Contact Paper Window Art

Making art is something that most toddlers like to do. After perusing Pinterest for awhile I found a few blogs with toddlers and the kids really enjoyed contact paper.

The Monkey really only liked it for a little bit - but I didn't have any tissue paper squares (which are coming in the mail today!) so I had to modify it a bit and use pom poms. Did The Monkey like the pom poms? Well, let's just say that they ended up all over the floor and NOT on the contact paper. 5 minutes and she was done. SO we will try this again with the tissue paper squares later today. 

The general idea: tape contact paper to a window. Give the kid something that sticks really well and enjoy the peace and quiet for a bit. 

Also, I just realized that from the pom pom picture below - my hands are getting to get wrinkly. I need to buy some really good hand moisturizer.

Living Room Rug. I Need A New One

Our living room rug is junk.

Ok, it's really two $19.99 rugs from Ikea put together. One corner has started rolling up, which means that I trip, The Monkey trips, the dog lays on it which makes it worse. Oh yeah, and it gathers dog fur like mad. I really hate it. Or them. 

At this point I just can't justify spending $2000 on this rug from Crate & Barrel:

So instead I may have to settle for this rug from Pier 1:

Meh, I don't know... I've been debating rugs for so long. I'm drawn to grays and blues but warm tones and browns work better. 

Plus we'll also be walking on it with dirty feet and grinding Goldfish crackers into it.

I need it to hold up for at least 10 years. 

Make a Car Out of a Box

Super easy idea for something to do with a toddler -

Grab an Amazon box, get some crayons and get busy. Don't forget to make a hole for a key so your toddler can "turn it on" because really, what's a car without a key???

Menu Planning Monday

Blerg. It's so hard to do menu planning.

But it's inevitable, if I don't do it we end up eating frozen pizza 3 out of 4 times... SO... I HAVE TO MENU PLAN.

Part of the problem as a stay-at-home mom is that I have to plan for two meals per day (breakfast is easy!). And I like to cook so I cook. I'm only really good at planning out meals 4-5 days in advance. I change my mind, I realize that veggies go bad, Simone is having an off day and I just can't cook. It happens. Life happens. Whatevs...

This week is easy -

Monday:
Lunch: Leftover lasagna from last night
Dinner: Calzones - with stuff from the fridge (pizza dough, pasta sauce, mozzarella), and steamed cauliflower

Tuesday:
Lunch: leftover calzones OR spinach tortellini
Dinner: Crockpot teriyaki chicken with potatoes & carrots

Wednesday:
Lunch: leftover chicken
Dinner: T-bone steaks with baked potatoes and frozen veggies

Thursday:
Lunch: Mac & cheese with frozen veggies
Dinner: Pot stickers & fried rice

Playing With Oatmeal

Ahhh... Stale oatmeal... 

Another fun activity... Just make sure your vacuum works! 

Dump it in a pot, add in some measuring cups... Voila! Instant fun!

Party Cups? Wha?!?!

Need an activity to do with your toddler?

Break out the party cups!!! I suppose I should find the ping pong balls too...

Best Garlic Bread Ever

Don't think about calories. Just think about how delicious it will be in your tummy. I mean stomach. I'm a mom. I now say tummy. Meh, there are worse things.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the bread. 

Get out a saucepan and put a few tablespoons of butter in it.

Add a drop of olive oil. 

And garlic. About a tablespoon.

And salt & pepper.

Now melt everything together.

Mmmm... BUTTER

Dip ONE side of each piece of bread into the melted butter.

And then put each piece back into place onto tinfoil. 

And wrap up with tinfoil. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

And then devour voraciously.

Wordless Wednesday

Holiday Crochet

Last year I participated in Finch's Holiday Boutique in Minnetonka - unfortunately it was the weekend where we got 14 inches of snow. I still sold a few items though.

This year I wanted to try out a variety of things so I started making items early. 

And then the holiday boutique was canceled (for good reason though, the coordinator is pregnant and I wouldn't want to run a boutique at 38 weeks!!!).

So I've got all this stuff:

 Baby beanies - newborn, 6-9 months, 12-18 months - multiples of each color above plus more blue and green - $8 for the newborn, $10 for the larger sizes

Granny square blankets - 22x22inches - $22 for single square, $25 for the multiple squares sewn together

Handmade ornaments - $8 for a set of 3

And then I was going to have dishcloths at $3 each.

But now I have all this stuff and no place to sell (well, except Etsy), so I'm going to have to research my tail off to find another boutique or see if I could share a space somewhere else.

Oy, I even have a few scarves left too!

Baby Hats!!

Hats are so easy & fast to make. Now I just need to decide if I should embelish them with flowers that I've already made.

I'm hoping to do Finch's Workshop again this winter and I think baby items will sell well. If I embelish, then I'll have to raise the prices but I think they are pretty good right now.

Sizes:

Newborn to 3 months - $8

3 months to 9 months - $10

9 months - 18 months - $12

Head sizes for babies are so random. Currently The Monkey at 15 months fits into the largest size. 

New! Stripes!

Birthday Lillies

I'm 30! Bimmer Man bought me flowers and I love them!! So happy birthday to me!

Coffee Recs, Anyone?

I need a new coffee to try.

So I took the advice of my latest World Market email and bought some coffee there. Apparently you get some free coffee after you buy so many... 

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Half or quarter tomatoes. Toss onto a large baking sheet.

Pour olive oil over tomatoes.

Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Sprinkle with dry basil.

Smash some garlic cloves. Half or quarter onions and toss all onto the tray.

Toss all together.

Shove it into the oven and leave it for 45 minutes.

Then puree.

Or pass it through a food mill. 

Meal Planning

I hate when you make a week's plan and it goes to crap halfway through. 

So this week, well, whatever. N'importe quoi as the french would say. 

I made too many sweet potato fries for lunch but I baked sweet potatoes for dinner, I've got roasted corn and salmon.

At some point (by Thursday), I need to use a butternut squash, other root vegetables, cilantro, spinach.

Oy. 

I think tomorrow's breakfast is scrambled eggs with spinach. Squash for lunch. 

Maybe.

Whatever.

Bats.

I've never been much of a holiday decorator - Christmas - yes, pumpkins on Halloween - yes, but everything else - meh. Now that the Monkey is old enough to start to understand and know what's going on, I feel like I HAVE to do SOMETHING.

So I made this year's Halloween sort of a joke. 

Bimmer Man is deathly afraid of bats.

Bats. 

Seriously. 

In fact, he ran screaming from a bat once. 

Maybe twice.

Ok, at least three times (that I was present for). 

So I bought bats to decorate with. 

Happy Almost Halloween!!!

Peppers

I have so many peppers that I don't know what to do with them!

Stuffing the poblanos with rice, beans, cheese = yes, for lunch on Monday or Tuesday

The mini peppers = maybe stuffing with garlic cream cheese for a snack or appetizer? 

There are a ton of medium sweet peppers, I'm thinking maybe some sort of sausage, onion, peppers meal. 

I've frozen a ridiculous amount already. This week we received habenero peppers. Yikes. I may have to make a super hot salsa and learn how to can! 

Anyone want to come over to teach me how to can? Beer and food as a bribe???

A Day In The Life... (pictures only)

Summer Is Over

Boo.

Pretty sure today is the last day the temp will be 80 degrees.

Last day for shorts. 

Boo.

I love summer and I hate to see it go. 

BUT this also means Pumpkin Pie, baked squash, mashed potatoes, great hearty foods, etc...

BUT I just got a new bike and a trailer to haul the Monkey. Now how am I going to work out??? I guess Jillian Michaels will have to beat the shit out of me this winter. Hopefully my "mom arms" can take her 30 Day Shred.

Peach Crisp

Ha! You can totally tell that I was clipping coupons. Meh..... I'm a coupon clipper.

In any case, peaches are awesome right now - I picked up a bag from Whole Foods and they looked like they would be awesome in a fruit crisp. 

Filling:

6-8 peaches

2 tbsp of white sugar

Topping:

1 stick butter

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

Cinnamon & cloves - just a sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350. 

Peel and slice peaches. Mix with white sugar. Put into a shallow pan (i used a 9 inch pie pan).

Mix the dry topping ingredients. Cut butter into the dry mix. Pour over peaches.

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until peach juices are bubbling and topping is crunchy. 

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

I Hide Books From My Child

I'm not ashamed to admit it. When you start "Knuffle Bunny" for the 40th time in a row you get to a point where it either needs to leave your house (toy swap for a few weeks anyone?) or it needs to be hidden until you vacuum out the couch. 

Alpaca Yarn

I bought some. 

And unfortunately it's light pink.

I wanted cream so I could make myself some boot socks for my Frye boots.

But no. NO. NO.

It wasn't on sale. 

So I'm stuck with pink.

I made The Monkey a larger hat that she can put on her head herself.

And now wtf do I make myself??? Maybe I'll make The Monkey a matching scarf.

A freaking alpaca scarf. 

My child is spoiled. 

I don't have a freaking alpaca scarf.

But I don't want a pink one either. 

Caprese Salad

I don't even know if you need instructions.

Tomatoes

Mozzarella

Basil

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

Layer tomatoes, mozzarella & basil. Sprinkle with oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.

And yes, my 17 month old smashes tomatoes into her mouth, she loves them so much!!! This is a great toddler meal - skip the balsamic or not - easy, fresh, healthy & colorful! 

Yum!

This makes me sad to see summer passing by.