How do YOU get your kids to do Chores?!

Okay all my blog friends! I want your input on something! Do you have your kids do chores and Why!? I have run across several mom's lately who do not make there kids do any type of chore at all.Why, You ask? I have no idea! That is what i am trying to figure out! So i am trying to see how many moms actually DO make their kids do chores. What works and doesn't work for you as a mom trying to get your kids to do chores? My kids are pretty good about doing chores. Kaylee LOVES to do them?! I would love any input that you would like to share! 

Thanks guys! 

Bev

Valentine Craft " I dig you"

I was blog searching the other day and came across this blog that is absolutly Ahhhh--maziiiinng! She had such a cute and clever idea for Valentines Day for a class! So i went ahead about bought all of the stuff for it the other day!! 
This craft is called I 'dig' you! So stinkin cute!

Want to make your own? In case you do, here is what you need:

• Plastic Shovels (I found ours on ebay for less than a dollar a piece!
• Small cello bags
• Valentine Candy (I used trusty Conversation Hearts)
• Message tag (I designed a 1.5” circle is photoshop then used my cricut to cut the 2” scalloped part) You could also X-nay the gift tag and use a paint marker as suggested in Family Fun
• 1/4” width ribbon
• Single hole punch

To assemble:

• Fill your cello bag with about a 1/4 cup of candy
• Use a twist tie to attach the bag to the shovel
• Attach your message tag with ribbon and your done!

Super cute, super easy, and I bet your kids will love to give them to all their little Valentines! 

* You can also go to FamilyFun.com or go to  http://inplaceofhercrown.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-dig-you-valentine-fun.html   She has some great idea's and is super fun!


I hope ya'll enjoy this super fun and easy craft!



Beverly




 

Crock Pot Ribs!

Man this week has been such a crazy week so far!  Between Girl Scouts and Dance and working and trying to pack for this next week's trip it has been super crazy! So between all the craziness I decided I would cook for my parents when they got back from there anniversary weekend. So I went and bought 2 packages of ribs at the store and 2 bottles of BBQ sauce!  I cut off all well most of the fat off of the ribs. Placed one package in the crock pot first put 1 bottle of bbq sauce to cover all of the ribs. Then i placed the other package of ribs on top of the sauce and then put the other bottle over the top of those.  I placed the crock pot on high and let it sit for about 6 hours. They just fell off the bone! No need for a knife at all! They just melted in your mouth! Depending on how many people you are feeding will determine how many ribs you need to buy. I was feeding 8 people so i bought two packages. But if it is less you will only need 1 and 1 bottle of bbq sauce! These will be great for a super bowl party or another get together!

What you will need is!!
Package of ribs
1 bottle of bbq sauce (or 2 if you are feeding more)
Crock pot

I am really horrible at remembering to take pictures of everything! 

New stuff

I have decided that I am going to try something new. Once a week I am going to post a crock pot recipe! I know how easy it is to get caught up in everyday chores! Running around with the kid's doing errands and everything else that us moms do! So why not make is easier at least one day a week right?  I am so very excited and can't wait to see what you guys think!


Bev

The result of Dinner at the Dollar Tree!!

It was really kind of fun to create a dinner from the Dollar Tree! I already had a brownie mix so i got some vegetable oil. So dinner was....................   Pizza!! How i did it? Here's how! They had some Italian pita bread/ tortilla's. I bought those for the base. A Jar of Traditional tomato sauce, Pepperoni slices, black olives and cheese! I did buy some other stuff like salt and pepper and some stuff for breakfast but in the end. I ended up paying 6.00 for dinner that fed all 4 of us! We still had plenty left over for about 4 more pizza's!  It actually tasted really really yummy!!

Making Dinner with food from the Dollar Tree! Do YOU think I can?!

Being the mom and wife of a soldier gets kind of rough at time. My husband just recently went from active duty to national guard (Thank you LORD!!!). But as the kids as I went to visit him while he was on a month long training. The base that he is actually on has a lot of history with it. It was the same base that Elvis did his basic training! Kinda neat right!! The kids and I are going to walk around base (or drive) to see if we can find where Elvis stayed. Since it is still up (somewhere). There is a point to this blog! So i will get with it..  In efforts to be frugal on this trip since it was such a long trip up. I brought some food with us instead of eating out! 
So in my efforts to *try* to cook more frugally while we are here. I brought some Tuna, Noodles, Muffin mixes, brownie mix, Canned veggies instead of frozen and mushroom soup. I will be making a trip to the Dollar Tree, since this one up here is HUGE!! We do not have one in our home town. (I know I know! How on earth do i survive!) Well that is another story! So anyway back on topic! So tonight I am going to *try* to create a wonderful Healthy meal! I will post what i actually made for dinner in a little bit! With pictures of course!! Let me know what you think i should make for dinner! Or if you think it is possible or not possible! I want to know!

Free Sample Site

Hey guys! I was pretty excited when i saw this site and actually found out that it was for real and you didn't have to do a survey! It has a free item everyday but if you miss a day you can go back and send off for it. If it's not all gone! The popular ones go fast! But the website is called www.allyou.com On the side there is a link that says free samples! Have fun and I hope you get some good stuff!

A sweeter variation of the snicker muffin

Really the only thing different on these muffins is that i added Nutella spread and used BabyRuth bars instead of Snickers and they were super delish! They weren't too sweet but yet had enough sweetness and made the muffins awesome! I will post the recipe again * the updated version*

  Snicker and Peanut Butter Muffins
                   Adapted from the Nigella iPad Recipe App                                                                                                       

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons sugar 

1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup Nutella Spread

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup whole milk (or 2%)

3 1/2 full-size Baby Ruth bars, chopped

12-cup muffin pan (use muffin liners if desired, otherwise grease the muffin cups)

 

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt then add the peanut butter and mix until you get coarse crumbs. Add in the melted butter and egg to the milk, and mix into the bowl with the crumbs. Mix in the Snickers pieces and scoop into the muffin cups.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, when the tops should be risen, golden and firm to touch. Let them sit on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before taking out each muffin to cook completely on a wire rack.

How to Perserve a Husband *Yes, Yes I know kinda silly*

I was reading a old style cookbook the other day and saw this in it. It kind of looked a little strange at first but then once you think about how in the old days they canned anything and everything. Then you seem to understand!
Be Careful in your selection, do not choose to young and select one who has been reared in a pleasant and controlled atmosphere.
Do not keep in a pickle nor hot water. This makes for a disagreeable disposition and an unhappy man.
Even poor varieties may be made tender and sweet by seasoning with patience, understanding and some everlasting love.
Serve with simple food well-cooked, and always garnish with affection- and to a degree, keep them guessing.
He will keep for many years and last remarkably well.
I thought that this was a little silly!
This was from the book "Old Gold" by Maxine Green in 1986

Sorry I have been a slacker!!! ;-)

I have been such a slacker this week guys! I am so sorry!! I plan on getting with it I promise!! I made some awesome scones this morning and I can't wait to share it with you!!

Snicker and Peanut Butter Muffins

Okay guys so i promised ya'll i would make these and add them on here! I may be a few days late and have been such a busy bee lately! I am so sorry! Okay so about these lovely muffins! They are not very sweet so you will not have a sweet tooth fix when you eat them! They are very much like a muffin well cause it is one right. I placed mine in muffin wrappers and they came out so easy! I also used a very small ice cream scoop/cookie scoop. ( You can buy them at Target or any cooking store) I use them a lot. They come in small, medium and large. So okay okay back to the muffins!  I used Honey instead of sugar for a less fating muffin. I also used salted butter and cut out the salt. I did not have any unsalted butter on hand. The recipe calls for whole milk and i used 2% to also cut down on the fat a little. The recipe calls for snickers but if you do not like snickers you can use another candy that is similar. 


                    Snicker and Peanut Butter Muffins
                   Adapted from the Nigella iPad Recipe App                                                                                                        

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons sugar (or Honey)

1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

6 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup whole milk (or 2%)

3 1/2 full-size Snickers bars, chopped

12-cup muffin pan (use muffin liners if desired, otherwise grease the muffin cups)

 

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt then add the peanut butter and mix until you get coarse crumbs. Add in the melted butter and egg to the milk, and mix into the bowl with the crumbs. Mix in the Snickers pieces and scoop into the muffin cups.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, when the tops should be risen, golden and firm to touch. Let them sit on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before taking out each muffin to cook completely on a wire rack.

If you use the honey instead of the sugar mix it in when you mix the wet ingredient's. I kinda of just tore the snicker's apart. I used the bite size one's and it was really easy! I hope that you guys enjoy these as much as i did. 

On the agenda for the rest of the week is..... drum rolll please!!!

Alright Hey guys!!! Sorry it has been a few days! We are still trying to get back into the swing of things with school starting! So for the rest of this week I am going to make Snicker Muffins and Oreo Truffles! Why yes i will put some real food in there somewhere! But you should know that i LOVEEEEE anything and everything chocolate. Yes i know i am trying to do better! I am not following my New Years Resolution just yet! But i WILL get there! There is so much to learn on eating healthy and not going cold turkey right at first. So any help in that would be greatly appreciated.. I am so excited about this new year! We have so much going  on and 2011 IS going to be a GREAT year!!
Beverly

Sweet Potato Fries

As I was thinking about what to make for dinner tonight I needed one more side dish to go along with our grilled chicken and salads.  I felt like our plates needed a little bit more color to it. I had a few more sweet potato's left over from the holiday's that i needed to use up. So i peeled a few of them and cup them into slices put a little Evoo on them and some sea salt and baked them in the over at 375 until they were crisp.  About 15 min's or so.  I have seen a similar idea in the grocery store in the freezer section but they are like 5.00 a bag and the homemade ones taste sooooooo much better!!! These are a perfect option if you have some left over sweet potato's from the holidays and they are super yummy!

Happy New Year!!

Hello Everyone,
I hope that you guys had a great holiday and have a GREAT New Year! I am looking forward to what the new year has to bring! Thanks so much for following!

Beverly