Mickey Waffles with mix recipe

 

Mickey Waffles have magical power to them. Every time I make mickey waffles, our house turns into a magical morning, It reminds us of Mickey waffles at Disney World. 

Here is my recipe

Waffle and pancake mix I double this recipe and then store it in a rubber maid container.

8 cups of flour- you choose- I like to mix whole wheat with unbleached flour- 1/2 and 1/2

1/4 cup of sugar

2 Table Spoons of baking powder

1 tablespoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt- optional in my opinion.

Mix all of this in a mixer with a whisk if you have one, or by hand. You will have lots of mix leftover- I use 4 cups of mix each time I make waffles, that gets me about 16 waffles for my family- great for leftovers. 

Now we can make the waffles, 

2 cups of waffle mix

2 eggs

4 tablespoons or 1/2 a stick of butter 

3/4 cup of buttermilk- (I use powder buttermilk, and add water to it.)

1 cup of milk- I like 2% but whole milk will make the waffles really thick - more like a waffle. 2% is a good second choice.

1 teaspoon of vanilla- I sometimes forget- and it's all right if you do :)

Mix, don't mix too much, you want to see lumps in your batter. once your waffle iron is heated, fill the batter in the waffle iron. 

Have a magical day! 

4 things every SAHM needs

I have been a stay at home mom for over 11 years now- crazy to believe that! right?

In this Corvid 19 Era- I have had some isolation in my life and thought I would share my insights.

When my oldest was 3 months old, My Dear Husband and I moved to a rural town in Iowa, I knew no one, and had no clue what I was doing, and worst of all my family was 1.5 hours away- I was alone in a new small rural town with no one I knew but my husband who worked 60 hours most weeks, I Had no clue how to be this SAHM, and felt very isolated. not only that, the nearest target, mall and other retail shopping venues that I took so much for granted was over an hour away.
 Over the years I found some things that really helped me, and my family to thrive:

 Balance
 space
 Routines
  finding your sweet spot

Finding Balance

My family, Dr. asked are you taking care of your self like you should be?, and I was like sure- with 3 children under 6 and staying home with them while my husband works 60 hours a week, sure, that's the answer you want to hear right? Never mind that I cry like every day, and feel grumpy most days- sure I am taking care of my self.  (6 years ago) Not me now- and yes, looking back I was in a depression.

After my third child, I was stretched thin, My Mother just passed away- I was emotionally beat.

That was 6 years ago- My balance was off-kilter. It was killing me slowly and driving a wedge in my Husband's and I's relationship. I now understand what it means to have a balanced life.

When I talk about Balance for a mother, My mind often goes to the mental part of your daily life. I didn't realize 6 years ago how much of life I was missing out on.

Sometimes we all have to stay home with our kids that are "turkeys" it's my nice way of saying you're being a real brat, or pain in the... (you get the point.)  We can carry this Cross with the courage and make it work for your family.

Here are my go-to ways to bring balance to my life:

Daily check-ins- they sound crazy, or silly, and maybe, but I do know and can tell a difference when I check in with my self on those days that I don't It's a way for me to be more accountable with what I do in my life, and in the life of my kids.

Daily check-ins help put things into perspective. It's a way to share my thoughts and feelings in a notebook, Sometimes I will ask my self some questions, like how do I feel about... and see what comes up. I have a whole blog post about my Morning pages, (which are what Daily Check-ins) However you do daily check-ins- it's worth it. Here is another good example personal daily check-ins might look like.


Mental and physical balance is key a well. as a stay at home mom, I don't get those hour blocks of time to myself. I get moments of time to myself, and I utilize those moments for the benefit for myself and for my kids.
For example, keeping a gratitude journal, if I am feeling anxious or uptight, I keep a journal of gratitude, it's simple, it started out to be a list of things I was grateful for- and the lists were very seasonable, during spring it was the color of the beautiful tulip, or fall it was the tree and the leaves that I saw on my walk with my dog. My gratitude journal has morphed into a sketchbook of what I love, usually the natural world, but for those 5-10 minutes of sketching has saved me from saying hurtful things to my kids or to my husband, because I took the small amount of time to unwind and take a break, to bring back more balance.



Finding your space
Everyone- even our kids need space. even if it's a small corner in your house. a space that you can call your own, and that you can make it into whatever you want it to be. For me, it's two places in my house, a makeshift "art studio" and my bedroom, (where I go when I don't want to be around my kids)

My "art studio" has a computer in it, and a workspace where I can go and be alone and create to my little's heart desire. there is where I picked out the countertop that I love, I decorate it however I feel like, and it's my space.

My "reading nook" is my space in my bedroom, it has an old Lazy Boy recliner that I can read in, and look out my window. I will often let my kids read on that chair, it's not much, but it does help save me from being too uptight when I need a couple minutes to unwind, rejuvenate, and just be able to breathe.

During the months that I can be outside, I have a little cafe table that I use to paint outside or read outside when the weather is nice and my kids are playing outside. It's simple but brings me a lot of peace and joy.

When finding a space to call your own, make sure it's a place where your whole family knows that when you are in your "space" you are not to be bugged. It's not a place that should be on the main level of your house (although my painting easel is on the main level on my house.

I really liked reading this experience about creating a personal space I also enjoy knowing where you are in life, this author has some good insight to personal space. 

The goal here is to be able to take a break, and use this space to feel more peace and joy and breathe.

Finding Your Routine

Going back to feeling isolated, and then at some point getting into the "depression state" I was in, was really due part to the fact that I didn't have a routine for me, I had one for my kids, but not for me- I was "too good for it" Really!? yes really. Until I had my daily check-in and found that routines for me personally will really help.

My life was centered around my kids, I was slowly killing my inner spirit. Literally, I was making everyone around me miserable.

One of the basic needs that psychologists will recommend is a routine- I just took it a step further and created a routine for me. I wake up 2 hours before my kids wake up to meditate, write, paint, do my daily check-ins and it gives me so much peace, that way I am ready for the kid to be awake and for me to be the mom they need me to be- it's that simple. then the family routine comes into play, and our routines blend well.

Some articles that I thought were helpful in illustrating this point are:
The procrastination Vortex 
Why Routines are good for your health
I love this one about making a morning routines

Finding your sweet spot. Whatever you are- Be a good one! 

With feelings of isolation from friends and family, we are losing our direction- Or at least I am at times. I have had to "soul search" what is most important. Sometimes it writing it out, Sometimes, most often it's taking a quiet look around, and just sit, take in the atmosphere, and then breath, I then ask myself, what is really needed? How can I make the best out of today? I always tell myself when I am feeling like I lost my footing, and can not quite find the words to express how I feel, I tell my self over and over again: Whatever you are- Be a good one! 

When I ask myself, what am I, how can I be the best at that- answers come- they come when I listen to my true self, usually when I do the mundane things, like laundry, dishes, sewing, painting, it comes. (did you know I have another blog where I can share my creativity?) MaydreamRose.com I so love sharing peace and joy that creativity brings me!

I challenge you to write out your thoughts for 30 minutes, or 3 pages whichever comes first. The goal of this exercise is to get to the heart of your sweet spot, it takes time and it takes weeks, even months to write every day for 30 minutes. It's worth every minute I promise you- as a successful Stay at home mom during this really trying time, it's been a blessing to write my thoughts and feelings out- no one has to read it, Don't let anyone read it- it's yours to own, and to keep.

Here's what and how I write- I call them Morning pages, it came from Julia Cameron's The Artist's way, and partly from the Health Coach institute on stress relief. 

1. write out what is making you stress, and get those feelings out- take your time- if it takes all 30 minutes- great! your feelings and drama should be on the page- not in your thoughts, or brain.

2. Now that those intense feelings are out on the page for them to "dry out" list a couple things that I am grateful for, proud of what you did, and how you made someone smile in the past 24 hours. 

3.. when you have felt that relief of writing out your frustration, and feeling proud that you got something accomplished, then you can ask yourself- how can I change what I can do to feel more joy and peace in my life?  This takes me most of the time to work through

Here could be a short example of my Morning pages-writing:

I am so annoyed that my kids are not helping me clean up- they leave their crap out all day long I go around picking up after them all day long. 

using phrases like:

I am also annoyed that...

it makes me upset that...

I am really angry that...

These statements help you get your feelings acknowledged and out of your brain so you don't have to carry it around all day. 

Then I would write something like this:

Life isn't all that bad, I made my kids smile when I told them that our favorite old-time movie is playing at our local theater, and we are going to go see it Thursday.  I am proud that I finished painting the office/studio and now we are just waiting on some countertops! I am also glad that my tomatoes and strawberry are blooming, and I can't wait to eat some garden-fresh produce from my garden!

I think keeping my sanity is important, and I think to bring back some of that joy in our home, my kids are going to have to be more accountable for picking up after themselves. I could gently remind them to pick up instead of being harsher to them by being sharp and snappy at them. I will try that next time they leave their plates on the table, see if that changes anything. 

Something like that... Do this every day- Set an alarm clock everyday 30 mins before you wake up to do them. 

Writing out your chaos in your mind is huge, and now I am ready to find my sweet spot, I have often found that my sweet spots are in every day, small moments of my life- especially as a stay at home mom. 

Another challenge is to find 20 things that make you happy- if that is too hard, write 20 things that you are personally grateful for this will help you find your sweet spot again. 

Here is my list in no particular order

making a tried and true seasonal recipe in the kitchen

doodling in my sketchbook

playing with color schemes in watercolor

painting with Brushos (watercolor crystals)

reading on the porch swing

walking around my garden in the morning

Gardening and planting 

taking my dog for a walk

playing a card game with my kids

going to the pool with my kids

sketching my garden and flowers

visiting a park or trail

watch the sunrise

canning jelly and other things (hence the garden)

taking a nice long bath with lavender and bergamot essential oils

sending a card in the mail to a friend

calling a friend and just talking and listening to her.

painting an intuitive landscape or floral

visiting our local zoo (zoo memberships are worth every penny.)

stamping and making a card or two! 

There you go, it's getting real you guys! Trying to hold nothing back on my end so you can become the best that you can be!

Take care of yourself!

Luvs- 

Lisa Christensen

 

Silly Faces Art - a collaboration between parent and child

I wanted to share some of our go-to art "games" that brings smiles and lightheartedness to your home.

I remember in Middle school when I would go up to my art teacher and say I finished my project she would say- great, draw some eyes on it, and say- make a face- make it silly, make it how you are feeling or design a monster. So I did. I have no idea what I drew, but I can remember the feeling of drawing because it was fun, or latest to let out my creativity with nothing holding me back. That is what I hope for this exercise can do for your children.

I love this collaboration, because the parent, can draw simple eyes, and the child has control over how they want to make their faces.

If you are like- no way do I draw eyes- Totally get it- faces are not "my thing" either, get some googly eyes, and have them draw faces, just don't say I don't like to draw, that will hinder their creativity.

we spend hours of fun drawing faces, it's a fun way to express how you are feeling.

Here is the link to get you started!

https://thefineartcafe.academy/courses/drawing-silly-faces/?fbclid=IwAR18hBwRJVq_1wVGanOxqZM37w756jxzjqidY7iwV7GTdo7fZsErCyBYWKo

Why Percieved Value is worth looking into before you buy.

I love the Bare Necessity song from Jungle book- When you find that you can go along without thinking about it- I'll tell you something true- The Bare Necessities of Life will come to you.

Perceived Value. Let's talk real for a second. Perceived Value is something not to gloss over when you are going to purchase a big item or something that you have been saving your money for. 

The financial gurus at Investopedia would say This:

In marketing terminology, perceived value is the customers' evaluation of the merits of a product or service and its ability to meet their needs and expectations, especially in comparison with its peers.

Marketing professionals try to influence consumers' perceived value of a product by describing the attributes that make it superior to the competition.

Things are not always what they seem when perceived value comes into play: In a very real sense- Things are valuable by the way we view things. That is why there is competition in the piece of the pie for your hard earn dollar.

Here is a great example of what perceived value:

Let's take Serius XM- the Radio service that I love. ( I love having it in my car, and online.)

We got a new vehicle and it came with Sirius XM. I love free things, like the regular radio that I get free, But I saw value in Sirius XM after our free trial.

Why? Because for only $13 a month- a Price of a couple cups of coffee or hot chocolate per month I wouldn't have to listen to all those commercials, and I get to cherry-pick what I listen too.

They Marketed it as a being able to get all these channels, and don't miss your favorite baseball game! Okay- you got me!

So that $13 a month subscription didn't seem like a big deal, but then when you do the math it's over $ 150 ($156) to be exact, They advertise it at $8 a month, but with the luxury tax it comes out to be $13 a month. Geez! 

I can I spend my money a bit better, Maybe- But for me having Kid's Place Live, No Shoes Radio, The Garth Channel,  and the Beatles Channel, It's awesome! I can't live without it now.

Einstein famously said "It's all relative", and we see that pricing is no different - we just need something to make it relative to.

 Check out this other Case study about perceive value from Ninja Outreach

So getting to the root as to why I am writing this article.

A discussion between my husband and I have been: 

When and how to go back to Disney?

 Do we stay at Disney World or do we stay off "campus"

 Do we buy into Disney Vacation Club?

 This conversation has been going on for months. We are to the point that we all want to go back to Disney as fast as possible. I have a Whatever it takes attitude to get back to the Magic Kingdom. AS FAST AS I CAN! 

So after a good long week of talking about should, we or shouldn't we do DVC We came across this article that really talks about the perceived value that DVC offers.

DVC Fan mentions Perceived Value as Pixie Dust- so clever how Disney does that right?

 I encourage people in the strongest sense of the word to do their homework if they plan to finance. Look at it from all angles while doing your best to remove pixie-dust from the equation. Pixie dust is only allowed in if the monthly payments of financing a DVC contract do not present a hardship. If you have to give up other things, if you have scale back on your lifestyle or any meaningful necessities, then perhaps it’s not the right choice. 

 He also argues that not all luxury Items like Vacationing at Disney through Disney's Vacation Club is a luxury item, It's all in how you perceive your time and money, and what it's worth. Click here for here the whole article 

If your hobby is to plan a Disney vacation and go to Disney- and that is how you want to spend your hard earn money then the perceived value for you- is in a positive light. Some friends and family would think your crazy for spending that much money on a vacation. (I agree it's a ton of money) However I love, & My family loves everything, Disney, so for us, it's a no brainer to go to Disney as soon as we can. (it's our hobby) and everyone needs some kind of Hobby to keep you sane. Here is a great article as to why we all need some kind of hobby in our life! 

As of today, we haven't decided if we are going to go with DVC, Were still trying to decide if we want to spend our money on this.  (I don't think we will finance DVC if we can make it work.) 

What luxury item do you feel is worth every penny? 

Back to School shopping Check list

Des Moines Register contacted me, about how  I save money during tax free weekend in Iowa, I am happy to share with you a lovely conversation I had with Mackenzie, from the Des Moines Register, truly a fun conversation, lots of great tips are in her article, by none other than my self and another blogger from the Des Moines Area as well!

There are some really great ways to save money this month, I love spending money this month because there are some great deals that I can only get in August, Stock up and save!

Read about what was said in this conversation, and to view the whole article.

Learn more about Tax-free weekend go here

Here are my go-to things I get for during Tax-Free weekend and why:

Underwear: They almost never go on sale, but usually, I can get a buy one get one half, or they are just reasonable. My price point is about $2-$4 per pair of underwear.

Socks: Same thing, but I get just the fall/ spring socks, not the heavy socks that you would wear in the Winter.

Jeans: Can you see the pattern? I stock up on the essentials, The things that never go on sale.

Clearance items are a huge way of saving, I am always looking for the next size up for kiddo's, the next season's pants, and jeans. I will also look at clearance racks for shoes, especially for kids, like gym shoes, or dress shoes.


Happy Saving! or in this case Happy Shopping!

Thank you Des Moines Register, and a big shout out to Mackenzie, she did an amazing job with the article!

Adventureland day trip tips

Summer is almost over! I can't believe it, and I thought I would share how I use my Adventureland pass this summer!

For the past4 consecutive years of owning a season pass for the whole family, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on how to make a day trip to Adventure land worth your time.

Kids and Adventureland go together very well, Adventureland does a great job of keeping the park clean, the kids happy and most of all entertained.

you know those days that you love, that live in your memory for the whole year, until next time you can have the same experience? yup those happen in June for our family Here is what I like to do:

We love to go on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to the park. We start the day with our regular morning routine, then head to the park at opening. I like to get into the parking lot about 10 minutes before the gates open (9:50.) That's in a perfect world, usually, we are good if we get there sometime before 11!

From the main gates, the train ride, and the carousel are next. Depending on how busy it is we go towards the left where all the rides are, not down main street. and do all those rides first. However there is NO SHADE or very little shade, so if it's hot we by pass this group of rides.

Here are some of my quick tips:

If it's raining there is the arcade that is actually really reasonable, we love the air hockey game, for .50 cents it's worth waiting out the rain, also the G-Force is in the arcade, and it's one of my kids favorite rides, and no it doesn't cost anything to ride it.

There is enough variety of rides that my children never feel like they are waiting on a sibling, Adventureland laid their rides out perfectly, for example, my older kids can ride the bumper cars while my youngest ride the trucks, I have eyes on both of them.

I consider Adventureland a two-day thing: one trip just rides, in June usually. The other trip is spent at the water park lots of time spent there in July.

I LOVE THE WATER PARK, yes it does take you about 20 minutes from the time you park your car to the time you walk across the park to get to the waterpark. Here is my view on this: Yes I would love for season pass holders to have access to parking by the water park, until that day happens, I am happy that I am getting my steps in for the day, and I make it fun, by walking by our favorite rides, and saying yes you can ride that 1 ride, on the way to the waterpark that is your favorite ride aka tilt-a-whril.

AdventureBay has a big sandpit for kids, it's awesome to play in!

Water Park Prep: I don't mind the changing rooms at AdventureBay, but there are only two spots for family restrooms, we Change at home, wear our swimming suits to the park, with a simple change of clothes for the way back. We are usually dressed in our swimming suits, and a cover up, I like wearing shorts and a shirt, and just bring underwear to change into- keeping it simple and real!

I am not a huge fan of bringing tons of stuff into the park, So that means on a water park day I bring a towel for all of us to use, it's usually one that I don't love, so then when we are done drying off I donate the towel to the Animal Rescue league bin by the gift shop. It's a win for everyone!

Lazy River and sandpit

I also love the Sand Bar/pit, but I always forget to bring sand box toys, so we usually cover up our legs in the sand and then wash the sand off and then get into the lazy river that we all love to swim in, my Kindergartener can swim in it with out floaties.

The clear tubes you can rent and they can be used in the lazy river and the wave pool, both of which are really fun and relaxing. Season pass holders can rent them free with a $5 deposit that you get back when you return the tubes.

Water park nerves: I have three kids, that all want to do something different at the waterpark, I have the safety on my mind and it's not a break for me when it's just me and my 8yr, 5yr, and 3yr old. We stick mostly to the pirate pool, and the wave pool. Then if my kids are awesome like they are, I let the older kids play in the Kokomo Cove play area, and watch them as close as I can while the youngest and I play at the splash pad. I love the waterpark for this reason: there are always life guards on duty, and if you tell the life guard your situation, and it's not crazy busy (weekdays) they will be another set of eyes for you when you can't always watch them like a hawk.

I am not a park foodie, I don't mind the food, but if I am trying to feed my whole family I am usually the one to suggest Culvers across the street from Adventureland, Otherwise, I pack a lunch or better yet we leave the park when everyone gets hungry,

The Main Street Cafe gives pass holders a 10% discount on food, so I like to fill up our drinks there, hey every little bit helps to save some money.



Things you may not have realized
Parking is $10. If you have a season pass it's free. 
Adventureland has the longest running magic show in the nation, Way to go Ben Ulin! and it's worth seeing, my kids love it and he is quite humorous for the adults as well.

Want a Season pass for next summer? Adventureland usually puts the season passes on sale in December (Christmas presents from Grandma.) So look for that on their website in December. usually, they are about $30 off the regular price.

STOP WHAT YOUR DOING AND BUY THIS BOOK!!!

I was on Amazon and they have my most favorite book on sale for 1.99! The Kindle book price is $1.99

  
(affiliated link)

EEEKKK!!! This book changed my life, and I refer back to this book a lot! it's seriously worth your time to read! If you are at all creative or you lost yourself as being a mom, or a dad, and something is really missing in your life, this book is a way to jump start your life again. Seriously It's life changing for the better. I started blogging and watercolor on a regular because of this book, I got my life back and it's full of joy thanks to the help of this book. Julia Cameron is a brilliant Author and it's one of those books that can really help you learn how to use creativity to bless your life and those around you!

Not sure about this book, here are some of my favorite blog posts that the book has inspired me!

If any of my readers have read or "done" this book please let me know! Let me know what your favorite chapter was, or the most challenging thing you had to overcome from "reading" this book?



 
(affiliated link)

Art Journal Autograph book

Before our trip a nice a clean Autograph book

We were blessed to be able to go to Walt Disney World. So for 5 months, I was preparing for this week long dream come true!

Part of this planning was an autograph book. I knew that I wanted something that was personal, and creative. While I was watching an Art Journal class on CreativeBug I knew that I could make an art journal for our trip for autographs, it's a perfect fit for Autograph books!

Here are some of my tips, and How I made it work.

First, you need a good sturdy BOOK, The book I picked out was great until the last day, and it seemed to fall apart. So Get a bound book that can take getting altered. I like the mixed media sketchbooks for that purpose.





I love that art journals have no "rules" as it should be. So be free, when I was creating this journal/autograph book I wasn't thinking too much about the other pages I started in the middle and thought about the mood I wanted, I wanted each page to feel fun and bright and light hearted.

With the mood in mind I found stencils and away I went, I thought about color choices for each stencil and I decided that some pages needed to be simple and others had more saturated pigment than others, I wanted variety and texture on the pages so I used some liquid watercolors in a spray bottle which are super fun to play with!!!!

Other stencils I traced and then colored in the design, and also for some I used a blending technique to blend. Really I just wanted the whole book to feel carefree and bright, so I didn't fuss too much over the "art" of it, I spent most of my thoughts on the negitive parts asking questions like: Is there enough room for an autograph? Does the color work? is the color to saturated, You know all those silly questions you would ask if you were desinging something for someone.

For some non stenciled pages, I picked 3-4 watercolors and used brush strokes to make the page burst with colors, or used a light wash to bring out desing elements.
Not all the pages are showne in this post, I had 22 pages to create on, the perfect amount

Once the pages were painted on, I then had a pile of what I call "recycle art" Art that you don't want to throw away becuase you learned something from it, or you were messing around on some scratch paper and you really like how it turned out... Yep I used them in the book. I cut the art to size and added it to the pages with washi Tape, making it a flap to the page.  A cherished memory happend from my"recyled art" my daughter and I were getting Repunzell's autograph and she didn't want to sign on the flower that I wanted her to autograph on, she was like it's too nice to sign on top of it, that painting deserves to go in a frame, I assured her that it was just a pracitice one, and that she deserves this spot becuase after all my daughter and I love her! It was a special memory that I will cherish.

I chose washi tape that worked with the over all "feel" to match the washi tape to the book I used color theroy to govern my choice, that's all, nothing too fancy about it. If the color worked then it was good to go on.

Next I chose some journaling tags and stickers. I love going to Tuesday Mornings! While I was there in the winter I picked up a pack of cardstock stickers from Basic Grey (one of my all time favorite paper crafting designers) and knew that the stickers would be fun and bright for my addiction, I mean paper craft hoppy. Since I had like 10 sheets of the same stickers I didn't have to feel so stingy with the stickers and used them as accents to the Art Journal Autograph book! The stickers made the whole book look unified when before it looked like an art journal.

What do you think? have you used an art journal as a autograph book before? While we were at Cinderella's Royal Table Jasmin said to me, YOU GOT TO SELL THESE I have never seen anything like this before! So there you go, maybe I will start a new trend, I mean after all mixed media and art journals are so trendy right now, that it makes sense to turn your art journal into an autograph book right?

Got Kid Art?

Kids are a natural artist's so at our house, we try to do fun art,  It's really open-ended, and most activities can be done with simple art materials that you might have already.

Here are some of our favorite things we like to do...

Draw your Favorite Animal, since my kids animal changes daily you could make it into a book, for them!

Color your mood: Pick a color that matches the mood the child is feeling and color with just that, it's that simple, color whatever you want.... we like to use different mediums, like colored pencils, and markers to watercolor.

Paint with watercolor

Scribble Art: Scribble on some paper, then color in the areas with three or four colors. We love watercolor pencils for coloring in, and sharpies for the outlines.

Create a scene with window markers: Yes I love my windows for my children's canvas! it's so fun to see what they can create! and it makes me smile when I see their artwork on my patio door!

Paint or draw a Song: Paint/draw a picture to one of your favorite songs, (we like Gold Fish by Laurie Berkner) Or any classical music. Or A holiday favorite like Jingle Bells

Trace Shapes on paper: Find things to trace and then color it, We love wooden blocks s from Mellisa and Doug

Roll Dice Art Surprise game (it's really unpredictable and entertaining.)

Face Painting, We love Snazaroo's face painting products!

Marshmallow and toothpick sculpture: We like to make buildings and bridges!

Stamp/print with everyday objects you find around the house, make a background for wrapping paper.

Bubble printing.   We love bubble wrap, but blowing bubbles and getting a neat print is so much fun!

Paint with Flowers and leave:, We like to collect leaves, flowers, petals, and acorns, and paint with them as if they were stamps or brushes.

Color with Markers

Create a picture with Shaving Cream, this one is so fun to do, it's a giggle fest! the plus side is your house will smell good, I make them clean up before they do something else. WE LOVE playing on our patio door with shaving cream! It's A blast!

Paint with Q-Tips I keep it simple and let them only have primary colors.

Playdough fun time. I have a tot of fun play dough toys that I have collected at Garages Sales, I even get excited for this one!

Make a collage with pom poms, you can glue pom poms, or use the pom poms as a brush, either way, it's a fun time. To glue the pom poms I use a hot glue gun.

Glue drawing and rubbing, get some school glue, let them make swirls, lines, whatever with the glue, then when it dries, let them do a rubbing or a resist on the glue.

Make a Collage: cut out images from magazines, find objects from nature and stickers, if you are using hard to glue things (pom poms, sequins, buttons leaves,) use contact paper, and then display it on a window.

Create beads with model magic Then the next day you can create a necklace

Draw or paint Nature

Paint Sticks: Got sticks, and paint, why not paint them, here is a post I did on this easy fun activity

Why paper flowers are the new way to give flowers

I just completed my first ever custom order for paper flowers, and I am feeling pretty good about myself and my talent of making the paper look amazing.

While making this order my thoughts were turned to why are paper flowers a thing? and more importantly why give paper flowers?

Why is paper flowers a thing?

I believe that there are a maker and creative movement going on. Our world is all about creating When you get some amazing artists that turn ordinary objects (paper) into something stunning (flowers.)  Of course, that is what is going to go mainstream, now, years later this art form has become a beautiful artform to have paper flowers.

As a little girl I would make flowers out of cupcake liners, and tissue paper, ribbon, and even leaves, I was creating my own little happy floral shop as a child. I loved creating with what I had. Paper flowers are a beautiful art form that truly can last for a long time.

knowing that you can custom any flower to any color, any size, you may find yourself asking a paper artist/crafter to make you some flowers you have only dreamed about.

Maybe your loved one is in ICU in the hospital and you need some hope... Paper flowers are allowed to be in the room, unlike real flowers they allow paper flowers.

True story: I learned that real flower bouquets are beautiful for your daughter's dance recital until they wilt and die a couple days later, with crocodile tears and a sad daughter when you throw away the flowers, you think there has got to be a better way to remember her recital... Paper flowers are the answer!

Got a graduate that loves colors that are not quite traditional that you can get at the florist? Yup, I bet there is a paper in that color, and oh yeah I got that hot orange Iris covered... Just saying the possibilities are endless! You can have a lot of fun with paper flower bouquets!

Maybe you just want a special gift for your friend that you can't get at a store, a paper flower can me customized to the color, size, type of flower(s) If you can dream it you can make it!


Paper flowers are so much fun to make and to learn, for me The process is therapeutic, it calms my souls and makes my heart happy!

This will be a perfect mother's day gift, I love paper flowers because you can make them as interesting as the person that is getting them and I really find that these flowers can be designed to have a timeless feel.


 I love the simplistic white and yellow color pallet!

My design tip for simplistic flowers or design, do something subtle in the design process to add an element of wow, for example, my white daisies, I could have done just white card stock, instead, I used a white paper with a small off-white pattern, so the flowers have a bit of texture. Just a small change can really change your project to wow to Amazing!

Happy Creating! and Happy Mother's day!

How to find the perfect Chicken recipe for your family

Are you like me and you love your cookbooks and want to know how to utilize chicken in your recipes? I own lots of cookbooks, I got overwhelmed with all these Chicken recipes and I end up roasting the chicken and for a side dish, I do mac and cheese! Does that ever happen to you? (you say no way, I am a way too awesome for that.) Then it’s just me, right?

I have narrowed my search for good chicken recipes into 3 categories:

Type of cooking method is it fried, baked, roasted, grilled, shredded (slow cooked.) or Sous Vide.

Type of meal is it a casserole or a stand-alone portion.

Prep process does it need to be marinated, or brined, or cooked all day, do I have to debone it before I cook it or can I after.

All of the categories mentioned plays a part in getting the perfect recipe. And don’t worry I don’t always follow the prep part of the recipe, because I know that if the end result is to shred the chicken, then I have that covered from freezing and shredding a couple chickens at once. I just need time to defrost it from my freezer.

The type of recipes can all coexist but I usually can look at the recipe and within 3 seconds know if it’s worthy of my time. When it comes to recipes I know what will work, or doesn’t work in my kitchen.

This is what I do:

Know your audience: I start off with the right cookbook, if I am wanting a family friendly chicken dinner I always go to those Church cookbooks, (the ones that are spiral bound and looks like it’s from your community you grew up in,) then you're in the right place. If you want a chicken dinner to impress you may want an everyday Italian cookbook or even the Pioneer woman cookbook. Knowing who you are cooking for helps a ton when looking for a chicken recipe. Look for cookbooks that have a specific ingredient index, that will help aid in your search.

Start with the recipe title, what clues can I get from the title: Here are some clues that I know right off the bat if my family will eat that or not, or if the recipe is worthy of my time, all the while I am not getting into the ingredient section. Focus on the title of the recipe. Here are some examples:

Baked Chicken: can mean that it’s a bit healthier and fast, but not all the time… look at how long it says it will be ready

Stuffed Chicken Breasts: really mean, more time and energy that I might not have to devote too unless it’s for a dinner party or a special occasion I am not making this for my family.

Creamy x and chicken: really means this is a casserole, perfect for those long winter nights…

Mr perfect chicken salad: really means precooked chicken with salad-like ingredients. That might be worth my time if I have a family picnic, but not as a family supper.

Chicken pesto with pasta: a healthy alternative to a creamy sauce, and easy if you buy pesto, or cheap if you grow your own herbs for pesto, a must try for this family.

Favorite herb Chicken: example: lemon and rosemary chicken, usually a marinade or a flavor enhancer to add flavor, usually a roasted, sous vide or grilled type recipe that is very open ended.

Smothered Chicken: lots of cheese or sauce loaded with seasoning to make it spicy and delectable. (best done at a restaurant and not at my house… (just kidding)) This recipe does take some time to make.

Blackened Chicken: it’s roasted usually with lots of spices on the skin that you can taste through the chicken. This one is also a great recipe that usually calls for roasting, Sous Vide, or baked.

Knowing the title can make all the difference in giving up on finding the perfect recipe, and knowing the dish, the way it’s prepared and having an idea of how labor intensive will help with finding the right recipe.

At first glance of the recipe, if the ingredients are more than 5 ingredients long I usually skip that recipe, I am in it to feed my family, not become a gourmet chef, usually, If I am looking for a more upscale recipe then I can go into the more time intensive recipes.

I have a small rule when it comes to the rest of the recipe, the ingredients need to be one that I can access easy, It should be in my well-stocked pantry or something I can pick up next time I am at the store. It should also be something that isn’t expensive that I may again for a while. Usually, if it’s a spice that I don’t hardly use, if it’s in a small spice jar for about a $1 then I will get it. Be careful with different types of oils, sometimes it’s not worth the extra money, (spices and olive oil that you can make your own for a fraction of the cost.)

Another thing I look at is the brand name of some of the ingredients, I usually substitute brand name items for the store brand if it’s comparable, sometimes it’s not and I end up getting the name brand product.

Finding the right Chicken recipe is a process, I like to think of it as a culinary journey. Most of the time I find a good grilling or marinade recipe that I can sous vide or roast and I am golden for like 6 months, because with one open-ended recipe I can add different sides, I can change up how I present it, (chicken breast, quarters, shredded on a bun, all with one recipe. So it’s not that you need 50 good recipes you need one good open-ended recipe that you can do more with.