In an attempt to keep the boys off the DSi XL and Wii during the heatwave the Northeast is having, I have been crafting or cooking with them.
Today I am posting about one of favorite crafts-
Sand Art!
How, you may ask, do you keep this budget friendly?
All you need is a few ingredients from you home:
Salt (table salt works better, coarse salt is hard to color)
Sidewalk Chalk
cups
Step 1: Line up a bunch of plastic cups and fill with salt
Step 2: Have the little ones pick their favorite color chalk.
Step 3: Swirl the chalk into the salted cups (sounds like a Margarita, but it's too early in NY for that- I'll take a Bloody Mary instead). The longer your "swirl", the darker the color with be!
Viola! Colored "sand"!
Step 4: Find a container, make a picture, whatever you like!
Sorry for the pictures! I am trying to get posted before I bring the kids to the children's museum before it gets crowded. My foot is in one of the pics. Well at least my toes were painted!
What a cheap way to craft it with the kiddies. And it's nontoxic, so there's no freakin out if the little ones put some in their mouth.
What are you doing to keep the kids busy during this heatwave?
Leave a comment, I'll comment back!
This is an oldie I found from a few years ago. It's is a favorite of mine! It is cooling and deep cleaning. Why do I need it this morning- read on and I will explain.
Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
First of all, this masque will not break the bank (you can find it at CVS, your local drugstore, or here). Secondly, it will remove all your blemishes, blackheads, and other yuckies. Third, you can use it on your face, neck, legs, arms, back (good for the hubbies), etc... Fourth, it is really refreshing after a night of vino and partying.
Why do I need that masque you ask? Whadidyado Ali? Well...
I went out last night!
No kids, no hubbie (though I wish he was there).
I saw the most AMAZING concert of my life!
U2
OMG!
What a night! Before U2 start their shows, "Major Tom"is played. We watched video of the band walking onto the stage! Talk about the crowd going crazy! U2 started the show with "The Real Thing". The crowd was singing and dancing for the 2 hours they played Every song they played was better than the other! Bono's voice was crisp and clear. I felt like I was in an MTV video circa 1980- remember when bands played music in their videos? Just amazing!
Now for me. I didn't feel like Mommy. I didn't feel like Wifey.
I felt that Ali.
(Where the heck did that chick go?)
I drank beer and ate pizza and DANCED all night!
Ali- I missed you. It's been too long!
Jump to the morning after. I am slapped back into reality. Peanut girl is up at 6:40- smiling as always. The boys follow after. They need breakfast and I need coffee. I am dragging a little (now you understand why I need the Mint Julep masque). Don't get me wrong! I am happy I am here.
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas(or as many bananas as you have in your kitchen. We usually use 6.)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for flavor
Granulated sugar to sprinkle on top of muffins
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Put liners into muffin pan.
2.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to combine. The batter will be moist. Pour batter into muffin pan.
3.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle granulated sugar on muffin tops after 20 minutes of cooking. Muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into center and comes out clean. Let muffins cool in pan for 10 minutes.
What are your family's favorite recipes?
Happy baking everyone!
Here is my first edition of Tipsy Tuesdays! Every week I will review a new "spirited" beverage.
My first review is of one of my all time faves
Hob Nob Pinot Noir
Let me start by saying I love red wine! It's great with a fancy dinner, appetizers with friends, or pizza with the hubbie and kids. (The latter is typically my "wine scene" these days) I used to drink primarily Merlots, but sometimes a vintage would be a little too acidic for my taste. A wine sommelier may differ in her interpretation of Merlot wine, but that's what I taste and I'm sticking to it!
I found Hob Nob during our yearly trip to cut down our Christmas tree. After hours of walking through fields of pine needles and whiny kids, we stopped at a local pizzeria to feed the beasts before our long ride home. There DH and I enjoyed our first bottle of Hob Nob Pinot Noir. (Do you hear the choirs of angels singing? Believe me, it was a miracle that we all made it out of the tree farm without any injuiries.)
Hob Nob Pinot Noir is easy to drink and has a hint of fruitiness. It blends easily with all types of food and doesn't leave you with that "cotton mouth" aftertaste that some "stuffy" wines do. It's great for entertaining because it is a little sweeter that a typical red.
At $8 to $10 a bottle, it's a no brainer. If you need an easy-to-serve red wine, that won't break the bank, Hob Nob Pinot Noir is definitely worth a try.
Hi everyone! Not sure if this is necessary, but my new blog name is Ali's Answers. My new address is www.alianswers.blogspot.com. It is great to start catching up with all my old blogging "friends in my head". It has been too long! Happy Monday!
I have that LL COOL J song in my head- Mamma Said Knock You Out! Cheesy I know!
It's been well over 2 years since I've posted. Time flies! I have been lurking on my favorite blogs, but just not in that "blogging state of mind". Something just clicked recently and I felt like I needed to get get back on here. I look forward to getting to know you all again.
Some major changes have occurred for me since my last post:
1. Our family of 4 is now a family of 5. Number 1 is now 7 1/2 and Number 2 is now 5 1/2. My Peanut girl is 10 months old. It was definitely an adjustment going back to "baby" again. The boys were well past diapers and sleepless nights. Oh sleep- how I miss you so!
2. DH is still working hard! He works for a celebrity chef's casual dining chain and is traveling all over the Northeast!
3. I have been trying to lose weight. (well some things never change after 2 years) DH and I have been doing Medifast. Of course he has lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks and I have lost 5. Those men! It's just not fair!
4. I have decided to change the name of the blog. Most friends say I am the Queen of Useless information. I didn't think that would be a good blog title, so I changed it to Ali's Answers.
Hope I didn't bore you. Onto my first post.
Medifast Monday (-2 pounds)
I would like to lose 20 pounds by labor day. I like Medifast. It is easy to follow and there is little thought involved in staying on program. I eat 4 medifast meals and 1 lean and green meal each day. I can usually stay on program for most of the week and see a weight loss by Friday. The problem I have are those darn weekends! BBQs, parties, and hanging out with hubbie and friends. It is so hard to stay on track! Now I know what you are thinking. (Insert motherly voice her) Ali if you are truly committed you will not eat those chips and salsa and drink Jack Daniels and Coke Zero. But (insert childlike whiny voice here) it's fun!! Waaaaa!
Anyway, I am going to use my Monday posts for accountability. I won't tell you the number I weigh in at, but I will tell what I am down. Th plan is for 25 pounds by labor day. Only 23 more to go. Ugh!
On a positive note, I did run/ walk my first 5k this weekend! It was a great feeling of accomplishment, crossing that finish line and not passing out! There was a group of 9 of us from work. Most have been training with Couch to 5K. It is an amazing running program that helps you train from walking to running a 5K in 9 weeks! For those who don't know about it, check it out! Sasha (an old friend in my head) also blogs about it here!
I have the app on my IPhone and am starting the program this week. I just have to figure out what to do with my crazy kids when I run.
What activities do you do to try to stay in shape? And more importantly, what do you do with your kids?
This is an oldie I found from a few years ago. It's is a favorite of mine! It is cooling and deep cleaning. Why do I need it this morning- read on and I will explain.
