Family Valentines Day Dinner

Love day! We love Valentines Day at our house. We like to celebrate with the whole family as well as a couple on Valentines Day. Each year we have a Valentines Day dinner with our whole family. I try to keep most of the stuff red, pink or white. This is what we did this year.


Appetizer- Bread with tomato paste sprinkled with garlic salt followed by goat cheese topped off with dill. Put under broiler for about 4 mins or until a little crispy and cheese is melted. It is so easy and simple but yet so delicious.
Side dishes-  Green salad with cucumbers cut out as hearts and cheese cut out as xo's (CLICK HERE for cookie cutters I used) with a strawberry vinaigrette, strawberry banana jello.
Main dish- Spaghetti shaped on plates as a heart with sauce and sausage.
Drink- Raspberry Lemonade
Again this is something fun but it is simple as well and it makes for great memories each year with my kiddos. My kids also get a little chocolate Valentine we give them on their plates which they always look forward to.  You can do any version you like when it comes to this so have fun with it and enjoy ! :)

Top 10 Things to Buy After Christmas

Now that the stress of the holiday season is coming to an end. I would like to share with all of you what I think are the top 10 things to buy that is worth the money to stock up for next year! Who doesn't like a great deal on stuff you have to buy each year anyways?! By now the stores have Christmas marked down anywhere from 50%-70% off SCORE!! Spend a little, save all year is my motto.

#1 WRAPPING PAPER
I’m sure you know that after-Christmas is the best time to buy wrapping paper, bags, decorative boxes and other gift wrap supplies.
I like to stock up on premium paper. I’ll also be shopping for gift wrap to use year round. If you hunt, you can find patterns that aren’t holiday specific that you can use for birthdays and other occasions year round.

#2 TAPE 
While you’re shopping for wrapping paper, don’t forget to scoop up discounted tape. You’ll have to get to the store early to take advantage of this deal, however, because the hardcore bargain hunters often buy it all up first thing.

#3 RIBBON 
I have a weakness for beautiful ribbon to use for decorating and for packages, but it can be so expensive. That’s why I buy mine on sale after Christmas.

#4 CHRISTMAS TREES
If you use an artificial Christmas tree like we do, then the best time to buy it is after Christmas. There is no way I would pay $150-$300 on a tree but I would pay $45-$90 I will help save the bank getting a tree after Christmas that you can use year after year.

#5 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS  
I love to pick up ornaments after Christmas, but I don’t just buy for my tree. I also like to buy ornaments to use as package toppers. If you do any Christmas trees for charity now is a good time to stock up on some great deals to help others in need for next year. Also you can add ornaments into Christmas wreaths.

#6 BAKING CHOCOLATES 
We do a lot of baking throughout the year at my house. Stocking up on Kisses and M&M’s for use in baking at prices cheaper than chocolate chips. Even though they are Christmas chocolates you can use them anytime in baking.

#7 STOCKING STUFFERS
Look for things that don’t spoil like holiday themed pencils or Christmas themed little Lego sets, purchase them and stash them away for next years stockings. There are some candies that will last until next year too.

#8 CHRISTMAS DECOR 
All of my Christmas decor I have never paid full price for any of it! Do you need more Christmas Lights? Were you short on garland? Do you want to add to your snowmen stash (I love snowmen).

#9 BAKING ITEMS/COOKWARE
Cookie cutters are not the only baking items found marked down this time of year. You can also find great post-holiday deals on baking boxes, cupcake liners and other supplies for homemade food gifts. If you’re the kind to make and give baked goods to your friends and neighbors, now is the time to stock up on pretty packaging for them.

#10 TOYS 
Did you know that you can get discounted toys for next year? I know right?? Crazy! Stores like Shopko and Target will discount toys. Think ahead for next year and you can get some screaming good deals on toys and games for you kiddos. I have gotten toys at 70% off. WHAT?! I know crazy! Think of kids friends birthday parties they will get invited to throughout the year and you can score some great deals on toys.

Halloween Party

My kids love Halloween and we do a Halloween party every year. Here is what happened at our house this year.

 Zombie Virus drink (apple cider) Vampire Blood (juice)

We were infested with rats on our base boards :) We decorated the stairs this way to keep the party and kids downstairs. It worked great!

Mystery Box was a HUGE hit! The kids were SOOO grossed out when I told them "Feel what Monster Eyeballs feel like" etc... I had all of the adults feel everything as well and they had to guess what I used for each item. It was a lot of fun!

*Monster Eyeballs- peeled grapes

*Witches tongues- sliced bananas 

*Vampire Heart- peeled tomato 

*Witches Fingers- sliced carrot 

*Monster Hair- cooked noddles 

*Zombie Brain- head of cauliflower 

*Monster Teeth- popcorn kernels 

The kids made some Monsters, decorated Halloween sugar cookies.

The kids also played spider races (take a spider ring and have them blow it across a table with a straw) They also had a pinata, Pinned a bow tie on Mr Bones.

                                                                 My hubby and I's costumes this year

 The kids had Mummy dogs and the Adults had homemade Chili with cornbread... YUMMY

Some of the food spread  (I wish I took closer pictures of everything we had some great treats) That is all folks, don't forget to come back often for more posts :)

Easter Egg Filler Ideas

Easter is right around the corner. Time to start getting organized for all your family traditions. One of ours is, we always have an Easter Egg Hunt. I will put candy in some of the eggs but I try to stay away from too much candy since they get some in their baskets that the Easter Bunny Hides for them. Here is just a simple list to give you some ideas beyond just candy for your Easter Eggs.

 

Just right click on the picture to save image. Please leave a comment with some of your ideas. I always like to hear new ideas.

St. Patricks Day fun!

I always try to do fun things with my kids on Holidays so we can have memories and create family traditions. Today for St. Patrick's Day this is what we had going on for our day of fun!

Our food.

Breakfast- Green pancakes

Snack- Fruit rainbow with fruit dip

Dinner- Pesto pasta, green salad, green jello with green milk

Dessert- Mint ice cream

Craft and gift fun.

Here are the links to the crafts I found online that we used.

http://www.makingfriends.com/spring/leprechaun_puppet.htm

My boys made orange hair and orange breads on their Leprechauns

http://www.bigactivities.com/coloring/st_patricks_day/rainbows/rainbow_clouds.php

First I had them color the rainbow all the right colors. Then they glued on all the fruit loops.

Of course you always need to have a few fun little gifts from the Leprechaun :) You don't have to go overboard. All of my gifts came from the dollar store. It never takes much to start making memories with our kiddos,  they will always appreciate it. Don't compare yourself with other Mom's just do what is best for your family. One of my favorite quotes is "LOVE is really spelled T-I-M-E"



14 Days of Valentines

With February beginning tomorrow, I wanted to share with you all what my Husband and I are doing for our kids this month for Valentines Day.  Starting tomorrow we have a heart cut out for each child, I wrote something that I love about them and my husband also wrote something on the same heart as I did (14 total for each child).  Each morning until Valentines Day they will wake up with a new heart added to their door with things we love about them. So come up with 14 hearts for each one of your children to let them know some of the things you love about them. Our kids are already looking forward to what all the hearts will say. This is a fun family tradition to be able to start and do each year for your kids.

Elf on the Shelf Ideas

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Holiday Season! :-) I sure have, I have so much to be thankful for in my life. Today I wanted to share with you some fun Elf on the shelf ideas. Some of them are my ideas and some of them are my sister in laws that she used. She was ever so kind to let me use some of her pictures. It is funny because we have the same elf and didn't even know it. I wanted a cuter elf then the original Elf on the shelf and so did she, low and behold we ended up getting the same one. She has great taste hehe! Anyways here is what our Elf's were up to this year.
I didn't take a picture of a couple of the days but I explain everything we did down below. ENJOY!!

1) Our elf made his appearance with a note and some green pee in the toilet :-)
2) Having fun with woody playing the fishing game (this was a big hit for my boys)
3) Making Santa's sleigh with cars and a reindeer and a pirate ship
4) He turned our milk green
5) Made the boys noses red like Rudolph
6) Hanging on the ceiling fan
7) Drinking hot coco and he brought some for everyone else too
8) Getting ready to clean up the reindeer poop (red and green M&M's)
9) Bringing a stocking for himself
10) Brought a nut cracker
11) Making snow angels
12) My boys got a naughty letter from our Elf and Santa (worked like a charm )
13) Making snowmen and brought a bag for each of my boys to make their own
14) Riding on the train around the Christmas tree
15) Toilet papering the tree
16) Having a sick day
17) You could do the Snowmen in the freezer too ;)
18) Oops I put the same photo on here twice :( this day you could have a Christ centered one with your elf by the manger with a note saying this is what Christmas really is about :)
19) Room filled with white balloons to go sledding in
20) Slinky races down the stairs
21) If you have a sick kid make a nice note from your elf
22) I caught Santa for you! Naughty Elf :)
23) This day we were gone so, if you are gone have the elf sleep in your kids beds with some toys with a note saying I miss you come back soon!
24) Bring new PJ's from your elf on Christmas Eve
25) One last day with your elf before he goes back to see Santa ( you can tell them they still have to be good so that they can keep all their fun toys)