Mommy Diaries

Summer Reading

2011-06-02T12:03:00.001-05:00

We love summer reading programs at our house. My kids love keeping track of how many minutes/books they've read and the incentive prizes that the library gives them. I love that they are having fun learning. This summer is especially fun because my daughter has started reading books on her own too. Our goal this summer is to read every kids book we own (that's a lot!) We've taken them off their dusty shelves hidden back in the bedroom and brought them to our book nook in the living room. Then once we've read the book it goes back on the (hopefully) less dusty shelf. We still have a long way to go...good thing we have all summer!

For those of you Mommies unfamiliar with TumbleBooks I wanted to share a link with you. TumbleBooks is a great source for the kids to go to when you're making dinner, mopping the floors, calming the baby, mowing the lawn, showering, dusting the bookshelves...you get my drift. It's basically the computer reading to your child and depending on the reading level shows the illustrations as well. And let's face it...it's a nice change from video games and movies.

Happy Summer Reading!!

You've been EGGED!

2011-04-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

Anyone looking for a friday night family activity? A group of darling Young Women from our church targeted families with young children and "egged" their houses...without the mess.

They hid 12 plastic eggs in our front yard and then doorbell ditched a basket with the following sign: "We've been egged!" My kids were so excited and now every time someone rings the doorbell they scream "Maybe we've been egged!!!"

The idea was rounded up from HERE and there was a cute easter basket sitting on our doorstep with the sign and poem. We'll definitely be doing this next year for others.

Happy Easter!

Dressing (or not Fully Dressing) Little Girls

2011-04-19T14:07:00.000-05:00

You may have seen this great editorial, but I love how he really expresses that there is no need for little girls to be dressing inappropriately and if they are doing so, it is most likely because adults are buying them questionable clothing. It is a great and thought-provoking quick read and I thought that the implications he lays down at the end for the early "sexualization of girls" is so sad, I hope that parents will reconsider what they are letting their kids wear.

A Natural Mother

2011-04-11T18:40:00.000-05:00

We recently discovered that you can watch a live stream of Eagles from Decorah, Iowa online. It is INCREDIBLE! There are 3 eaglets that hatched in April and it is so interesting to see the mother eagle care for her young. The father has brought back fish and rabbit to the nest and we have seen the mother feeding it to her young. We keep the live feed on while we are playing in the living room and often check on our new friends. You can even turn up the sound and listen to their hungry chirps...which doesn't sound anything like my young when he's hungry!

It has been a great source of education in our home with my kids but it has also instilled in me a deep gratitude for my role as a mother and caretaker of little ones who depend on me for life.

Click HERE to see for yourself and enjoy!

Shredded Beef Burritos :) YUMMO

2011-03-30T11:50:00.001-05:00

So the roast you made for french dip sandwiches the other night made up a lot more meat than you thought. Have no fear! This recipe is a perfect way to use up that leftover beef. Or if you used all your meat with the sandwiches and are looking for a good shredded beef burrito recipe, this is the one for you! This recipe comes from allrecipes.com and I've done a little tweaking. I will let you know what the tweaks are when I get to them! Here's what you'll need: 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/8 tsp garlic powder) 4 tomatoes, chopped (We're talking small to medium-sized tomatoes, not big massive ones or you'll have tomatoes coming out your ears.) 2 c. shredded cooked roast beef 1 (8 oz) jar taco sauce (I bought the Taco Bell brand at Walmart.) 1 (4 oz) can diced green chili peppers 1/2 tsp cumin 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 6 flour tortillas, warmed 1 1/2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese (The original recipe called for Cheddar, but I like the taste of the mixed Mexican blend cheese you can find in the bag.) 2 c. shredded lettuce the green chilies really make the flavor so try really hard to put those in! What to do: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until everything is transparent. Then mix in the tomatoes. (PS If you're not using the onion and using garlic powder instead of clove, heat up the oil then just add the tomatoes.) Then add the roast beef, taco sauce, green chilies, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer uncovered until thickened. (The recipe says to let it simmer for 25 minutes but mine only needed to simmer for about 5 minutes. Huge difference! Just let it all thicken up a bit and you'll be fine.) Add about half the cheese and mix together. (This wasn't in the recipe but I did this and it was rockin'.) Put the tortillas in the microwave one at a time for about 10 seconds. Fill each one with about 2/3 c. of the mixture. If you would like them just as these are, sprinkle a little more cheese in it and add lettuce and sour cream. Roll it up and enjoy. OR after you put the mixture in the tortilla pinch in the sides, roll it up like a burrito, and put it in a glass baking dish. Do this for all the tortillas. Then pour the leftover mixture over the top of the burritos and put them in the oven covered with foil for 15 minutes on 350 degrees. Take them out of the oven and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over them. Allow the cheese to melt before serving. (This was the way I made them. They were SO good!)

Motherhood Blog

2011-03-28T08:15:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! So I'm putting up another link, sorry, but this one is a little too great not to share. One of my friends has been really researching the role of motherhood and the divine characteristics of womanhood. She has been putting up her findings on her blog and her findings have been strengthening me in my efforts to be the best mom I can. I hope that you enjoy reading some of her great insights!

Housewife MacGyver

2011-01-03T14:29:00.004-06:00

So, the adorable Lorene of Just Lu fame has come up with a fun series for 2011:

She is going to be focusing on different self-reliance ideas each month to help us all learn more about utilizing our resources more efficiently. I love this idea and know that I will find out a lot of interesting things from this fun series. I hope that you are all having a great 2011 so far. Happy new year!

Breakfast Casserole

2010-12-21T23:22:00.002-06:00

32 oz. frozen shredded hash browns
3/4 cups melted butter
Pinch of salt
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups jack cheese
3 cups meat (ham, breakfast sausage, or bacon)
1 cup evaporated milk
6 eggs
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Grease 9X13 pan. Pour hash browns in pan. Pour melted butter and a little bit of salt over hash browns. Mix. Press in hash browns to form crust. Bake at 425 for 25 min. Fill with layers of cheese and meat. Beat eggs, milk and seasoned salt together well. Pour over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Countdown to Christmas!

2010-11-30T14:56:00.001-06:00

This year we've decided to do an activity advent calender to help count down the days to Christmas. I had the kids decorate 24 envelopes and each day they get to open one and we do that activity. We have all been looking forward to it and so far it has not disappointed! I realize I'm late in posting this but you could always modify it and do the 12 days to Christmas countdown!

Some of the activities were easy to decide on...I just looked at my December calendar to get ideas of things already planned (like going to see the Rockettes- YAY!) And if I decide one day that I'm just not up for the activity then I can always stitch it out without the kids knowing.

Here are some of our ideas: Write letters to Santa, pick out a christmas tree, wrap christmas gifts, play a family game, snuggle under blankets and read christmas books, color christmas pictures, cut out snowflakes, make a Rudolf craft, go to the ward party, go to the temple to see the lights, walk around the neighborhood to see the lights, take a picture with Santa, go ice skating...and the list could go on.

While I love Christmas more than any other holiday I'm really hoping it doesn't come too fast this year because we have a lot of fun planned beforehand!!

Book Help

2010-11-11T14:26:00.002-06:00

Let's just get this out in the open right now: I am pretty sure that I am going crazy. When we lived in Minnesota there was a book that I loved to read to my little girl (who is now getting too big!) about a girl who was small enough to do things like play under the table and get help with things, but she was big enough to do some things by herself. It was so cute and was illustrated with adorable pictures showing a redheaded little girl and mother. Anyway, we loved this book and checked it out a ton (it was a board book at our library), but now I was thinking about getting it for a Christmas present and I cannot remember the title and am having no luck in searches. Does this book sound familiar to anyone? MN girls any ideas - it was at the Roseville Library? Thanks for indulging me and I hope that everyone is enjoying fall and getting excited for the holidays!

Pumpkin rolls!!

2010-10-25T11:29:00.004-05:00

SO we have family dinner every month and this month was at my house and we were doing a fun theme.... pumpkiney :) hahaha I just made that up, but I decided to make pumpkin rolls and they are the most scrumdidilly I have had!!! So I googled pumpkin rolls and came across this recipe!!! Enjoy!!!! oh and most people wont even know that there is pumpkin in them!!! hahaha so for those picky eater children.. here ya go!

36 Servings
Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 15 min.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the pumpkin, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and whole wheat flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into three portions. Roll each portion into a 12-in. circle; cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and place pointed side down 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 3 dozen.

Halloween Question

2010-10-24T18:34:00.002-05:00

This year Halloween falls on a Sunday, I know there are a lot of religious people out there so I was wondering if you will still trick or treat on Sunday. I live in Arizona so there's not really one of those unspoken rules about everyone trick or treating on Saturday, but what is everyone else doing? To trick or treat on Sunday or not????

Howl-o-ween!

2010-10-15T13:39:00.002-05:00

Typically I hit the day after Halloween sale and pick up costumes for the following year. I didn't do that last year so instead of steering my children to love the costume we picked a year earlier I found myself asking them what they wanted to do. I sighed a huge sigh of relief when they both picked costumes from our dress up clothes (CHEAP!) So on Halloween this year I'll be hanging out with Cinderella, a ferocious Lion, and a sweet baby zebra. Who will you be hanging out with?

Bananas and Sprinkles

2010-09-29T11:06:00.005-05:00

Bananas with sprinkles is a fun treat that my husband had growing up. We've continued the tradition occasionally with our children to the point where they now expect their bananas to have sprinkles on them. This morning we had Halloween sprinkles on them to get us in the holiday mood!

It's easy and fun! Just cut up a banana into a bowl and let your child add the sprinkles!

I just had to post...

2010-09-24T00:35:00.002-05:00

Sorry, I'm trying to think of something to post about. I just had to post so that there is no longer 666 posts. Are you superstitious, too? My children totally are. I like to pass everything on to them, even the crazy things. :)

So, today I was beating the crap out of a cricket with the broom (Hubby was at basketball) when my 3 year old starts screaming and crying. I look over at her emotional little face to figure out what the heck is going on. "DON'T DO IT! I learned from Lilo and Stitch that bugs are people, too!" I feel like if they invade my house, they are free game. Do you agree?

Uncooked Banana Pudding

2010-09-23T08:39:00.000-05:00

I just made this for an enrichment activity and it was very yummy. And super easy. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com

8 oz sour cream (I used fat free)
8 oz whipped topping, thawed (I used fat free)
5 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
2 c whole milk (I used skim)
1 16oz pkg vanilla wafers
4 bananas, peeled and sliced

In large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 10 servings

Enjoy!

Chicken Carbonara

2010-09-16T20:30:00.003-05:00

It doesn't have to do with this week's ingredient. It's just one of my all time favorite dinners. Not at all healthy, so it's just a special occasion kind of meal. But, it's so yummy!!!

1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.

2. While spaghetti is cooking, cook bacon in 3-quart saucepan over low heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove bacon from saucepan with slotted spoon; drain. Drain fat from saucepan, reserving 1 tablespoon in saucepan.

3. Cook onion and garlic in bacon fat over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in spaghetti, chicken, cheese and whipping cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Toss with bacon.

Apple Butter

2010-09-13T08:36:00.007-05:00

I love this recipe, and though it takes a long time, it is very easy and worth the wait.

Ingredients

3 pounds apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low until liquid is gone. Blend for smooth consistency. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze

Sausage Zucchini Skillet

2010-09-08T19:36:00.000-05:00

Sorry, no apples in this one, but it is really so good. So I am going to share... plus it's a great way to use up your zucchini from your gardens! And just know, I don't post recipes unless they are REALLY good. It's super healthy, and my husband still ate it. That's how good it is.

Sausage Zucchini Skillet

1 lb Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (I just used mild Italian pork sausage, 12 oz. and it was super yummy)
2 large zucchini, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp pepper
2 c hot cooked rice

1. Crumble sausage into large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add the zucchini and onion; cook and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink.
2. Stir in tomatoes and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 min or until liquid is evaporated. Serve with rice.

Enjoy!!

homemade bbq sauce

2010-08-18T11:32:00.002-05:00

Wow. I've been MIA on Mommy Diaries for a long time! Life sort of gets in the way when things get busy, hectic, and stressful. But I couldn't resist posting my mom's homemade bbq sauce! It is the best. It makes a big batch, but it will keep in your fridge for a long time and you can also freeze it! :) I know those of you who know me are laughing right now..... I freeze everything!

Here goes:

1 32 oz bottle of ketchup

1 cup water

1/4 c. prepared mustard (any kind, dijon, regular, doesn't matter)

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 T. dried minced onion

2 T. liquid smoke (you can find this by the other sauces and marinades and it also stays good for a really long time!)

Mix all together in a medium sized pan. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes. You'll notice the color will start to change a little, more like bbq sauce brown than red. Take it off the heat and put it in your container! That's it! It is yummy with chicken ( like to cook chicken with this in the crockpot and then have bbq chicken sandwiches), pork, beef, hamburgers, and even baked beans!

Amazingness~~~~

2010-08-14T00:34:00.001-05:00

1/2 c. sugar
16 oz. cream cheese
2 rolls chocolate chip refrigerated cookie dough
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon juice
Thinly slice rolls of cookie dough. Press 1 roll of dough onto the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice and eggs; pour onto dough in pan; cover with second roll of cookie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Slice when cool and refrigerate.

Optional: Put 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler); the water should not touch the bowl. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth.Use a teaspoon to gently drizzle thin lines of melted chocolate over the top of the bars. The chocolate topping will be set when the bars are cool.

All I can say is sweetness! Or my daughters favorite word...... scrumdiddlyumptious!!!!!!

O'Henry Bars

2010-08-02T13:49:00.003-05:00

My favorite recipe with sugar! My dad is completely obsessed with these! They are easy, creamy, sweet, and oh so rich!

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6 oz. butterscotch chips
6 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup white karo syrup
1 cup chopped blanched peanuts
3 cups rice krispies

Bring sugar and syrup to a boil. Stir in peanut butter, peanuts, and rice krispies. Press into a buttered 9X13 pan. Melt chips and spread on peanut mixture. Let chocolate set and cut into squares.

Gratitude

2010-08-02T13:47:00.001-05:00

This morning my 3 year old asked my 1 year old what he was thankful for, and he said, "Mom". I don't think he knew what she was talking about at all. But, it still made my day! I am thankful that my children love me. What are you thankful for?

Raspberry Lemon Lime Deliciousness

2010-07-31T02:06:00.003-05:00

Now that we are dealing with temperatures in the 100s my husband informed me that he needs something to really quench his thirst when he gets home from work. Water is just not cutting it. So I decided to try to find a drink similar to one that we had at Cafe Rio the other night...a raspberry lemon limeade. This drink isn't the same but it is equally as delicious! My kids loved to help me juice the lemons and limes and I couldn't help but think how beautiful it would look in a punch bowl served at a shower or open house (and when I mentioned that to my husband he remarked that we would need to buy a punch bowl before that dream became a reality.) Baby steps.

You will need:

6 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

1 cup sugar (oh my, I know!)

6 cups water

1 cup fresh raspberries

Combine the liquids and the sugar until it dissolves and then add the raspberries. Let it sit several hours or overnight.

Glad to be here!

2010-07-24T01:05:00.010-05:00

Hi Everyone! My name is Brianne Ralston. I am so excited to be a new member of this blog. I heard about it from Cassi. (Her baby sister just married my baby brother! Yay!) I have loved reading the fun stories and good advice from other moms here! I can't wait to read more!

25 Things About Me...
1. When I am sick or sad the only things that make me feel better are baths and scrambled egg sandwiches.
2. I love to read. If I really like a book I've probably read it 10-20 times.
3. All 5 of my best friends live within a block of my house.
4. My husband knew right away that we were going to get married. It took me a while longer to decide. But, it was the best decision I ever made. We just celebrated our 5th anniversary!
5. Kevin (the hubster) and I figured out we were in the same place at the same time a few times years before we met. We even both have notes from the same institute class.
6. I taught 4th grade before I was a mommy. I loved it! Someday I want to go back and be a librarian. I now teach preschool out of my home. I love every minute of it!
7. I am awesome at Math.
8. I am horrible at Spelling. (Sorry!)
9. My very best friend died 5 years ago. My grandma. I think about her everyday.
10. I am in love with my son’s smile. It brightens everyday!
11. I am working everyday to become better friends with vegetables.
12. When I was little I aspired to be a country singer/actress.
13. I was recruited by a talent agent in high school. But, in my wisdom I decided Hollywood was not for me.
14. I was an EFY counselor for 4 years. I loved it so much!
15. I love to color! (No I am not too old!)
16. I got laughed out of a college interview because I told the interviewer I wanted to be a mom.
17. I have 2 gorgeous little ones. Taryn is 3 & 1/2 and Beck is 1 & 1/2. They are pretty much miracle babies. Don't know how many more we will be able to have. So grateful that we got such good ones!
18. I absolutely love my calling right now. (ward humanitarian specialist)
19. One of my favorite pass times-plucking my eyebrows.
20. I love my husband's family as much as my own.
21. My daughter is just like me. She never shuts up either.
22. I would pay big bucks for some extra sleep right now!
23. When I grow up I want to be just like my little sisters.
24. I love reality shows. If I watch one episode I have to watch them all. I even watched the last few episodes of one on animal planet about dog groomers. Yuck. Boring!
25. I wish I lived at the beach.

Lullabies

2010-07-23T14:30:00.002-05:00

Sorry that my question is late, but I would love to know some of your favorite lullabies. We sing a lot of the primary songs, which I love, but lately one of my favorite has been this beautiful song by Billy Joel. The lyrics are just perfect for me and my kids. Please let me know some of the songs you like to sing or listen to that remind you of your kids because we're always looking for more great music!

Olive Garden's Caprese Flatbread

2010-07-20T22:02:00.003-05:00

If you've ever had Caprese Flatbread at Olive Garden you know how good it is. I was pleasantly surprised to find this recipe on Olive Garden's website. I've been making over the last two years when my Father-In-Law's delicious tomatoes are ready for harvest. It's always a hit....even with my Italian chef father. That's saying something!

Go to the Olive Garden recipe here.

Computer Time!

2010-07-08T01:30:00.003-05:00

My kids have never played video games but recently they have become more and more interested in playing games on the computer. So far my daughter has stuck to playing Princess games on Disney's web page and my son prefers games from the Little People web page. My daughter also thinks it's fun to play on Starfall...and I appreciate this as well since it's more educational.

How do you feel about your kids having "Computer Time?" How much time is appropriate for children? What Web sites do you use? Do you let them at it on their own or do you sit down and play along with them?

Garden Cake

2010-07-06T00:36:00.003-05:00

DH's grandpa turned 80 last week and grandma asked me & my sister-in-law to make a garden cake that had bunnies & chickens. This is what we came up with:

The chicken coop and the fence were made by my sister-in-law and the vegetables and animals as well as the cake itself were made by yours truly.

Talents

2010-06-28T10:29:00.003-05:00

We love getting to know our readers and contributors better every month. This month we want to know what you are good at! What are your talents or skills? What do people complement you on? Is it your cooking? Your smile? Are you good at sports? Are you musical? Leave a quick comment so we can get to know you better!

Sour Cream Bundt Cake

2010-06-20T23:33:00.006-05:00

Can you tell that I LOVE sour cream?!?!

This is another favorite. It's really like coffee cake. It's can be a dessert and it's also great for brunch.

1 box butter recipe cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 heaping cup sour cream
1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans or walnuts)
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon

Combine cake mix, sugar, eggs, oil & sour cream in mixer. Fold in nuts.

In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar & cinnamon.

Grease bundt pan with butter then line with flour. Put 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 the cake batter. Layer another 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Add the remaining cake batter. Top with remaining sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes.

White Almond Sour Cream Cake

2010-06-20T23:20:00.005-05:00

I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but as a hobby, my SIL & I decorate cakes.

Our favorite cake isa White Almond Sour Cream (WASC) cake that we usually pair it with a Mexican Vanilla buttercream. This cake stays really moist, but at the same time it's sturdy enough to carve and shape.

2 boxes white cake mix

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teas. salt

8 egg whites

2 2/3 cups water

4 Tbls. vegetable oil

2 cups (16oz carton) sour cream

2 teaspoon clear vanilla flavor

2 teaspoons almond extract

Mix all dry ingredients by hand using a whisk in a very large mixing bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed for 2 minutes.

Bake at 325 degrees

(This is a wedding cake we made for our Aunt's wedding at the Botanical Gardens. It was an outdoor wedding with a dutch oven dinner so we displayed the cakes in dutch ovens.)

Spinach 'n Sour Cream

2010-06-20T23:06:00.005-05:00

I love sour cream. I find reasons to use it. The first recipe that came to my mind when I saw the weekly ingredient was Spinach 'n Sour Cream. A lot of people are grossed out by creamed spinach, but this has a great onion flavor behind it and it's definitely worth a try.

2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen, chopped spinach

¾ cup white sauce (see below)

1 heaping cup sour cream

¾ TBSP. onion powder

1 tsp. chicken bouillon

½ tsp. salt

grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

WHITE SAUCE

1 TBSP. butter

2 TBSP. flour

2/4 cup milk

Melt butter; add flour and milk. Stir until thick.

Spinach in Sour Cream

Cook spinach according to directions and drain well. Blend together white sauce, sour cream, onion powder, bouillon, and salt. Combine with spinach and combine in casserole dish. Cover with cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

The Road Trip Fairy

2010-06-20T22:03:00.004-05:00

My family of 5 just made the longest road trip of our lives as we moved from one hot place to an even hotter one. Our kids are 5yrs old, 3yrs old, and 5 weeks old. I was mostly worried about how the 5 week old would manage his car seat for the week but I knew if I could keep the older two content I could focus more on the baby. Aside from frequent stops, nightly swimming and licorice...a new fairy was born. The Road Trip Fairy definitely got us through our trip. Each morning the Road Trip Fairy magically left a fun new toy on their seat (big thanks to Grandma for supplying most of these toys for us!) My kids were always very excited to get back into the car to see what they would find...there were never any tears spilt because they were sick of the car. The Road Trip Fairy has become a new part of our family and will come with us on any future trip without a doubt. Feel free to adopt her...it will save your vacation!!

Cloth Diapers

2010-06-09T16:58:00.002-05:00

I've been looking into cloth and I think they're pretty awesome! Whenever I mention it to anybody, I get a lot of grossed out looks and "why on earth would you do that?" questions. But I don't care what other people think and I'm going to do what's best for my family.

I found a Utah based company called Uncommon Bottom. They have a great website and they offer to come do Diaper Parties so you can get a hands-on lesson about cloth diapers. Laina from Uncommon Bottom came to my diaper party last night. She is awesome and I am fully converted to cloth diapers. The price was the big factor for me. It costs about $400 to get the 18 diapers that you'll need for you baby and that will last you from birth to potty training. And you'll be able to use them for your next baby, maybe even a third. On the other hand, you'll spend about $17oo on disposable diapers for one baby from birth to 3 years old. Times that by two kids!

I know it's not for everyone but I also think that there are a lot if misconceptions about cloth diapers nowadays. Cloth diapers have come so far. It's no longer rubber pants and diaper pins and swishing diapers in the toilet. They're really more like disposable diapers now.

Anyway, I'm just curious if anyone else has used cloth diapers for their little ones.

Whooga Ugg boots

2010-06-09T12:12:00.004-05:00

Hello Mommies!
Every once in a while we get a website that is interested in advertising on Mommy Diaries! This time we were contacted by Whooga which is a fashion store with guides on comfortable fashion and Ugg boots! From fashion history, style guides, to a lot of info on Ugg boots, and Ugg boots that you can purchase online (which will later be expanding to include other comfortable winter fashions).
She also blogs about fashion in general and how fashion and comfort don't have to clash with each other.
She has also offered our readers a discount code for a $30 credit towards any purchase on her site! The code is: 515MD. Use the code at checkout. It will only be valid for 2 weeks!
So go check out the site by clicking below and get some good fashion tips and some cute boots!!

UGG BOOTS

Anybody can take good pictures of their kids

2010-05-26T15:01:00.005-05:00

Ready for some photo tips?
I use to work in a portrait studio. I was the manager in charge of photography, so I spent most of my day in the camera room. I was obsessed with portrait studios at that point, I told my husband I was going to bring my children every month for their first year. We compromised. He would buy me an SLR and I would start my own photo business and I would never make him go to a studio. Not everybody can afford an SLR, so how do you get nice pictures of your children without spending a fortune at a studio? Here are my tips.

1. Shoot Outside. The fastest way to spot an amateur photo is use of direct flash(a single flash, pointed directly at the subject, such as on your point and shoot.) Shooting outside will make in not necessary to use a flash.
2. Don't shoot in the middle of the day. The sun is directly overhead which can cause weird light. I like mornings or early evenings.
3. Crop in. Have you ever looked at professional photography? There is not tons and tons of background. The frame is filled with the subject, there are a few exceptions to this rule but don't be afraid to get close.
4. Get your kids ready! When you take your kids to a professional, you dress them to the nines. Do the same thing for your shoot. It is going to look way more professional if you children's hair is done and they are clean.
5. Don't yell at your children. We had a saying when I worked at the portrait studio, once mom starts yelling, it's over. You upset your child when you yell and an upset child tends to not smile.
6. Shoot over a few days. The beauty of taking your own children's pictures is you can redo them. No money lost. Kids have bad days, just like you.
7. Pick a location other than your backyard. The park down the street is great because you can catch them in their playing element and it is close, so you are not upset over a redo.
8. Take a gazillion pictures. That is the beauty of digital, take a gazillion and go through them at home.
9. Wait until you are at home to delete. Sometimes a great photo looks crappy on that little screen or vice versa.
10. Bring a helper. Whether it is your husband, a friend, your mom. Bring someone that your kids like and will smile for. Since you are the parent, sometimes your kids will ignore your pleas for them to look at you. When my 18-month-old is being particularly stubborn, having my husband there always helps.
11. Don't be afraid to edit, or ask for help. I am always willing to help you figure out how to edit a photo.

Looking for more photo information here are this month's post at my blog on photo editing:

Photo cutouts- How to make it look like you went to Paris, when you didn't
File Management- How to keep your photos safe
How to use Layers and a free alternative to photoshop
Color Management - How to fix the bad color in your photos.

(The pictures in this post are all photos I have taken of my child, at a simple locations such as a park.)

The PERFECT Roast Beef

2010-05-23T18:49:00.003-05:00

I found this method of cooking a roast on recipezaar. I tried it today and it truly is perfect!

I cooked mine medium-rare so it does look quite pink. I should have let it sit longer to avoid losing all this juice, but it doesn't matter, it was moist and delicious! I find that often the beef flavor gets covered up by all the herbs and other ingredients that recipe's call for, but this recipe actually lets you taste the beef.

Another major bonus: this roast took less than an hour to cook!

Try it next time you're making a Sunday roast!

Tricks of the Trade...

2010-05-22T23:42:00.003-05:00

So I've been out of town and just realized it was my turn for Tricks of the Trade. So here it is, better late than never right?

For Family Night on Monday we will be creating 72 hour kits for each member of our family. I will be going to the store that morning. Here is my tricks of the trade question...what should I buy? I have 3 girls, 4 (almost 5),3 and 11 months.

I'm also trying to decide if we should discuss earthquakes/fires and where to go and what to do. They are so little, I'm afraid of totally freaking them out. When have you discussed this with your kids, how old were they and what did you tell them.

Tricks of the Trade....Bridal Shower

2010-05-12T11:01:00.004-05:00

I am throwing my first Bridal Shower for my almost sister in law Cami. They are getting married June 4th in the Oakland California Temple! Road trip:) Anyway.... I have never really done one before... we are going to have fun... but I need idea's. What to eat? Games to play? Gifts to give? yada yada yada!!!! So.... PLEASE help! Thanks

120 Mile Challenge

2010-05-11T21:36:00.004-05:00

My friend, Cat, has had quite the past year and has been blogging about her impressive weight loss. To keep working towards her goals and to motivate others to exercise, she has come up with a fun 120 Mile Challenge for the summer. It sounds like a lot at first, but it is very doable for any fitness level and I think that it will be fun to track how much we can run or walk. She is also gathering sponsors for some fun prizes. Anyway, if you'd like to join me go on over to her blog and join the Challenge!

Death by Oreo

2010-05-11T16:19:00.003-05:00

This is a spin on Hello Dolly's but for Oreo lovers. But beware! they are highly addictive so I suggest you make them to take to a function so they're not sitting around your house.

1 pkg Oreo's
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Grease 13 x 9 x 3 pan with PAM.

Place Oreo's in gallon size Ziplock bag. Crush with rolling pin. Add melted butter.

Spread 1/2 the Oreo's in pan. Spread chocolate chips & marshmallows. Cover with remaining Oreo's then evenly spread sweetened condensed milk on top.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

2010-05-05T00:04:00.002-05:00

My mother-in-law made this on Sunday and it was so good that I had to share!

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp. butter

14 oz. chicken broth

3 lbs chicken breast tenders

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke heart quarters, drained

¼ cup butter

¼ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

¾ cup half & half

½ cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. cooking sherry

½ tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled

Saute mushrooms in 2 Tbsp. butter until golden brown. Set aside.

Place chicken in simmering broth in single layer. Cover. Cook 20 minutes. remove from broth. Save ¾ cup broth.

Arrange chicken slightly overlapping in a 8“ x 12” casserole dish. Top with artichokes.

Melt ¼ cup butter. Stir in flour, salt & pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in ¾ cup chicken broth and half & half. Cook & stir as mixture boils and thickens. Blend in Parmesan, sherry and rosemary. Pour over artichokes. Sprinkle mushrooms on top.

Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.

***Great with Garlic Mashed Potatoes!

Dream House

2010-05-04T01:30:00.003-05:00

Hello Mommies!
It's that time again for us to learn a little about you! This month we want to hear about your dream house!! Even if you never expect to actually live there, tell us what your dream house looks like! Inside and out, and of course... where is it located?

And Happy Mother's Day this week!

Sweet Corn Bread

2010-05-01T03:48:00.004-05:00

This is the recipe my mom always used for cornbread. I love it! And it's is wonderful with Crock Pot Chicken w/ Black Beans and Cream Cheese!

1 cup margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups cornmeal
3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 cups milk

Cream margarine and sugar. Add 3 eggs, beat one at a time.
Sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Alternate adding wet and dry mixtures to creamed margarine.
Bake in a greased/floured 13“x9”x2" pan at 350° for 45-50 minutes.

***Note: Recipe may be halved and baked in a 8"x8" pan.

Crock Pot Chicken w/Black Beans and Cream Cheese

2010-05-01T03:32:00.006-05:00

I like to search recipezaar when I'm in the mood to try something new. I always search by rating. If 900 people give a recipe and average of 4 1/2 out of 5 stars it must be pretty good. I was looking for something easy because I had a busy Saturday ahead of me and the missionaries coming over for dinner at 5:00. Enter Crock Pot Chicken w/Black Beans and Salsa.
It's not the most appetizing to look at, but you won't care once you taste it. And it's so easy!

4-5 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
1 (15 oz.) jar salsa, any kind
1 (8 oz. ) package cream cheese

Place FROZEN chicken breasts in crock pot.
Add beans, corn and salsa.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken in cooked.
Add cream cheese (just throw it on top) and let sit until melted.
Stir & enjoy!

This is excellent with sweet corn bread.

***Note: Someone on recipezaar commented that using hot salsa would give this more flavor. I used wal-mart's Great Value brand of hot salsa and it was excellent. The next time I made it, I used Pace's Picante Hot Salsa. It was SO HOT that we couldn't eat it. We tried. We really hate to throw away food, but we simply couldn't eat it. So, if you're sensitive to heat, be careful of the salsa you choose.

Fajita Marinade

2010-05-01T02:55:00.007-05:00

My mother-in-law and I were recently shopping at Costco on a Saturday. She asked me what I'd like for Sunday dinner and I quickly answered "fajitas!"
As we walked through the store, testing all the samples we came across a lady sampling beef. It was delicious! I asked the lady what kind of seasoning she used and she told me that she had been marinading the meat in 7-up and McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning. The 7-up tenderizes the meat and the steak seasoning gives it a lot of flavor.

My mother-in-law marinated the steak while before church on Sunday so it was nice and tender by dinnertime. My hubby cooked up the meat while we got the rest of the fajita fix-ins ready. I like sauteed red peppers & onions, sour cream, homemade guacamole, shredded cheese and, of course, freshly cooked tortillas. By freshly cooked I don't mean that I made the dough, but I like to buy the raw tortillas at Costco and cook them up right before we eat.

So good! Everybody went back for 2nds & 3rds!

Hello!

2010-05-01T02:19:00.005-05:00

I'm Brenna and I'm really excited to be a new author the Mommy Diaries!

I'm a 23-year-old SAHM of an 18-month-old daughter named Bridget and the hubs and I just decided to start trying for #2!

Before my baby girl came, I was in the nursing field, working in Labor & Delivery (so much fun!). But I wanted, and luckily the hubs also wanted, me to stay home. I always said that I wanted the "I Love Lucy lifestyle", but without all the crazy antics. I wanted to stay home, keep a clean house, raise happy kids, and have dinner on the table when hubby came home from work every night. Well, I have a happy kid. I try to have dinner on the table every night. It seems like I go through spurts of having a hot dinner every night then I get into a "fend for yourself" slump. As for a clean house, I really try hard to achieve that. If my house is messy, I feel really anxious and can't rest until it's clean. I love cleaning products and I like to be as resourceful as I can when it comes to cleaning. For instance, I make my own laundry soap and dryer sheets, which I'll post soon.

My wonderful husband is Mike. We have been married for 2 1/2 years. And even thought she was 5 weeks preemie, we were blessed to have our daughter born 10 days before our first anniversary because we were able to take her with us when we were sealed in the temple. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything in this world. The best day of our lives
made better by having our beautiful 12-day-old baby with us.

Mike is an HVAC technician (heating and air conditioning) and at night he picks up dead bodies. We also live next door to a mortuary. Our current goal is to get completely out of debt so working for the mortuary is a great thing for us. They give us a house to live in, and in exchange Mike picks up bodies and works at viewings in the evenings. I am blessed to have a hard working husband who is willing to do anything for his family.

I love being a wife and homemaker and everything that goes along with it. I'm the daughter of an Italian chef, so I love to cook. I also love to craft, coupon, clean and sew.

I recently got called to be 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency. I'm terrified. I feel like I'm way too young to be in any kind of leadership position. But if that's where the Lord needs me, I'll happily obey.

So that's me.
And here's a current picture of my angel:

Pre-school alternatives

2010-04-26T16:28:00.005-05:00

Next year my first son will be four and ready for some sort of pre-school. The word on the playground is that preschools are a hot topic. I live in Southern Maryland and don't know if it is like this everywhere but here are the options where I live:

Public pre-school: difficult to get into if your child isn't behind in any sort of way with a relatively stable home and family life.

Private pre-school (what most kids here do): there are lots of church pre-schools here, mostly Christian-based. They are very expensive (I don't have a number to give you but it seems way too expensive to be paying monthly) and the good ones have a 2-3 year waiting list. Basically, the second you know you are pregnant is the time to get your name on the list.

I've looked into Joy School because I remember my mom doing it with me and my brothers when I was young. It costs a little bit up front but overall the cost is much cheaper. It is closer to home where I can control it more, they still get the benefits of being taught by someone other than me, and they can still benefit from peer interaction.

I was wondering if anyone has successfully run a pre-school from their home or as a coop with other moms, like Joy School or a FREE one. We are all smart moms who are creative and capable. I was just hoping someone could give me some experienced advice.

One Hour Craft - Plate stand/cake stand

2010-04-19T16:12:00.002-05:00

Hello folks. I know my track record for doing crafts at the beginning of the month has been horrible lately.... sorry! It seems like the world of having two kids has completely taken over my life. Anyways, I've got an awesome, quick, easy and very fun craft!!! The girls in my ward at church did a craft night a few years ago and they make these beautiful cake/plate stands using plates and glass candle sticks. They keep popping up at ward functions and they are all so gorgeous and fun I really wanted on. So I thought I would give it a try.

Here's what you need: (ok, sorry for the horrible photos!)

-epoxy ( a type of glue that will glue onto glass and things that regular glue won't work with) or glass glue. I think epoxy works better, so shoot for that. You can probably find it at Joanns or any other craft store. Even Home Depot carries it.

-a plate (any size, color, and shape) My plate is white and my candlestick is glass, I like it, but the girls at church have glass plates and glass candlesticks, it looks really elegant.

-a candlestick

**sidenote: I got my plate and candlestick at the dollar store. So for this whole project I spent about 5$, the glue was most expensive.**

Now, here's what you do:

Turn your plate upside down, and find the center. If you want you can make little marks, so you stick your candle stick down in the right spot. Next, apply the epoxy or glue according to package directions and let it dry THOROUGHLY. I made that impatient mistake and it cost me.

Ta da! That's IT! Once it is dry you have a lovely, fancy looking plate stand! Isn't that awesome?
Here's my finished product. It looks crooked, only because my plate is wavy.... don't let it fool you! :) I love the look of it. Here are some ideas for what I plan to do with my plate stand:

-sit it on my dining table with some fake fruit, changing from season to season (lemons in summer, indian corn for fall, etc.).

-Use it to transport and display cookies and treats for parties, showers, ward functions, holidays, etc.

-Use it as a cupcake stand or cake stand on birthdays

-Displaying my jewelry when I take it to craft fairs

And mostly, just to look at because I think it is so pretty.
Sorry about the ugly bags in this photo.... I'm no photographer! :) The possibilities with this craft are endless really. Keep your eye out for a fun candlestick and then find a plate to match and you've got yourself a unique craft and something useful too!! Oh, and I plan to make a hord of these for gifts, wouldn't YOU be excited to get one?!! PLEASE post pictures if you make one, I want to see all the creativity out there!

How to Get Your Kids to Pick Up After Themselves

2010-04-12T12:43:00.000-05:00

Allrighty, so first off, can I just say that my kids are SO NOT a shining example of little children who dutifully only play with one toy, and put it away before they get out another. NOPE!

And can I also say that I am not diligent about MAKING them do that? It's too much work for me. I'm a wee bit lazy.

So, since that it not how I roll, my kids tend to sort of tornado through the toys in a day's time, and when 7pm come around, it looks like a natural disaster has indeed hit.

TOYS:
In order to make me feel like I'm doing my job as homemaker, we do a "QUICK PICK UP" every evening before bath time. We make it a race, to see how quickly we can get all the toys back in the toy box. It leaves my family room looking nice for the WHOLE EVENING. This makes me feel good about myself.

I have found that if my husband and I are enthusiastic and excited about "getting" to pick up, the boys are more willing to fall in line with it as well. If we're grumpy, they're grumpy.

Beyond Toys:
Things like dishes in the sink and shoes in the closet are HABITS we're trying to instill. So, ALWAYS and FOREVER, if your shoes come off, where do they go? In the CLOSET! YAY! If you're done eating where do your dishes go? IN THE SINK!

I was raised in a home where my mother was a mother, not a maid. We as children were expected to do our part. I'm trying to teach that to my boys as well. I want them to be neat and clean people, not slobs. But at ages 4, 2, and 1 there are limits to their abilities. I find that picking up, and being responsible for their own belongings is a good place to start. When my oldest gets to be school-aged, I'll expect him to help with things like setting the table, and other small chores. As they grow, so does their list. :)

Thumb-Sucking Troubles

2010-04-12T12:17:00.007-05:00

My daughter is almost four-years old and she is an avid thumb-sucker. She has been since she was teeny-tiny. I was a thumb-sucker too. I was emotionally scarred from my parents' attempts to make me stop. Instead of quitting, I clung to my thumb-sucking even more for comfort.

I don't want the same thing to happen to my daughter, but I am absolutely clueless how to gently help her to stop. And I do believe it is well past time to stop. If she had sucked on pacifiers, I would have taken those away years ago. A thumb just isn't so simple to take away.

Anyone have any brilliant ideas for me???

Baked Potato Soup

2010-04-09T15:54:00.003-05:00

This recipe is found on here which is a recipe blog I love! I recently joined a dinner group so i only cook once a week now and I love using this site for new ideas on what to make. This soup is easy to make and taste great! In Arizona we have to get our soup kick done with since it's getting hot, enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup

4 to 6 potatoes (baked, peeled, and cubed)

½ c. butter

½ c. flour

2 tsp. chicken bullion

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. minced garlic

6 c. milk

16 oz. sour cream

10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 can corn, drained

shredded cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan melt butter on low heat. Stir in flour and seasonings.
Gradually add milk and turn heat up to medium. Add minced garlic. Bring
to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes until thick. Remove from heat. Whisk
in sour cream. Add potatoes, corn, and bacon. Serve in individual bowls
topped with cheddar cheese.

Monthly Photography Tip

2010-04-08T12:05:00.005-05:00

This is the first of what is now going to be a monthly photography tip.

I have been thinking about this post for awhile. I do a photography series on my blog and I don't want to repeat things. I have come to the conclusion that some things are worth repeating and some are not. So it will be a little bit of both.

Do you have Photoshop? If you don't, do not fret. It is expensive and if you are not sure that you will use it, you might want to hold off for awhile. There are many FREE alternatives to photoshop, although photoshop is the best. If you want a program that is more advanced but free, look up Gimp. Do you just want to be able to crop, lighten or darken and turn things black and white? Then Google's Picasa will work great for you. Go here to download it for free.

Picasa will allow you to crop your photos, make collages, write on your photos, turn them black and white or sepia, as well as basic color fixes. It is a great program for those who don't have a lot of time or money to spend on their photography but want some control over how their pictures look.

After you get your photos the way you want, where do you print? I am obsessed with Shutterfly. Their prints always look great and if they don't, they will replace them. The problem? You have to pay for shipping and their prints can be pricey. I lessen that problem by buying their print plans. You can spend $20 and get 200 prints. Then you have a year to use them. Most of the time you can't beat 10 cents a print.

If you are still against shipping, I also LOVE Inkleys for prints, Costco is pretty good and Sam's club is adequate if you are not printing large format prints. I have had horrible luck with Sam's clubs 16x20s.

So now, I need to know what you guys want to know. Do you want tips for actually shooting pictures, tutorials on fixing them afterward? What would help you the most?

Tricks of the Trade Question: Disciplining a 1 year old!

2010-04-05T16:50:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure Disciplining children is usually a question most mom's have since there are several ways to discipline and many people are very opinionated about certain ways, my question this week is on disciplining a one year old child.
I guess the question is more like, when to start discipline! I have a 16 month old boy and we have been really lucky with him so far, he is really good and so far he isn't mischievous..(yet!)! I haven't really thought about types of discipline or anything yet for him since he doesn't really do anything wrong yet, especially on purpose, I just figured he's to young to think to really discipline effectively. Anyways I have a couple friends with kids his same age and a little while ago one mentioned putting her kid in a time out when he misbehaves and the other uses 'spankings' as a threat to get hers to stop. It seems like these work for their kids and i'm sure getting in the habit of a specific discipline plan young is good so they will know when something is bad and there are consequences when they do it. The one thing Dylan does that i'm pretty sure he knows he shouldn't do is hit the TV, for now we just say no, and turn him around and make him walk the other way, my husband used to grab him before he got to it and lay him down and hold him there for a minute saying it's not okay, but then he wanted to make sure not to be too aggressive and scare him so we just kind of remind him with no and hope that he will get it soon. Is this something, in your opinion, that should have any kind of punishment?? He still seems young to me for a real punishment but I want to get him in good habits!
So I made this question long, but what is your discipline techniques and how young do you start them???

Easter

2010-03-30T13:51:00.003-05:00

Well this is a REALLY late "about us" question for March! But with Easter this weekend I thought it would be fun to hear how everyone celebrates Easter. So what do you do to make the day special?

The joke is on...

2010-03-29T14:31:00.004-05:00

I need some help! In 9 1/2 years of marriage I have rarely pulled off a good April Fools prank on my husband and I would love to actually surprise him. However, part of the problem is my lack of creativity in this department. Does anyone have some great ideas to get your hubbies on April Fools?

Tricks of the Trade.... How do you.....?

2010-03-29T14:21:00.004-05:00

Get your kids to pick up after themselves???? Maybe this question has already been asked, but we are seriously struggling with the masses of toys around our house. I thought that having a bigger home (when I say bigger, I mean bigger than my 900 sq. foot apt. of 3 years) with a basement would keep all the toys and mess a little more out of the way. However, if I had a dollar for every time I've stepped on a little toy and wanted to throw it away, I'd be a rich woman. We just have toys everywhere and I've tried and tried to get my 4 year old to pick up after himself. He refuses to do so, even when I take toys away, or THROW them away, which I've done, several times. Now when I ask him to pick up he just says "It's okay mom, you can just throw it away." I know he loves his toys, but I want him to know he has to pick them up when he's done. Our basement looks like a tornado came through and emptied every box of toys we own. When it comes to cleaning the basement, he'll help, only if my hubby or me are doing it with him. Which is fine to a point, but he's the one who made the mess so I feel like he should be cleaning it up.

What do I do?..... hire a maid? throw out all the toys? be the mean mom who only lets him play with ONE thing at a time? no allow the toys upstairs? give him some sort of reward for cleaning up the toys? I HAVE NO IDEA.

March Craft - Gel Stain/furniture repurpose

2010-03-27T13:16:00.005-05:00

This month's craft is kind of a cheater craft. I don't even know if it fits into the "craft" category, but it is a new technique that I just learned and have been playing around with a lot! And.... it's FUN! When my dad was here visiting for several weeks, he built me a table. This cute little table sits in our breakfast nook, and is just what I wanted. We got the wood from the lumber yard and before I painted it, it was just regular wood, nothing fancy or expensive. We were thinking about using our table with a cute black bench that I have, but ended up moving the bench. I tell you that because that was the whole reason I learned how to use Gel Stain.

Gel Stain can be found at home depot, by the paint and stain section. It comes in a variety of colors (or shades). We chose a cherry/mahogany stain, in order to match our other piece of furniture.

So.... here's what you do with gel stain:

1. take any piece of wood furniture, sand it to it's original wood. This is my least favorite part, but sometimes you have to do it. Or if you're lucky, whatever you are dealing with might already be in just the wood form (like unfinished frames, letters, boxes, etc.)

2. Paint your piece, whatever color you like. I did my table with black, semi-gloss paint. I also used gel stain and paint, with a shelf and magnet board for my boy's room. The shelf and magnet board I painted a light turquoise color (pics coming soon, but babies are sleeping at the moment, and I forgot to snap a couple while they were awake). So you can do any color of paint you'd like, just think about how it will look with the stain over top.

3. After you paint it, let it dry completely. Once it is dry, take a little sanding pad or block, or electric sander ( I highly recommend owning one of these, we have used ours A LOT, it was 30$), and start sanding in spots. I like to do the edges and the places where you would see natural wear and tear.

4. After you are done sanding, clean off your surface, and get ready to do the gel stain! To do the gel stain, you just follow the directions on the can.... but here's my two cents.

*wear gloves if you have some, I didn't and I had to go to church with brown stained fingers and finger nails

*use a "non" porous rag, not a washcloth, it will just soak up the stain.

*start staining! You are going to "rub" stain over the ENTIRE piece of furniture, paying close attention to the sanded spots. Once you stain the whole piece, you're DONE! Just let it dry well!

I can't wait to experiment a little more with gel stain. It was so simple and really adds another dimension to your furniture or project. We found a 10$ dresser on craigslist that I painted turquoise for the boy's room and I'm planning on antiquing it a little with our gel stain. It comes in a white-ish color that I think would look really pretty under some blue, green, or yellow paint. It gives your furniture an antique or weathered look. Our mahogany stain looks REALLY pretty and vintage looking with our blue shelf in the boy's room. I'll put up some pictures, pronto!

Enjoy, have fun, and PLEASE share if you do a craft or project with gel stain!!

Product Review: Pendants and more

2010-03-26T08:59:00.003-05:00

Occasionally on Mommy Diaries we test products or review websites to see if it is something worth your time or money. Coincidentally we've been asked to review a jewelry site which fits nicely with this weeks Tricks of the Trade Question! If you would like us to review your product please email mommydiariesadmin@gmail.com.

It really is amazing how jewelry can make us feel and look prettier outside of our normal mommy wear and tear. We were contacted by LuShae Jewelry and received a very generous pair of dangly (and fancy!) earrings. I received several comments from people throughout the day of how pretty they were. That's the best review if you ask me. I was surprised that people went out of their way to comment on my earrings.

The LuShae site is very easy to maneuver and has many different styles to meet every one's needs. The earrings I ordered arrived very quickly after I ordered them in a very classy case. They are a great quality as well. I also enjoyed reading through the Jewelry guides on their site and found the information very helpful.

However, when it comes to jewelry I am a cheapskate and I found their prices to be higher than I would be willing to pay. It would be a good site to pass along to your husbands for those special occasions (anniversaries, birthdays, etc.) I was also disappointed that some of their jewelry was not currently in stock.

It's definitely worth taking a peek at their site to see if there is anything that you like! We'll link to them on our sidebar with the label "Pendants."

Tricks of the Trade: Up-Keep

2010-03-22T09:47:00.000-05:00

It's not my week I don't think, but since we haven't had a new Tricks of the Trade for awhile I'm not feeling to guilty about stepping up.

So....

I'm a mom of four now. Life is busy around my house and I rarely get five minutes to myself (outside of the shower). So, as you can imagine, my appearance has taken a turn for the worst.

What are some quick easy tricks you ladies use to keep yourself looking tip top?

Scrumdiddley :)

2010-03-22T03:11:00.001-05:00

Every So often, my family gets together to have family dinner... we kids are all in the area of mom and dad so it isn't too far to drive to get there. We usually plan what we want to have and then decide who is going to bring what! This week we are having poppy seed chicken and I was put in charge of dessert. My mom told me to do something fancy and so I love recipe blogs and heart this one http://www.gourmetmomonthego.com/ so I went there and found this Turtle Cheesecake...... and I just have to say that it was AMAZING!!!! I have never made homemade cheesecake and it is SUPER easy to make! DO IT!!! you will love it! yummy!

Easy Peasy Craft

2010-03-20T17:06:00.004-05:00

What is needed?

-Blocks from your child's toy box.

-Scrap-booking letters. The big kind. (I got mine in this big book of paper letters at Wal-Mart... I use them for everything, totally worth buying)

-Some thick wire.

-Some ribbon, it can be the ugliest ribbon on earth, no one's going to see it.

-Oh, and Mod-Podge.

-----

1.Mod-podge the letters to the blocks. Then sand edges if you want to have that rougher look.

2. Take the drill and put some holes into the tops of some of the blocks... use the size just smaller than the size of you wire.

3. Twist the wire around, making sure the end is sort of a flat spiral (like you would draw on paper). The spiral is what will hold the photo, so maybe have a picture you don't care about around to test it on.

4. When the Mod-Podge is dry take your hot glue gun and glue the ribbon to the back of the blocks (making sure they are all at the same level so they'll stand... and leaving a little room between each block so you can move them around).

5. Stick the wires into the tops of the blocks and add pictures.

6. Move to an approved location and enjoy.

It's so easy you'll be up and running for your crafts as soon as you're done reading. Mwahahaha.

Honey Chicken

2010-03-14T22:15:00.001-05:00

I got this recipe a few weeks ago and have already made this chicken 3 times! My kids LOVE it and it's SO easy!

Honey Chicken
1/2 C honey
1/2 C melted butter
1/4 C mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
Mix together and pout over an 8x8in pan full of chicken breasts. Bake on 350 for 50-60 min or until chicken is cooked through. Serve on rice.

I have to double this for my family and use a 9x13 pan of chicken, and I use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts.

What's that "Curry" taste?

2010-03-14T17:17:00.000-05:00

Girls- I am NOT good with curry! The one and only time I was brave enough to use it, it was a DISASTER! And that was in 2008. Help a girl out! I am desperately afraid to cook with curry but I really really like the flavor.

So, what's good with curry these days?

New Button!

2010-03-12T10:57:00.005-06:00

Some of you might have noticed our new button!!
Thanks to one of our creative mommies, Chalece, we now have a super cute brand new button. And if it breaks again we'll be able to fix it right away!
So everyone go change your codes to the new one on the left sidebar!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2010-03-10T21:24:00.002-06:00

I love this recipe. It is easily one of my favorite dinners and it is pretty easy to make. The first time you make it, you might want some help just because they are so many things going on at once. After one time of needing help while I made it, I was ready to make it by myself. It has a great taste but be careful about breathing in the sauce while it is cooking on the stove. It is pretty pungent stuff.

This dinner also reheats pretty well, so I make extras and my husband takes it to work the next day for lunch.

This meal is easiest made in an electric skillet.

Chicken Ingredients :
2- 3 lbs of chicken
cornstarch
3 eggs
Cut chicken into pieces. Make a bowl of cornstarch and add a little bit of garlic salt. Make a bowl of the eggs whisked. Dips the chicken into the eggs and then into the cornstarch. Put in at pan at 375 , pretty hot with oil. Brown in sections, set aside on paper towel. Add oil each time each time you add a new batch.

Sauce –

3 cups of sugar

1 ½ c. vinegar

1 ½ c. chicken broth (or water and a bouillon cube)

3 tbs ketchup

3 tbs soy sauce

3 teaspoons garlic salt

Simmer 5-10 minutes

Turn down electric to 240

Pour liquid in pan

Stir in thickening of 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch with water, then stir in pan.(in a thickening all you do is add the right amount of cornstarch and then add enough water to make a small paste. This will help thicken your sauce up.)

Books and More Books

2010-03-09T11:20:00.003-06:00

We love reading in our family and one of my personal favorite things for my oldest daughter (5 years) is audio books. She loves to listen to them during nap time for the other siblings, and lets just say this makes for a much happier family! So, when I was trying to find some new ones for her to listen to I stumbled on this find... at first I wasn't sure she would enjoy it, but it has been a really fun read for everyone in our family. It has cute, short stories teaching great skills like making your own fun or making a plan and then has good ideas for parents at the end of each lesson to reinforce the principles. I am planning on using some of the stories for FHE lessons, so I thought that I'd just pass it along if any of you are looking for a really good book for your family.

And on another note, I have an amazing friend, Allyson Condie, who is an author and has just released the novel Being Sixteen.

Since I never will be famous, I have to live vicariously - so keep your eyes on this one because her novel that is coming out this fall, Matched, is being said to be the next big phenomena and is being compared to Twilight. Anyone else have any good reading finds?

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Toss

2010-03-08T13:11:00.001-06:00

I know that this one doesn't have chicken in it, but I've been meaning to put this up. This is currently my husband's FAVORITE meal. It has been a hit with everyone we've shared it with. You have to try this.

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Toss

12 oz Italian Sausage
6 oz baby spinach leaves
2 1/2 c rotini pasta
2 T Parmesan cheese, grated
1 c mozzarella cheese, grated
14-20 oz diced tomatoes, Italian style

Brown sausage in large nonstick skillet. Drain grease, lower heat, then add tomatoes and spinach to the meat. Heat until spinach is wilted.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain water.

Add meat mixture and pasta together. Stir, and add both cheeses just before serving. Toss just until mixed through.

Be prepared to be wowed. This stuff is so good. And it's really yummy as leftovers because the noodles absorb the sauce. Oh man, good!!

Szechuan Chicken Noodle Toss

2010-03-08T13:02:00.001-06:00

I just made this for my family a couple days ago and we all loved it. Plus it was really easy, so I loved it even more.

Szechuan Chicken Noodle Toss

4 quarts of water
6 oz thin spaghetti
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen oriental vegetables
1 T margarine
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 T canola oil
1/3 c stir fry sauce
3 green onions, chopped

Bring water to a boil, add spaghetti; cook for 4 minutes, then add veggies; cook 3-4 min longer until spaghetti and veggies are tender. Drain. Toss with margarine; set aside and keep warm.

In nonstick skillet, stir-fry the chicken, garlic and red pepper flakes in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add stir fry sauce; heat through. Add onions and spaghetti mixture; toss to coat.

Yield: 4 servings

The Gift of an Ordinary Day

2010-03-02T10:35:00.002-06:00

Probably some of you have watched this already, but I finally got around to it yesterday lets just say there was some crying involved. I love things that make me appreciate even more being a mom, so check it out...

The Gift of an Ordinary Day

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe

2010-03-01T15:02:00.003-06:00

This has been one very long winter, made longer by my energetic 4 year old being stuck at home all day every day. I am now convinced of at least this benefits of preschool: playtime with peers away from home. So, now that I am seriously considering looking for a preschool for the fall, how have you all gone about finding and selecting a preschool? What do you look for in a program and staff? What is a reasonable tuition? Will someone just do all of the work for me? And who wants to entertain my son until Spring?

I hate being a mom........ keep reading!!

2010-02-26T10:54:00.004-06:00

Obviously I do not hate being a mom! My baby is the best thing that's ever happened to me and I feel like being a mom is the most rewarding and special thing I could ever be doing!! I know I am meant to be a mom and have always wanted a lot of kids!
There is one part that I do HATE that I have been experiencing a lot lately...and that is WORRYING!!!! I feel like the most paranoid, worried person on the planet when it comes to my baby and the anxiety really makes me crazy! Here is a for instance.....
Last Thursday everything was totally normal and fine all day and night, then randomly at 5 am I BURST (literally) out of bed to the sound of a horrible cough, choking sound..I rushed out of the room threw open Dylan's (my baby) door, completely panicked, grabbed him and ran into my room and just set him by my husband and continued to freak out! He had a croupy like cough but sounded like he had a hard time breathing, I Always assume the worst (Which is problem #1) instead of assuming it's just a cough. I grabbed the phone and called my mom! To make a long boring story short I filled the bathroom with steam to clear his throat and had the longest weekend of my life frantically worrying about this cough! I DREADED going to sleep at night and one night put him in our bed so I would be close to him!!
Of course that first morning the front page of the news paper is RSV spreading through the valley..and I couldn't stop thinking about that! We were just waiting for his insurance to go through so at the time he wasn't covered, he really wasn't bad enough to take to an urgent care, which is the point of this post! It's not like he had anything terrible (I read forever online and called some nurse friends and came to the conclusion it was just the croup and NOT RSV) he was pretty okay during the day and he could breath just fine, but it was the fact that I FREAK out soooo easily!!! I was just driving out to my parents sometime in the midst of the cough stuff and just wanted to cry because of how worked up I get! When I talked to people they are like oh he will be fine don't worry it's probably just the croup, so then why can't I look at it that way? Why is everything so much scarier with your kid? If it happened to someone else I knew I would be saying the same thing... he is fine, not a big deal! I HATE to think what I would be like if something serious actually happened!
I've always been the type to separate myself from others in pain, anytime I had a sick pet I could hardly look at them, I had to stay away till they were better. Of course, I wouldn't just walk away from my sick child but I do just want to hand him to my husband and not look till he's all better, I know if I am alone I can find the strength to do whatever he needs but no doubt lose it later!
Anyways this is getting long I just wanted to kind of talk to some people who probably know exactly what I mean, all being moms yourselves! I have always wanted a lot of kids but I'm afraid of multiplying the amount of people to worry about, or does it get better with experience and practice? I just want to be stronger and have more faith that everything is fine! Again it was not that big of deal but it was such terror for me! I always think of the worst outcome and I need to know how to NOT think that way!!! Thanks for letting me vent!! I hope I'm not the only crazy paranoid mom out there:)... It really is painful to love something so much huh!?! But definitely the best thing in the world:)

Tomato Noodle Soup

2010-02-20T16:31:00.002-06:00

My husband and I have been in ultra save money mode recently and I have been try to come up with recipes that need as little meat as possible. This one only uses 1/2 lb of ground beef but you could always use a full pound if you like your recipes a little meatier. I personally made this recipe up but I am sure it is really similar to a lot of others out there.

Chop up a carrot and celery add to a couple of cans of tomato soup. You can keep your soup condensed and just use more cans but that is a little thick for me, so I diluted it with milk. I used whole milk to make it really creamy but you can use a lower fat milk if you want.

While those ingredients are heating together, make a package of pasta as directed and brown a 1/2 lb- to a full pound of ground beef. Drain the beef, add to the soup. Drain pasta when tender and add to soup.

Let the soup all simmer together until the celery and carrots are tender. I add Italian seasoning and a little bit of dill to my soup to top it off.

Enjoy.

An Intro

2010-02-19T12:40:00.000-06:00

Hi! I'm introducing myself to the Mommy Diaries world! I'm Morgan. :) I was introduced to Mommy Diaries by Anna and am so glad to be here!

I have three boys, ages 4, 2, and almost one. They keep me busy. I thoroughly enjoy it when strangers say, "YOU have your hands full!" when I walk through the grocery store. Yup. I do. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

My husband is Derek. He's a marriage and family therapist and in his spare time is finishing a PhD. Phew!

I'm a doula when I'm not a mom. It is very challenging, but I love it.

I like chocolate. And Diet Coke. Together or separate. I'm not picky. But I am addicted. :)

I blog at: www.ingfamily.blogspot.com and www.thedietcokediet.blogspot.com.

From February 2010

Button

2010-02-19T11:36:00.002-06:00

Hello Mommies!
As some of you have noticed our button is broken. Since someone else made it we aren't sure how to fix it so we are making a new one. Sorry for the inconvenience, the new one should be ready soon! Feel free to remove the old one for now though since it obviously isn't doing much good, and the new one will have a different code! :)

Tricks of the Trade: In One Ear...And Out the Same

2010-02-18T19:16:00.006-06:00

I love to learn, but my knowledge, especially as a mother, is too often gained the "hard way". I have three children, the oldest is five years old, and I had yet to deal with the whole foreign object inserted in body part issue...UNTIL...this week.

This week, my five-year old son inserted a popcorn kernel in his ear canal and I had NO idea what to do. I'll spare you the nitty gritty details (if you're dying to hear them, click HERE), but I'll dish the advice I have gained after going through this little experience. Maybe I can save you the pain of paying for a visit to the doctor's office, Urgent Care, or Emergency Room to remove the dirty, rotten, no-good foreign object.

*The very FIRST thing you should do is remain calm. Your child can panic if he/she sees you getting flustered. Obviously, remain calm so as not to scare your child, but also remember: A panicky child is a squirmy and uncooperative child. If they grow hysterical, it will make removal of foreign objects that much more impossible.

*The very other FIRST thing (I know. I gave you two "FIRSTS", but moms are good at multi-tasking. You can do it!) you should do when you recognize that your child has put something in his ear (or nose) is....STOP AND THINK! Assess the situation before you touch anything. You can make it worse even when you are trying to make it better. Trust me. I learned this one the hard way.

After you've done these two things, you still have the task of removal ahead of you. Hopefully, it will be easier with my first two tips, but you still need to get that thing outta there.

I am now an expert on popcorn-kernel-in-ear, but I imagine you could use these tips for other objects as well.

*With child's head tipped with the affected ear towards ground, grasp the upper portion of the ear and gently pull up and out. This can change the shape of the ear canal. Try wiggling the ear a few times to see if the object will fall out on its own.

*Apply some superglue to the tip of a toothpick. Carefully insert toothpick and gently touch glue to object. Allow time to dry and slowly pull object out.

*If these two things haven't worked, construct this tool (Sorry about the crude drawing! Doesn't the pretty border make up for my lack of artistic skills though? Haha!) :

This is what our doctor used to remove the kernel from my son's ear in two seconds. It looked like a dental tool, but I bet it wouldn't be too difficult to rig. You could use a pencil and some crafting wire (a paperclip would probably be too thick of wire) or some fishing line.

Other methods that were unsuccessful for us, but might work for you:
*Use a bulb syringe or straw to gently suck it out

If all else fails, PRAY! and make your way to the doctor's office. Surprisingly, removal may not be as emergent as you think. In our situation, the doctor's office was fifteen minutes from closing time and I didn't have a car to get us there. Of course this isn't "official" medical advice, but our pediatrician's office told us that as long as it wasn't bothering him, we could wait until the morning to have him seen. If he was uncomfortable, he needed to be seen at Urgent Care as soon as possible.

Have you had experience with this little predicament before? What did YOU do??

Have any other tips for getting stuff out of ears OR noses? We'd love to hear it!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2010-02-14T16:41:00.004-06:00

I wanted to get this posted before Valentine's Day because it's perfect for the day of love...but I guess I'll have to spin it as a wonderful way to celebrate President's Day!

This is such a simple, fun, and fancy treat to make. And it doesn't get much kid-friendlier than this!

Have your kids grab some of this from your baking aisle next time you go grocery shopping:

Then let them wash some of these and leave to dry:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave for about a minute...stir...heat an additional 10 seconds or so until it's deliciously melty. Have your kids dip the strawberries and lay them on some wax paper to cool. Keep in the fridge until ready to eat.

How To Make Rope

2010-02-13T10:14:00.000-06:00

My little girl made a her first tutorial (with my help) for her own blog--to show her cousins-- and it was so great I thought I'd share.

Here's how you make rope...

step one

take three pieces of thread, string, yarn or twine and cut them to equal lengths.

Step two

tie a pencil to each end of the 3 strings

(it can be a stick also)

Step three

pull string taught between two people (one can improvise)

Step four

spin pencils in opposite directions

Step five

balling string is bad

Step six

after you are done spinning the three strings together you are going to fold it into thirds. do this by putting both pencils together.

the string should loop around pencil #1 and go back to person #2

then pull the folded string onto pencil #2 making three strings again.

Like this

Step seven

spin string in the OPPOSITE way from last time. (remember balling is bad, but if it balls just pull away from each other as hard as you can... it will eventually work)

step eight

pull off of pencils and please tie the ends so your rope doesn't come undone.

Now what to do with your rope...

For girls you can tie it in your hair:

Make a head band:

Isn't my mom so awesome!

Since I'm not a boy I don't know what a boy would use it for... why don't you be creative (and tell me what you come up with).

Easy and Fun Flower Valentines

2010-02-12T08:20:00.004-06:00

We adapted this idea from Family Fun and we had a blast making our flowers together. My 4-year-old loved choosing what colors she wanted for each individual friend. All I did was cut everything out (not the most fun part) and tape the bottom after she assembled them. The end result was a beautiful flower garden. Then she addressed them to each friend on the leaf (probably best to address them before you assemble them.)

To make flower valentines:

Cut out 3 hearts to make the petals

Cut out 1-2 leaves out of green paper

Take a circle punch to a cute scrapbook paper with fun designs and cut 4 triangles out of it to make the inside of the flower

Have the child assemble the flower onto the lollipop (inside, petals, leaf)

Put a small piece of tape around the bottom of the flower to keep it from sliding off the end of the lollipop

Accordian Book/Card

2010-02-11T20:25:00.000-06:00

Aaaahh...Valentine's Day approacheth. The day of love and chocolate and CARDS! I can not lie... I am a huge fan of handmade cards made complete with personal messages of love. (Wish my husband would clue into that...It would save him a lot of stress and money every year.)

I always love finding a new approach on the handmade card. A friend taught me how to make these cool accordion book/cards last year. They're perfect for any occasion, but I thought they would make extra-special valentines. This year I am making one for my husband and each of my kiddos. My printer won't cooperate so I haven't been able to finish them, but I wanted to get this posted so you had a chance to make one before V-Day. I included pictures of three I made last year for my sisters and sister-in-law. (See bottom of post)

I am often found two steps behind the rest of the group, so hopefully you have not already made this ages ago in Homemaking meetings across the globe.

Don't mind all the pictures. Maybe you're like me and more of a visual learner. In that case: You're welcome! Ü

To make one accordion book/card you will need:

3 pages of 8.5 x 11 card stock
1 piece of cardboard (you could cut up a box)
1 page of patterned paper (12 x 12 sheet)
ribbon
your preferred crafting glue (I use a glue stick)
a glue gun and glue sticks
scissors or paper cutter
additional craft supplies you want to use to personalize the middle
Optional: clear tape

Cut all three pieces of card stock into perfect squares (8.5 x 8.5).

Fold square in half. Make the fold sharp, precise, and defined. Fold it back and forth a couple of times to make it flexible. (Take your time with ALL the folds. Be careful and precise. It's not difficult; it just needs careful attention.)

Unfold paper, rotate, and fold in half again so that you will have perpendicular folds that will divide your square into four equal squares. Again, make your folds sharp and defined.

Fold your square diagonally into a triangle. Just as before, make sure folds are defined. ONLY FOLD ONE DIAGONAL FOLD. DO NOT ROTATE AND FOLD IN A TRIANGLE AGAIN.

Bring opposite corners that have been folded in triangle (If you look at the above picture, it's the bottom left and top right corners) together. Allow them to collapse so that the two squares that were NOT folded in the triangle sandwich them.

Repeat these steps so that all three pieces of card stock are exactly alike.

Unfold papers and lay them together as show in the picture below. Place the middle paper on top of the others. Match up the squares as perfectly as possible and use a glue stick to secure in place. Be generous with gluing. These pieces are going to move often and you want them to be secure.

Now you have the accordion part of your book! You may have to play with it a bit to figure out how it collapses and expands.

If you folded things right, your accordion book should have 4.25 inch squares.

Next you will make the cardboard covers. Cut two 4.5 x 4.5 inch squares out of cardboard.

Now take your patterned paper and cut out two 6 inch squares to cover the cardboard.

Next you will secure the patterned paper to the cardboard. I like to use my glue gun for this. Glue sticks just aren't up to the task. Hint: Fold the paper on like you are wrapping a gift, dotting hot glue along as you do.

Although they should be square and not really matter which way is up, I like to draw arrows on the side that will be glued on the card stock just to help my scatterbrained nature.

Before you glue the covers onto the innards you need to glue on ribbon pieces. The ribbon will be used to tie around the finished book to keep it from falling open. There is probably a better way to do it than the way I do it, but all I know is what I know, so here is my technique.

I glue two separate lengths of ribbon onto the top and bottom of the cardboard cover that will sit on the top of the book. (Another reason I put arrow markers on there.)

Hint: You could use tape to temporarily secure your ribbon and see how it works for you. (If you are having trouble figuring out how to piece the three pieces of card stock together to make the accordion, you could also use tape to figure out the mechanics of it before committing to glue.)

Below is the front of the book with the ribbon wrapped down and around the back and tied in front.

Hint: I used a lighter to melt the ends of my ribbon so as to prevent fraying. Works like a charm!

This is the back of the book with the ribbon wrapped around.

Now I use my handy-dandy glue gun again to secure the card stock innards to the covers. Work quickly, but make sure you are aligning your squares neatly AND securely.

You could glue your innards on however you want, but I like to do so that when I unfold it, it lifts from the bottom right corner and expands up and to the left. Did I confuse you more by adding that?? Sorry if I did!

The semi-finished result! (I just realized that my book is technically upside-down in the pictures above and below...Disregard that. According to the directions I've given you, the ribboned cover would have been on the top. You may not have even noticed; I'm just telling you in case you had and were confused that my picture looked different than what the instructions had dictated. SORRY!)

Now, you can fill the innards to your heart's content! Go crazy! Use pictures, quotes, accessories, flowers...the sky is the limit! The book has some give when folded up so don't worry too much about making it "too" thick.

JUST REMEMBER, THE FOLDS FOLD WHEN IT IS COLLAPSED SO DON'T GLUE THINGS OVER THE FOLDS. You can cut pictures in half or place words around the fold.

Again...Sorry I don't have this one finished to show you, but here are some pictures of others I made (I think it was for Mother's Day...). Click on pictures to zoom in.

Hopefully, between pictures and instructions you can figure out how to make this great accordion book/card. If you have any questions, put it in the comments, and I will do my best to answer it.

And let us know how yours turned out! Send me your pictures at claytonevelyn@gmail.com and I will post them or post it on your blog and leave a comment with the link!

Happy crafting and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! ♥♥♥

sweet as a sundae

2010-02-11T13:35:00.003-06:00

It's time for the February craft! I had A LOT of fun with this one. It's not really a craft, more just something yummy and fun you can do for Valentines Day. I got my inspiration HERE PLEASE go and check it out, you may find something you like about it better than what I did.

To make my Sundae cups, I used the short, fatter clear plastic party cups from Target. Then I found some really cute color of Jelly Bellys that were Ice Cream Parlour flavored. I mostly loved their colors! Plus I used some nibs in the bottom and some fruity mentos for candy. Then in my inspiration, she glues the popcorn to a styrofoam ball, but instead, I made White Chocolate popcorn (pop bags of butter popcorn, melt some white chocolate, and pour it over. Let it dry on wax paper and then you can put it in bags or whatever. I also added red food color to the white chocolate to make it more Valentiney!) And put the yummy popcorn on top! Who wants popcorn you can't eat? Not me! So, I opted out of glueing popcorn and made it choclatey instead.

That's it! Just fill the cups, add the popcorn, and stick a popsicle stick in there for a "spoon." Oh, and don't forget your cherry on top chocolate! Let your kids help, they'll love it, we had a great time making these. My parents come for a visit today and we can't wait to give them their valentines! After I bagged them up, I added a little not that said "You're Sweet as a Sundae, with a cherry on top! Happy Valentines Day!"

Enjoy!

If you want to make some, here's a list of what I used:

Plastic cups

assorted candy

chocolate for the "cherry" on top

popcorn (and white chocolate chips or bark if you want to do it my way)

popsicle sticks

That's it!

Tricks of the Trade: The "Talk"

2010-02-08T17:46:00.000-06:00

My question is regarding the dreaded "birds and bees" talk. We have two 7 year old boys and are facing this discussion soon. I can't believe it is time already, but kids are growing up faster than ever, and I want to be the number one information center for my kid. They pick up so much from school and the TV. So, when is the right time to have a discussion about sex, and how much should we cover? Anyone out there done this yet and have any tips to make it easier and less horrifying for us all?

Adoption

2010-02-08T10:10:00.001-06:00

We have this cute couple in our ward that is trying to adopt a child. They are amazing people and will be great parents. If you know anyone that is thinking about adoption, please keep this sweet couple in mind. Thank you!

Felt Hairclips

2010-02-07T17:13:00.003-06:00

I am loving the trend of felt hair clips. I think that they are so cute and I tried my hand at them and they were also super easy (really just cutting shapes, optional sewing details, and gluing on alligator clips). This is my favorite site for ideas. Has anyone else been making these or have any other simple ideas for the craft-impaired such as myself?

Oh, and the most important part in my opinion is that my little girl loves to have them in her hair.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-06T13:16:00.004-06:00

Dear Mommies,

We're at the start of the most loving month of the year and we want to know how you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day! Do you have a romantic dinner in or head to your favorite restaurant? Do you make Valentine's for your kids or buy them gifts? What do you plan to do/give to your husband? What do you want for Valentine's Day this year? Do you have any Valentine's traditions that you just can't live without?

Leave a comment and help us get to know all our readers better!

Love,
MD Admins

Hi, I'm Debra

2010-02-04T14:13:00.004-06:00

I was introduced to Mommy Diaries by my fabulous friend, Bridget. I am grateful to be an author here and to learn from all of you!

A little about me. I am a mom to a 1-year-old girl who is the sunshine in my life. She is the world's pickiest eater (seriously she lives on vanilla wafers,) and so a lot of my exploits and recipes come from trying to get her to eat. I spend almost all of my time as a stay at home mom.

I am a professional photographer who used to support her family but now just does it as a side job to be able to stay home with her little girl. My business Joyous Moments Photography now is just a hobby that I love.

We live in very, very South Texas. My husband teaches 6th grade science at a middle school that you can see the Mexican border from. We stick out like sore thumbs down here but we love the culture and the sense of family (and the Gulf of Mexico being so close helps too.)
I am an avid blogger and I write children's books that I have always been too scared to publish for anyone other than my little girl. I have a degree in print/photo journalism from Utah State and I bleed Aggie blue.

Things I love:
Photography, Blogging, Writing, Cooking, Crafting, digital scrapbooking, Family History, The Church (I am a sunbeam teacher!), Web Design.

Things I hate:
People who think stay at home moms just sit around all day, ironing and sweeping my floors.

New Authors!

2010-02-04T02:03:00.004-06:00

Hey there Mommies!

We are looking for a few new authors here on MD. We LOVE our current authors and thought it would be fun to add some great new authors to our already great author list! We like to keep our list around 20 so if there are any of you out there that have been reading this blog for a while and thought it might be fun to join but haven't quite had the courage to contact us here's your chance! Leave a comment here with your email address or email us at mommydiariesadmin@gmail.com. We hope 2010 will be full of fun new ideas, recipes and advice for all of us mommies!

Ideas for toddlers

2010-01-26T11:06:00.002-06:00

I have an 18 month old boy and in May will have boy number 2, and while I'm really excited to have our family grow I feel like I need to get my life in order before the next one arrives. My question for all you expert mom's is what do you do all day with young children?

Porter is getting to the age where he is kind of in the middle of things, and I don't know what I can do with him all day without also being completely bored myself. For example. I can't take him to the park because he gets trampled on by the older kids, he can't sit and color because he sticks the crayons in his ears after 2 seconds of coloring, and the list goes so forth. He likes TV but we try to limit how much he can watch since it's my secret weapon when I need to get something done. Play dates are nice and usually occur about once a week but he still prefers to play by himself even though there are other kids around and just ends up making them cry by taking toys away from each other. We do read and play together but each activity doesn't last very long.

So moms, what do you do with your younger kids all day? Any activities or ideas would be very appreciated! Thanks!

The New(est) Girl

2010-01-24T20:46:00.003-06:00

Hi there! My name is Evelyn Perkins and I am excited to join The Mommy Diaries as a contributor. I have been following for awhile and love the sense of community found here. Hopefully, I can add a few new insights, ideas, and recipes.

My family is originally from the great state of Idaho, but transplanted to Arizona two years ago for my husband's job. One day we'll learn to love the real desert, but for now we miss our family, home, and potatoes.

Clayton works as an instructor for a technical institute and I stay at home with our three kiddos. He loves watching sports, eating out, and exploring back roads. I enjoy blogging (http://cedelperkins.blogspot.com), music, and paper crafts. I am trying to get to the point where I enjoy running. Haha!

Deacon just turned five and LOVES preschool, soy milk, and anything with wheels. Eliza is three and a half and rarely seen without her bear tucked under her arm. She has a thing for ponies. Lydia (18 months) is our little third-time-is-the-charm baby. She is our only blondie and the biggest cuddler.

We like to travel home as often as possible, eat, go on walks, read, and play at the park. Our life is very much in toddler/preschooler mode. Sometimes it's hard not to eagerly look forward to the days when our children will be more independent. We certainly love the moments, milestones, and miracles we get to see everyday and hope they don't pass too quickly.

I'm excited to be here and look forward to connecting with other moms out there!

At the Store with the Kids

2010-01-20T16:44:00.008-06:00

I am not very good at sticking around the house all day every day. I have things to check off my list, and many of them involve running around town and inevitable stops to the grocery store, department stores, etc. But, just adding one more kid to the mix has made these types of trips a LOT more difficult, and I just don't want to do it sometimes. But, I have a couple things that help me get through trips to the store with my kids, and I'm sure you all have a ton more.

Here's what we do:

-My 2 year old uses the potty BEFORE we leave the house
-Make sure the diaper bag is loaded with diapers, wipes, extra clothes
-Bring toys the kids don't always get to play with
-Lots of snacks
-Don't go to the store during nap time...ever...

Then when we are at the store, I have started picking out a "treat" or small thing with my daughter that she can hang onto while we are shopping and if she is good, meaning no fits, whining, disobeying, etc., then she gets to keep her treat. Otherwise, it goes back on the shelf. This particular tactic has worked REALLY well for her, but could be hard to maintain if you have a bunch of kids or the treats are pricey. We usually pick a pack of stickers that is $1 or at the grocery store some sort of food that is what we need, but maybe a little special, like cinnamon applesauce instead of plain so it has been good so far.

What are your tricks for maintaining peace and happiness while running your errands?

Activities~

2010-01-17T01:01:00.003-06:00

So we are currently living with my in laws which I love.... but it has thrown off our groove like no ones business! When we first moved in.... my oldest, Mykl who is 4 would not go to bed before midnight! Yes, it is difficult when grandma and grandpa, not interfere with our parenting, but definitely put in their 2 cents! We are now into more of a routine and will hopefully soooooon be buying our own place, but I am wondering........
What are some activities that we can do in the middle of winter at grandma and grandpas house that will make it feel some what like we are living our normal lives! I am somewhat organized here, but living in 2 bedrooms and having most of our lives in storage has made things a weee bit difficult!!! HELP! :)

Wall Craft

2010-01-15T10:14:00.003-06:00

You know those necklace holder's everyone seems to be in to? Well I wanted one, but I didn't want something that just had pretty paper on it. I wanted a little more personal appeal. So I decided to go with something that pulled in a bunch of different idea's. This is what I came up with:

I didn't think until after that I should have taken pictures. But I plan on making another one so maybe I will then. Here's what I used-

Items: Plywood, Black spray-paint, old frame I had around the house, a photo, hook and screws, ribbon and buttons, and a wall hanging hook thing for the back (what are those called?).

Tools needed: Hot glue gun, mod podge, drill or screw driver, a saw, and your imagination (or in my case the combination of mine and my 8 year old's).

All in all it cost .96 cents for the spray paint, everything else I had around the house. I did have to use a hand saw to cut the wood to size but that wasn't to bad.

Hope this gets your creative juices flowing!

-Charity

PS. here's a hint... I had a hard time getting the thing to hang straight especially after I put the necklace on so I took a tiny piece of adhesive Velcro and stuck it to the back and wall. Voila! no more slipping and sliding.

Milk allergy

2010-01-12T20:05:00.004-06:00

I'm super annoyed. Hear me out. I have never dealt with a food allergy before and so it is mostly inexperience and ignorance.

Pete is almost 11 months. I haven't given him any cow's milk yet. By this time, my first son, Charlie, was living on cheese, yo-baby yogurt, and scrambled eggs. A couple months ago I tried the yogurt with Pete and he got a red rash around his mouth. The same thing with cheese, the fruit and yogurt baby cereal, and even milk-based formula. I recently tried giving him cheese again and he got the same red rash. Doctor says he'll probably send us to an allergist but in the meantime we gotta do soy formula, which he isn't drinking very well (I'm not nursing as much so we've got to supplement) and to also avoid eggs!!

I guess I'm annoyed because now I'm having to come up with all these other ideas of foods to give to Pete. We love cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and milk in our family. Has anyone had experience with food allergies? Do they go away? Is soy milk going to be permanently in my fridge? What else can I feed him? Help!!

Homemade Tortilla Strips (or chips)

2010-01-11T11:50:00.003-06:00

I love making homemade tortilla strips and it's a yummy addition to any mexican dish (I prefer topping a cafe rio salad with them or taco soup recipe) and it's a fun activity to involve the kids in.

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas

Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400ish degrees.

Step 2: "Paint" corn tortillas-

This is the part that the kids will love! Just pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a bowl, grab your basting brush and let them "paint" both sides of corn tortillas.

Step 3: Cut the tortillas-

I typically cut mine into strips but you could definitely cut them into triangles to make chips instead. I'm sure a pizza cutter or knife could work too but I prefer my kitchen shears.

Step 4: Lay strips on an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt-

I can usually fit 4-5 cut up tortillas on my cookie sheet.

Step 5: Bake for 5-6 minutes. Flip strips over with a spatula and bake for an additional 5-6 minutes or until preferred crispiness is achieved. I would show you a picture of them all baked up but we ate them too fast!

january's craft - feathered headband

2010-01-08T13:54:00.005-06:00

Well, this isn't a food recipe, or my 2010 goals... but it is certainly something that will add a spice to your life! :) I've seen these cute, vintage-ish, headbands all over the place. So I thought I would try my hand at making some. These were SUPER fast, SUPER easy, and SUPER cheap! I love that combination.... here we go!

First, your supplies:

Feathers (can be found at almost any craft store, or you can order some online on Etsy)

Headband (fabric or plastic seems to be working for me, I got mine at Target)

Glue of some sorts, hot glue, craft tacky glue, whatever you've got that sticks (I opted for hot glue)

Felt for the backing, not much, just a few smallish pieces, depending on how big you want your feathers to span out.

(this is a horrible picture of supplies.... sorry I shouldn't have even put it in here)
Here's my feathers I chose.... I thought they were cute and would go with brown or black.

Step 1: get your felt and cut 2 pieces. This one is slightly larger, and oval shaped. I also did one that was a little smaller and round)
Step 2: Take ONE piece of felt and start glueing on feathers. Make sure they face the same direction (don't curve two ways) and spread out the way you want them to fan out. Work top to bottom, right to left.
Keep adding and layering until eventually you've got this:
Now, turn your feather pad over and put glue either on your headband or on the pad. I think it is easier on the pad:Then glue it to your headband. Let it set for a couple seconds, then glue the SECOND piece of felt to the back side to make it look all nice!

Ta Da! Here are the two I made all finished. It seriously took me less than 30 minutes from start to finish. The one on the left is the one I did with a smaller round circle. The one of the right is the oval shaped pad.

And, the end results..... a bunch of dorky pictures of myself sporting the fun accessorie. I love it. I'm going to be making a whole bunch more in the next few days I'm sure of it. What else is there to do in Cleveland when snow is falling by the FEET, you have a brand new baby, and you hardly ever go outside? Imagine all the colors.... I'm thinking turquoise peacock feathers are next on the list!
I told you these were dorky pictures. My photography friends are laughing their guts out right now.
This picture is dorky too, but I had to include it because you can see my little E baby in the background! Isn't he cute?!
Here's a top shot of the smaller one.....

Enjoy my friends! And please share if you make one!!

2010

2010-01-04T14:19:00.004-06:00

Happy 2010! We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's!
And since we're just starting out the New Year our "about us" question this month is; what are your New Year Resolutions for 2010? And what are you hoping 2010 will bring to you and your family? Are you moving, having a baby, or did you set some goals for yourself? Let's hear it!

More fun Christmas Websites

2009-12-22T22:25:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple more fun Christmas websites that my kids got a huge kick out of!

Chin Carolers (12 days of Christmas was my favorite!)

and Reindeer Orchestra

Merry Christmas!

The Magic of Santa

2009-12-21T08:50:00.005-06:00

While we all know the real reason for celebrating Christmas...pondering the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ...I also love the magic and thrill of Santa Claus. I loved it as a kid but I love it even more as a mom. Here are some fun activities to add to the magic...

Last year we tracked Santa all during Christmas Eve to see where he was dropping off gifts. Once we saw him getting closer and closer we knew we better hurry and get to bed. The kids were very excited! You can track Santa's movements HERE.

This year, my husband also had a personalized message from Santa sent to each child. Aside from telling them they've been good and giving specific information unique to each child Santa also let them in on a fun (and magical) secret...like how his reindeer fly or what he does during his summer break. You can get Santa to email your child by going HERE.

And The Winner Is....

2009-12-18T22:54:00.002-06:00

Jane!

Jane said...
My sister and I had these little accordian albums made for our parents with pictures of their grandkids inside so they can have them with them always.

Please email mommydiariesadmin@gmail.com by 2pm Saturday so that we can get it shipped to you in time for Christmas!

Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway...it was so fun to see the special gifts you are giving this Christmas!