tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44458043247105859002024-03-13T06:04:01.292-04:00Baby and MeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-30749873355544799462015-07-20T20:04:00.000-04:002015-07-20T20:04:19.245-04:00Our Journey With Milk: From Intolerance to Cereal for Breakfast!Ever since the boy-o was born we've had an ongoing battle with milk. When I was nursing him I couldn't eat cereal with milk because it would bother him, so I pretty well gave up eating/drinking milk and just recently with pregnancy #2 have I started eating cereal with milk again.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The troubles with milk for the boy-o didn't end with me drinking milk though. Once he turned a year old we tried to introduce homo milk to him and he had a horrible reaction to it. It was pretty clear that milk wasn't going to work for now so we switched him to the toddler version of our formula instead which was rated up to 24 months.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6-VW44jbwoCj1LSEbLGZSnPF9l9FnoKHaI5bhykPCuufK3ZJ0-WYsOrs1XbobshEW7PoB85E0yRXZWZLj7XaKu4z1C2ZQE2oRFLEZMfaSvbKc6ERirCHZpGbZhV5emafTBkmHV-l7mI/s1600/IMG_20150604_065359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6-VW44jbwoCj1LSEbLGZSnPF9l9FnoKHaI5bhykPCuufK3ZJ0-WYsOrs1XbobshEW7PoB85E0yRXZWZLj7XaKu4z1C2ZQE2oRFLEZMfaSvbKc6ERirCHZpGbZhV5emafTBkmHV-l7mI/s320/IMG_20150604_065359.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We tried introducing homo milk to him again when he was around 18 months, and the same thing happened. He only got a tiny bit mixed in with his regular formula, and it was a nightmare. He had another horrible reaction and I felt like a totally terrible mother for putting him through it again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Fast forward to the boy-o's 2nd birthday which is as far as his formula was rated. It was time to try the milk again as nervous as we were about it. We had heard many times before that kids grow out of it, and so far that hadn't been our experience but we were hopeful this time it would really be the case.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnR0k5JykaSw_41Naz37AYGRiHqNWwgHK3r5ysrzqPMh2gY6xGaWr5Ku9MCsj5hFYqE6pOKAKd_NlVurUR-rcSzbK6a4aUf7FFFnU4hnWUS-zfqWpUyF-QsreUjRPXp4XKyLA6hDcuMo/s1600/IMG_20150604_065409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnR0k5JykaSw_41Naz37AYGRiHqNWwgHK3r5ysrzqPMh2gY6xGaWr5Ku9MCsj5hFYqE6pOKAKd_NlVurUR-rcSzbK6a4aUf7FFFnU4hnWUS-zfqWpUyF-QsreUjRPXp4XKyLA6hDcuMo/s320/IMG_20150604_065409.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
The funny thing is that the boy-o has always been ok eating cheese and youghurt, and his formula is milk based too. Whatever the issue is it's something that's just in milk and not the other forms of dairy. When we tried again this time, instead of giving him homo milk we tried 2% milk which is supposedly a little easier to digest, not to mention the kid is a good eater and really doesn't need to extra calories anyway. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We started off by adding half an ounce of milk to his 3.5 ounce formula bottle for a few days and waited to see if there was any issue... so far so good! We slowly upped the amount of milk and decreased the amount of formula over a period of a few weeks until he was having a full milk bottle with no formula. It was such a huge relief to see his body accepting the milk ok with no reactions and to finally be done with formula (for this baby anyway!). Getting rid of the bottles altogether... well that's a story for another day!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEAj_ufLFdDnVON6E-xkPGrOr3VZ5W74CgdexAbtyO1MpC43Wi4OGTNwOtWcFHQu4DoyXQ81dUmtEUg0bf-IyUY7SMh732_XgaY0alN_TKKZMdLKHH-6Rmfl88Hy3yh3079ZXxGauDUk/s1600/IMG_20150604_065415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEAj_ufLFdDnVON6E-xkPGrOr3VZ5W74CgdexAbtyO1MpC43Wi4OGTNwOtWcFHQu4DoyXQ81dUmtEUg0bf-IyUY7SMh732_XgaY0alN_TKKZMdLKHH-6Rmfl88Hy3yh3079ZXxGauDUk/s320/IMG_20150604_065415.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's the boy-o having his first ever bowl of cereal with milk in it at 2 years old! He was pretty excited about it, and really enjoyed trying to slurp it off his spoon. It's been a miserable journey having to avoid milk and milk products like creamy sauces and ice cream, but thankfully that journey has come to an end. Hopefully baby #2 won't have the same issues, but if they do, this time around we'll be a little better equipped to handle it!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-7704323993445282632015-06-29T19:50:00.000-04:002015-06-29T19:51:33.926-04:00Multi-Coloured Ice Cube Water PlayIt was really hot and humid here last week, so we decided to try out some fun water play. Rather than just splashing around in a water table (which is totally lots of fun on it's own!) I decided to try shaking things up a little bit and I pre-made some coloured ice cubes to add to our water bin. Basically I just put a few drops of food colouring into each section of the ice cube tray and then filled it with water and gave each section a little stir before popping it into the freezer.<br />
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-M-gjwyBvHOR5-dmk6J2GxrLTQeTlzKXc_lG9YATDZFL1-Gzrt35vunQFp1yrp6tHmnNDVtl7383ciY31m2MnEegGwEjGBIwf7H3xsoATfNTk1uSDNjmH2bxas15NbBpXfjzFU6a1Xw/s1600/IMG_20150612_133627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-M-gjwyBvHOR5-dmk6J2GxrLTQeTlzKXc_lG9YATDZFL1-Gzrt35vunQFp1yrp6tHmnNDVtl7383ciY31m2MnEegGwEjGBIwf7H3xsoATfNTk1uSDNjmH2bxas15NbBpXfjzFU6a1Xw/s320/IMG_20150612_133627.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
After it was fully frozen I had a lovely rainbow of ice cubes to add into the water bin. The result was really neat as the ice cubes melted and the colour started to swirl into the water. The boy-o had fun adding new coloured cubes to the mix and it was a great way to cool off too!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZ7j34rSRB3G32rZaIuPrMoytUBS8yuN36elc-m3xLdNBHg3w-AHNqpK68riOrT7Ec-rH7NFZKKLqFebNF5omr4qTetz7g7nNSbUH_0SYPgUIWHSaHLj3exXYhgf15S2QJcHHAuV6b-o/s1600/IMG_20150620_180049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZ7j34rSRB3G32rZaIuPrMoytUBS8yuN36elc-m3xLdNBHg3w-AHNqpK68riOrT7Ec-rH7NFZKKLqFebNF5omr4qTetz7g7nNSbUH_0SYPgUIWHSaHLj3exXYhgf15S2QJcHHAuV6b-o/s320/IMG_20150620_180049.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
He loved trying to scoop up the ice cubes and "catch" them with his containers as they were melting. Since they cubes are coloured with food colouring be prepared to end up with coloured fingers as well if your little wants to touch them and play with them as they melt in the water.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7svVyzlDhxzYaDFS7KWH8IZWwGn1nGk9a68IKDuhjN_d3zwoBIomyHyfEKKeFxn_cL7cg3bI1KdX2M5d2YxdDFULxMu8FkUly0Pcin2sB-D2YxzmmbajFp0auVl55c6ZUCJOpJFsqzI/s1600/IMG_20150620_180116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7svVyzlDhxzYaDFS7KWH8IZWwGn1nGk9a68IKDuhjN_d3zwoBIomyHyfEKKeFxn_cL7cg3bI1KdX2M5d2YxdDFULxMu8FkUly0Pcin2sB-D2YxzmmbajFp0auVl55c6ZUCJOpJFsqzI/s320/IMG_20150620_180116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We took turns adding different coloured cubes to see how they changed the water colour, and put the unused cubes back in the freezer for another day of play!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedt0cmcCvHOQeD9_Jz6lw_y2sSfia_CGOtrxuXF1NAif8rgHBYhhi_oFGIxvIsGV29CATI_3UIcF9w15ozDRPtB0mwPrhCW4SbVZgI7Yu8Nqo025ZHwvzPgbIK6qFBH_bDBFRYRb4104/s1600/IMG_20150620_180312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedt0cmcCvHOQeD9_Jz6lw_y2sSfia_CGOtrxuXF1NAif8rgHBYhhi_oFGIxvIsGV29CATI_3UIcF9w15ozDRPtB0mwPrhCW4SbVZgI7Yu8Nqo025ZHwvzPgbIK6qFBH_bDBFRYRb4104/s320/IMG_20150620_180312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Watching the colour disperse across the water as the ice cubes melted was really cool and the next time we try this out I think we'll add a whole bunch of one colour and try not to touch them for a few seconds so we can really see the colour spread.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUP2wzoVL01w9Fm0O1j9Dqi_dxQM3x9hzUMOv9_UA8qqSIGDhunTcPY5KLshsTp3_gfLu_UN0m5106yWi1IzgE6EkafEfJdzf2s3phPXgRcESIDWjWdjG3bQCQcNnf8zatAAjv9T1rlwg/s1600/IMG_20150620_180345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUP2wzoVL01w9Fm0O1j9Dqi_dxQM3x9hzUMOv9_UA8qqSIGDhunTcPY5KLshsTp3_gfLu_UN0m5106yWi1IzgE6EkafEfJdzf2s3phPXgRcESIDWjWdjG3bQCQcNnf8zatAAjv9T1rlwg/s320/IMG_20150620_180345.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The boy-o had a great time playing at his little water station to try and beat the heat, and the addition of the coloured cubes added a little bit of extra fun. It's definitely a fun and simple activity that we'll be trying again another day.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-44070231275980173122015-06-21T13:19:00.000-04:002015-06-21T13:20:34.636-04:00Happy Father's Day!Today is Father's Day and I wanted to take a minute to recognize all the hard work put in by so many loving and caring Dads around the world!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To the Dads who wake up in the night with their kids.... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who help with bath time and bed time.... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who read to their little ones.... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who love and respect their children's mothers.... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who stepped up and took care of someone else's children like they were his own... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who teach their children about nature and the world around them... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who help with housework and meal times... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who work long hours to support their families... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
To the Dads who stay at home with their kids so their partner can fulfill her career goals... Thank-you!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To all the great Dads out there who come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and who may not always feel like they're doing the best they could be... your kids think you're amazing, and for that, so do I! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Happy Father's Day!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjz5tHbmksyCWXcWVSuWDK9n61Vp4KRDQRRrTWJcPVNRVBcn9l03dm5aejDuVYX55V0viUYgoruM648gGbBXahgkCw32JplNpl0LOtep6zWvQSM7GF7NHuslzIEcb_U-NT5kRwm9qCdxg/s1600/Superhero-Fathers-Day-Card-Printable-650x851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjz5tHbmksyCWXcWVSuWDK9n61Vp4KRDQRRrTWJcPVNRVBcn9l03dm5aejDuVYX55V0viUYgoruM648gGbBXahgkCw32JplNpl0LOtep6zWvQSM7GF7NHuslzIEcb_U-NT5kRwm9qCdxg/s320/Superhero-Fathers-Day-Card-Printable-650x851.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To all the amazing Dad's out there! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
And an extra special Happy Father's Day to my Hubby who is an excellent Daddy, and I'm so blessed that the boy-o has such a good role model to look up to. When he tries on your shoes I know he's hoping that he'll grow up to be like you--and I hope he does too!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYweQsU_tb4Yx7XBd1jslMLNe8XAnErb6NvOp0mI2l3hIqkxoU945pyAVF5qOJlnnw82KphInio17H6r6CCVsaL4HrGm837JW-UNuc3ElO22FRa1s5v4OtuMHucMQmOctaquQ55VXGAL0/s1600/IMG_20150620_111748_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYweQsU_tb4Yx7XBd1jslMLNe8XAnErb6NvOp0mI2l3hIqkxoU945pyAVF5qOJlnnw82KphInio17H6r6CCVsaL4HrGm837JW-UNuc3ElO22FRa1s5v4OtuMHucMQmOctaquQ55VXGAL0/s320/IMG_20150620_111748_edit.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-39758092954511462212015-06-17T21:32:00.000-04:002015-06-17T21:32:08.668-04:00Shaving Cream Swirl Art: Father's Day Craft IdeaFather's Day is fast approaching and sometimes it can be really hard to figure out what to get Dad. When the kiddos are little homemade stuff is always a big hit and this fun activity uses some shaving cream in honor of Dear old Dad to create a beautiful tie-dyed work of art!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-YWJCQdxz2N6xFxX7cJgS_deyf7EEzzK8ov1Esa6IfZFvwBmy9eVGgW8wsndBNmzZoYseLmUoBHKhe9hPs6NFihUrb_Hv5PWpYxFjQ54DbUBvq7P__bp716VGkqBdcKYUM8Owm4IPPs/s1600/IMG_20150617_203535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-YWJCQdxz2N6xFxX7cJgS_deyf7EEzzK8ov1Esa6IfZFvwBmy9eVGgW8wsndBNmzZoYseLmUoBHKhe9hPs6NFihUrb_Hv5PWpYxFjQ54DbUBvq7P__bp716VGkqBdcKYUM8Owm4IPPs/s320/IMG_20150617_203535.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The activity is quite simple, so even toddlers can get in on the fun! All you need for this one is some foamy white shaving cream, a container to spray it in, some food colouring, a couple of q-tips or straws, and some white paper to make your art print on when you're finished.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenKg3NRpRTXjglQLdhBx_nDAve8mjVeCFyrhfSqxQwXOEuXhVdmtJ1aAcvJXkbs6PO97GDT-3LHwomXvFFVobRTYDih5EAGRnz6ruZh9xoU_9P_dqJ6cjOYKETSmSESVcxzndY4H9yBg/s1600/IMG_20150617_171602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenKg3NRpRTXjglQLdhBx_nDAve8mjVeCFyrhfSqxQwXOEuXhVdmtJ1aAcvJXkbs6PO97GDT-3LHwomXvFFVobRTYDih5EAGRnz6ruZh9xoU_9P_dqJ6cjOYKETSmSESVcxzndY4H9yBg/s320/IMG_20150617_171602.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Start by spraying some shaving cream into the container, you don't need a lot, just enough to make sure that you have a full coating of your tray. Once you've sprayed the shaving cream, you can smooth it out just using your hands so you're starting with a flattened surface.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AoG1b_pHe3OLcxjWqT1W80tNKkqHteethBGy7qvfxQRPYsbmDYcy4IxprsoC28_q9w05YmPPmxo2SrYnEKFyMrlVqUs7LzFmMVW4QOMYi79ONh6aLCMm7n6PT_F8LLMbQaARXY2tn8E/s1600/IMG_20150617_171654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AoG1b_pHe3OLcxjWqT1W80tNKkqHteethBGy7qvfxQRPYsbmDYcy4IxprsoC28_q9w05YmPPmxo2SrYnEKFyMrlVqUs7LzFmMVW4QOMYi79ONh6aLCMm7n6PT_F8LLMbQaARXY2tn8E/s320/IMG_20150617_171654.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Add a few drops of food colouring to the shaving cream, making sure to add 2-3 drops to each spot so you have a good little bit of colour there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHItEsRCpEb8FLnggOyG28_rPgynkkdh9uEvZXFJi5l1bqQUHOr1vaGIh7VAKE3T3kiTXepJd9AE66iwmLZ8wsGulWC6JOnXVHFOFqrWI7vSDytQh-Asyc7oOqJDnKyCwUjziTavGSEg/s1600/IMG_20150617_171922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHItEsRCpEb8FLnggOyG28_rPgynkkdh9uEvZXFJi5l1bqQUHOr1vaGIh7VAKE3T3kiTXepJd9AE66iwmLZ8wsGulWC6JOnXVHFOFqrWI7vSDytQh-Asyc7oOqJDnKyCwUjziTavGSEg/s320/IMG_20150617_171922.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Once the colour is on the shaving cream you can start making the master piece! Use the q-tip or straw to swirl the colours around the shaving cream making all kinds of cool tie-dyed patterns. It's ok if the littles get their hands in there too--it's just shaving cream so it washes off pretty easily, although they might have some colouring left on their hands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFZyOqccCaunKQCMhprILq4DXEBXvZHb0ukz7rIDzkwNVO2iiRdeHmJl52qdRnqUwWnKzV6oEcKY_-vnY8soVwOmYNzQZ6fdscp9Nr8-jWynWjU2KHXdBx5u3WuSgwyV70pBi_68NJGo/s1600/IMG_20150617_171946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFZyOqccCaunKQCMhprILq4DXEBXvZHb0ukz7rIDzkwNVO2iiRdeHmJl52qdRnqUwWnKzV6oEcKY_-vnY8soVwOmYNzQZ6fdscp9Nr8-jWynWjU2KHXdBx5u3WuSgwyV70pBi_68NJGo/s320/IMG_20150617_171946.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Once you have the colour patterning you're happy with (and you can keep adding more and more food colouring until you have the desired effect) simply place a piece of white paper on top of the shaving cream and softly rub all over the back of it pressing it down lightly into the shaving cream.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagv1Tka7ZZULgylZSyGnY3wgK_xMhAYBlBe1V6VpUVjrcwsL7cE4otSGXK-G0r2oz4bAIBX6zb8L3rAJiGcyMdXXLtg8TfzhiVlUhlt4pF-iMPCut6hnMvTevt4wdkqUS4w14Jp67JE8/s1600/IMG_20150617_172030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagv1Tka7ZZULgylZSyGnY3wgK_xMhAYBlBe1V6VpUVjrcwsL7cE4otSGXK-G0r2oz4bAIBX6zb8L3rAJiGcyMdXXLtg8TfzhiVlUhlt4pF-iMPCut6hnMvTevt4wdkqUS4w14Jp67JE8/s320/IMG_20150617_172030.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
This will transfer the colour from the food colouring onto the paper. If you rub the paper lightly down into the shaving cream you should get the colour to transfer without having too much of the shaving cream stick to the paper.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmyabMUQNqFxJwzuW5P6JY6Y2iEoaFDNPe5Uu9Iu1agDiQq_W0zgup8Ur0xgNgrpA46IgZamm9tGcuNOUAjHqq4IjUaXKo_AY8PDmZAPGGB49t-9vkCDW0V1EhTIQNLrY_1j_l-u5XKw/s1600/IMG_20150617_172723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmyabMUQNqFxJwzuW5P6JY6Y2iEoaFDNPe5Uu9Iu1agDiQq_W0zgup8Ur0xgNgrpA46IgZamm9tGcuNOUAjHqq4IjUaXKo_AY8PDmZAPGGB49t-9vkCDW0V1EhTIQNLrY_1j_l-u5XKw/s320/IMG_20150617_172723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once you have your print simply set the sheets aside to dry and tidy up! The extra shaving cream that stuck to the paper will absorb in to the paper as you let it dry.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPTSgTK1k5vIP92QUVUT5-4Yl07o-SOmnDgqL7NF1Atmt20CRMfxEAmEjdDiNTCtvSLwCc4PbjuTnp707ezisuEpL9zXA4WhF2lmu1A7Bs61Uchyphenhyphenp6D9uIa83YPve8mf73kphpdePSec/s1600/IMG_20150617_172921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPTSgTK1k5vIP92QUVUT5-4Yl07o-SOmnDgqL7NF1Atmt20CRMfxEAmEjdDiNTCtvSLwCc4PbjuTnp707ezisuEpL9zXA4WhF2lmu1A7Bs61Uchyphenhyphenp6D9uIa83YPve8mf73kphpdePSec/s320/IMG_20150617_172921.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Once your papers are dry you can do anything you like with them! You could write a message right on to the picture, or cut out a tie-dyed hand print or heart to use in a card. The possibilities are endless! Make sure you snap a few photos of the process too so Dad can see his little having fun playing with the shaving cream.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbp22vHTNoOfO7VQzpPoFSiDT1B2VUFJUi__qFwBc2DZpZrD8xpG0SdyIpaZjjGGckYIYHHVbFBXszrLN5ejW_KFifeSTTXgdTDO9-6-TuyOkPqIOYSKbX4Yoa33rjp28ilFG4BIgm07Q/s1600/IMG_20150617_203429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbp22vHTNoOfO7VQzpPoFSiDT1B2VUFJUi__qFwBc2DZpZrD8xpG0SdyIpaZjjGGckYIYHHVbFBXszrLN5ejW_KFifeSTTXgdTDO9-6-TuyOkPqIOYSKbX4Yoa33rjp28ilFG4BIgm07Q/s320/IMG_20150617_203429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-75210044011550773192015-06-15T21:20:00.002-04:002015-06-15T21:20:52.731-04:00Pull Apart Pizza Bread: Father's Day Treat or Potluck SpecialThis recipe is an oldie but a goodie! We made it for our large Christmas family pot-luck last year, and have made it at home a few times too when we want something a little more fun than making regular pizzas. This is a definite pot-luck winner because it's so easy to make, and who doesn't love pizza? This would also be a great meal to make for Dad for Father's Day--and it's one the whole family will love! The boy-o was about 18 months when he tried it out and that's where his love of dipping foods was born. (Fair warning! heh)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBB_25jlr3rrvDxFXw6kpJkPtk9hpim80LXXudD2kJ2sEZC2e8bls0hEHFndZxayVrxsv3TzTdIzC8sm62j0pfjuQtffwr3kea3wgyFXyl1V-jPjx7dB2KXbzIhPanNDs4fTYKZRSXPmo/s1600/wpid-pizzapull-apartbread_2-2014-09-4-14-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBB_25jlr3rrvDxFXw6kpJkPtk9hpim80LXXudD2kJ2sEZC2e8bls0hEHFndZxayVrxsv3TzTdIzC8sm62j0pfjuQtffwr3kea3wgyFXyl1V-jPjx7dB2KXbzIhPanNDs4fTYKZRSXPmo/s320/wpid-pizzapull-apartbread_2-2014-09-4-14-35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<u>Pull Apart Pizza Bread:</u></h3>
<br />
<h4>
<u>Ingredients:</u></h4>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 Cans of Pizza Dough</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 cups Mozzarella cheese</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 tablespoons of a really good Italian seasoning</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">⅓ cup olive oil</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 – 8 oz package of pepperoni</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 cup Parmesean cheese</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">Optional: Add a ½ teaspoon of fresh garlic or garlic powder</li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="easyrecipe" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Recipe">
<div class="ERSInstructions">
<h4>
<u><br /></u></h4>
<h4>
<u>Instru</u><u>ctions:</u></h4>
<ol>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Lay out the pizza dough, and using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, slice up the pizza dough into approx 2" squares/pieces. (It's all getting piled into the bowl together, so don't stress about how big the pieces end up!)</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Cut the pepperoni into quarters.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and toss so that the oil is spread evenly on each piece of dough.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="text-align: left;">Transfer dough mixture to a greased bundt pan</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="text-align: left;">Bake for about 30 minutes (or until the top is brown and the center is thoroughly cooked) </li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">TIP: Be sure to check it in the middle before you pull it out. If the middle is still not cooked thoroughly be sure to leave it in another 5 minutes at a time until it’s done.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Flip over on to a plate while it’s still hot.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Serve with a side of pizza sauce and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWHi8xVdTqDMY-2tq5TIGOV2WkoXzg633bU_JlWiPjwjgfRlbAwAMjfPyyyVkj5rgx79z0esfEiw0o4NAHFH_9Tkf64U6VNA8cqLYpoZ0-J5tq_UaIMDqaILwaNqoiZZTMhSgtWcRaT4/s1600/wpid-pizzapull-apartbread_1-2014-09-4-14-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWHi8xVdTqDMY-2tq5TIGOV2WkoXzg633bU_JlWiPjwjgfRlbAwAMjfPyyyVkj5rgx79z0esfEiw0o4NAHFH_9Tkf64U6VNA8cqLYpoZ0-J5tq_UaIMDqaILwaNqoiZZTMhSgtWcRaT4/s320/wpid-pizzapull-apartbread_1-2014-09-4-14-35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Once your pizza pull apart bread is all cooked simply add a side of your favourite pizza sauce for dipping and you're all set! To make it easier to eat you might want to pre-cut the pizza bread into sections, especially if you have a lot of guests who will want to make sure they get to try it--because once you've had a piece, it's hard to resists grabbing another chunk!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="ERSClear">
</div>
</div>
<div class="endeasyrecipe" style="display: none;" title="style001">
3.2.1311</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEironL3t1iQS5W78Pk7bV32Zag3loxDjx1Ydat6yhJLMC4GQZ01M6OI0vVA-c7MygaHq88iMh228heyGWfUSc8Dj4oJ6IHWPv6VEMqSeonoHmfVundS-A_MAsbbQMdWwk7aR1eXy1U9lrY/s1600/wpid-pizzapull-apartbread_3-2014-09-4-14-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEironL3t1iQS5W78Pk7bV32Zag3loxDjx1Ydat6yhJLMC4GQZ01M6OI0vVA-c7MygaHq88iMh228heyGWfUSc8Dj4oJ6IHWPv6VEMqSeonoHmfVundS-A_MAsbbQMdWwk7aR1eXy1U9lrY/s320/wpid-pizzapull-apartbread_3-2014-09-4-14-35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-27418000394528229512015-06-12T20:10:00.001-04:002015-06-12T20:12:01.457-04:00"Exploding" Tie-Dye MilkThis is a super cool science activity that's sure to impress your little and have them wanting to try it over and over again! We were at our local OEYC (Ontario Early Years Center) this morning and they were having a "Science" themed morning. They had a lady come in to do some simple activities with the kids, which the boy-o of course loved, so we decided to keep the science fun going when we got home!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bZ1UxSa4jML-ir-LtbgW5-EKU3G7UXhdnjrkvhK51yyUUgDy-GywRjpoeS-BwxiUCzxS1jcaLV8ndQGSV1hL-VCIibrZeujRrQBhtyPOYDHe8QfHheft4Lfjjd9MpZv7ZhhZ_SgSgJ8/s1600/IMG_20150612_133859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bZ1UxSa4jML-ir-LtbgW5-EKU3G7UXhdnjrkvhK51yyUUgDy-GywRjpoeS-BwxiUCzxS1jcaLV8ndQGSV1hL-VCIibrZeujRrQBhtyPOYDHe8QfHheft4Lfjjd9MpZv7ZhhZ_SgSgJ8/s400/IMG_20150612_133859.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This activity is called many different things, and so you might have heard it referred to as Tie-Dye Milk, Colour Milk, Exploding Milk, etc. but it all boils down to the same awesome activity no matter what you call it. I've decide to take the best of all worlds and call it "Exploding" Tie-Dye Milk.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuODImFO4mqKlRK0qr40dqlx-SdnlfEoz19eEgsLRYhOOwbwzUXD2vp3FGq72NGrBxZfFGunlVwUkoOxnsIhc84OvbgAhI8gzgBtwLvsblBKomXZN7y5urFHnW-R7oHMkIInIrORWxoE/s1600/IMG_20150612_133956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuODImFO4mqKlRK0qr40dqlx-SdnlfEoz19eEgsLRYhOOwbwzUXD2vp3FGq72NGrBxZfFGunlVwUkoOxnsIhc84OvbgAhI8gzgBtwLvsblBKomXZN7y5urFHnW-R7oHMkIInIrORWxoE/s400/IMG_20150612_133956.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All you need for this activity is some milk (the higher the fat the better--we used 2% and it worked ok, but homo would be better!), a container to put the milk in, some food colouring, dish soap, and some Q-Tips. Poor a thin layer of milk into the bottom of your container and then put in a few drops of each colour food-colouring.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsfTyooRHURG-Wx2UD5ugLuB8uyNHi6YBZGdLRLelF5L_caEs6CvfOu7NlFVhhMRDcuk0BuCAqwouwbnqpKJzCH5PAfYA2EZgvdJNSk9ZRh5lSYCsBg0gV0c8hJ-ZWgcV7SHacJAHKRo/s1600/IMG_20150612_134329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsfTyooRHURG-Wx2UD5ugLuB8uyNHi6YBZGdLRLelF5L_caEs6CvfOu7NlFVhhMRDcuk0BuCAqwouwbnqpKJzCH5PAfYA2EZgvdJNSk9ZRh5lSYCsBg0gV0c8hJ-ZWgcV7SHacJAHKRo/s400/IMG_20150612_134329.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Now the fun part!! Dip your Q-Tip into the dish soap and then touch the Q-Tip in the center of one of the colour drops and watch the colour shoot away from the Q-Tip making cool swirling patterns in the milk. You can re-dip in the dish soap and keep touching the Q-Tip all over your container to watch the awesome patterns that emerge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qTCygOms4eCh60RIhps8uUNeTgIGDtE37G4iDXuAEWFYeBgDQYHOH_b5gs3NN3CxlMAXsqpVSUGHsKWtzBuDT0Zu43sB9a7F0aFrH2mBeWo9Ejh36o9UqDU6lE904gnrrM7_OBG-lHs/s1600/IMG_20150612_134345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qTCygOms4eCh60RIhps8uUNeTgIGDtE37G4iDXuAEWFYeBgDQYHOH_b5gs3NN3CxlMAXsqpVSUGHsKWtzBuDT0Zu43sB9a7F0aFrH2mBeWo9Ejh36o9UqDU6lE904gnrrM7_OBG-lHs/s400/IMG_20150612_134345.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
You can also swirl the Q-Tip around in the container and watch the colours run away as well! The boy-o was totally fascinated by this activity, and loved watching the colour spread out across the container. Once it started to get a little murky we added a few more drops of colour to brighten it back up a bit and started over again with making the colours run.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHrUBHXrXOyVlbkSoWaNKp3y5XWdGnC-mMLqRlIshWGAAnUuVqyUgy1p3giNCIKBrfJEn8IVYyEHuvTVV_tP9gmiydvzcw0TjmD8KgPdk9vz12oVWby0NDWApo9mbU9e0TjuMt5bhttA/s1600/IMG_20150612_134401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHrUBHXrXOyVlbkSoWaNKp3y5XWdGnC-mMLqRlIshWGAAnUuVqyUgy1p3giNCIKBrfJEn8IVYyEHuvTVV_tP9gmiydvzcw0TjmD8KgPdk9vz12oVWby0NDWApo9mbU9e0TjuMt5bhttA/s400/IMG_20150612_134401.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The reason that this activity works is the dish soap interacts with the fat molecules in the milk, which is why using a fuller fat milk makes for a better experience. The activity is another great one for some quiet toddler play or a rainy day. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6P_AkxuJTS1BmthEUVplEbdnVywvgoEEcY4Csm3BJ5oSXA5ig8-g5UGz93ayY-COzvUNCpZf4hMv_8B59nNkMDeiD-qsuiZijdH2-PcHY3QfZzg9Xl3kxa_T6upvhxSm1n5l9Rz0h3QY/s1600/IMG_20150612_134417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6P_AkxuJTS1BmthEUVplEbdnVywvgoEEcY4Csm3BJ5oSXA5ig8-g5UGz93ayY-COzvUNCpZf4hMv_8B59nNkMDeiD-qsuiZijdH2-PcHY3QfZzg9Xl3kxa_T6upvhxSm1n5l9Rz0h3QY/s400/IMG_20150612_134417.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
To make the activity last longer simply dump out the coloured milk and put a fresh new layer in the container. It requires very little milk, so even repeating the activity a few times is still a very cost effective science exploration. (especially if your milk is getting to the end of its shelf life and you don't know how to use it up!)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDgfz30ban-uyrM0f22TxT2iYAnE9pJ-Ypjl1GUqNMvpKKjlpWYXCD1y6kvDtC4nXCd-u3v5-C7nQYQkGI_2YKHrGF_FEBgCCSYYOILQTatBtYJyNIDSaCLWxMb0FUCyks2GhNZ05vzQ/s1600/IMG_20150612_134430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDgfz30ban-uyrM0f22TxT2iYAnE9pJ-Ypjl1GUqNMvpKKjlpWYXCD1y6kvDtC4nXCd-u3v5-C7nQYQkGI_2YKHrGF_FEBgCCSYYOILQTatBtYJyNIDSaCLWxMb0FUCyks2GhNZ05vzQ/s400/IMG_20150612_134430.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We'll definitely be filing this one away for use another day and I hope you and your little enjoy it as much as we did!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-76422318147367304702015-06-11T20:53:00.001-04:002015-06-11T20:54:29.262-04:00Popsicle Stick BuildersHere's another simple and inexpensive quiet toddler activity that's super portable and now lives in our diaper bag all the time for restaurant trips or visiting family/friend's who don't have kids where it's necessary to bring our own entertainment. These popsicle stick builders can easily be adapted to grow as your little does to include some flash cards with photos on them which your little has to copy. For example, a square made with a red, blue, orange and yellow popsicle stick, or a triangle made with all blue popsicle sticks etc.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW8avxjF8sHZKufowqzppA44lwUuhZ2iJt0jdkvHj8OtjWZPvOtw2VorUd76Zl5oniTBrgNhPvXKIsiyWpks4XQ9XWIBOLBPD8CYtDrRrFjMlUNryE_w8QwTErXwe04bzU31VrYp96RM/s1600/IMG_20150530_142717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW8avxjF8sHZKufowqzppA44lwUuhZ2iJt0jdkvHj8OtjWZPvOtw2VorUd76Zl5oniTBrgNhPvXKIsiyWpks4XQ9XWIBOLBPD8CYtDrRrFjMlUNryE_w8QwTErXwe04bzU31VrYp96RM/s320/IMG_20150530_142717.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
All that was required for this one was some coloured popsicle sticks, and self adhesive velcro dots. I cut the dots in half since the popsicle sticks aren't very wide and then stuck them right to the sticks. I put dots on both sides of the sticks and both ends to maximize building possibilities.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQPqUaqeN3eRRPjZ00IOOsRho4uIHNd5Dj8aGscx_b_cujWCCSbhDxY_Q51b5qIpkDBtxAbnal4nGc8OZ9VPqAle8v-JVn1tdinw1-jKOm-7zYQbOYRe9kvxkNbk7rygUiEw0rvMbIuA/s1600/IMG_20150530_142722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQPqUaqeN3eRRPjZ00IOOsRho4uIHNd5Dj8aGscx_b_cujWCCSbhDxY_Q51b5qIpkDBtxAbnal4nGc8OZ9VPqAle8v-JVn1tdinw1-jKOm-7zYQbOYRe9kvxkNbk7rygUiEw0rvMbIuA/s320/IMG_20150530_142722.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
At the moment the boy-o is more interested in attaching them all end to end like a train than he is with making shapes out of them, but that will come in time, and in the end it doesn't really matter how he plays with them--they're keeping him busy and he's learning either way!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n2eWkx_xhQKqZTsvrIDUkBcFAhW6uE9o7XP0OKgb2L8LQM3zZmAj46Yc129fqpXM9KVKA35nsVbMZmAfSpxWDUXJk1KIBbeL2l2ahTvLUU2L5VV8LfvcDhgbOaFPqIdODJVvL62znSg/s1600/IMG_20150530_142901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n2eWkx_xhQKqZTsvrIDUkBcFAhW6uE9o7XP0OKgb2L8LQM3zZmAj46Yc129fqpXM9KVKA35nsVbMZmAfSpxWDUXJk1KIBbeL2l2ahTvLUU2L5VV8LfvcDhgbOaFPqIdODJVvL62znSg/s320/IMG_20150530_142901.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydZ8jnkQhP8uy55A4jfreu47V5h0wUHDBdcSg9cRRNllEFHTwpQotDvTGHUWVHD1mZlruZFL8rk1gMw9rqfPe6ArLPABO8VlY-EN5enymaw2tCqWgcy2kV92bF3UM2X0RFzT4Ik_ldlY/s1600/IMG_20150530_143643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydZ8jnkQhP8uy55A4jfreu47V5h0wUHDBdcSg9cRRNllEFHTwpQotDvTGHUWVHD1mZlruZFL8rk1gMw9rqfPe6ArLPABO8VlY-EN5enymaw2tCqWgcy2kV92bF3UM2X0RFzT4Ik_ldlY/s320/IMG_20150530_143643.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-39037787979300466452015-06-02T20:45:00.001-04:002015-06-02T21:05:40.284-04:00Buffalo Chicken and Potato CasseroleThis delicious recipe came about because I really wanted wings one night, and rather than spend the money to eat out, I wanted a more affordable alternative I could eat at home. This casserole dish is the perfect combo of spicy and satisfying! The bacon bits really make this dish--so don't skimp on them!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGm4H1bosT2rmBbvNF2MJJjTnK_ITTSLMDTnbZzvetNsu5FclXj0yX1kiFcQYJ0Xdj1emM_xcvwvuqMmKxuln-o8ucOGn4L5LdHD-RiTp7MOIG57dX_Syeo__JNZl9hxodKMU0fxgFUQ/s1600/IMG_20150301_191631.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGm4H1bosT2rmBbvNF2MJJjTnK_ITTSLMDTnbZzvetNsu5FclXj0yX1kiFcQYJ0Xdj1emM_xcvwvuqMmKxuln-o8ucOGn4L5LdHD-RiTp7MOIG57dX_Syeo__JNZl9hxodKMU0fxgFUQ/s320/IMG_20150301_191631.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole:</u></h3>
<div>
<u><br /></u></div>
<h4>
<u>Ingredients:</u></h4>
- cooking spray<br />
- 6 tablespoons hot pepper sauce<br />
- 1/3 cup olive oil<br />
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder<br />
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper<br />
- 1 tablespoon paprika<br />
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
- 8 potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes<br />
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes<br />
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend<br />
- 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon<br />
- 1 cup diced green onions<br />
<br />
<h4>
<u>Directions:</u></h4>
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.<br />
2. Heat hot pepper sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and salt in a large skillet over low heat, stirring until thoroughly combined. Turn off heat. Toss potatoes in batches with the hot pepper sauce mixture to coat and use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Leave remaining sauce in skillet. Mix chicken into remaining sauce and allow to marinate while potatoes roast.<br />
3. Bake potatoes until tender inside and crisp and brown outside, 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.<br />
4. Reduce oven heat to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).<br />
5. Spread chicken cubes over roasted potatoes. Sprinkle Mexican cheese blend, cooked bacon, and green onions over chicken. Return to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and the cheese topping is bubbling, about 15 minutes.<br />
6. Bake in oven until chicken is cooked through and the cheese topping is bubbling, about 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7RMDJdt3dP3ybNU-LlzuzcWOahMUfEYgv_B_bekscm3XvpqxbTb8tMisw66fdp1zfJJ3IFahf_yEpNanNcNAsi8tUAUzNRbM1OQ7Jfai97OJC2lcaCULOFwEmlx3MlI7kcZpVQIF8qs/s1600/IMG_20150301_191646.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7RMDJdt3dP3ybNU-LlzuzcWOahMUfEYgv_B_bekscm3XvpqxbTb8tMisw66fdp1zfJJ3IFahf_yEpNanNcNAsi8tUAUzNRbM1OQ7Jfai97OJC2lcaCULOFwEmlx3MlI7kcZpVQIF8qs/s320/IMG_20150301_191646.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
This casserole freezes well, and tastes even better the next day for leftovers once the flavours have really come together! This dish does turn out to be fairly spicy, so if you don't like the heat--you'll want to pass on this one. I think this would be an excellent Super Bowl dish too if you've got a big crowd to feed!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-1396358388899629982015-05-29T19:54:00.001-04:002015-05-29T19:54:19.652-04:00Petting Zoo FunWe were at the local petting zoo a week ago or so, and the boy-o still talks about petting the goats and deer almost every day! Apparently our little outing made a lasting impression on him. We have a cat at home, so the boy-o is already very familiar with the concept of "gentle petting" and it's so wonderful to see him apply that to other animals as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYX8YaGEfAuRLKPZDutV-qh2vcZb-aInpskYkmpIVTpRx9x06UotNh9lnNUA0BQudsOGHK3PH9MmpvhCntkCtCsxVPB71-qHGqut6TPfeyixjf8eWg4jWBd5r4ciW397_LXICZWn-drg/s1600/IMG_20150418_115127_004_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYX8YaGEfAuRLKPZDutV-qh2vcZb-aInpskYkmpIVTpRx9x06UotNh9lnNUA0BQudsOGHK3PH9MmpvhCntkCtCsxVPB71-qHGqut6TPfeyixjf8eWg4jWBd5r4ciW397_LXICZWn-drg/s200/IMG_20150418_115127_004_edit.jpg" width="199" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2kXKxHJh2C46aKuQ69D5YEF857tIzmh8fDAb9WAoUUis4kVHCVYnSqd-jtvzmkTiZPIi5Hzu4mMkTdx3J9YflubWyr0H9V1idOXjCJAMr9g0x4LJ5BrRGs9Nk3_kMEJ-G93-PmFv5LA/s1600/IMG_20150418_115248_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2kXKxHJh2C46aKuQ69D5YEF857tIzmh8fDAb9WAoUUis4kVHCVYnSqd-jtvzmkTiZPIi5Hzu4mMkTdx3J9YflubWyr0H9V1idOXjCJAMr9g0x4LJ5BrRGs9Nk3_kMEJ-G93-PmFv5LA/s200/IMG_20150418_115248_001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We bought a few cones of feed so he could try feeding the animals. He was pretty hesitant about it at first, but each time we've gone he's gotten better at it! He's getting pretty good at feeding the carrots and cones because the animals don't actually touch his hand that way, but he's still pretty nervous about letting them lick up seed from his palm. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpvTm38Ag5cdyopFAs1oXcP4EbOYrgxr6_9XVD9do3u02sGPeLNX6wcsoZuTTaYb-8wNfvuWaEusNPDkprL13elz1EfW4hM-Cs8XdW2LoxRQQgy4ImecGi-d1jxrFXD58bQkiUKyR3g4/s1600/IMG_20150418_115738_017_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpvTm38Ag5cdyopFAs1oXcP4EbOYrgxr6_9XVD9do3u02sGPeLNX6wcsoZuTTaYb-8wNfvuWaEusNPDkprL13elz1EfW4hM-Cs8XdW2LoxRQQgy4ImecGi-d1jxrFXD58bQkiUKyR3g4/s200/IMG_20150418_115738_017_edit.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMupF8M54-Re8BMkLL7PYzzYjq_szYgmikkGFZO6fZ_GaMf0Qr4ej6pN0NUTMh80rBCqytio06lHiNkSlihFOoRCD-o_JYZDRR8-hZbNyTitVvPop_Xp0QLg_Yjav6r6aU1XvyAzotNs/s1600/IMG_20150418_115951_005_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMupF8M54-Re8BMkLL7PYzzYjq_szYgmikkGFZO6fZ_GaMf0Qr4ej6pN0NUTMh80rBCqytio06lHiNkSlihFOoRCD-o_JYZDRR8-hZbNyTitVvPop_Xp0QLg_Yjav6r6aU1XvyAzotNs/s200/IMG_20150418_115951_005_edit.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It makes me smile to see my little so excited about animals and behaving so well with them--maybe one day he'll be a veterinarian or something.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-308704336112571032015-05-26T22:34:00.000-04:002015-05-26T22:38:56.519-04:00Menu Board D.I.Y Success!I've been working on a little project for a while now in the hopes of making our lives a little easier when it comes to meal times especially with baby #2 on the way! There is nothing I hate more than staring into the fridge every night trying to think of what to make for dinner!! It drives me CRAZY. It's also not much better when we sit down and try to make up a menu for the week because it ends up with a lot of "what do you want to eat this week?" "I don't know, what do you want to eat?" and I still end up going crazy.<br />
<br />
Then I saw this awesome menu board idea on Pinterest and decided I need to make my own to see if this actually works or not. It's a pretty simple premise and I can't wait to start trying it out to see if it makes life a little easier for us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkSG_jPuKQqReGqe-cRZP45k1XUm3ltdr9Wkt48PgQTqXbGZkM-glK8uCHluoVjLQsAe0xtfdRoTKboSKhErPQMNFxpnXdKd5vzOT8oIxildqozFDci8iOtePOC5it58ERRoeJgsdvcs/s1600/menuboard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkSG_jPuKQqReGqe-cRZP45k1XUm3ltdr9Wkt48PgQTqXbGZkM-glK8uCHluoVjLQsAe0xtfdRoTKboSKhErPQMNFxpnXdKd5vzOT8oIxildqozFDci8iOtePOC5it58ERRoeJgsdvcs/s400/menuboard1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Basically you write out all the meals that you like to eat (this part took forever trying to think of all the food we like to make) and each meal gets written on a separate little slip of paper. I colour coded mine based on kind of meat, so all the chicken recipes are on one colour of paper, and all the ground meat dishes are on one colour of paper etc. so that when I'm choosing meals for the week it's easier to vary the meats that we're eating. Pasta dishes got a separate colour and so did sandwiches regardless of the meat used. This divide make sense to me, but you can split up yours however you want!<br />
<br />
Once you've got all your meals written out you put them all into a little cup/holder. Each week you select 7 new slips from the cup and stick them on the clothes pegs that correspond to the days you want to eat those meals. Once you have used the little cards you take them off the clothes pegs and move them over to the other cup. Once the first cup is empty and you've gone through your entire meal rotation you simply move all the slips back over to the first cup and start again!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizO0OAVElyrE-o4Gi1KbFWQM-V9D3t2qOyUoA6rxjmHQ1PWJ_kr57U-cck_3n8YD9uBsv4E6DSYuszdguih_XCCeuTuw38oOndLaMO3jTQle6Ajwr2bfpU4eWIQc91bam7t3dgWPKV0kc/s1600/menuboard3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizO0OAVElyrE-o4Gi1KbFWQM-V9D3t2qOyUoA6rxjmHQ1PWJ_kr57U-cck_3n8YD9uBsv4E6DSYuszdguih_XCCeuTuw38oOndLaMO3jTQle6Ajwr2bfpU4eWIQc91bam7t3dgWPKV0kc/s320/menuboard3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The best part about this system is that you can easily re-arrange meals mid-week if you need to in case something pops up you forgot about, or you need to make an appointment etc. Just pop the necessary meal slips out of the clothes pegs and re-arrange as necessary. I also made up some plain white slips, and these are for "Dinner Out/Ordering In" and "Scrounge Night" because lets face it... who wants to cook something new every single night?!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVg86Mtm5wkmniEbPYdSTODiJ9F1fW7b0NfXWRaXZaOBSgzJAWmaCycuzuP0T9tTGmBQ3dNcIu8zH4Ocdr_KQJ-b7zT3SkElcjwaGLgO0MSfJgSWidTzQLZq_3u5V7tSzZW6tH5QVcDrg/s1600/menuboard2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVg86Mtm5wkmniEbPYdSTODiJ9F1fW7b0NfXWRaXZaOBSgzJAWmaCycuzuP0T9tTGmBQ3dNcIu8zH4Ocdr_KQJ-b7zT3SkElcjwaGLgO0MSfJgSWidTzQLZq_3u5V7tSzZW6tH5QVcDrg/s320/menuboard2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
At the bottom of the menu board is the recipe index. Most of the meals that we have in our regular rotation we don't need a recipe for, but there are a few that we still check, and of course as we add new meals to our rotation we need the recipe for those until they become old favourites as well. The recipes are printed on colour coordinated paper to the meal slips to make them easier to find and they are glued onto a large index card and then laminated. (because kitchen's are a messy place!) Having the recipes right here on the board rather than having to dig through cookbooks to find them was totally worth the extra time it took to type them up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjEe4ykljL7lt3irYDs4YBziFKSgkQ3PbQYgwmbms85DwtfKObEflsQQomDzr808ZV6sxV3zU6GkCI3g-xVtmCWSVLgFlv90V_i71Xvb8307QLlnF0GixH9rXtcJlpppHo3vODlovou0/s1600/menuboard4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjEe4ykljL7lt3irYDs4YBziFKSgkQ3PbQYgwmbms85DwtfKObEflsQQomDzr808ZV6sxV3zU6GkCI3g-xVtmCWSVLgFlv90V_i71Xvb8307QLlnF0GixH9rXtcJlpppHo3vODlovou0/s320/menuboard4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The recipe index as mentioned is totally expandable, so as we try new dishes we like that we want to include in our menu rotation it will be super easy to open up the rings and add in new index cards as necessary.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T_GSfuRHKryQ_nneORx9avigY0nFB90-EigTxY0Zr09rsEkKQxvN7LD5xINczEfsYt_f82q20ek08H9P-wRMgycgUJetHR-F-GjGua3k_aEKDneI7cv0kV9EelmQXFWBx9o_3Bwza_g/s1600/menuboard5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T_GSfuRHKryQ_nneORx9avigY0nFB90-EigTxY0Zr09rsEkKQxvN7LD5xINczEfsYt_f82q20ek08H9P-wRMgycgUJetHR-F-GjGua3k_aEKDneI7cv0kV9EelmQXFWBx9o_3Bwza_g/s320/menuboard5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm super happy with how well the board turned out and I can't wait to hang it up and start using it! I'll update again in a few weeks with how we're making out using it. Having our meals planned out for the week will also make it so much easier to organize our grocery list and help to cut down on the amount of food that gets forgotten about in the fridge and has to get tossed out.<br />
<br />
D.I.Y for the win!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-16014490579567680862015-05-25T19:26:00.001-04:002015-05-25T19:26:58.926-04:00Crock Pot Butter ChickenSince I'm trying to cook with more spices which I talked about when I posted the <a href="http://readytomum.blogspot.ca/2015/05/basil-chicken-curry-with-coconut-lime.html">Basil Curry Chicken</a> recipe before, I decided to try making my own Butter Chicken--and even better, it's a crockpot recipe, so no need to heat up the whole house slaving over the stove top!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYp9DGrDsmABvrxEW3K13MpouPH6aYAuBzianEOoZV369tueHv30VAcb9GIrgFppHOC1Ec6zVtADqibTklugwrNSLPMCyPJf51m7geE7IEkjzzU3GQCuwB1FuRa2VnwYdwUD8iqVqrFs/s1600/Butter+chicken2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYp9DGrDsmABvrxEW3K13MpouPH6aYAuBzianEOoZV369tueHv30VAcb9GIrgFppHOC1Ec6zVtADqibTklugwrNSLPMCyPJf51m7geE7IEkjzzU3GQCuwB1FuRa2VnwYdwUD8iqVqrFs/s320/Butter+chicken2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crockpot Butter Chicken--Ready to Eat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The recipe was super simple, and basically amounts to simply throwing everything in the crockpot and letting it cook! I served mine over some white rice with a piece of naan. It was delicious and made an even better lunch the next day!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<u>Crockpot Butter Chicken</u></h3>
<div>
<h3>
<u>Ingredients</u></h3>
<ul class="ingredient-list">
<li class="ingredient">1.5 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 onion, finely minced</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 tablespoons butter</li>
<li class="ingredient">3 cloves garlic, minced or grated</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 teaspoons curry powder</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 teaspoons curry paste</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 tablespoons garam masala</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less if you are not a spicy person)</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk, regular or lite</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 cup greek yogurt</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream</li>
</ul>
<div class="instructions">
<h3>
<u>Instructions</u></h3>
<div class="instruction">
1. In a large glass measuring cup or bowl mix together the coconut milk, greek yogurt and cream. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, ginger and all the spices. Mix well.</div>
<div class="instruction">
2. Sprinkle the onion over the bottom of the crockpot. Add the chicken and then pour the coconut milk mixture over the chicken so the chicken is completely covered. </div>
<div class="instruction">
3. Add the butter and place the lid on the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEu5vNRRmluVpQ7kWYiF8bHoj9e25NYGG3DjllzDs697oqNAUN5-0gvVXB4OpNWnm-5tbj7clGmI_994OZ-MPTBorD8td0yKK3_XrRrtOvcqQo5e599G_ncds3uf1pvl-8hG7lPzyggs/s1600/Butter+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEu5vNRRmluVpQ7kWYiF8bHoj9e25NYGG3DjllzDs697oqNAUN5-0gvVXB4OpNWnm-5tbj7clGmI_994OZ-MPTBorD8td0yKK3_XrRrtOvcqQo5e599G_ncds3uf1pvl-8hG7lPzyggs/s320/Butter+chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once the curry is done cooking, serve it hot over rice and with some naan for scooping and dipping (my favourite part!) This meal was Toddler Approved which is always a nice bonus! For the boy-o I mixed some of the butter chicken up with some of the rice, and put into a tortilla shell with some cheese and gave it a quick grill to make it into a burrito of sorts. He gobbled it right up and I was super happy to have leftovers for lunch the next day because it was delicious!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6UTMS54GRV99uHnqvF6YueM5mLAbesKRHmKjQ1ZxlSMrC3oErpWFM96m0_ZmZ1EPab4SUwBgCaAUHb2E1lqJFL70XZgiQkuP-rxhZ2UGEJFEN4t1760g6FFaflPtp20RAZJiHBWFEYA/s1600/Butter+Chicken3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6UTMS54GRV99uHnqvF6YueM5mLAbesKRHmKjQ1ZxlSMrC3oErpWFM96m0_ZmZ1EPab4SUwBgCaAUHb2E1lqJFL70XZgiQkuP-rxhZ2UGEJFEN4t1760g6FFaflPtp20RAZJiHBWFEYA/s320/Butter+Chicken3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-33653676614678257442015-05-23T19:36:00.000-04:002015-05-23T19:36:51.613-04:00Garden Adventures, Bubbles, and Sidewalk ChalkWhere we're currently living we don't have any access to a yard, but we do have a balcony. The boy-o really loves to be outside digging in my parent's garden and I wanted to create something here for him to have some space to play as well. So I created him a little garden center out on the balcony with things purchased from the local dollar store. Today was our first real chance to get outside to test it out, and we also blew some bubbles and played with the sidewalk chalk.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JG2i-plEdLXWCOOApmWGQswbMDEtNVO7pud5JwejT9SAcYL9889gzj7PfTmZhVdHSMMn2t2WI8fDHWMcMEkFaW27tY6BenSCBH-GTnTz-2GS3Ww5u3u-FJNrvXzk7BSl9tuNuh3NLBM/s1600/IMG_20150523_124857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JG2i-plEdLXWCOOApmWGQswbMDEtNVO7pud5JwejT9SAcYL9889gzj7PfTmZhVdHSMMn2t2WI8fDHWMcMEkFaW27tY6BenSCBH-GTnTz-2GS3Ww5u3u-FJNrvXzk7BSl9tuNuh3NLBM/s200/IMG_20150523_124857.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkkm7b_fI8x2dn-v8J08D00RqYj6zWUzPvQbn7_nmPoLsELbPeyEdDYHfs-_ZQn6K9msH8dcnsQUYRJEY-KSOfK4bDrc1v_8aBOXc4MFu0jrGMZgyXZHgVLUCZrUkPCtpd8vBa9xhTcA/s1600/IMG_20150523_125247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkkm7b_fI8x2dn-v8J08D00RqYj6zWUzPvQbn7_nmPoLsELbPeyEdDYHfs-_ZQn6K9msH8dcnsQUYRJEY-KSOfK4bDrc1v_8aBOXc4MFu0jrGMZgyXZHgVLUCZrUkPCtpd8vBa9xhTcA/s200/IMG_20150523_125247.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The little garden center is made up of a rubbermaid box, some potting soil, two fake plants in little plastic pots, a pewter bird, some marbles to search and find, a little bucket borrowed from the play kitchen, and a little shovel, rake and roller. We also got him a rainbow foam mat that he can sit/kneel on when he's working away. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsThQpjfas9XVl7IrTkBPIbcSEzCrZCEMlWsH6_8XqPXzSyJ01M6zQPjgpRQJ9e-Q94t-1AZS-197qd9zGdwD6zgUvncrZPykmNOFGHhrEUrZR3OAz4ZQ7Tz6iByluIeZ11wIaJz-87KI/s1600/IMG_20150523_130053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsThQpjfas9XVl7IrTkBPIbcSEzCrZCEMlWsH6_8XqPXzSyJ01M6zQPjgpRQJ9e-Q94t-1AZS-197qd9zGdwD6zgUvncrZPykmNOFGHhrEUrZR3OAz4ZQ7Tz6iByluIeZ11wIaJz-87KI/s320/IMG_20150523_130053.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
He had a wonderful time digging away and dumping the soil over the plants. He got completely covered in dirt and he loved every second of it! Clean-up was a breeze since we were outside on the balcony and I just swept up the spilled dirt and dumped it back into the container!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2BYi82jdCjttQp9SfNH87FfOtmh53XHDAR7_TVEhZuO4pX9S2QlwLDN1VEIjNwgXB_jtMh0Z9InCquy1u5zVW_kNIwlRGkQD7FIrSuZQg0uf1Xial3epM1YD9dHOQS_Lk9jkkGPLr7Y/s1600/IMG_20150523_130223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2BYi82jdCjttQp9SfNH87FfOtmh53XHDAR7_TVEhZuO4pX9S2QlwLDN1VEIjNwgXB_jtMh0Z9InCquy1u5zVW_kNIwlRGkQD7FIrSuZQg0uf1Xial3epM1YD9dHOQS_Lk9jkkGPLr7Y/s320/IMG_20150523_130223.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the boy-o's other favourite things to do when outside on the balcony is to blow bubbles. He's getting really good at it now, although it took him a while to get the hang of it. He loves watching them float away, and trying to catch the close ones. Sometimes he even lets mommy blow some too!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeE8ozy3Hr8IHzgGzhx2fvZpe69pj7Cym-3dZ32VZ1Ivtk-Zb-6RICQenNZRgWx5mlscv3gFpJMxDbSPOi5NO_fjbIaemDkBsPlZSMS5qc2mP3IQ8VQZEwG4k8fWIeV9IOIQfAYATGj0/s1600/IMG_20150523_131155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeE8ozy3Hr8IHzgGzhx2fvZpe69pj7Cym-3dZ32VZ1Ivtk-Zb-6RICQenNZRgWx5mlscv3gFpJMxDbSPOi5NO_fjbIaemDkBsPlZSMS5qc2mP3IQ8VQZEwG4k8fWIeV9IOIQfAYATGj0/s320/IMG_20150523_131155.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Sidewalk chalk is another big hit. Although we have a pretty confined area for him to play in, it's a concrete balcony, so the sidewalk chalk works great. Every time we get out drawing materials the boy-o demands I draw him a train almost immediately. Then he scribbles all over it adding the "hook-ups."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEism8DURzB3Uy69UxdngK4dro2WXk4TIR2XIbaXcolhmQN2vecjuLuYUJZWfNMa70tRi5m2RVPwlY2sk5O7SaqXJWLv5_kIJHEsNrIKwDZjUPOj2vYdgnBRLTVP9reH6UOydCEUtuzGMOo/s1600/IMG_20150523_132730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEism8DURzB3Uy69UxdngK4dro2WXk4TIR2XIbaXcolhmQN2vecjuLuYUJZWfNMa70tRi5m2RVPwlY2sk5O7SaqXJWLv5_kIJHEsNrIKwDZjUPOj2vYdgnBRLTVP9reH6UOydCEUtuzGMOo/s320/IMG_20150523_132730.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We get lots of nice shade on the balcony too because we have a great big leafy tree right next to us, so I foresee many more enjoyable hours spent on the balcony playing in our new little garden and blowing bubbles and destroying trains.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-86210775983617789462015-05-22T19:32:00.000-04:002015-05-22T19:32:49.839-04:00Bingo Dabber LettersNow that I'm done with school and back at home with the boy-o I've been looking for some new sensory or educational activities that we can do together, especially when the weather isn't co-operating and we're stuck inside for the afternoon. This is a super simple activity (although a little messy since bingo dabber ink stays on the hands for days...) that we both really enjoyed working on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZNGDhmcUjzNmlfxzI2jqI4NF0TzEOjZJpmdLP7otv0zYZRyuk7Se2BdAsLucmu9aw63mjKE_RazzxWQ8eF4J3QuA6aaXq82slVs1i7i37hSD9iOq6EMN4rEj0HY4jwCYvcJuDfH-OeE/s1600/bingo+dabber+letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZNGDhmcUjzNmlfxzI2jqI4NF0TzEOjZJpmdLP7otv0zYZRyuk7Se2BdAsLucmu9aw63mjKE_RazzxWQ8eF4J3QuA6aaXq82slVs1i7i37hSD9iOq6EMN4rEj0HY4jwCYvcJuDfH-OeE/s320/bingo+dabber+letter.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
It's a great activity to help your toddler get a bit more familiar with the letters of the alphabet and you could use it for numbers as well. Essentially all you need is some blank paper, some bingo dabbers, and a pen or marker to draw some circles on the paper. (We also used our "craft cardboard" to protect the table, and a smock) The circles don't need to be perfect by any means, but they do need to be big enough that a bingo dabber dot could comfortably fit inside it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzkW4JgJhKKj96yMpfsGfH7kJhhyphenhyphenv69VEGoam0EAONUvkoWqt2yraFT0LEA5O5SeCUTprTvhifwreY0GhWPdf5pxnVkOzkcxDrOpoz-1gVpR73u2oYkiIQ0pOrK7Jrmx6XIeMNGT1sks/s1600/bingo+dabber+letter+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzkW4JgJhKKj96yMpfsGfH7kJhhyphenhyphenv69VEGoam0EAONUvkoWqt2yraFT0LEA5O5SeCUTprTvhifwreY0GhWPdf5pxnVkOzkcxDrOpoz-1gVpR73u2oYkiIQ0pOrK7Jrmx6XIeMNGT1sks/s400/bingo+dabber+letter+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We tried a few letters and the boy-o caught on really quickly. I showed him how to do the first one by making a "dot" inside the circle, and that's all the instruction he needed--as off he went filling in the rest of the dots. He did a fantastic job at it, and was really focusing to make sure his "dots" were right inside the circles. After doing a few letters I just gave him a totally blank page to let him have at it and let his creative ideas flow.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRZfmSy9pL217-rNxg_r6ptA47rzQ-9TK85wlW1NbbENVPkyKgg0kUFFhXn18Sy6Jp6udAb-HliwJt2fPlAN8j88kbj54DsRVtcVZO2jTuIejdRiiRwkrWaaesDNAA3MBuy6qIQtfC5A/s1600/bingo+dabber+letter+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRZfmSy9pL217-rNxg_r6ptA47rzQ-9TK85wlW1NbbENVPkyKgg0kUFFhXn18Sy6Jp6udAb-HliwJt2fPlAN8j88kbj54DsRVtcVZO2jTuIejdRiiRwkrWaaesDNAA3MBuy6qIQtfC5A/s400/bingo+dabber+letter+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
We'll definitely be doing more of this in the future! It's also a really great activity for working on hand-eye coordination with your toddler, and when they finish it's such a feeling of accomplishment for them to see their hard work!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-72203579098336766912015-05-21T19:32:00.000-04:002015-05-21T19:32:10.222-04:00Pasta Bake with Turkey Sausage, Spinach and Tomatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Following along the casserole trend, we tested out a delicious pasta bake for supper the other night. It combines penne noodles with some sausage, and host of veggies including spinach, coloured peppers, and cherry tomatoes. It's a really nice blend of healthier creaminess and traditional marinara pasta sauce.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
We made a huge casserole dish of it, so we had several leftovers some of which we froze--and I'm happy to say that that it freezes really well too! This recipe was also Toddler Approved which is always a bonus!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu1wrJ70hAvSOsMm4U-vrRThMhWTMEPZwFJfSo4w85cz_UUiqzlm7B-d3SudMb-etTrUvTdMecRMTkJmwYgez7DdCjTmy9dPxGHUZ40wP93xyg1uyRsbUZf5YzHsSzFGlr-qTj7TJ-kg/s1600/pasta+bake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu1wrJ70hAvSOsMm4U-vrRThMhWTMEPZwFJfSo4w85cz_UUiqzlm7B-d3SudMb-etTrUvTdMecRMTkJmwYgez7DdCjTmy9dPxGHUZ40wP93xyg1uyRsbUZf5YzHsSzFGlr-qTj7TJ-kg/s400/pasta+bake2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
<b><u>Pasta Bake with Sausage, Spinach & Tomatoes</u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
<b><u>Ingredients</u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
-10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-1 lb spicy Italian chicken or turkey sausage</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-1 5-6 oz. bag baby spinach</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-2 cloves garlic, minced</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
- 1 small red pepper cut into strips</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
- 1/2 small orange pepper cut into strips</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
- 1/2 small yellow pepper cut into strips</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-1 cup pasta sauce</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-3/4 cup plain greek yogurt</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
-1/4 cup milk</div>
-1 and 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or mixed blend<br />
-1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (less or none if you don't like spicy)<br />
<br />
<b><u>Directions</u></b><br />
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.<br />
2. Cook sausage in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat for 12-14 minutes, or until browned. When almost done, add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Turn off heat and remove sausage with tongs, placing on cutting board. Slice into bite-sized pieces. Pour remaining butter and garlic into a very large bowl.<br />
3. Place the spinach in the bottom of your pasta strainer. When pasta is done, pour pasta and pasta water over the spinach into the strainer, allowing the spinach to wilt slightly.<br />
4. Chop cherry tomatoes into halves, for a total of 1 cup.<br />
5. Pour pasta, sausage, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes into bowl with garlic.<br />
6. Add tomato sauce, yogurt, milk, 1 cup of the cheese, and spices to bowl. Mix very well. Pour into casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cover dish with foil.<br />
7. Cook for 20 minutes covered. Remove foil, cook for an additional 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Dig in!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAS5sWV7MnPgdFUWD_X1owmjFPnYzqDcFcAUGI01ITLHHlDaAg7-zo-retMJOlQk4V6QxZxZEI8JRLRpKsxLJSjkcXcSssLHue6bz9mFwttYxWj0Wq6d1iPTe7oQkaklcN9G_g12ZLtk/s1600/pasta+bake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAS5sWV7MnPgdFUWD_X1owmjFPnYzqDcFcAUGI01ITLHHlDaAg7-zo-retMJOlQk4V6QxZxZEI8JRLRpKsxLJSjkcXcSssLHue6bz9mFwttYxWj0Wq6d1iPTe7oQkaklcN9G_g12ZLtk/s400/pasta+bake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-75484927729881596882015-05-20T07:24:00.000-04:002015-05-20T07:24:12.213-04:00Homemade Slime: AKA Gak to SomeI've been wanting to try out a slime recipe for a while now, but this was proving to be much more difficult than I thought. There are ALL KINDS of recipes floating around on the web about how to make Borax-Free slime, and I can tell you from personal experience that they were disasters.<br />
<br />
We tried making it with liquid starch, we tried making it with laundry detergent, and it was all epic fail. EPIC. So I gave in and tried making it with Borax and we all lived to tell the tale. The boy-o didn't even attempt to put it near his mouth, and since I was the one making it, he was never near the original Borax powder, and the amount that goes into the slime is so minimal that I'm not going to worry about it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBcex9XjDmU5ZUyMIO-X7zl1t0sL8oXEyMQbsAQoUi_zz31gaG6El7vKXvlVeYzzYALRNbBh5r13SN7nh0oj-pyC7CkVgqildZuXK48HGnP8U0kw0fZX_ZuzRpFj29m2bYw4I7AVw1_E/s1600/gak1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBcex9XjDmU5ZUyMIO-X7zl1t0sL8oXEyMQbsAQoUi_zz31gaG6El7vKXvlVeYzzYALRNbBh5r13SN7nh0oj-pyC7CkVgqildZuXK48HGnP8U0kw0fZX_ZuzRpFj29m2bYw4I7AVw1_E/s320/gak1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I used regular white glue when I made it and didn't have any food colouring on hand the first time I tried making it, but I did add some blue sparkles to it. This gave it a fun sheen, but the sparkles definitely come out, and I've been picking them off him for days--consider yourself warned!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0Gr_Xjin1Uf0tH8ryCQagu8cpAggyuu0btWXfeJ_FfAL3LABObcQ9TQyIYY4sMeYzHLAKPzlGMeR4BbGhgsL201L5D8wbYyXMQ4L9H1kH1oqCBj874nwl61e5cXBOa1mXY_zHFWIh8o/s1600/gak2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0Gr_Xjin1Uf0tH8ryCQagu8cpAggyuu0btWXfeJ_FfAL3LABObcQ9TQyIYY4sMeYzHLAKPzlGMeR4BbGhgsL201L5D8wbYyXMQ4L9H1kH1oqCBj874nwl61e5cXBOa1mXY_zHFWIh8o/s320/gak2.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfUgBKKlXKsGZPUn89xPS4Y8UjxQh5KlS0l8n06lprNPhOhbwpj7fc3VJM0kl9eu09ydyycsjzgu48C5RUnMmJsHczWY9YupzK-Z8QNfbRoaj7Aba1pqIN4mwSmTPUyICkupiSRk_5M4/s1600/gak3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfUgBKKlXKsGZPUn89xPS4Y8UjxQh5KlS0l8n06lprNPhOhbwpj7fc3VJM0kl9eu09ydyycsjzgu48C5RUnMmJsHczWY9YupzK-Z8QNfbRoaj7Aba1pqIN4mwSmTPUyICkupiSRk_5M4/s320/gak3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At first he really wasn't too sure about the slime since it was cold and a really different texture than anything else he's used to. He soon got over his hesitation though and started pulling and pushing it around the table. It was a great sensory experience for him. Our slime was quite thick and rubbery, and not particularly "slimy" so the next time I try it I'll add less Borax. (And some food colouring!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
So after a quick trip to the store to pick up some food colouring after the boy-o went to bed tonight, I decided to try making some more slime now that I've got some food-colouring. I made a pink and green one. All of the slimes are simply stored in their own Ziploc Baggies until we want to take them out and play again!<br />
<br />
Here's the recipe that we used to make our slime:<br />
<br />
<h4>
<u>Slime:</u></h4>
<div>
<u>Ingredients:</u></div>
<div>
- 1/2 cup Elmer's Glue</div>
<div>
- 1 TSP Borax</div>
<div>
- 1 and 1/2 cup Water</div>
<div>
- Food Colouring (optional)<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalOHJ2Ar3SeaHtmXc5-83BEHGHSakvCoKHNYvlFqooAsnvTezI_t_4m6pF-Zgomh91yLZYPvq3wkc8tRTh-q6baLtBiTkJC7FCRMD7Yjja2k4D9uyjiNVYe_2W-zioUU0bv1ZamgWhuI/s1600/gak4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalOHJ2Ar3SeaHtmXc5-83BEHGHSakvCoKHNYvlFqooAsnvTezI_t_4m6pF-Zgomh91yLZYPvq3wkc8tRTh-q6baLtBiTkJC7FCRMD7Yjja2k4D9uyjiNVYe_2W-zioUU0bv1ZamgWhuI/s320/gak4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Directions:</u><br />
<br />
1. In one bowl mix 1/2 cup (4 oz) glue and 1/2 cup water. Add food coloring if you want colored slime.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofIuiXomvj3Ljm-WHosXi4lpwk5sfOHr4w68RgMFmPBvg3Bw7WzIn8cN88z7UXZD6RZlvLgmLhBN_9qQT1zdMIqll-4RT-4APPDq3LWN1eBhTwOJhinyT5dNtPxHk_wpJUZjlppg1h1M/s1600/gak5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofIuiXomvj3Ljm-WHosXi4lpwk5sfOHr4w68RgMFmPBvg3Bw7WzIn8cN88z7UXZD6RZlvLgmLhBN_9qQT1zdMIqll-4RT-4APPDq3LWN1eBhTwOJhinyT5dNtPxHk_wpJUZjlppg1h1M/s200/gak5.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDpQrr_-keHdGzBXxc1enAUAfo3I5Pd3-xPl-gywqlTsBLwks1x0puUQfmhldUGCxRD32mdUKrhvWlbKles3hQ8442x1GxRslvOztqok8ybelEhjpj3Vj9TEVu4eMVdqMGgp7iUshPhc/s1600/gak6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDpQrr_-keHdGzBXxc1enAUAfo3I5Pd3-xPl-gywqlTsBLwks1x0puUQfmhldUGCxRD32mdUKrhvWlbKles3hQ8442x1GxRslvOztqok8ybelEhjpj3Vj9TEVu4eMVdqMGgp7iUshPhc/s200/gak6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2. In the other bowl, mix 1 teaspoon borax with 1 cup water until the borax is dissolved.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
3. Add the borax mixture to the glue solution, stirring slowly. You may not need to add it all!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
4. The slime will begin to form immediately; stir as much as you can, then dig in and knead it with your hands until it gets less sticky. (No one makes slime without getting a little messy!) Don't worry about any leftover water in the bowl; just pour it out.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUVQwfcC9Jn4KgU4nfwYWKASYo8a1mB_O2PRAAEiCL2p9K3Fc-rlk5SCr2-BWpGQlsnwYq7T3yU7vugjGW8pmxPd8cs8zSaWj2W2FLPL5picF7wp1MAZWTy_N2ToPOuOIsdH2HlDtR2E/s1600/gak8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUVQwfcC9Jn4KgU4nfwYWKASYo8a1mB_O2PRAAEiCL2p9K3Fc-rlk5SCr2-BWpGQlsnwYq7T3yU7vugjGW8pmxPd8cs8zSaWj2W2FLPL5picF7wp1MAZWTy_N2ToPOuOIsdH2HlDtR2E/s320/gak8.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink and Green Slime</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The pink one is a pretty similar consistency to the original white one with the blue sparkles, but the green one is suuuuper slimy, which is fitting I supposed since it's green and all! </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMLMCyx4S0OsQZbNJTxzHICADCPUrOroBvfm7FNtHVdQt_f30gwi7x6bas_xQ8e1TY8CVpxrSVo9lq0b4Zl4nujCU8WjYkZbwfgVlohqnpoCFqCMb9pxZvb-_e5QlN4Uo818LYg2N3A8/s1600/gak7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMLMCyx4S0OsQZbNJTxzHICADCPUrOroBvfm7FNtHVdQt_f30gwi7x6bas_xQ8e1TY8CVpxrSVo9lq0b4Zl4nujCU8WjYkZbwfgVlohqnpoCFqCMb9pxZvb-_e5QlN4Uo818LYg2N3A8/s320/gak7.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The new colours have been stored away in some baggies too and I can't wait to see how the boy-o reacts to the new slimes and the texture of the green one.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB6FUzQim1HbRGSG9gFFq00qHqvEeCMGaKc_xGC9Z6x5d_IoVLYOB5xGN8jGyFVQjgueI_4wRSromCSysPAzGgha-v_iVxUTsCL5Ahy8GnBXAroVTeCkoqfn06tvUvXpRBZCViqCmpZ8/s1600/gak9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB6FUzQim1HbRGSG9gFFq00qHqvEeCMGaKc_xGC9Z6x5d_IoVLYOB5xGN8jGyFVQjgueI_4wRSromCSysPAzGgha-v_iVxUTsCL5Ahy8GnBXAroVTeCkoqfn06tvUvXpRBZCViqCmpZ8/s320/gak9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slime with Borax</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-86451507106659958682015-05-19T19:35:00.001-04:002015-05-19T19:35:51.720-04:00Simple Toddler Activity- Q Tip DropHaving a toddler can be tough sometimes--they don't seem to have an "off" switch, unless they're asleep. This has made it more important than ever to have some "quiet time" activities the boy-o can work on while I'm trying to get jobs done around the house, like making dinner in particular.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkSGP3B7DRYXpgVFRYitHiB9zqvjSQUHBHFAcIU9DdYw9anhVUhJnCDZNvBNkStjssB5_PJ_93XKLhfM1KuLn0gLAdDpaSpDh02zqg8wmuK9htnw4sgV7eEx9U1kqqlZ4vG2z1AwpFpM/s1600/qtip3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkSGP3B7DRYXpgVFRYitHiB9zqvjSQUHBHFAcIU9DdYw9anhVUhJnCDZNvBNkStjssB5_PJ_93XKLhfM1KuLn0gLAdDpaSpDh02zqg8wmuK9htnw4sgV7eEx9U1kqqlZ4vG2z1AwpFpM/s320/qtip3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This is a bit of a throwback to the <a href="http://readytomum.blogspot.ca/2014/10/popsicle-stick-matching-and-slot-game.html">Ice Cream Bucket and Popsicle Stick</a> idea, except it's much more compact which is great for travelling and even simpler to make. Basically all you need is an empty Parmesan Cheese container and some Q-Tips. I purposely bought a small clear container of Parm Cheese to make it suit the purpose more, but any of them will do just fine!<br />
<br />
The concept is pretty simple.... give them the container with the flap open that has the small holes for shaking (not the large spoon one) and a pile of Q-Tips. Show them how to drop the Q-Tips in the holes and then let them have at it! This is a fantastic activity for working on fine motor control, not only for picking up and holding the Q-Tips, but also getting them into the little holes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuO9DuW0kwgxGlnK_SI0pIkwZDJCyHjyTAXDQFzgarWr1sK0CHqQ1JjyZmWYI4zyGWUYqPwAhnUYHY5G2Xjbf66_pTEqy2TfzubnxV_dH8ivcL9zN_woMuV1hX7kio5WKwHsPNa5K-zg/s1600/qtip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuO9DuW0kwgxGlnK_SI0pIkwZDJCyHjyTAXDQFzgarWr1sK0CHqQ1JjyZmWYI4zyGWUYqPwAhnUYHY5G2Xjbf66_pTEqy2TfzubnxV_dH8ivcL9zN_woMuV1hX7kio5WKwHsPNa5K-zg/s400/qtip1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
To take it up a notch, we also practiced our counting each time we put one in which is a great way to reinforce numbers while playing. The boy-o had a great time putting all the Q-tips in, and then unscrewed the lid himself to dump them out and started over again!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeOcmzw5DhclI9OEy_UAs_oRjNB8pUbPv0LFfArqjrbDbIm1TC7ukUFZkiUnbxiKeKG8zgrppVtQj7U-wv2KqEEBPrXwu-LjN3O_w1QFbipWL1wZbajhybnTD8KETXpjrmpKRiR3V8sE/s1600/qtip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeOcmzw5DhclI9OEy_UAs_oRjNB8pUbPv0LFfArqjrbDbIm1TC7ukUFZkiUnbxiKeKG8zgrppVtQj7U-wv2KqEEBPrXwu-LjN3O_w1QFbipWL1wZbajhybnTD8KETXpjrmpKRiR3V8sE/s320/qtip2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Because we used the small container size, it'll be really easy to toss in a carry-on or diaper bag for travelling purposes, and when not actively in use, you can just store the Q-Tips right inside the container. Since the Q-Tips aren't actually being used for their intended purpose, I'd definitely just recommend buying them from a dollar store making this simple little activity incredibly inexpensive as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6nqdZojEQbY41lA-4sq64gWOLLXvkepJ99sLiiMnKriKGReGFlg-87Tl95VBZTfv32ZA86dRPrWAfzOQleZhhAkhBuTSsbonHDGYZbibJCE5HCz9Zp4B8FOe7bF0vl7afZBQMX5weBE/s1600/qtip4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6nqdZojEQbY41lA-4sq64gWOLLXvkepJ99sLiiMnKriKGReGFlg-87Tl95VBZTfv32ZA86dRPrWAfzOQleZhhAkhBuTSsbonHDGYZbibJCE5HCz9Zp4B8FOe7bF0vl7afZBQMX5weBE/s320/qtip4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-50874993085657349112015-05-18T21:29:00.000-04:002015-05-18T21:29:17.632-04:00Cheesy Sausage and Broccoli Quinoa BakeWe had some broccoli sitting around in the fridge that really needed to get used up, and I really wanted some cheesy carb-y comfort food. The result? A delicious casserole dish that used up that broccoli mixed with some turkey sausage, healthy quinoa, and lots of cheesy heaven. Did I mention it was cheesy?<br />
<br />
Casseroles in general are something I love, especially fully self contained ones because I really *hate* having to come up with side dishes, which is particularly difficult since I dislike many cooked vegetables. Although a side-salad would definitely not be amiss with this dish, I wanted cheesy carb-y comfort food remember?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_2GZYeJIk16ZLunX8DACorExbqO7kSKBvHxz6zoiwKkcGh_H7rTi8S0eF9CnGF50s1QUlOV6pb6fZZLborcC5kTepYliEhRDQnv6N9LyslEUMb3iy8KhcdeeH8In5QVUfVojlG29pqQ/s1600/broccoli+qunoia+bake+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_2GZYeJIk16ZLunX8DACorExbqO7kSKBvHxz6zoiwKkcGh_H7rTi8S0eF9CnGF50s1QUlOV6pb6fZZLborcC5kTepYliEhRDQnv6N9LyslEUMb3iy8KhcdeeH8In5QVUfVojlG29pqQ/s320/broccoli+qunoia+bake+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So here's the recipe I came up with for dinner, and it was totally delicious. I split the mixture up into half so I could bake half tonight and then freeze the other half for a weeknight sometime later when I need a quick easy meal I can toss in the oven.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>Cheesy Sausage and Broccoli Quinoa Bake</u></h3>
<h4>
<u>Ingredients:</u></h4>
<div>
- 1.5 cups of uncooked quinoa (about 3 cups cooked)</div>
<div>
- 2 heads of broccoli crowns, dice the florets, discard stem</div>
<div>
- 1 lb of turkey sausage, browned and diced</div>
<div>
- 1 small onion, diced</div>
<div>
- 1 cup of cheddar cheese, plus extra for sprinkling on top</div>
<div>
- 1 can cheddar cheese soup</div>
<div>
- 1 cup of milk</div>
<div>
- 2 TBSP butter</div>
<div>
- 3 TBSP all purpose flour</div>
<div>
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced</div>
<div>
- 1 TSP curry powder</div>
<div>
- 1/2 TSP cayenne pepper</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
<u>Directions:</u></h4>
<div>
1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. </div>
<div>
2. Bring water in a pot to boil and add in broccoli. Boil for 5 minutes or until broccoli is a little softened. Drain broccoli and mix in with the quinoa.</div>
<div>
3. Add the 2 TBSP of butter to a heated pan and allow to melt. Add in the onion and garlic. Saute for a minute then add the flour, cayenne pepper, and curry powder. Mix well.</div>
<div>
4. Combine the canned soup and milk together in a small bowl, and add to the mixture in the pan. Mix well and once the soup has thinned out, slowly add in the cup of cheddar cheese allowing it to melt into the sauce. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODswbhoT8jGAasT3jW35OhnyJpmNPlTaNIsub3GwOd4RGvG2K5-ixzunC3MjDCFAbhzpDGb-EhApOfu_7ymylo1tMCqpJDsYvmEvJlfyKlyX2jPw34IDh1pb7xKBrP5iK47r8B7jA3So/s1600/broccoli+qunoia+bake+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODswbhoT8jGAasT3jW35OhnyJpmNPlTaNIsub3GwOd4RGvG2K5-ixzunC3MjDCFAbhzpDGb-EhApOfu_7ymylo1tMCqpJDsYvmEvJlfyKlyX2jPw34IDh1pb7xKBrP5iK47r8B7jA3So/s320/broccoli+qunoia+bake+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
5. Once all of the cheese has been added and melted pour the sauce mixture over top of the quinoa and broccoli. Add in the chopped sausage and mix well to make sure the quinoa mixture is well coated with the sauce. </div>
<div>
6. I divided up the mixture at this point in half to freeze half and bake half.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW8tkrXEc3CcCrgMgP3G7kd71ZcZ3sbELlXoP_qoTXEZEy4xoF0r5XhzAJJaP6IzV8Q2_if_hUdBHaE1MB5QKYioxJeNxjzHH0ZS1ve7LMKI_W7NUIJC_j1r0hcvGXrsK47Dm2Io6J9c/s1600/broccoli+qunoia+bake+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW8tkrXEc3CcCrgMgP3G7kd71ZcZ3sbELlXoP_qoTXEZEy4xoF0r5XhzAJJaP6IzV8Q2_if_hUdBHaE1MB5QKYioxJeNxjzHH0ZS1ve7LMKI_W7NUIJC_j1r0hcvGXrsK47Dm2Io6J9c/s200/broccoli+qunoia+bake+3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkCrB5o_rIWTdXD3kQL83QoQRNMyNNYK0Gb5osK_3XIV6tsiH08y0Y9Nw219LulxvR00BQAOp5FfuYtQ1zIUFKlp7iBcBtCQPMcYrAbQ8LjGr4X08d4LVU2o-Z2wtaa9DmraQXDQcLro/s1600/broccoli+qunoia+bake+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkCrB5o_rIWTdXD3kQL83QoQRNMyNNYK0Gb5osK_3XIV6tsiH08y0Y9Nw219LulxvR00BQAOp5FfuYtQ1zIUFKlp7iBcBtCQPMcYrAbQ8LjGr4X08d4LVU2o-Z2wtaa9DmraQXDQcLro/s200/broccoli+qunoia+bake+4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
7. Put quinoa mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle extra cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3YBeiR8AVey1aQYtx7KS884xxOhBnGUGAO4jKnKtgnBPjrDhagbM89qZSfimJaNX3Ednh3AdVURgaK9FqxhtElL6pP1tniuhdoar_1Vw9BjuoBJ7Est6t5Kekl09-HeAoreoI_UxcoA/s1600/broccoli+qunoia+bake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3YBeiR8AVey1aQYtx7KS884xxOhBnGUGAO4jKnKtgnBPjrDhagbM89qZSfimJaNX3Ednh3AdVURgaK9FqxhtElL6pP1tniuhdoar_1Vw9BjuoBJ7Est6t5Kekl09-HeAoreoI_UxcoA/s320/broccoli+qunoia+bake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Enjoy the cheesy goodness!!<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-54465595461402742052015-05-17T15:10:00.001-04:002015-05-17T15:10:32.077-04:00Tricycle Diaper CakeOne of my cousins recently had a baby shower, and like us, they were staying #TeamYellow. I always have a hard time trying to decide what to buy for showers because what one mom finds invaluable, might be totally useless to another mom. One thing that every mom needs though is diapers! Diapers although totally necessary, are not very cute or visually appealing. (Although very convenient to wrap!)<br />
<br />
I've seen diaper cakes sold before at craft shows and stuff and decided I was going to look for one of those for her. The local baby boutique store had some lovely plain ones that were straight-up cake style, but they were very "girl" or "boy" and had a crap-ton of pins in them, which to me just sounds like a terrible idea in a baby gift. So I took matters into my own hands and decided to make my own diaper cake, that was both pin-less, and didn't damage or ruin ANY of the baby items in the cake. (like crunching all the diapers up into little rolls)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5S66GaBjdB4WGHFUl1etNQqPM0IHmnHCGr-l1iQpQTCs4lcMjleKA0YzYpkiZf-4pvsSuEGLoAr8uBNu3aXgNyukVxwcADMVl0Eqcxk-83pbjpBL8ket4tVmK2nq4pzXW1ZEm91YHqrA/s1600/IMG_20150317_215258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5S66GaBjdB4WGHFUl1etNQqPM0IHmnHCGr-l1iQpQTCs4lcMjleKA0YzYpkiZf-4pvsSuEGLoAr8uBNu3aXgNyukVxwcADMVl0Eqcxk-83pbjpBL8ket4tVmK2nq4pzXW1ZEm91YHqrA/s400/IMG_20150317_215258.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
After some wandering around on the web I came across this awesome tutorial for making a <a href="http://www.maidendshade.com/2012/01/tricycle-diaper-cake-tutorial.html">Tricycle Diaper Cake</a>. Although this was my guiding inspiration, I changed mine up a little bit. Rather than using a bib to make the "mud flap" I used another receiving blanket folded up, which also gave me the seat at the back. I didn't bother with the bottle part either, but I did add a rider to my tricycle. Since my cousin has asked for the Little Lambs crib set, I picked up a stuffed lamb to ride my tricycle.<br />
<br />
The contents for my tricycle included: A Pack of 64 Pampers Size 1 Diapers, 3 Receiving Blankets, 1 Pair of Socks, 1 Stuffed Lamb.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5uMdTdG7hZUN2V90yqWETARLruf32tWcUweI_MH2S7eCaK-3JqOhzZgxpfuBX8trQf_m1e1l0PrPtqLbKFzGaOyIMV6BFMcGd4KUoN_imTvv_l5-JLNYr9xnJmDrwd_gUl93WLR8kBo/s1600/IMG_20150317_215335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5uMdTdG7hZUN2V90yqWETARLruf32tWcUweI_MH2S7eCaK-3JqOhzZgxpfuBX8trQf_m1e1l0PrPtqLbKFzGaOyIMV6BFMcGd4KUoN_imTvv_l5-JLNYr9xnJmDrwd_gUl93WLR8kBo/s400/IMG_20150317_215335.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I was pretty impressed with how easy it was to make an how well it turned out, and it seemed like everyone at the shower liked it too. One of my other cousins actually asked if she could use that idea for another shower she had coming up--so I call that a win!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu89d5UxzJLCLEwWZM5t7AOE5fG20NxhnV2MZ94RyRrO7CHYiUbgPF35zAtyFGNGtrtRLnbiDp9trcPYOUR4KM2ZLNN2ToSg6Y-oMPv_nWQa1XdZMhxyGRVf40lXBUDQe169SjxJf3PW4/s1600/IMG_20150317_221111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu89d5UxzJLCLEwWZM5t7AOE5fG20NxhnV2MZ94RyRrO7CHYiUbgPF35zAtyFGNGtrtRLnbiDp9trcPYOUR4KM2ZLNN2ToSg6Y-oMPv_nWQa1XdZMhxyGRVf40lXBUDQe169SjxJf3PW4/s400/IMG_20150317_221111.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
AND, as promised, there isn't a single pin holding things together, and there's no tape on the diapers, and nothing is rolled, crumpled or otherwise unusable. This is a 100% functional shower gift that's also 100% adorable.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-14397352362220694672015-05-15T08:41:00.001-04:002015-05-15T08:41:38.722-04:00Monster Bum Knit PantsI'm sure that some of you have seen these Knitted Monster Pants before--and if you're like me, you had to find someone who could make them for you IMMEDIATELY! Thankfully my mom is a knitting whiz and loves to make things for the boy-o, so it was a win-win!<br />
<br />
They are perfect for when it's cold outside but not snowy and wet. They don't really keep any wetness out (it's just yarn) but they definitely keep the boy-o nice and toasty warm for some outdoors fun, and they're much less bulky and restrictive than traditional snow pants are.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0voQvSvKgPUIqkC52mTNR-gbInFfPGjGyLEPso5PIKO1oqid-36WTEaKxAa5d_WJsDQUqkB7GmzPIUvT-wsyxBoN0AVqqSbGGht9oOgfiq0qe0x0OuOdrXOAEh6dlIpw3rIE1LOwxnMI/s1600/IMG_20150315_155050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0voQvSvKgPUIqkC52mTNR-gbInFfPGjGyLEPso5PIKO1oqid-36WTEaKxAa5d_WJsDQUqkB7GmzPIUvT-wsyxBoN0AVqqSbGGht9oOgfiq0qe0x0OuOdrXOAEh6dlIpw3rIE1LOwxnMI/s320/IMG_20150315_155050.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Plus, they look totally freaking adorable! Love my little monster bum. The waist has an adjustable elastic in them, and my mom made them nice and long with tapered ankles, so he'll have lots of room to grow into them next year without them sliding down over his shoes causing a tripping hazard.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn82tAT8rU6KcKlUt3595S4yxJTUD_K7aA2Wij2-HClutExsA0hA8vckcs4ntE9xNf9MTpaU-7WuMKhVFSsifctiFJFs07xgM4BiWpp9fntgjaCr18NjmLBOcpHcYtCw5k1gwj8TeohE/s1600/IMG_20150315_155239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn82tAT8rU6KcKlUt3595S4yxJTUD_K7aA2Wij2-HClutExsA0hA8vckcs4ntE9xNf9MTpaU-7WuMKhVFSsifctiFJFs07xgM4BiWpp9fntgjaCr18NjmLBOcpHcYtCw5k1gwj8TeohE/s320/IMG_20150315_155239.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There are many different patterns available for these pants. We searched <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login">Ravelry</a> until we found one we liked, and used that one. You'll need a login name, but it's free to use! If you don't happen to know an able and willing knitter, there are also many stores on Etsy selling them as well.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Every little should have a pair of these adorable Monster Bum pants--because let's face it, sometimes our toddlers really *are* monsters and these pants are a great way to keep mama smiling all day!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-88155875543583285862015-05-14T20:11:00.000-04:002015-05-14T20:11:26.348-04:00#ThrowBackThursday Baby AnnouncementSo I just realized that over my long blogging hiatus we made a very exciting family announcement which I haven't shared here yet. The boy-o played an integral role in sharing the news, and I think he has some mixed emotions about the whole situation!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SYpb9B_9Qe8OjgtOlgdlZIoMHf3Y4vxyLB1S12RPca_s9ZS9dZ3DP1KlUw0HIy842iXD2uEhYL33_FSzDEcfhVP5O0GOL3vWNlbjTDHRzoYrpqKfh466sdJC1he5WTV7rs9KUIWRt2Y/s1600/valentines+day+announcement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SYpb9B_9Qe8OjgtOlgdlZIoMHf3Y4vxyLB1S12RPca_s9ZS9dZ3DP1KlUw0HIy842iXD2uEhYL33_FSzDEcfhVP5O0GOL3vWNlbjTDHRzoYrpqKfh466sdJC1he5WTV7rs9KUIWRt2Y/s400/valentines+day+announcement.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We are expecting baby #2 mid August and we're so excited that the boy-o will be a big brother! We've decided to remain #TeamYellow for this pregnancy so we don't know whether it will be a boy or a girl. As long as baby is healthy, that's all that matters to us!<br />
<br />
We decided to do our baby reveal on Valentine's Day, which seemed fitting since we made the announcement for the boy-o at Halloween. I also really loved making his chalkboard for his 1st birthday, so I wanted to try and incorporate that idea into our announcement as well. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and it was so wonderful watching family and friends react as the news sunk in.<br />
<br />
It's hard to believe that in a few more months it will be time to meet our newest addition already!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-47059038955769235482015-05-05T14:27:00.001-04:002015-05-05T14:29:58.395-04:00Basil Chicken Curry with Coconut Lime RiceSchool is over now (for good!)... so I'll be better at updating again. Scouts honour.<br />
<br />
I just made this amazing curry for lunch and wanted to share the recipe because it was soooo delicious! It was pretty easy to make and not very time consuming either--both a major plus in my books! I'm also trying to get better at cooking with spices and herbs and this was an excellent introduction to both those things.<br />
<br />
This curry is probably about a medium spice level, and all the veggies in it (like corn!) add to a wonderful summer feeling, making this a perfect meal for a day like today when the weather is a little grey and dull but still warm outside.<br />
<br />
So here it is: enjoy!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients:</h3>
<h4>
Coconut Lime Rice</h4>
<ul class="ingredient-list">
<li class="ingredient">1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 cup jasmine or basmati rice (I used brown rice)</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 lime, juiced + zest</li>
</ul>
<h4>
Curry</h4>
<h4>
</h4>
<ul class="ingredient-list">
<li class="ingredient">1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, diced (or 2-3 cups cooked chickpeas)*</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 bell peppers, chopped (I used one green, and one red)</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 zucchini, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 cup canned/frozen corn</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 cloves garlic, grated or minced</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li class="ingredient">2-3 tablespoon thai red curry paste (I used 3)</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 tablespoon spicy curry powder</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped</li>
</ul>
<div class="instructions">
<h3>
Instructions:</h3>
<h4>
Rice</h4>
<div class="instruction">
1. Add the coconut milk to a medium size pot. Bring to a low boil and then add the rice. </div>
<div class="instruction">
2. Stir to combine and then place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to low. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit on the stove, covered for another 20 minutes. </div>
<div class="instruction">
3. After 20 minutes remove the lid and add the lime juice + zest and basil. Fluff the rice with a fork. </div>
<div class="instruction">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wBU31sR9HR3Da4tIVWmVme939eePcvAYYDTMWC_W5sgFhpU2_fUwjyVCgsmFJlfCbbvbOF4g42KqMK6sssSFmZiiIBM5ZmqIeooWUIgp6N7qm7iZNDM3si2UJiyrYwVChI59tg0rHCY/s1600/basil+chicken+curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wBU31sR9HR3Da4tIVWmVme939eePcvAYYDTMWC_W5sgFhpU2_fUwjyVCgsmFJlfCbbvbOF4g42KqMK6sssSFmZiiIBM5ZmqIeooWUIgp6N7qm7iZNDM3si2UJiyrYwVChI59tg0rHCY/s1600/basil+chicken+curry.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<h4>
Curry</h4>
<div class="instruction">
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add the diced chicken and saute the chicken until browned all over and cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.</div>
<div class="instruction">
2. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the peppers and corn, saute 3-4 minutes and then toss in the zucchini, ginger and garlic. Saute the veggies another 5 minutes or until they just begin to soften. Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss everything together.</div>
<div class="instruction">
3. To the skillet add the curry powder and curry paste and give everything another good toss. Cook 1 minute and then add the coconut milk. Stir to combine, bring the mixture to a boil, cook 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. </div>
<div class="instruction">
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and cilantro.</div>
<div class="instruction">
<br /></div>
<div class="instruction">
Once the rice and curry mixture are done, you can serve the curry over the rice and if you wish add some naan on the side as well. </div>
<div class="instruction">
<br /></div>
<div class="instruction">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoy4iT-08wt4_ecLva2h4HfKfDBIHsNjAShHLs5RgOYstRqG50J0jFyvw9wWCbFeKQIvjpNSuSsBm1zu21gGlU1rwfyp915m9I0nmGvgF1KPc4nkBrZvyojYShwxLPYqdZp1zQcUyOPM/s1600/basil+chicken+curry2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoy4iT-08wt4_ecLva2h4HfKfDBIHsNjAShHLs5RgOYstRqG50J0jFyvw9wWCbFeKQIvjpNSuSsBm1zu21gGlU1rwfyp915m9I0nmGvgF1KPc4nkBrZvyojYShwxLPYqdZp1zQcUyOPM/s1600/basil+chicken+curry2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="instruction">
<br /></div>
<div class="instruction">
Happy Cooking!</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-31698043324680666602015-01-17T21:34:00.000-05:002015-01-17T21:37:43.251-05:00Mexican Tuna Macaroni CasseroleWe're generally not big casserole eaters in our house. Not because we don't think they're delicious, it's just not something we usually think of when trying to make up our weekly meal plans. There was no plan for dinner tonight and I wanted something Mexican themed, and I knew we had some tuna in the cupboard just asking to get used. So I started doing some searching on the web for a Mexican Tuna casserole and was pretty disappointed at what I found. So I went "off book" and made up my own recipe.<br />
<br />
And OMG. It was delicious and it smelled soooo good! And it was also super easy and an incredibly cost effective meal to boot. It made five adult servings, but you could easily get more if it was served with a side salad or something. There was supposed to be some black beans in there too, but I thought we had some so I didn't pick any up at the grocery store, and then got home and realized we in fact did not. I'll try adding them next time, but it was amazing without them, so maybe I won't bother!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglCdMaLuglGuXEGrFXgi0rViy17-hhW9PKycXDC2XX__h73KMp4zgiMq6dMxEHEvDB-9eI5Og3ldC7WzZ2sBV_ObtMK2D8jQ2ewCmA8bX6oVSnHkpG6Y1Iea10JAQByJg7V74MlNsu_Y/s1600/IMG_20150117_195709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglCdMaLuglGuXEGrFXgi0rViy17-hhW9PKycXDC2XX__h73KMp4zgiMq6dMxEHEvDB-9eI5Og3ldC7WzZ2sBV_ObtMK2D8jQ2ewCmA8bX6oVSnHkpG6Y1Iea10JAQByJg7V74MlNsu_Y/s1600/IMG_20150117_195709.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Mexican Tuna Macaroni Casserole:</h3>
<h4>
Ingredients:</h4>
<div>
- Approx 3 cups of cooked elbow macaroni (al dente, since it will cook more in the oven)</div>
<div>
- 1 can of cheese soup (you could use a low fat cream soup as well if you preferred)</div>
<div>
- 1 cup salsa</div>
<div>
- 1/2 cup diced onion</div>
<div>
- 1/2 cup diced celery</div>
<div>
- olive oil</div>
<div>
- 1 cup corn</div>
<div>
- 1 can diced green chilies</div>
<div>
- 1/2 TBS taco seasoning</div>
<div>
- 1 can flaked tuna, drained (or chunked broken up, etc.)</div>
<div>
- grated cheese </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
Instructions:</h4>
<div>
1. Cook macaroni according to directions on the box, but only cook till al-dente since the pasta will cook more in the oven and you don't want it to get mushy.</div>
<div>
2. Add the diced onion and celery to a pan with a bit of oil to soften.<br />
3. Transfer onion and celery to a large bowl. Add in soup, salsa, corn, green chilies, tuna, and taco seasoning. Mix well to combine.</div>
<div>
4.. Pour tuna macaroni mixture into oven safe casserole dish. Top with grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees for approx 25 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWc5yJoTCOqWl1fv9jGfUL8jkP1emQ9GSl6FOhbOaRXqUJ4BaaydBn1OGHBTm0UL9qqlmac8TEWCapbpuvzmy_Su677ha-cIaW72k6A8jLhyphenhyphenHsCQ3Cp6DLU2ZlwcMVsm8MfRj8dZpBWM/s1600/IMG_20150117_195825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWc5yJoTCOqWl1fv9jGfUL8jkP1emQ9GSl6FOhbOaRXqUJ4BaaydBn1OGHBTm0UL9qqlmac8TEWCapbpuvzmy_Su677ha-cIaW72k6A8jLhyphenhyphenHsCQ3Cp6DLU2ZlwcMVsm8MfRj8dZpBWM/s1600/IMG_20150117_195825.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Enjoy!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-86803345716013347402014-12-08T20:39:00.000-05:002014-12-08T20:39:55.338-05:00Christmas Craft Ideas: Handprint Christmas Tree<div style="text-align: center;">
We've got our decorations up and the house is full of Christmas. The boy-o has been busy making some Christmas art, and one of them has been hung up in his play corner. We made a Christmas Tree out of his handprints, with his name written in block letters as the "stem" of the tree. I'm really pleased with how well it turned out, and the boy-o had a blast painting.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOfS3486b3D5XBW3FFeUn042A3Xl-UehngR4qIDvLVNPubPK-C114zWfYLpNbtXHUGKEnyd8Q8dHOfG7HZgeW_JxmUb4FJSThgBhiQJs6eN0TSDyalJXPvy6iHO_VO2WhrgZ_tCa6xjA/s1600/IMG_20141128_173954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOfS3486b3D5XBW3FFeUn042A3Xl-UehngR4qIDvLVNPubPK-C114zWfYLpNbtXHUGKEnyd8Q8dHOfG7HZgeW_JxmUb4FJSThgBhiQJs6eN0TSDyalJXPvy6iHO_VO2WhrgZ_tCa6xjA/s1600/IMG_20141128_173954.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">We simply painted his hand in one colour and stamped all of that colour of handprint, and then switched to the second colour and did all of those prints together. After we finished our specific painting project I just let him have at it with the paint which resulted in lots of smiles. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7uImY2WKWqkZcwkF6RZR4Ndf7QtsGAOFkMc5Yz7E3QwpVMhuFIRgBX_kXaLLeDdKKnBZ0l_cDjZ5_YLU5xvFpbou-qeh-yULIbEbqwQVgExDCJ74sg_Y3Qw1_Px9iBt8AYnZIxMcZ_M/s1600/IMG_20141207_142041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7uImY2WKWqkZcwkF6RZR4Ndf7QtsGAOFkMc5Yz7E3QwpVMhuFIRgBX_kXaLLeDdKKnBZ0l_cDjZ5_YLU5xvFpbou-qeh-yULIbEbqwQVgExDCJ74sg_Y3Qw1_Px9iBt8AYnZIxMcZ_M/s1600/IMG_20141207_142041.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This was a super easy craft to make and would be a great gift for those hard to buy for grandparents or aunts/uncles that you don't get to see very often. It also looks really cute framed up on the wall. Just remember to write the date on the back so years from now when you're looking at it again you remember when it was made. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-32340585872337101962014-11-30T20:30:00.002-05:002014-11-30T20:32:16.194-05:00Christmas Musings: 24 Books for AdventI have to admit that in the last several years I've really lost that "magical" Christmas feeling. As a kid it was amazing of course, but as I got older I became rather disenchanted with Christmas and the crazy consumer culture that exists around it. I don't like accumulating "stuff" just for the sake of it and I really struggle with the idea of making up Wish Lists filled with things I don't need.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've noticed this year though now that the boy-o is old enough to have at least some idea of what's going on I'm a little more excited about Christmas than I have been in past years. We've decided to start a new "Advent Calendar" tradition with the boy-o and rather than opening a cheap cardboard chocolate calendar window every day, we've decided to wrap up 24 books (some of them books we already had, and some of them new ones) and every night before bed the boy-o will get to unwrap one to read as our bedtime story that night. There will be one book for each of the 24 days, with the 24th book being "Twas The Night Before Christmas."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ-2QRsy7oRi98_h9iXcw7ohfqWKj2Vb0iUQQO8p-cBFRj7Jf2Ds94zKjP0c9Fsygh3VV3FZSPRWm7tBxR-x8op5yptoD-23l0DB84VYGfl542lHuY-WeZikhYbCdkfcdfVjnQ9eAcYE/s1600/IMG_20141129_204457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ-2QRsy7oRi98_h9iXcw7ohfqWKj2Vb0iUQQO8p-cBFRj7Jf2Ds94zKjP0c9Fsygh3VV3FZSPRWm7tBxR-x8op5yptoD-23l0DB84VYGfl542lHuY-WeZikhYbCdkfcdfVjnQ9eAcYE/s1600/IMG_20141129_204457.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Most of the books are winter or Christmas themed but not all of them since we used some books we already had mixed in with some new books. Next year we'll by the second half of them so that they're all winter/Christmas themed. After the 12 Days of Christmas are over we'll put the books away again to save them for Advent next year. We're all big fans of reading in our house, and the boy-o loves books, so this seemed like a perfect way to keep that excitement about books going for as long as possible!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4445804324710585900.post-17644197799524407522014-11-11T14:49:00.001-05:002014-11-11T14:49:03.537-05:00Kid's "Busy Bag" Items: Part II've decided to take up a new creative enterprise and make up some portable activities for toddlers and young children to use in the car, on planes, at restaurants, in doctor's offices, or any other place kids are expected to sit quietly. I've decided to make up several different little activities that I can put into these "Busy Bags" and then sell them at local craft shows.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOG3gFb25F1DUev0cx9J6hIvaqNW3ETOnVFqGAzEq1ja3lSXX9DnATngeO9EC87TqNqz1oYCZ3M4n7gpe-oDjjnsImriZmoa7R4LShZXPynwzETN56v_THB3v5_yWCzkYPXYvCjJX3-p8/s1600/IMG_20141109_191204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOG3gFb25F1DUev0cx9J6hIvaqNW3ETOnVFqGAzEq1ja3lSXX9DnATngeO9EC87TqNqz1oYCZ3M4n7gpe-oDjjnsImriZmoa7R4LShZXPynwzETN56v_THB3v5_yWCzkYPXYvCjJX3-p8/s1600/IMG_20141109_191204.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The first one that I've made up is something that you might have seen floating around the internet already, and that's the DVD case turned into portable drawing/colouring station. The first one I made was definitely a bit of an experiment, but I think it turned out quite well and is something that I can work with to perfect the pattern for the next one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlfddqvLKW_mnnh7xeqLc_dZgctdGbGb1SWfBmt-RUeJFbNe31nvBTnrgE0zEL2jQMEIc2Ktf3pFOn6pOtZg50716xqbRgXR2fuEyz8NyIaOQ7DFR8YCcJqOVFTGb5n_JoNZqziMjebE/s1600/IMG_20141109_191236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlfddqvLKW_mnnh7xeqLc_dZgctdGbGb1SWfBmt-RUeJFbNe31nvBTnrgE0zEL2jQMEIc2Ktf3pFOn6pOtZg50716xqbRgXR2fuEyz8NyIaOQ7DFR8YCcJqOVFTGb5n_JoNZqziMjebE/s1600/IMG_20141109_191236.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I also really love the concept of upcycling and giving old materials new life--especially when it comes to kids stuff since they grow and change so fast.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp66vxsGEVguQ3FIT84xN_23Mbclmr4HKcAeYvDI0_MOoaPgCN-2u08u8BXZu47Qbz6fCOaYB7twKgDcQAo-KOV-uefhcfteeMl30eyq9ZoGYVWgVB6Z9PTiMzpXrJqYEfbxReZVhG1O8/s1600/IMG_20141109_191319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp66vxsGEVguQ3FIT84xN_23Mbclmr4HKcAeYvDI0_MOoaPgCN-2u08u8BXZu47Qbz6fCOaYB7twKgDcQAo-KOV-uefhcfteeMl30eyq9ZoGYVWgVB6Z9PTiMzpXrJqYEfbxReZVhG1O8/s1600/IMG_20141109_191319.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I think the idea of having something like this to tuck away in your diaper bag/purse/stroller is genius and would definitely make life a little easier sometimes. What do you think?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0