Easter Baggie Labels

Just a fast and simple way to spruce up a ziploc baggie.  Print out, cut, fold, and staple.

Free Printable: Baggie Labels Here

Conference Ideas for Kids

I Love General Conference, but watching at home with children can be tricky.  So I looked into ideas for all ages of children and thought I would share some of the great ideas I found.

Fun ideas to celebrate the occasion:
-P.J. Party and Sleep-over in the Family Room
-Picnic Between Saturday Sessions
-Building Forts to watch conference in
-Pizza and Making Cookies during Priesthood Session

SIMPLE MENU
Saturday:
    - Waffles with Ice Cream- Breakfast
    - Smoothie Bar & 7 Layer Dip & Stuffed Quesidillas- Lunch/2nd Session

Sunday:
   - Traditional Strawberry Shortcake- Breakfast
   - Baked Potato Bar- Lunch
   - White Chicken Chili- Dinner
   - And Can't Get Enough of them Bars with Ice Cream for Dessert.

Another Game that is fun for Toddlers we will be doing...

Magic Words: Kids get an M&M whenever they hear the words, PROPHET, CHRIST, & HEAVENLY FATHER said. (thanks to aunt Mandy)

For Great Activity Packets, Coloring Pages, and Other Ideas:

General Conference Notebook: click here
Coloring and Activity Packets: click here
Sugar Doodle Conference Packets for Every Age: click here

Print & Color Activities: click here
LDS Coloring Pages: click here
Scribd Conference Packet: click here

Other sites with good ideas:
Prepared LDS Family: click here
2 Kids and Tired Ideas: click here

Hand Sanitizer

Germ-X has a foaming hand sanitizer I love.  It is alcohol free, so it doesn't sting when your hands are cut or dry.  And less concern around children.  Also, this is one of the few alcohol free hand sanitizers that smells nice.  Just simple fresh and clean.

And when you buy it at Big Lots, it is a third of the price than at Walmart...

And even greater savings from several other stores. 

Free Formula & Formula Coupons

Formula adds up fast.  So why not get some for free and coupons to help with the costs?

Before I had my first baby I signed up for free samples and coupons with both Similac and Enfamil.  They were offered at my doctor's office.  Even though I breastfed it was great to have the samples on hand for emergencies or even to add to my night feedings, just to hold over the baby's appetite as long as possible.  Both companies also sent other free things, bottles, formula containers, and coupons for other baby items.

And what they send is geared to your babies age. So as they grow, they send coupons and samples for the appropriate needs.

So with my second, I didn't have the little subscription paper to send in, but you can sign up on the websites as well.  Here are a few I signed up for:

Similac: sign up here

Enfamil: sign up here

Gerber: sign up here

Members Mark/ Sam's Club: sign up here

Parent's Choice: sign up here

Fenugreek

Need to increase your milk supply?

Fenugreek is a great suppliment for increasing the amount of breastmilk you produce.

Great Price too. Between $5-$10 depending on where you buy it.

So due to a recent change in diet, calorie intake, and excersize...I lost my milk supply practically over night.  And I have always had a strong supply.  So I started taking this and with in 24 hrs I noticed a difference and by 48 hrs I had my full supply back.

You can use this just to increase your supply and then stop taking it.  Or if you struggle to keep a strong supply of milk, you can take it throughout the months you are nursing.  The only complaint I have is, it smells strongly of Maple Syrup. But, I guess it could smell worse. Either way, definately worth it!

Here is a great website with more information, on dosage, side effects, etc.

Kelly Mom 

Printable Spring Banner

Here is a free printable banner. 

To download click here: SPRING BANNER

Comes with "SPRING" banner, "BLOOM" banner, "EASTER" banner (seen above),

& coordinating labels/tags. Enjoy.

Taco Bean Soup

This is "fall back" recipe for me.  When I don't have much time or forgot to thaw the meat...this is the easiest recipe and all of the ingredients are commonly found in a pantry.  The key to making this so easy, is to substitute the meat with a can of "Chili with meat".

It tastes great. Open a few cans. And you have a meal.

Taco Bean Soup


1 Lg can V-8 or tomato juice
2 cans of beans black, pinto, chili etc.
1 can corn-drained
½ lb ground beef-browned and drained (substitute can of “chili with meat”)
½ pkg taco seasoning
¼ C dried onion

Combine all ingredients and cook (on stove or in crock pot). Serve with grated cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

It makes enough for 2 dinners, so I freeze 1/2.

St. Patrick's Day

Overall it was a success.

Although I didn't get to everything I had planned, we had more

than enough to eat and plenty of excitement.

Decorations...thanks to HowDoesShe?

The Pistachio Cupcakes, (found here) were delicous...but mine didn't turn out as I hoped.  I am wondering if it is due to the high altitude we now live in?  I did add 6 drops of green food coloring. 

Either way, the batter consistancy, and taste, were perfect. 

I baked them as directed, but they were still very liquidy in the center.  I had to bake them an extra 7 min. And they still sunk in the center.  Plus the extra baking time browned the edges. Sad.  Still I highly recomment the recipe and hopefully it was just me! 

Also, the Cucumber Bites are a high recommendation. Easiest recipe ever.

1 8oz package of cream cheese mixed with 1 ranch dressing package.

Spread on a sliced Baguette. And Place one thin sliced cucumber on each.

I'm not even a cucumber fan, and I love them.

The visit from the Leprechaun is a tradition.  Footprints, are easiest with Tempra Paint. Easy clean up too.

 Usually I make a potato stamp for the foot prints, but this time I just cut it out of a marshmellow. 

Worked like a charm and much faster.

More on Meal Planning

Previously in my Meal Planning Post (found here: Meal Planning)

I explained the way I plan meals and shop for them...well I have since made some changes, for the better. 

Meal Planning:

My new meal planning goal is to simplify.

Although I love cooking, dinner time is the craziest time in my house. It is when the kids are the fussiest and we are usually trying to rush out the door. And where ever I am my children want to be too. This makes it hard to cook anything complicated.

In addition, I also like to challenge myself to make my money stretch further. I hate wasting extra ingredients or even buying random expensive ingredients...

So I came up with a new plan.

1.First I start with my Monthly Calendar.

Downloadable here: Calendar with Meal Plan

Each week I plan 5 meals.
        (Assuming there will be at least 2 days where we will go out, have left overs, etc.)

For these 5 days, 2 out of the week will be “2x Meals”.
    This means the meal will make 2 meals. One we will eat and the other I will freeze. So if you do the math, really you make one 2x meal
      a week and you pull out a frozen one from a previous week.


Then for the other 3 meals:
      One is a “Crock Pot Meal”. Always fast and easy. 
      One is a “30 Min. Meal”. Meals that average 30 minutes in the kitchen.
      And the 5th is an “Other”. This is where I put in a meal that is fun, complicated, or just something I'm in the mood for.


Then looking at the calendar I figure which days need which kind of meal.
 
2. Next, I take my Meal Idea list. 
 

Download new list here: Meal Ideas

     (which has now been added to and categorizes the meals into the categories above: 2x Meal, Crock Pot, 30 Min., & Other. And taken even a step further...those categories are also separated by food type, ie: mexican, italian, etc).

   I hope I am not losing you.

 
For the 5 meals in the week I try to choose each from a different food type.
 
    So this week:
       2x Meal: Chicken Different  American Comfort
       2x Meal: Enchiladas  Mexican
       Crock Pot: St. Patrick's Day Meal (Cornbeef, Cabbage & Potatoes) Specialty
         30 min meal: Lasagna Toss Italian
       Other: Grilled Reuben Sandwhiches Sandwich/Other
 
 

 
 
So that is the basic Idea. But here are a few additional tips I consider:
 
-Ingredients.  When picking my meals I think: which perishable items are needed? Then pick multiple meals that use them.  If I am using sour cream in my enchiladas, then I might pick a meal with baked potatoes or something else that requires sour cream, etc.
 
-Any chance I get I "multi task".  So if I am cooking noodles, I make double and freeze the rest in a ziplock bag.  Then the next meal needing noodles I only have to heat them in the microwave and they are ready in minutes.  If a recipe calls for cooked chicken, I cook double and freeze the rest...saving time for the next time a recipe needs cooked chicken.
 
-What is on sale: Looking at the adds, if something is on a great sale that week, I choose a recipe to accomidate.
 
-Flexibility: Often something comes up, something is on sale, I have extra ingredients I need to use up, etc.  Well, I just shift the meals around.  That is what is so convenient with a weekly and monthly plan.  Non perishable ingredients can be saved and only buy the perishable the week needed.
 
And Finally:
 
Here are some other meal planning sheets to try:
 
Meal Planning Sheet A
Meal Planning Sheet B

Meal Planning Sheet C

 

link: here

Weekly Calendar

Adding to my "lists" here is a weekly planner.  This I also laminate so I can reuse.

Download here: Weekly Planner A

Download Here: Weekly Planner B

St. Patrick's Day

I love this holiday.  And to celebrate here are a few of my favorite ideas I plan on trying this year:

Recipe from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen.  Found here.


Pistachio Cupcakes:

From Real Mom Kitchen.  Recipe found here.

Some other fun ideas for decorating:

The Leprechaun will be visiting as well. 

Leaving little foot prints,

treats and a trail of mischief.

And of course a dinner of Corn Beef and Cabbage with Red Potatoes.

Simple Corn Beef & Cabbage Recipe:

Combine: Corn Beef & Seasoning Package, Chopped Red Potatoes, (optional: baby carrots), Chopped Cabbage, 3 c water, and let cook on low about 8 hours depending on the size of the roast or until tender.

*I always use the left overs for Reuben Sandwiches.

Daily To Do Slips

I am a huge list person. With out a list I tend to go in circles.  But I also like mine organized and the random pieces of paper and post it notes everywhere aren't doing it for me.  So...I made some reusable Daily to do slips.

I laminated them so that I can reuse them like a white board.


To use them yourself, click on the following link:  Daily To Do Slips
Then print. Laminate.  And reuse.