Kids love Music

It is true, kids love music.

Best Semi-Homemade Cornbread Reccipe

I know anything made from scratch usually tastes better but, I like I have that kind of time?  Thankfully, not everything great has to be made from scratch

Safety Town

Safety Town is

Legoland Discovery Place

We recently visited the new Legoland Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta & had a great time.  My Sis-In-Law & nephew were visiting from Fla for 12 days & we had to keep them entertained w/fun activities.  Thankfully, they've never been to the Legoland Amusement Park in Fla or this might have been a terrible idea! My 5 yr old, Cameron & I went with my SIL & nephew, Christian, who is 9 yrs old on a Friday right after July 4.  We left Emily behind with my Mom watching her because I had heard that it wasn't too great for young toddlers. Also, I figured as long as we were going to Phipps Plaza, we might as well enjoy a nice lunch too & that coupled with the long drive would be too much for Emily who needs an early afternoon nap.  We figured going on a weekday, we'd be safe as far as crowds but, apparently a lot of people were off the rest of the week after the 4th so, wrong we were!  It was still really crowded but, we had $10 off coupons so, it made it a little more worth it!  One of the neatest things there is the mini-city of Atlanta.  It was so fun to look around at the Braves Stadium & various buildings & area attractions all made out of Legos.  Totally cool!  It even had a Marta train that ran around the city.  Some things had buttons you could push that made attractions do various things. The kids really liked this too.  The kids also loved the 4D movie which has water that sprays at you at various points & it even snows on you- cool!  It was really neat.  The kids also liked the ride where you ride in a car (4 people p/car) thru tunnels (like a Disney-type ride) & you have guns that shoot at laser targets when you're going thru.  Also, there's a ride that looks like a carnival ride w/arms that have little 2-person things that go up & down as they spin.  They have pedals and supposedly the more you pedal, the higher you go.  I didn't find that to be the case but, then again, I had a kid next to me (my own) who couldn't really reach the pedals!  Anyway, that ride was kind of neat.  They also have a small factory tour at the beginning but, nothing special.  They have small pits of Lego/Duplos around each of the attractions so that if there is a wait in line, the kids can build & play.  I thought that was cool.  More places should think of that!  They also had a big "McDonalds" type of play area w/ball pit & stuff toothat the kids can take their shoes off & go in & play in.  There are a couple of other things there to do like make little cars to race but, it was too busy when we were there.  They have a cafe to eat in but, I was looking forward to having lunch at a "real" restaurant.  We did end up having a great lunch at a place called "Twist" right there at the mall.  Great food, great atmosphere & they had a kids menu too.  There is also a "Johnny Rockets" right outside the Lego place so, I'm sure kids would enjoy that. I was surprised to find that the Legoland place was actually right there inside the mall.  I guess I thought it would be adjacent to the mall or something.  Unusual but, neat.  The caveat is, you have little kids w/you so, you can't really get much shopping done at this posh mall!    Overall, it was definitely worth it if you have $10 off coupons but, w/out a discount (kids 3-12 $16 & adults $20), not so much.

Fun & Different New Local Park

So, I've been checking out all of the new local parks so, that my kids have more options in our area for different kinds of play.  One of the latest is called "Caney Park Preserve" (off Caney Rd., off 141 in Cumming).  This is a neat park with different nature themed play areas grouped together. They also have walking trails and a dog park as well as a picninc pavillion & restrooms.  I went w/my 2 yr old & 5 yr old & my visiting Sister-in-Law & 9 yr old nephew.  The 2 boys had a great time climbing the giant rope spider web.  The kids also liked the water feature that is basically rocks that you climb on with a water stream running down the middle of it & it's enircled by sand.  The kids can play in the water & sand (yes, it's kind of messy). We didn't really let them play much in this part because I didn't dare mess up my new car that I had only had for about a week!  They also have giant ants that kids can climb on but, they're just like giant stepping stones so, who cares?  They have a "Dinosaur Dig" area with pretend (permanent) fossils sticking out of the sand.  Since we brought our sand toys, the kids had fun playing in the sand.  I will say this park is best for 3 or 4 yrs old & up (not much to keep a young toddler occupied).  Of course little Emily tried to keep up with the big kids anyway.  Unfortunately, like most parks in our area, there's not a lot of shade but, the Dinosaur Dig area did have some shade from the trees.  The playground has a very woodsy surrounding & I'm sure the trails must be nice but, we didn't go on them this time.  I'll have to report more later after another visit.  My adice would be to bring sunscreen ( & maybe bugspray, depending on when you go) and sand toys.  I liked it because it was different but, I think 2 yr old Emily was missing the slides or swings that are at most playgrounds. 

Cheddar Chicken Tenders

Yum, who doesn't love good chicken tenders?  Here's a nice twist on them that is quite tasty.  I made them the other night & my whole family liked them.  Yummy & easy to make -what a combo!

Recipe:
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups (about 3 oz.) Cheez-It crackers
1 1/4 lbs chicken breast tenders

Put Rack in lower 3rd of oven & preheat to 375 degrees.  Brush baking pan w/oil (I line mine w/aluminum foil for easy clean up).  Crush crackers in to crumbs w/food processor (or put them in a plastic zip-loc bag and bang the crap out of them).  They don't have to be super-fine crumbs, just smashed up enough to roll the chicken in them. Transfer cracker crumbs to bowl & stir in pepper.  Toss tenders in mustard & then dredge them in Cheez-It crumbs to coat.  Arrange on oiled pan & bake (turning once) until golden brown, about 15 minutes.  I like to serve them w/honey mustard or buttermilk ranch for dipping.  You can dip them in whatever you like because they go well w/most any sauce.  Bon Appetit!

Makeshift Outdoor Tent/Fort

Okay, so I saw this somewhere (& I'm thinking it must have been Pinterest) and I knew my kids would like it.  You make a tent/fort/house (whatever you want it to be) outside by using rope and sheets or blankets & whatever trees you have available.  Today was a hot summer day but it wasn't too hot this morning & there was a slight breeze which made it bearable outside.  I went out with both kids to the backyard & took some rope (I reccomend rope that you use for towing or clothelines) that I keep in the garage.  I bought mine at the Dollar Store (Is there anything you can't buy there?) and it is a long 65 feet of rope.  I keep it for hanging stuff outside like when your decorating for an outdoor party & you need to hang stuff & for camping (hanging a tarp, as a clothesline etc.) or, for this idea.....  You could use 3 short ropes but, I found it easy to use this 1 long rope.  You tie one end to a tree & stretch it across to another tree (or in this case, my kids play-climber) at about chest-high level & tie it.  You can tie a 2nd rope, ideally about 1-2 feett or so apart from that first one & slightly higher (maybe 6-10 inches) . Then, tie the third one the same distance apart but, about the same height as the 1st one.  Once you drape the blankets over the ropes, it will have a tent or house effect since, the middle rope is higher to give it the peak in the middle.  Of course, if you use 1 rope like I did, you just have to pull it over to the next place that you want it to be.  In other words, tie it on the branch and then pull it over to another branch slightly higher to tie the 2nd line & then pull it over to another branch for the 3rd line.  Hope this makes sense but, if not, looking at my pics should help.  Then you drape 2 blankets or sheets (full or queen size work well) over the ropes (one lenghtwise & one widthwise) and you have a nice tent to play in.  I reccomend using sheets instead of blankets because the weight of the sheets doess weigh down the ropes a good bit.  I can imagine heavy blankets would really weigh them down. I also like the light, airy feeling of the white sheets because they kept the sun off of us but, we still enjoyed a lot of light. We put an outdoor blanket down for a "floor" and use little surf-floats (that came with our Slip-n-Slide) as beds & throw pillows from our outdoor patio set to make our fort comfy inside.  We played in there for a good while this morning & then had snack under there this afternoon. It's also really easy to take down & we took it down at the end of the day.  My kids really liked it & so did I!  I do not have 2 trees close enough together to make this between 2 trees (which is really ideal) but, I improvised by substituting my kids play-climber for one of the trees.  I wish I could have gotten the ropes a little farther apart to make a bigger fort but, I had them as far apart as I could with using the play-climber.  Also, I wish I could have tied the middle rope higher to make the more house-like peak but, couldn't due to the height of the kid's climber that I had to use.  I think I'll get more creative & do a much better tent next time but, it was still a lot of fun. Believe me, I wish I could've made it bigger because, I did spend a pretty good amount of time in there with my kids!  Anytime, I wasn't in there with them, they called out to me to join them!

Frozen Yogurt Pops

Okay, in my quest to find healthy frozen treats for my kids this summer, I ended up finding nothing!  Well, that is nothing that comes already made in a box in the frozen section of the grocery store.  Most products out there are so high in sugar & fat with little nutritional value. If I had a kid who ate a well-balance diet the majority of the time, I probably wouldn't care so much. Unfortunately, my oldest is so picky & hard to please that this is not the case.  Unless, of course, the 4 food groups are really Pasta, Ice cream, Bread and Cookies. Oh the humanity!! Once again, I find myself back in the kitchen making my own concoctions just so that I can justify feeding my kids frozen treats at any time!  The supplies are things you probably already have on hand.  I used 9 in. paper "Dixie" cups and plastic spoons to make the pops.  I used greek yogurt because it's way higher in protein than the regular kind.  I gotta maximize these frozen pops for all the healthy benefits! My sons not that big on yogurt so, I planned to make these as much like ice cream pops as I could. At 5 yrs old, he's getting harder & harder to fool.  Emily (almost 2) loves yogurt so, she'll eat them either way.  The first pic up top is of the pops before they were frozen & the 2nd one is after they were frozen. For my son, who doesn't like fruit (yeah, that's I right, I said it), I used vanilla greek yougurt with a little mashed up oreo cookies and a couple spoonfuls of Yoplait Chocolate Mousse yogurt (to give the chocolate ice cream effect).  I kind of layered the items for a nice presentation.  As you can see by the pics, Cameron's looks pretty cool (& delicious!).  For Emily's, I used plain greek yogurt with a little sugar added (still less sugar than using the vanilla yogurt) & pureed blueberries sweetened with a little sugar.  After you put the ingredients in the paper cups (fill about 3/4 of the way full), just stick the plastic spoon down in the cup (with handle side stick up of course).  After they freeze (1-2 hrs), you can just tear the paper cup down the side a little & the treats pop right out with a built-in handle to hold them.   Both kids loved these but, I will make them a little smaller next time because they couldn't finish them in one sitting.  The nice thing is, you can put the pops upside down back in the paper cups & stick them in the freezer to eat the rest later. I recommend eating these outside because they do make a little mess but, they don't seem to drip as much as regular ice cream does.  My kids were wearing their bathing suits to play in the water afterwards so, I figured they'd get cleaned off after eating them without any effort.  I will say that when Cameron first tasted his he said "It tastes like Yogrit (meaning yogurt)" and I played dumb.  I neither confirmed nor denied this because, he will simply not eat things just because he is turned off by what he thinks it is, instead of giving it an un-biased taste.  Although these are made from yogurt, if you have a kid who is just coo-coo, like mine, you can calls these "frozen treat pops" or "frozen ice-cream pops".  Either way, they tatse great & you can feel good about serving them.

Hydrangeas

Here's a tip about planting Hydrangeas.....Don't give up on them!  I love Hydrangeas and they were the main flowers in my wedding.  Several years ago, my mom planted a Hydrangea bush in our yard & for about 3 yrs straight, it never bloomed.  We had finally given up & since it was in a prime location, my husband decided to dig it up & replant it elsewhere in our yard.  For some reason, he picked a spot on the side of our house where we keep our large trash can behind a white resin screen ( the resin screen looks nicer than looking at a big ugly trash can).  Oddly enough, the next year, it started blooming with big, beautiful, blue flowers & it has thrived the last couple of summers.  It produces gorgeous Hydrangeas but, the problem is, no one really sees the flowers behind the trash can!  I swear people, you can't make this stuff up!  The pic in this post is a Hydrangea bouquet on our kitchen table.  Unfortunately, the only way anyone gets to enjoy these flowers is by us cutting them off & making bouquets.  Oh well, lesson learned!

Tales from tha Airplane -Part 2

So, I didn't blog about the airplane ride home from West palm Beach yet. The whole reason that you take a round-trip airplane is because it's just not enough torture once. To really get the whole miserable experience of flying with toddlers, you gotta do it twice! I must say, flying out of West Palm is a total dream compared to the Atlanta airport. I kept waiting for all of the super-nice airport employees to short-circuit & blow-up in front of me because I was sure they couldn't be real. I waited at the ticket line behind 1 other person. That kind of beats the 4 zillion people I waited behind in Atlanta for45 minutes -just slightly :) Also, the airport is so small & easy to get around in. Security was a breeze & complete strangers that were also passengers kept asking if I needed help or anything. No one in Atlanta ever bothered to do that. I swear I think you could pull up to the airport, kids & all, 15 minutes before your flight & still make it. Anyways, Emily was a little better on this flight but, it was also during my kids dinnertime so, I had to have more than snacks this time. I had so much other stuff so, space for food was limited in my backpack but, I managed to have whole wheat PB&J "Uncrustables" sandwiches for my kids to eat. If you r not familiar with these, you should be. I like to call them "Unfusstables" as they come frozen & they that they thaw as you're on your way & you don't have to make & package the sandwiches yourself and my kids don't fuss because they really like them. 'Nuff said? Okay, so,as Emily is trying to stand up, look out the window, jump around & eat her sandwich all at the same time, I try to sit there & attempt to restrain her in some kind of way. Eventually, a man behind me taps me on the shoulder & says "I think I should tell you that you have a big glob of jelly in your hair". Nice, that's all I need. Now, I was not so much embarassed (I'm pretty much beyond that as a mother) but, did wonder what the state of my hair really was at this point. As I tried to check it out, the girl beside me gives me a mirror & I see there's jelly on my sunglasses (which were on top of my head) too. The guy behind me says "I'm sorry, I just thought you should know". I say "Oh well, I've had worse". Laughter erupts from everyone seated around me. I'm sure they felt my pain with my rambuctious kids on the plane. Oh, I amost forgot Emily bit Cameron twice on the plane (she never did that before! Why now?!) & apparently the 2nd time she bit him really hard. He screamed like nobody's business! All I could do was tell him "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do we're on an airplane". The next day, during bathtime I notice how bad the bite was & felt terrible. Anyway, despite how it sounds, the kids were actually pretty good on the plane & in the airport, especially Cameron who is five. I might actually do it again one day!

Tales from the Airplane -Part 1

I recently took a trip on an airplane with just myself & my kids for the first time. I have flown with just my son before when he was a baby but, not both kids. There were so many things that went wrong but, yet, so many things that went right. The things that went wrong were things that were out of my control & most were not my kid's fault! I should say that we were flying out of the Atlanta airport which is an extemely large & busy airport. The line for the ticket counter wrapped all the way around the place so, that was horrendous in itself. Keeping Emily (almost 2) strapped in the stroller barely moving for 45 minutes was a real test. Not to mention, Emily's car seat was resting on top of her stroller canopy (& was wobbling around up there) & I was pulling a large suitcase (wheeled, of course)& wearing a heavy backpack while pushing the stroller w/the car seat on top. People either thought I was brave or insane (I'm hoping for brave). I was so happy when I got to the ticket counter & got to ditch the suitcase & carseat for baggage. Then, I had to make it thru security which meant taking Emily (& a carry-on that I had in the stroller basket) out of the stroller, folding the stroller & putting it on x-ray conveyer belt along with my backpack, Cameron's backpack, our carry-on bag & my shoes. Just a few travel items :) All of this while Emily is running around like a chimpanzee after finally being released from the stroller. Then they stop & go thru my carry-on bag because the x-ray showed something suspicious (which turned out to be a toy, yah, whatever!) & then they send it back thru the x-ray machine while I get Emily back in the stroller, you can imagine how she felt about that. Thru all of this, Cameron was such a trooper. He never complained about all of the walking (& sometimes running) & he answered all of the questions that any of the airport personnel asked him. A lot of people don't realize the extra effort that you go thru when you have a stroller because you have to take elevators instead of escalators & their not as conveniently located. You also have to wait awhile for the elevator sometimes & often wait thru multiple times because there can be lots of people in big wheelchhairs wating to get on too. Frankly, it's a real pain in the ass. On the flight, the kids were pretty good. I had to have Emily on my lap because she's still under 2 & can fly free then. I knew that wouldn't be easy but luckily, Cameron is small & with the armrest up, we had plenty of room. It was like our oown little 3-person bench, except it was more like 2 people & a chimpanzee. I think the other passengers got tired of me saying "No, no Emily", "sit down Emily", "stop that Emily" etc. but, oh well. I did have a couple of books & both kids sat attentively while I read to them. Of course, I also had the holy grail....snacks. The kids really enjoyed putting the tray tables down & eating their snacks. Luckily the flight to West Palm Beach is only about 1 hr & 45 min. I think if it was any longer, I might have had to try to check Emily as baggage in a dog crate. Don't worry, I'd still provide her snacks.

Fun Outdoor Game

Here is a fun outdoor game that kids really like and that requires no equipment (yes!!). Well, there is one caveat, you need a yard with at least a few trees(even small shrubs will do) in it. The game is called "Squirrel". This game is really great for kids 3 & up (even my teenage niece & nephew like to play it). Basically, you need 1 tree for each person (except for the person who is "it"). Each person picks a tree to stand at & the person who is "it" is the Squirrel and they stand at a designated point in the middle of the playing area but, about ten feet or more away from the players. When the Squirrel yells "Squirrel!", the players have to run to another person's tree (they can't stay at their own). The Squirrel tries to tag one of the player's when they're running & if they catch one before they reach a tree, that person becomes the Squirrel. If all of the player's make it to another tree without being caught, the same Squirrel is "it" again. It's a lot of because only one person is allowed at each tree so, sometimes people fight over the same tree all while trying not to get caught by the squirrel. Try it & add a little chaos to your backyard! So, you may have noticed that there are little ghosts in the pic that I posted. Yes, this pic was taken around Halloween, I'm not a weird or something!

Circus Birthday Party -Success!!

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting about my son's party that happened recently. After weeks of planning & designing, my son's Circus Birthday Party for his 5th Birthday was a a success! He was thrilled & so was I. We had a lot of fun & so did our guests. We had a concession stand with individual popcorn & cotton candy as well as a clown, balloon animals, games with prizes & we had lunch & Birthday cake of course too. The games wer "Pin the Nose on the Clown" which I did another post about earlier and a "Knock down the Pins game". We also had a basketball hoop game & a large Circus cut-out that you put your heads in to take pictures like you're one of the circus performers. My niece made balloon art as in; dogs, flowers, giraffes, swords, hats, swans. The kids loved that & my sister was "Bubbles the Clown" & she looked great! She diidn't really have a specific duty but, it really helped add to the circus effect to have a clown there. I used a tent canopy (like the kind you put up at a sporting event or over at festival booths) as a Circus tent & used it for the kids to eat under. I used plastic red & white table cloths (from the dollar store) that I cup up to make the tent "curtains". The tent turned out cute & it really made the circus look complete. I used a dog crate with stuffed lions & tigers in it to make it look like the animals were waiting in their trailer cages before performing. We served corndogs & chips for lunch with fruit as well. I made a large 12 in. round cake with circus stripes on it & put some circus figures that my son had on it. Baking is defintely one of my passions & I love making cakes. In the past, I've made much more elaborate cakes for Cameron's Birthdays but, I had so much other stuff to do that I had to do something more simple this year. I had circus themed goody bags for the all of the kids to take home &they had stickers, foam clown noses & Barnum's Animal Crackers in them as well as a couple of other trinkets. Cameron helped me fill them up. We even had circus music which was basically the same circus theme looping over & over but, no one seemed to mind & it realy made it seem like a real circus. Several of Cameron's friends & classmates came as well as his Grandpa (my dad) & my circus helpers (my sis, niece & 2 nephews). At the end of the day, we were all tired but, I had one really happy 5 year old to tuck in bed that night!

Cute Clown Party Game

So, I'm getting ready to throw my son a Circus themed Birthday Party in our backyard. One of the games that we'll be playing is "Pin the Nose on the Clown". I bought a cheap (for only $1.41!!) online at birthdaydirect.com and I glued it to a posterboard & wrote a sign for it on the posterboard. The game is really just a great clown face on thin, glossy paper so, I had to put it on something so, that I wouldn't have to stick it to a wall (the party will be outdoors. Alos, I felt that the games we play needed signs to explain what they were. The game comes with 12 paper noses that you cut out & you can put tape on the back of them to stick them to the clown face. Since the game was so cheap, I actually bought an extra one so that we would have more noses for more kids to play. There is also a cheap, black paper blindfold included but, we'll probably use something else instead. We will write each kids name on the noses so that we'll kmow who's nose is whose when they're all on the face. I think the kids will really like it.

Balloon Animals

In preparation for my son's upcoming Circus Birthday Party, my 13yr old niece is practicing making balloon animals. She has done a little ofthis in the past & is willing to be the Balloon Animal Maker at the party. I found some fairly easy illustrated instructions online & printed them off for her. You can find the long skinny balloons to make the animals with at Party City for around $4 for a a pack of 25 balloons & a few other places sell them too. It's better not to buy the cheapest balloons you can find because they definitely don't hold up as well & pop while you're twisting them or blowing them up. You can also buy the balloon pump for about $5 at party city too. The pic that's posted is a pic from my niece, Hannah, on her first day of practicing when we recently got together for Easter. I am doing my son's Circus Party on a tight budget while trying to incoporate as much circus fun as I can. Believe me, this will be a lot cheaper than hiring someone to make balloon animals!

More play with Boxes

Here's yet another post related to kids playing with boxes.... Another fun idea with a box that's big enough for a kid to sit in (especially if it''s a big shallow box) is to put toys in it & let a kid play in the box. This is especially great for 1 & 2 yr olds. You can put blocks, or other toys in the box & let them play. You can even use one a a mini-ball pit. It's amazing how much longer a toddler will play with toys just because it's in a different way. My 22 month old sat in the box for a long time playing. As you can see by the pic, she even put a doll stroller in there! Older kids will really use their imagination with this. Try this & remember to think outside the box!

Snacks in a Muffin Tin

Okay, here is a great idea although, I cannot take credit for it. I have seen the idea on more than one website but, thought I'd post my version for my friends & faithful floowers (are there actually any out there?). Some people use the idea for lunch or dinner but, I do this for snacks sometimes. I use a silicone muffin tray w/6 compartments and I put snack foods in it to keep my kids busy while I'm cooking or something. It comes in handy when you're trying to prep dinner but, you have to fill it w/healthy stuff in that case otherwise, you'll be annoyed that they don't eat their dinner. I usually fill the compartments w/dried fruits/raisins, cheerios, marshmallows, goldfish, graham sticks, blueberries, cheese cubes or anything that I think my kids will like to munch on. I'm limited w/Cameron because he is super picky & will only eat certain foods. Emily on the other hand, might eat the tray itself since she likes everything! I've got to start getting more creative w/Cameron because even he is starting to not like the handful of things that he supposedly likes. That's a whole nother story! Anyway, this would be good for getting kids to eat more balanced meals because you could put small amounts of fruit, veggies,crackers, cheese & meats in the compartments & the kids will actually eat them because of the way it's presented. Kids are more likely to try something when it's presented in a fun way & when it's an option rather than just "eat what's on your plate!". Give it a try. If nothing else it keeps them occupied for awhile eating out of it! Also, as a side note....Muffin tins are great for practicing sorting small things (for those that are over the choking hazard age) or for storing small craft supplies in. You can even just give kids the muffin tin to play with. You'd be surprised what they come up with. BTW, I like the silicone one for the kids to eat out of because it's a more kid-friendly size for snacking but, the bigger metal ones are better for playing or sorting or actually making real muffins in :)

Painting Rocks

Here is a fun idea that can be 2 seperate fun activities. I did this with my son when he was still an only child & decided that both of my kids would have fun doing this now. It's great for kids who love parks or nature and kids who love art. First, you'll want to collect rocks of various sizes. You can find them in your yard or near your home. If you want to make this a seperate activity, go to a local park and go on a rock hunting expedition. My kids love this. We bring a big bucket or bag to put the rocks in & bring them home and wash them off with the garden hose. Then, as part 2, the same day or seperate day, we paint the rocks using paint & paint brushes. We use washable paint, only because I'm paranoid of the kids getting permanent paint on their clothes etc but, you could use tempera or some other more permanent type if you're going to keepps the rocks outside. The washable paint may eventually was away from the rain & stuff if you leave them outside. Someimes we make a painted rock collection to display or use a painted rock as a paper weight. You could also make a colorful rock garden outside as well. Try it, the kids will love it!

Gift wrapping large presents

A great way to gift wrap a large present is to use a plastic disposable tablecloth. They come in all kinds of prints & colors & you can get them for a buck at any dollar store. What could be better? Short post but, maybe it's something you never thought of. :)

Cheesy, Crunchy Chicken Tenders

Here's a great variation on Chicken tenders. It is really easy & they are baked so, still pretty good nutritionally. I made them & my whole family liked them. We dipped them in honey mustard & served mashed potatoes & broccoli on the side. They would go great with a lot of other sides too. Here's the recipe: 2 TBSP Olive Oil 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/3 cup dijon mustard 1 1/2 cups (3 oz.) Cheez-it Crackers 1 1/4 lb. chicken tenders Put rack in lower third of oven & preheat to 475 degrees. Brush a baking pan w/olive oil (I line it w/aluminum foil for easy clean up) or you could also use cooking spray but, spray generously. Pulse crackers in food processor (or put in ziploc bag & bang the crap out of them w/flat side of a meat tenderizer & transfer to bowl. Stir in black pepper. Toss tenders in dijon mustard & then drudge in Cheez-it crumbs). Arrange on oiled pan & bake truning once until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Hint: If the pan is not oiled enough, when you attempt to turn them, the coating will get stuck to the pan -Not good. Enjoy!

Latest Easter Cake

Well, I admit I haven't made time to blog much lately but, in my defense, Easter came. Holidays always make you busier. I did however manage to make a great cake for Easter. The last couple of years we have gone over to my Dad & Step-Moms for a big meal & usually I bring a dessert. My latest cake was a Pink Ruffle Cake. This was my first time doing this cake decorating technique & I think it came off pretty good but, it took awhile to get the ruffles in fairly neat columns. I will defintely do it better the next time now that I've worked out some of the bugs. The beauty of it is, it's not supposed to be perfect because it's ruffles & it's loose & frilly. I'm not posting a recipe because you can actually use any kind of cake that you want & the frosting can be any type of homemade Buttercream (for decorating purposes). I doubt you could use canned frosting for this type of decorating. If you're not familiar w/this type of cake, you can always Google "Pink Ruffle Cake" & you'll get all kinds of pics & recipes. I don't know why they're usually pink but, I guess because ruffles always look good in pink! You can use a decorator tip #103 or 104 & it's pretty easy to make the ruffles up & down the cake. It's not quite as easy to do the top (at least not if you want it to look good!) but, you can always add other elements to the top if you want. I added some pastel jelly beans just to give it a little Easter touch. Everybody enjoyed the cake & it was great w/some ice cream on the side! Yum!

More DVDs for Toddlers

You can never have too many things to keep a toddler occupied. Now, as you probably know by now, I'm not one to just plunk a kid down in front of the TV at random. However, there are times when you need to get something done or need a quick nap (sitting next to your toddler on the couch) and a DVD can help. There is a series of DVDs at our local library that are 30 minute DVDs of a Nick Jr. show "Curious Buddies". I don't think they still show it on Nick Jr. but, what the hell do I know?
Anyway, it's designed for kids 0-2 and it features these little puppets that are a dog, cat, pig, bear & elephant but, has mucial montages of real kids doing different things associated with the different themes. There's "Curious Buddies Exploring at the Beach, Helping at Home, Look & Listen at the Park, Let's Build & more. My little Emily (21 mos.)is glued to them for most of the 30 minutes & even Cameron (at almost 5 yrs) will still watch them with her. These DVDs are also good for car trips when the baby needs a break from screaming & throwing snacks :)

Easter Decorating Idea

One of my son's favorite holidays is Easter (behind Christmas & Halloween) & he really likes getting out the Easter decorations each year. One thing that we do every year is create our own Easter tree. The pics I posted are of Cameron with last year's tree in the background & then, a pic of this year's (better) tree. I have a small collection of mini-Easter ornaments & we make our own Easter tree to hang them on. We usually go outside & hunt for the perfect bare tree branches that will become our little tree. Cameron likes going out with me to find the branches & collect rocks for the base. The last couple of years we used a clear vase with small rocks in the bottem to steady the branches & to be decorative. We used to paint the branches a pastel or white color but, to make it easier, we just leave them au natural now. Then we hang the little ornaments on the little branches & step back in awe to view our little tree. It's the little things, you know?

Carrot Cake Recipe

So as Easter is approaching, I'm thinking what kind of dessert I will whip up for Easter Day. One of my passions is baking & I especially love making & decorating cakes. Last year I made a really good Carrot Cake & will probably do some kind of cake this year. Here is the recipe for the Carrot Cake...

Best Carrot Cake Ever
Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 pound finely grated carrots
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1 cup golden raisins
1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by greasing w/crisco shortening & dust w/flour.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg together in a bowl. Set aside.

Mix the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the carrots, pecans and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake on the center rack for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the frosting...

Yummy Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar to taste

Directions:

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add extracts and beat just until incorporated. Beat in sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting has the flavor and consistency you want. You may not need to add all of the sugar.



Frost first layer of cake then, add 2nd layer on top & frost entire rest of cake.
Get ready for rave reviews!

St. Patty's Day

Okay, so St. Patty's Day didn't go as planned this year. We had an uneventful & pleasant road trip down to Fla. Then, on ST. Patty's Day itself, my mom had checked a local web-site to see what time they were doing the annual parade there this year, we got dressed in our festive green clothes & accessories. We headed down to where they have the parade in the town square know as "Sumter Landing" & noticed that there wasn't quite the usual traffic/crowd as in the past. Well, after we walked around a bit & noticed that no one was lining the streets to get their spots for the parade, we finally asked a lady if she knew when the parade was starting. Imagine the looks on our faces when she said "The parade was yesterday" -Yeah, not good. I was all torn up about it because it was all my son had looked forward to & the fact that my Mom had it wrong. Never before had the parade been held the day before St. Patrick's Day -what gives?! We never did find out why but, I think my Mom learned to check her sources a little better & we did get to do some other fun stuff. They were giving boat rides on the small lake there w/a man & his guitar singing Irish songs. Everything was still all festiive in the town since it was actually St. Patty's Day then. Well, no parade but, I did post some pics of some of the fun anyway.

Necessary items for week long trips

So, as I prepare for my annual pilgrimage to Fla. w/my kids for St Patty's Day, I think of all my must-haves for the trip. I used to make a list for myself & check it all off before I left but, I'm anal enough about it to pretty much check as I go now. I'll share w/you in list form just to show you how much stuff it takes to go on a big car trip w/2 toddlers. All of this is in addition to suitcases full of clothes!

1. Snacks & sippy cups & as well as any other food that I don't want to have to buy when I first get there
2. Travel toys & books & portable DVD player w/DVDs
3. Toiletry & first-aid/medicines for kids
4. Pack-n-Play for Emily to sleep in
5. White noise machine (yes, I do take it w/us & it really helps)
6. Stocked diaper bag for the road trip
7. Sun shades for kid's windows (even w/tinted windows, you still get the sun beaming them in the face while they're trying to sleep)
8. Beach bag w/bathing suits, swimdiapers, sunscreen, hats etc.
9. Stroller -wouldn't be caught anywhere without it!
10. Kid's favorite blankets/stuffed animals for sleeping with

That's pretty much it & it pretty much fills up my car! Luckily for me, my Mom has a high chair & booster chair at her house already so, that's one last thing I have to bring. Now, I haven't traveled on an airplane w/both kids so, don't know how I'd do it. Maybe somebody will share their tips with me!

Food substitutes on the fly

Ever start to make a meal & realize that you don't have an important item to complete the meal? Well, for a lot of us moms, it happens all the time. Here's a couple of quick, easy ideas for substitutions...
When we have Spaghetti (or any Italian food), my family always has to have garlic bread with it. Whether it's like Texas toast or garlic breadsticks or whatever, my family of carbohydrate junkies just has to have it. In a pinch, I've actually used hotdog buns by splitting them in half, putting butter & garlic salt on them (& sometime Parmesan cheese) & sticking them under the broiler for a few minutes. I would have been insulted at the very idea before kids but, it's actually pretty good & kids love it. If you have meat-eaters who have to have some kind of meat at every meal (like my husband) that can be a problem at times. If we make a frozen or homemade cheese pizza, my husband will sometimes microwave a couple of frozen breakfast sausage links & chop them up & add it to his part of the pizza. This is not my thing but, my DH really likes it. You can also make veggie tacos or fajitas & if one person wants meat, the breakfast sausage is a quick & easy add-in. Well, amyway, get creative because there really are so many things you can subsitute when you have no choice!

Annual St. Patrick's Day Trip

My Mother's side of the family are proud Irish folks & my Grandfather, Thomas O'Brien (not the deisgner from Target -ha ha) was the 1st generation born in America. We have always celebrated St. Patrick's Day each year. In recent times, every year, in March, my kids & I make a road trip to The Villages, Florida (retirement & golf communinty North of Orlando) where my Mom & Step-Dad live. They have a St. Patrick's Day parade there which comprises of mostly golf carts all decked out & various community groups dressed up etc. and it is a real hoot! They have food & craft vendors & of course, green beer served at local restaurants. I have been going down there every year since Cameron was an infant & now he's almost 5so, this is our 6th year running! I even made the drive when I was about 6 mos. pregnant w/Emily Cameron was almost 3. Every year, with the exception of 1, we have driven & it's only about 7 1/2 hrs. so, not too bad. My husband always stays home & works & occasionally my Mom is able to drive w/me at least 1 way. Well, as we prepare for this years road trip, I thought I would post some pics from the previous years just for fun. So, the first one is when Cameron was 10 months old, then almost 2, almost 3 w/my Mom in pic(I was pregnant w/Emily) & Cameron at almost 4 & Emily at 8 months old (only Emily & I in pic). I also included one of the crazy done-up golf carts for fun. This year will be our 5th year running. Wish me luck (the Irish kind!)

Refrigerator Organizing

Okay, I don't even know why I called this Refridgerator Organizing because, there is no such thing. I have never been able to figure out the best way to fit everything in the fridge after a big grocery shopping trip. This is insane because I only have 2 kids. What about people with 3, 4 or more kids? It is baffling. And freezers are terrible too because stuff just gets stacked in wobbly towers ready to topple as soon as you open the door. The pic here is of my freezer at the moment. Enough said?

Circus

I took my son, Cameron to the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus that recently came to town here in Atlanta. He has been fascinated w/all things circus for awhile now & had recently told me that he wanted to have a Circus Birthday party when he turns 5 in May. (Great, like I'll just whip that up!) Anyway, I thought I would get some cheap, fairly good seats & see how he liked the real deal. It was just Cameron & myself & this was for a few reasons: 1. The cost -cheaper for just he & I to go
2. The baby would never sit thru it all and 3. My husband hates clowns (yes, for real... you can't make this stuff up!). Anyway, Cameron really liked it but, more importantly, so did I! There are things that are really amazing, things are just fun to watch & then animals that are such awesome creatures. We really had good seats too & could see everything well. I was so glad we went & even though I spent $8 for popcorn, Cameron really didn't ask for anything else like a souvenir or anything. I got off really easy on that because I saw people buying tons of expensive food & stuff and I really just couldn't afford all that. It was a great experience! I even parked in the wrong spot & we had to walk a long way but, it actually kind of made it more fun. We talked a lot & saw more things walking than we would have if we'd have parked in the right place. Of course, I had to put a positive spin on that to keep Cameron from complaining about all the walking! On a side note....I'm realted to "Barnum" of the circus name. My Grandma was a Barnum & the circus Barnum is my great-great someting or other. Yes, I know, that explains a lot. I come from circus people!

Update on Mandoline Slicer

So, awhile ago I did a post about the Mmandoline slicer that my husband gave me for Xmas. I have since used it even more to not only make lots of Potatoes Au Gratin but, to make perfect tomato slices for hamburgers & sandwiches but even for making thin slices of apples or pears for my kids to top w/peanut butter or cream cheese etc. It is great & I still say it's a must have for your kitchen. BTW, my husband now calls it the Mandolay slicer. Will he ever get it right?

Boys Dress-Up

A lot of people don't realize that some boys really like to play dress-up too. They just have a different way of doing it than most girls. It's great for their imagination so, I think parents should encourage this. You don't necessarily have to have costumes (although second-hand Halloween costumes can be useful)but, maybe a raincoat can be a Firefighter's coat & rain boots can be the Firefighter's boots. Just let them get creative. It's good to have different hats (firefighter, construction worker, chef, engineer etc.) and props (flashlights, hammers, cooking utensils, etc.) My son has always loved acting out different scenarios with different hats & clothes to fit the occasion. Let your boy & girls dress up. You might want to draw the line at dressing in drag (or not, little boys in tutus probably aren't being harmed!)

Valentines

This year for Valentines Day, we decided to make Valentine's Cake Pops & send some (after eating a whole bunch of course!) to my Mother-in-Law in Florida. We sent some pictures of the kids & something cute that Cameron made at school as well. I made the decision to not put the sticks in the cake pops after contemplating all the different ways I could ship them w/out destroying them. I decided we would send them like chocolates in a chocolate box. So the pics that I posted here are of the cake pops (aka: cake balls) and the box I made to send them in w/the kid's pic on it. You can use any basic cake pop recipe & method so, I'm not posting that part. The idea is mainly to get creative with making them & packaging them. I find that chocolate candy melts are easier to use when dipping them but, a little too sweet combined with everything else. I like semi-sweet Bakers chocolate for the taste & texture but, a little harder to coat the pops with. Semi-sweet chocolate chips taste okay but, melting them to the right consistancy & dipping the pops is a real pain in the ass. Well, I digress, the Vaelntine sprinkles are what really makes them cute & then setting each one in a Valentine's themed mini-cupcake liner. Then I used a cute box that I already had which, had previously contained a really nice scarf that someone gave me for Xmas a couple of years ago. I knew that I would use that box for something one day! (I'm a secretly a hoarder) I put the pic of the kids that I printed & cut it into a heart shape & pasted on the box. Then, I used a sort of strechy cord to keep the box closed at the corners. Voila, mes amies! (BTW, I suddenly break into French at random times)

No Time

What the heck was I thinking?! I don't have the time to blog everyday!! I'm trying but, usually my only real "Me Time" is after my kids are in bed. Of course, that's when I have to watch my daily dose of reality shows & sit-coms as my way of winding down after the long day. So, I'll keep trying but, don't shoot me (those of you that are actually in my vicinity) if I don't blog everyday. Kay?

Easy Valentine Cupcakes

Here are a couple of different kinds of cupcakes that you can make for Valentine's Day to suit cholate lovers or vanilla fans. For the chocoalte ones, I just used Duncan Hines Devils Food cake mix & made Chocolate Buttercream Frosting as well as regular Buttercream tinted pink w/food coloring. My Mom had given me a silicone cupcake pan with heart-shaped cupcake molds. I don't recommend the silicone because it's too hard to get the cupcakes out without some sticking to the silicone pan. Wish they had a saline version -Ha Ha. This is why in the pic, some are regular round cupcakes & some are heart-shaped. I made these a couple of years ago & then the next year, made the vanilla w/pink & white frosting. Anyway, I spread the Chocolate Buttercream on the cupcakes & then piped various designs on them like hearts, swirls etc. I used a star tip #18 for these decorations because you can do a lot of things with the little icing stars connected & it looks cute. Ususally I would use the star tip 21 but, these cupcakes were a little bit small so, I wanted smaller stars. I fun just doing different designs & stuff. The next year was a little more simple w/the pink & white mini-cupcakes. I used vanilla and strawberry frostings from a can. I didn't have to tint any pink icing this way but, they didn't taste as great as with homemade icing. I was still able to pipe the icing w/my decorating tools but, it was a lot less work than making the icing from scratch too.