Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Taking a Hiatus
Sorry about the interruption of posts, I have some AWESOME ideas coming your way . . . if I could just get them on the computer. I am having some problems with our main computer. We have been having these problems for about a week now and I need my main computer for all the pictures and reliability - because the computer that I am forced to use just turns off randomly. So until I get back on the main computer, there will be no more posts. But take the time to share what I have created!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Chicken Roll Ups
Original Recipe: Plain Chicken
Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3 cup of milk
4oz Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese (or just plain Cream Cheese if that's what you have)
1 cup chopped COOKED chicken
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 tbsp milk
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Set the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Use a whisk to mix together the soup and 1/3 cup of milk. Once mixed, set aside.
The filling: In a bowl, whisk the cream cheese and 1tbsp of milk together. Add the chopped COOKED chicken and 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese. Mix well. If you are not using flavoured cream cheese, then add the spices that you wish at this time. The possibilities are endless! Unroll the crescent rolls. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture (or more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Remember the soup and milk mixture that you made? Pour some of that into the bottom of the pan now. You don't have to use the whole mixture. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the soup mixture in the pan.
Drizzle some more soup mixture on top of the rolls. You don't have use it all, just use what you want. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup grated cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3 cup of milk
4oz Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese (or just plain Cream Cheese if that's what you have)
1 cup chopped COOKED chicken
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 tbsp milk
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Set the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Use a whisk to mix together the soup and 1/3 cup of milk. Once mixed, set aside.
The filling: In a bowl, whisk the cream cheese and 1tbsp of milk together. Add the chopped COOKED chicken and 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese. Mix well. If you are not using flavoured cream cheese, then add the spices that you wish at this time. The possibilities are endless! Unroll the crescent rolls. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture (or more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Remember the soup and milk mixture that you made? Pour some of that into the bottom of the pan now. You don't have to use the whole mixture. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the soup mixture in the pan.
Drizzle some more soup mixture on top of the rolls. You don't have use it all, just use what you want. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup grated cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Menu Plan for the Week
I though I would share with you what our Menu Board looks like each week! Do we stick to it religously? Nope. Do we try? Yep. Does it save money and time? Yep. Do we eat healthier? Yep.
Keep in mind that these are the MAIN COURSES. Veggies and side dishes - where needed - are made up at the last moment with what is around.
I don't make special meals for the kids - I'm mean like that. If they don't like it, then they have to wait until the next meal. We always have snack before bed to help with hungry tummy's that choose not to each supper.
And lastly - Lunches are never on the menu because they are always leftovers. Simple as that. If we don't have leftovers for SOME reason, then it's a simple cheese, cracker, sausage, veggie and fruit meal.
So here's our menu this week!
Sunday:
Breakfast - Eggos
Supper - Grilled Cheese and Meat Sandwich
Monday:
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs
Supper - Freezer Food
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Pancakes
Supper - Taco Cupcakes
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Toasted Peanut Butter and Banana
Supper - ------------------------
Thursday:
Breakfast - Cereal and Toast
Supper - BBQ
Friday:
Breakfast - Muffins
Supper - Alpine Chicken
Saturday:
Breakfast - ---------------------------
Supper ----------------------------
Keep in mind that these are the MAIN COURSES. Veggies and side dishes - where needed - are made up at the last moment with what is around.
I don't make special meals for the kids - I'm mean like that. If they don't like it, then they have to wait until the next meal. We always have snack before bed to help with hungry tummy's that choose not to each supper.
And lastly - Lunches are never on the menu because they are always leftovers. Simple as that. If we don't have leftovers for SOME reason, then it's a simple cheese, cracker, sausage, veggie and fruit meal.
So here's our menu this week!
Sunday:
Breakfast - Eggos
Supper - Grilled Cheese and Meat Sandwich
Monday:
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs
Supper - Freezer Food
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Pancakes
Supper - Taco Cupcakes
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Toasted Peanut Butter and Banana
Supper - ------------------------
Thursday:
Breakfast - Cereal and Toast
Supper - BBQ
Friday:
Breakfast - Muffins
Supper - Alpine Chicken
Saturday:
Breakfast - ---------------------------
Supper ----------------------------
Friday, July 27, 2012
Car Kleenex Box
Do you ever have the problem of keeping the kleenex box in your car in decent condition? I know personally, mine always gets stepped on and in the winter, with snow on the boots, it gets wet and gross and I know I'm not alone. I found this idea and I knew it would work well in our van. But I did it a LITTLE bit different. I found the container at the Dollar Store, which was great. I actually found a wooden kleenex box that I thought would be perfect, but I was with my mom who in all her wisdom suggested that it too, would get wet. So we took that box with us to compare sizes and went to the plastic containers. There wasn't one that fit perfectly, but this was the closest. When I got it home, I tried putting the box into the container and it wouldn't fit. So I took out all of the kleenex and put that in the container instead, leaving it the same way as in the box so it still comes out nice. Then I cut a hole in the lid, but it on and voila! I haven't had to use it yet, but I'm hoping it does the trick!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Daycare Provider Gift for the Summer
Now that summer is here, my kids are no longer in daycare until I go back to work at the end of August. They have gone a couple days here and there at the beginning of July so that I could get some things done, but now they are finished for the summer and I wanted to give our daycare provider a little something. So I went to Walmart and found some ingredients to make some great S'Mores, wrapped them up with ribbon, wrote a tacky note on the card (We hope you have S'More and S'More fun this summer.) and that was it. Easy, not too expensive and I know they will use them because they go camping lots in the summer! This is where I found the original idea (there are SO many more ideas, I can't wait to try more!)
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
No Complaints Jar
Good thing I have a lot of jars in my house, because I keep find great uses for them! This "No Complaint Jar" caught my eye because the normal chore charts don't work for our family. They just don't. We have been having HUGE problems lately with both of the kids not listening. I think it's a combination of my son going through the "NO" phase because he's two and my daughter copying him - because if he can say it, so can she! However, there's a difference between my two year old and my four year old saying "NO" every time I ask something. If it's not "NO", it's ignoring or whining or crying. Which leads mommy to get frustrated because everyone is saying "NO" or crying or hitting and then there are meltdowns from EVERYONE (including mommy) and it's not a good place to be! No one is happy afterwards and it sucks.
So we made up our own jar. It's called the "Nickle Jar". Every Sunday we put 5 nickles into the piggy bank (the jar is the bank). When she says "OK" or listens on the FIRST attempt, she gets a nickle. When she whines, cries, screams or says "NO" on the FIRST attempt, she loses a nickle. Pretty simple. If mommy loses it (hey, everyone has to be held accountable), then she can point it out and she gets a nickle. It has been working really good. I'm not saying that she listens 100% now, because no child does. But it's a reminder to keep our cool, sit down, talk about WHY we're not listening and how we are going to make it better.
We emptied mommy's piggy bank and found all of the nickles (a great sorting activity). Then we sent daddy to the bank to get some extra nickles to top up the bank. Once we had all of the nickles separated, we were ready to start!
And Sunday is the day that she gets her nickles out of the piggy bank. We have decided that because she is four, she needs some instant gratification somewhere, so half of the nickles will go in her piggy bank and the other half will be taken directly to 7-11 to buy some candies.
So we made up our own jar. It's called the "Nickle Jar". Every Sunday we put 5 nickles into the piggy bank (the jar is the bank). When she says "OK" or listens on the FIRST attempt, she gets a nickle. When she whines, cries, screams or says "NO" on the FIRST attempt, she loses a nickle. Pretty simple. If mommy loses it (hey, everyone has to be held accountable), then she can point it out and she gets a nickle. It has been working really good. I'm not saying that she listens 100% now, because no child does. But it's a reminder to keep our cool, sit down, talk about WHY we're not listening and how we are going to make it better.
We emptied mommy's piggy bank and found all of the nickles (a great sorting activity). Then we sent daddy to the bank to get some extra nickles to top up the bank. Once we had all of the nickles separated, we were ready to start!
And Sunday is the day that she gets her nickles out of the piggy bank. We have decided that because she is four, she needs some instant gratification somewhere, so half of the nickles will go in her piggy bank and the other half will be taken directly to 7-11 to buy some candies.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Rainy Days
Rainy Days! For me it's a love-hate relationship. I love the sound and the smell of the rain . . . but unfortunately I can't hear or smell it anymore because my children are screaming in my ears the entire day because they are bored. Or they are fighting. Or they are tired.
My daughter woke up from nap first, so I got her out the playdough and all of the tools and let her create for a little while so mommy could get her head on straight before the wild man woke up.
I found this great list that has 101 ideas to keep the kids busy inside. On this rainy day, I chose to do a manicure on my girl. She's been bugging me for a while now to paint her nails, so we actually had time to sit down and do it.
We also did some cooking. Ever made Monkey Munch? Here's the recipe!
9 cups of Chex cereal (any kind)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
What else did we do this Rainy Day? We played some video games! I'm not a video game player myself, and I much prefer the kids to be outside, but it's always fun to play some video games every now and again. This was a garage sale find ($5) and the kids hadn't played with it yet. My daughter caught on really quick and within 15 minutes was using the mouse like a pro!
My daughter woke up from nap first, so I got her out the playdough and all of the tools and let her create for a little while so mommy could get her head on straight before the wild man woke up.
I found this great list that has 101 ideas to keep the kids busy inside. On this rainy day, I chose to do a manicure on my girl. She's been bugging me for a while now to paint her nails, so we actually had time to sit down and do it.
We also did some cooking. Ever made Monkey Munch? Here's the recipe!
9 cups of Chex cereal (any kind)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- Put chex in a large bowl and put aside.
- Place chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter into a microwavable bowl.
- Stir the ingredients together.
- Microwave the mixture uncovered for a minute on "high." Stir the mix again and continue to zap in thirty second intervals until it mixes smoothly.
- Add the vanilla and stir.
- Put everything into a 2-gallon, freezer bag.
- Add icing sugar, seal the bag and shake until distributed.
- Spread Monkey Munch out on wax paper to cool and dry.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for storage if it lasts that long . . .
Monday, July 23, 2012
French Toast Casserole
Yum! I love French Toast Casserole, but I have never made it before. After my first attempt, I was disappointed because there was not as much flavour as I had wanted. So I tried a second time - I changed up a couple of the ingredients and it turned out WAY better and WAY more flavourful! It does take a while to bake - so if you have hungry kids like I do you will either have to start before they wake up or feed them a little something and then have this for a "Brunch" type meal.
5 Cups of bread cubes
6 Eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/4 cup syrup
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
2tbsp brown sugar
1 cup frozen fruit
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Lightly grease an 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, syrup and vanilla. Add the bread crumbs to the egg mixture and coat the bread CAREFULLY.
3. Pour the coated bread crumbs into the pan and the add the frozen fruit. Mix it in gently.
3. Combine the brown sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 40 to 45 minutes, until top is golden.
5 Cups of bread cubes
6 Eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/4 cup syrup
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
2tbsp brown sugar
1 cup frozen fruit
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Lightly grease an 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, syrup and vanilla. Add the bread crumbs to the egg mixture and coat the bread CAREFULLY.
3. Pour the coated bread crumbs into the pan and the add the frozen fruit. Mix it in gently.
3. Combine the brown sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 40 to 45 minutes, until top is golden.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Planting Seeds in a Grapefruit
I found this idea on Pinterest and I'm not sure if it will work or not. The first part did, so that's great. Now we just have to wait and see if the seeds grow! So first we started with a grapefruit beacuse we didn't have lemons AND they are bigger so easier or the kids to handle.
We went outside and the kids used the spoons to put some dirt into their grapefruit peel.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Summer Subway Art
I really enjoy the subway art that I have found on Pinterest! This was my favourite summer one that I found. Actually, my favourite subway art to date. So now I'm starting to think that I can make the subway art on my own. So stay tuned . . . But check out this other blog in the meantime, there are some great things there!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Different Rules for Different Spaces
The goal for today was to teach my daughter that there are different rules depending on where and what she is doing. She will be going to Kindergarten in the Fall and I want her to understand that the library will have different rules than the gym will. I know she knows these things, because she is a smart kid - but sometimes she just forgets. So today was just a little reminder. We went to the library first. Before we went in, we talked about the rules in the library. This was what she came up with.
1. You have to walk.
2. No screaming.
3. No touching.
4. Use listening ears.
5. Don't hit your brother.
Good rules! So we went through about half of the museum and every 10 minutes or so, I would ask her to tell me the rules. Even my son caught on and was following the rules, too.
1. You have to walk.
2. No screaming.
3. No touching.
4. Use listening ears.
5. Don't hit your brother.
Good rules! So we went through about half of the museum and every 10 minutes or so, I would ask her to tell me the rules. Even my son caught on and was following the rules, too.
Once we finished the museum part of the trip, we went across the street to the park and we sat on the grass to drink some water. I told them they could play for a bit, but there were rules here too. That was when we talked about the differences. We came up with a new list of rules for the park.
1. You can run.
2. You can scream (but not too loud)
3. You can touch things.
4. Use listening ears.
5. Don't hit your brother.
So some were the same and some were different. When we got home, she was telling daddy what we did while he was at work and the first thing she said was "Daddy, we have to use our listening ears EVERYWHERE!"
A good way to talk to your children about rules is to get them to remember the four basic start points for all the rules (in our house anyways).
How do our feet act? (Ex. Run, Walk, Sit)
How do our mouths act? (Ex. Quiet, Loud, No Sound)
How do our hands act? (Ex. Hitting, Touching)
How do our ears act? (Always listening)
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Beach Day
So this honestly was not on our Summer Bucket List and I'm not sure how it got missed, but I am adding it now because of course, it was a lot of fun! There are a few lakes around our city, but we always go to the same location, the valley to the east! There's beautiful scenery, a little bit quieter than the ones closer to the city and of course, it's closer to "home" so we can spend time with family and friends if they aren't working. The kids absolutely LOVED the water. They built sand castles and a "lake" with daddy. The went out really deep and "made" mommy join them (I don't do cold water, but I did for them). We had a picnic snack and enjoyed some special family time. Once finished at the beach, we headed to a small town close by and got some ice cream! It was a perfect day!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Painting Rocks
I'm so excited that I found the summer bucket list idea on Pinterest! I always have so many ideas and find some many great ideas, but I find they never get done - but this summer they are! I went out back to our rock bed and found four large rocks. I just used basic kids paint and let the kids make their masterpieces. It kept both of them busy for about 20 minutes, which - if your a parent, you know this - IT'S A LONG TIME!
FYI: We don't use paint shirts in our house, we paint shirtless.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Menu Plan for the Week
I though I would share with you what our Menu Board looks like each week! Do we stick to it religously? Nope. Do we try? Yep. Does it save money and time? Yep. Do we eat healthier? Yep.
Keep in mind that these are the MAIN COURSES. Veggies and side dishes - where needed - are made up at the last moment with what is around.
I don't make special meals for the kids - I'm mean like that. If they don't like it, then they have to wait until the next meal. We always have snack before bed to help with hungry tummy's that choose not to each supper.
And lastly - Lunches are never on the menu because they are always leftovers. Simple as that. If we don't have leftovers for SOME reason, then it's a simple cheese, cracker, sausage, veggie and fruit meal.
So here's our menu this week!
Sunday:
Breakfast - French Toast Bake
Supper - Meat, Cheese and Crackers
Monday:
Breakfast - Toast and Cereal
Supper - Chicken Parmesan Bake
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs
Supper - Fish and Chips
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Hashbrown Muffins
Supper - Cauliflower Gratin
Thursday:
Breakfast - Toast and Cereal
Supper - BBQ
Friday:
Breakfast - Eggos
Supper - Veggie Salad Pasta Toss
Saturday:
Breakfast - Pancakes
Supper - Taco Cupcakes
Keep in mind that these are the MAIN COURSES. Veggies and side dishes - where needed - are made up at the last moment with what is around.
I don't make special meals for the kids - I'm mean like that. If they don't like it, then they have to wait until the next meal. We always have snack before bed to help with hungry tummy's that choose not to each supper.
And lastly - Lunches are never on the menu because they are always leftovers. Simple as that. If we don't have leftovers for SOME reason, then it's a simple cheese, cracker, sausage, veggie and fruit meal.
So here's our menu this week!
Sunday:
Breakfast - French Toast Bake
Supper - Meat, Cheese and Crackers
Monday:
Breakfast - Toast and Cereal
Supper - Chicken Parmesan Bake
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs
Supper - Fish and Chips
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Hashbrown Muffins
Supper - Cauliflower Gratin
Thursday:
Breakfast - Toast and Cereal
Supper - BBQ
Friday:
Breakfast - Eggos
Supper - Veggie Salad Pasta Toss
Saturday:
Breakfast - Pancakes
Supper - Taco Cupcakes
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Month of Movies: Week Two
Yep! I am challenging myself to watch a movie every day for the month of July. I picked July because I am home from work and we are not traveling anywhere this month, so I shouldn't have anything like that get in my way. My husband is a HUGE movie person, so I will mostly watch with him, but I will also watch movies during naptime if needed. So what movies did I watch this week? Not a lot, that's for sure. I have not completed the challenge for this week.
Hunger Games:
The idea of this movie made me shudder. Kids killing kids? That's HORRIBLE! But one night my husband and I had a date night, so we went to see this movie. As horrified as I was, I was still a LITTLE bit interested. The idea behind the whole movie is the "Hunger Games" (I guess like an Olympic type event - televised worldwide, everyone watches) is a time when 24 different children from the ages of 12-18 are put into the wilderness (and kept in by futuristic forcefields) and the last one standing wins. I didn't have to check my watch once, it actually kept me interested for the WHOLE time. And now, I may even cave and read the books - just because I can't wait until movie two to see what happens next! And I am not a reader. I tell you, this trilogy is really something!
The Aristocats:
The kids had a sleepover with their grandparents the last couple days and while they were there, my daughter fell in love with this story. So last night, we watched the movie together. For an old movie, it was pretty good. It actually kept both of the kids, on the couch, for the whole 75 minutes. For me, it kind of dragged. The storyline? Cat and kittens live with the rich lady and when she writes her will, she leaves all her money to the cats, and that cats to her servent (1910 is the year). The servent wants to come before the cats, so he gives them sleeping pills and drops them off far away, thinking they will never come back. The cat and kittens meet an alley cat who helps them on their travels home.
The idea of this movie made me shudder. Kids killing kids? That's HORRIBLE! But one night my husband and I had a date night, so we went to see this movie. As horrified as I was, I was still a LITTLE bit interested. The idea behind the whole movie is the "Hunger Games" (I guess like an Olympic type event - televised worldwide, everyone watches) is a time when 24 different children from the ages of 12-18 are put into the wilderness (and kept in by futuristic forcefields) and the last one standing wins. I didn't have to check my watch once, it actually kept me interested for the WHOLE time. And now, I may even cave and read the books - just because I can't wait until movie two to see what happens next! And I am not a reader. I tell you, this trilogy is really something!
The Aristocats:
The kids had a sleepover with their grandparents the last couple days and while they were there, my daughter fell in love with this story. So last night, we watched the movie together. For an old movie, it was pretty good. It actually kept both of the kids, on the couch, for the whole 75 minutes. For me, it kind of dragged. The storyline? Cat and kittens live with the rich lady and when she writes her will, she leaves all her money to the cats, and that cats to her servent (1910 is the year). The servent wants to come before the cats, so he gives them sleeping pills and drops them off far away, thinking they will never come back. The cat and kittens meet an alley cat who helps them on their travels home.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Farmers Market
Another item has been checked off our Summer Bucket List! We took the city bus downtown and went shopping at the local Farmers Market. We've been taking the bus a lot lately. Yes, we do have a car. But the kids love the experience of the city bus and I REALLY don't like trying to park downtown, so we ALWAYS take a bus when we go downtown.
Our shopping list today:
Buns
Jam
Cookies
NOT on our Shopping List, but still in the bag:
Dill Dip
Balloon Yo Yo's for the kids
Our shopping list today:
Buns
Jam
Cookies
NOT on our Shopping List, but still in the bag:
Dill Dip
Balloon Yo Yo's for the kids
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Movement Walk
The kids were fed and it was a beautiful day. I didn't want to stay locked inside the house, so we chose an idea from the Summer Jar. We had to be somewhere by 10am, and it was 8am, so we had to be quick. We went for a walk to the park. Quick, easy and painless. On the walk there, I wanted to make it a little more interesting for them. We live so close to the park (about 4 blocks) that neither kid needs a stroller anymore, so walking needs to be made exciting and interacting. First I told them to walk slow. Then fast. Then my daughter suggested that we walk like horses (she actually gallops really well, and my son was trying to copy and learn at the same time). My son then wanted to be a cow, so down on all fours they went. They marched, skipped, swam, ran, jogged, walked and more. Before we knew it, we were the park having a great time!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Raspberries and Chocolate Chips
I have been looking through my Summer Recipe board lately on Pinterest to see what ideas I can come up with and complete this summer with the kids. One night after supper, the kids asked for dessert and we had some raspberries in the fridge, so this was the idea that we made. Super simple. You just need raspberries, chocolate chips and some helpful little hands. Note there is no group picture of the raspberries because they were getting eaten as soon as they were made.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Homemade Bathtub Cleaning Solution
It works! It really works! That's what I kept reading on Pinterest. So I decided to try it. I don't like smelly cleaners - I usually use vinegar and clean that way. I had my own Bathtub cleaner, too.
Laundry Soap + Baking Soda. Combine the two until the soap is a little bit thicker and use a sponge to scrub away the grime.
However, this idea seemed easier - and people said it was working - so I gave it a shot.
Dawn Dish Soap + Vinegar. Equal parts of both. Pour dish soap into a spray bottle. Heat vinegar in the microwave and then add it to the spray bottle. Gently shake and you're ready to go!
My personal verdict?? They both work about the same - REALLY well - but I do prefer the Dish soap and vinegar because it is in a spray bottle. I still use the sponge and scrub, but I prefer spray bottles to apply. I think that part is a personal choice.
Laundry Soap + Baking Soda. Combine the two until the soap is a little bit thicker and use a sponge to scrub away the grime.
However, this idea seemed easier - and people said it was working - so I gave it a shot.
Dawn Dish Soap + Vinegar. Equal parts of both. Pour dish soap into a spray bottle. Heat vinegar in the microwave and then add it to the spray bottle. Gently shake and you're ready to go!
My personal verdict?? They both work about the same - REALLY well - but I do prefer the Dish soap and vinegar because it is in a spray bottle. I still use the sponge and scrub, but I prefer spray bottles to apply. I think that part is a personal choice.
Monday, July 09, 2012
Environmental Print
In Kindergarten, children should be well on their way to printing the different letters in the alphabets - and even starting to put those letters together to create words. My daughter can make most of the letters - but some are still a little tricky for her. To help her work on her printing, we went to the park. We took a city bus to a nearby park and while we waited for the bus to come, I pulled out a notebook and pencil for her and that's when she started printing. She would write down words and letters that she saw along the way. At the bus stop, on the bus or at the park. There are words EVERYWHERE - just encouraging your children to look and take in their surroundings. This is also a great idea because it kept them busy while waiting for the bus. Even my son got into it, scribbling on his notebook along with his sister! And like a dummy, I forgot to take along my camera, so my IPOD pictures will have to do. And no, we didn't JUST print while at the park. The kids played like crazy for 90 minutes straight and then we took the bus home and MOMMY napped for 2 hours.
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Menu For the Week
I though I would share with you what our Menu Board looks like each week! Do we stick to it religiously? Nope. Do we try? Yep. Does it save money and time? Yep. Do we eat healthier? Yep.
Keep in mind that these are the MAIN COURSES. Veggies and side dishes - where needed - are made up at the last moment with what is around.
I don't make special meals for the kids - I'm mean like that. If they don't like it, then they have to wait until the next meal. We always have snack before bed to help with hungry tummy's that choose not to each supper.
And lastly - Lunches are never on the menu because they are always leftovers. Simple as that. If we don't have leftovers for SOME reason, then it's a simple cheese, cracker, sausage, veggie and fruit meal.
So here's our menu this week! The kids are going on a sleepover later in the week so we don't have a full week of menu to do - making it easy peasy!
Sunday:
Breakfast - French Toast
Supper - Eat out!
Monday:
Breakfast - Cinnamon Buns
Supper - Perogies and Sausage
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Parfait
Supper - Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Toast and Cereal
Supper - ----------------------
Thursday:
Breakfast - ---------------------
Supper - ---------------------
Friday:
Breakfast - ------------------------
Supper - Chicken Roll Ups
Saturday:
Breakfast - Pancakes
Supper - BBQ
Keep in mind that these are the MAIN COURSES. Veggies and side dishes - where needed - are made up at the last moment with what is around.
I don't make special meals for the kids - I'm mean like that. If they don't like it, then they have to wait until the next meal. We always have snack before bed to help with hungry tummy's that choose not to each supper.
And lastly - Lunches are never on the menu because they are always leftovers. Simple as that. If we don't have leftovers for SOME reason, then it's a simple cheese, cracker, sausage, veggie and fruit meal.
So here's our menu this week! The kids are going on a sleepover later in the week so we don't have a full week of menu to do - making it easy peasy!
Sunday:
Breakfast - French Toast
Supper - Eat out!
Monday:
Breakfast - Cinnamon Buns
Supper - Perogies and Sausage
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Parfait
Supper - Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Toast and Cereal
Supper - ----------------------
Thursday:
Breakfast - ---------------------
Supper - ---------------------
Friday:
Breakfast - ------------------------
Supper - Chicken Roll Ups
Saturday:
Breakfast - Pancakes
Supper - BBQ
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Month of Movies: Week One
Yep! I am challenging myself to watch a movie every day for the month of July. I picked July because I am home from work and we are not traveling anywhere this month, so I shouldn't have anything like that get in my way. My husband is a HUGE movie person, so I will mostly watch with him, but I will also watch movies during naptime if needed. So what movies did I watch this week?
Paranormal Activity #1:
Storyline: Basically the woman in the movie has been haunted since she was young and she wants to find out what/who is haunting her. The boyfriend buys a video camera to catch all the weird things that go on at night while they are sleeping and during the day.
I watched this by myself when the kids were napping so that I wouldn't be scared right before bed. I made it even less scary (again, because I was by myself) by turning down the volume. Honestly, I think it's more the loud noises that scare people in these movies. The thing with movies that are filmed like a real home video is that there were points where I was actually forgetting it was a movie. It wasn't the best movie, but I will watch #2 just to check it out.
The Usual Suspects:
Storyline: Five "friends" work together to pull of a heist. There is a bad guy in their midst, but which one is it???
This movie I got from the Top 250 Movies from IMDB and it was pretty good. It was a thinking movie but it kind of reminded me of the Ocean's Trilogy with the group of friends and robberies/heists. Plus I'm a sucker for Stephen Baldwin - well, the younger Stephen Baldwin anyways. I kept caught up with the movie, and I figured it out just minutes before the detective did - but it did keep me guessing the whole time.
The Change Up:
Storyline: Two friends go out together one night and while peeing in a fountain the wish they had the other persons life. A lawyer with a wife and three young kids the other with no job, sits at home smoking pot and sleeping with different women every night. They switch, enjoy it for a while, and then realize what they are missing.
No different than any of the other "switching roles" movies in storyline, but because of the actors/actresses and humour - this movie has so far been my favourite. And I won't lie, I did tear up in the end when Jason Batemen is finally home again with his family. Time spent with our kids is priceless and missing those moments is heartbreaking!
Star Wars IV:
Storyline: A young man joins "the force" to help and save the princess and their planet from destruction.
So heres the deal. I don't like Star Wars. I don't like Star Trek. I don't like Sci Fi in general - but my husband does. I made a deal with the devil last summer when the last Harry Potter Movie came out. My husband watched all of the movies with me and didn't complain until the end - when he looked at me and said "So now that I have watched all of these with you, will you watch Star Wars with me?" I said yes, thinking he would forget but he didn't. He keeps reminding me. So here we are. Watching a movie every day for a month and I might as well get this Star Wars stuff out of the way. We started with this one - I guess it's the first one that came out. Did I like it? Nah, not really. Will I watch the rest? Yes, because I made a promise and my husband loves these movies, so I want to enjoy them with him. I guess.
Panic Room:
Storyline: A woman and her daughter are trapped in the panic room of their new home when three home invaders want something that is hidden in the room with them.
I'm not sure what to think about this movie. It was a good thriller/storyline but I think it went on a little longer than it should have. I really like Jodie Foster, so that made it great. Also it made me NEVER want to buy a big house - just kind of creepy! While watching this movie, I acutally recognized parts from the trailer way back when. But funny part, when my husband got home and I told him what movie I watched, he looked at me and said, "We watched that movie together." In my defence, it was a while ago. I'm talking YEARS.
Storyline: Basically the woman in the movie has been haunted since she was young and she wants to find out what/who is haunting her. The boyfriend buys a video camera to catch all the weird things that go on at night while they are sleeping and during the day.
I watched this by myself when the kids were napping so that I wouldn't be scared right before bed. I made it even less scary (again, because I was by myself) by turning down the volume. Honestly, I think it's more the loud noises that scare people in these movies. The thing with movies that are filmed like a real home video is that there were points where I was actually forgetting it was a movie. It wasn't the best movie, but I will watch #2 just to check it out.
Storyline: Five "friends" work together to pull of a heist. There is a bad guy in their midst, but which one is it???
This movie I got from the Top 250 Movies from IMDB and it was pretty good. It was a thinking movie but it kind of reminded me of the Ocean's Trilogy with the group of friends and robberies/heists. Plus I'm a sucker for Stephen Baldwin - well, the younger Stephen Baldwin anyways. I kept caught up with the movie, and I figured it out just minutes before the detective did - but it did keep me guessing the whole time.
The Change Up:
Storyline: Two friends go out together one night and while peeing in a fountain the wish they had the other persons life. A lawyer with a wife and three young kids the other with no job, sits at home smoking pot and sleeping with different women every night. They switch, enjoy it for a while, and then realize what they are missing.
No different than any of the other "switching roles" movies in storyline, but because of the actors/actresses and humour - this movie has so far been my favourite. And I won't lie, I did tear up in the end when Jason Batemen is finally home again with his family. Time spent with our kids is priceless and missing those moments is heartbreaking!
Star Wars IV:
Storyline: A young man joins "the force" to help and save the princess and their planet from destruction.
So heres the deal. I don't like Star Wars. I don't like Star Trek. I don't like Sci Fi in general - but my husband does. I made a deal with the devil last summer when the last Harry Potter Movie came out. My husband watched all of the movies with me and didn't complain until the end - when he looked at me and said "So now that I have watched all of these with you, will you watch Star Wars with me?" I said yes, thinking he would forget but he didn't. He keeps reminding me. So here we are. Watching a movie every day for a month and I might as well get this Star Wars stuff out of the way. We started with this one - I guess it's the first one that came out. Did I like it? Nah, not really. Will I watch the rest? Yes, because I made a promise and my husband loves these movies, so I want to enjoy them with him. I guess.
Panic Room:
Storyline: A woman and her daughter are trapped in the panic room of their new home when three home invaders want something that is hidden in the room with them.
I'm not sure what to think about this movie. It was a good thriller/storyline but I think it went on a little longer than it should have. I really like Jodie Foster, so that made it great. Also it made me NEVER want to buy a big house - just kind of creepy! While watching this movie, I acutally recognized parts from the trailer way back when. But funny part, when my husband got home and I told him what movie I watched, he looked at me and said, "We watched that movie together." In my defence, it was a while ago. I'm talking YEARS.
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