On Friday our high-speed internet connection went haywire. It won't be fixed until Wednesday, so I don't know if I'll have a chance to post or not after this. Right now I'm using my husband's phone which has its own broadband connection. Thanks, honey!
Here's the menu plan for the week:
Sunday
Leftovers
Monday
Hot dogs, hash brown casserole
Tuesday
Cheeseburger rice, lemon pepper broccoli, homemade bread
Wednesday
Pork loin, parsley potatoes, green beans
Thursday
Spaghetti with veggie sauce, cheesy garlic breadsticks
Friday
Make your own pizza
Saturday
Homemade chicken nuggets, fries
For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Make your own puzzles
I've been trying to come up with things to keep my children occupied this summer. I posted a couple of lists here and here if you're interested. Making puzzles was on the list. Here's what to do.
Cut up a cereal box as the backing for your puzzle. Let your children color a picture of their choosing. The Princess chose to color a dinosaur picture. No big surprise there.
Trim off any parts of the picture you don't want in the puzzle, like all that empty white space. Then glue the picture to the gray side of the cardboard from the cereal box. Press down firmly.
I use a Scotch craft stick, but you can use whatever kind of adhesive you desire. Chances are after your child has played with the puzzle a couple of times, you'll have to glue down the edges of each piece again anyway. The pressure from cutting the cardboard apart causes the picture to pull away. That's okay, just use a little more glue.
Trim away the excess cardboard with scissors or a craft knife.
Now comes the fun part! Cut the puzzle into pieces. Use all sorts of funny angles and shapes. Why is cutting things up so therapeutic for me?
Here's the Princess putting the pieces back together.
The puzzle Mr. Lego did - Bullet Bill from Super Mario Brothers.
A couple of hints and tricks for you - take a picture of the puzzle before you cut it up. Would you like to try to put a puzzle together without knowing what it's supposed to look like? Even though your child knows today what the picture looked like before it was severed into little pieces, he or she might forget by tomorrow!
Keep each puzzle in a separate Ziploc bag and label it. When you print the picture you took of each puzzle, slide it down in the bag with the pieces for future reference.
We all enjoyed creating these puzzles together. The kids liked exchanging puzzles and seeing if they could put together the other's creation. And it was great fun having Daddy put the puzzles together, too.
You can also use old calendar pages, cards or posters instead of coloring your own pictures. Anything printed on paper can be recycled into a puzzle.
For more money-saving ideas, visit Life as Mom's Frugal Friday blog carnival.
Cut up a cereal box as the backing for your puzzle. Let your children color a picture of their choosing. The Princess chose to color a dinosaur picture. No big surprise there.
Trim off any parts of the picture you don't want in the puzzle, like all that empty white space. Then glue the picture to the gray side of the cardboard from the cereal box. Press down firmly.
I use a Scotch craft stick, but you can use whatever kind of adhesive you desire. Chances are after your child has played with the puzzle a couple of times, you'll have to glue down the edges of each piece again anyway. The pressure from cutting the cardboard apart causes the picture to pull away. That's okay, just use a little more glue.
Trim away the excess cardboard with scissors or a craft knife.
Now comes the fun part! Cut the puzzle into pieces. Use all sorts of funny angles and shapes. Why is cutting things up so therapeutic for me?
Here's the Princess putting the pieces back together.
The puzzle Mr. Lego did - Bullet Bill from Super Mario Brothers.
A couple of hints and tricks for you - take a picture of the puzzle before you cut it up. Would you like to try to put a puzzle together without knowing what it's supposed to look like? Even though your child knows today what the picture looked like before it was severed into little pieces, he or she might forget by tomorrow!
Keep each puzzle in a separate Ziploc bag and label it. When you print the picture you took of each puzzle, slide it down in the bag with the pieces for future reference.
We all enjoyed creating these puzzles together. The kids liked exchanging puzzles and seeing if they could put together the other's creation. And it was great fun having Daddy put the puzzles together, too.You can also use old calendar pages, cards or posters instead of coloring your own pictures. Anything printed on paper can be recycled into a puzzle.
For more money-saving ideas, visit Life as Mom's Frugal Friday blog carnival.
Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Today my parents celebrate their 44th wedding anniversary! Marital longevity is rare these days, so I feel blessed to have such a great example.
My mother's parents were divorced, long before it was a common occurrence. She grew up in a broken home and determined that her children would never go through the hurt and confusion she did. I learned from her to let go of the little things about my husband that drive me crazy. It's more important to be happy than to be right all the time (which we all know I am, wink, wink).
My dad always made sure we knew how much he loved Mom, so I grew up feeling secure in my family. I know they had their disagreements but they didn't fight in front of us. There was never a time that I doubted their love for each other. I still don't.
Most importantly, both parents taught me to walk with the Lord. Dad still gets up early every morning to read his Bible and pray. Maybe he didn't think I'd notice as I was growing up, but I did. Mom serves others with a glad heart and prays about everything. Before we left the house each morning for school, she prayed with us and asked God to watch over us. What greater blessing can a parent be to a child?
So thanks, Mom and Dad, for being such godly examples to me. Happy Anniversary! I love you both!
P.S. Did you know that the anniversary gift for 44 years is groceries? No kidding.
My mother's parents were divorced, long before it was a common occurrence. She grew up in a broken home and determined that her children would never go through the hurt and confusion she did. I learned from her to let go of the little things about my husband that drive me crazy. It's more important to be happy than to be right all the time (which we all know I am, wink, wink).
My dad always made sure we knew how much he loved Mom, so I grew up feeling secure in my family. I know they had their disagreements but they didn't fight in front of us. There was never a time that I doubted their love for each other. I still don't.
Most importantly, both parents taught me to walk with the Lord. Dad still gets up early every morning to read his Bible and pray. Maybe he didn't think I'd notice as I was growing up, but I did. Mom serves others with a glad heart and prays about everything. Before we left the house each morning for school, she prayed with us and asked God to watch over us. What greater blessing can a parent be to a child?
So thanks, Mom and Dad, for being such godly examples to me. Happy Anniversary! I love you both!
P.S. Did you know that the anniversary gift for 44 years is groceries? No kidding.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Homemade Seasoned Salt
I've been trying to make things from scratch as much as possible this year. So I thought, why not try my hand at making my own seasoning blends? So I played around with some seasoned salt blends and this is what I came up with.
In a blender or food processor, combine the following:
5 TBSP coarse sea salt
2 TBSP dried parsley flakes
2 1/2 teas paprika
1 teas dry mustard
1 teas dried thyme leaves
1/2 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas curry powder
1/2 teas onion powder
1/2 teas celery seed
1/2 teas dried oregano
1/8 teas dill weed
Blend until all the spices are about the same size particles. Pour into a shaker container and use in any recipe that calls for seasoned salt. I love to sprinkle this on french fries and other potato dishes. It's also very good on pork chops and chicken.
In a blender or food processor, combine the following:
5 TBSP coarse sea salt
2 TBSP dried parsley flakes
2 1/2 teas paprika
1 teas dry mustard
1 teas dried thyme leaves
1/2 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas curry powder
1/2 teas onion powder
1/2 teas celery seed
1/2 teas dried oregano
1/8 teas dill weed
Blend until all the spices are about the same size particles. Pour into a shaker container and use in any recipe that calls for seasoned salt. I love to sprinkle this on french fries and other potato dishes. It's also very good on pork chops and chicken.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Summertime Boredom Busters Part Two
This is the last week before the unofficial start of summer! Memorial Day Weekend is what most people consider the first weekend of summer, especially hotels which jack up their prices for the season. If your kids are like mine, they're going to play, play, play for the first day or two, then come to you with cries of "I'm bored!"
Last week I shared some fun boredom busters to try with them in Part One. Now on to Part Two.
11. Write a letter to Grandma. Or anyone, really. But Grandmas really like that sort of thing, especially if you and your kids live far, far away like we do. This will give them some handwriting and spelling practice, too. Gotta keep those skills sharp!
12. Build a castle out of cardboard. You can find some really cool instructions here. For a simpler version, go here. You use toilet paper, right? Well, here's a great way to use up those cardboard rolls! And give your kids something constructive to do in the process.
13. Make placemats with their artwork and contact paper. Cut two sheets of contact paper a few inches larger than their pictures. Lay their masterpieces face down on one sheet very carefully to avoid wrinkles. Then cover the back with the other sheet of contact paper. Trim around the edges. You can also use this as a playdough mat to stop those pesky little playdough droppings from sticking to your table!
14. Plan a theme party together. This doesn't have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as having a few of their friends over for sandwiches one afternoon. But pick a theme like a bug party or a water party. You could have a baking party and let your guests create cupcakes or something easy. Have your children design invitations to be sent out. Let them plan games and activities that revolve around the chosen theme. Note - this is NOT a birthday party. Oh, no. This is just because. Mainly because you're a cool mom!
15. Publish a family newspaper. Tell your friends and family all the latest news from your children's perspectives. We did this a few weeks ago - it was Mr. Lego's idea. His headline? "Dad fixes sink!" He also drew some pretty interesting stick figure illustrations. What would a newspaper be without the funny pages? Let them draw cartoons or write jokes. Include favorite family recipes, too. The Princess was a little too eager to inform the general public of her brother's misdeeds, so we left the crime report out.
16. Whip up a batch of salt dough and let them create. Here's a basic recipe:
Dissolve 1 cup of salt in 1 1/4 cups water. Stir in 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, until a nice soft dough forms. Now you have a substance similar to Sculpey clay. You can roll this out and cut into shapes, or you can let them create anything from a bouquet of salty flowers to a zoo full of little animals. You can even make salt dough beads for jewelry! Bake their creations at 200 degrees for about an hour or until dry and hard. Allow to cool, then paint.
17. Design a puzzle. There are two ways to start this project. You can let them color a picture from a coloring book or they can draw and color their own picture. Either way, it's their creation. Once they have their design, cut apart a cereal box and glue the picture to the cardboard. Let them cut the picture into 20-30 pieces. Now they have their own personal puzzle!
18. Maintain a journal. Give each child their own spiral notebook. Once or twice a week, write a question down in the notebook for them to answer. It can be silly like "What kind of super power do you wish you had?" to serious such as "What quality to you admire most about your Dad?" Google "children's journaling prompts" for hundreds of ideas for questions. Even when summer is over, you can incorporate the journal into your weekly routine and let them write down invaluable memories and thoughts about their childhoods.
19. Set up an obstacle course in the backyard. Use chairs, cones, even pool toys to create zig zags, hurdles and race courses. Time each competitor with a stop watch. Then run the courses backwards. Not in reverse. I mean, turn around and run backwards! Reward each athlete with a popsicle or snow cone!
20. Put together an "All About Me" collage. Get a piece of poster board for each child and let them tell about themselves through pictures, drawings, or lists. Include their height and weight, as well as eye color, hair color, how many teeth they have missing, etc. Make lists of their favorite things. Cut pictures out of magazines of their favorite foods. Write the date on the back so you know when they created it. Next year, make another collage. It will be fun to see how much they've grown and changed.
I hope I've given you some inspiration to try new things with your kids this summer. As we do these things, I'll post pictures and tips, too!
If you have an awesome idea for keeping your kids from being bored this summer, please share! Please!
For more helpful tips and hints, visit We are THAT Family's Works for Me Wednesday.
Last week I shared some fun boredom busters to try with them in Part One. Now on to Part Two.
11. Write a letter to Grandma. Or anyone, really. But Grandmas really like that sort of thing, especially if you and your kids live far, far away like we do. This will give them some handwriting and spelling practice, too. Gotta keep those skills sharp!
12. Build a castle out of cardboard. You can find some really cool instructions here. For a simpler version, go here. You use toilet paper, right? Well, here's a great way to use up those cardboard rolls! And give your kids something constructive to do in the process.
13. Make placemats with their artwork and contact paper. Cut two sheets of contact paper a few inches larger than their pictures. Lay their masterpieces face down on one sheet very carefully to avoid wrinkles. Then cover the back with the other sheet of contact paper. Trim around the edges. You can also use this as a playdough mat to stop those pesky little playdough droppings from sticking to your table!
14. Plan a theme party together. This doesn't have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as having a few of their friends over for sandwiches one afternoon. But pick a theme like a bug party or a water party. You could have a baking party and let your guests create cupcakes or something easy. Have your children design invitations to be sent out. Let them plan games and activities that revolve around the chosen theme. Note - this is NOT a birthday party. Oh, no. This is just because. Mainly because you're a cool mom!
15. Publish a family newspaper. Tell your friends and family all the latest news from your children's perspectives. We did this a few weeks ago - it was Mr. Lego's idea. His headline? "Dad fixes sink!" He also drew some pretty interesting stick figure illustrations. What would a newspaper be without the funny pages? Let them draw cartoons or write jokes. Include favorite family recipes, too. The Princess was a little too eager to inform the general public of her brother's misdeeds, so we left the crime report out.
16. Whip up a batch of salt dough and let them create. Here's a basic recipe:
Dissolve 1 cup of salt in 1 1/4 cups water. Stir in 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, until a nice soft dough forms. Now you have a substance similar to Sculpey clay. You can roll this out and cut into shapes, or you can let them create anything from a bouquet of salty flowers to a zoo full of little animals. You can even make salt dough beads for jewelry! Bake their creations at 200 degrees for about an hour or until dry and hard. Allow to cool, then paint.
17. Design a puzzle. There are two ways to start this project. You can let them color a picture from a coloring book or they can draw and color their own picture. Either way, it's their creation. Once they have their design, cut apart a cereal box and glue the picture to the cardboard. Let them cut the picture into 20-30 pieces. Now they have their own personal puzzle!
18. Maintain a journal. Give each child their own spiral notebook. Once or twice a week, write a question down in the notebook for them to answer. It can be silly like "What kind of super power do you wish you had?" to serious such as "What quality to you admire most about your Dad?" Google "children's journaling prompts" for hundreds of ideas for questions. Even when summer is over, you can incorporate the journal into your weekly routine and let them write down invaluable memories and thoughts about their childhoods.
19. Set up an obstacle course in the backyard. Use chairs, cones, even pool toys to create zig zags, hurdles and race courses. Time each competitor with a stop watch. Then run the courses backwards. Not in reverse. I mean, turn around and run backwards! Reward each athlete with a popsicle or snow cone!
20. Put together an "All About Me" collage. Get a piece of poster board for each child and let them tell about themselves through pictures, drawings, or lists. Include their height and weight, as well as eye color, hair color, how many teeth they have missing, etc. Make lists of their favorite things. Cut pictures out of magazines of their favorite foods. Write the date on the back so you know when they created it. Next year, make another collage. It will be fun to see how much they've grown and changed.
I hope I've given you some inspiration to try new things with your kids this summer. As we do these things, I'll post pictures and tips, too!
If you have an awesome idea for keeping your kids from being bored this summer, please share! Please!
For more helpful tips and hints, visit We are THAT Family's Works for Me Wednesday.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Cookie Dough-topped Brownies
I love brownies. Probably more than cookies. And I love cookies a lot, so that's saying something!This recipe combines two of my favorites - brownies and chocolate chip cookie dough. Only this cookie dough has no eggs so there's no need to worry about salmonella. Dig in, baby!
No, really, don't dig in. You won't have enough cookie dough to cover your brownies. Unless you double the cookie dough recipe. But don't tell anyone I told you to do that.
Here's what you need:
A 9x13 pan of brownies, baked and cooled - use your favorite recipe or mix. I use a mix and add chocolate chips to it.
Now on to the good stuff, the cookie dough:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 TBSP milk
1 teas vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla extract.
Add the flour and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop the cookie dough onto the brownies by the spoonful. Then carefully spread it over the entire pan. If the brownies are the slightest bit warm, the cookie dough will stick and not want to spread. So make sure your brownies are completely cooled.
Cut into squares, pour yourself a tall glass of ice cold milk and enjoy! If your kitchen is warm like mine, you might want to store these in the fridge so the cookie dough "icing" doesn't melt.
For more yummy recipes, visit Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Menu Plan May 23-29
Well, here we are. The last full week of May. We've finished school for the year and are looking forward to a busy summer. Now that the weather has heated up (we had 95+ temps today. In May.) I'm trying to double up on grilled meals to avoid having a heat stroke in the kitchen.
For instance, on Wednesday we're going to have grilled pizza. While the grill is hot, we'll go ahead and grill the chicken for Thursday's meal. On Friday, we'll use some of the chicken for the Santa Fe Chicken Salad. I've just gotten three meals out of one grill session. How cool is that? At least it will be cooler in the kitchen!
Here's the plan for the week:
Sunday
Pulled pork, tater tots
Monday
Cheese and bean quesadillas, Mexican rice
Tuesday
Sausage veggies calzones, fried potatoes
Wednesday
Grilled pizza
Thursday
Grilled chicken, white bean salad
Friday
Santa Fe Chicken Salad, tortilla chips and bean dip
Saturday
Smoked turkey legs (we're going to a Renaissance festival!)
For more great menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. You'll find tons of links and ideas to help your own menu planning.
For instance, on Wednesday we're going to have grilled pizza. While the grill is hot, we'll go ahead and grill the chicken for Thursday's meal. On Friday, we'll use some of the chicken for the Santa Fe Chicken Salad. I've just gotten three meals out of one grill session. How cool is that? At least it will be cooler in the kitchen!
Here's the plan for the week:
Sunday
Pulled pork, tater tots
Monday
Cheese and bean quesadillas, Mexican rice
Tuesday
Sausage veggies calzones, fried potatoes
Wednesday
Grilled pizza
Thursday
Grilled chicken, white bean salad
Friday
Santa Fe Chicken Salad, tortilla chips and bean dip
Saturday
Smoked turkey legs (we're going to a Renaissance festival!)
For more great menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. You'll find tons of links and ideas to help your own menu planning.
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