Meal Planner

With going to school, having a 19 month old, working and being a single mom it makes dinner a game of what do I have time to make or what fast food is on the way home. So I started making a meal plan for the week. I then make a shopping list and go every saturday to the store and get what i need for the week. Of course if I feel like making tuesdays dinner sunday I do. It's not a set thing just something to make life easier so I know i have what I need for these meals this week.

Meal Planner Download

Link to shopping list post

Shopping List

So my son's dad is always making fun of me because I write out a shopping list and we end up going all over the store about 5 times because I didn't see something on my list when we were in that aisle. So I found a few shopping list online that would help with this problem but I hated all of them. So I made my own and wanted to share it with you all. If you don't like it that's okay. Not everyone will. But it helps me a lot. So enjoy.

Shopping List Download

Picture Frames

I'm a member of shutterfly.com. They are always sending out 101 free prints all you do it pick the prints and pay shipping, so needless to say I have a ton of loose photos hanging around the house so I decided to do something with them. Instead of buying over 200 picture frames I up-cycled my old entertainment center. It was made of ply wood but we lost a foot in the move and it was worthless after that.

So I took my favorite thing, mod podge, the boards from my entertainment center and picture and turned them into this:

Here are the steps:

So I took a board 

and I laid the pictures on it to make sure all the ones I wanted to fit did. I then picked each one up and put mod podge on the board where the picture was. I then push the picture down on that spot. After doing this to all picture I let the board sit for half an hour, I then took the mod podge and cover the top of the pictures and board with it.It's gonna look like there is white stuff all over it until it dries but no worries it will dry clear.

 

I did this two to three times(Let it dry between coats). Just to make sure it was sealed, and covered evenly. I let each piece dry over night after I was done. All that work turned into this:

And my favorite one:

T-Shirt Bag

So for the past two days I have been working on T-Shirt bag. I finally finished it this afternoon. Unfortunately, I got so into it, I forgot pictures. But here is how you do it:

1: Get a t-shirt.

2:Cut from the shoulder line all the way down on both sides. The cut about 2 inches of the bottom.(Set aside) This should give your shirt a square look.

3:Cut below the collar, making a half circle shape.

4: Turn the shirt inside out and sew all the sides together, except the top.

5:Sew the 2 inch strip from the bottom of your shirt to each "shoulder" piece so it becomes your strap. (make sure you cut it so it is no longer a circle but a long line before doing this step)

You're done.

I sewed a pillow case in the inside as the shirt I picked is thin.

Fish Drawing

I saw something, somewhere, probably pinterest, that had a picture of a child making a gold fish out paint. My son loves fish. So, I grabbed the washable crayons and put his hand on some paper and traced around it. I then drew a bowl around it and let him go to town coloring it himself. He loved it. Also, the boys I watch loved it as well, when I tired it with them. The fish win.

Kid Friendly Paint

Have you ever given your toddler paint, even the color wonder ones that don't "mark" on anything but the paper? Have they put it in their mouth? Yea my son too. So here is a way to make paint you won't worry about the kids eating.

Paint:
2 1/2 cups of water
1/4 cup of corn starch
Food coloring
small containers

1. Mix water, and corn starch in a saucepan and heat to a boil. Stir occasionally.

 

2. Once it has turned clear (ish) and thick, it's ready.

3. Put into containers and add a few drops of food coloring. Stir and enjoy.

Now I know we are all adults, but I feel like I need to say that after you heat this it's going to be very hot! Be careful. Let cool before letting kids play with it. Do not burn yourself mixing and pouring it. Ok, the mom in me feels better.

ENJOY!

Update and Tips:

So I just got done painting with three toddlers (2.5, 1.5 and 1) I left our paint out too long to cool so it gelled. I had to add water and stir it to get it back to paint. It still had chucks of gel in it so it was a better sensory tool then paint. It did dry on paper. Also, the kids are very tie dyed now.