Salad Dressing to go

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915025001629/

Visit pinterestingisabelle.weebly.com

So my husband likes to ring Salads to work, but he ends up taking the whole bottle of dressing with him. Leaving me dressing-less for when I want a salad before be comes home. Now, we have a new solution.

Pretty awesome idea. You just need your favorite salad dressing and a MIO or equivalent of bottle. Clean the bottle out (I threw mine in the dishwasher) and let it dry then added Italian dressing.

Results?
You spend a lot of time squeezing that thing and little bits come out.

NEW RESULTS: After puncturing a bigger hole in it. I was able to squeeze more out at a time. However the salad dressing had a lemonade (the flavor of the mio) taste to it. Really ruined the salad :(

Firework Cookies

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024972447/
Visit momdot.com

 

Pretty Self explanatory. If you're making the cookies from scratch- mix the ingredients and bake. Or use premade dough and bake. When they have cooled, ice and add poprocks to the mix. It's funny, because you'll hear them popping when you put them on the icing. Since I was at my moms I didn't have blue sprinkles to add to it :(

Teach the days of the week

http://meg-silverthorn.blogspot.com/2013/02/days-of-week.html
http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915025026857/


Now, my kinder knows the days of the week. I swear. She however doesn't really know what day it physically is when we're on it. I saw this pin and though it would be perfect for us. I'm not particularly religious and so using the original posters was not exactly an option for me. But That's OK. I went to word, typed the days of the week, enlarged them and placed a box around them. I then searched for backpack clip art and made my chose, pasted it into the word doc. and made it smaller. For the weekend I didn't really know what to put, so I followed in foot with the original blogger by making a happy face. Everyone is excited when it's the weekend.

 

After printing the sheet you can either leave it as is or let the child color the backpacks different colors. I decided to mount mine onto scrap booking paper to make it a little more interesting.

This is why I loved this project: The clips. They are super easy. Take 3 and paint them (for faster painting, clip them to a glass cup so you can paint both sides at one time). When they are dry add the words: Today is, Yesterday was, tomorrow is.

From youtube to Mp3

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915025018393/
http://www.youtube-mp3.org/

So someone needed an mp3 version of a song she kept using on youtube and wanted me to stream the song from my phone when I got to the place. Well, I don't exactly have a data plan...so I can't. However, I can try the pin I found on pintrest.

First I went to youtube and got the URL for the song she needed. Then I went to youtube-mp3.org and put it in. I converted the song and then downloaded it onto my computer.

After that I added the song to my playlist and sync-ed( ??) the phone. Voila! It works!!!

American Girl Doll Dress

Visit carpatina.com
http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024547610/

The first thing I did was print off the  pattern and added 1 inch to each side (which afterward I learned it was more like 2 1/2 inches to each side).

TOP:
First I took the straps and folded them down and sewed them closed. After that I put it against the doll and decided how the straps would fit in. Once that was decided I sandwiched them into the top (right sides together with the straps on the inside). After you've sewn it together turn it right side out again.

For an added look, try scrunching the front of the bodice and add a button or rose.

SKIRT:
Hem the bottom, sew the back together and gather. Sew it to the top.

Here are some more of my American Girl Doll items to brows:
Witch Costume
school supplies
feel better kit  (Just like McKenna's!)
Gymnastics accessories
head band
Minnie Mouse ears
sleeping bags
sleeping mask
pillow dress
accessories
pet accessories

**If you found this funny, useful or both, please follow me. I get a little lonely! Thanks :)

English muffin

http://usmasala.blogspot.jp/2013/01/english-muffins.html
http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024848246/

Alright. Typically when I make these posts I print the recipe from the original blogger and bake. I admit just reading both the pinners blogs and the original post for this English muffin left me scratching my head. But I made it through.

What you need:

 3 cups flour plus 1/4 cup for dusting
1/2 cup milk
2T Butter
1 1/2 TB honey
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 TB cornmeal
SKILLET FOR BAKING

Directions:
Turn on your oven to warm to get it ready to rise.

Start by combining the yeast with warm water (no hotter than 115- you'll kill the yeast). Set it aside until it foams (activated, whatever you wanna call it). In a small sauce pan add milk, honey and butter. Heat it until the butter is just about fully melted in. Take it off the heat and let it set.

In a mixer or bowl add all the dry ingredients together, then the butter/milk mixture. Start mixing. Add yeast and water and mix until almost fully incorporated. Then knead the rest by hand. Let the dough relax for about 5 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it is about 1-1 1/2 inches in thickness. Using either a large circular cookie cutter (or in my case a soup can with two holes drilled into it) cut the dough out and place the circles onto  parchment paper with cornmeal sprinkled onto it.Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.

When you think the muffins are just about ready get your skillet out and turn it onto low heat (about 250-300) GENTLY (This is the key to keeping them poofy) pick up the muffins and dust off the excess cornmeal. place on ungreased/unbuttered skillet. for 8 minutes. flip over and cook for another 8 minutes or until golden on both sides. Serve warm right off the skillet with jam, butter, whatever you want. Or save them for later and toast them in the toaster.

 

Verdict: They are good! as a joke I put mine an our empty muffin bag 

Pudding chocolate chip cookies

 http://www.iheartnaptime.net/pudding-cookies/

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024818572/

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine (or butter) softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 eggs (at room temp)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (could substitute for more chocolate chips)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add butter, sugars,  vanilla and egg until creamy and smooth. Then add all of the dry ingredients. When that is combined nicely add the best part, the chocolate chips.

Line baking with baking mat or some parchment paper and then spoon cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
DON:T SPOON THEM!! I learned the hard way that the cookies don't spread out, they just puff up and with the extra thickness from the pudding, it needs 10-12 minutes. My first batch came out underdone completely and then even after an extra 3 minutes in the oven they were a little questionable.

So I took my second batch and flattened them before I cooked them for 10 minutes. They came out much nicer- cooked fully and tasted thick, but chewy. They were good the first day, but the second day they were kinda dry and the third day? forget it.

 

I just don't think I'll be doing it again. Still my favorite recipe that I've ever made is this one

Oven Baked S'mores

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024952242/
http://melissadionne.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/smore-bites/

So yesterday was National Chocolate Chip Day and we decided to make baked s'mores. It seems simple enough.

Here is what you need:

Graham Crackers
Hershey Kisses
Marshamllows


Directions:

Turn oven onto broil. While it is heating up, break apart the graham crackers and place on cookie sheet. Place marshmallows  on top (if they are big, cut them in half).  We only had mini's but they still worked.

Place them into the oven and KEEP WATCH!!!!! They can and will burn if you do not get to them fast enough.

After they are out of the oven (should look golden brown) Place a Hershey Kiss (or some dark chocolate, like my daughter) ontop so that it's kinda melty and enjoy :)

Verdict: Meh. I'm sorry I didn't like them- the graham cracker was soft, and the chocolate didn't melt at all & the marshmallows burn taste was well, oven...

Shaken Passion Fruit Tea

http://shadycatladysmom.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/starbucks-shaken-passion-fruit-tea/

Anyway With the heat coming on sometimes I like to have a sweet drink to accompany me during the long days. I've made passion fuirt tea before, but it always comes out gross. I found out from Starbucks once that they use liquid sugar.

Yesterday though I ordered one (no sweetener)  and added Splenda  to it and it came out just fine. That's when I found this pin.

Directions:

8 cups of water

1 cup sugar (or splenda- a little less if you're using splenda)

4 tea bags.

Bring the water to a boil, add in the sugar and 4 tea bags. Let it sit for about an hour and a half.

RESULTS: JUST LIKE STARBUCKS! Finally!!! The only problem I had was I used the same amount of Splenda and it came out a little too sweet. No biggie, I just have to add a bit of water to it before drinking it.

Happy Summer Drinks!

Brownie Cookie Bites

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915023840206/
Visit jotpress.com

 

So I admit I only got the  idea from the picture. I didn't exactly have everything to make them from scratch, but you can! I already had a box of  Betty Crockers Brownie Cookie bar on hand, so I used that :) It's exactly the same idea.

First I mixed the batter according to the box, and on SPRAYED muffin liners, I scooped the brownie batter into as many as I could get.When I was ready I scooped the cookie batter on top of that and placed it in the oven for about 18 minute or until fully cooked.

Mine were thicker than the original bloggers, but I think that makes them better.

M&M Probability

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024326165/
Visit teachersnotebook.com


Alright so my Kindergartener wanted to enter the Science fair like her sister. We decided to do something fun and well, kind of easy for her first time.   Then we found this pin on pintrest and we were set.

 SETTING UP THE BOARD:

First, we  needed a cool looking display. I went onto google and found M&M's in black and white and in paint made a boarder that my daughter had to color and fill in (hypothesis, conclusion, etc...). To make the graph I went into excel and used the "boarders all around" until I hit the numbers I wanted. (If you're doing the giant party bag, it is best to wait until you have all the numbers calculated before making your graph).


THE PROJECT:

Originally, we started off with 5 bags of plain M&M's (2 king size, one fun size, and 3 regular). We counted those up and recorded our answers on the graphs I made.

Then we decided to "go big" and bought the party size bags (buy one get one free at Staples) in plain and peanut flavored. We separated those by color and then tallied it up. That one took a LONG time. Imagine 300+ M&M's in just one color!!

RESULTS:

Ethel's Sugar cookie's -Betty crocker

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024959863/
http://lovefeasttable.com/blog/sugar-cookie-recipe/

So the Banana's science project is to find out if kids can tell the difference between sugar vs. sugar substitute.  We used Truvia baking- specifically meant for baking cookies, etc... Once I made Chocolate Chip cookies with it and no one could tell.

I remember this recipe from when I was little. My mom had a similar book to the bloggers and I use to love baking out of it. Making these brought back a lot of memories.


3/4 cup shortening (or part butter or margarine)

1 cup sugar (and in our case 1/2 cup of truvia baking)

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Mix butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until it is fluffy. Add in flour, baking powder, and salt together. Divide dough into 2 discs.  Cover each with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

When you're ready pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for a few minutes. On a cool cookie sheet drop cookies onto rack and bake for 6-8 minutes.

iphone fun

Two ways to make inexpensive speaker for your iphone


Place it in a bowl:
http://thecraftyblogstalker.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024942960/

I saw this a long time ago and suggested it to my husband for his blackberry for work because we both slept through the alarms.


Toilet Paper Roll:
http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024942956/
http://www.trolino.com/meme/easy-67134

Cut into a toilet paper roll, make it big enough to fit your phone, use push pins to hold up on either end. Then and place the phone into it. It really does work. I wish I could show you, but you'll have to just try yourself. I didn't even have the volume up high and it came out perfectly.




"WATER POOFING"
http://somethingtosmileaboutt.blogspot.com/p/advice.html
http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024942962/

Place your phone in a ziploc bag when going near the pool or at the beach. You are still able to turn it on,text and take pictures. It will keep the sand away ( I can't tell you how many times I've killed electronics from that)

Look close enough, you can see I'm moving the slide bar.

Cardboard Airplane

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915024879840/
  smallfryblog.com


The final phases of our Amelia Earhart project are coming to an end.  We already have the aviator hat. We just got some tan colored pants and her sisters boots. I have a red scarf, and a borrowed leather jacket. All we need now is the cardboard airplane.

 Amazingly enough I remember seeing Parents or Family Fun Magazine making one some issue way back.When I searched on pintrest for it I found the exact same thing by a blogger and just decided to use hers. We had just gotten a package in the mail that was the perfect box size too.

The first thing you do is cut off all the flaps EXCEPT ONE of the SMALLER flaps. You'll tape that down afterward and this becomes your top piece. Next you cut kind of a long U shape into the top next to the flap you just taped down. This will be how your pilot "gets in and out" (really it's there for look, they go underneath). Below the top flap that you taped down you will need to make a slit for the wings of the plane. Also make one in the back for the back fin.

Please note: The front of the plane is to your right...sorry my finger got in there...

THE EXTRA FLAPS

* You will need to make 2 flaps into the wings of the plane by cutting two little rectangles out of the bottom. This will then be able to slide into the slits you made in the plane and you can tape it down.

*To make the propellers, you take one flap and draw a line down the middle. Then make a triangle (with a flat top) to it. After you've made your two circles you will glue the flat tops of the triangle pointing towards each other. and a second circle on top to cover it. Then glue onto the plane.

*The back fin is pretty easy. I cut a curve from the top to the side right, made the slit piece on the left hand side (just like with the wings!). I also made a small cut in the middle to add the extra flap.

There you have it!

I also added straps to the plane so she would be able to read her report on Tuesday. We also added Amelia's first planes :The Kinner Airster AKA The Canary to one side and The Red Bus to the other.