Car Travel - Part One; Alphabet and Number Dots

We are getting ready for a trip to Disneyland this spring.  The countdown has begun...we're a little over a month away!  So, I've begun to prepare the entertainment binders for our two girls (ages 7 and 3) for the long road trip.  We're not trying to drive from Washington to Los Angeles in one day (thank the Lord), but the journeys will still take between 6-8 hours in the car each of our travel days.  After doing a lot of research, I have started to create printables for the girls and now will be posting them here as free downloads.

Part One: Alphabet and Number Dots

This one is designed for the 3-year old.  She's learning her numbers and letters and loves stickers.  I got the idea here and the gal here will sell this 65-page book with large letters and numbers and others for $5.

I went ahead and created a simple version of my own  of just the numbers and letters I think this simple exercise will keep my little one entertained for a while as she practices her fine motor skills (peeling and sticking the stickers) and her letters and numbers.

 Go HERE to download numbers 1-10

Go HERE to download letters A-Z in both upper and lowercase.  The circles are the right size for the circle dots you find at office supply stores or Walmart/Target.

I will be posting other printables that I create for our entertainment binders!  Stay tuned!

Part Two: Color By Number Sheets
Part Three: Journey Maps
Part Four: Travel Pillow Tutorial
Part Five: Alphabet Magnets with Flash Cards (Preschool)
Part Six: Car Entertainment Bags

Chips and Dip Day

Normally, I refer to "Chips and Dip Day" to January 1st.  It's been a tradition in my family to gorge ourselves in junk food and snack foods while the TV is tuned to football all day long.  I love this day, although I get so sick by the end and regret it...!  But I also love trying new dips!  There's something about the old standbys of Onion Dip (sour cream and onion soup mix), Fiesta Ranch (sour cream and HV Fiesta Ranch mix), 7-layer Dip, and Nacho Cheese Dip, and seeing a counter full of different flavors and sampling them all day long.  It's terrible, but wonderful all at the same time!

(my husband being a goof...this is normal)

As Super Bowl Sunday is around the corner, I thought I'd share this year's Chips and Dip Day recipes in time for other parties of snack foods and fattening bellies.  Some of the ones I tried this year were bombs in my opinion, and others were a HUGE hit (and I will probably make it again before next year's Jan 1 just cause it's so wonderful!).  So here was the "line up" for 2013's Chips and Dip Day:

BAKED POTATO DIP

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve with your favorite potato chips or pretzel crisps. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

I honestly thought I'd like this dip.  I mean, come on...bacon was a main ingredient!  However, it was bland and very thick (I didn't even put in all 8oz of cheese) - the potato chips kept snapping...needless to say, I had plenty left over after the day was done and it never did get eaten entirely.  BOMB.  Won't be making it again.

CHEESECAKE DIP

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. package cream cheese
1 tub marshmallow creme
2 tubs cool whip
2 cans cherry pie filling

DIRECTIONS:

Combine first four ingredients and spread pie filling over the top.  Chill until ready to serve.  Serve with graham cracker sticks.

Oh. My. Goodness.  I stood over this dip and just kept eating.  It was pathetic.  I was sorry that I had ever put it out here for my family to enjoy - I wanted this whole thing to myself!!!  SO GOOD!!!!  (And so easy!!!!).  I halved the recipe since I thought it would make too much for the size crowd we were expecting and I'm glad I did.  I also left a quarter of the plate uncovered with cherry pie filling because my husband is not a fan of cherries.  This dip was eaten by the end of the day and I was so sad I had no leftovers.  Hmm...I wonder if I have more pie filling in the pantry right now...

GREEN CHILIES DIP

This one was a flop...only because I made it up.  And not really too much of a flop, but just kind of bland.  I used a can of chopped green chilies (not the smallest, but the next size up), 16oz sour cream, 8 oz mayo, and shredded parmesan cheese.  It tasted fine, but I was looking more for some spice.  Finally a friend of mine gave her recipe to me (the one I was trying to imitate) and I realized it was way off.  The *real* recipe is below (and it will look very similar to the picture!)

SPICY ARTICHOKE DIP

INGREDIENTS:

1 can unmarinated artichoke hearts

1 cup mayo

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 tbs diced jalapenos

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients (sprinkle additional parmesan cheese on top) and bake at 350 in shallow baking pan for 20 mins.    Serve warm with tortilla chips.

We had other dips as well - my sister's bean dip, the onion and fiesta ranch dip, caramel apple dip, but these three were my new contributions to Chips and Dip Day.  I hope you enjoy them!  What easy dip is your family favorite?

Easy-Peasy Chicken Pot Pie

My husband is not a fan of foods mixed together.  And actually, when you put it that way, neither am I.  But I am a fan of certain casseroles, which are, by definition, foods mixed together.  It just doesn't sound so weird when we call it Lasagna or Chicken Pot Pie.  But alas, my family is not gung ho about those gloriously easy to make casseroles, so I either force my kids and husband to eat them, or bypass the easy recipe.

So this recipe is for Chicken Pot Pie - which is near the top of the list for casseroles my hubby won't touch.  A pie, in his mind, should be sweet and have something like pumpkin or apples in it.  Not chicken.  I have learned this about him, and so I don't serve him pot pie anymore.  However, my daughters love this particular casserole.  And since they love it and he hates it, I only serve it when he won't be joining us for dinner!

My friend Eve gave me this recipe...I don't know where she got it from so I can't give credit any further than Eve.  But I will happily share it with you as it takes minuets to prepare and is really quite tasty!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 jar alfredo sauce (your favorite flavor)

1 bag frozen mixed veggies

2 pie crusts (prepared or homemade)

Shred chicken off of prepared rotisserie.  Mix chicken with jar of alfredo and frozen veggies.  Pour into crust-lined pie plate and top with second pie crust.  Seal/flute the edges and cut slits in crust.  Put in 350* oven and bake for 45 minutes or until crust is brown and filling is bubbling through the slits.  Let stand for 3-5 minutes before serving to give sauce a chance to settle.  Serve with chilled fruit or tossed salad.

My own personal notes:

• I shred the chicken and then divide the meat into two baggies and freeze them both.  I will only use one baggie for this meal (the other I'll make into enchiladas or something similar).  This is my preference - there's still enough chicken in the pie to be flavorful but yet I get two meals out of my rotisserie.
• I have made it both with prepared crusts (the kind you buy in the refrigerated section) and with my homemade crust.  I personally prefer the homemade as it's flakier and just plain better, but the prepared crusts are easy...pick your poison!  (Tonight I used prepared crusts)
• Tonight I had to take my oldest daughter to swimming.  So, with bated breath, I put the pie in the oven at 4pm at 300*.  We got home at 5:45.  The pie was nearly done!!!!  Gave me enough time to set the table and get the girls washed up and then we were having dinner at 6pm.  It still made me nervous to leave something in the oven that long - I was afraid it would be overcooked or boiling over - but my gamble paid off. 

Turkey and Wild Rice Crock Pot Recipe

Well, Thanksgiving was fun!  Leftovers are fun too...what to do with all that food?  Well, tonight I tried a new recipe using my leftover turkey.  It was a hit with the hubby and me and the kids choked it down (unless it's straight sugar, they choke down everything I serve...).  The best part?  It took 5 minutes to prepare this morning and the crock pot did all the work during the day and we had a wonderful soup to warm up to!  It took another 5 or 10 minutes to do the last minute stuff in the recipe, but no big deal.  Pair it up with some leftover rolls and some eggnog or sparkling cider and we were all set!  (I paired mine up with leftover Hot Buttered Rum, but let's not split hairs...)

Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup {Crock Pot}

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken or turkey broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 (4.3 oz) pkg. Long Grain Wild Rice (any brand)
• 1 cup diced or chopped carrots
• 1 cup diced or chopped celery
• 1/2 onion diced
• ½ tsp salt
• pepper to taste
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups cooked and shredded turkey or chicken

Instructions

1. In a slow cooker, add the broth, water, rice mix along with seasonings from seasoning packet, carrots, and celery. Stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. When soup is almost ready, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour, salt, and pepper, to the butter and whisk together. Cook for a minute or two until the mixture begins to turn golden brown.
4. Slowly whisk the milk into the flour mixture until smooth and well combined. Stir the mixture into the soup in the slow cooker until well combined.
5. Add the turkey or chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 5-10 more minutes until the turkey or chicken is heated through. Serves 8.

Notes

For a broth type soup, you can skip making the cream mixture and just and the turkey or chicken.   Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen.

For my version, I totally forgot to add in the 2 cups water.  Still came out wonderful.  And I accidentally bought beef stock and not turkey or chicken...still was great.  I also cooked mine for only 5 hours since I'm not fond of mushy veggies in my soups (started it at noonish - chopped up veggies and started the cooker after going shopping in the morning with the hubby.  And, unfortunately, it wasn't for Christmas presents...our dishwasher went kaput just before Thanksgiving Dinner started...nice timing, huh?)

All in all, very good.  It made plenty for my family of four, so I will freeze the leftovers and reheat again for another cold night.  Should keep very well in the freezer, even with the milk in it.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Remembering For What We Are Thankful

Last year (2011), I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time.  In years past, we've just celebrated with my parents - even after I was married we spent the day with them (my in-laws got Christmas).  But last year my parents passed on the tradition to my family.  They claimed it was because we just bought our first home and now had the space, but I think secretly they were ready to not have that hassle anymore!  (They still host Christmas Eve).

I am a hostess at heart and jumped at the chance.  I also am not afraid to delegate, so Thanksgiving Dinner became more of a potluck.  I decorated the table, put out matching dishes, and started a new tradition.

I purchased a plain white tablecloth.  On each corner of the cloth, I wrote in Sharpie a Thanksgiving quote from scripture.

After dinner, everyone at the table took another Sharpie and wrote what they were thankful for, signed it, and put the date down (especially the year).

(this is my favorite, of course...)

Once the dishes were cleared, the thankfuls from my family was clear.  This year, in 2012, I will be bringing out this same tablecloth (it's been washed, of course, and the sharpies stayed put) and having my guests sign again.  Won't it be a wonderful problem to have in the future to find an empty spot?  What a great memory to see from year to year!  And to see my children's notes (my eldest's from 2011 is in the top left corner - she took up nearly the entire side there!) will be precious to see as the years go by.  

I know my daughter is really looking forward to this.  She wrote a story about it at school (even without me reminding her of this activity last year - so it must have stuck in her mind!). And then when she asked if we were going to do it again this year, she squealed with excitement when I said yes.  Oh, the joys of a child!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

UPDATE: Here are pictures from our 2012 tradition!
The table was a bit longer this year...(more guests!)  But here it is with two years of signatures

Our place settings:

Rei the Reindeer

I like the whole idea of "Elf on a Shelf".  I have never bought the book or read it, but I see enough photos and blogs about it, I think I have a pretty good idea of the premise.  However, I have not been (ever) gung-ho about Santa.  I don't mind him, but I'm not going to make a huge effort to see him in the mall or to sneak around my kids or go crazy with the Santa decorations.  We do stockings, we play along and tell the girls that Santa lives in the North Pole and comes to everyone on Christmas eve, but we don't get carried away.  I want my kids to remember the REAL reason for Christmas.

But I love the playful attitude of the Elf!  So, how to I merge the two?  How do I make Christmas not all about being on the naughty or nice list and still keep it fun and magical, but focused on Christ?

Then I stumbled upon this blog.  She was facing the same dilemma   But, she had a solution!  And I shamelessly stole her idea, tweaked it a bit, and made it my own.  I took her letter and re-wrote it to better fit our family and the fact that we're not using an Elf, but a Reindeer.  I liked how instead of the Elf "tattling" on the kids to Santa each night (as the book that started it all describes), our Reindeer is learning from OUR children about grace and forgiveness and love.  That's what I love about this gal's idea - turn the Elf on the Shelf into a teaching moment (or moments!).  When Rei the Reindeer does naughty things (albeit, not as naughty as some of the photos I've seen...I don't have time to be that extravagant!), it will be an opportunity for Ash and Em to teach little Rei about right and wrong and grace.  I shared it with the husband and he gave his stamp of approval.  So, come December 1st, we're giving this Elf on the Shelf thing a try, but we're doing it our way and with God and His Son Jesus as the primary focus.

Here's Rei.  His name is from the Bible (it's just a coincidence that it's the first three letters of Reindeer...) and it means "my friend, my companion".  His story - verse - is found in 1 Kings 1:8.

He's cute, isn't he? ;)

And for those of you wondering, here is the letter.

Have a very Merry Christmas and although it's cliche...remember the Reason for the Season!

Paint Chip Wall

Today I finally did one of my pins from Pinterest.  I have a boring white wall in my living room (just haven't gotten around to painting the darn thing) and I thought that this looked like something I could do for little or no cost until the wall could get painted.  Here is the original post:

http://blog.makezine.com/craft/paint_chip_rainbow_wall/

Once in my trips to WalMart, I ransacked all of their paint chips.  My color scheme in the living room is sage and burgundy and tanish-brown.  So I picked up all of those colors and stored them in a bag.  Two months later....I finally created my own version!  Here is the before and after:

I am pleased with how it turned out.  It was a little hard to create diversity when I just had two sizes of chips to work with - I ended up folding a few of the longer ones to make it fit. I knew if I waited to have more of a collection to choose from, then this project would never happen, so I just went with what I had! But it will do for my purpose and for the time being!  What do you think?