Identify This: Part 58

If you know what it is, or just want to take a guess, post in Comments!

STOP! ANSWER BELOW!

It's a hand dryer!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (They're No-Bake Bars!)

I love to try new treats for the kids, especially ones that aren't full of sugar. However, in the summer it can get really hot around here and I hate turning on the stove. I did some experimenting and can up with a no-bake recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars.

You will need:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup granola (I used a Honey & Nut Granola cereal)
• 3 cups oats
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried plums, diced
• 3/4 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup honey
• Food Processor
• Wax paper
• pan, like a brownie pan

Directions:
1. Place 1 cup of oats in food processor and grind until it has a flour-like consistency.

2. Place ground oats and whole oats in a bowl. Add in dried fruit, granola and chocolate chips. Mix together.

3. Place peanut butter and honey in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir until it becomes runny.

4. Pour peanut butter/honey mix into oat mix.

5. Mix until combined. DM Tip: I found my plastic mixing spoons didn't do that great of a job. I ended up
using a large metal serving soon that didn't bend. A wooden spoon would probably work well too.

6. Line pan with wax paper.

7. Spread granola bar mixture into the pan and press down evenly. DM Tip: I placed a piece of wax paper on top of the mixture and then used my hands to spread it out and press it into the pan.

8. Place in refrigerator and let set overnight.

9. Cut with a large knife.

DM Tips: There are several ways to keep the sugar content down and keep these even healthier. You could use organic ingredients, natural or no-sugar added peanut butter.

DM Alternatives:

• If your kids don't like plums or raisins, you could also try dried dates, cherries, or other types of dried fruit.
• These bars are relatively dense. You could leave out the granola, but the bars will be stickier.

L is Lion, Library, and Lemon

Today we are working on the letter L!

Crafts:

• Coloring page (see below)
• Learn about lions, ladybugs, and llamas 
• Make Lego characters or buildings 
• Have the kids help fold laundry
• Make Lifesavers life raft napkin rings 
• Make ladybug fingerprint crafts. Dip a fingertip in red paint and let dry. Once paint had dried, draw or paint on wings, antennae, and dots.
• Make a lion out of a white paper plate. Cut slits all around the edge of the plate to create a mane. Paint the rim of the plate brown and let dry. Once it is dry, paint the center of the plate yellow for the face. Let dry. Draw on eyes, nose, and mouth with a marker (or paint on with black paint).
• Cut out leaf shapes from paper
• Make a lion puppet

Food:

• Lemon
• Lamb
• Lettuce
• Licorice
• Lollipop
• Lime
• Lobster
• Leek
• Lasagna
• Lemonade
• Laffy Taffy
• Ladyfingers
• Lemongrass
• Lindenberry
• Lavender
• Lego candy or Lego jello mold

A Penny for Art

The following craft was inspired by two different events. I was trying to come up with craft ideas for the alphabet posts series, and we were also working on coins and their values with Higgins.

I placed a small piece of tape on the back of the coins and taped them to piece of paper. I lined them up according to value, and then placed another piece of paper on top. The boys then took a colored pencil and rubbed it over the top until they got an image. It took a couple of tries, and the harder they pushed the better it turned out. We tried crayons, but they didn't show up as well.

Next, we tried paint. It was not very successful! I placed a glue dot to the end of a pencil and then stuck it to the back of a nickel. I placed a light coat of craft paint on the coin and we stamped down. It did not leave anything but the very edge of the coin. I then placed paint only on the face and pressed the paper onto the coin. It worked, but only once! We tried a couple of other methods, but couldn't get it to work right.

At the end of our coin craft adventure, I think Higgins had more fun than learning. However, he does know a penny now and we'll just keep working on the others.

Apple Pie Cups

My mother-in-law told me about apple pies baked inside an apple, and I just had to try it!

Time: 50-60 minutes
Serves: 4

You will need:

• 4 apples, you may need 2 more for filling. I used Fuji and Granny Smith Apples. (DM Tip: The Granny Smith apple split while it was baking, but the Fujis turned out well.)
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pie crust

Directions:
1.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2.   Cut the top off of the apples you are going to use as the outer crust. Hollow out, but be sure not to
puncture peel. You could use a spoon or melon baller for easier use.
3.   Thinly slice up the apples pieces. If need, peel and thinly slice 2 more apples for filling.
4.   Mix apples with sugars and cinnamon.
5.   Fill the hollowed out apples with the pie filling.
6.   Slice into 1/4 inch slices and create lattice work on top of apple.
7.   Place in an 8x8 pan/dish.
8.   Add enough water to cover the bottom of the dish.
9.   Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
10. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes, or until apples are soft and crust is golden brown.
11. Viola! You have individual, completely edible, apple pies! If wanted, place on a plate and serve with ice cream.

DM Tip: If you have extra filling and pie crust, you could wrap the filling up in the dough. Poke a few holes in top. (See last photo of apple wrap with a bow on top.)

The Weekly Review

Happy Mother's Day!

In case you missed any of the posts this week, here they are:

Tie Dye Cookies. It has been rainy lately and we needed something cheery and fun.
J is for Jack, Jump, and Jello.
End Of The Year Teacher Gifts. If you need any ideas for teacher gifts, I have a few.
Parent Interviews: Heather
K is for Kangaroo, Kite, and Kiwi
Mother's Day Word Find: The many Jobs of a Mom

If you need any last minute ideas for Mother's Day, check out my Mother's Day post.

Mother's Day Word Find: The Many Jobs of a Mom

In honor of Mother's Day tomorrow, here is a Mother's Day themed word find.

STOP! ANSWERS BELOW!

K is for Kangaroo, Kite, and Kiwi

It's time for the letter K!

Crafts:

• Coloring page (see below) 
• Key prints. Paint a thin layer of paint on an old key and stamp around a piece of paper.
• Fly a Kite
• Learn about kangaroos, kiwi birds, and koala bears
• Play knights or create knight crafts (aluminum foil works great for armor)
• Make a kite magnet. Use popsicle sticks to form a t shape. Cut out a diamond shape from thick paper like construction paper or cardstock. Glue a piece of ribbon to the bottom tip of the diamond. Glue popsicle sticks on top. Let dry. Once it is dried, glue a magnet to the back or use a self adhesive magnet.

Foods:

• Kool-Aid
• Kale
• Kabobs
• Kaiser roll
• Kelp
• Ketchup
• Key Lime Pie
• Kettle Corn
• Kippers
• Kit Kat (candy bar)
• Kiwi
• Kix (cereal)
• Kumquats
• Kimchi
• Kraft (cheese, mac & cheese)
• Kielbasa
• Klondike bars

Parent Interviews: Heather

It's time for another installment of Parent Interviews! This weeks mom is Heather. She has some really cute pancakes on her blog, so make sure to check her out!

Name: Heather

Age:
33

Number of Kids You Have:
Two

Number of Kids You Want:
Two is good for now, but we will see what the future holds.

Profession:
Stay at home mom, caregiver to one adorable little girl, and blogger
www.smallfamilybigworld.com

What is your favorite memory as a parent?  

I think one of my favorite memories as a parent is the when my daughter came to meet our son for the first time in the hospital.  She was so excited about being a big sister, and when she finally was allowed to see us, I asked her who I was holding and she proudly said "That's my brother!"  Melt my heart.

What is your favorite memory of your mom or dad? 

I grew up with 4 brothers and 1 sister, so there are a lot of fun family memories.  Something that sticks out in my mind though are food fights.  Yes, you read that right, food fights.  We normally had good manners at the table, but I can remember at least two times where my dad started a food fight by sending some mashed potatoes across the table.  As a parent, I haven't had a food fight with my kids, but this reminds me to just let go sometimes.  Have some fun and be silly with your kids.

We always say we're not going to be like our moms or dads. What is your "Oh my god, I'm like my Mom" moment?  

Buying a minivan.  I always thought I could figure out a way to never have a minivan, but I have to say it is pretty convenient. 

What is your best parenting advise?
Be patient.  This is really hard to do sometimes, but I feel like my kids learn how to do things better when they do it themselves, and sometimes that takes time.  This is also true for milestones.  My son was a very late crawler, and I often compared him to my friend's kids.  (That is another good piece of advice; don't compare your kids to anyone else)  In the end, I had nothing to worry about, he was just happy sitting where he was and began crawling when he wanted to.  Now I can't make him stay still!  My daughter proved this to us when she gave up her pacis.  We tried for months to take away her pacis, but one day she told us "I don't need a paci anymore," handed them over, and she was done.  I also love it when they accomplish something and, with a big smile on their face, they say "I did it!"

What is the funniest thing your child has said?  

My sister and my daughter have a great relationship, and they often like to have Auntie time without me.  I dropped my daughter off one time, and as soon as I left she said "Now that mommy is gone we can do whatever we want!"  I think I am in trouble.

Lately my son is in this kick of proclaiming "I am amazing!"  I think this started when I said it when he used the potty for the first time, but lately he has been saying it for big (using the potty) and little (eating his food) things.

What is your pet peeve?

Dishes that flip over in the dishwasher.  I dislike opening a clean load of dishes to find cups or bowls flipped over and filled with yucky water.  I feel like rinsing them is not enough and I have to wash them again.

What is your favorite dessert and/or indulgence?

My weakness is ice cream.  Graeter's Mocha Chip. YUM!

What is your favorite thing to do (without the kids)?

My husband and I like to try new restaurants.  There are so many amazing places to eat in our town, but taking the kids is not always an option.  We have created a list of places we want to try and are slowly checking them off when we can.

What is your favorite thing to do with your kids?

The Zoo!  Our zoo is amazing, and since we have a season pass, we go all the time but never feel like we have to see everything in one trip.  My daughter loves the giraffes and my son is split between the elephants and riding the train.

What is your favorite holiday?

My favorite holiday is the Fourth of July.  Our Fourth of July traditions include watching a parade, riding ponies at a festival, cooking out with family, and watching fireworks.  I love that I don't have to buy an presents for anyone and we can just spend the day with our family.

What book are you reading?

Right now I am reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  This is the current book for my book club, but it is taking me so long to read!  They last book I read and really enjoyed was The Hunger Games.

List one random piece of information about yourself that you want to share:

I wish I could wear flip flops everyday.

End Of The Year Teacher Gifts

It's coming up to the end of the school year. In fact, Higgins is out in a week! I have to come up with some new ideas for teacher gifts.

I know several teachers and the one thing I hear is that they get a ton of  "teacher gifts" during the year (like apple ornaments, apple decorations, etc.). I've seen what years and years of these apple themed gifts can add up to...and trust me, I don't think that you could get a tree big enough to hold all of the ornaments they receive over the years. I try to come up with something that they can use and will like (such as gift cards) and try to tailor it to the teacher. I also try to keep it non-teacher themed. After all, you don't necessarily want every gift you receive to be themed to your job! (Sometimes I feel that all I do is clean up after the kids all day. Can you imagine if all I received on Mother's Day or my birthday were mops/brooms/cleaning supplies!)

• Gift card to their favorite store. I have run into a couple teachers out shopping on the weekends and if they mention that they love a particular store, I try to remember it. Target always seems to be a big hit.
• Coffee shop gift cards, maybe with a reusable mug. Of course, this only works if you know that they like coffee.
• Similar to the coffee, a reusable insulated cup for summer. Stuff it with a gift card to an ice cream place, bagel or coffee shop, or drink mixes.
• Beach towel rolled up and tied with a bow. Stuff a few other items out the top such as sunscreen, flip flops, a few popsicles (not frozen of course), or some lemonade mixes.
• A movie basket. Find a cute tin or popcorn tub and fill with snacks, popcorn bags, popcorn toppings, a gift card to a movie rental store or a movie theater.
• A handwritten note with a meaningful, heartfelt message is always a plus.
• Flowers or a plant. I like to give ones that can be planted so they will last longer. To make it extra special, have your child(ren) paint a clay pot and plant the flower/plant in the pot.
• Some teachers end up supplying a lot of the classroom supplies and books themselves, so gift cards to bookstores or places like Target/Staples/Walmart might be helpful.
• If you have a class picture, find a mat that will fit and frame the picture. Have everyone sign the mat and place a message like "Best Teacher", "We Love You", or "Thank You For Making Our School Year Great". Make sure to put the year somewhere on the mat too.
• Gift basket filled with goodies: chocolates, bags of tea or coffee, candies, etc.
• You can also call the school office. Some schools keep a Teacher's Wish List for gift ideas.

Just keep in mind that they have lots of students each year, every year and they don't have a large warehouse to store all of the gifts they receive.        

DM Tip: If you are sending something breakable, remember to package it well! When I asked the teachers I know what the best and worst gifts they ever received were, the broken gift was definitely the worst. One teacher said a boy came in and said "Merry Christmas" and placed the gift on the desk. As he set it down, she could hear broken glass jiggling around. Taking out the tissue paper, the gift was completely shattered.

J is for Jack, Jump, and Jello

Who's ready for the next letter? Today's letter is J.

Crafts:

• Coloring page (see below)
• Make Jello together (jigglers, layered jello, personal jello fruit cups, etc.)
• Have a jumping, jump rope, or joke telling contest
• Carve a Jack-o-Lantern (or make one on paper)
• Learn about jellyfish and jaguars. For fun, you can learn about the mythical jackalope.
• Learn how to juggle (or watch a juggler)
• Make a craft using jewel stickers or make your own jewelry (make a jelly bean bracelet or buy a jewelry kit for kids)

Foods:

• Jerky 
• Jello (Personal Jello Fruit Cups, Layered Jello, Jello Jigglers)
• Jam
• Jalapeno peppers
• Jelly
• Jelly Beans (candy)
• Jolly Ranchers (candy)
• Juice
• Junior Mints (candy)
• Juniper Berries (I think they look a lot like blueberries. If you want to know more, here is a link to Wiki)
• Jujubes (candy)

Tie Dye Cookies

After "April Showers", we could use some bright cheery colors. We made tie dyed cookies, and they were a big hit with the kids. The bright colors (or maybe it was the sugar and sprinkles) definitely made the kids happier.

You will need:

• Sugar cookie dough (either a mix or your own recipe) and needed ingredients to make the dough
• Food Coloring (DM Tip: I used Betty Crocker Neon Gel Food Colors for the pink, purple, and green, and then used a blue and yellow food coloring for the blue and yellow.)
• Sprinkles, optional

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Divide the dough evenly into 4 or 5 bowls. Color each bowl a different color with the food coloring.
3. Roll each color into small balls, about the size of a grape.
4. Take a ball of each color and form into a ball. Do not roll too much or the colors will merge, try to smoosh into a ball shape.

5. Roll the colored ball against the counter until you have a strip about 8-10 inches long.
6. Start at one end and twist into a circle. Every once in awhile twist the dough so different colors will show.
7. If desired, roll edge of cookie in sprinkles. DM Tip: It can be hard to roll the edges of the cookie in the sprinkles. Once the cookies are baked and cooled, you can spread a thin layer of icing around the edge and then roll in sprinkles.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until done. Place on a cooling rack to cool off.

The Weekly Review

Here's the week's post! Hope you had a great weekend :)

I Had Lunch With A Super Hero!
Egg Casserole
H is for Hungry, Happy, and Honey
Hand Me A Frame For Mom, Please! (A Mother's Day Craft and Gift)
Mother's Day: Gift, craft, food, and activity ideas.
I is for Igloo, Ice and Iguana

I is for Igloo, Ice, and Iguana

Who's ready for another letter? Today's letter is I. I found it really hard to find foods that start with I, but I gave it my best shot.

Crafts:

• Coloring page (see below)
• Edible Igloo
• Make your own ice cream
• Make icicles
• Ice Bowling

Food:

• Ice Cream, Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Ice Pops 
• Icee
• Indian food (curry, tikka masala)
• Italian food
• Icing
• These are a bit of a stretch:
• Irish Soda Bread 
• Irish Beef Stew
• Italian Bread
• Italian Sausage

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is May 12 this year! If you need gift, activity, or food ideas, check out the links below!

FOOD:

• Bake Mom A Cake
• Caramels. These are are really easy to make and the kids can even help (pour ingredients into a bowl, stir, etc.) They are really tasty too! (They were gone within a few days at our house.)
• Egg Casserole. This is another easy recipe. It would make a great item to make for Mom on Mother's Day.

CRAFTS/GIFTS/ACTIVITIES:

• 112 Mother's Day Gift Ideas
• Make Mom a unique necklace. I recently had a necklace made from Kidz Can Design. Your children draw a picture, you upload it to the site, and they make a necklace from the drawing. Each of my boys drew a picture of themselves for me. NOTE: This process takes awhile, so it will not arrive in time for Mother's Day, but you can show Mom the pictures they drew and the website. I placed my order on 3/26 and received the necklace on 4/27.

My necklace with the boys' drawings.

• Mother's Day Word Scramble
• Make Mom A Card
• Mother's Day Word Find
• Paint Pottery with Mom
• Make Flowers (Paper) For Mom
• Clay Basket Gift Bags. I originally made these for Easter. However, if you use paper with a pretty pattern or a flower pattern, they would make great gift baskets/bags for Mother's Day.
• Mother's Day Crossword Puzzle
• Make Mom A Frame
• Handprint Frame

FREEBIES: I did some digging and here are some of the freebies I found for Mother's Day.

• Mom bumper sticker
• Mom Badge. Kids can make a free Mom Badge at Pottery Barn Kids the week of May 6th. 
• Mother's Day Craft 5/11 at participating IKEA's.
• Free small breakfast and coffee at participating IKEA's on Mother's Day.
• May 10th bring Mom to a Public Garden for free (with coupon in link)

Hand Me A Frame For Mom, Please! (A Mother's Day Craft and Gift)

I love seeing how my kids grow. It's amazing to see how fast their little hands and feet grow. I have their baby prints from the hospital, and the handprint and footprint crafts we've made through the years. I wanted to try something else this year and it would make a great Mother's Day present.

You will need:

• A wide mat 
• Picture frame to fit the mat
• A family picture (or maybe you can take one on Mother's Day)
• Willing hands
• Stamp pad

Directions:

1. Stamp a hand and place on the mat. Gently press down. DM Tip: I practiced on a piece of paper so I wouldn't mess up the mat.
2. Repeat for each person.
3. Wash hands before moving the mat so you don't transfer any extra ink.
4. I wrote the names next to the hands so I would know who they belonged to long after the kids have grown bigger. I also wrote the year at the bottom corner.


DM Tips: I couldn't find a mat that would be wide enough for the grown ups hands. You may be able to talk to your local craft or framing store to see if they could cut a mat for you. I ended up finding this cute canvas with a spot for a picture at Michael's for $14.99. There was a lot of room for everyone's handprints. If you use one of Michael's 40% coupons (by signing up for their emails), it takes $6.99 off the price. However, I also noticed that even after the ink dried, it could still smear if it got wet.

However, I placed a layer of Mod Podge over the handprints to keep them from smearing. Even though I put it on pretty quickly, it still smeared a little bit. Next time, I think I would use a spray type of sealant. I found this one in a gloss finish and this one in a matte finish online that received good reviews.

H is for Hungry, Happy, and Honey

It's letter time! Today's letter is H.

Crafts:

• Coloring page (see below)
• Draw Happy faces
• Draw pictures of your house/home
• Make a hippo puppet
• Make a house out of large cardboard boxes and color it
• Create art out of handprints
• Have the kids help you with laundry by hanging up clothes on hangers
• Play Hungry, Hungry, Hippo

Food:

• Hot dogs
• Haddock/Herring
• Haggis
• Ham
• Hamburger
• Hash
• Hen
• Hershey chocolate bars or Kisses
• Hoagie
• Ho Ho's
• Honey (honeycomb, honeysuckle)
• Honeydew melon
• Hot Chocolate
• Huckleberry
• Hushpuppies
• Hummus

Egg Casserole

Egg Casserole

www.DailyMesses.com

Total time: 50-60 minutes

You will need:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. ground sausage
• half an onion (or 1 small onion), diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 carton mushrooms, thinly sliced (If you are like my kids and don't like mushrooms, you can leave these out!)
• 9-10 eggs
• 2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (depending on how much cheese you like!)
• 1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese
• Dash of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Oil or butter to saute the vegetables
• Non-stick spray
• 9x13 pan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place pepper, onions, and mushrooms in a large pan and saute with about 1 Tablespoon of oil or butter. DM Tip: I sauteed the onions and peppers until they were soft, and then added in the mushrooms.

3. Add in the seasonings and meats. Brown the meat until almost finished.

4. Drain the grease and place mixture back on heat.

5. Turn heat to low and add in the cream cheese until melted mixed in with the meat and vegetables.

6. Spray a 9x13 pan.

7. Spread the meat mixture evenly in the pan.

8. Beat eggs together in a bowl and spread over the top of the meat mixture.

9. Top with cheese.

10. Bake about 30 minutes, or until eggs are cooked.

I Had Lunch With A Superhero!

After growing up with a sister, having two boys was a slight adjustment. I never thought I would play a lot of superheroes, cars, dinosaurs, or have quite so many toy battles. Having boys, I miss out on some things like tea parties. Last summer I managed to convince the boys to have a tea party with me, but I think it only worked because we made cookie necklaces.

We still have have picnics and have fun lunches together...just boy style. The other day, Higgins wanted to have a picnic and started setting things up while I was working on the computer. Once the selections were set out, Higgins prepared and cut up his plastic food. Which sounds right....only instead of using the play knife that comes with the food set, he used a sword. After most of the food prep was finished, he got dressed for the occasion...as a super hero! He finished the final touches by making juice (once again with his sword). Super Higgins and I ate some delicious eggplant and carrot soup with a side of lemon squeezed toast. The meal concluded with a delicate yogurt sprinkled with lemon juice and pepper slices. Yum! (We may have to work on his food pairings.)

I'm not a big girly-girl or a tomboy. I think I fall somewhere in the middle. I have to say though, I'll take playing Super Higgins, or knights (the boys) and princess (my role) over Barbies any day. They are growing up so fast. Even when they're fighting over a toy, I need to remind myself that pretty soon they won't want to play Lego's or pretend they are knights. Soon enough they're going to be driving and will actually like girls. Gah!

The Weekly Review

It's been another week and we've had some fun this week, a soccer game, and a tummy ache from too much sugar. I hope you guys have had a great week and weekend! If you missed any of the posts this week, here they are:

Random Foodland Adventures: Part 2. We had another foodland adventure. We saw lots of new things, but not a lot we actually wanted to eat!
F is For Fish, Fairy, and Food. It's alphabet time!
Super Easy (and Delicious) Caramels! I have a little sweet tooth (you know, like the Grand Canyon is little) and tried a new recipe for caramels. They were really easy to make and a huge hit with everyone.
G is for Green, Grapefruit, and Giraffe. It's time to learn about the letter G!
Identify This: Part 57
We Made Bubbles! Higgins loves to dump out his bubbles still, which drives me nuts. However, now we can make our own batches of bubbles when we need them!

Homemade Bubbles

Slowly but surely it is starting to warm up. I can't wait for the warmer weather to come (not hot mind you, but a nice 70 degrees F would be nice). When the weather is nice, we like to play outside a lot. I don't know if you have the same problem, but we go through a ton of bubbles at our house. Last year we made our own bubbles. Higgins had been trying to re-dip the wand and spilled the last of the bubbles. To avert disaster, I quickly looked up how to make your own bubbles. We tried a couple different recipes before finding one that worked.

You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons dishwashing soap (liquid)
• 1 Tablespoons glycerin (or light Karo syrup)

Directions:

1. Mix together and enjoy!

2. Store in a resealable container.

3. Optional:  Add a drop of food coloring to create colored bubbles!

Identify This: Part 57

If you think you know what it is, or just want to take a guess, post in Comments!

STOP! ANSWER BELOW!

A recycling/garbage truck.

G is for Green, Grapefruit, and Giraffe

It's letter time again! Today's letter is G.

Crafts:

• Coloring page (see below)
• Paint art using Gold and Green paints
• Learn about giraffes, goats, gorillas, and geese
• Pick grapes
• Ghosts: 

• Cover a lollipop with a tissue, tie with a ribbon at the base and use a marker to draw on some eyes
• Make ghosts using tea lights and an egg carton
• Ghostly Handprints
• Make a giraffe or goat puppet (a paper bag and construction paper works great!)
• Let the kids wear gloves and help plant in the garden, or even take out the garbage!
• Make a giraffe out of a G (see below)

Food:

• Grapes (try freezing them and having a yummy cold snack)
• Ghost Parfaits
• Goldfish
• Graham crackers
• Ganache
• Gelato
• Garlic (bread)
• Ginger (gingerale, gingersnaps, ginger bread)
• Gnocchi
• German sausage
• Goat
• Goose
• Gooseberries
• Granola
• Gravy
• Grapefruit
• Grits
• Guava
• Guacamole
• Gumbo
• Gum
• Gyros
• Gummies (candy)
• Gold foil covered chocolate coins

G Coloring Page

Giraffe ready to color

Giraffe to cut out, paste together, and color

Super Easy (and Delicious!) Caramels

I was browsing online and came across a recipe for easy caramels. I had a craving for sweets at the time and decided to try it out. It turned out great and I even shared with the boys. The recipe is super easy and you can add your own variations to fit your tastes. DM Tip: These would make great gifts! (Mother's Day and the end of the school year are coming up.) Hubby's Tip: Don't tell anyone you made these in the microwave until after they have eaten them!

Wrapped caramels, sea salt caramels, chocolate covered,
turtle (in mini cupcake wrapper), unwrapped caramels

Easy Caramels

Cook Time: 6 minutes, Total time: about 20 minutes

Serves: About 53 pieces from an 8x8 pan

You will need:

• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• Other items need: 8x8 pan/dish (I found glass worked well), butter to grease the pan or parchment paper, wax paper

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Cook for 6 minutes in the microwave. Stir mixture every two minutes.

3. While the mixture heats, grease the pan. I used butter to grease the pan and it worked really well. You could also try lining pan with parchment paper.

4. When finished cooking, stir again and pour into pan.

5. Cool. I placed in the fridge for 8 minutes and then let the caramels finish cooling on the counter. 

6. Cut with a sharp knife (like a large paring knife). I found if I rubbed the knife on butter, it did not stick to the caramels.

7. Cut pieces of wax paper and wrap caramels.

8. Store in an air tight container. DM Tip: If you store in the fridge, the caramels will be a lot harder.

I have a weakness for turtles. The nut/caramel/chocolate combo gets me every time, so I made a few variations to the caramels.

DM Alternatives:

• Make turtles! Use a cupcake or mini cupcake wrapper to form the candy. I placed a small amount of melted chocolate on the bottom of the wrapper. Next, I placed peanuts or cashews (I made both versions) on top of the chocolate. I placed in the freezer for a few minutes to harden. I then placed a piece of caramel on top of the nuts and spooned melted chocolate over the top of the caramel. I placed back in freezer to harden the chocolate (just for a few minutes). Alternative: You could place nuts on the bottom of the wrapper and the spoon the hot caramel over the top. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes to set the caramel. Spoon melted chocolate on top and place back in the fridge to set the chocolate.
• What goes great with caramel? Chocolate! Spoon melted chocolate over the cooled caramels and let set. DM Tip: Place caramel on a piece of waxed paper and then spoon chocolate over. Place in fridge or freezer for a few minutes to set.
• Sprinkle sea salt over the top of the caramels before they cool. The saltiness can bring out the flavor even more.
• Add vanilla to the mix before cooking for a more complex flavor (1/4 to 1 tsp, depending on your tastes)

F is for Fish, Fairy, and Food

Todays letter is F!

Crafts: (Click on links for directions.)

• Feet. Paint the bottoms of feet and make fun prints. Trace and make funny animals out of your footprints.
• Coloring Page (see below)
• Make Flower crafts:
• Make a flower out of a toilet paper roll and construction paper
• Flower Magnets
• Make flowers out of coffee filters
• Button Flowers
• Play Frisbee
• Go Fossil hunting
• Make a firefly
• Make a frame decorated with foam flowers
• Go fishing inside
• Plant a flower

Food: (Click link for directions/recipes.)

• Fish, Fish sticks
• Flower shaped foods (Quick Flower Snacks, Fruit flowers, Fruity Yogurt Flowers, Flower Fruit Bowl)
• Fajitas
• Falafal
• Figs
• Fennel
• Flan
• Fries
• Float (root beer floats)
• Fondue
• Fondant
• Foie Gras
• Frankenberry cereal
• French toast
• Fritos (chips)
• Frittata
• Fritters
• Frog
• Frosting
• Fruit Loops
• Fruit Roll-Ups
• Fudge
• Funnel cake
• Fruitcake
• Funyuns 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Random Foodland Adventures: Part 2

We ventured in our Random Foodland Adventures once again. This time was not very successful. We saw several aisles of hot sauces and many odd types of food. For example, Beef Jerky Chocolate bars. And who doesn't love haggis in a can? There were a few items that just really grossed me out, such as dried shrimp and a variety of bugs in a bag. Finally, we found Bacon Ketchup.

Hubby had high hopes for Bacon Ketchup because what could be better than combining the taste of bacon and ketchup. Unfortunately, it did not live up to the name. It tasted like barbecue sauce and I couldn't taste the bacon or the ketchup. We didn't use a lot of it, except on a few salads and as a side instead of barbecue sauce. We're still going to keep looking for new items on the next Random Foodland Adventure. I'll let you know what we discover!

HAVE YOU BEEN ON ANY RANDOM FOODLAND ADVENTURES LATELY? WHAT DID YOU FIND?

The Weekly Review

It's the end to another weekend. I hope you had a great one! In case you missed any of the posts this week, here they are:

• Secret Special Boxes: Higgins got to make his own special treasure box...you know, for things like rocks and grass.
• Identify This: Part 56
• D is for Dog, Donuts, and Dolphin: We worked on the letter D with crafts, foods, and a coloring page.
• Spice Rubbed Chicken: I get tired of plain chicken and try new things to spice it up. This recipe was a hit with hubby.
• Earth Day Is Monday 4/22: A brief history of Earth Day, along with a list of freebies!
• E is for Elephant, Ears, and Eraser: More alphabet fun!

E is for Elephant, Ears, and Eraser

Today's letter is E! I found it pretty hard to find E food ideas, but I did find a few.

Crafts:

• Decorate Eggs. I have some neat ideas for Easter eggs, but they would work for just having fun too. (Eggstravaganza, Eggs II)
• Egg Experiment (The Shell-less Egg)
• Make an elephant craft: a puppet, drawing, clay figure.
• Learn about eels, eagles, and elephants.

Food:

• Eggplant
• Eggs (hard boiled, scrambled, sunny side up, salad, in toast, etc.)
• Egg (candy) Topped Cupcakes
• Eggs made from chocolate(or melts) and candy
• Earl Grey Tea
• Edamame
• Eclair
• Eggnog
• Enchiladas, Enchilada Pie 
• Eel
• Elderberries
• Make jello jiggler eggs

Earth Day Is Monday 4/22

When is Earth Day?
This year, Earth Day is Monday 4/22/13.

What is Earth Day?
Earth Day was started as a way to celebrate and raise awareness about the Earth and its environment. It is celebrated world-wide. The first observation of Earth Day was on 3/21/1970. The United Nations made April 22 International Mother Earth Day in 2009. Lately, the focus on Earth Day had been about recycling, reusing, and reducing your carbon footprint.

FREEBIES:

• Free entrance to select National Parks April 22-26.
• Caribou Coffee: Although they are closing many stores nationwide, they are still offering a free cup of coffee if you bring in a reusable mug on 4/22. Also, if you Like them on Facebook, they will plant a tree in Central or South America.
• Pottery Barn Kids: Kids get a free pack of seeds! Freebie runs from 4/20-4/22, while supplies last.
• Starbucks: Bring in your own reusable mug and receive a free coffee or tea on Monday 4/22.
• Target: Stop by Guest Services on 4/21 and receive a free reusable bag. (1 per guest, while supplies last.) Some of the lucky bags may have free samples inside them as well.

Our free bag from last year

• Qdoba: Buy one entree, get a second free on Monday 4/22. They will also be giving out reusable bags, while supplies last. I saw this on a sign at our local store, but have not found anything on their website.

Qdoba sign

• Disney Store (see #4 on the list): Bring in 5 plastic grocery bags and receive a reusable Cars or Brave bag on 4/22.

Easy Ways to Celebrate:

• Plant a tree in your yard.
• Have the kids help you sort the recycling and bring it to the recycling bins.
• Let the kids pick out flowers and have them plant them in the garden.
• Recycle used cans, bottle caps, or paper towel/toilet paper rolls into crafts. (I have a wind chime craft that uses bottle caps and lots of paper towel/toilet paper roll crafts.)
• Start a vegetable garden in your yard.
• If the park/store is close by, walk instead of driving your car.
• Have the kids help clean up trash at the local park. Many cities have a community clean up event for Earth Day.

LINKS:
EarthDay.org

Spice Rubbed Chicken

SPICE RUBBED CHICKEN

www.DailyMesses.com

Total Time: 30-45 minutes. Serves: 4

You will need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar

Directions:
1. Set chicken aside and stir other ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Split the spice mixture in half.
3. Spread half the mixture evenly across the top of the chicken.
4. Let chicken marinate for 15 minutes in the fridge.
5. Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Heat over medium-high heat.
6. Place chicken seasoned side down in the skillet. Cook 4-5 minutes.
7. Spread the rest of the seasoning over the top of the chicken.
8. Flip chicken over and cook about 4 more minutes, or until no longer pink.

D is for Dog, Donuts, and Dolphin

It's alphabet time again! Today's letter is D.

Crafts: (Click on link for directions.)

• Coloring Page
• Make a Dandelion Bracelet 
• Dinosaurs Galore! A Word Find
• Make Dinosaur Toothbrush Holders or a soap container
• Make crafts out of Duct Tape
• Make a dog, dinosaur, or dragon puppet
• Have a Dance Party

Food: (Click on link for directions/recipe.)

• Dinosaur Cupcakes
• Rice Cereal Treat Dinosaur Eggs 
• Duck Cupcakes
• Donuts, Danish
• Dates
• Dewberry (Click here for info. They look a lot like blackberries.)
• Deviled Eggs (If your child knows the difference between regular eggs and deviled eggs.)
• Deer jerky
• Ding Dongs
• Digestives (a type of cracker/biscuit)
• Doritos
• Dots Candy
• Dim Sum
• Dreamsicle
• Dove chocolate
• Dragonfruit
• Drumsticks ice cream
• Duck
• Dumplings
• Dulche de leche
• Dum Dum suckers

Identify This: Part 56

STOP! ANSWERS BELOW!

It's apples in a bushel!

Secret Special Boxes

My boys love collecting special little trinkets (read: usually junk) that they want to keep. Last year we made treasure boxes out of shoe boxes for the "treasures" they found when we went on walks or up to the park. However, these boxes were kept outside in case of bugs and were not very durable when someone sat on them (which did happen). While we were cleaning out boxes of hubby's childhood mementos, we came across a small decorative wood box. Hubby let Bernardo keep the box and it has been put to use already holding his special treasures. It currently has a bead necklace and Mardi Gras coin from school, a decorative "old" button he found in the driveway, and a few other items inside it. However, there was only one box and Higgins kept trying to take it.

While at the dollar store looking for last minute Easter basket fillers, I found some unfinished wooden boxes. They were only a dollar, so I picked a couple up. (DM Tip: You can also find small wood boxes for a few dollars or less at craft stores like Michael's.) Higgins wanted to make his own box to keep his "super special secret things" like his Lego figure, so I let him have one of the boxes to keep his stuff.

I set up some paints and let him decorate it in his own way. Higgins only wanted to use paint, but you could also use stickers, crayons, and glue on decorations like jewels or other embellishments. Once he finished painting, I used placed a penny under the lid to prop it up so that the paint wouldn't dry and glue the box together.

You would think I gave the kid a million dollars he is so happy! If you happen to have little collectors too, these little boxes are a great way to keep all their stuff in one place and not all over your house or their room.

The Weekly Review

I hope you guys all had a good weekend! In case you missed any posts this week, here's The Weekly Review:

• B is for Bananas, Barbie, and Boat. We moved on to the letter B in our alphabet pages. I have craft and food ideas, as well as a coloring page.
• Identify This: Part 55
• Cinnamon Apple Pork Chops. These were a huge hit with the boys and they have even asked for them again!
• Help! The Toilet Paper Roll Turned Into A Monster! This is a fun craft that the kids loved making.
• C is for...Car, Cranberry, and Cranky. On to the letter C...
• I Found A Great Deal On Paintbrushes! Higgins is hard on paintbrushes (and paints), but I found a solution.
• It's Look Up At The Sky Day! Did you take time yet today to look up at the sky today?

It's Look Up At The Sky Day!

Today is Look Up At The Sky Day and we are going to spend part of the day looking up at the clouds. The boys like to see what shapes they can find, and it's fun to hear what they think the clouds look like. Most of the time, I don't see anything even close to what they see. Don't forget to look up at the sky at night too! There are some great constellations out there: Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Orion are my favorites (probably because they're the only ones I can usually find!).

What Do You See? Leave a Comment on what you see in the clouds! Not to stifle creativity, but I shared some of our interpretations. Do you see what we saw or something different? Share your thoughts in the Comments!

1. Me: Bird, Bernardo: Pteradactyl

2. We all agreed on a Whale

3. Me: Ghost, Bernardo: Ghosts with little kid ghosts

4. Me: I have no idea, Bernardo: Shark (right) chasing a boat (on left), Higgins: Something chasing something

5. Me: Fighter plane, Bernardo: A ship with a cannon

A Few Facts About Clouds:

• Clouds are made up of water or ice crystals.
• Clouds look white because they reflect the sun.
• The wind moves the clouds.
• Cirrus clouds are clouds high in the air. They are thin and wispy.
• Cumulus clouds look like cotton. They are fluffy and white.
• Stratus clouds are thick and flat. They often appear before a storm.



Chart of clouds I found online

• Cumulonimbus clouds indicate thunderstorms. The tops are flat and have an anvil shape. Sometimes, you can tell which way the storm is going by looking at where the anvil points.

For more information, try these sites:

• http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/constellations.htm. This site allows you to choose the month and hour to print a constellation map!
• http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/15-science/102-star-a-constellations.html
• Check out EarthSky.org for any upcoming meteor showers or eclipses.