EASY 4th of July Ideas Coming Your Way~

EASY Breakfast for the kids on the 4th.  You can use frozen waffles and just put red and blue berries.  You could use bananas or whipped cream if you want to add white:

EASY  Dessert to Serve at Home - Raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, and blue berries.  If you can get some plain white plastic cups, it will look even more 4th-like.  No baking, just scoop up and serve!

OR

Scoop up ice cream cones with the sorbet and ice cream and top with blue berries.  Too cute and too EASY!  (just ignore the sprinkles in this picture)

SOMEWHAT EASY treat to bring to a party - Brie can't do this, but the rest of us can.  Strawberries, white chocolate, and blue sugar.  Simple.

And lastly, Costco has super cute fresh cheese ravioli that is star shaped and it comes in red, plain (white) and dark blue.  VERY cute and the stars are about the size of my palm.  

Happy 4th everyone.  I hope you have a super fun day surrounded by people you love.  AND if you have to work, then I maybe these little simple touches will make the day fun nonetheless. 

Love you all.  xoxo

Just Wondering

....cuz it would be good if it did. : )

Just so you know. . . . running late is somewhat genetic. : )  love you

Tutorial: Rainbow Cake with Homemade, All-Natural Dyes

These rainbow cakes are everywhere lately, but usually they are made with food coloring....which Claire-bear is highly allergic to.  Here's a tutorial for making this beautiful rainbow cake with natural dyes.  

You could decorate it easily with some little flags and some bamboo skewers.. . . .

Someone make this, OK?

Peeps Week - Does Everyone Love Peeps Except Me?

Left over EASTER PEEPS???  I have come to realize that people are passionate about their Peeps.  IF you get peeps in your Easter baskets and IF they end up being left over.....I have found a solution for you.  

Peeps S'MORES.  Of course.  These crack me up, but totally make sense if Peeps are part of your Easter basket.  Just pop the Peep in the microwave.....and watch it get huge, then put them on the chocolate.

OR you could roast the peeps over a campfire outside.  Kids LOVE roasting marshmallows, don't they?  Would children of vegetarians be allowed to do this?

OR....do them in the oven.

And this woman makes Peeps S'mores kits and gives them to teachers.  There's even a free printable.  People really do love their peeps. 

Then, finally, there are PEEPS Rice Krispy Treats: 

So there you have it.  I never knew there were so many options for Peeps. 

Well.....YOU are MY peeps...and I love you all. 

Want Help Decorating the Table?

I found this woman who had a great idea for getting kids to help set the table.  She gave them the assignment to make place card holders and a center piece.  Here's what she said:

"I designed this paper rainbow with the purpose of using it for a place card on St. Patrick's Day. I've found that my youngest is more enthusiastic about setting the table when she can make the place cards, fold the napkins in cute shapes and pick out a centerpiece (usually a toy). It makes the entire process fun and hopefully she learns where the utensils go in the process."

Here's her link to the rainbow place card.  All you have to do is print it out.  Older kids can color it and cut it out and put it together. 

Here's an even easier Easter place card idea.....


 Egghead Placeholders - Using a razor-thin sharpie and your best John Hancock, carefully scribble guests' names onto the front of each egg. Make a short tube to set the egg upon by taping two ends of cute scrapbook paper together. Everyone may be seated!


AND....Here's a picture of the correct way to place all the silverware--the knife always faces the place.....just in case you forgot. : )

Happy Easter Dinner....love you all.

What's for Dinner?

This darling woman wrote a book and has a blog called "365 Days of Slow Cooking".  She held a contest during March....a March-Madness type of thing where people made and tested recipes.  Here's the flow chart for the "meaty" category down to the Final Four.  If you click on the pic, you can see the comments the 'judges' made: 

The overall WINNER was the Cafe Rio-ish Beef Salad.  The 'tournament' had 64 original recipes in 4 categories, and this one beat them all!  Someone please try this and let us know how it is.  She includes a home-made mexi-ranch dressing that sounds wonderful. 

If you peruse the site and see any other recipes worth trying, let us know.  I will be checking out more recipes later.   I think crock pots are the way to go for busy families (where the wife does the cooking).

Here's the bouillon I use all the time, and I love it.  You can get it at Costco for a lot cheaper than a regular grocery store. 

Hey, Brie, maybe this should be our Easter dinner.  Too weird?

HAPPY DINING....love you all. 

Glow In The Dark EASTER Fun!

Hi.  This looks SUPER fun.  You buy these little lights at Michaels and stick them in the plastic eggs then hide the eggs.  I bet the kids would LOVE this!!

You can see a picture of what the lights look like Here   

And here is a picture (if you do this and get decent pictures, let's put yours in here) of the eggs in a room. 

Miss You!

Easter Idea That Should Start Wed March 28th

Hi all, 


This is a SIMPLE and quick way to teach children that Easter is about more than candy.  It only takes 20 minutes to put together all 12 days (if all the kids are in bed).  

It's a 12 Days of Easter activity that needs to be started tomorrow, Wednesday, March 28th.  In a nutshell, you mark 12 plastic easter eggs with numbers 1 - 12, and inside each easter egg you put a slip of paper with a scripture from the New Testament along something small to go in the egg that goes along with the scripture (like 3 dimes to represent 30 pieces of silver or a nail or strips of cloth.  The last egg is empty because He has risen).  

You could hide one egg each day and let the kids search for it.  One child will find it, and one of the other kids could be the one to open it at the end of the day. 

The author has a shorter 7-day schedule you could do.  This idea comes from a blog written by a woman who is a BYU professor with a masters in youth and family recreation.  The scriptures are all from the New Testament, so you don't have to be LDS to do it. 

Kristin, this reminds me of the scripture-a-day before Christmas that you do.  A GREAT tradition to start.

http://familyvolley.blogspot.com/2012/03/12-days-of-easter-family-activity.html

Even if you only prepare one or two eggs today (Wednesday) that will buy you time to get the other 10 made. 

I'm excited about this for my cuter than cute PERFECT grandchildren. 

LOVE YOU ALL.......

 PS:  I am willing to sacrifice playing scramble or draw it for a day so you'll have time to do this.  That's all it would take!!

Family Picture Grouping

I love this grouping of pictures.  I especially love it because I always used to sing You Are My Sunshine to you guys.  I think it is nice to put a cute quote, or a song like this that means something to you, or a family motto with the pictures of your family. Cute, huh?

Here's the link to the Sunshine  art:  http://www.sugarboodesigns.com/products/art-prints/

VERY Cool look at the Sistine Chapel

Kristin and Brooke.....remember when we saw the Sistine Chapel?  Well, now you can see it again. 


Kelli, did you go to Roma?  Sean and Nicole....did you go to Roma?  Brie....you really MUST go here.  Let's go together. : )


But UNTIL we can go..... click below.  Use your curser to move around the entire room.  In the lower left, click on the plus (+) to move closer, on the minus (-) to move away. 

http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html


Love you and wish I could take you all to Italy........someday. : )


x

When I Grow Up....

I love this idea.  What a fun way to capture their growth.....and you'll get to see what age they were when they finally decided what they wanted to be.  

Um....has Sean decided yet?   Actually, he gets that from me....I'm still deciding.   Sorry, Nicole.


I also thought I'd throw this one in to make you laugh.  

Love you all.

How Many Word Do YOU Know?

Language is important.  I don't know if it was from being raised in a home where the father always referred to everything as a  "whatchamacallit" or because I was a lazy student, but I suffer, to this day, with my limited vocabulary.  Often, I can understand things and I "get" them, but there is NO WAY I could verbalize the concept to anyone else.  Blech.  I really wish I was different. 

Today, because I had to look up the meaning of a word in a FASCINATING TED Talks talk (If you want to watch the talk, see the link below), I came across a dictionary-type website that has all kinds of word games meant to enhance vocabulary.  I love games, so naturally I loved this site.

There are even games that the kids might want to play....for example, there is one called "Where's Your Intestine: Body Parts"....Ty would probably love it if you played that with him, Kristin.  

If you click on "Elementary" under "Grade Level", there's a game called "Fancy words for things you already know words for".  

There are a lot of games that the kids might get a kick out of playing ESPECIALLY if you had them come play them with you.  The mini chefs might like "Mac & Cheese, Again? More Dinner Options"  Actually, maybe my daughters might need to play that game.  Anyone know what a "brisket" is?  Sorry that I failed you.  

You need to start thinking ACT or SAT.  College is NOT that far off. : (  (This is a way to make some of the learning a game.)

BTW, these games are NOT just for kids.  Check it out....

http://dynamo.dictionary.com/

Here's the TED Talk I referred to: 

http://www.ted.com/talks/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate.html

love you....

 

St. Pat's Day FABULOUS Ideas

WARNING:  This is one of those blogposts with TOO many ideas.  Couldn't help myself. 


1st--Kelli, you should make these for one of your parties you are always having.  Directions here (really quite simple):  http://zakkalife.blogspot.com/2011/03/recipe-shamrock-chips.html

LOVE this next idea for the kids OR for teacher gifts OR friends or women you visit teach.  It's a little pot, filled with gold-wrapped Rolos, wrapped in a clear bag and tied with a ribbon and a free prinable.  There are free printables for labels for different people "I'm so lucky to have you... as my teacher, as my friend, to be in love with you"....etc.  

These are also FREE printable BINGO cards.  How cute is that? http://thecraftingchicks.com/2012/03/st-patricks-day-lucky-bingo-free-printables.html

Print this out and give it to the girls and they can teach themselves to draw shamrocks.  Maybe they can make a card for their teacher.  This came for a great blog called Art Projects For Kids: 

Here's a banner tutorial that makes making this banner seem super easy: 

Last but not least if you can't find the POTS for the pots of gold, these little boxes came from a Dollar Store. Fill them with gold-wrapped Rolos.  Still use the same free printables from above. 

Here's one that is really toooooo complicated to make, but too cute not to add to a St. Patrick's Day post. From the Hostess with the Mostess blog.  Tutorial on her blog if any of you feel this industrious.  

And finally, and Irish blessing: 

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow,

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go!

Love you all.

Goin Fishin' and MORE Fun Food

I just thought this was a cute and fun food idea.....

Also, I made this for Kristin's kids around Halloween, but I'm guessing the kids would think it was fun ANY time of the year.  This snack was a BIG hit.  I just used the poppin' fresh breadsticks in the can and ties knots at both ends.  Served with marinara sauce out of a jar. 

...And finally, for a night when Cade has a game, this would be a fun dinner:

Oh...and one more, and then a link to a blog that talks about other very CREATIVE ideas for fun with food for kids. 

Here's a part of what she said on the blog...

• Layering – Let your child build their own healthy pizza on a piece of whole wheat pita, making sure to have lots of different veggies to choose from. Demonstrate how to build a sliced mushroom tower or use thinly sliced red and green peppers to make a train track across the pita. Try the My Favorite Mini-Pizza recipe; it’s perfect for stage 4 toddlers.
• Building – Building can be a fun way to help kids focus on the foods in front of them during meal and snack time. Try giving your child a few pieces of pretzel sticks and some cheese cubes and show them how to build a stick man and then eat him. You’d be surprised how quickly the stick people disappear. Another fun building activity is creating fruit skewers. Chop several different types of fruits and let your child build their own perfect fruit skewer. I like to use plastic drink stirrer as they don’t usually have a sharp pointy tip.  This is also a great way to get your toddler to try new fruits!

Here's the link to her blog:  http://www.designedtonourish.com/2011/09/fun-food-activities-that-turn-mom-into-a-magician/

Love you all!

Pregnancy Picture Idea

I have a tendency to want to inclue multiple pics and links in a post--and I'm TRYING to curb that tendency.  Here's what I want to know.....  Do you prefer a quick, one idea, 'get-in-get-out' type of post OR do you want me to include several ideas along the same theme?  For example....the post below is a 'get-in-get-out' type of post -- one shot that I loved and wanted to share.  I'm thinking that with your limited amount of time, I should do short posts.  Please let me know what you think.  


I saw this GREAT set of shots that incorporated an older sibling in the monthly pregnancy shots.  WHAT a CUTE idea (can't find link back to original....just came from Pinterest):

I love a lot of things about this series.  I love that the shots are so similar....same outfit, same cropping, she's standing the same way.  It makes for a great "set" of pictures.  I especially love that they included the "1 week old" picture.  How wonderful that the older sibling gets to be an important part of the journey. 


Shoot!  I just CAN'T do a 'get-in-get-out' post....


Here's one more pic of a great pregnancy triptych.  This woman also has great pregnancy style....

Again, part of what makes this picture great is that the background is simple and the same in all three pics.  Here's the link to her 'bump' pictures if you know anyone that needs to see cute maternity clothes.  http://www.babyspace.net.au/search/label/the%20bump

Another Coast2Coast Blog....but why?

Hi all. I know, I know....why another family blog?

Here's why:
I often "pin" things on Pinterest that I want all the girls to see (when I say girls....this includes you too, Nicole). And I know that most of you girls do not do Pinterest (toooo busy being mom, worker bee, world traveler.) So I thought a central place where I could post things that I had "pinned" on Pinterest would be a good idea.  This way, you can see what I believe you might find interesting or helpful or cute WITHOUT being sucked into Pinterest for hours.


Also, I welcome any of you, who feel so inclined, to post as well.  I don't really know how to set that up, but hopefully one of you bloggers will let me know.


I'm excited for this sharing of ideas.  I hope you are TOO!


xoxo,
mom/Chris