Quick Tip: Save the Chocolate Syrup!

Stop tossing out the last couple of servings of your chocolate syrup.  Just open the lid and put the bottle of chocolate syrup in the microwave and heat for 10-15 seconds.  It melts all the syrup off the inside of the bottle making it easy to pour out.

Printable and Homemade Valentines

Disney Family Fun magazine has done it again - they have my favorite Valentine's Day crafts of the year!  This year they even share Printable Valentine's Day Jokes and Printable Valentine's Day Cards.  These are great for your child's class.  You could also use them as lunch box notes for your kids leading up to Valentine's Day.  Family Fun also has cute crafts that I plan to use for my kids' classroom celebrations this year.  My top favorites are:

• Valentine Pencil Toppers
• The Write Card
• You Rule!

Share these crafts with those you love this Valentine's Day or any time you want to spread the love.  For more Valentine's Day Crafts visit my post from last year:  Valentine's Day Crafts and Homemade Cards.  Happy Valentine's Day! 

 

Quick Tip: Cleaning Counter Tops

If you cook, have kids or a messy husband, this is a good trick to know.  When toothpaste dries on your bathroom counter top it can sometimes seem you may need a jack-hammer to get it off.  Same goes for dried spaghetti sauce on your kitchen counter or even the floor.  Try this easy trick to help get your dried goo cleaned up:

1. Wet a paper towel or washcloth with warm/hot water.  Ring out most but not all of the water.
2. Let the paper towel sit on the dried goo for 5-10 minutes.
3. Use the same paper towel to easily clean up that stubborn goo.  No harsh chemicals needed!

Snowflake Crafts

A great way to celebrate the winter season is to do snowflake crafts.  It's a great way to pass the time with your family when it's cold outside.  Here are some great craft ideas I found that I plan to do with my kids.

• Glittery Window Clings
• Winter Scissor Skills Project
• Q-Tip Snowflakes
• Coffee Filter Snowflakes
• Sparkling Ice Crystals 

Stay warm, have fun and get creative!

Super Simple Chili

A new favorite in my house this winter is chili!  I like to use the McCormick Chili Seasoning Mix.  I base my chili recipe on the McCormick recipe but I add a few things.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. McCormick® Chili Seasoning Mix
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 can (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 to 16 oz.) kidney beans, undrained
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 2 c. cooked rice
• shredded cheese

Directions

1. Brown beef in medium pot on medium-high heat.
2. Stir in McCormick Seasoning Mix, diced tomatoes sauce and kidney beans. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve over rice and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

*Sometimes I serve the chili as a soup and let the kids scoop it up with Ritz crackers or add Goldfish crackers.  They like to have a part in making their dinner. 

Free Printable Lunchbox Notes

I love to cheer up my kids while they are at school with a little note in their lunch box.  I used to just cut a square of paper and add a sticker and a handwritten note.  But, I decided to change things up and make it easier on me by searching for free printable notes to put in their lunchboxes.  I found some great ones that I plan to use all year long. 

• Deal Wise Mommy
• Frog Prince Paperie
• alphamom
• Lunchbox Jokes

I hope your children get as much joy out of them as my kids have.  Get creative and make some of your own.  If you have any printable lunchbox notes to share, I would love to see them.  Please leave a comment with the link.

Homemade Christmas Garland

With the upcoming holidays and the cold weather, now is a great time to have fun making Christmas crafts with your family.  My kids decided they wanted to have more of a say in how our Christmas tree looks.  So, I thought what better way for them to decorate our tree than with their own creations.  First things first, Christmas garland for the tree and more.  I hit the keyboard and found some fun ideas of garland that I can make with my kids.  Here are my top four:

• Dot Garlands
• Sweet Countdown
• Newly Minted
• Cranberry-Popcorn Garland

You can make these crafts your own by tweaking some details.  Replace the button thread with a colorful yarn for your Dot Garland.  Instead of using mints for a garland, maybe try gold wrapped candies to reflect your Christmas tree lights.  The possibilities are endless.  Remember, get creative and have fun! 

Check out my posts below for more Christmas Craft fun:

• Homemade Holiday Decorations
• Christmas Snacks, Crafts and Printables

Free Printable Halloween Notes

Halloween is almost here!  For fun I decided to put a Halloween themed note and a Halloween treat in my kids' lunchboxes today.  I found two great links with free printable Halloween notes great for stashing in a lunchbox.  Print them for your kids and add a little personal note to bring a smile to your child's face.

• Halloween Lunchbox Notes from Creative Bubbles
• Halloween Lunchbox Jokes from Decoration Ideas Online

Storing Crayons

If you lose the box your crayons orginally came in, as most of us do, here are some great ways to store them and keep them from breaking:

• Use an old, plastic baby wipe box and let the kids decorate it with stickers
• For smaller collections try a soap container (great for traveling by the way)
• Small baskets found at a dollar store

When you do have broken crayons, here is a great craft to make for your kids or for their teachers!

• Colorful Crayon Letter

What ideas do you have about storing crayons and what do you do with your broken ones?