Monday Motivation (Breakfast menu)

  They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  Who am I to question that?  So I will just eat it and go on with my day.

  I have found that we can stretch milk by adding hot meals to our week.  The kids don't complain about cereal everyday but a little variety is nice. Thankfully most breakfast items are eagerly accepted.

  This is our breakfast meal plan for the week!

Monday: Waffles
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/waffles/f4760054-72a9-4316-9377-f636dd58bc8e

Tuesday:
Egg and cheese quesadilla

Wednesday:
French Toast

Thursday: Muffins
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-banana-muffins

Friday:Yogurt

  Planning breakfast doesn't have to be hard.  I think it's way easier then dinner plans but, that's not the point.  The point is planning makes life so much easier, offers variety and challenges me with new recipes sometimes.

  A lot of people have a busy morning.  On a slow, easy going morning what do you make for breakfast?  What's your favorite breakfast?

Taster Thursday with Apple Slices

  I have decided to start a taste test post with the help of my picky eaters.  I may buy or just make a new recipe and serve it up to the kids!

  I have spoke before of their pickiness and lack of healthy choices.  I have tried several ways to get a veggie in them and the only way to do it is to blend it and hide it and then that doesn't always work either. 

  I have had them help me in the kitchen and that doesn't help either.  Smoothies work sometimes and bean brownies work a little too but, I would love to get them to eat healthier more regularly.

 This week I tried a snack.  A healthy snack.  I picked this bag up at The Dollar Tree so I'm only out a buck it is not a good option.

These apple slices by the brand So Natural are freeze dried.  They are all natural, contain no preservatives and are gluten free.  

Check out the stats on the back if your one of those people!

1 bag is 0.71 oz.  I did split it between both kids to gauge how they liked it and to not disrupt dinner appetites. 

Both kids liked it and I think could have eaten their own bag.  Yeah!   

The apple slices have a crunch like an apple but, just lack the juice.  They taste like an apple which both kids like so that was also helpful.  I know my daughter liked it and I think my son liked it but maybe only because it was his only snack alternative.

I think this is a great snack alternative.  It's healthy. It's apples which are healthy and nutritious. A dollar is great plus too.  I would have liked a zip lock bag but that's the only thing I would say is lacking.

I will consider picking these up now on a road trip or snacks for the beach!

Do you have a favorite healthy snack that your kids really like?  I would love to hear about it!

A Spider for Your Party

I promise this creepy crawler won't crawl off the table.

I picked up my supplies at Dollar Tree and  had items on hand.

He's really easy to assemble and although I didn't eat him my taste testers said he was good.

 1 package of Sno Balls will allow you 2 spiders.

I actually had Tootsie Rolls on hand and used 1 large one cut and rolled into 8 pieces.  (Tootsie rolls are available at Dollar Tree)

2 mini chocolate chips for eyes. I also had these on hand but regular chips would be fine!

I placed 4 legs on each side and inserted them into the body.  For the eyes after persistent pushing were also inserted into a slot.

Do you make little critters for Halloween? This was my first but he was fun and the kids enjoyed it.

Weekly Menu 8/21-8/24

  This shrimp plate was from a couple a weeks ago but, I may have to put it on the menu again soon.  Everyone liked it.

  This week I guess pasta is the word of the week.  Although one day I'm going to try to make the Zucchini pasta!  I did a run through of my pantry items think I have my ingredients organized for this week and next but, for some reason I'm second guessing myself so we shall see.  I'm not sure I'm feeling the days I have specified but that's ok. The menu is planned and I can switch the days around because the hard part is over.

Monday
Sausage and pasta
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cheesy-sausage-and-penne-casserole/cd8bd617-a2e6-489b-8794-b4a10292e8cc

Tuesday
Meatless
Zucchini pasta
http://www.inspiredtaste.net/29992/garlic-zucchini-pasta-recipe/

Wednesday
Chicken and pasta
http://www.lovebakesgoodcakes.com/2014/04/fiesta-ranch-chicken-pasta-bake.html?m=1

Thursday
http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53698/shrimp-fried-rice-recipe/

  Happy eating everyone! My dinners are planned now off to plan something else!

  If you could have your favorite meal tonight what would it be? Or where would it be?

Pinch me box

  This is Pinchme.  Pinchme say hi to the people.  Some people don't know about you so lets share what your about!  

  Pinchme is a middle man for various brands.  A clearinghouse offering different products to sample and before you buy based upon your approval.  

  Each month the new selection is offered at a specific time based on your location.  You sign in and choose from the products available to you.  This time around I was eligible to pick up these products.

  It was a nice variety of food, beauty and household along with some coupons!

My food for this box consisted of

a Hunt's paste packet.  The packet is 1.5 ounces but states that 1 packet is 2 tablespoons.  This packet will find its way into chili this week!

  My cleaning will be elevated with this scrubbing dish cloth by Scotch-Brite.

This dish cloth is a scrubbing dish cloth!  The dish cloth is non-scratch with its one textured side and the other being a cloth side.

My last two items were beauty related and that's always nice!  Because who likes to waste money on beauty products only to find out you don't like them?

Pond's cold cream cleanser!  Pond's is a brand I'm familiar with but don't use so this was an exciting score for me!  This sample was 3.5 ounces.  The scent is just as refreshing as the cleansing.  You can feel the moisturizing deep cleaning.  After I washed the cream off my face was so soft and felt refreshed.  Make-up remover is just a bonus.  If your going to remove your makeup and moisturize why not have a cream that does both?  One step for two purposes!

  Lastly in the box was body wash by Olay!  This Olay body wash in Shea butter is 3 fluid ounces.  

It smells amazing!  It has an island refreshing scent about it.  I love a body wash that smells great as well as hydrates my skin after washing it. This bodywash states to have lock-in moisture!

  I really like this box and am excited to use the rest of the products!  I have used Hunt's paste but the ease of a packet versus a can is nice.  The dish cloth well be great on my non-stick pans as well!  That Pond's cleanser and Olay bodywash are as good as gone and I will be buying full size bottles!

  So now that you see the variety let me tell you what you have to do to get a box.

Sign up and complete the member profile.  When you receive the products just log back on and complete the surveys for each product.  That's it!

To sign up I'm providing my link for your convenience here.

Top 10 of 2016

  Looking back at 2016 and I decided to share my 10 favorites of the year!  In no particular order.

1.  My son's birthday cake.  I was pretty impressed with selecting a cake in the world of Pinterest and make it happen.

2.  Deciding and cycling 50 miles on a local bike trail.  I felt good going out the gate. I never had a doubt I wouldn't finish.  I did finish with some sore legs but surprisingly no pain the next day!

3.  I started out the year wanting to catch a movie every week.  I did pretty good for the first few months but after that life got in the way.  However my favorite movie of the year was Moana!

4.  I got crafty this year and made more crafts and DIY projects then prior years.  I was pretty proud of the fall mat I made.

5.  One of my favorite songs were Unsteady by X Ambassadors  and Rise Up by Andra Day.  These two songs have been played in my house enough that the littlest of people even know it.  It also never gets old and always gets turned up when it plays on the radio.

6.  I ran out and got a cup of coffee from Luke's Diner at Stars Hollow.  No, I'm just kidding I didn't see Lorelai either at my local pop up coffee shop sponsored by Netflix for the 16th anniversary of Gilmore Girls.

7.  Peppermint lattes from Wawa.  I have been previously drinking from other locations but when I tried one from Wawa I was pleasantly surprised.  It was love at first sip.  No need to go anywhere else.  It's the same wait time, it's made fresh, it's topped with whip cream and it's delicious.  The only down side is you have to go inside to get it.

8.  Grey's Anatomy will always be a hit until.... we won't talk about that.  I'm not even prepared for the show to end so let me just enjoy that it's still here!

9.  The Amazon Firestick.  Oh my what a device.  So many movies and not enough time.  Its cheaper to enjoy movies at home even when I almost always go to the $5 matinee but I do miss that movie buttery popcorn.  I love picking almost any movie I want to watch.  My kids have even enjoyed several movies and shows from Amazon.

10.  My favorite books of the year were several.  So I tried to pick a couple from different genres.

       


Nonfiction: Wild The story biographical story of a journey on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Humor: Mother Can You Not centers around a mother and daughter, their relationship as a mother and child from the childhood of the daughter to adulthood.


  Thank you 2016 we did have some good times and I won't forget you.  No pressure 2017 let's see what you've got.

Red, white and blue (pinterest challenge day 4)

  Today's challenge was fun and I can't wait to show it off in the future at a party or get together.  This challenge already had me reflecting on my future and how I can take a dish to another level.  I used to think (well still do) that it was hard to bring a dish to pass that was sophisticated and fancy but, now I know it may take a little practice and some time but it's absolutely possible!

  All you need are three items to pull this Pinterest idea off.

 Strawberries.

Blue sprinkles and white chocolate that didn't quite make the photo opportunity.

  Melt the chocolate dip your strawberries in the chocolate and then roll them into the sprinkles. Bam, that's it!

  I present to you red, white and blue.  My daughter wolfed them down as soon as they were done.  She does like strawberries and sugar so go figure.

  Well if this doesn't motivate you on how easy some neat food art can be I don't know what could.  This one was even easier than that hotdogopus (lol).  Making him was easy standing him up on the seaweed was the hard part.

Let's Drink to that (Strawberry recipe review)

  We picked up strawberries yesterday so I am able to try a few more recipes.  Today I decided to try a drink. Not a smoothie or a milkshake but good ol strawberry milk.

  I followed the recipe to a point but I actually didn't use all the strawberries but, most of them.  I looked at a few recipes and choose this one based on the maple syrup instead of the large quantity of sugar.

  I am very interested in trying to make strawberry milk minus all the other secret ingredients that come in the traditional strawberry milk.  It would be nice to make my own with minimal ingredients making it healthier!

  This recipe just required 3 ingredients.  I think as basic as that is it should be enough to accomplish the taste I want without the over abundance of sugar, artificial flavor and color.

  I cooked the berries down;

added the maple syrup and cooked for a bit longer then added it to the blender.

  I followed the directions to run the berries through a strainer to reduce if not remove the berries.

  Next you add the berry syrup

then the milk.

  Overall the recipe was very easy to make but I didn't taste a strong enough strawberry flavor.  I would make this recipe again and increase the berries, follow the cooking, blending and straining steps again just to see if I can reach that level I'm looking for.

For now bottoms up to the first round!   Notice the top of my drink! I strained it and this was still the result.  I didn't mind though it kind of looks like a special garnish.



 Find the recipe here: http://www.laurafuentes.com/homemade-real-strawberry-milk/

Strawberry Patch Kickoff

  The other day we visited out local strawberry patch to pick some berries!  Nothing beats a fresh strawberry and lucky for us the season started a couple weeks earlier this year.

I had two eager helpers with me and we purchased one bucket!

  Since then I have decided to make a new monthly challenge of strawberry recipes.  This will be a little more interesting as I was able to buy a few cans of pumpkin last fall and spread it out amongst the month.  I will have to make random trips to the patch for this objective!

  The recipes will be a variety of ideas but all will showcase the strawberry.  So I will have breakfast items, shakes, smoothies, desserts and maybe I can find some interesting savory dishes.  You know by now none of the recipes are my own.  I look high and low on the Internet for recipes to try and that will continue to be the case for this challenge.

  So operation red berry starts today May 1st with shortcake!

You can find the recipe here!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake-recipe3.html

Fall bucketlist

  We have already done alot this month and it's only just begun.  I have assembled items I would like to accomplish for fall.  This will be easier than breaking things down monthly.  I look at various sites for daily,weekly and monthly activities and events so those will get added at the bottom. My list is comprised of things for me to do as well as my kids or as a family.

Fall Bucket list
1. Apple picking -DONE
2. Cider and donut eating (we already did at the orchard but that was one donut and a small bit of cider)
3. Check out some changing leaves (leaves do not change here as pretty as there are when I drive away from the area)
4. Carve pumpkins
5. Attend the lighthousechallenge in NJ (next weekend fingers crossed I haven't made overnight accommodations)
6. Leaf crafts with my kids
7. Sewing project (beanie)
8. Shopping (score thrift store deals) Let's shoot for 2! Hoping I can reuse as gifts or repurpose.
9. Which brings me to be on the look out for Christmas presents.
10.  Finish my pumpkin challenge 30 days (not all homemade but let's focus on eating the pumpkin, lol)
11. New face! I have been wearing makeup, watching tutorials of different styles, techniques and products and hope to break into that area as well.  So far I have applied daily and am up to day 6! Pictures are on  my instagram.
12. I would like my daughter to know her money and time
13. Take a nature walk and scavenger hunt with my little ones.
14. A nice toasty night out with a fireplace would be nice ( might not happen as I like heat and my husband doesn't)
15. 1 new recipe a week (let's make it more complicated I have been doing this pumpkin challenge and all those recipes are new to me but how about 7 new vegetarian meals.  That will get me through Nov.)

Ok, I feel more fulfilled having wrote down some ideas.  Now to remember them and take the time to complete them.

Follow along as I will post updates when I have completed them and share with you how I am coming along.

Day field trips

  I don't know about you but I have been out and about most of the summer and we still have another month left.  The best trips are those spent as a family laughing, exploring and having fun.  We have stayed close to home this year which makes it more affordable but there's always that pesky gas to get you anywhere.  So with an exception of that I have utilized cheaper options for entertainment.

This week we are taking advantage of the summer movie series.  Certain theaters are offering movie showings for either $1 or free for older movies.  Monday we went to see The Lego Movie at Cinema Cafe in Hampton, VA !  I love Cinema Cafe it is where movie meets full menu.  A great sit dinner and a movie option all rolled into one.  The chairs are set up stadium style and a long table in front of each row of seats.  Menus are available to choose anything from the ever so popular popcorn to pizza, ice cream, burgers and even beer.  Simply press your red light doorbell button and your server appears to assist with all meal and beverage consumption right at your fingertips!  They also offer daily specials. We scored a $2.00 bucket of popcorn on Monday!

These movies play for a specific time during the summer at these prices but Cinema Cafe offers great movie prices for their weekly showings as well discounted matinees offered.  This establishment has a nice game room offering a variety of arcade games, skeeball and bowling.  Birthday parties would be a blast here!  Everything is at your fingertips for entertainment.

I forgot to add to enjoy more perks sign up for their text club.  You will receive coupons and upcoming movies! Perfect planned dates as this gives you all the Cinema Cafe movies and showtime as well.