I Heart Faces {Best Face in May}

This is a site I follow quite frequently, but never participate much because I usually miss the deadline...go figure :)

Anyways when I read the challenge I thought of this picture of Charles...This just captured all essence of boy to me.  Tree climbing, rubber mud boots, camo watch, and serious face.  It is very rare Charles lets me photograph him, but when I do they are always goodies that I love to share!

Head over to i heart faces to check out more entries or to enter your own!

Father's Day Gift Idea

I know with my last post I was thinking about posting a kid friendly lunch recipe, but I decided to go with a craft project instead.  With Father's Day coming close I thought this would be a little bit of inspiration for the mom's out there.  It is easy, kid friendly, and cheap to do! 

When the boys were attending school this year they did an art project that was turned into products to buy...nightlight, mouse pad, notebook, magnet, etc.  We were very lucky to have an artistic mom in the group, who I am so lucky to have become friends with, and she came up with this idea.  I was so excited she did, because honestly I haven't seen it done before!  She's so talented and also creates customizable gifts that are great from any occasion, from baby showers to friends/family birthday gifts...check out Holly's site at Alluring Designs by Holly.

Materials Needed:

Navy and White Acrylic Paint
11 x 14 Canvas (or your choice of size)
Cheap sponge paint brush - this link shows them in a pack of 25, but I know you can buy them individually also.  I think they are usually by the check out register at the craft store.
Mod Podge or other Glaze (to seal and finish the canvas)

Paint the entire canvas and sides with the navy, allow to dry and apply a second coat

Once paint has dried paint the forearm white and stamp onto the canvas...we also had a couple of "accidents" with getting the paint where it didn't belong.  Just take a we paper towel and blot then go back and touch up with the navy.

Paint the hand, and don't be stingy with the paint really it slather it on, and stamp the hand all the way around the tree trunk until your satisfied.

This is where my pictures end because I had to help with rotating the canvas and reapplying the paint.  But for the crescent moon your child can either use their finger to draw the crescent or with Charles and Dawson I had them make a fist and painted their pinkie end.  They then just stamped it onto the canvas and I did a little touching up.  For the grass at the base of the tree they put paint on their pointer finger and just drew the grass.  Once the art has completely dried it will need to be finished with a gloss or a glaze...I've got some Mod Podge that I think I'll use or I remember seeing other glazes right by all of the acrylic paint at the craft store.  It just takes a thin layer and it puts a nice finish on the canvas that seals and protects it.

Happy painting!

{No Bake Cookies} Charles and Dawson in the Kitchen

My children are constantly asking to help me when I'm in the kitchen and I'm generally too frazzled and in a rush to let them help.  I'm sure all you moms and dads can understand, trying to get dinner prepared in a hurry.  So, I did some thinking today while the boys were at school and I started feeling really guilty.  Here they are asking to help and I'm during down a great learning experience.  So I researched some easy kid friendly recipes and decided on the No Bake Cookies from the Kulinary Kidz only because I had the ingredients on hand.  I've already been to the grocery store for the week and didn't want to make another trip.

So here is my experience with making these!

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 cups Quick Oats

I pre-measured most of the ingredients before hand, Charles and Dawson are four and trying to pour and measure is usually disastrous, and this made it easier to just dump and stir for them.

Combine the sugar, butter, cocoa, and mile in a large saucepan...

(Charles is popping the bubbles that were created when pouring the milk in, children just can't resist sometimes)

Bring to a boil for two minutes, stir continuously...

Add and combine the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and the oats:

Once combined line a cookie sheet with wax paper and drop the mixture with spoons...the recipe didn't call for this, but I went ahead and put my in the fridge until they were set.

(While Dawson was working on his, he realized he was making the letter P so of course I had to take the picture)

AND ENJOY!

Because I feel it is important for children to take ownership in what they eat, it is my hope to try and do this more often and blog about it to provide other kid friendly recipes.  I think the next recipe I try out I will let Charles and Dawson make the decision between the two and try to find a lunch dish they will enjoy. 

Thanks for reading :)  And if you have any ideas please share!