Paint Chalk

This was super easy to make and the kids loved it! It's a liquid and resembles paint but after it dries on the sidewalk/blacktop it turns into chalk! 

WHAT YOU DO: Mix 1 cup of cornstarch with 1 cup of water and then add a few drops of food coloring =) 

Reese's Popcorn

Today has been one of those lazy movie days and what's a movie day without popcorn? Problem though, regular popcorn was really doing the trick for me. And that's when I realized I had a stash of Reese's peanut butter cups in my pantry. Ohhh these ideas I get!

recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

REESE'S POPCORN

ingredients

• 8 cups of plain air popped popcorn
• 1/2 c honey
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c of chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/2 c chopped Reese's 

instructions 

1. Microwave popcorn according to box directions; place in large bowl and set aside
2. Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir until all the peanut butter is melted, add in the vanilla. 
3. Pour peanut butter mixture over popcorn, gently stir until well coated. Add in the chopped Reese's.  Drizzle popcorn with melted chocolate and let sit until chocolate hardens. 

Now make sure you share, but I'll admit it's not that easy  =)

Enjoy! 

Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs

Confession-- I'm a huge crock pot fan, come on now who isn't? I just love throwing the ingredients in there, letting it do its thing, and bam when I get home from work it's ready for me. I came across a Hawaiian Chicken recipe over at Chef in Training but I decided to switch it up and use meatballs instead. Mmmm deliciousness and its super easy!

CROCK POT HAWAIIAN MEATBALLS

ingredients

• 12-15 frozen meatballs 
• 1/2 c ketchup
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1-2 cans crushed pineapple (with the juice)
• 1/2 c brown sugar

instructions

1. mix ingredients all together
2. cook in slow cooker 4-6 hours on low
3. serve over brown rice

Make this into a freezer meal-- combine all ingredients and store in freezer bag! 

Enjoy! =)

Chocolate Covered Straweberry Cake Pops

I thought it was about time I'd jump on the cake pop wagon and all I have to say is YUM! There are so so many flavor combinations for cake pops its crazy! My first (and definitely not last) cake pop creation consisted of strawberry cake mix and cream cheese frosting--tastes like a chocolate covered strawberry! 

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY CAKE POPS

instructions

1. Mix and bake strawberry cake mix according to package, let cool completely.
2. In large bowl, crumble the cake and stir in one container of cream cheese frosting.
3. Roll into balls; place on baking sheet covered with waxed paper. Freeze the balls for about an hour or until firm. 
4. Use cake pop sticks (I used bbq skewers) and stick them into middle of cake balls. 
5. Melt chocolate of your choice (I did dark chocolate and white chocolate chips). Dip cake balls into the chocolate. 
6. Allow for chocolate to harden. *to make a pink drizzle melt white chocolate chips and add a drop of red food coloring*

Reminder: Chocolate chips melt best in microwave when you add a little bit of oil to them! 

TA-DAH CAKE POPS! 

I can't wait to try other flavors-- what's your favorite cake pop combination? =)

Mother's Day Gifts

First off I hope everybody had a wonderful Mother's Day! I want to share the presents I made and put together. I really wanted to get them posted before Mother's Day but I've been super super busy, ya know how that goes.

For my sister: 

LOVE PICTURE FRAME

What I did: I bought wood letters from Michael's (I choose the ones that were already white but you can buy them not painted then paint them any color you want). Then I took my nephew and niece outside with them and started snapping shots. I picked out my favorite ones, edited them to black and white, and put them in a frame. My sister LOVED it. 

For my Aunt: 

HUGS AND KISSES FLOWER POT

What I did:  I got this idea from Little Pumpkin Grace where it was used as a teachers gift. I switched it up and worded it differently so it would fit my aunt. I filled up a flower pot with hugs and kisses, added a flower, and attached a note that said : "Aunts always deserve lots of hugs and kisses! Thanks for everything you do!" 

For my Grandma: 

I HAVE TO AD-"MITT" GIFT

What I did: I got this idea from Skip to my Lou and once again was a teacher's gift! I tweaked the note to saying: "I have to ad-"MITT" you truly are the best grandma" and then filled it with some of her favorite things. BTW It was hard not filling it with any candy, I figured she got enough from the candy note basket for her birthday :) 

Would love to hear some of things you got for Mother's Day!  =)

Candy Note Gift Basket

My Grandma's birthday is tomorrow and I love coming up with cute homemade gifts (they are soo soo much better than just a store bought gift!) Last Christmas I made my grandparents a fun candy bar card and they ADORED it! --which inspired me for my grandmas birthday gift! Using candy bar names I put together this fun little note: 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY RUTH,

This is your day so you have every RIESEN to enjoy a FAST BREAK! Now that you’re 83, do you hear a SYMPOHNY of SNICKERS? It might just be your mind playing TWIX on you. Your bones will probably start to CRUNCH, making you as slow as TURTLES. Those HUNNY BUNS might start to feel a little CHUNKY. You’ll do things NOW & LATER and forget them both, saying where’s my WHATCHAMACALLIT? But don’t worry because I still think you’re worth 100 GRAND (or more) and love you to REESE’S PIECES. I couldn’t let this birthday ROLO by without wishing you MOUNDS of ALMOND JOY!

Love,

Your GOOBER grandchild

BTW my Gram's name is Ruth so baby ruth worked out perfect. You'll probably need to tweak it a bit and add/subtract your own lines, do it for birthdays, christmas, any occasion-- the possibilities are endless! Once you have your note figured out you can either write it out on a big poster board and replace the candy names with the actual candy bar (what I did for Xmas) or this time I put all the candy in a basket and wrapped it up all pretty ! 

This is my kinda present-- who doesn't like candy?? 

Happy Hump Day! =)

Meatloaf Cupcakes

Who said you couldn't have cupcakes for dinner? 

meatloaf recipe tweaked from my blessed life

Awhile back I came across this pin-- it was posted as a kid friendly meal even for the pickiest eaters. I planned on giving this a try for when my nephew comes over (still will) but meatloaf sounded so good tonight, I decided to whip it up. Turned out pretty cute if I say so myself. 

Here's how my I made my meatloaf:

ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 milk
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c oats
• 3/4 c chopped red onion
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ketchup, dijion mustard, and brown sugar

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, grease muffin pan
2. Mix together ground turkey, egg, milk, cheese, oats, onion, oregano, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Divide mixture into muffin pan. Mix ketchup, dijion mustard, and brown sugar; glaze over each mini meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. 

Time for the icing: Mashed Potatoes! Confession, I cheated on this part and whipped up some instant mashed potatoes. What ever kind you decide to make, take your mashed potatoes and put them in an icing bag (or a zip lock works just as well). Swirl over your mini meatloaves and garnish with oregano. TA-DA CUPCAKES FOR DINNER =)

Finger Knitting!

Alright here it goes-- the new popular thing every kid's doing these days or begging to learn: FINGER KNITTING! I figured before camp starts it's pretty much mandatory for me to learn it, just in case if I come across some little fingers that want to try doing it. So I learned today--Yay for me! (I was actually taught by one of my third graders). It is actually pretty easy to do and very neat. I taught it to one of my kindergartners and she caught on really quick. This is a great craft for the kiddies of all ages,  they love it and it'll keep them entertained for hours! Here's how mine turned out: 

BTW meet little Miss Chloe-- She did such a good job being mama's little model for the scarf! 

To learn how to finger knit I recommend checking out Pretty Ditty-- great tutorial with descriptive steps and pictures! ENJOY =)

Loaded Banana Bread Cookies

I had some bananas I had to use up so I decided to whip together some banana cookies. It was too hard to just add one thing to it, so I ended up adding a little bit of everything and calling them Loaded Banana Bread Cookies! They are so chewy and moist-- reminds me of a muffin top!

Recipe tweaked from Two Peas and Their Pod

ingredients

• 1 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 bananas (mashed)
• 2 c oats
• 1/2 c chocolate chips
• 1/2 c peanut butter chips
• 1/2 c chopped nuts

instructions

1. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside
2. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add vanilla, egg, and bananas. Beat in flour mixture little at a time. After all mixed together add in oats, chips, and nuts.
3. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F for about 10-12 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

It's a fiesta!

With Cinco De Mayo being tomorrow, me and the kiddos had a little fiesta! We crafted up some homemade pinatas and those cute little sombrero cookies! 

Homemade Pinatas:

Take a lunch size brown paper bag and open it up all the way. Cut strips of tissue paper and make slits in them; tape them around the paper bag. Repeat this until the whole bag is covered with the tissue paper strips. Now fill them with candy; staple and tape shut. The kiddos had so much fun with this, ecspeically when it was time to take a swing at them! 

Sombrero Cookies: 

• sugar cookies
• white icing
• gum drops
• sprinkles

1. Frost the edge of the sugar cookie; roll it in the sprinkles until it is covered.
2. Frost the bottom and lower edge of the gum drop; roll the icing part of the gum drop in the sprinkles. Stick in the middle of the sugar cookie!

Que tenga un buen dia (Have a good day!) =)

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Nom...nom...nom--so easy and tasty!

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES 

ingredients

• 3 tbsp fat free plain yogurt
• 3 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c grapes (quartered)
• 1/2 c chopped apple
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 canned chicken

instructions

1. Drain chicken from can; brown on the stove and shred (let cool)
2. Mix together yogurt, mustard, and oil
3. Add celery, grapes, apple, and chicken
4. Season with salt & pepper

Got Noodles?

I've had a box of noodles left over from when we used them to make noodle necklaces. Every time I open the cabinet there they are staring me in the face. Now of course I can't just throw them away that would be a waste, so I thought what else can we do with these?  I came up with the idea of making noodle art-- using the noodles to make words or pictures! Here's how some of them turned out:

One of my second graders thought to make one for mothers day-- such a cute idea! She hasn't painted it yet but once she does I'll be sure to upload it! 

what you need:

• cardboard
• noodles
• paint
• tacky glue

what you do:

1. arrange the noodles how you want them on a piece of cardboard
2. use tacky glue to keep them in place
3. paint how ever you want and let dry !

Be creative, have fun =) 

Edible Sand Cups

The kiddies love making those little sand jars by layering different colors of sand but it's even better when the sand is edible! All you need is some fruit loops! Here's how it works:

1. Sort the fruit loops into different colors
2. Crush them up until the fruit loops look like sand
3. Use a clear plastic cup and layer spoonfuls of the different colors of "sand" 
4. EAT AND ENJOY! =)