Tag Archives: single motherhood

DIY Leprechaun Trap

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Are you looking for a little luck until next St. Patricks’s Day? Then it’s time to make a DIY Leprechaun Trap.

This fun trap was made out of items around the house and printables from Whimsically Wonderful. It also was fun to creatively collaborate with Mila and keep the magic of St. Patrick’s Day going.

If there was a classified ad for this DIY Leprechaun Trap, I think it would read something like this…

If you’re a weary leprechaun looking for a comfy place to rest for the night… or next year… You have to stay at The Rainbow Hotel!

Filled with a comfy bed, free gold, and magical decor, you’ll love your stay. You won’t miss The Rainbow Hotel because all you have to do is follow the rainbow exterior and the shamrock on the door.

Plus, it’ll only cost you a little luck.

Honestly, I’d want to stay in The Rainbow Hotel too. I just don’t have too much luck to give.

Anyways, here’s what we used for our DIY Leprechaun Trap:

Putting this together was really easy, but took some time.

It was a lot of cutting, gluing, and making sure everything looked cute in the right place.

It took us about an hour to cut and glue everything on, but it looked so cute. The best part of making leprechaun traps is everyone’s is going to look different and unique. I think this one celebrates how Mila and I are and view life.

Now it’s time to catch our leprechaun. You can only catch them on St. Patrick’s Day, so make sure you have yours ready!

Do you ever make leprechaun traps? If you do let me know how you made the next day special in the comments.

Baked Reuben Sliders Recipe

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If you’re looking for something easy and delicious to make for St. Patrick’s Day, you HAVE to try these Baked Reuben Sliders.

The one food I always crave around St. Patrick’s Day are reuben sandwiches. They have so many good flavors and are such a comfort food.

Last year was the first time I’ve made them at home. Usually I’ll order out, but they were easy enough to make. Since we always like to change it up and everyone loved the Chicken Parmesan Sliders Recipe, I knew these classic reuben sandwiches needed a twist.

Let’s just say… it was another instant hit in our house. I think this means we’ll have Baked Reuben Sliders all year long. A total win for me and my cooking time!

I’m sure I’ve convinced you enough to try with just the picture. Here’s what you’ll need to make them for your family:

  • Corned Beef
  • Baby Swiss Cheese
  • Thousand Island Dressing
  • King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls
  • Sauerkraut
  • Butter
  • Italian Seasoning

Before I begin… I did not add the amount I used becuase it will probably be different for your family. For Mila and me, I bought a half pound of corned beef, a pack of baby Swiss cheese, a can of sauerkraut, and one pack of King’s Hawaiian Rolls. We had enough for leftovers, but that’s what worked for us!

First, preheat your oven to 350° F.

While that’s preheating, slice your Hawaiian rolls across the middle leaving a top and a bottom. You won’t want to pull the individual rolls apart. Before putting the rolls on a cooking sheet, coat the bottom of the sheet with melted butter.

Then, put some butter on the bottom rolls. Place the bottoms of the rolls in the oven for around three minutes. This will toast them and not make the bottoms soggy when you’re eating.

After it’s toasted, pull them out and start assembling.

First, put thousand island dressing on the rolls. Then add the corned beef, sauerkraut, and baby Swiss. Before putting on the top part of the buns, I added an extra layer of thousand island dressing.

Next, add the top of the buns. Brush melted butter and Italian seasoning to the top.

Place in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes. You’ll know when they’re done when the buns are golden brown and the cheese is all melted.

Then enjoy all the goodness!

These Baked Reuben Sliders are so good. The sweetness of the King’s Hawaiian Rolls just elevates the taste. Plus, it makes them so much more shareable too.

You can pair these with different sides like French fries or a salad (since we always eat salads here). But make sure to pair with a tasty St. Patrick’s Day treat or drink. I’ve shared a few that you can choose from:

Do you make Reuben sandwiches for St. Patrick’s Day? If you don’t, what’s another Irish meal that you crave?

Lucky Charms Dipped Oreos

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What’s better than regular gold? Gold you can eat and you’ll love the taste of these Lucky Charms Dipped Oreos.

This simple recipe can easily be done for an after school snack or whenever you have a quick five minutes to make some magic. You can even enjoy it with yummy leprechaun milk, which your kids will love even more.

Mila and I have still not saw the leprechaun playing tricks in our house. Our Pete the Cat book told us the only day you can catch one is on St. Patrick’s Day so we’re getting all our leprechaun bait ready.

We’re working on our leprechaun trap to set out the night before St. Patrick’s Day too! Hopefully that’ll do the trick.

This little recipe here was supposed to be leprechaun bait, but Mila decided it would be better suited for little girls. So, she just ate them instead. I can’t say I blame her!

For another magically delicious treat, you’ll need:

  • Golden Oreos
  • Lucky Charms
  • White Chocolate

The first thing you need to do is melt your white chocolate. I used the microwaveable kind because it’s way easier and quicker for us. Just make sure you microwave in small increments and stir frequently.

After it’s all melted, dip your Golden Oreos in the white chocolate and set them on wax paper.

Before the chocolate is cooled, place Lucky Charms on them. I did it randomly and in between coating the Oreos. The chocolate seemed to cool off pretty quickly!

While you wait, you can make some leprechaun milk to enjoy with your Lucky Charms Dipped Oreos.

All you need to do is add some green food coloring to milk and enjoy!

Mila was very pleased with these and did not seem to want to share with the leprechaun in our house. It was a fun little snack that only took a few minutes to make.

What has been your favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipe I’ve shared so far?

DIY Color Changing Shamrock Sign

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The magic of St. Patrick’s Day keeps flowing, especially with this DIY Coloring Changing Shamrock Sign.

Littles will be amazed watching blue and yellow make green! You can also use this sign to help trap those pesky leprechauns. They’ll be attracted to the magic.

Mila has been super curious in two different things: leprechauns and how to make colors.

To be able to give her both in one day, we did a magical craft that we’ll use to bait leprechauns. It’s really been fun to hear all her ideas of how to catch a leprechaun. She had fun making magic like them!

Plus, we love an activity with a simple set up! This one gives you just that with some leprechaun magic too! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Blue Paint
  • Yellow Paint
  • Black Paint
  • Gold Paint
  • Canvas
  • Plastic Wrap

All you need to do is pour some blue and yellow paint on a blank canvas. I actually had the canvas in a sensory bin to keep the mess at bay.

Then, I had Mila place plastic wrap on top and told her to mix all the colors.

For that part, I really had to tell her it was okay to get messy. She was really moving the plastic wrap around which mixed it up quicker. At first I think she was afraid of the messy paint!

Once it’s combined, take the plastic wrap off and let it dry.

To add a little more magic, I painted on a shamrock, ‘lucky,’ and splattered gold paint. I think it turned out as magical as a leprechaun would like.

What’s your favorite St. Patrick’s Day saying to put on signs?

Easy 3 Ingredient Beignets Recipe

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If you’re looking for a fun and tasty was to celebrate Mardi Gras, try this Easy 3 Ingredient Beignets Recipe.

You’ll have the taste of New Orleans in twenty minutes.

We like to celebrate everything in my household. It just makes life a little more fun. In this case, it made it a little more sweet too!

Before I go on, I want to share that I originally saw this recipe on Instagram: @lorafied. It looks like a fun and recipe I knew I needed to try with Mila. I’m so glad I did that I had to share with all of you.

Here’s the three ingredients you’ll need to let the good times roll:

  • 1 can of biscuits
  • 3 tablespoons of melted butter
  • 1/2 cup of sugar

First, you’ll need to preheat your oven to 375 F.

While your oven is warming up, get out your canned biscuits. I always love the way it pops and just expands instantly. It brings make so many childhood memories!

Then, cut your biscuits in small pieces. I just did a cross section in mine to make four bites per biscuit.

Next, melt your butter. Put biscuit bites in a bowl and coat them with butter.

After they’re covered, pour the sugar all over them. I took my hands to mix them up and make sure all sides were covered. Move them to a plan after they’re all good.

At this point, I added some colored sugar to make them a little more festive for Mardi Gras.

Place them in your oven for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to flip your little beignets half way through too! You’ll know they’re done when they’re a beautiful, golden brown.

You can either dust with powder sugar or enjoy them as is!

We loved how our sweet treat tasted. Plus, it was such a fun way to talk about Mardi Gras with Mika while she did a mini activity too.

Hopefully you can get to make and enjoy these beignets for Fat Tuesday!

If you’re looking for a fun creative piece for Mardi Gras, take a look at what Mila and I did last year. I guarantee your child will love the art and beignet combo!

What’s your favorite Mardi Gras food or tradition? Let me know in the comments.

DIY Ice Cube Painting

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If your child (or you) love to paint and want to try a cool new way to do so, try this DIY Ice Cube Painting.

Mila paints all the time. Usually with acrylic paints on canvas, but a switch was needed. With a little prep, this ice cube painting activity was a morning full of fun and creativity.

Here’s all you’ll need:

Prepping for this activity was really easy. All I did was pick out a few of her go to colors. Then I painted them inside the resin mold.

I tried my best to get a lot in there. It’s be easier if it was squeezable paint bottle.

Before you put water in the mold, set on a baking sheet to freeze. It is near impossible to move a mold full of water without spilling it. This won’t be an issue if you’re using and ice cube tray.

When all the letters are painted, pour water in each of them. I would suggest using something that isn’t going to overflow the mold easy and mix colors. Honestly, I reused an old Starbucks iced coffee glass to pour.

Then, when they’re all filled, place it in the freezer.

When they’re done, you can place them in a tray for your child to paint. We personally used thick stock paper for this painting.

To warm up the ice, Mila dipped her brush in salt. Not only is this activity creative, she learned a little science as well. I just explained to her that salt melts ice and she thought it was so much fun.

The best part of this activity was it was easy to clean up.

I just threw the left over letters back in the tray. Then I put them in the freezer so we can use as after school activities this week! That means I only had to prep once for days of fun!

Using frozen letter cubes is a fun way to introduce more learning too. I used ‘lucky one’ since St. Patrick’s Day is coming. BUT you can spell out whatever to help them learn.

I’ll use the letters in her name to give her some more practice seeing and writing it.

This activity would be perfect in the summer too. You can battle the heat and see if the sun or your child ends up getting done with the ice first.

Either way, this Ice Cube Painting activity is a cool way to create.

What are some fun spring activities your child likes to do? Let me know in the comments.

10 Random Acts of Kindness You Can Do With Your Child.

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It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week! There are so many ways to spread kindness and make others smiles. This has been something special to me since I had Jensen.

Now I get to pass it to Mila!

I believe by letting her know it’s important to share happiness, she’ll continue it in the future. Always striving to make her a great human.

Wondering where to start? Here are 10 Random Acts of Kindness you can do with your child and toddler.

Share a gift of love.

This year, Mila and I made these cute little notes for her dance friends. I found them on Sierra L Miller’s Blog and added a scrunchie. They turned out to be a cute little gift and helpful for a little dancer’s hair.

Last year, we made Lollipop Flowers that were a complete hit.

Write a thank you note.

I’m ALL about a classic thank you note. Writing a small note to someone you care about can mean the world. Anytime I send cards or notes now, I have Mila write a little something and sign her name.

Give someone flowers.

One of my favorite ways to spread kindness is being very random. In 2017, I started buying random bouquets of flowers and setting them on cars in parking lots. I never stuck around to see them get their flowers, but would leave a note of Jensen’s story so they could see the reasoning behind the kindness.

It was a fun way to make someone smile and share my Jensen too.

Send a nice video.

Mila LOVES making videos and sending them to our friends and family. One way to make someone smile is to do just this.

You and your child can tell someone how much you love them. It’s guaranteed to be a random act of kindness that they’ll love to receive. The best part, you don’t have to leave your home!

Leave a gift card as a surprise.

This goes along along with the flowers… but leaving random gift cards is a cute way to surprise someone.

Mila and I have left them in books at book stores or just sent them to others when we’re out to eat. You could even leave them at gas station pumps to help someone out.

Paint a rock.

Rock painting was so big and so many people still do it. Mila loves to paint rocks or just find them to give to her grandpa. Painting kind words on a rock and giving them to someone could be a small way to brighten their day.

Tip nicely.

I know a lot of people pay it forward, but it can cause some chaos. Instead of doing this, why not tip your barista or waitress nicely.

Mila loves tipping and this is a fun way to pretend she’s paying!

Make a craft.

Just like getting a thank you card, I love receiving crafts. When I’m making different things, I try to make three extra to give to family and friends. They always smile when seeing Mila’s artwork or something special we made together.

It’s a fun way to share the love when you’re already creating!

Cook someone a meal.

There are so many families that could use the extra help with meals. One friend of ours ordered us pizza one night and it made the whole night (and week) go a lot more smoothly with having it done for us already.

If you usually have leftovers, it would be a beautiful idea to share. I know this has been my favorite on the receiving end.

Kids love cooking and baking too! A perfect way to get them involved as well.

Smile.

The smallest thing you can do with a BIG impact is smile. You never know… it could be their first smile they have seen all day.

I hope you can find something on this list to do with your child for someone you love. Let me know in the comments some acts of kindness you’ve performed.

Valentine’s Day Drink: Sweetheart Punch

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Whether your spending your Valentine’s Day weekend with your partner or throwing a party for your child, this Sweetheart Punch will be a hit.

Perfectly sweet, you can easily transform this into an adult drink too.

Mila has loved making pink lemonade lately. I think she likes pouring everything in and stirring it up. So, when I was thinking of a fun Valentine’s Day drink, I knew I had to incorporate those elements to make it fun for her.

This Sweetheart Punch has the typical punch ingredients, but elevated with what gives it some color. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Sprite
  • Raspberry Sherbet
  • Strawberry Kool-Aid Packet
  • Pink Lemonade
  • Sugar
  • Lemon Juice
  • Water
  • Pink Whitney Vodka (optional for adults)

First, Mila and I made the strawberry lemonade. We mixed one strawberry Kool-Aid packed with pink lemonade mix. We followed the instructions on the container to make all of it. You could also just buy premade pink lemonade and add a packet to it too.

At first, it was really sweet. To make it a little more tart, I added lemon juice in it. This made it taste really good to me and Mila didn’t mind cutting out the sweetness either.

When that’s mixed up really good, it’s time to add in the punch elements.

I start off with putting the raspberry sherbet in a glass. Usually, I just do 1/2 of whatever cup of the sherbet.

Then, I filled up until 3/4 of the cup with the strawberry lemonade. The rest of the cup should be topped off with Sprite. When it’s all filled, I usually give it a little spin.

If you’d want to make this an adult drink, add a shot (or two) of Pink Whitney Vodka when you pour the lemonade in. I love this Vodka and it’s perfect with lemonade. I’ve used this in other recipes I’ve shared on the blog.

This drink turned out tasting amazing. Mila and I both enjoyed it and it was easy to make. I’ll definitely be using this again for Mila’s Valentine’s Day party.

I hope you like it too and update me with your thoughts on it.

Let me know in the comments what your favorite type of punch is or what you’ll be drinking on Valentine’s Day.

Toddler DIY: Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders

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Looking for ways to spread love and enjoy your local wildlife? Try making these Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders. They’re a great way to have fun with your child and show them the importance of the world around us.

Plus, they turn out really cute AND it doubles as a snack time for your little. A total win-win for every being involved!

This easy DIY Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders only need three items to make create. Here’s what they are:

  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Fruit Loops or Cheerios
  • Yarn

To begin making these, there’s just a simple prep that won’t take too much time at all. All you need to do is pour some fruit loops in a little bowl. Then, twist the pipe cleaners into v’s. Once you do this, your child will be ready to start threading.

Mila and I had talked about making bird feeders before we started this activity. So, she knew what she was supposed to do. We also have threaded with pipe cleaners before too.

If your toddler has never threaded with looped cereal before, I would suggest showing them, thread together, and then they’ll be able to pick it up by themselves. It’s such a good skill for them to have and tremendously helps with their fine motor development; which is beneficial for so many reasons.

Once they have threading down, you can challenge them to do different patterns too.

For Mila, I lined up the Fruit Loops in the order I wanted her to thread. We just did a simple rainbow patter for one of the hearts. This challenged her to find specific colors and to keep the pattern.

When the pipe cleaners are filled with cereal (or your child has snacked on the rest of it), all you need to do is twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together. Then, pinch where the two heart bumps would be at the top. I had to move the cereal around so I could do this and form it into the shape it needed.

After, we just tied yarn to the tops of the heart. We headed outside to find the most perfect tree that our birds fly too.

Mila was very proud to see her Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders on the tree. Then she played out in the snow afterwards too. We love connecting with nature and being outside as much as we can. Thank goodness spring will be here soon!

This bird feeder was a fun way to play and help the animals we love so much. We hope that you’d love to make one too for Valentine’s Day or spring.

Have you ever fed birds before? What’s your favorite way to do so? Let me know in the comments.

DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath

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If you’re looking for a fun way to add interest to your front door and celebrate Valentine’s Day, try making this DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath.

It’s a cute way to be festive AND thin out your craft supplies too.

Real talk. I’m the type of person who saves everything just in case I can use it in the future. Most of this ribbon comes from a project I did in Mila’s room… while I was pregnant.

Now I’m happy I saved it for this quick DIY, but it’s a little embarrassing I kept it for that long, oops.

Anyways, here’s what I used for this DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath:

  • Cardboard
  • Scrap Ribbons
  • Scrap Fluffy Yarn

The first thing I did was cut out a heart for the frame out of cardboard. I actually cut out a big one then cut a smaller one from it to just get the outline. This can be a little tricky with cardboard, but I promise it can be done!

After the heart frame was ready, I got my scrap ribbons out. Like I said before, they’re from Mila’s nursery, so a ton of pinks. What’s fun about this DIY is you can use any color ribbon or yarn to fit your style.

To secure on the heart, I double knotted the ribbon. Then if the ends were too long, I trimmed it up.

I actually use quite a lot of ribbon. Just keep adding until it’s almost full.

Then, I added my fluffy yarn in pink and cream to the heart. This gave it so much more dimension and interest. When I just had the ribbon on it, it was boring, so I totally would recommend adding something like yarn or anything soft.

When everything on there, you can fluff the ribbon and yarn to make it look fuller.

To make it be able to hang, I attached a run on on both side of the heart bumps (no idea what else to call this). Then, I tied a bow at the top to hang it from my wreath holder. This way it wasn’t hanging at an angle and you can clearly tell it’s a heart.

Now you have a beautiful DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath and was able to use that extra craft supplies you have laying around.

A total win-win for Love Day.

Have you ever used cardboard to make a wreath? What are some other items you use?