Busy Bag

My kids get bored in church or sometimes even at home so here is an easy busy bag. Not to mention something that can keep them working on their motor skills. Even my 7 yr old like to play with it. Here are just a few of the ideas I have in the bag.

First one we are making is the Ribbon and Shapes

Buttons on a ribbon

Supplies

- Ribbon

-2 large buttons

-different color felt( you can get at the dollar store of wal-mart)

-Hot Glue Gun

Directions

1. Cut ribbon as your desired length

2. Glue buttons on each end

3. Cut felt shapes how ever many you want and in what ever shapes you want.

4. Fold shapes over and cut half way down the middle to make the hole for the button to fit through. 

 Simple as that. 1 Down 1more to Go!

Cupcake

Supplies

colored felt

Directions

1.cut the brown felt into a somewhat oval shape. It doesn't have to be perfect. It will be covered up.

2. Take other colored felt and make the muffin holders. You can do different shapes edging sizes. 

3. Now make the frosting. Make tall frosting. Swirly frosting. Bubbly frosting. Be creative.

4. With the left over piece you can now make your sprinkles. 

This is so fun and so cute. And the kids get to be creative and make whatever kind of cupcake the want! Have fun. When I am all done I store them in big Ziplock bags.

All Done Let the Fun Begin!

Little Easter/Spring Time Center Piece

I'm not all that crafty but I thought this was cute and decided to try it... plus, it can stay up past Easter.

Here is what you need.

-A foam ball 
-a jar or terra cotta pot (you will want to paint if you do this)
-colorful beads if you do a jar
-easter grass if you do the pot
-a dowel rod
-washi tape  
-hot glue 
-jelly beans
(you can get most of this at the dollar store)

This was my first time making this so I am going to change the directions from how I did it.  My pictures my be a little different, but I promise it will make it better for you.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin by adding washi tape to your dowel by twisting it around. 

2. If you are using a jar like I did, put some hot glue on the bottom of your dowel and glue it to the bottom. If you are using a pot put some floral foam in your pot and insert the stick into into the foam.

This is where I should have done my tape before hand.  This is where I glued my dowel in.

I filled my jar with layering beads. (if you use a pot you may want to paint it some bright spring color)

This is where I would change to make it easier. I know my picture shows different.

3. Glue Jelly Beans to your foam circle until full.

4. Add a foam ball to the top of your dowel. I put a hole in it first for where I wanted it to be. I would even suggest to do that before adding Jelly Beans that way you know where to stop.

5. Top off with a ribbon or piece of burlap around your dowel. ( which I now notice I did not so I better get to that)

Voila!

SOOOO easy and so cute!

      

EASTER BASKETS!

Everyone does their Easter traditions a little different, so I thought it would be fun to share mine. I always grew up where we all had an Easter basket full of fun surprises, then my dad would hide them around the house and we would have to find them. (of course I always had the worst luck and would find mine last.) Now that I have my own cute little family I have been starting that little tradition. 

Here are some great ideas if you are struggling to find things to put in your family members' Easter basket. 

Little girl's Basket:

My favorite place ever is the dollar section at Target. Pretty much everything here was 5 for $6.

She loves to help mommy in the garden so I got all these cute miniature things: a Watering Can, rake, shovel and these little gardening gloves. (from Walmart)

Another tradition we had, is my mom would always buy me Easter bunny ears. (even when I was 18)

Next from Target is the light up wand, side walk chalk, Easter bunny sippy cup, and sunglasses.

Then last but not least if you haven't bought it yet is Frozen. (by the way it was only $13 at Target for the blue ray!)

The Woman's Easter Basket:

This would work great for your wife or a teenage girl. 

SHOES.

From bath and body: Car freshener and fillers, body wash, and don't forget the lipgloss.

Who doesn't love a good MAC item? I got the mascara (which is amazing).

Lastly Glitter is always so great for those who love to craft. (From Hobby Lobby)

 

The Man's Easter Basket:

These baskets are seriously always so hard to come up with. Some things in his basket are kind of an inside joke kind of thing, like the Camo Crocs. My husband is so obsessed with camo and would wear it as his everyday  outfit if he could, I am a croc lover and I always would joke with him that I wanted to get him some, so this might be the only way he will wear them. 

Yes I know what you're thinking the tooth brush and Socks seem so boring, but he is one of those guys who loves getting socks and he goes through them like crazy, same with the tooth brush. 

Pens and Body wash are next from walmart.

I love the t-shirt I got him, it's great for wearing outside while working on the lawn or for something to wear to school.

Don't forget guys love the cool water bottles they are great and very useful.

I hope that this post will help you with your last minute Easter shopping. Happy Easter everyone!!!

Fun Easter Wreath

I got this idea from a cute cousin of mine.  She posted a wreath similar to this on Facebook.  I went nuts!! I have been wanting to make one of these forever!! So I looked through a bunch of tutorials on youtube and combined the best tips.  This wreath was pretty easy and only took me about 45 min from start to finish.

Supplies: 

3 colors of deco mesh (you can do more or less...I just found 3 looks best)

1 wire wreath frame...they sell these at Hobby Lobby.  I have also found a bunch online.  I love that they have the mesh holders already on the frame.  You can do this on your own by using pipe cleaners if you can't find the frame with the holders.

Cut 18 pieces of deco mesh 10-12 inches wide.  There are 18 pieces on my frame.  Yours might be more or less.

Take each piece and gather it in the middle

With all 3 colors in your hand with the middle pinched, wrap the holders around your mesh tightly. 

When finished check to make sure all of the wrap holders have been used.  The more full your wreath gets the easier it is to miss one or two.  If your mesh holders do not match your mesh you can tuck them towards the back.  You can't see mine at all so I left them as is.  You can also include ribbon, sticks, signs, pipe cleaners...anything else to decorate this.

The finished project!! I love it!! I have a pretty big front door so I used the large wire frame.  Do not just measure the frame and call it good...this sucker will expand big time.  I would buy a couple frames and take back the ones you don't use.  This really makes my front door scream spring and Easter.  I can't wait to make one for the 4th of July.  Happy Creating!!

a ball of cake

 Cake Balls:

     The best thing about making cake balls is you get to make it you own flavor, as you can see I'm a HUGE chocolate lover. I choose to make mine with everything chocolate. I have made them with red velvet cake, and also  fun fetti cake with white almond bark, and they all taste so good.

First thing you need to do is make the cake, by just following the instructions on the box.

Next destroy your cake and put it in your mixer, add 3/4 cup of your frosting choice (this is the perfect amount, it's not good with any more) *optional: add Hershey's chocolate syrup for more chocolate! I do about a teaspoon maybe a little less.

Roll them into balls, I do some a little bigger and some smaller. I throw in some bigger ones for daddy bear and some little balls for baby bear. Then when you have completed this step, place in fridge for about a half hour. (you can get away with doing less if you are on a time crunch)

My least favorite part is dealing with the almond bark but don't worry you will get the hang of it. I have tested so many ways to melt this and I have found this is my favorite, I take a pan a put water in it then put my small pot in the water, this will help it so it doesn't burn and melts so perfect.

The best way I have found to help your chocolate look smoother and great is I just drop them in and  use a fork to drain off excess chocolate then whalaa you're done!

You can finish them off with taking your fork at the end and flicking melted chocolate over them to get this great look.

Watch out because theses are so addicting and so fun to just keep popping in your mouth all day! enjoy!

Our Gender Reveal Party

I wasn't too excited with throwing a gender reveal party.  I love them and love to go to them.  The reason why mine wasn't too fancy was because I had a hard time keeping a secret even for a couple of hours.  If I was going to throw a nicer party I would have needed a couple days instead of hours.  So a quick run to the part store and poster board and we were ready to reveal!! I really wanted to see everyone's reaction.  Pretty sure this isn't a Pinterest worthy party at all but this worked for me. 

I had the kids get into the action.  They didn't know what the baby was.  They were so excited.  I could get them to do practically anything that day.  I put them in charge of making posters.  

 I got this cute banner and put it into the entrance.

This is Lilly's poster.  We were doing a "tutu" or "touchdown" theme.  We also had names for the baby so for a girl it was Ruby and a boy the name was Quaid.  I love how Lilly made the cute quarterback.  Also we are big BYU fans at our house so her scoreboard said BYU 1000 Utes no.  So cute!!

 This is Rykers poster.  He is very creative and did a cute job too.  

 This is a picture of Lilly sitting by the pink balloon.  She really wanted a girl.

Everyone arrived and they put on the poster whether they thought it was a girl or boy.  Most chose girl. They then had the coordinating close pin to put on their shirts.  The rest I don't have in pictures...just video so I will just explain.  I gave each person a balloon to blow up.  Pink and Blue.  We are having a boy so I poked small holes into the pink balloons.  I had to make them small enough so when they felt the balloon they wouldn't be able to tell there were holes in them.  I got my family members who are away on skype and told everyone to blow up the balloons.  The pink balloons would blow up but wouldn't stay.  They would deflate.  We screamed and clapped and hugged.  It was a fun night and even funner to see everyone's reactions.  We are thrilled to have a baby boy in our family.  Almost half way there!! 

Ribbon Jar

My sisters and I were talking the other day about how our little girls dress.  My sister Cami and I both mentioned we don't let our kids out of the house unless they are completely accessorized (I guess we get it from our Mom).  I'm one of those Moms who has to make sure her kids always look put together (me not so much...but my kids, YES!)
With how much I love to accessorize I have to find the best way to do it while being on a budget.  Last year at Hobby Lobby (love that place almost as much as Costco) I found a Ribbon Jar on clearance for $4.79 (it was in the craft / scrap-booking section).  I bought it thinking I could find something to do with it.  Once I got it home I realized these ribbons are the perfect size to fit as belts for my daughter.  Most of her shorts and pants have belt loops, but Im not willing to pay for belts in different colors that she is going to grow out of.  This jar of ribbon was perfect!

There are so many different patterns and colors.  I have used these so much and I absolutely love them.  I am complimented on my creativity every time she wears one.  But seriously, it is just a jar of ribbon.  Here is an example of one she wore the other day:

You can also find packs of miscellaneous ribbon in the ribbon section of Hobby Lobby (I bought one the other day but I haven't opened it yet to see what is in there).  Their ribbon goes on sale for 50% off quite often, but if it isn't you can use your 40% off coupon you can get online.  If you don't have a Hobby Lobby near you I am pretty sure you can get them at JoAnns as well.  Such a good investment if you have little girls!

What's for Dinner…. Chicken and Wild Rice Soup!

Yum one of my favorite soups! And its great to freeze.

Here is what you need

2- boxes wild rice
3 1/2 cups water
chicken
1/2 onion
3-4 carrots
3-4 celery
1/3 cup flour
6 bullion cubes
1 pt whip cream

Cook your chicken then dice, or shred how ever you would like it to be.
Add the rice and water to a pot (do not add the seasonings that are in the box) and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to medium. While this is being done dice carrots, celery and onions. Put them in a pan and saute them in butter.

 

chillin' in some butter

When this is all ready and soft and tender add 1/3 cup of flour and stir around for a minute and make your rue. 

here is where the flour is added

Now you add your 6 cups of water. You obviously can't add it all into this pan. So I do a little at a time. I add some stir it. Add a little more stir it. When it gets to be to much that I know I can't stir in the pan anymore I move it to the crock pot. And I add what I have left to the crock pot along with the bullion cubes and my chicken. This is when you can add the seasoning that was in the box of rice if you want to. I always add the packet of seasonings it just gives it a little more flavor… Now the last thing is to add your cream dump the whole thing in there and stir. Let it sit for a few hrs. The longer the better. You can make this all stove top and eat it in about 45 min as well. I just like to do it crock pot. 

Final product let it simmer a bit

we like to eat it with french bread yummy!

** Your chicken can be done as you wish. You can cook it and dice or shred. On a later post I have planned coming up I will show you how I do my chicken. And believe me you won't want to miss it. Its a life saver!