A New Kind of Addiction

So I've found a new evil...one that will cause me to create more things in my kitchen than ever before and maybe even start crafting.  If nothing else it will help me keep up to date on my blog.  (which has gone by the wayside)  This new evil addiction is called Pinterest.  If you haven't checked it out, it is so worth it.  Google it.  Your life will never be the same (nor will your free time)  :-).

Anyways...I was looking through some of the crafts on the site and found a calendar made from a picture frame.  I loved it so much that I adapted it to a need I had in my home and that was my Family Night chart.  In years past I had a cute little chart with pictures of our family on it and we moved things from one magnet to another but as the years have gone on, things have gotten lost or banged up and it has lost its lustre.  So! I decided to put together a new family chart with my new found wisdom from Pinterest.  I had no idea that you could use dry erase markers on glass (I know, I live under a rock) but have tossed the moving pieces for dry erase to make my life easier. 

I was shocked to see my hubby pick up the marker at the end of our last Family Night and move everyones names around.  As I am not really that crafty, this was fun.  (and simple) 

You need:  any picture frame you'd like ( I got mine at Walmart for around $20)

                  scrapbooking paper and stickers (or whatever other lettering you like)

                  white board markers

                  about 20 minutes worth of time.

Cut your paper to the photo sized openings listed on the frame.  Designate which slot is which by using your stickers/letterings.  Place in each window on the frame and TaDa!  You are ready to go.  You can use this for all kinds of things...job chart, family calendar, message board.  You are only limited by your imagination!!



Spring Has Sprung...and so have the mosquitoes

It's been so long since I've updated this page.  I'm ashamed to say that there has been very little creativity happening in my kitchen since the last time this was updated.  I did make a lovely (and super EASY) dessert for Mother's Day which I'm happy to share with you.  I don't even know if it has a name.  It's something our family has made over the years and is particularly good on a hot day.  I call it Frozen Lemonade Squares but you could call it whatever you would like.  It is simply a graham cracker crust in a 9x13 pan with an ice cream mix on top.  You soften a carton of ice cream (just those little boxes in the frozen section...I go with whatever is cheapest because you don't need to really taste the quality of it) and you thaw out a can of Pink Lemonade concentrate.  Mix the two together and pour it on the graham cracker crust and then refreeze it.  Cut them in squares and serve immediately.  We love this dessert...and it is so easy to make. 

I'm in the process, as many others are, of planning out my garden.  We went out for Family Home Evening last night to do the weeding prior to planting and were swarmed by millions of mosquitoes.  I've recently learned that our community doesn't spray for mosquitoes (or weeds) and find this rather disturbing.  I grew up thinking that if there was wind out there that the mosquitoes would stay away.  I've discovered that this is untrue...or that the little pests would be even worse without the wind.  Needless to say, I hate mosquitoes.

Back to the garden...I digress.  So we're getting ready to plant with the hopes of having and maintaining a vegetable garden for the summer.  Corn, peas, carrots, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, squash, zucchini, and other plants are in the works.  I love a garden full of produce to feed my family and can say that what I truly love most is a meal in the summer consisting of only veggies we've picked from there.  There is nothing like being stuffed full of your own fresh vegetables on a hot day.  I love it.  And I think my kids love it too.  It is my hope and prayer that it will be a great summer so we can actually get some corn as we didn't get one ear last year.  I was so bummed out about that...because the year before it was out of this world!

So, break out your "Off" and get out and garden...what's good for the garden is good for the soul!