Ramen Noodles Doctored Up

I HATE cooking. It is probably one of my least favorite things. Thankfully, I have a husband who doesn't mind doing it. But sometimes, like the other day, he isn't always home to make dinner for me. I was so hungry and wanted something fast and easy to make. So I just kind of threw some stuff together, and wow was I surprised! You will not believe how good this is! I made it again the next day for my husband and he was surprised at how good it was also and wants me to make it again. So I thought I would share my surprising good meal to everyone else. 

this serves about 2 people

Step 1: boil 1 pack beef ramen according to package

step 2: meanwhile place a frozen hamburger patty in a pan with some cut up onion and place lid on top to help it heat faster.

step 3: when the meat is soft enough, ground it up with a spatula. When it is nearly all browned add some chopped mushrooms.

step 4: By this time your noodles should be done. So drain all the water from the noodles. Place the noodles in with the browned beef. Add half of the season package or the whole thing if you want, but I did half and that was plenty. Mix it all together.

Step 5: Add shredded cheese on top. I used finely shredded cheddar cheese. Mix together again.

Step 6: I added some veggies to help make it "healthy" I added about half a can of french style green beans and some cut up tomato.

step 7: serve and enjoy!

How simple is that? and it actually taste good!

Spring Project

 Easter Tree

Ornaments can be found at Michael's but I got these from my mother-in-law

Kydan helping me paint toilet paper rolls to make flowers

Toilet paper rolls cut into 6 pieces but I only need to use 5 to make the flower.

Pieces glued together using hot glue. 

cut out squares of tissue paper. I missed a picture. Take Elmers clear glue and place a puddle on a paper plate. Place the flower down in the glue pull up and place on tissue paper. Let dry.

cut the excess paper 

all finished cutting

using elmers clear glue and a paint brush paint some glue on the tissue paper in the flower. Add glitter.

these sticks you can buy in the baking isle at walmart they are commonly used for cake or cookie pops. I happened to have some lying around so I painted them green for the stem.

with hot glue add a a yellow pompom 

and glue on the stick.

Here is a jar that I painted. Using acrylic paint I squirted one color in the bottom and around the edges. shake and bang around until it spreads. add more colors above the fist color. This was my first time using this technique so hopefully the next time I make one it will look better.

all finished

New Traditions

I can always find an excuse to make a dessert. I got to spend New Year's Eve with my nieces and mom. We hadn't planned on doing a party, but the girls were sitting around bored. I only see them a few times a year, so of course I couldn't let their time with me boring. I kept thinking about what we could go out and do, but nothing came to mind and money was an issue.
Finally we got out the good ole crayons and colored a banner to welcome in the new year. We colored, cut, and taped paper chains to hang on the ceiling. Then we made party hats to wear...although they made us look more like garden gnomes more then anything :)
Lastly, what is a party without a cake??? So we made a cake. I printed out large 2013 letters and placed on top of the frosting and spread sprinkles all over the cake till you couldn't see anymore frosting. Then slowly and gently I removed the paper letters.
Then I thought of the idea to place candles on the cake so the girls and my son could blow out wishes that hope for the next year. I think this will be a new tradition for me. This year we did it after dinner since my son is too young to stay up till midnight, but when he gets older I think it would be nice to blow out the candles at midnight and eat a slice of cake with our sparkling cider.
Happy New Years to everyone and I hope everyone's wishes come true!

Christmas Crafts and Calendar

Christmas flower Ornament made out of a toilet paper roll. (Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before picture.) I had Kydan paint the toilet paper rolls. You can paint both inside and outside...it looks better if you paint the inside too. Once it dries you flatten the roll and cut into strips. Hot glue these together at the bottom end of each one till they connect.

On the tree

These neat little containers can be bought at the dollar tree and you get 10 in a pack!

We painted the clear plastic with spray paint that is made for plastic so that Kydan wouldn't be able to see the treat inside. I was planning on painting the lids to make them look like ornaments but I got lazy :) Instead we just bought Christmas stickers at the dollar tree and put those on the lid. Add some ribbon and you can hang it on the tree or on twine/ribbon on a wall. Since Kydan has his own Christmas tree we let him hang them on his tree. Each night after dinner he gets to pick one. They all contain chocolate candies that were purchased at the dollar tree as well. (in the above picture you can see it hanging on the tree)

Here was an idea I thought up to help Kydan visualize when Christmas will be here. I cut out the month of December from our calendar. I then went on clip art on microsoft word and found a Mary and Joseph traveling on a donkey to Bethlehem. I cut them out and put some tacky stuff on the back so that each day Kydan can move them to the next day. The first day I showed him he tried to move the Mary and Joseph straight to the 25th where the gift sticker was since I told him that was the day he could open gifts :) 

On the 25th I also added a picture of Mary and Joseph now holding a baby Jesus so that he would know Jesus was born on that day.

I also added other pictures for days that he will be doing things.

 tacky on the back to make it movable from day to day

 Christmas day showing Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus. Also a present to let Kydan know that is the day we open our gifts.

Robin Hood Halloween!

I did something I thought I would never do this year. I actually made Kydan's costume! Thankfully this costume had no sewing invloved which is why it turned out looking decent! :)

I chose Robin Hood, unfortunately, this will probably the last year that I will be able to choose what he wants to wear as I am sure next year he will have more of an opinion.

It was quite simple to make....

1 green shirt- dollar tree $1
1 yard of brown felt- walmart for about $4
feathers- Michael's $2
sticks- free (just find a tree)
twine- dollar tree $1

$8 total...not bad!

I found a tutorial on You Tube on how to make a robin hat. not hard to find, just type in how to make a robin hood hat.
for the fringe on the sleeves and bottom of the shirt i just measure the length I would need and pretty much just guessed on how far apart I wanted the spaces to be. I did the same thing for the cape. I just held the fabric around his neck and cut the length i wanted it to be.
Here is the website for the bow and arrow....http://www.4tunate.net/2012/10/simple-outdoor-adventures-for-boys-day-14-make-a-bow-and-arrow/

add green or brown pants and you got yourself a little Robin Hood :)

Fun Snacks

Banana Bread peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich!

 Peanut butter and marshmallow cream in between two slices of banana bread and microwaved for about 15 sec. I also put some mini chocolate chips in between on of the sandwiches and that was amazing!

A healthier snack...Peanut butter granola. 

Preheat oven to 325

line cookie sheet with foil and little grease

2 TB peanut butter

2 TB honey

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 Cup oats

Optional add ins:

white chocolate chips

mini chocolate chips (or regular)

apple slices

banana slices

m&ms

In a microwaveable bowl, place peanut butter and honey and microwave until peanut butter is melted. Stir.

add in cinnamon and vanilla. Stir.

Add in oat and stir until oats are completely covered in peanut butter mixture.

spread out on cookie sheet.

bake 7-8 min.

Once cooled, add whatever add ins you would like or you can eat it plain!

Learning With Food

To Help Kydan learn to recognize his name and the letters in his name, we made cookies! Any excuse to make cookies is a good excuse and since both Kydan and I love cookies I knew it would be a great way to get him to cooperate! We also learned A B and C since those are the letters he is learning at school this month.
For this activity I made Chocolate Chip Cut Out Cookies. I used the recipe from this website....
http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/07/08/chocolate-chip-cut-out-cookies-for-sundaysupper/

Getting ready to go in the oven!

Yummy vanilla milkshake to go with the cookies!

 A B C with yummy chocolate milkshake

Kydan enjoying his snack

Just a little fun I had with Picasa and Kydan's name :)