Need a cute treat for the end of the season hockey party or tournament? Here is a super easy idea to make edible hockey pucks on a stick with Ding Dongs. Each child has their jersey number included with a personalized photo tag attached.
To see how to create them, visit my previous post Ding Dong on a Stick when I sent them to school for a birthday celebration.
As for the photo tag, I created it in Picnik by covering an existing photo with a white background. To do this, select the “edit” tab, then the “sticker” tab, then select the “Geometric” category. Pick the rectangle to cover the entire image to have a fresh palate to start with. Make sure to change the color to white.
Now, select the rectangle with rounded corners and place it on the white background. Change it to the desired color. Altar the size to your liking. Copy it and place the second tag next to it so two tags fit on one picture.
From there, add the text and picture placing them where desired. This is how my finished tag looks.
Print on photo paper.
Using the original tags, change the name and number to complete the next two players. Print. Repeat for the rest of the team, getting two tags per photo.
Cut around the tag image and punch a hole in the top. Package in a cello bag secured with a tag and matching ribbon. Let me know if you make them!
Linking up to these linky parties. Please visit them to see many more great ideas!
The day has come. My oldest crossed the invisible bridge from child to teen. Thirteen. I rarely say that word. I ELIMINATED it in my mom vocab. Until today.
What this means?
Our relationship changes. Different and new. I prefer the word revolution. We are in the beginning of a relationship revolution. I have to learn my new boundaries. I have to be ok with being invisible at times yet walking the visible line of parenting. I have to be ok with our new topics that we will broach. I have to be ok to look up at him when we speak.
I have to be ok that he packed away all his Legos. I have to be ok that he doesn’t battle with light sabers through the house anymore. I have to be ok that he snubs cartoons. I have to be ok that he can walk to the bus stop by himself. I have to be ok that he wears men size shoes. I have to be ok that I no longer can send classroom birthday treats to school.
I have to be ok if he decides to eat it inside of the brown paper bag.
Brown Paper Bag Pistachio Cupcakes Ingredients:
1 box moist yellow cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 box pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
½ cup oil
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cinnamon & sugar mixture
Directions:
Mix the top five ingredients together with mixer. Layer each cupcake liner with ¼ cake batter, cinnamon/sugar mixture, ¼ cake batter, cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes. Ovens vary so watch them closely and use the toothpick test to check for doneness.
Cool.
Break apart two cupcakes, reserving a cupcake top, and place the pieces in a 16oz cup. Top with the cupcake top. Package and embellish. Don’t forget to include a fork.
Brown paper bag optional.
Brown Paper Bag Pistachio Bread:
Follow the above directions. Grease & flour two loaf pans. Layer each loaf pan with ¼ cake batter, cinnamon/sugar mixture, ¼ cake batter, cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool. Slice. Freezes well.
My kids dreaded choosing what to give up for Lent this year. I encouraged them to really think about it. I shot down a few of their preposterous ideas like giving up homework, their brother, and showers that they would love to be gone with. Giving up candy and lying at four years old was really cute but I expect them to take it more seriously now that they are a little older. Choose something realistic and doable.
They came back with giving up candy. Really? We just went through this discussion and there is no way they can keep this promise. It is too difficult. I want them to succeed with their choice. My candy monsters are offering to give up candy? That’s like the Cookie Monster giving up cookies or me giving up coffee which I suffered through last year. I sent them back to the table to come up with something better yet encouraging more time and thought.
Two minutes later, they came running back with candy, again. Candy! For sure, a day or two into the Lenten season they would forget, break their promise or at least beg to change their choice. I wasn’t making the decision for them. The decision is theirs. I made them write their promise on an index card, sign it and tape it on the wall as a daily reminder.
Day one -caught opening a piece of candy, “oh, I forgot I gave that up”
Day two – running off the bus waving a sucker in hand as a reward for being good at school.
Day five -candy handed out after practice.
Day eight or nine – “mom, can I have sprinkles on my ice cream or is that candy?”
They were thrown temptation many, many times and succeeded, so far, with their promise. In fact, along the way, they have been diligent in keeping the rest of the family honest. That’s what I love about kids is their honesty. “Mom, I’m glad you decided to exercise everyday during Lent cause your butt is getting big!” Then this came out of one of their mouths….
Off to exercise before I get called out by the kids.
Since my 101 Elf on the Shelf Ideas post is still going strong, I thought it would be hilarious to create a Leprechaun Spoof to incorporate three holidays into one, Christmas (Elf on the Shelf), Valentine’s Day (lollipop photo cards) and St. Patrick’s Day (leprechaun tricks), via the most loved and despised elf!
If anyone is going to bring the elf out of storage mid-year just for a post, you’d expect it to be me. I’m not into him making an appearance throughout the year; however, I did consider him to be a birthday guest but the birthdays came and went and I forgot (probably due to all the vomiting in the house). God works in mysterious ways.
It took longer to remember where I stashed the elf and dig through the boxes to find him than create this picture. I enjoy the creativity behind all of these holidays and I enjoy being creative and different even though I don’t always celebrate each holiday huge every year! I didn’t do anything special for St. Patrick’s Day, so I thought I would create a spoof for you all to enjoy!
It’s all in good fun! I hope you enjoyed this post. Tell me about your St. Patrick’s Day!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Being a DVT (blood clot) and double Pulmonary Embolism survivor, baby aspirin is my daily friend to ensure my blood stays thin to avoid future blood clots or “chunky blood” as I joke. However, the thin blood running through my veins causes me to feel very cold all the time. Ugh!
In addition to my condition, I have children who play ice hockey and baseball. How could they pick such cold sports? I’m sure this is a payback for making them eat their vegetables and clean their rooms! I have “momed up” a lot over the years with layers of thermal long johns, coffee and blankets in hand, but now I have the advantage of The Trap Wrap to keep warm!
* * * * * * * *
The Trap Wrap is a lightweight portable heating device that is worn around the neck similar to a scarf. It has been specifically designed to provide safe, soothing and consistent heat. The unique, wireless and flexible FabRoc heat technology provides the world’s first self-regulating heating system, allowing me to relax and enjoy the benefits of stable, Far Infrared (FIR) heat applied to one of largest muscles – the trapezius. By warming this muscle, my entire body feels warmer as the heat is distributed by blood flow throughout my body.
This product has freed me from my heating pad & heating blanket to provide me with a solution, that I can wear around the house or on the go such as; the bus stop, sporting events, grocery shopping, walking (dog walking), winter activities and tournament weekends. We often travel “up north” to Northern Michigan where I freeze so I can’t wait to use it during windy boat rides and chilly summer nights. I’m thinking Halloween trick-or-treating is going to be so much better this year, too!
It has revolutionized how I feel and unplugged me from the house. I remember the wonderful feeling when I switched from a desktop computer to a laptop. It was liberating! That’s exactly how The Trap Wrap makes me feel – liberating, warm and happy!
This product is wonderful for anyone who works outdoors (playground moms, bus drivers, crossing guards, coaches), works in a chilly office/warehouse environment and those who wish to be comfortable in cold weather.
It makes a practical gift! They will appreciate the warmth which creates a pleasant, relaxed, and consistent demeanor putting a smile on their face!
Are you a soccer, football, or cheer parent? Then this product is worth the investment to stay warm on the sidelines or while tailgating! I think The Trap Wrap is worth every penny to be able to enjoy events comfortably!
I never have to worry about running out of battery power as I can recharge my battery at home, in a lobby, car or hotel’s electrical outlet. The rechargeable battery and charger is a grand slam bonus included with The Trap Wrap which starts at $109.95.
The Trap Wrap is small enough to fit in my purse so I am never caught without it. It is fashionable, sporty, washable, static free, easy to put on, thin and lightweight!
I created a video to show you how my new favorite accessory, The Trap Wrap, works! I had to find a new spot to hide from the kids – their tree house! Don’t laugh, it worked. They thought I was in the bathroom the entire time!
My son and I had so much fun whipping up our version of Minny’s Famous Chocolate Pie in honor of the movie The Help being nominated for an Oscar Award. My kids don’t care about the awards. They are just excited to make a “poop pie” with the best ingredients! You will appreciate this reference if you read the book or saw the movie!
We didn’t have enough time or patience to make the actual recipe here, so we improvised and made a crust less instant pudding pie. (a.k.a. instant pudding in a pie dish). It only took 5 minutes to create from the box! However, the best part is all of the giggles on deciding who is going to take the first bite. Potty humor at its best!
Now, they cannot wait to show up to the next family function with a chocolate pie in hand because that’s how we roll! I am considering this pie to be an April 1st dessert contender!
I saw this idea on Pinterest earlier this month and I’m so glad I remembered it because my children, literally, have been sick all month – different child, different week, different illness. Many trips to the doctors and a couple of prescriptions later and this is how we managed to never miss a dose. Simply writing the dosing schedule on the back of the bottles with a permanent marker makes all the difference for a tired mom and tag team parents and care givers. I just pinned the original pin to my Mom Tip’s Board so others can share in the ease of dosing. Creating an alert on my phone also helped us to remember to give the dose on time.
Pinterest is a wonderful place to learn just about anything you want, spend time you didn’t know you had, on things you didn’t know you liked.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Seems like only yesterday my children were eating out of baby bowls. Isn’t this the cutest ‘Hello Bebe’ feeding set with Little Red Riding Hood Story captured on the front for little ones to enjoy? This feeding set has a double body construction meaning that that the inside stainless steel keeps food warm or cold and the durable outside plastic never gets too hot for little fingers.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
This is a wonderful versatile meal full of leftovers
but it requires a little planning for a quick throw together!
Ingredients:
2 cups ham, cut into cubes (store bought cubed ham works in a pinch)
5-8 scrambled eggs, seasoned w/ salt & pepper
2 cups cooked carrots, sliced
3 cups day old rice
Soy sauce
2 TBSP Olive oil
Following a big ham dinner, we eat Ham Fried Rice and Scalloped Potatoes with Ham to finish up leftovers that week. Ham Fried Rice is a big hit with my kids and I love it because it is a simple dish to prepare. The night before, I cook 3 cups of white rice in my rice cooker. If you haven’t invested in a rice cooker, I highly recommend it. Rice is perfect every time, never burnt, and it allows you to walk away and forget about it – my kind of cooking. Store the finished rice in the refrigerator overnight or until needed in a seal tight container. Day old rice is required for this recipe so it is not sticky during preparation.
The next morning I prepare an extra large batch of 10-16 scrambled eggs for breakfast, reserving 5-8 for dinner. My kids really love eggs so we generously add extra to our liking.
At dinner time, I just have to throw in my olive oil, day old rice, cubed ham, and scrambled eggs into my wok. My Cookplus Vitamin Wok is from LocknLock. It is a perfect solution to heating up this dish quickly and efficiently. The handle doesn’t get hot and the extra deep sides fit this dish perfect as it requires quite a bit of stirring.
While I break up the rice with a bamboo spatula and stir the ingredients together, I boil my carrots until tender, slice and add to the dish. Lastly, I add soy sauce to our liking, never measuring. I usually can tell by the color if I’ve added enough. Heat on med until warm all the way through, stirring to avoid burning.
Ham Fried Rice is great for lunch or dinner and serves well for more leftovers. When my kids were toddlers they really enjoyed exercising their pinching skills to pick up each individual piece of food. Check with your pediatrician regarding what age to introduce eggs to your child.
Note: Chicken can be substituted for ham. This dish is so versatile that anything can be added to fit your family’s liking.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
When I saw these fun Leg Lamp Cupcakes from The Party Animal, I knew these would be the perfect substitution to our holiday baking plan. A Christmas Story is a favorite in our house! I usually spend an entire day with the kids baking goodies but this year we only have one full day of vacation before Christmas Eve so I shortened our baking plan.
We worked on our gingerbread house…
We will not be receiving any awards for our architecture!
Then we baked cupcakes and embellished them with the FREE printable from
The kids baked the cupcakes, I cut and assembled the printables and they topped off each cupcake with Leg Lamps. I think they will remember our baking day, shortened and all, even more so!
Last night the boys camped out in the family room for a fun Friday night sleeping under the Chrismas lights. Little did they know that Buddy had more fun!
I’m excited to spread Holiday cheer! I Caught Santa is a unique website that helps parents create proof that Santa is real. I hope you join me in my excitement to “catch” Santa in your house!
For those who would like to keep the belief alive and well or at least stretched out a little longer, will be very pleased to learn how to obtain photographic evidence of the big guy in your home. It will be priceless to watch your child’s face fill with wonder, delight and surprise when they find a picture of Santa in front of their tree or fireplace!
This picture will be left for my children on Christmas morning with a note from Santa and Buddy, our Elf On The Shelf.
Priceless.
Creating your own picture is a simple process. It took me five minutes to create this picture of him enjoying our cookies and milk. Just take a picture of the spot you want Santa to be shown in, then upload it to the site. I made sure our fireplace doors were open as it always is on Christmas morning.
Then select a Santa to use from the 20 available poses. You can really make it look authentic if you work with the tools to rotate, size flip and brighten. You can also choose from several border styles to jazz it up.
Once you confirm your digital image, payment is made, then you will be able to download the image to your computer to print, email or share via facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. The image you download is the product that you are purchasing. They do not send you a photo.
Read the last two paragraphs from my post last year, Buddy’s Final Seven Days At Our Home, to see how our Elf On The Shelf and I Caught Santa warmed our family on Christmas morning! Plus you’ll see our I Caught Santa image from last year!
Get Your Own Photo
iphone App: Click here for the details and a great demo!
Buy It:Catch A Character photos are $9.99 each (no shipping cost since it’s a digital product!).
A special thank you to CatchACharacter.com for providing me this product to facilitate my candid review as well as offering a magnificent giveaway for my readers. These are my own opinions and experience which are not swayed by product received, your opinion may vary. No other compensation received.
Buddy arriving in a blonde wig, by far, has created the MOST laughs and giggles. The kids have no idea where this wig came from and that is creating some really fun conversation!
With a house full of boys, there is little room for pink and pretty so I guess Buddy is on my side today.
If you’re up for a little challenge, consider having your Elf Candy Cane Ice Skate on an ice filled pie dish. It takes a little prep time to freeze the water; however, getting his candy cane skates to stay in position is the challenge. I managed to get ours to work but if you are having difficulty then just set the candy cane skates on the surface in front of him instead of on the ice.
This idea stems from the DIY Jet Packs that I created as embellishment to my son’s Halloween costumes. Thinking on a minature scale I came up with glue sticks for Jet Packs.
The kids were so excited to come home to Buddy who was waiting for them on the Red Carpet making his Grand Entrance! I can’t even express how excited they were! They laughed, giggled and my youngest danced in delight of his return! They are off talking to him and I am doing my best to use my ninja mom eavesdropping skills to gain some secret info. They are communicating with Santa through Buddy by the way of notes. Asking Santa if he thinks they are naughty or nice and requesting a reply. Hmm…if it is being questioned then perhaps there is an issue. just sayin’. My youngest is passing candy canes to Mrs. Claus and Santa via Buddy. So tenderly sweet.
Our house was full of coughing last night, mostly by me, so there was too much nighttime waking causing me to delay my secret mission. So I waited till after my 9 year old checked on Buddy at 2am. My painful 3am wake-up to secure Operation North Pole was worth the delight in their actions this morning. Of course, I used a photo effect on this picture to create the green “night vision.”
I am very excited to have our tradition kick off after a beautiful Thanksgiving with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins hanging out at the cottage and huntin’ camp. Little boys enjoying the woods like boys should. Getting back to nature. God blessed me with boys. I embrace it. I love it.
I hope you take pleasure this holiday season in all the joys of parenthood, such as this one, because the years are short and the memories are long. May God bless you and your families as you enter another gorgeous season!
P.S. My younger two boys are asking Santa for a Golden Retriever puppy this year. Dear Santa, please work your magic and change their minds.
Here’s a preview of how our Elf, Buddy, is going to make his Grand Entrance this year….Red Carpet Style! Buddy’s debut is about a week away.
Stay tuned for the action, fun, adventure, thrills, excitement, hullabaloo, warmth, wildness, kindness, and one of a kind antics that you can re-create at home! Did I mention…I LOVE being a mom!!!
In the meantime, if you’re looking for some fun for your Elf to capture, take a look at my list of 101 Elf On The Shelf Ideas.
For the kids…
For the crowd…
For the bake sale…
For the Thanksgiving Day table…
For the everyday…
Turkey Cupcakes!
Simply adding a chocolate embellishment takes “normal” cupcakes to “wow” cupcakes.
I got the idea from Betty Crocker. She is a doll;)
Bake cupcakes straight from the box – yes box!
Let cool. For hours. For a day. Overnight if you want.
Pipe canned frosting – yes canned – onto the cupcakes.
I use a pastry bag and extra, extra large frosting tip
to create a swirl top of frosting.
Again, walk away from them for awhile cause
the house and kids are demanding!
Melt a handful of chocolate candy melts in microwave until smooth – 30-60 secs.
Pour in plastic bottle with a fine tip.
Quickly pipe “turkey feathers” with melted chocolate on silpat or wax paper.
Making quick “turkey feather” motions turned out successful feathers.
More success and happiness comes
if each turkey feather stoke has a consistent flow of chocolate.
Air bubbles lead to broken feathers and mad bakers.
We don’t want that!
Cool in fridge 5 minutes but it’s ok if they are forgotten for awhile too.
Carefully remove chocolate feathers from silpat with a flat spatula.
Chocolate feathers do not have to be perfect.
They naturally will look cute and each will have it’s own personality!
Beware, some will break.
Some can be salvaged by sticking further into frosting.
Make a couple extra to be safe.
Trust me, this will lead to a happier baker.
Add chocolate feathers onto top of frosting swirl.
Add a Hersey Kiss (Caramel Hersey Kiss to be different) in front of chocolate feathers.
If you run out of Hersey Kisses, improvising with a candy melt works really well too!
To save you a trip to the grocery store,
I used 3 cans of frosting to cover 24 cupcakes using the large frosting swirl.
To make this less daunting – really this just one more step than making your regular cupcakes -the chocolate embellishment only required 15 minutes of my time away from the computer.
If you want to see how Betty Crocker made hers, click here.
Loved by the kids…
Loved by the crowd…
Loved by the bake sale…
Loved by the Thanksgiving Day table…
Loved everyday…
Has your family adopted the Elf on a Shelf tradition but find that you are running out of crazy fun ideas each year? To help keep the tradition alive, I’ve listed 101 things your Elf can do this season.
1. Marshmallow fight – marshmallows everywhere
2. Pillow fight – feathers everywhere
3. Nerf gun fight – darts everywhere
4. Laundry fight – clothes everywhere
5. Lipstick on mirror message
6. Crepe paper barricade on their bedroom door that they have to bust through
7. Rearrange story books in ABC order or in a pile of disarray
8. Clean closet or make mess of closet
9. Fill tub with bubbles till the point of explosion
10. Hang from shower nozzle with a towel on
11. Unroll toilet paper roll on the floor, around Christmas tree, etc.
12. Zip down a zip line through the house
13. Caught sneaking candy
14. Eat milk and cookies
15. Organize school clothes – mismatched haha
16. Write a message on the on the snow covered car window
17. Create a paper chain with a bit of a mess to show for it
18. Hang child’s unmentionables on the Christmas tree
19. Hang from chandelier or ceiling fan
20. Make faces on school pictures with a marker
21. Take a spin in toy car/remote control car
22. Play board game with stuffed animal friends or action figures
23. Tea party with stuffed animal friends
24. Read book, newspaper, e-reader, ipad, computer, etc
25. Listen to child’s ipod
26. Play child’s DS/itouch
27. Play video games
28. Draw picture
29. Color in coloring book
30. Dump toybox
31. Create a block tower
32. Switch as out closet clothes (i.e. take chunk of child’s clothes and switch with chunk of sibling or parents clothes) or switch out dresser drawer clothes
33. Hide rocks in shoes
34. Hide one shoe
35. Sit in shoe, holding shoe laces as if going on a sleigh ride
36. Turn everyone shoes into superhero shoes
37. Plant magic seeds with directions to water once a day. On 3rd day something will grow. Secretly plant lollipops on 3rd day. I love this Magic Elf Seeds idea from East Coast Mommy!
38. Make cookies – flour everywhere
39. Make Reindeer food
40. Turn toilet water blue
41. Turn milk blue
42. Take picture of child sleeping
43. Hang out on child’s bedpost
44. Knit a scarf or hat. Not literally, Jen. Come on.
45. Make paper airplanes and fly them around the house
46. Park the car backwards, down the street, crooked, etc.
47. Put toothbrushes in toilet or clean toilet with toothbrushes– yuck (make sure new standbys are waiting in the wings)
48. Type /write an amazing letter of all the wonderful qualities your Elf has witnessed of your child!!!!!!!!
49. Have a package arrive via UPS/US Postal Service – new clothes for your Elf ordered by yours truly.
50. Hide parents phone, keys, or mom’s blow dryer
51. Recreate your family tree that now includes your Elf
52. Nothing. If your elf didn’t move overnight then perhaps their behavior contributed to their elf not moving.
53. Fold clothes, empty dishwasher, vacuum
54. Dust, sweep kitchen
55. Rake leaves/shovel or play in the snow
56. Dance party – music playing & stuffed friends dancing
57. Game day – playing soccer, baseball, basketball, dance, gymnastics, karate, etc in the house
58. Complete child’s homework or add pictures on homework
59. Make phone call
60. Drink Pepsi & milk
61. Run on treadmill/ ride exercise bike
62. Sew on sewing machine
63. Play cards
64. Learn multiplication facts
65. Play dress up – wearing mini homemade reindeer ears, etc.
66. Cover a room with Post-it notes on EVERY wall
67. Watch movie with popcorn & remote control
68. Build something great with Legos
69. Change all clock times
70. Take all the kitchen cabinet knobs off
71. Unscrew all the light blubs
72. Lock car keys in the car (parents have to have good acting skills & time on their side)
73. Tear up child’s old homework
74. Have a friend or relative call child thanking them for your Elf’s white elephant gift (child’s missing toy, clothes, artwork, etc)
75. Skype a friend/family member as your child is waking up (get someone to play along)
76. Cut coupons
77. Wrap gifts or cut up wrapping paper
78. Cut out toy pictures from toy catalog
79. Try on mom’s jewelry
80. Elf packs school lunches but mixes up everyone lunches (each child receives siblings lunch – great conversation piece at dinner)
81. Short sheet child’s sheets – ha ha
82. Cool off a cup of HOT chocolate with a stationary fan, see ours here.
83. Elf writes his own X-mas list – Elf clothes, Mrs. Elf, candy, etc.
84. Create a scavenger hunt for the kids with clues leading to mischief
85. Leave paper trail (or dog food trail) through house
86. Hang wet clothes on clothesline outside– especially funny in colder climates because their clothes will be stiff
87. Build a family fort with a name on the front
88. Wrap a new gift for the kids to open – exciting and thoughtful
89. Turn all the kitchen chairs backwards
90. Turn all the breakfast plates upside down
91. Swing on outdoor swing set – chilly
92. Sit by warm fire – cozy
93. Punch stuffed animal in the throat
94. Cover lawn with Easter decorations such as plastic eggs
95. Fill room with lots of balloons or hang them from ceiling
96. Build snowman
97. Write a secret message to child with invisible ink
98. Create a mask & cape out of paper/cloth – Super Elf! Perhaps he can be hanging from the ceiling by fishing line.
99. Inspire reading, writing or imagination – leave a new book to be read or ask child to write a list things they are thankful for or ask child to finish Elf’s half written story making it as silly and creative as possible
100.Write a message in the snow (better for little ones who won’t notice the obvious footprints)
101.Pin fluffy tail on the back of child’s pjs while sleeping –great for hard sleepers. See our Buddy Tails.
My kids have imaginative ideas how they think technology will change what soldiers use in the future to defend our country thus the name of their costumes – Future Soldiers.
DIY Jet Packs were the best way I could depict their idea and they are crazy about it. There are all kinds of DIY Jet Packs on the web but the one I used is from Pinterest.
Here’s our behind the scenes look at how I spray painted the Sprite bottles. You can use any brand pop bottle but I like the shape of the Sprite bottles.
It is easy and requires little money to create. I like that. The 1 liter bottles were perfect for my younger son and I found that the smaller jet pack had less issue staying together with hot glue. My older son carried 2 liter bottles as they are more proportionate to his body size.
The bottles are simply hot glued onto felt. I created felt straps so the pack could be removeable from their costume.
I used left over tissue paper to create the flames. I used a rubber band to secure the tissue paper together and then hot glued it into the bottle opening.
I think the jet packs will be well used even after Halloween is over. Happy Halloween!
My kindergartener is always busy after school creating pictures and drawings. It is his thing. So, when I found Rachel’s tutorial for turning toddler scribbles into bows via Pinterest I decided to create them with my son.
He was eager to cover a sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 sketch paper with green crayon for our project. I used my paper cutter to create the strips and then followed Rachel’s detailed tutorial to create this….
I thought tape would be good enough to hold our paper but I reverted to a glue gun and it was the perfect option.
I love how sturdy our bow is and how it beautifully completes our birthday present!
I took this picture up north at Nana & Papa’s. Summer was dying and I was in mourning. As I sat staring at the flip flops you wore quite literally all summer, I realized another year of your life was coming to an end.
Sometimes I have to shield my heart to the pain of watching you grow. I must at times be in denial to that inevitable growth that leads you farther away from me. Sometimes it is simply more than I can bear.
Chris is an amazing wife and loving mother to two gorgeous girls, ages 6 and 9. She is one of the most generous people you will meet! She is a talented writer, artistically creative, and an avid runner! She is pursuing her dream to become an RN and will accomplish her goal in less than a year. With her intense studying, working part-time, and parenting, her desire to make her dream come true makes her admired by so many. She is a role model to her children and an inspiration to her friends!
Our adorable DIY Bug Jars never have a vacancy! My boys are constantly filling them with little creatures; in fact, we had to add more bug jars to our collection because they just keep find more & more little guests.
You can fashion your own DIY Bug Jar in minutes! It only requires three items that you probably already have lying around the house!
1. Mason jar (any size) with ring lid or see thru plastic container with lid (like the ones that hold pasta at the deli)
2. Left over screening scraps
3. Glue gun
Pre-heat your glue gun so it is ready to go. This project goes quick!
If you’re using a mason jar you will only need the ring lid, not the seal.
If you’re using a plastic deli container, you have to cut a circle in the lid. Place a drinking glass (with a smaller diameter then the lid) on top of the lid, trace around the glass with a pen and cut out the circle.
Cut a scrap piece of screen that you may have left over from re-screening your storm doors, to the same size as the diameter of your lid. I carefully held the lid on the screen and cut around the outside diameter. Ninja cutting skills, I know. Not perfect but it does the job. Please don’t trace around the lid on the screen with a permanent marker. It will leave a dotted circle on your work surface, just sayin’, and I won’t tell you how I know this! Older kids can cut out their own screen circles!
Test the size to make sure it fits properly inside the lid and trim if necessary.
Quickly run a strip of glue on the inside rim of the lid.
QUICKLY press the screen inside the lid running your finger around the diameter to ensure it adheres. Add more glue to spots if needed. The glue hardens so quickly that I also ran a light strip of glue right on the screen and pressed down again. Careful the glue is hot – this step should not be done by children!
If you found that you didn’t work quickly enough, peel the hardened glue off and re-apply.
My fabulous neighbor, who is a wealth of knowledge about living creatures, has a plastic deli container for her kid’s buggy house guests. At the time I didn’t have a plastic deli container and that’s when I decided to use my mason jars. If you’re afraid for your kids to be handling glass mason jars, the plastic deli container is the way to go!
We have a bug house that cost $15 from the store & sadly it falls apart all the time allowing the creatures to escape. These jars will last longer than our store bought house, creatures will not escape unless you want them to and the price is right. We release all of our creatures at the end of the day (except for those times that we forget :/).
These jars also make perfect party favors for a ladybug or insect party! Stick a beautiful label on the front thanking the guest for attending their party! Fill with plastic bug rings, gummy worms, or even the real deal if you dare!
This DIY Kids First Aid Bike Kit came out of necessity with my children. Time and time again we have been on a bike ride when one of my kids crash and burn causing bloody knees and hands when we are just a bit too far from home. How does one carry a crying child and two bikes back home? So I’ve learned to pack a first aid kit to help those cuts & scrapes, on the spot, hoping it’s just enough for them bike back home.
I up cycled an older Band-aid box (they used to be plastic) that I saved. Look around your house to find a container small enough to fit in a bike bag yet big enough to hold these first aid contents:
Band-aids
Alcohol Wipes
Neosporin
Gauze Pads
Tissues (to wipe tears)
Wet-ones (to wipe dirty hands after falling or greasy hands after fixing a bike chain)
Money (just in case a Slurpee or ice cream crosses the bike path)
I used scrap wrapping paper, cut to size, and glued on the top and bottom of the container with a glue stick to make it a pretty first-aid kit.
Not interested in making it pretty? A Ziploc does the trick too.
How many times have you been caught on a bike ride with a scraped up child?
My kids got their hands juicy all in the name of Lemonade Day! The event, the first in our city, allowed our family to become closer in the kitchen and on the sales floor. The kids had great ideas and I had fun helping them execute their brilliance!
Here is their marketing plan…
Catch a wave and surf up to Vince & Joe’s Gourmet Market for an exclusive visit to the Citrus Shark Lemonade Tank. Avid anglers, better known as the Fishing Team, will be delighting shoppers with their super secret gourmet lemonade recipe using Vince & Joe’s finest quality lemons! In addition to serving up Citrus Shark Lemonade straight from the shark tank, they will be selling handmade fishing lures for the toughest of anglers, rookies, and even those who squirm at the thought of baiting a hook! First come, first serve to get hooked on a cup of Citrus Shark Lemonade as well as a Citrus Shark Fishing Lure! Free samples of Lemonade and fish stories available! One per customer please. LOOK FOR US BEHIND THE WATERMELONS OUT FRONT! Since you’ll already be at Vince & Joe’s be sure to bring your grocery list!
It was a first for our family to purchase a case of lemons! We spent the better part of one day making homemade lemonade by squeezing 75 lemons by hand! I think they learned a ton about running a business, it’s HARD work, and they understand supply vs. demand a little better now! I also think they understand that learning to get along with others isn’t just a childhood thing…it carries on throughout the rest of their lives!
I am really excited to share Lemonade Day, June 12, 2011, with you!
What is Lemonade Day you ask?
Only the best entrepreneurial kids event that exists, in my opinion! I live for stuff like this…read on! (Secretly, I want to be a kid again…since there are no childhood do-overs, I hope my kids appreciate the fun stuff I do with them!)
Officially from their website: Lemonade Day is a nation-wide event that teaches kids the skills they need to be successful in the future. Youth learn to set goals, develop a business plan, establish a budget, seek investors, provide customer service, and give back to the community. Lemonade day is the perfect opportunity for a community to show kids they care and train the next generation of entrepreneurs!
So on June 12th, Lemonade stands will be set-up everywhere around the nation encouraging children to have fun running their lemonade stand while gaining valuable life lessons and skills!
What is there not to get enthusiastic about? This is the kind of stuff that we do at the end of our driveway for hours on end with NO customers. It’s exciting setting up, preparing, advertising and trying to get traffic to our location – the process & planning is incredibly fun for kids. Every now & then when a person walks up, engages conversation with my children and actually becomes a paying customer – it knocks their socks off! I can’t imagine actually setting up shop in a sponsored Lemonade Day and watching my kids get excited with real life success!
From the creator of Lemonade Day, Michael Holthouse: “We imagine a day with over one million lemonade stands where every part of our community gets involved. A day devoted to the future of our youth and showing them how to achieve their own American Dream. Set a goal, make a plan, work that plan, and achieve your dream. It’s all here in a simple little lemonade stand. Get involved and help change the world!”
I am that mom who will turn the car around at the slightest glance of a child’s lemonade stand because I know that I just may be that only customer to make the child’s day. Did that just last month, rushing to pick up the kids from school but I made sure we went back to the little girl’s lemonade stand that she was running with her dad. The best part is that her proceeds were benefiting the American Cancer Society…that family is teaching their daughter a ton of lessons from her little lemonade stand, and I hope I showed a thing or two to the children who were watching me from the back seat of my car!
Do you want to be involved? Remember, there are no childhood do-overs….create the memories now, spark the entrepreneurial spirit and be a part of the 1 million stands by 2013!
MISSION: Prepare youth for life through fun, proactive, and experiential programs infused with life skills, character, education, and entrepreneurship.
VISION:
• 1 million stands by 2013
• 100 participating cities across America
• Focus on At Risk Youth to help achieve the ‘American Dream’
• Collaborate with every youth facing organization
• Form a tipping point for the rest of the nation
• Create a nationwide entreprenuerial movement
Visit Lemonade Day to find a Lemonade Day in your city, learn more about the event, register, get inspired and find ways to be a part of this great day!
Who is in?
Make a comment below if you plan to be a part of this great childhood event!
If you are not participating with an actual stand, but can offer support by visiting a child’s lemonade stand that day…I’m sure you would make some children’s eyes light up with your simple act of kindness!
Our family registered and is ready to pick-up our Lemonade Day packet….stay tuned for more!
Toothpick store bought powdered donut holes and plate them on your dessert table at Easter and market them to your guests as Bunny Tail Hors d’oeuvres!
I try to keep a variety of fancy toothpicks for simple ideas like this!
Rice Krispie treats can be made into anything—like sleeping bags! They will make your next sleepover a smashing success!
Make a batch of Rice Krispie treats according to the recipe.
Press into a 9×13 pan
When slightly cooled (so they are still pliable), cut into 9 rectangles
Remove from pan
Turn each rectangle UPSIDE DOWN! This will help achieve a flatter surface area free of lumps
Using a sharp knife, slice into the center of one corner & peel back to create open sleeping bag
If the sleeping bag is not a perfect rectangle, now it the time to trim and form into shape
A spatula, used for trim work, works best for straight lines
Repeat for all rectangles
I love how they look without chocolate. However, if you want to be more creative and have a lot of time on your side, then you can take it up a notch and coat with chocolate.
Coating the sleeping bags with chocolate!
The amount of chocolate needed varies depending upon thickness of chocolate applied. I recommend at least 14oz of each color; however, I always error on the side of caution and would purchase 28 oz of chocolate just for the body of the bag in case it is put on thick. I experimented with many different chocolate combinations so I don’t have actual measurements.
Two ways to cover the body of the sleeping bag:
1.Put melted chocolate in a squeezable bottle and evenly pipe chocolate on the Rice Krispie Treats smoothing out chocolate with the tip.
Advantage: the bottom of the sleeping bag is free of chocolate Disadvantage: time consumingor
2. With a spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over the body of the sleeping bag and spread with the spoon covering all outside edges except for the inside of the sleeping bag.
Advantage: no bottle to clean/quick to apply Disadvantage: the bottom of the sleeping bag often becomes a chocolate mess and hardens to the plate. If this happens, gently remove the treat from the plate with a spatula or sharp knife but be careful not to crack the sleeping bag.
Covering up the cereal is the most important aspect and a smooth presentation is unattainable – there will be pot holes and bumpy areas. Tip -fill pot holes with extra chocolate.
Let chocolate set!
Using a second flavor of chocolate, pipe or spoon it into the open part of the sleeping bag for contrast carefully covering best you can.
Let chocolate set!
Use a chocolate writer or a fine tip attachment on a squeezable bottle with melted chocolate inside to jazz them up with your sleepover theme and customize with guests names! Candy, sprinkles, colored sugars or anything in your pantry can be used to create! Possibilities are endless!
Beware….make a double batch because they will disappear before the party begins!
Empowering kids through chores is really good for their character and someday their spouse will thank you!
My husband wishes I had childhood chores -lol!
Starting kids young with chores will make the “double-digit” years easier on parents as kids know that being a part of a family means that it requires participation on all levels, including chores.
My oldest automatically makes his bed every morning, all on his own, because he has been doing it since he was 4 years old.
A smart way to get kids excited about chores is to think outside of the box when delegating chores?
I recently observed a 1st grader setting up the coffee pot for his parents for the next morning. Genius, I never thought of that ~ definitely an ‘out of the box’ assignment! Kids can do so many things if given the opportunity and empowerment! So when I presented the new “Coffee Maker Aficionado” title to my 9-year-old, he geeked with excitement and got to work! Now that’s the reaction we want! Every night after kitchen clean up, he sets up our coffee pot for the next morning.
To create a successful “Coffee Maker Aficionado” in your house here are some helpful hints:
•Start with explaining the parts of the coffee maker.
•Make coffee grounds and filters easily accessible.
•Proper tools are required – a good coffee scoop will aid in perfect measuring.
•Measuring coffee grounds takes math skills. You WILL know if they measured wrong!
•Coffee ground messes get less and less; teach why wiping grounds onto the floor isn’t a good idea!
•Kids love using water! A pull out faucet is a cinch for them to fill the coffee water reservoir!
•Do not fill with hot water!
•Show them the hole at the top of the water reservoir and explain to them about the mess they will create if overfilled!
•If it’s a digital coffee maker, teach how the buttons work so they can set it for delay brew! You WILL know if they didn’t press the button!
•Finally, teach how to clean the coffee maker in case they find the user left a half-full pot and used grounds from the morning (gasp).
As always, keep your children safe with adult supervision and safety measures!
I have an extraordinary “Coffee Maker Aficionado!” He feels empowered making something directly for us parents. Kids love to please their parents. At the very least he has an edge up on a future Starbucks job –lol!
I am kind to remind him almost every morning how much I enjoy his coffee! Seriously, life doesn’t get better than empowering your child AND having coffee made for you!
BTW, I checked the coffee pot on the ‘eve’ of April Fool’s Day. I thought for sure that “coffee gone wrong” would be the first place they would prank me!
I kept hearing rumblings of secret ways the kids have been planning on fooling mom on April Fool’s Day. So I knew I had to beat ‘em to the punch.
One child fell for it and was hopping in the shower saying, “Wow, I’m really tired this morning!” Got him! He was a good sport in the middle of the night! (giggle)
The other child was way too coherent at 1am saying, ”April Fool’s,” and rolled over! Stinker, he’s no fun.
Now, I have to be on guard!
How do you prank your kids celebrate April Fool’s Day?
Ding Dongs on a stick for a creative school birthday treat!
My son requested Hockey Puck Cake Pops, Bakerella style, but my improvising took less time and with great results!
Simple.
Dip the end of a lollipop stick in melted milk chocolate, insert about 1/4 of the way into a Ding Dong. Let set.
With a chocolate writer, pipe their birthday number on the front of the Ding Dong. Let set.
Wrap each Ding Dong in a cellophane bag and secure with a ribbon.
My son took these for his pre-school birthday treat. He said, “Mom, all of the kids want the recipe!” The teacher said the snack was a huge hit because most of the pre-schoolers never had a Ding Dong before. Score!
See how I decorated the same treat for the end of the season hockey party here by adding a jersey number and attaching a personalized photo tag.
Note – I tried dipping the Ding Dong in black chocolate to create a more authentic hockey puck; however, it becomes too heavy and breaks off the stick.
I am completely crushing on my All-In-One-Organizer from Thirty-one!
Look how cute it is!
Totally, love-struck, smitten…
I admit, I’m a bag girl, among many other things! I love using them, making them, carrying them, filling them, accessorizing them, examining their construction and finding new ways to use them.
I am also a money saving enthusiast! I love the money I accumulate for my family through couponing. $300 saved (40%), in groceries, last month! That is something I am continually proud of, especially since my three boys seem to have endless appetites! I use an extraordinary local blog, Bargains to Bounty, that takes all the effort out of couponing by matching up sales and coupons. All I have to do is cut & organize coupons, print my Bargains to Bounty match-up lists, and shop to save!
Tackling coupon organizing is enough to throw up the white surrender flag and call it quits to couponing, but before I became a coupon dropout (kidding) do read how I finally found the best coupon organizer to keep me in the game…
After failing with the “non-clipping” coupon organizing system, I reverted to the “envelope” system. I work exceptionally well with labeled envelopes because it is simple; however, I couldn’t find the perfect container to hold 30 envelopes and transport well. Until, that is, I was invited to my cousin Laura’s, Thirty-one home show. I fell in love with the All-In-One-Organizer. Here is why!
•It is the perfect volume to hold 30 envelopes as well as my store envelopes that organize me per store. There is plenty of room next to the envelopes to store them.
I also create a custom label for each store envelope. See an example of my Store Organizer Labels.
•It sits in the front of the cart perfectly alone or nestles well next to a seated child.
•It travels well; fits in between front car seats or on the floor in front of middle console. It does not easily dump contents.
•The handles are sturdy for easy transport!
•The front & back net pockets allow me to keep my shopping list as well as Bargains to Bounty’s Macomb Fresh Food Price Chart close on hand. The Food Chart (a local list of prices) has educated me on costs, in my area, which is essential to saving money. This chart is a helpful cheat sheet to quickly glance at while shopping to see if a food price is a good deal.
There is enough pocket room to also hold my wallet, pen, phone, keys & “get through the store” kid snack! Perfect for moms on the go!
•It carries an extremely reasonable price tag as it only costs $18! A justifiable cost as I use it almost everyday!
•Super Stylish! Everyone is talking about Thirty-one products!
•Ultra versatile! It has a million other uses to organize your world!
Here are some of my suggestions:
•Travel organizer to hold:
toiletries
books
toys
magazines
snacks
electronics (DS, iTouch, iPod, MP3 player, e-reader, etc)
first aid products
•Organize:
bills
crafts
office supplies
CD’s
video games
diapers & wipes
medicines
•Catch-all at the bottom of the stairs for easy clean-up!
•“Sick Caddy” for someone ill to hold tissues, remote control, phone, thermometer, medicine. Great for carrying back & forth from bed to the couch.
•Use it pool-side, lakeside, beach-side & boating to carry essentials (suntan lotion, drink, phone, magazine, sunglasses & snack, keys, money)
•Gift Mother’s Day flowers in a Thirty-one organizer!
•Display flowers on a porch or patio in a Thirty-one organizer ~ oh, so cute!
•This organizer also makes an adorable Easter Basket for little girls that can be carried throughout the entire year!
Monogramming makes extra fun gift giving!!!
If you are interested in viewing the All-In-One-Organizer and other Thirty-one products, visit Laura’s site, here. There are many pattern selections and products. Laura accepts orders via her site, phone or email.
Her current special for this month is every $31.00 spent; receive a purse for 1/2 off (ooh, such a great deal)! April 2011 special is every $31 spent; receive the $18 All-In-One-Organizer for 1/2 off (only $9)!
Even more exciting, if you book a show with her, for the month of March or April 2011, you will receive a $15.00 gift certificate to put toward your order, in addition, to all the wonderful hostess benefits. That’s like almost getting the All-In-One-Organizer for free!
Laura is a wife, mom to two darling girls, Secondary Education Science Teacher, Founder & Owner of Spirit Day, LLC, National and Local Cheerleading Judge, Coach, Coordinator & Choreographer, and also a Thirty-one Consultant.
*This product review is from the ♥; I was not compensated for my opinion!
Bed wetting was a huge point of contention in our house…..for YEARS!
Potty training went extremely well for each of my boys. I casually introduced training at the age of 2 and by 2 ½ years old each had the duty mastered. Pull-ups were used briefly for night insurance which was easy sailing for 2 of my 3 children.
However, one of my children was a deep sleeper thus a long-term bed wetter. We always discussed the issue with sensitivity and avoided a sharp tongue as frustrating as it became.
We did EVERYTHING we knew to correct nighttime bed wetting.
Go potty immediately before bed
Moved bedtime to a later time
Eliminated after dinner liquids
Potty breaks at 11pm and 3am (exhausting)
NOTHING WORKED!
Nighttime showers and sheet changes were exhausting and trying to change top bunk bed sheets was awful and even more frustrating when I was VERY pregnant.
We switched him down to the lower bunk bed to make nights easier on us. Then, we resorted to Pull-ups which were, expensive and embarrassing, but our way of securing desperate sleep.
You know how one issue causes another? This one also came with a secondary issue causing BAD rashes.
I knew I had to seek further help. Our doctor confirmed bed wetting is often an inherited condition that is cured with age. We choose not to medicate. We were right back where we started…discouraged!
I expressed my frustration with my girlfriend who surprisingly shared how an enuresis alarm CURED her son. I HAD HOPE! Her client offered to RENT me an alarm, for 30 days, for a fraction of the $100 new price tag (BEST MONEY EVER SPENT). This is the Malem Bedwetting Alarm we used complete with sound, vibration & light. I had concerns using a used alarm but was reassured that properly cleaning it with alcohol would sanitize it. Try searching for used alarms on Ebay, Craig’s List and at Mom to Mom sales.
The alarm attaches to the outside of the pajama shirt and the wire sensor clips to the underwear and alarms when the pad senses moisture. It is a training device to alert the child of a full bladder.
I was excited and anxious to try it out our first night.
Night one: Did the alarm effectively wake my son?
Heartbreaking, NO!
Why?
Because from that first day of using it until Day 30 and to this day (years later), he has not had one nighttime accident. Unbelievable! (Doing running cartwheels through the house with joy)
I believe his bed time issue was psychological and the alarm was simply an aid in helping him get through this. Why, I don’t understand. I am just elated and overjoyed for him that it worked, perhaps not the intended way, but I attest it CURED him.
Here are some other tips that worked for us:
Approaching a sleepover:
We never turned down a sleepover due to bed wetting.
I worked privately with the parents to ensure he could change into PJs right before bedtime. He brought his backpack into the bathroom for privacy. The parent showed him where to discreetly discard the used Pull-up the next morning. If he wasn’t able to dispose of it for some reason, he could double bag it and bring it home in his backpack. Sleepovers only worked because my awesome friends were so accommodating.
Quick middle of the night sheet changes:
I use to do this in the baby’s crib and it also worked for bed wetting at night. I always had a waterproof pad protector under the sheets; however, when I was very pregnant or very tired with a newborn, I often double sheeted the bed with a waterproof pad protector in between sheets. This way if I had to strip a bed, I had clean sheets and a pad underneath. As my son aged, he was able to remove sheets himself without waking us.
I wish bed wetting was discussed more openly because I know many parents and children are suffering through nighttime. I never heard of an enuresis alarm before. I am forever grateful to my girlfriend for our conversation that day – our lives changed for the better! Thank you my friend – muah!
I encourage you to give this method a try. I encourage you to discuss the issues with your friends. It may change your child’s nights FOREVER or it may change your friend’s child’s nights FOREVER!
Wishing families with bed wetting issues peaceful nights!
I choose to naturally let the first fruit bar melt thinking less liquid would escape this way; however, melting it in the microwave to speed up the process probably would work.
Could both fruit bars be melted at the same time and fill up to freeze? Probably, however, I choose to complete this in layers. The excess from the first layer is already frozen preventing the second layer of liquid from escaping.
Chocolate Ice Cream Bowls are seriously simple yet they get high mom marks from the kids! After seeing them on Babble, I was inspired to make my own.
To make these, pour a little melted chocolate into a cupcake liner. Using a butter knife, pull the chocolate up the sides of the liner until the entire surface area is covered including the bottom. Having the surface completely covered will make a pretty shaped bowl.
I set my wet chocolate liners inside of a cupcake pan and set it in the freezer to set.
When dessert time is ready, I pull them out of the freezer and carefully peel the liners off. Add ice cream and toppings. Done!
Everything tastes better to kids when served on a stick! These Chicken Lollipops were originally served to a boat full of young fishermen on their quest to catch the biggest fish in the lake. These remind me of appetizers or snack-a-tizers but I was happy to call it lunch for the hungry anglers. I made a huge batch (10 lbs) and they disappeared very quickly!
They will also make a fantastic addition your Superbowl Party!
It is a very simple and quick recipe. After I made these once, I just wing it from memory. Find the recipe here.
I clean and cut my chicken in strips the night before so I just have to dip, coat and bake.
This is a great stocking stuffer for children, parents and educators alike!
Rory’s Story Cubes® is a pocket-sized creative story generator, providing hours of imaginative play for all ages. Anyone can become a great story teller using Rory’s Story Cubes®. Each story starts out with, “Once upon a time…” Then the rest of the story is up to you with a roll of the dice as you let the pictures spark your imagination. The game can be played alone or with others. The possibilites are endless. No two games are alike! Rory’s Story Cubes® are wonderful for literacy & vocabulary development as well as creative thinking skills. This is a great game to keep minds sharp!
Rory’s Story Cubes® are available in all good game, specialty toy, educational, and book stores. Visit their website for details on where to buy in your hometown. I bought ours at Toys R Us for $9.99.
They even have a Rory’s Story Cubes® iPhone App for play on the go! This way you’ll never leave home without a great creative game to exercise the mind and they will be perfectly content. Try this to get through the grocery store, doctor appointments and car & airplane rides.
being nominated for an Oscar Award. My kids don’t care about the awards. They are just excited to make a “poop pie” with the best ingredients! You will appreciate this reference if you read the book or saw the movie! 
is a favorite in our house! I usually spend an entire day with the kids baking goodies but this year we only have one full day of vacation before Christmas Eve so I shortened our baking plan. 
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