Crafts for Valentine's Day!

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I must admit I haven't done the first craft with my kids. So today I was looking through one of my favorite magazines,Family Fun, and decided to go online for more ideas.

I found one craft that reminded me of my childhood and just wanted to share!!





Your child can assemble this cute card carrier in a heartbeat using common household and craft materials.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
2 paper plates
Stapler
Scissors
Hole punch
Glue
Colored paper
Ribbon

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Fold 2 paper plates in half, then tuck one inside the other to form a heart. Staple them together.

2. Round the top edges with scissors. Punch matching holes in the center front and back of the pocket. Glue on colored paper hearts.

3. To finish, add a strap by threading a length of ribbon through the holes and securing the ends with a knot on the inside or outside of the pocket.

Click here for even more ideas!!

Recipe of the week

This is a tasty meal that I fix often for our family! Hope you enjoy it.

Pork Medallions in Mustard Sauce

Pork:
1-2 pounds pork tenderloin
2-3 Tbsp coarse-grain mustard
1 Tbsp olive oil
Place above in zip-lock back and let marinate for up to 24 hours (sometimes I remember to do this, sometimes I don't).
Put pork tenderloin in a baking dish and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 400 degrees F and back another 15 minutes or until meat themometer registers 160 degrees F.
Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with mustard sauce, yellow rice and steamed veggies! *note - I use a rice cooker with a steamer and then the meal is practically a "set-it & forget-it" meal.

Mustard Sauce:
16 oz (2 cups) whipping cream
1/3 cup coarse-grain mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Cook cream in a saucepan over med-high head for 20 minutes or until reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Do not boil! Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for 1 minute. Serve warm or put in the fridge to chill and thicken. It's good both ways so save some for leftovers! You could always make this the morning of and have it cooling/thickening for dinner.

Enjoy!

Toddlers can help in the Kitchen.

Children learn by observation. So whatever they see Mommy doing, they do, and that usually has to do with something in the kitchen. All toddlers love water. So instead of fighting it, nurture it.

Set up your sink with a few inches of water and some bubbles. Add a few plastic dishes or utensils so your little one can play away while you cook or clean up. It works wonders for me during dinner time. Once they are a bit older, you can do a simple game where they test if something sinks or floats. If your kids are like mine, then you may want to remove the jug of bubble away from the sink once you have set it up or you may end up with an entire container in the sink water.

Your kids get to be with you in the kitchen, feel like a grown up beacuse they work at the sink, and learn how to take care of the home, all in one simple little practice.

Creative Paper Resource

If there is anything that kids can go through quickly, it's paper! At least it seems that way in our house!

I have discovered two great (FREE!) resources that works great for a little artist! Outdated Blueprints and large calendars. More than likely you know either a builder or someone in the construction field. After a period of time, they need to toss all of their blueprints. Since blueprints are on large sheets of paper and are only one sided, they make for a great paper resource. We also like to use the large calendars that banks give out at the beginning of the year. Often times by the end of January, early February, they are happy to hand out calendars by the dozen just to get rid of them! You can either use them to teach your kids about the days and months or use the blank side for the creative mind!

So next time you're at your bank or see your neighborhood builder, be sure to ask for some free paper!

Recipe of the week

This is a simple and delicious recipe that I made last week! It was a hit with everyone and perfect on a chilly afternoon or evening since it's really good served warm. The pudding is like a smooth frosting.

Warm Lemon Cake

1 box yellow cake mix and required ingredients (generally - 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil & 1 1/3 cups water - but look on the back of your box)
2 cups cold milk
1 ¼ cups water
2 regular boxes (4-serving size each) Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish; set aside.

POUR milk and water into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes and granulated sugar. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Pour over batter. Place baking dish on baking sheet to catch any sauce that might bubble over sides of dish as dessert bakes.

BAKE 55 min. to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

COOL 20 min. (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Spoon into serving dishes to serve warm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Play Dough- Too much fun!

Most parents shriek at the sight or mention of play dough! While it can be a mess, it can also be lots of fun.

You can purchase the store bought play dough for very little money and occasionally you can even get it at a dollar store (however, it is NOT the same quality). It is water soluble so it will clean up easily off of furniture or carpet. Little hands and big hands love to squish and mold the soft dough. You can use cookie cutters, scissors, or pencils to help make wonderful creations.

If you are interested in making your own play dough, there are tons of recipes, including edible dough or dough for projects you want to dry. Some require cooking, some require salt, most require being stored in an airtight container.

The Most Common Play Dough
Playdough Recipe

* 1 c Flour
* 1/2 c Salt
* 1 c Water
* 2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
* 1 tsp. Salad Oil
* Food Coloring (optional)

Mix together all ingredients and cook for 3 minutes over low heat. Stir well. Add food coloring. Store in a plastic container.

Here are some recipes for making your own edible play dough from FamilyCorner.com.

Oatmeal Play Dough

1 part flour
2 parts oatmeal
1 part water

Mix ingredients together and form into shapes.

Note: The items made from this play dough recipe can be painted when they are dry.

Peanut Butter Play Dough

one 18-oz. jar creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk

Mix ingredients together, using varying amounts of dry milk for desired consistencies. Knead it with fingers, forming into desired shapes, adding other foods like M&M's or peanuts for eyes, mouths, etc. Great fun!

Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.

Tips for Traveling with Kids

Traveling can be taxing and difficult on its own, nonetheless, traveling with a toddler. In order to ensure a good, fun, and happy trip, here are a few helpful tips!

1. Bring A Special Bag
My daughter is currently obsessed with Dora and Diego. So in preparation for a recent trip, we purchased a Diego backpack for all of her toys. Not only was my daughter thrilled with the backpack, but she was also able to wear it while traveling, thus freeing my hands for something else!

2. Pack Lots of Toys and Drawing Supplies
Being prepared is the key for pleasant travels. You can never have enough books, coloring books, crayons, stickers or toys for a toddler. To make sure that it’s really special and new, start buying supplies in advance. That way there is extra excitement and eagerness to read a new book or use new crayons. A great place to find inexpensive and small items is the Dollar Store.

3. Bring the Favorites
A great tip I learned from a seasoned mom is to start putting away favorite toys before a trip and then re-introduce while traveling. Not only are the kids excited to see the toy, but you already know they will happily play with it!

4. Don’t Forget The Snacks
Food and drinks are always a necessity while traveling. Juice boxes and goldfish are an essential; however, bringing new items may also work. Try making trail mix and have two bags…one for the trip there and one for the way home. And be prepared, if you are flying, security may seize your opened containers. I found that they allowed my daughter’s sippy cup with juice, but that might not be the case at all airports. Bottom line, have a “plan B” in place!

5. Maintaining A Schedule
Although you’re on vacation, following your typical schedule and routine can be comforting to a toddler. If your child is use to taking a daily nap, do everything in your power to maintain that schedule. Otherwise, you could be vacationing with a cranky and unpleasant child…which isn’t relaxing or fun!

Traveling with a toddler can be lots of fun, but be sure to plan ahead. Be prepared and expect the unexpected! If you can roll with the punches, everyone is sure to have a great time!



Betsy Canevari is a work at home mom with a toddler. She co-owns Smart Moms - Smart Business; an online resource dedicated to educating women on how to earn multiple streams of income from home. For more information about the Smart Moms, visit Smart Moms Blog or contact Betsy at betsyc06@yahoo.com