Pizza Bites!

We tried and tested these with different cheese and different dough, I'll let you know that we enjoyed the Bisquick rolls from Pillsbury and the Cobby jack cheese better then the crescent rolls and the string cheese. Just know you could really do any type of mixture that you would like and I'm sure they would taste just as great, the best part, they're way easy to throw together and the kids enjoyed them! I had a good friend over who though of doing pineapple and ham! Let your creativity shine here!

Just roll out the dough into a circle if you're using the Bisquick rolls, (it works with the crescent rolls but I didn't roll into a circle I just filled and cover it the best I could) fill the center with pepperoni and cheese. Fold over all the ends and place face down so it doesn't open when cooking. Place in the oven at 425 degrees for 18-20 minutes (I'd follow the dough directions if using a different dough, this is the the Bisquick rolls!). Serve warm. We'd also recommend a dipping sauce, marinara would work good, I'm just not a fan of it so my dipping choice...ranch:)

(Thanks to The Gunny Sack for the the wonderful idea!)

A Really Great Marriage!

(thanks PixieDust photography for the pic!)

I just love this blog that my husband found...that's right my husband found it and had me read over it (was that a hint that I need to work on some of them?!). I really loved it and yes I need to work on some of these for sure! Check out their list of things to do for a REALLY GREAT MARRIAGE! They have thoughts that are great, even goes down to the basic of speaking kindly of each other and to each other and even saying thank you! I just love they're list and explainations why!!

Here's a few of my favorite:

• Exercise and stay fit
• Have sex as often as possible
• Do not blame anyone for your unhappiness
• Say thanks to each other - a bunch

and the list goes on! Check it out for yourself!!

Slip Cover for the Boppy!

I was so excited when I found my boppy for a really good price, the only thing was it didn't have a slip cover to protect it. So easy enough I whipped one up this morning! It was quite easy, my only complaint is the zipper, they aren't my favorite but it worked out great! I had to call my mommy to have her explain how to do a zipper...I liked her explanation better. You first stitch with a large stitch (about a 4) the two pieces together (where the zipper goes). Then pin your zipper in place with the right side facing out. Stitch around the zipper, back stitching on the ends to reinforce the stitch. Then you'll unpick the front where the zipper is so that it's now visible. Hope that makes since...if not let me know and I'll take some pictures to help clear things up...pictures are always the best!! (I just forgot this time, I was to excited to finish it:) )

Here is the link to:

Boppy slipcover pattern  (click here to see how the pattern looks once put together)
Boppy slipcover sewing instructions


Thanks to Vanilla Joy for finding the link ups!!



Linked up to...

Family Binder - Finishing Up

I finally got time to finish up our family binder! This is really going to be a great to have in any kind of emergency whether a fire, natural disaster, or even ER/Doctor visits (when you need to know all dates for surgeries or medications taken), or even if your wallet or safe is broken into (like what happened to my in-laws)! It will all be right here in the binder!

So after each members name tab (that we did last post here), you have the "Home" tab. This tab is so wonderful. I keep paint samples in there with the name of the paint so if I ever need to patch holes or fix something I know exactly what paint it is. Then, when we move the next home owners are going to love me cause they'll know exact what is on each wall!!! (I write the wall that it is painted on the back of the paint strip!)

Then you have your "key" tab. This tab is to keep all those extra key's you have laying around. I have them in a baseball card clear holder (the ones that go in a 3 ring binder, plastic protector kind) with a white paper fit to size to write what the key goes too. You could also tie a tag on the end of the key so they don't get mix up in a zip lock as well. Whatever works for your family, it just gives them a place to go and be organized!

After the key tab is "Numbers". This tab is great to write down numbers you need in case of an emergency, like Insurance number and policy number, credit card number to call if stolen, your licence plate number and vin number, any number you can think of that would be good to know and quick to get it in an emergency! Here is the link to the page I have to fill out!

That brings us to our "Purse/Wallet Contents" I love this tab. You never know when your purse or wallet might come up missing and the quicker you can call your credit card company and inform them of this the better off you are in protecting your hard earned money!! Here is the link for the page to fill out and put behind that tab!

MOST IMPORTANT!
Last is the "Safe Deposit/ Vital Doc." A few years ago my in laws had their home broken into and the information in the safe stolen!!! That would just make me cry!! So I have a list of everything in our safe as well as copies of the documents and pictures of valuables including everything valuable in our home behind this tab! Can you see now why this binder would be so important to grab and run with? I have everything in my safe in this binder, I don't have to carry that safe around! Behind the sheet with everything listed on it, I have plastic protectors for the paperwork to be stored. They are numbered so that I can just look at my list sheet and know what protector each document is in!! Here is the sheet for you to print off as well!

I hope this helps each of you in being prepared and feeling protected when something happens in our lives.

Let me know if something doesn't quite make since and I'll see what I can do to explain it better! Happy Organizing and preparing!

File Folder Games

At church it's very hard for us to be quiet!!! And last week I was all alone because my husband had drill. But I did it! I toughed it out and went with my girls and let me tell you, it was rough, but I absolutely wouldn't have made it without our file folder games!! I love them even though it was a lot of coloring and cutting...so worth it!

The ones I have pictured above are out of this amazing file folder book! Love it! It was worth the money to me cause they are so dang cute! But there are a ton you can print out online (for free) ....here, here and here! They have some cute ideas and they aren't all LDS, so they'd be perfect for the long doctors visit when you need the kids quite for a moment!!

Tips:

I colored, cute and laminated all pieces! The lamination when help them last longer!

I taped a plastic zip lock on the back (after laminating) to keep all the pieces together...seems to be working great!

I tried both velcro and magnetic strips. I prefer the velcro even though it's a little louder then the magnet. For one, my little girl doesn't push them down hard enough to make it loud when you pull them off and with the magnet, they seem not to stay on very well, they're sliding off a lot!

Home Made Chicken Nuggets

These are so wonderful and so much better then store/fast food!! I prefer them over any other kind!

4 each chicken breast halves, skinner and boned (I buy mine already like this in the frozen section

1/2 cup margarine, melted

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried basil

cut chicken in to 1-inch pieces. Melt margarine; remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Dip chicken pieces first in margarine, then in bread crumb mixture coat well. Spread on cookie sheet that has been covered with foil and greased. (A non-stick spray would be fine). Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve while warm.

These would be great to make ahead and put in the freezer as well, so make sure to double the recipe so you have some on hand ready to go for those days when cooking isn't going to happen!

Mini Car Emergency Kit

I found this idea and thought - perfect! It's small, doesn't take up a lot of room which is what I wanted and we have a ton of wipe containers just sitting around. I swear I throw out all of them to just what we need and next month I have a hole butt load again!!

I thought the outside was cute already so I didn't worry about prettying it up but if you don't like yours just grab your glue gun and some extra fabric and start gluing away...I don't think it would be to bad. Inside mine I used some of the list that I found here and added a few things that fit to our needs.

Diapers - size 4 (1 of them) and size 2 (2 of them)

Wipes - I sealed mine in a zip lock cause I didn't feel I had room for a bigger container

Binky - Could have used this when I went to the store and ended up just buying new ones cause I forgot ours!

Hand Sanitizer

Band Aids

Tylenol

Safety Pin - would have come in handy when I was wearing my to big dress and lost my safety pin I had on

Hair Elastic

Rubber Band

Pen/Pencil

Grocery bag

Large Zip Lock Bag

Granola Bar

Crackers

Shout Wipes

Sunscreen

Tampons/Pads

Nursing Pads - thanks to a wonderful friend last time who I had to borrow some from!

Money

Small Note Pad

Toilet Paper - I had a sample of the wet wipe toilet paper, works perfect in there!

Can you believe all that fits in just a single wipes container?!?

I'm also typing up emergency numbers to put on the inside lid and on my sun vizor in case of emergency. I heard of this story one time, don't know who from but it was of a mother who was knocked unconscious and had a small toddler in the back who was unable to understand or answer any of the paramedics questions. You never know when something like that might happen so be prepared!!!

I'll have each family members name listed as well as each number to call in emergency. Make sure to have a family members number (like in laws or your parents) listed in case the whole family is in the car.

You have 10 minutes!

This you tube video is a great reminder on how we need to be prepared. I'd take my family binder, the first thing I grab!! I hope you're putting yours together along with me!! You never know when you'll only have 10 minutes!

Rainny Day Activites for Kids

(thanks photogmommie.com for the pic)

It's raining here today so I needed to come up with something fun for my little girl to do inside besides watching penguins (Backyardagins) or Gabba (Yo Gabba Gabba) all day long! I've been wanting to do an ABC book with they're pictures in it so I thought today we might just get started. It might take awhile but it looks to me like it might be raining all day.

So here's my list to get started on what to photograph, I'm just trying to think of things we can do/ have on hand...if you have more ideas please help me out and comment below so we can make our full alphabet book together!! I can't wait to share the finished book with you!!

A- hold an Apple
B- playing with a ball
C- coloring
D- Dice
E- Eating
F- Flower
G- Grapes
H- Hugs
I- Ice Cream
J- Jacket
K- Kicking
L- Lemon
M- Megan and Maisy
N- Nose
O- Orange? (either eating or color)
P- Present
Q- Quiet (finger on lips)
R- Reading
S- Sun
T- Toes
U- Umbrella
V-
W- Water?
X-
Y- Yellow or Yogurt
Z- Zipper

I can do this!

I've been thinking lately that I'd like to find things to do with my girls that we enjoy and that would make them feel special. I want to spend that one on one time with them especially as they get older! I saw this great list of ideas off of pinterest (my addiction) and just LOVED what she listed!!

A few of my favorites were...

- Movie Night: Friday nights are movie night with popcorn and chocolate cookies!

- Late Night: Each child gets a night were they can stay up 10 - 15 minutes later then when everyone else goes down making it they're special time!

- Lunch Date: taking your child out of school to lunch once a month during they're regular lunch time at school (that way they're not missed out on school work!)

You can check out her whole list here!

Continuous Date

I was thinking what me and my hubby love best is just to sit down and watch something together...really that's it. We're a little old school so I add some twist here and there and he's a good sport about it but watching something together is our go to date! One of my favorite things is finding a season of a TV show that we both enjoy watching together! It's wonderful cause when ever we have a spare moment to sit down we through on our show. It's even something you can do together when the kids are home. My daughter is always like "it's mommy's turn" when we through in our show!

When we were first married it was 24! Addicted to that and during that time in our lives we had time to sit and watch them together cause once you start that one it's hard to stop they leave wondering what's going to happen next!! Then we got into Army Wives...well more like I started it and he join in on the fun:)

That is one reason I love Netflix cause we don't have to buy a whole season of one show. Hulu is also great for this and is more of a TV show thing, they have a bigger selection then Netflix...both work great though!

What are some of your favorite TV shows to watch?

Magnetic Dress Up

This was a fun thing to put together! I just took a metal box Megan has received for Christmas. It had snowman on it so I wanted to cover it up so it was an everyday box. I found some fabric I had just laying around and wrapped it around the box gluing it with Mod Podge. When I got to the inside I switched to a hot glue gun so it would stay better. After I had it finished I tried closing it and....it was too bulky even with how tight I wrapped it. So I glued a ribbon to go around it so we could tie it to keep it closed. It works just fine to hold all the pieces inside! Then I found this doll online but I needed it smaller then it was printing so I messed with it to make it the right size here. Then I just traced around her legs and arms to create a stencil for the outfits that I cut out from extra scraps of paper. I laminated all of them to help them last longer. I then hot glued down the doll to the inside of the box and that's it! It was pretty easy and quick to put together and my daughter loves to play with all the pieces.

Back from Vaca!

Sorry last week was kind of a hit and miss, I went with my girls to Oregon to visit family. We enjoyed our time there and are happy to be back to routine! (I'm such a routine girl!)
I'm excited to show you some of the things I made to keep my 2 year old busy. She was sick on the way out so they didn't really work much for that but she loved them while we were there and on they way home!!

A Rocking Marriage

I found this list on Pinterest and wanted to share with you guys. They have some great ideas that I love including:

• Write a message with lipstick on the mirror
• Hide notes in secret places for each other
• Wear shirts that tell the world that you love your spouse
• Praise your spouse to others around you
• Go away together at least once a year
• Kiss in front of your kids (my little girl use to hate this and cry every time, made it kind of hard but we kept up with it and now she's fine thanks goodness)
• Surprise each other
• Learn to enjoy something he loves
• Touch your spouse several times a day
• Be spontaneous! (this is totally me...not so much my husband:) )
• Be honest
• Forgive quickly

The list goes on with 100 things you each can do to make your marriage rock! I love the list and you should all check out the other things they listed!!

Fabric covered peg boards!

When I was doing the challenge of cleaning up our extra bedroom I made these peg boards to go above our computer table. I needed a place I could hang something so I didn't forget about it and saw it every day! These work perfect...here's how I made them.

First cut your fabric so that you have about 1 inch extra around each side.

Then you're going to glue opposite sides down. I just used a hot glue gun cause it seems to work the best. Doing opposites seems to make the corners easier to handle.

 Once you get all the edges glued down you'll have corners that look like this. You're going to open up the corner as much as you can without pulling up the glued part and place a little glue down. Then pull tight to bring the corner to a point and hold until glue dries. I had a little flap after that I just glued down as well.

This is kind of what your corners will look like after you glue them down.

Here is where you can see I hung mine! I love them and they work perfect for what I needed!!

Pull Aparts

I made these a few weeks ago and they were pretty good. I'm not a fan of biscuits so I'll be trying it with a different bread but the topping was wonderful!! (plus they were very easy to put together!)

• 2 cans (7.5 oz each) refrigerated Homestyle Biscuits
• 3 tablespoons Butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried Minced Onion
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded Mozzerella Cheese

In a small bowl mix together the butter, garlic powder, dried parsley, minced onion and parmesan cheese. Spread mixture into the bottom of a pie plate (9 inch). Sprinkle the shredded mozzerella cheese over the top of the mixture in pan. Place biscuits close together over the top of the cheese and butter mixture (I ended up only using one can of biscuits cause I didn't squish them all together but they still worked just fine). Place in the oven at 435 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit for 3 minutes, turn pan upside down onto a plate...best if served warm!