navigate, etc.)

~Five Years Old: (in addition)

-Vacuum

-Take garbage out

-Set and clear the table

-Start earning allowance

-Memorize Address and phone numbers

~Six Years Old: (in addition)

-Bathe or shower themselves

-Load and empty dishwasher

-Dust

-Clean countertops and sinks

-Use microwave

-Answer and make phone calls

-Care for pet

~Seven Years Old: (in addition)

-Hand wash dishes

-Clean the bathroom (toilets, sinks, tub, etc.)

-Start a savings account

~Eight Years Old: (in addition)

-Being responsible for attending and scheduling extra curricular activities like Dance, Activity Days, Scouts, etc.

-Wake up and get ready for school by self

-Clean mirrors and windows

-Personal hygiene (clipping nails, hair, cleaning, ect.)

~Nine Years Old: (in addition)

-Bake cakes and cookies

-Make simple meals (mac 'n cheese)

-Mop and sweep

-Learn how to check oil in car

-Learn how to fill the car with gas

-Hammer and saw wood

-Earn an e-mail address (supervised)

-Start using the internet (supervised)

~Ten Years Old: (in addition)

-Do own laundry (sorting, washing, drying, folding, hanging & put away)

-Clean stove and oven

-Add to meal preparation experience

-Learn nutrition

-Gardening

-Place a collect call

-Use a pay phone

-Place a long distance call

-Write in a journal

-Star tending siblings for a short time

~Eleven Years Old: (in addition)

-Schedule for own hair cuts

-Clean out closets and drawers

-Clean out refrigerator

-Learn the basics of mending clothes

-Learn Baking (breads, pies etc.)

~Twelve Years Old: (in addition)

-Speak in public

-Learn about weight control

-Make and keep dentist and doctors appointments

-Iron own clothes

-Mow lawn

-Place a credit card order (supervised)

-Use a DSLR camera

-Learn to crochet

-Take a baby sitting class

-Start babysitting

So there is my list! Did any of it shock you? I hope not. I hope you are teaching your children to be a helpful, responsible member of the family! I know you don't think that it's fair for the mom to do it all right!?

Some of the games I use to get my kids to clean up their room are as follows:

-Pick a color! Mom say's pick up everything that's PINK! The kids run in the room and pick up everything that is pink, then run out and tell mom how many you picked up. Then mom calls out another color.

-Sort! My children share rooms so it has been a struggle to get them to clean their room because they blame it on the other person! So, I have started saying: "Tiernan picks up everything that can be worn on the body, socks, shoes, clothes, hair accessories etc. and Amara picks up everything that can be played with and the garbage.

-Use the timer! Nothing motivates a kid like a time limit! Who ever finishes before the timer goes off gets a special prize or treat! Of course mom warns them with how much time is left, and she goes and checks to make sure they did it!

One very important thing is to TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW YOU WANT THEM TO CLEAN!!!! You can't expect your children to do it right if they have never been taught. As you introduce new chores to your kids, take time to teach them the right way to do it. Help them for the first 3 times they are responsible for that chore then check to make sure they do it right afterward. If they didn't, say "Okay, great job! I am so proud of you, but let's go over how to clean the sink again!" Make sure you are always praising, never degrading.

Here is a link to the chore charts I use for my children. One great thing that I use are flip pages. They take the children through their chore one step at a time. They work great!

Childrens Chore Chart (each child has a number)

Bakerella.com ... I HATE YOU for making me want to eat SUGAR!

2009-10-16T14:09:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite blogs is Bakerella.... and I try not to visit it very often cause it makes me want to make naughty stuff like these awesome mini pumpkin pies!

http://www.bakerella.com/pumpkin-pie-bites/

I now have to make some today! Thanks a lot Bakerella! ;)

Some fun, creative ways to pick up the clutter around your home, with kids!

2009-10-13T17:24:00.006-06:00

One of my pet peeves is when my kids leave little tiny toys evenly spaced all over the floor in my house!!! Isn't it funny how the toys act like the opposite sides of a magnet and repel each other so they can cover a larger area of carpet!? Here are a couple of different ideas that I have found to be effective:

1. Get your laundry basket and walk around the house. Anything that is not in it's place, add it to your basket! Now the trick is, once the kids get home from school, they have to separate their stuff from the basket and put it back where it belongs BEFORE they can do anything else! Bribery always works! ;)

2. Have the kids grab a grocery sack and set the timer for one minute. Everyone runs around the house looking for things that are not in their place and adds them to their bag (whether it's theirs or not). Everyone gets a penny for each thing in their bag once it's put back in it's place! My kids love this game!

3. Put on an apron with deep pockets while you are cleaning the house. This way, while you are in a room cleaning, you don't have to leave the room to put one little thing away and get distracted by the mess in the other room! I don't know about you, but I can not clean one room at a time! If I go to a different room to put something away, I get stuck there cleaning that mess! This helps me get things done faster. Then when I am done with cleaning, I put away the things in my pockets.

4. Make a "tidy up apron" for your kids too! Take a pillow case and follow the directions found here! It's so simple, all you need is a pillow case, scissors, and scrapbooking brads! Then teach your kids the same technique as discussed in idea #3. They will love cleaning up like mom does!

Twilight Theme Vampire Party Ideas and Recipes!!

2009-10-12T14:51:00.005-06:00

I have not read the Twilight Series...
That being said, I love the story, and I liked the first movie and I can't wait to see the second!! My daughter wanted to have a Vampire Party for her Birthday this year, and I thought I would post some of the things we did that would fit in perfectly with any vampire themed party!

First up is the recipe for...

"Fang Faddle" from Tonya Jesienouski
2 c. brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. Karo syrup
2 cubes butter
3 small bags or
1 big bag Bugles treats
1.5 cups mixed nuts

Mix Bugles and nuts in large bowl and set aside. Bring sugar, milk, syrup and butter to a boil. Stir constantly until mixture reaches soft ball stage on candy thermometer. Carefully(!!) pour mixture over Bugles and stir until coated. Let cool and eat. Caution: this stuff is very addictive. Eat at your own risk.
Second up...
"Cinnamon Blood Juice" by Christine Walter
Pour about a gallon of Apple Cider into a pot and add a big (movie) box of Red hots in it and warm up. Once the Red Hots are dissolved, enjoy!

Third...

Take a picture of your friends with a black backdrop (I used a black sheet from Wal-Mart that was like $4) and photoshop them into a coffin like I did here. If you want me to do it for you, just e-mail the pictures to me and send me a pay pal payment for $1 each picture through pay pal to customerservice@littlegemspreschool.com!! It's very simple, but if you want me to do it, I will just e-mail them back to you done in a few days.

Halloween Neighborhood Ghost Game...

2009-10-12T14:38:00.003-06:00

My neighborhood always seems to have a person that starts this every year! My kids love it! I redesigned the little hand out, cause I am compulsive with photoshop, but here it is. The poem explains it all! Click on the picture to make it bigger so you can print it out, and have fun haunting!

The poem says:
I am the Ghost of Halloween
I go a haunting without being seen
Leaving treats at someones door
And asking you to give out more
Copy off this paper twice
For two of your neighbors just as nice
Include a treat, a prize, or more
Then place this Ghost on YOUR window or door
All you have is twenty-four hours
Or you'll be vexed by my ghostly powers!!

How to get the mildew smell out of your clothes after leaving them wet for too long!!!

2009-10-12T14:32:00.002-06:00

Vinegar!! Yes, I know, it's all I can talk about!

Don't you hate it when you take a shower, reach out for the towel, put it up to your face, and the instant it gets wet... P.U.!!! It smells like mildew cause it got left in the washer too long before drying!!?

Put about 1/2 gallon of vinegar with your regular detergent into the wash cycle, dry clothes, and the smell should be gone! If it's not quite there, do it again. If you cant stand the vinegar smell (if it's too strong after washing) just wash them in a normal cycle with detergent again and the vinegar smell will go away!

How to make Caramel Apples the easy way!!

2009-10-04T09:53:00.002-06:00

Buy good, firm apples such as Granny Smith.
Keep apples refrigerated until ready to use. This helps the caramel stick to the apples and not slide off! Wash apples with dish soap (to remove the wax), remove stems and dry with a kitchen towel. Sick a sucker stick or popsicle stick into the tops of the apples
Buy the 14 oz bag of caramels (that are all over the store right now) and unwrap them all and add them to a microwavable 8 cup measuring glass bowl. This is a great step for the kids to help you with!
Microwave the caramels for about 3 min, checking after 1.5. Once the caramels are stirrable, stop microwaving and keep stirring to melt the leftover chunks. You don't want to over heat the caramels, because then it will slide right off the apples.
Lay out a piece of wax paper on a jelly roll pan spray it heavily with non stick spray!!! This is where you will rest the apples while you are making the rest.

6. Tip the bowl on it's side to gather the caramel into a deeper pile, and dip the apples twisting in a circle.
7. Let excess caramel drip off the apple then place on your sprayed wax paper.
8. Finish the rest of the apples, then place them in the refrigerator for about an hour.

9. Take out the apples from the fridge about 15 min. before you want to eat them. This is how I serve them to my 4 year old... He has a hard time biting into the apple through the caramel! this way he gets it all in one bite rather than eating the caramel then the apple! :)

How to hang things on your wall without nails

2009-10-04T07:58:00.002-06:00

I have a lot of seasonal decorations that are emerging from the garage! My husbands pet peeve is nail holes all over the walls, so I had to figure out a better way to hang all my cute vinyl signs we are making in my craft club!

The best thing I have found (they are my best friend) are the velcro 3M strips made for hanging picture frames to the wall! You can find them at most stores like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target, etc. Here is a link so you can see what they look like. They come in white too! When you are done with the season, just pull on the tab and it comes clean off your wall!! They're the BEST! Have fun decorating!

How to clean urine off the mattress.

2009-10-04T07:45:00.004-06:00

I have a child that wets the bed about 3 times a year, so it's not a huge problem, but it's really gross to clean up! This is the process I use to be sure everything is as fresh as new!

-First strip all bedding from the bed and throw it in the washer with your regular detergent and a splash of vinegar

-Next get a dirty towel from the laundry and fold it in half. Place over the wet spot and pound all over with your fist. This soaks up all the excess fluid that soaked into the mattress.

-Use a Bio Enzyme cleaner like the one found here: http://www.centralvacuumstores.com/item.php?id=3426 This is the one we have cause we used to have that central vacuum. I loved that vacuum. It's a wet/dry vac so you could clean up everything and that's perfect for a mom with little ones!!! Anyway, remember to dilute it and put it in a spray bottle. Scrub with the same towel flipped over.

-Sprinkle baking soda on the wet spot and wait a few hours to allow the baking soda to absorb the moisture.

-Vacuum up the soda with the attachment on your vacuum and your done! The mattress is as fresh as it was brand new!

Recipe for Apple Cobbler! Welcome Fall!

2009-09-23T18:17:00.003-06:00

This is one of my husbands favorites! I only like it if it's covered with vanilla ice cream, of course ;) This is a very simple recipe and it is really fun for the kids to help out with the apple-peeler-corer! If you don't have one of those, don't worry, you can peel core and slice the apples by hand.

Start with about 6 apples, we use Granny Smith because it off sets the sweetness of the crumble topping. Core, peel and thinly slice the apples.

Isn't it fun what it does to the apples?
Add 2 table spoons flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Combine well.

Spray a 9x13 cake pan with non stick spray, and dump the apple mixture into the pan.
In a medium bowl, combine until crumbly, 1/2 pkg dry yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup quick oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar and one stick of softened butter.

Sprinkle over apples and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.

Serve a la mode and enjoy!

Girls Hair Do's - The Starburst!

2009-09-21T14:18:00.005-06:00

I totally forgot about this hair do until we watched some old home video's and I saw it on my oldest daughter when she was about 2. It's definitely one of my favs!

Start by finding the center of the head and make a part strait down from that point to the base of the head. Go back to the starting point and make another part going off to the side slightly to gather enough hair to make a sectioned pony tail. Make sure the pony tail is as close to the bottom of the head as possible because we want the hair to make a crown around the outside of the head.
Go back to the center starting point and repeat making a new section and add the hair from the 1st pony to the new pony.
Continue up the side of the head.
Over the top.

And down the other side!
You'll end up with an off center pony tail, so this is how I finished it off... take the hair from the pony and loop it through the first and second pony tail loop. Does that make sense? Just look at the picture.
Then I just brought it back through again and secured it with a bobby pin.
Now on to the bangs. I know there are some of you out there that don't know how to style the swoop bangs, so here is how I do it. Get the bangs damp, blow dry them strait down until almost dry then use a round brush to finish it off. Now swoop the bottom of the bangs over with your fingers and hairspray!

There you go!
Here is my other daughter. She has such THICK hair that it makes it impossible to do a single braid from a pony tail on the back of her head! So I had to make 3! I thought it turned out pretty cute! Something different...

Easy girls hair do for a school morning

2009-09-17T15:07:00.003-06:00

Easy hair do's on school mornings (that still look like I spent a lot of time) are my favorite! I really like this one.

Start by parting the front part of the head in three sections and secure with a pony tail. Twist the ponies under themselves.

Make a part down the middle of the head and split the top pony tail in half and add it and the other pony from the top on the same side. Secure the side you wont be working on with a pony tail to get it out of the way! Then french braid the other side. As you can see I didn't take the time to part it straight! LOL!

French braid the other side and secure with a pony tail.
I thought it turned out pretty cute!

Triple Chocolate Fruit Topped Cookie

2009-09-14T15:06:00.003-06:00

This is definitely my family's favorite dessert and whenever I take it anywhere to share, it sure makes an impression! Everyone loves it, and it looks good too!

Triple Chocolate Fruit Topped Cookie

2 pkgs. 18 oz each refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1 tub cool whip

1 pkg. white chocolate instant pudding mix

1 pint strawberries

1 can (large) mandarin oranges, well drained

½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Roll out the cookie dough onto a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet)

Bake for about 11 min. or until turning brown, do not over cook. Cool completely

Mix together the cool whip and ½ pkg white chocolate instant pudding powder

Spread on the cooled cookie like frosting

Slice strawberries and place decoratively on the top of the frosting with the mandarin oranges.

Melt the chocolate morsels in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Pour into a resealable plastic bag. Snip of a VERY SMALL piece of the corner of the bag and use like a frosting bag. Drizzle chocolate over top of cookie in long straight thin stripes. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Recipe for Annette's Chicken Pot Pie

2009-09-11T17:49:00.004-06:00

This is one of my family's favorites!

Chicken Mixture:
Start out by boiling about 3 or 4 chicken breasts until done. Chop chicken. Add to a big mixing bowl.
Add 2 or 3 small cans of cream of chicken soup (depending on how creamy you want it).
Add a small bag of frozen mixed veggies.
If it is too thick to stir, add about 1/2 cup of milk.

Pie Crust:
4 cups all purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1 1/2 Cups Softened butter (still a little cold, that's what makes it fluffy)-or-Shortening
Cut together with a pastry cutter or 2 knifes until just blended.
Divide dough in half and roll out two rectangles big enough to go up the sides of a 9x13x2" pan.

Add pie dough to pan and prick with a fork. Add the chicken mixture.

I love this silicone rolling mat, I just roll out the dough and pick the whole thing up and add it to the pan.

Press down the sides and seal the two pieces of dough together.

Cut an X in the middle for ventilation.

Brush with one egg and about a teaspoon of milk that has been whisked together.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until you can see the center bubbling.
Enjoy!