Beat the HEAT!

For Arizona summers you have to be creative to work with the heat.  Here's a craft and snack for HOT Summer days.

This snack gives you energy without having to turn on the oven to heat up the already hot house!

No-Bake Energy Bites Recipe

What You Need

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
• 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/3 cup honey (I recommend using local honey, helps with allergies)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Makes about 20-25 balls... YUM!

CRAYola Melt

This craft was inspired by PINTEREST, but instead of a hair dryer, I just put it out in the sun and let the AZ Heat do the work!

Simple... I hot glued crayons to a foam board.  I did a rainbow pattern, but you can do whatever you'd like. 

Then I put it out in the sun

At the bottom I added a "J" for Jaden and some jungle characters so I can display this in his room (also hot glued)

I was not prepared for how fast this process would go and when I went to check on it, not only was it all melted, but the crayon got on the animals... I still like it!



FUN for all!

Something Fun to make with the kiddos, and something fun to make for Momma!

Homemade, non-toxic, edible (though not tasty) Finger Paints!

What you need: 

1 cup of Corn Starch

1/2 cup of cold water

2 cups of boiling water

food coloring

Mix the corn starch with the cold water and stir together. Pour in the boiling water and stir between each cup.

Next, separated it into individual jam jars before adding color.

Jaden helped!

sooo cute!  I used baby food jars

Jaden was having a blast!  He even tasted it!

Masterpiece!

Now time to make some fresh brewed iced coffee...  Perfect for the hot summer days to come!

I recommend using a dark roast.

I grinded about 6oz and put it in the pitcher first, then I and filled the pitcher 3 QT (96oz) full of cold water

Then let it sit for 12 hours (or more if you'd like)

 Next I put a strainer over a new container with a coffee filter, and slowly poured the coffee in.  This took quite some time, and I changed out the filter twice.  I also used a wooden spoon to push the liquid through all of the grinds once it slowed down.

Then I threw the pitcher of the iced coffee in the fridge, and I pour a nice smooth glass over ice every morning... I'm quite sure this batch will last me a couple of weeks, if not longer!

EASY EASTER

3 of the easiest Easter crafts that look way more difficult than they really are!

Check it out...

For my Peeps

SUPER easy.  If you have to bring a treat to a party, I recommend these.  I made them for an Easter play date that I hosted, and Easter Egg Hunt that my sister hosted, and our family Easter Brunch.

All you need is:

Rice Crispy Treats

colored melts

Bunny Peeps

Sprinkles.

Brush the melts onto the rice crispy treat with a pastry brush, stick on the peep, and add sprinkles... DONE!

Easter Wreath

All you need is:

Foam circle

Plastic Easter Eggs

Easter grass

Wooden Letter

Hot Glue Gun

First hot glue the grass to the circle, then the letter, then the eggs... DONE

Coolest Craft on the block!

 





All you need is:

Wooden, sanded 2x4 blocks

White Acrylic Paint

Pink Acrylic Paint

Green Acrylic Paint

Wooden letters



Hot glue gun

First I painted the blocks white and the wooden letters pink.  Then I hot glued the letters to the blocks and sponge painted green around the edges... DONE

P.S.  Add SPRING to the other side of the blocks and once Easter is over, just turn them around for double the crafting fun!

Fun Easter Baby pic...



Lose weight to Gain

Ok people... time to get serious.  I want to have another baby soon.  I want to get pregnant in 2012.  I might as well start trying now, except I NEED to lose weight first.  I can't get pregnant at this weight.  My goal is to lose 30 lbs before I get pregnant... can I do it?  I need this blog to keep me accountable.  If I commit it to paper (web) then I will follow through.

How will I achieve this goal?

Starting today 2/24/12 I will work out for 14 days straight
~I will continue to work out after that, this is just a kick start

I will make better eating choices:

• NO sweets (I already ate my entire box of Girl Scout cookies, so I'm good)
• No french fries (If the baby wants some, he'll have to order them himself)
• NO eating late

I will make visual inspiration:

and I will blog weekly results.  **WARNING** These blog posts will be boring

ok, here we go!

Day 1:

Workout: 2 hour hike carrying 19 lbs (Jaden)

Cute baby pic:



LOVE: Let's eat our feelings

Here 2 simple ideas for Valentine's treats.  I am going to attempt cake pops next week, so THAT will be the tough one for today though...

(inspired from Pinterest)

EASY: Strawberry Cakesters

(makes 24 cookies - 12 cookie sandwiches)

1 package of strawberry cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup of shortening

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick of butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix together strawberry cake mix, eggs and shortening until well combined. The dough will be pretty thick.
• Roll dough into balls, making sure they are all similar in size.
• Place dough onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.  Set aside to cool

• Mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Spread onto cooled cookies and sandwich together.

 

 

EASIER: Oreo Cakester Hearts

• Buy a box of Oreo Cakesters
• Use a heart cookie cutter to make them in the shape of a heart
• Put festive sprinkles around the edge!

And here is a picture of my sweet baby boy (13 months old) who this week, has started signing after 6 months of trying!!  He has attempted "more", "all done", and "water"  Love my sweet, sweet boy!

Happy Valentine's Day

 

Canvas

I LOVE Canvas pictures.  They are so expensive, but they look soooo good.  When I say DIY Canvas all over Pinterest, I knew I had to try it. 

Pretty easy.  All you need is:

• pre-stretched canvas
• a picture (same size as the canvas)
• cute paper pre-cut to fit the sides of your canvas (a little but smaller)
• Matte Mod Podge
• Acrylic paint
• a sponge
• wax paper

Mod Podge the paper onto the edges
Cut your photo 1/8 inch on each side so it is a little bit smaller than the canvas
Mod podge the photo onto the canvas, let dry.
Cover the photo with mod podge.  It will look milky, but it will dry clear.
Use the sponge to dab the acrylic paint around all of the edges.
Let dry

That's it... so easy and amazing results

oh, and for dinner, how about Tomato Basil Soup with mini grilled cheese croutons

It's time to DANCE

I cannot believe it's been a year!  What an awesome year it was.  I knew I was going to go BIG for my little guys BIG day, but it was quite time consuming!  Here are the fun pics of Jaden's Dancy Dance party...  Enjoy.

 My sister Trisha made the cake

 There's a party in my tummy

 The birthday Brobee

 gift boxes

P.S. Having a December baby is CRAZY!  Christmas and birthday party planning was nuts and the house is BLOWN up...  But we had a blast!