Push Pin Art

Another Spring Break craft that Bella just up crafted all by herself.

There are some cute ideas out there for push pin art on a canvas.  I have seen:  heart, ampersand, LOVE, an initial, pineapple, etc.  There are several variations, of course.  You can leave the canvas white or you can paint it.  Use different color push pins.  Add a splash of color and add something else to your picture (a colorful button?).

I'm sure there is a lovely tutorial out there.  Search Push Pin art.  Check out Pinterest.  I'm sure you can spend numerous hours perusing the millions of ideas they have to offer.  Or, just use your imagination and make your own creative canvas art.

Supplies needed:
Canvas
push pins (we used silver)
paint (optional)
pencil

The pencil is to lightly draw your design on the canvas.  If you are doing something like a pineapple, you can probably print one, cut it out and trace it onto the canvas.

Next step?  Start putting in your push pins.  (yea, I'm sure there's a  more elaborate tutorial out there.  Maybe with pictures?)

Bella decided to go with a "B"

What will you make?

Funny Search Results

It's that time again.  Time to look at what people search to reach my blog.

I do this periodically for kicks.  It's fun to see what people search online and how they end up on my blog.

Here's a little taste:


Daisy Flower cookie at Panera
   I think I have a picture of the cookie and the girls were Daisy's at the time.  Still a little strange.

Daddy Daughter Ice Cream Family blog

I did an post on Daddy daughter dance, but, ice cream family blog?  I don't remember anything about ice cream on my blog.  Maybe I should talk about ice cream more?

My daughter is in a size 6 dance dress 

?

Your mother doesn't live here

I have a post with that title.  It's weird that someone would actually search that and my blog comes up.



I think I'll have to talk about some strange things (or not?) from now on and see if anything changes.

I'll let you know!

Eating Healthy

I don't have to go into all the details about how we have been (trying) to eat healthy (or do I?).  We make meals from scratch, read labels, limit processed foods, low sugar and sodium, etc.

I have been trying to drill all of this into my kids' heads.   I'm never sure what yes in and what doesn't quite make it inside their heads.

With Nick, it all hit him when he took a cooking class in High School.  The teacher told him the same things we had been saying for years and they finally sunk in.  Nick is very conscious of what he eats. Wants everything that goes into his body to be nutritious. He's actually good at reading labels and knowing how much protein or carbs are in various foods.

Alex took a cooking class last semester (yes, I think that everyone should know how to cook.  I taught them the basics and the class gave them a little more information) and now he's worried about what he is eating.

Well, I'm not totally sure that he's worried about what he is eating.  He told me that he wants to eat healthier and I replied he should eat his meals at home.  Make your own food.  I told him to read labels and not eat out.  (His idea of eating out is fast food).

It's a tough journey.  At least he recognizes good/healthy food.

Now to get him off the fast food track.........

Bella's Banana Bread

We had some bananas that were ripening a little too quickly.  Bella decided to look to the Internet and find an easy Banana Bread recipe that she could whip up quickly.  I told her that I have a recipe.  One that I have used for years.  She told me that she wanted to do this one on her own.

I have to say, she did a great job!  Very moist and absolutely delicious!

Sorry I don't know where she found the recipe, so I can't give credit.

Here's the recipe:

Bella's Banana Bread

3 bananas, mashed well
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 1/8 cups sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup walnuts
2 Tbsp buttermilk or milk

Oven: 325F.

In a bowl mix flour, baking soda.  Set aside.

In a larger bowl, mix egg, sugar and oil until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients and stir well.

Add milk, vanilla and bananas.

Mix in walnuts.

Pour into loaf pan and bake 50-75 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.




Let us know what you think!

Enjoy!

Free Music

It's getting warmer outside!  Spring is finally here.  I probably shouldn't say that too loud.  Mother Nature might just throw in a snowstorm.

When the weather gets warmer, you don't need a jacket when you go outside.  You can start working on your garden.  You can drive around with your windows down.  And, you can get free music to listen to while out driving.  That's when the car near you is blasting their radio and you can hear it the next block over clearly inside your car while your windows are rolled up.  When this happens, I tell the kids to roll down the windows because we're getting some free music.

National Card and Letter Writing Month

Once again, it's National Card and Letter Writing Month.  I forgot to post this earlier in the month.  You still have time to put pen to paper and send someone a little note by snail mail.  Everyone enjoys getting personal mail.  Why not cheer someone up and send them a handwritten letter or card?

Bathroom Update

I haven't given an update because I'm upset it isn't finished yet.  I can see the end, tho.  This remodel won't go on forever (did I just jinx it?)

The floor (and tub surround) tiles are in, the vanities will soon be installed.  A little pain, grout, mirrors, fixtures and doors and everything can hopefully go back to normal around here.

Paint Chip Monthly Calendar - DIY

Another project completed over Spring Break.  What to do with all of those paint chips?  Make a fun monthly calendar!

What?  You don't have a million ton several paint chips laying around your house?  I thought everyone has a small stash.  In fact, I thought it was a requirement?

OK.  I guess the first thing you need to do is go out and get some paint chips.  We have plenty, if you need them.

Next, find the rest of these items:

Supplies needed:
paint chips
scissors and ruler or paper cutter
old frame (12x14 size is what we used) with glass
cardboard 12x14
glue
sharpie
paint and paint brush (optional)
dry erase marker

A big thank you to Uncle Steve for the picture frame!

This was Bella's craft.  She wanted her calendar to be bright and colorful (rainbow-like).  She decided to paint the frame a bright yellow.

Bella cut her paint chips (for the days) 2"x2" and made sure she had enough for 5 weeks (a total of 35 squares).  Her days of the week rectangles are 1" x 2" and the monthly rectangle is 1" x 3".

Put the squares on your card board (we used white for the background) and arrange the color squares for the calendar.  Bella wanted a rainbow effect.

Glue down all the paint chips.

Use a sharpie to write the days of the week (Sunday, Monday, etc.).

Place cardboard inside the picture frame.

Use your dry erase marker and set up your calendar for the month.

End of an Era

I knew this day would come.  I was hoping I would have more time.

You see, many years ago, I think 30 years to be exact, my digital alarm clock radio died.  I told my Dad about it and he told me about the digital clock that he had just purchased at Walgreen's for $7.00.    The next day I went to Walgreen's and purchased the same clock.

When I got married, I told RT I had a clock we could use.  We moved from our first house to the house we are in now and the clock came with us and remained in our bedroom.

Over the years, I bought each of the kids digital clocks for their rooms.  They were taught to stay in bed until it was 7:00AM (they were all good about it, too).  In the mean time, my clock kept chugging along.

It didn't seem necessary to replace our clock.  It worked.  Didn't gain or lose time and was reliable.

I walked into our bedroom on Sunday afternoon and heard this LOUD humming sound.  I walked around the room trying to figure out what was making that noise.  When I got closer to the clock, I realized I wouldn't be able to sleep in our room with that loud noise (It's either me or the clock!).  The funny thing is, RT could hear it too!  That's when you know it's loud!

I unplugged old faithful the clock.

Rest in peace, my friend.

This is where I miss my Dad.  I mean, where can you buy a decent clock for $7.00 and have it last for 30 years?

I had to break down and buy another clock.

Let's see how long this one lasts.

I think I have mentioned (on several occasions) that Pippen knows how to open doors.

His latest escapade is entering our bedroom in the middle of the night.  Normally he sleeps in the family room.  I'm not sure if he gets lonely or scared, but, somehow he makes his way to our bedroom at midnight (or 2AM, or 3AM, etc.).  He's not very quiet about it.  When he walks in, he leaves the door wide open.  Normally, that would be OK, but, since the kids can't use their bathroom, they are going up and down the stairs in the middle of the night (must be the remodel, because, normally they never get up in the middle of the night).

Just as I was waking up the other night, I hear RT say, "No!"  Then there are footsteps (paw steps?) going back downstairs.  I think when RT went downstairs to sleep on the couch, Pippen must have made his way into our room (his favorite spot is the throw run on my side of the bed).

Sometimes Pippen is OK to have in our room.  Other times, he is quite LOUD.  Oh, and then there is the moment you wake up because you feel like someone is staring at you and you find you are nose to nose with Pippen.

RT wants to have a door mat outside our room so when Pippen steps on it, the recording will say, "No."

I'm not sure if it would work, but, it's funny to think about...

Book Mark

Here's another one of our quick Spring Break crafts that we worked on.  This one takes absolutely no time at all.  OK.  It probably takes about 5 minutes (10 minutes tops).  And, they are great to use while doing all of your extra Spring Break reading.

Supplies needed:
Tongue Depressors
Paint
Paint brush(es)
Paint pen or Sharpie
Imagination


I think this one is pretty straight forward.

Paint your tongue depressor.  The paint dries quickly (well, it did for me).  I used paint on one of my book marks and just put a bunch of dots on it.  I found it was hard to write words with a paint brush so I decided to try using a Sharpie.

An easy craft for you to do, and now you can get back to all of those good books you have piled up on your nightstand.

Banana Cupcakes

Found this recipe here and thought they would be fun to make with some bananas that were starting to ripen a little too much.  I usually make banana bread but I was looking for something a little different.  I found these to be light and fluffy (as opposed to a heavy hockey puck).

Here's the recipe:

Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup confectioners sugar

Oven 300F.

Lightly beat bananas and sugar together until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time.  Beat in vegetable oil until blended.  Stir in flour, baking soda and buttermilk; mix well.  Add pecans and pour batter into muffin cups.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.  Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

*you can go easy on the sugar.  I added only 1/2 cup and they turned out great!

Enjoy!

Diarrhea

I'm sure I will get a lot of hits just from that title.

We just had Spring Break here last week.  All three kids at home on Spring Break and going through a bathroom remodel.

Since I don't sleep very well at night, I can hear the comings and goings of the boys at night.  One night, I thought Alex came home real late from his friend's house (it was 3AM).  I was pretty ticked and decided to read him the riot act in the morning.

When the time came, Alex told me he was home at 11pm.  (I did hear someone at 11, but thought it was Nick...then realized that Nick was home at 10).  I talked to Nick and found out he wasn't feeling well and kept having to use the bathroom (which is downstairs).  Thus the commotion going up and down the stairs.

Nick's feeling better now.  Alex is still good about coming in at a decent time.

We hit a little snag last week in our bathroom remodel (had to special order a part) that delayed the project a little.  Things seem to be back on track now and we all are hoping this nightmare bathroom remodel will be completed soon.

Hearing Impaired

RT needed help calling up one of our credit cards.  I pulled the statement and circled the number to call and left the room.

When I returned, he asked me if I did that on purpose.

Me:  What did I do?

RT:  Give me the phone number for the hearing impaired.

Me:  I thought I circled the number for customer service.

RT:  Well, I called the number for the hearing impaired and had to put it on speaker phone because it was so loud.

RT has been complaining a lot about his hearing and that we all need to talk louder around him.  I didn't intentionally give him the hearing impaired customer service number, but, I'm sure it helped him.

And, it gave me a good laugh.