Muffin Tin Monday - Cirucs Themed

Its Muffin Tin Monday again YAY! This is becoming one of Lu's favorite "activities/meals" She was not about to let me forget this morning, I think I may have to start doing Sunday days/nights because thinking up themed breakfast foods can be tricky, but in the end it did work out for me today! The theme for this Monday is Circus!! Top: Tight rope "bacon", Tight rope walker (those wing looking things are actually his arms LOL), cup of milk
Bottom: 3 rings made from hard boiled eggs, clown from yogurt, and a cheese toast lion

I am slowly but surley getting the hang of muffin tin Monday!

And I do it for this reason .... look up and you'll notice she ate it all .... ALL of it! What a fun way to start the day, a fun way to eat breakfast, and a nice big healthy meal, after all isn't breakfast most important meal of the day?? And now I know why my kid has such good brain function in the mornings ... she eats well :)

Stop by Her Cup Overfloweth to see more fun Muffin tins!

Magazine Bead Earrings

I wanted to share my new jewelry making adventure with you all! I've been dabbling here and there with making jewelry for "fun" ever since Christmas when my grandma came for a visit, she makes everything and jewerly is something she taught me I seemed to like and "pick" up on! Well lately I haven't been doing much, really because there isn't enough hours in the day! Recently my dear friend Christina taught me that accents/accessories really make your outfit lovely! On my 9 hour trip home from our trip to the Keys I decided to make these beads from one of my fav blogs (Frugal Family Fun) ... Lets just say in 9 hrs you can have plenty of beads (Thank goodness I brought along magazines from home!) I decided to make these earrings, I think they are too cute! Don't ya'll? Even though the colors don't match EXACTLY, I think they make a statement! I have many more different colors I am wanting to makie, I think a yellow pair will be gorgeous, and my next dabble will be newspaper beads, what a statement that'll make!

the pictures just don't do justice, I think this is picture number 105 I took, and I just can't get a stunning picture! But they are pretty dern cute in my ears, and Lu is begging for a pair, I think I will have to make those ones less dangle like!

Kid Friendly Friday Stained Glass Jello

WoW, Friday again?? This week has flown by ... with summer ending, school starting, and all the inbetweens of a busy life! We didn't do many "craft projects" this week, the start of school is always busier than most weeks, filling out paperwork, new homework assignments, meeting teachers so on and so forth!
On Wednesdays I meet up with the some local moms for a playdate, we were having a birthday party this week, so I wanted to make something BRIGHT and FUN .... searching the internet lead me to this recipe, ALL the kids seemed to love it, and my Lu ate them faster than I've ever seen her gobble something down, percisley why its making the "Kid Friendly Friday Cut" because kids love it! BUT it isn't something KID FRIENDLY to make, the first couple steps are but then, as kids often do they loose patients. It is YUM though, better than the average jello! It is tasty!

I do recommend atleast making this one time if you have children, just to see the shear JOY on their faces, It is not an everyday kinda recipe and it does take a LONG time and much patients! The mommy group all thought it looks like the homemade "pretty soaps" What do ya'll think?

For more Kid Friendly Friday post click here

You can also jump over to Ramblings of a Crazy woman for We made it Friday Showcase here

Kids in The Kitchen- No bake No cook Chocolate Balls

We are back in full swing this week, using our kitchen up a storm! Lu has been in there with me excpetionally much, I think shes starting to miss me at school so she wants to be with me at all times when shes home. This week I literally used what I had in the pantry and nothing more, I didn't plan a KITK post like I normally do, and go shopping for the ingredients, we had been making so many things together weather it be dinner, dessert, or for a gathering ... I knew for sure I would have something to post. These cookies came about when AGAIN my little Lu was begging for dessert and I had NOTHING to give her (except fruit, but that doesn't really work anymore) I remembered a few weeks back about the No Bake cookies my friend Christina posted on a Kids in The Kitchen post (bc lets just face it I was tired and didn't wanna get into technical dessert making that night, and those cookies she made seemed so simple and yummy) so I looked up the recipe, and Joshy insisted that his family used to make something LIKE those, but I had to continue my search for the cookies he was speaking of, bc not only are they no bake, they are no cook .. you don't use pot, pans, no heating nothing. I finally found something ALMOST with ALL simularities that we all agreed on making, and for such a SIMPLE dessert they were fantastic.

Here's all the good info: You'll need 2 Cups Rolled Oats

3 tbsp unsweetened coco powder, 3/4 cup sugar ... Mix those ingredients together and then add

1 tbsp water, 1/2 tbsp vanilla, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tbsp pnut butter

With clean hand mix all ingredients together *this was Lu's favorite part, if you look at later pictures she has chocolate on her face from licking, and when I say clean hands, I had Lu washed hers but with constant licking I don't think that qulifies, good thing I am not a germ-o-phob!

After mixing everything together, you will need to form into small balls (we did not refridgerate the dough bc the recipe DID NOT call for it, however in the future I will stick it in the fridge for a couple mins, just bc the dough was really sticky!) After forming balls roll chocolate balls into powdered sugar ...

and you will come out with these beauties! They were truly yummy, we will make them again. They are also so SIMPLE ... Lu almost did EVERYTHING by herself, which is my goal that ultimatley she's comfortable enough in the kitchen to make something simple like this.

Thanks for stopping by and checking Kids in the Kitchen out! Please Link your page to Mr. Linky. You can post anything from Kid Friendly recipes, your kids cooking in the kitchen, snack or lunch ideas, kid friendly cookbooks, how you get your kids to eat veggies, post whatever pertains to kids and food!

I found this recipe here

Wordful/less Wednesday-Honeymoon

When We were on our honeymoon I took more than 300 pictures, I am thinking for sure you all don't wanna see so many, so I picked a few to showcase today for Wordful/less Wednesday. We went to Key West and it was absolutley GORGEOUS! Key West is JUST 90 miles from Cuba and is the SOUTHERN most point of the US! This makes for a great pic!

We are standing infront of the oldest house in Key West!Biking around the island was one of my fav things, it was fun, and you could see everything witin mins, it was VERY common to see most people riding bikes instead of driving cars!

We went snorkling one night, and a big beatiful boat took us out, Josh has so much fun the next day (which is the pic above) he took his snorkle gear out to the BEACH! But he didn't see the beatiful coral we saw when the boat took us out! That is a MUST do if you've never done, to go snorkling!!!

There were so many big beatiful boats on the water!

On a sunset cruise, it was lovely! I posted a pic of just the sunset, I must have erased it on accident!This is where we went snorkling, isnt that beatiful water?

here is one of many musems in Key West!

To see more great pics click here, here,and here

Muffin Tin Monday & First Day of 1st grade

Today was Lu's first day of FIRST grade, I honestly don't think dropping your kids off gets any easier. So this morning I wanted to make her a "Special" breakfast. In my family it is tradition to make breakfast on special days, I remember as as child growing up, making breakfast for my mom on her birthday and vise versa, I figured today was a special day so why not... I also wanted to incorperate MTM in there, thinking up something for the theme was hard ... People/Faces ... Then it dawned on me... She could make a person outta what I cook!Top Row: Banana Slice Faces, Purple Pancake clothes, milk
Bottom Row: Curly Egg Hair, Raisin eyes, and Chesse slice limbs (arms&legs)

I was so happy because she was in a FANTASTIC mood when I showed here the MTM

And she made a CUTE little person! She even broke the cheese up so her person could have hands and feet, how cute is that. My favorite part was when she got to school and saw a little girl that was in her class last year she said "Did you know today was Muffin Tin Monday and I made a person, my mommy even made my pancake skirt purple isn't that cool? Does your mommy fix you Muffin Tin Monday?" LOL that little girls mom that was standing next to her child, was looking at me like I was crazy ... but thats ok!

Just thought I'd show you guys a few cute pics ... I always try to get pictures on her first day!

Later this week I will have to post a pic from both years, how VASTLY they change!

For more Muffin Tin Mondays go here

Tissue Paper Fun

Today I decided we needed to get one more craft in before school starts on Monday. Recently target had a JUMBO size package of tissue paper on clearance for less than $2 bucks, it was a variety pack with many different colors and I just could not pass it up. Then I had saved a cool looking wine bottle for a craft "one day" and today was that day, tissue paper paired with a unique looking wine bottle makes for a GREAT LOOKING VASE! I mixed half&half water/glue mixture, brused it over the entire bottle and Lu went to town making her masterpiece!

Our friend Jac was visiting us today, and he helped as well!

This is the finished product, it tured out really cute, infact Lu said that she wasn't letting me use it for my flowers, it was going on her dresser because afterall she made it and she likes it LOL!

Happy Crafting!

For more Kid Friendly Ideas head over to I Blame my Mother and Ramblings of a Crazy Woman.

Kids In The Kitchen- Back to School Snack Ideas

Hi ya'll, I'm BACK!!! (from my honeymoon that is!!) we got back late this evening! Oh boy was it the most relaxing 5 days ever! If you've never been to the Keys, you should go, its like an entirely different world! And I will be posting some wedding and honeymoon photos as soon as I can download all the pictures *theres probably 2-300 of them! I'm a photo snapping crazy lady, then of course I have to do some blogging catch up!

So, since its been aparent I have not been home, I have not been in the Kitchen with Lu this week, I actually have some things I could use that I haven't posted about before when Lu and I have been cooking together, but I decided to forego that and put some different kinds of snacks and trailmix recipes on here since school is starting REAL soon! I must say that apples, gogurts, cheesestix, and raisins may be a good quick snack for the kiddos, but Lu got tired of them real fast last year, and at her school they request a snack be sent everyday, so this year I am getting smarter and snagging all these great ideas from other bloggers, magazines, and genuis moms so that my little Lu doesn't complain quite as much. And if you guys have a great snack you give your kids, let us in on the secret.

First up I am putting down the Muddie Buddies that I made last week for my KITK post, Lu loved those, and after we made them a light bulb in my head went *ding ding ding* great snack item!

I have a whole bunch from Family Fun magazine *who doesn't just love that magazine?? So heres the Snowy Trail mix that I could gobble up myself, then going along with mixes you've got the Monkey Mix and Sticks and Stones Of course you could always do their version of Animal Chips ... how stinkin cute is that? Lu Loves animals, so I am certain it will be a BIG HIT! Then of course they have the Chew on This Pencil, I love this, I think kids would get a KICK outta it! I could certainly go on forever with Ideas from Family Fun, I love the magazine, read it every month, but I will move on to something different now!

I also found these Choco-Nana Pops/Sushi on Little Nummies, these are quite darling.

I love the Blog Fun snacks for Kids she features some great stuff, like this Popcorn Pack a snack and Mini Cracker Sandwhiches these Healthy Butterflies are SO CUTE too, so easy to make, and kids would LOVE them!

Heres a great Granola Bar recipe

I also just had to add these Edible Crayons in for FUN!

And this idea from The Clark Clan is very neat, makes the kids feel independant!

And of course you could always go with the traditional Ants on a Log, Apple ladybugs, and cheese on crackers.

Anybody else have great back to school snack ideas? Post em' let us in on the goods!

Thanks for participating in Kids in the Kitchen, please link up to Mr. Linky ... And remember anything related to Kids being in the Kitchen can be included! Kid friendly recipes/cookbooks, cooking with the kids, how you get your children to eat their veggies, or how you get your kid to help in the Kitchen. Please grab a button and don't forget to follow my blog!

Kids in The Kitchen- Muddy Buddies

YAY!!! I made it, I am later than usual on my KITK post, but lets just say its a miracle I am posting LOL! I am sure everyone could tell I am behind in my blogging adventures lately *and to all the kind folks that are doing the letter exchange, we have come to a screaching hault, but will start again soon! I am so sorry!* On the upside of things my wedding is TOMORRROW!!!!! and such is why I have been so BUSY! I am nearly done with my crazy antics, stressed out ways, and preperation .... GOOD LORD what would I have done if it were a big wedding! Thank goodness God gave me enough sense not to do a BIG one!! Today I am packing and resting, oh the joys of the day almost being here, I will soon be lounging on the beach for my HONEYMOON!

And yes this week we did something totally easy, and this has been on serveral Kids in the Kitchen links so we stole the idea from a few of our wonderful friends that participate with us on KITK! We made MUDDY BUDDIES and YUM are they good!!!

You'll need:

4 1/2 cups of corn chex cereal (I used store brand)

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup pnut butter

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Measure out the cereal *notice how much is actually making it into the measuring cup* put cereal in a big bowl and set aside!

Place the chocolate chips and pnut butter in bowl *my lovely Lu kept sneaking the pnut butter so I don't know how much actually made it into the mixture LOL* See that grin!

Microwave the choc/pnut butter mixture for 1min, and stir, then pop it back in microwave for 30 more seconds ... stir until smooth

pour the choc mixture into the cereal, and coat EVENLY!

I took the cereal put it into a ziploc bag, poured the powdered sugar into the bag

and shook shook shook!!!

Its kinda nice to go grab a handful here and there, they are sweet and yummy, just the right mixture for a sweet tooth!

Thanks for participating in Kids in the Kitchen, please link up to Mr. Linky ... And remember anything related to Kids and Kitchens can be included! Kid friendly recipes/cookbooks, cooking with the kids, how you get your children to eat their veggies, or how you get your kid to help in the Kitchen

Muffin Tin Monday- Plane, Trains, Automobiles

Today's Muffin Tin Monday was all about Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

We were actually going to skip MTM today because we were so busy running errands that there just wasn't anytime ... and we ate on the go. I also kept thinking I know nothing about Planes, Trains or Automobiles, I have a GIRLY GIRL ... no boys and no knowledge of those 3 things. But then I decided we could do it for dinner, I was making enchiladas, certainly I could somehow make something out of that right?? RIGHT.... a car, light bulb goes off... YAY MTM back on! Lu just loved it, and she knows now how fun it is!!Top: is our Milk Fuel, pretzel stick shifts, graham cracker/skittle stop lights.
Bottom: enchilada car with olive wheels, olive wheel spare tires, and a flag for the finish line, made from a left over tortilla (from the enchiladas) and preztel.

YUM, Lu love it and I liked making it, not as challenging as I thought it would be, and she ate all of it, which is more than she would normally eat in a dinner sitting, I might have to bribe her more often with a meal in a muffin tin to get her to eat more :)

Stop by Her Cup Overfloweth to see more great Muffin Tin Meals.

Finally The Foamerator

It seemed like it took us forever to make the foamerator, after it came out in the Family Fun magazine that we get Lu wanted to do it so bad, then I saw it on every blog I like to look at, and we kept pulling bottles out of the recycling bin but something else came up instead! So I am glad we finally did it, and Lu had tons of fun!!! She blew some mean foam bubbles ....

and blew them around the yard!!!

and then chased her mother with the suds....

too bad her mother is quicker than she is LOL ..... :) However we had a BLAST, we will do it again, and saved out bottle and cut up terry cloth for next time!

For more Kid Friendly post go here and here

Kids in the Kitchen- Cinnamon Twist

Wow, Its Thursday already!!! This week has flown by, and I have been so busy I can't even see straight, part of me wonders how the heck I got all this stuff done while I was working? Because I can barely manage now when not working!!!

Glad you all have stopped by this week to check out Kids in the Kitchen, you may think that I would have a biscuit fetish, doing 2 post in one week using biscuits (see Easy Donut post here) In all actuality though I am just trying to use whats in my fridge before we leave for our honeymoon next week, and truth be known I am a sucker, I bought the 4pk of biscuit cans instead of getting just 1 pk bc afterall I thought I was getting a deal (and I was!!!) And last night when visiting a local fast food resturant, with Lu in the back seat hollering for some cinnimon twist, a light bulb went off, "HEY I BET I CAN MAKE THOSE WITH THE BISCUIT DOUGH AND BETTER THAN THE FAST FOOD PLACE" so off I went on an endevor to find a recipe .... and they were Oh So Simple!

I did not take a picture like normal, so the ingredients are as follows:

*1 can store brand buttermilk bisquits

*cinnamon/sugar mixture

*butter (just a couple melted tablespoons)

*Preheat oven to 350 degress

I also whipped up some glaze to go on top, and will get to the ingredients later in the post.

I cut the biscuits in 1/2 while Lu rolled them out, this part was fun, and she described it as making snakes with her her modeling clay.

Then she took a marinade brush, and brushed the melted butter on 2 strips at a time

Then sprinkled it with the cinnamon.sugar mixture.

and twist .... this was fun too! Lay them on a nonstick cookie sheet, and once again sprinkle a little more sugar mix over them. Put them in the preheated oven for 15 mins or until golden.

For the glaze I did not measure, but we used approximatley 1 cup powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons of milk, some vanilla, and a dash of salt. She stired until a nice creamy consistency.

Then spooned the glaze on the warm twist.

Heres the end product, they were yummy, and now I only have 1 can of biscuits left ... any ideas yall got out there for me to make with it???

I leave you with this one last pic of my little Lu, eating and talking on the phone, oh shes just like her mother!!!

Thanks for participating in Kids in the Kitchen, please link up to Mr. Linky ... And remember anything related to Kids and Kitchens can be included! Kid friendly recipes/cookbooks, cooking with the kids, how you get your children to eat their veggies, or how you get your kid to help in the Kitchen.