Photo Friday! Momma said there would be days like this...

Have you ever had your mom or someone else tell you I hope when you have kids they turn out just like you... well I have LOTS! 

It seems that I was a bit of a trouble maker... 

I spilled a bottle of green couch medicine on my moms brand new carpet, I painted her teapot with pink nail polish, and I used to cut the centers out of cupcakes and fill them up with orange juice. So naturally she wanted the world to get back at me.... 

A few weeks ago just as we were packing up to head to Robyn's parents for a weekend I had one of those moments where I thought OK this is the worlds way of getting back at me....

I turned my back for one minute and this happened to my Kitchen table....

This was done by Delaney with a screwdriver..... 

and for some reason all I can think is Momma said there would be days like this... (even if she secretly wished them on me...)

Happy Friday!

Tell the Truth Thursday! Vacines!

Vaccines….. it seems that this is a never ending discussion and source of judgment among parents.

How do you feel about getting your little ones vaccinated? Better yet why is this even a topic of conversation among parents?

One of the reasons that I was away for part of the week last week is because Max had his first vaccinations. I have always had my kid(s) vaccinated and I will continue to as long as they are recommended. I do hear and understand that they are somewhat controversial but personally I would rather my kids have them now than get an illness that I know can be prevented with a vaccine later in life.

Maybe its because I worry that my kids may someday have to deal with Chrons disease like Robyn has, and that is enough for a young person to deal with, maybe its because I want to hold them and protect them the best possible way I know how for as long as possible, and according to medical science this is it, but maybe just maybe its because I know that a moment of pain when the nurse jabs their leg is much better than a week of the chicken pox, or a lifetime of paralysis and pain from polio, or worse…

Its hard to know if you are doing the right thing or not as a Momma. Its hard to make a snap decision as a parent, weather its as simple as “yes you can have this cookie” or as major as “no I don’t want my child to be vaccinated” either way its each and every Momma and Daddy’s decision.

And since we all think that we are doing the best by our family and by our kids why is it we get chastised when we do make our own decisions. If you think your right and I think that I am why do you feel that its ok to bully me or make me feel small because I wish to do something different with my family.

Personally I think that as Mommas and Daddies we need to support each other, be strong for each other and help each other to do the best jobs we know how, not make a ruling that says I think you are doing it wrong and I say you should do it this way…

Birthday Party Loot Bags

This post about loot bags for toddlers got me thinking when I read it last week... 

Basically the mom who wrote it was saying that it is impossible to make up loot bags for parties that aren't all junk food or junk toys and that they can get kinda costly if your not careful... and I have to agree for the most part. 

I hate that most parties send kids home with lots of junk too... that's why I don't do it because it bugs me... I do however feel that you can certainly tell your kids (you know cause your the grown up and the boss of them...) that they cant have whats in the bag because they just left a party that pumped them full of sweets and cake. Its even OK to toss the toys or give them away when the kids aren't looking (as long of course as they aren't the child's new favorite toy... ) especially if the toys are indeed junk...  

but that is just my 2 cents... 

I do also believe that if you are the parent throwing the birthday party you control what goes into the loot bags and if your willing to put in a bit of time you can save yourself a little money and even make a few other parents happy as well.

In the blog post referred to above the mom suggests a gift card to the book store or a potted plant or musical instruments as alternative to the loot bag, however I feel that the gift cards may get pricey, the potted plant needs looking after and lord knows this Momma has a black thumb! and the instrument could get you in just as much hot water with other parents as the junk food and toys... but if you have a scroll down you can see how I made loot bags for Delaney's 2nd birthday (which was Playhouse Disney themed) for less than $2 each!

 

I started with a brown paper bag, simple and cheap enough at $1 for 50 then I added a cut out of Mickey Mouse made out of black scrapbook paper.

Then I baked up some shortbread cookies cut them out with a Mickey Mouse shaped cutter and drizzled with semi sweet chocolate melted in the microwave.

I made matchbook style notebooks out of colored printer paper, scrapbooking card stock and glitter glue. They were made to represent the Imagination Movers coming up with great ideas!

I picked up a box of (Winnie the Pooh of My Friends Tigger and Pooh) crayons at the dollar store and wrapped 4 different colors in ribbon. (I did this rather than purchase the little boxes of crayons at 3 for $1)

I found Mickey Mouse stickers and cut down the sheets so that each kid got 2-4 stickers.

I made these coloring books out of scrap booking card stock, and then printed the coloring sheets off of the Playhouse Disney website then I stapled them together.

And that was that!

Each loot bag was plenty full and had only one sweet in it! 

I did also print off a current picture of Delaney with the wording "Thanks for celebrating my 2nd birthday with me!" and added that to the loot bags (I had a print credit so that was free but at 19 cents a print it wouldn't have broken the bank anyway...)

It's simple and thoughtful and will likely go over well with the kids and the parents! 

What are your typical party loot bags like? Are you a lover or a hater of the loot bag its self? Leave your 2 cents and start a discussion in the comments (I'd love to hear other mom's opinions!)

Make it Monday! Butterscotch squares!

A few weeks ago while visiting Robyn's parents his mom went to the supermarket to find that they had Chip-its on sale for $1 a bag!!!! 

So like you would she stocked up! and picked up a bag or two for me too...

One of the bags she got for me was a bag of butterscotch Chip-its. I had never used them before and had no idea what I was going to make them into until she pointed out the recipe on the back... 

Tiger Bars.... 

They are super easy to make, and super yummy too but since making them the first time I have omitted the butterscotch drizzle because well I did it the fast and easy and wrong way the first time and I'm too lazy to try it the long and right way.... but here is the whole recipe you decide if you wanna do the drizzle....

1/4 c butter or margarine

1/4 c corn syrup

1/4 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c butterscotch chips

2 c crisp rice cereal

1 c semi sweet or milk chocolate chips

1/4 c butterscotch chips

1 tsp oil

Bring to a boil the sugar, butter and corn syrup. Then remove from heat and stir in butterscotch chips until melted and smooth, add rice cereal and press into a greased 8x8 dish or pan. Melt chocolate chips and spread over butterscotch mix. 

Melt the remaining butterscotch chips with oil in a double boiler, drizzle over bars. refrigerate until chilled enough to cut into bars.

That last part sounds easy hey melt in a double boiler and drizzle over bars... it would be if it didn't take three dishes to do... so me trying to take the easy way tried to do it in the microwave and well it didn't work... so I just crumbled it over the top of the bars. Honestly though I don't think it needs the drizzle, they are rich and sweet and crispy and yummy just the way they are...

Do you ever try out the recipes that come on the packages of the items you buy?? Or are you like me, try them and then make them the way you like??

Happy Monday! Treat yourself!

oops...

It seems I've been a bad blogger... 

I've been neglecting you and haven't posted all week... 

I had such plans for this week and then a great big monster came and stole them all away... 

that monster is... 

ME... 

I've not been away, or sick, or incapacitated in any way Ive just been in my head... I've been planning and thinking and honestly sometime that is just not a good place for me to be!  If you have been reading a while (or if your just catching up) I wrote a while ago about being an indecisive person and how it scares me...

I let myself get consumed in my head and I let decisions eat away at me until I do what I think is right or what I think is best and then once I make that decision I let it eat away at me more to the point sometimes that i talk myself out of what I have decided... 

But I have also been planning and plotting some very fun things and somethings that make me happy!

AND as of tomorrow I WILL be back on regular schedule!