easy WIPE OFF BOARDS

i needed a cheap easy way to make chore charts for my kids. i tried a variety of ways to display the chores for my 3 kids, but i realized the chores were constantly changing and i was making new charts repeatedly. so i thought wipe off boards may be the way to go.

i bought a cheap picture frame and seasonal paper to display under the glass. i found a frame with 3 display windows o glass. the glass can be written on with wipe-off makers and cleaned with water or permanent maker and wiped clean with rubbing alcohol

i decorated the glass with scrapbook stickers

i can change the decorative paper according to seasons or the kids moods

i also made a wipe-off board for our weekly DINNER MENU

this keeps us more organized for the meals each week. i found myself nightly trying to decide what to make and it was getting stressful. there were times i would buy meats for the week and not use them because i was not prepared for the prep and cooking time, especially if it needed to slow cook in the crock pot. or meats weren’t thawed in time for nightly cooking. i found myself not using the meats in order of expiration or missing an ingredient.

now i write in the dinners ahead of time planning for sports, left overs, and longer preparation. i also can plan my grocery shopping according to meals and i can go through my cookbook and plan for “new” meal ideas

i bought a single picture frame and decorated it with scrapbook stickers and decorative paper

i hung both frames on the door in my kitchen

dreidels

this was one of the easiest treats to make. you will need marshmallows, hershey kisses, icing, pretzel sticks and icing decorating gel

i broke the pretzel stick in 1/2 and inserted it into the marshmallow. then used a glob of icing as glue for the hershey kiss and then added a nun, gimmel, hay and, shin to the marshmallow using decorating icing gels and that easy they are done no baking, practically no mess, and a sweet hanukkah treat is made

JOY for $2 !!!

2 pieces of poster board from The $1 Store, Elmer’s glue and glitter + Christmas JOY!

i cut the letters J and Y since i used my spiral votive holder for the O. my dining room is red so i decided on green glitter to make it festive.

my oldest son, age 7, and i used paint brushes to spread the glue and then sprinkled glitter over the glue. we salvaged all the excess glitter and poured it back into the container. We barely used 1/2 the bottle of glitter

this is how it looks hung on the wall

HOLIDAY COOKIES

today the kids and i made some melting snowman cookies for our neighbors.

i started with a glass plate from the $1 store and scrapbooking  ”stickers” from michael’s

i hot glued the scrapbook stickers to the plate

i bought betty crocker sugar cookie mix, added my egg and stick of butter and let the kids make cookies.

the cookies should NOT be perfect circles for this cookie, so i sat back and relaxed as the kids made the cookies

i let them bake according to recipe directions (approx 7 minutes)

next i melted some white icing (i use premade from the grocery store) and poured it into a squeeze bottle (you can pipe it from a bag as well)  about 30 seconds in the microwave

1. i outlined the cookies with icing
2. i melted the icing more by putting it back in the microwave for another 15 seconds
3. i filled in the outline with more icing and let it fill in the empty space.  the outline kept it inside the lines

4.  i took marshmallows and placed them on a plate and microwaved them for 30 seconds until they puffed

5.  i gently picked up a marshmallow and placed 1 on each cookie (i used a knife to help lift from the plate and put a spritz of cookie spay on my finger tips to keep it from sticking to me)

last i added a face, buttons, scarf and “stick” arms

COMFORT FOODS

 

 

this is one of our favorite dinners, especially in the winter.  it takes very little prep time, but it does take about 4o minutes to cook.  it is sooooooooooooooo  worth the time and we make enough for leftovers the next evening.

POTATO HOAGIES

ingredients:  6 potatoes (i like golden), 1 large onion and 2 eggs, 2 tbs cooking oil

1. heat frying pan on medium heat with 2 tbs cooking oil
2. peel potatoes and cube into small pieces
3. peel and cube onion
4. i take a paper towel and dry some of the moister from the potatoes to keep the oil from splattering
5. put potatoes and onions into frying pan
6. every few minutes stir the potatoes and onions so they don’t stick to the pan
7. takes about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the cubes, when all the potatoes are golden brown pierce to see if they are soft. (i taste 1 to check for tenderness)
8. add 2 eggs scrabbled to potatoes and onions and stir it in so the eggs are all through
9. serve on a hoagie roll

potato hoagies, dinner, food, recipe, yummy

 

HOLIDAY CRAFTS

christmas countdown with the kids will begin this week.  time to create an advent countdown.  we give each of the 3 kids in our family a small trinket each night leading up to christmas.

i bought a large vase hot glued a ribbon around it and wrapped 25 little presents (x3).  each gift is numbered 1-25 and if the gift is for a particular child i added an initial on the wrapping paper.

some ideas for the trinkets are:  candy canes, decorate yourself ornaments, tic tacs, mentos, hair clips, holiday pencils, bubble gum, mini notepads, stickers, $1 bill.

here is a picture of the finished product.

i also made a christmas tree and menorah out of scrapbook  paper and a $1 8×10 tile from home depot

for the menorah i picked shades of blue paper, cut all the same size except for the shamash which is a bit taller.  then i wrapped the paper around a pencil to make them all the same size rolled.  i hot glued the rolled paper then hot glued it to the tile.

for the christmas tree i found paper in patters with green and red.  i cut the paper making each piece smaller.  i rolled the paper around a magic marker to insure each roll was the same size.  i glued them also to the tile and added a star at the top.

this was by far my easiest and CHEAPEST project!

then i put them on plate stands

A VERY CRAFTY CHRISTMAS

1.  wreath (untwist wire hanger, add ornaments, twist top of hanger again and add a bow)

2.  cover a door with wrapping paper

3.  pompom christmas trees (i gave the kids a triangle cut from cardboard and green poms.  after they were glued they added colored poms and a star)

stay subscribed for more do it yourself christmas and hanukkah crafts

thanksgiving crafts

a few crafts we did this thanksgiving

1.  fall paintings ( i drew a faint circle at the top of the tree trunk , gave the kids fall color paints and told them to paint with their fingers.  i LOVED that each kid did something different with the idea)

 

2.  thanksgiving table settings (paper bag stuffed with tissue paper and a paper bone on the end)

3.  fruit salad cornucopia

4.  cupcakes

THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING

We had a full house for Thanksgiving.  I love to make turkey, crafts and have friends and family share in this time to give thanks for all we have — health, happiness and each other.

19 lb. turkey.

1. preheat oven to 400 *

2. rinse turkey under warm water and pull out the bag and neck from inside

3. place in pan (i like the tin disposable pans with a handle… no clean up just throw away when done!)

4. cut 2 naval oranges or 4 clementines, 3 lemons and 2 sweet onions into 6 slices

5.  put 1/2 the oranges, lemons and onions INSIDE the turkey, put the rest inside the pan surrounding the turkey

6.  lift the breast skin with your hand and make a pocket UNDER the skin.  take a TBS of butter or margarine and place under EACH side of the breast.

7.  take 2 TBS and rub on TOP of the turkey breast and some on the legs

8.  sprinkle with oregano, sage, rosemary, herbs de provence, and salt and pepper (i also add some italian seasoning for good measure)

9.  take a garlic press and press an entire garlic bunch onto the turkey

10. place in oven for 1 hour on 400*

11. after 1 hour lover temp. to 350* add 12 ounces of chicken broth to pan and cover turkey with foil so the top doesn’t brown too much or burn cook for another 4.5 hours

ALL TIMES APPROXIMATE AND BASED ON TURKEY SIZE

12.  baste once and hour

13.  last hour check temp with thermometer and take off foil for final baking

NOTES from AIA — potty training edition

Marco is the youngest child of 3.  his birthday was 2 weeks ago and at the ripe old age of 3 he will need to join the wonderful world of underwear and potties!  we have not yet found his currency for this adventure:  so far i have offered spongebob underwear, assorted candies and even money.  he is all about the underwear, however he is not so happy about the potty, or “too-let” as he calls it. 

even as i sit and write i can feel my blood pressure rising from the experience.  there are so many theories on what works:  naked, pull-ups, underwear, set timers, let child lead, parent lead, and hire a professional.   ok i made up the last one, but doesn’t that sound like something work paying for?  when we broach the subject marco wants nothing to do with getting his pee pee or poop into the potty.  there are times when i think i would rather take a fork and shove it into my eye than potty train another child.  then when the deed is actually done and the pee is in the potty (ok and on the floor and the seat and dripping down his legs) it is my greatest joy;  time for singing, dancing, and celebration.  how is it the same event can make you want to pull out your hair (recently turned gray i must add) and so elated all at the same time. 

for us this will be life altering.  our last baby will be a big boy.  no longer will my purse have to be big enough to tote a diaper.  swimmie diapers won’t have to be worn…no more being outcasted to the “baby” pool.  we will not have to use diaper changing stations at malls or restaurants.  forever will be gone of the diaper rash and creams and smelly ointments. 

babies wear diapers, big boys wear underwear!  i will soon be a mom to 3 big kids!