Halloween

 

Happy Halloween from the Nelson Family!

 

We had a darling little flower, a beautiful mermaid, a spunky Lorax, a stealth ninja, and an old witch!

Pretzel Roll Recipe

 

 

One of our FAVORITE bread recipes is the homemade pretzel recipe that I have shared on here before. Last week we decided to try a new twist on them! We've made then in pretzel shapes, rods, and bites. This time I made them into rolls to have with soup and they were amazing, once again! A few things to do differently when making them into rolls, but they are just as easy and will leave you swearing to never spend money on a pretzel at the mall again! My kids get so excited when they see me making pretzels, it cracks me up.

 

 

Homemade Pretzel Rolls

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 T. plus 1/4 tsp. yeast

3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. + 2 T powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Bath:

2 c. warm water

1/4 c. baking soda

melted butter/ kosher salt

 

 

Place all ingredients (except bath mixture) into bread machine and run the dough cycle.

{If you do not have a bread machine, make these like any other dough. Mix water/yeast (let sit 10 minutes), add dry ingredients, knead, raise until doubled.}

Make a bath for the pretzels by combining the baking soda with warm water and stir until soda is mostly dissolved (it won't dissolve completely).

 

When dough is done with the first rise, separate into 16 balls, dip each roll in the baking soda bath and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Let rise in a warm spot for 35 minutes and bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes, until GOLDEN brown on top.

 

Brush with melted butter.

 

 

Check out some of our fun flavor variations here!

Fleece Poncho

The weather has finally cooled off here in California. This morning as we cheered the boys on at their school "Jog-a-Thon" it was 47 degrees!

 

Not freezing, but definitely cool enough for fall attire. Last year I made Kaylee 2 of these sweet little Fleece Ponchos. They are just perfect for this time of year and are so easy to make. As in, under 10-15 minutes or so.

 

 

We added a little ruffle to ours, but that isn't necessary. If you skip the ruffle, it is a complete no-sew project!

 

 

What you'll need:

 

3/4 of a yard of fleece will make 2 of these.

I didn't need 2 so I used the scraps to make her a little scarf.

I cut out a square 27"x27". If you'd like to keep this a no-sew project, you can stop right there, but I thought I'd add a little ruffle. I cut a strip of fleece twice as long as the square and stitched through the center, pulling the end strings to scrunch it.

Then pinned it to the fabric, stretching and adjusting as I went and stitched it into place.

There was extra on the ends so I just trimmed that part off.

 

 

 

Then I folded it in half diagonally and made the hole for her head. This little bowl is 4" in diameter and was perfect. I just used it as my guide. You'll just need a semi-circle shape on the fold.

Fleece is stretchy. It's better to start small and make the hole bigger if you need to later.

 

 

 

 

There are several ways to finish the bottom. You can just leave it or cut it with pinking shears, or create a fringe. I just trimmed 2" up across the bottom to create a fringe. I didn't tie the ends, just left them like fringe.

 

 

And that was it!

 

It was so easy to make and only cost around $3 that I decided to make her 2. The one pictured, and another little black with white polka dot one.

The perfect little blanket for her shoulders.

 

 

***My little gal is 38" tall. 3/4 yard of fleece is about 27" and is perfect for a little girl her size (3-4 years). You can adjust accordingly to fit your child. A yard would make a 30"+ one for an older girl***

Little Chicken Cake

 

 

 

My baby is a year old! I wanted to make her a cute little cake to match her cute little personality. This chicken was probably the simplest cake I've ever made....and my favorite.

Halloween Prep {It's All About the Chocolate!}

This post brought to you by Mars candy. All opinions are 100% mine.

While Halloween isn't the most meaningful day to celebrate, it certainly is one of my favorites! Halloween is just plain fun. Who doesn't love to be a kid again, even if it's just for one night? This year we opted to not do themed costumes. Instead everyone picked what they'd like to be. We have a mermaid, a flower, The Lorax, and a Ninjago Ninja. I can't wait!

 

We not only have Halloween night to prepare for, but also a "Trunk-or-Treat" at church so candy (and chocolate especially) was in order. After all, while I wait for trick or treaters to stop by, I need something to snack on! ;) So we headed to Walmart and picked up a huge bag of Mars Halloween candy. And hey, they even have a $1 coupon that you can use if you visit the site.

Better Late Than Never

I LOVE decorating for fall and Halloween, but this year that just hasn't been in the cards. We are still deciding on the placement of our furniture and the seasonal decor totes are in the garage. I'm not bringing another box inside to unpack until the ones I already have here are finished!

 

Earlier in the week, I dropped Dallin off at Cub Scouts and had an hour to burn with the other kids. I decided to see what we could accomplish in the way of some quick Halloween decor and here is what we did! We called it a "Bat Attack".

 

 

I love the bats that MADE does every year, so we just copied those. You can find a template here. Since we haven't decided where to put our frames and artwork yet, we have a nice empty wall in the great room!  I folded cardstock sheets in quarters and was able to cut out 2 bats out at a time on the fold. I made a few of them smaller. Then I scotch taped them to the wall. We were done in less than 45 minutes. Not bad!

 

 

 

Kaylee was so excited about it all that she decided to make her own Halloween decor. She made some bats and hearts to add to the wall and asked that I take a picture of her doing so. Cute.

 

Halloween is just about a week away, but I guess it's better late than never!

 

And since we are on the topic of Halloween.... these glow stick lanterns  are super fun to make and would be great to line your driveway to guide those little Trick-or-Treaters to your door! My kids love these, and while they only glow bright for 1 night, they will continue to lightly glow in the dark for a couple of days!

 

 

Simply fill a small jar with water and then cut open a full size glow stick and pour it in! I haven't tried these with the smaller ones from the dollar store. I'd imagine you'd need a bunch to get the same brighness as one of the thick ones. Break the stick first to activate it and be careful while pouring out the contents. I used some kitchen shears to cut the top off of the glow stick which was a bit tedious, but worked. Gently swish around the water (but do NOT shake) and you're set!

 

 

A Sweet Birthday Gift For a Sweet Little Girl!

 

 

Our precious baby is turning 1! She has started to toddle around the house and so many other exciting things. We are so happy for her, our sweet Ruby!

 

We are having a small family party this weekend and are excited to share in her special day. The kids were talking about how they needed to go and get Ruby some presents. There aren't many things that she needs or wants. She'd be happy with a box full of packing paper, but I still wanted them to feel like they did something for her. So Kaylee and I went to the store and picked out some cute fleece to make her a blanket. I thought this would be something simple enough for the 3 of them to work on together.

 

 

They worked together so well and seemed to really have fun!

 

 

Dallin trimmed it down to size and they all tied it.

 

 

They are excited to give it to her this weekend at her party because they know that she is going to love it. How do they know? Because she kept crawling across it as they were working on it tonight and laying down on it, smiling, and rubbing her face in it. Little does she know that this sweet, soft blanket is going to soon be all hers.

 

 

Happy Birthday Ruby!

Love, Your Fan Club

Little Flower Girl Bedroom {The Beginnings}

 

Kaylee just loves flowers. We had to put a child lock door knob on our previous home because she would go outside and pick the flowers in our front yard on a daily basis. It wasn't enough to lock the door and head upstairs to take a shower. More than once I would come down and find her outside singing and skipping as she picked clovers in the lawn or spring flowers from the beds. We always have bouquets of fresh dandelions and clover in little vases in the house. So it just seemed appropriate to incorporate her love of bright colors and beautiful scents into her new bedroom.

 

The first stage of her room is finished. Next I am going to make some window treatments and wall decor. Maybe a bunting to go across the wall or something in coordinating colors. That will be shared in a future post, so stay tuned!

 

 

 

Today it is about the main focal point, her flower wall. And it isn't the typical "I painted these, they were easy and I loved how they turned out" kind of story, ha!

 

I found the Poppy Field stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils and loved it.

 

 

It was the perfect height to put under her window ledge. The stencil was perfect. Great quality, fairly simple to apply. I used painters tape to tape down the edges, but I think if I ever did a stencil again I'd use some spray adhesive to make it even easier. Cutting Edge Stencils even has how-to videos as well as instructions on their website which are very helpful. This was my first time doing a stencil so if it turned out for me, anyone can do it. Seriously!

 

I started the flowers and ended up switching the color scheme midway and re-doing the first flowers. I just didn't care for the colors that I originally chose once it was on the wall. Then I took a step back and hated it. Gah! The stencil was fine, it went on like it should have, but  it was just not how I visioned the final product to be in my mind....which happens often with projects.

 

 At that point I decided to clean up, go to bed, and take another look in the morning. Sometimes I just have to do that. Even with a project that turned out perfect, it oftentimes looks even better in the morning. Kaylee saw it before she went to bed and said, "Ooooo I love it! I really do! But I would like some bumble bees on there too." Hmm... my main concern was that it didn't have enough details. Adding a few little insects might work!

 

So the next day I went back and free handed some bumble bees, butterflies, and two tiny caterpillars. I added some detail work to the flowers, outlined them in a contrasting color, and painted over some of the leaves so that it didn't look too busy after the addition of the insects.

 

I'll let you guys be the judge, what do you think?

 

Kaylee loves it, I am happy with it and it is as close to what I had envisioned in my mind before starting. It's bright and cheerful, clean lines, and perfect for the little girls in our home.

 

Cutting Edge Stencils has MANY wonderful stencils is fun designs. Whether it is geometric, floral, tree branches, etc. They have just the right one for you. And not just for walls either. You can stencil fabric and even furniture on a smaller scale. The possibilities are endless! The company is great to work with and shipping is incredible fast. 

 

 

I received product in exchange for this review. All opinions are 100% mine and I only share products with my readers that are of quality and things I would use in my own home.

Fat-Free Banana Muffins

These muffins are delicious and the kids love snacking on them. Do they compare to Bob Evan's Banana Nut Bread? Of course  not, that one is loaded with yummy butter, I'm sure, but these are a nice guilt-free treat and great for kids.

I like adding walnuts to them, which voids the "fat-free" aspect, but is still healthier since the recipe doesn't call for oil or butter! They are perfect for a quick grab-and-go breakfast.

Source: allrecipes.com

2 eggs, beaten
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease or line 10 muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs and bananas. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture. Fold in walnuts if desired. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Roman Shades From Mini Blinds

 

Right now we are working on putting up window treatments in every room of the home. We've ordered custom blinds for most of the rooms, but thought we'd try something a little different in the master bathroom. Our master bathroom was the first priority since our window looks straight over to the neighbor's master bathroom window. Hello!

 

 

My husband mentioned pricing out a roman shade from the company that we ordered our other blinds from.....each window would have been $150. $300 for one room?!?!? I knew I could make one cheaper. So I looked online and found a tutorial for making a roman shade out of cheapy MINI BLINDS! Who knew? I usually opt to sew projects even when there is a no sew option, but you could totally find another way to hem them if you don't have a sewing machine.

 

So I picked up a package of window panels (or you could go to the fabric store and get a couple of yards of your favorite print), went to Lowe's and got some inexpensive mini blinds and got to work.

 

They were pretty simple to make. You just use the pull strings, hardware, and mounting pieces from the mini blinds.

 

 

My curtain panels were not on sale, but I loved the fabric. I ended up spending $25 a window to do these, but you could do them much cheaper with less expensive fabric. But hey, $25 still beats $150 and I love them!

 

 

The best part is that the neighbors won't ever see me getting out of the shower and vice versa :)
Tutorial & Inspiration here.

White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M Cookies

Could the name of this recipe get any longer? Maybe.

 

I found these white chocolate candy corn M&Ms in the Halloween aisle at the commissary the other day. I hadn't ever seen them before, are they new? Seasonal, I'm sure. So I grabbed a bag and thought we'd try them out.

 

 

 

I've had a lot of family visiting lately for my Grandmother's funeral services and so I made a big double batch of cookies to bring over and share. They were a huge hit and were gone fast. So if you a bag of these in the candy aisle, be sure to grab some, and make these fun cookies this Halloween!

 

 

 

White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M Cookies

basic cookie dough adapted

Gluesticks

 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter , softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg

1  package  White Chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in M&Ms and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

 

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely

Gluesticks Halloween Round-Up {Part 2: Candy}

You can't have Halloween without candy. Here are some fun homemade candy recipes that we made last year. They are keepers, for sure!

 

 

Homemade Rock Candy

 

 

 

 

Homemade Tootsie Rolls

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade Butterfingers

 

 

Big Kid Bedtime Adventures

This post brought to you by PULL-UPS® Night*Time. All opinions are 100% mine.

With 4 children, you'd think I would be an expert on potty training. However, each child trains differently, in a different time frame, and at a different age. Some of mine have used cloth training pants, other used underpants only, and sometimes we used a combination of underpants and disposable underpants.

I really like PULL-UPS® Night*Time Glow in the Dark for bed time. During the day, they seem more like a diaper, and didn't always help train. But at night, when my little ones aren't conscious of their urges, they worked great to keep changing sheets down to a minimum. I like how they are easy to use and come in a variety of designs to help them feel like a big kid.

PULL-UPS® Night*Time Glow in the Dark are specially designed for bed time use. They have added absorbency so that you can stay consistent with training pants day and night. And they are available for children from 18-40 pounds in two fun styles: Lightning McQueen and Cinderella. And while it definitely isn't necessary for them to glow in the dark, what child doesn't get excited to see that in action? Charge them under a light for 30 seconds and then flip the lights off...they glow!

Head to the PULL-UPS® Night*Time Glow in the Dark like I did to create your own Glow Show Story, perfect for bed time, and enter for your chance to win a $100 Walmart Gift Card.

Here is an excerpt from the story I created:

It’s bedtime in California. The birds are settling into their nests, the rabbits are returning to their burrows, and even the sun is tucking itself in for the night. Kaylee is getting ready for bed, too, when a firefly flutters in through her window.

"Good Morning! What are you doing?" asks the firefly.

"Good Morning? But it’s nighttime! I’m getting ready for bed," Kaylee says. "Aren't you?"

"Of course not! Fireflies sleep all day and stay up all night, so my day is just getting started," says the firefly.

"It must be hard to go to bed in the morning," says Kaylee.

"Oh, not at all! Bedtime is always fun," says the firefly, buzzing around Kaylee's head. "Do you want to see how fireflies get ready for bed? It won’t take long."

"Sure!" Kaylee says.

 Share the offer and save! Save on you're next purchase with a $1 off coupon, or save even more by sharing the offer and increasing it to $2 off. You can enter as many times as you would like and new stories will be created regularly. Come back often to the PULL-UPS® Night*Time Glow in the Dark to see if you are a winner!

General Conference Kits

Last year  I posted my ideas for our General Conference Kits that I put together for the kids. I am happy to report that they were a SUCCESS! We used them at home as well as the church since we alternate locations to watch the conference sessions. We're going on our 3rd General Conference with these kits and soon we'll need to add a fourth one for Ruby.

Here is a link to the Ultimate Guide for General Conference activities for kids. If you scroll down to baskets/kits, you'll find ours!  Thank you Live Craft Eat!

The little totes were purchased at Hobby Lobby for around $1.99 each. I filled them with snacks, a juice box, Friend Magazines, little craft stick puppets, and printable conference packets. I rotated the items out with each session so that there was always something new and I've found that by NOT giving them the entire conference packet at once that it lasts longer and the kids take their time coloring the pages.
 

Graduating from Baby to Toddler Toys

 

Thank you to LeapFrog for sponsoring this review. For more information about the LeapFrog Animal Adventure Learning Table, please visit their website. #LFAnimalAdv #spon

 

Our little lady over here is approaching the ripe old age of 1. Watching her learn and grow has been just as exciting this time around (with our 4th baby) as it was with our first. It is truly a joy to see these little ones grow and fun to see how excited and proud she gets of herself for her new accomplishments....like walking! Yep, she's started.

 

 

With such accomplishments like her first pair of shoes and strutting her stuff across the room, comes a new type of toy. No longer will she be happy with a teething toy or plastic measuring cup like she was before. Now she wants toys that she can stand next to, pull herself up next to, and push buttons on.

This is why I was excited that Ruby received an Animal Adventure Learning Table from Leap Frog. A fun, interactive toy to excite her senses and keep her busy while I am busy baby proofing our new house.

 

The table is fun, bright, musical, and features seven activity-packed stations and two learning modes, giving babies and toddlers dozens of ways to develop key motor, social and cognitive skills. Whether she is standing or sitting, she can explore letters, shapes, colors, numbers, counting, opposites, animals, musical sounds and cause and effect. And the legs are removable so it is great for younger babies as well as toddlers.

 

Ruby cracks us up when she plays with toys that make noise. She loves to sit there and slap them with her hand while she bounces her little knees. Her whole body gets involved. So the light up drum in the center was right up her alley.

 

With 7 animal adventure activity stations, she can tap, turn, flip, spin, pat and press to her little heart's content. She is just so fun to watch. Everything is new and full of wonder. Her eyes light up and look like they are going to pop out of her head when she discovers a new function or noise. It's awesome!

 

I especially like that the learning table was very interactive, but doesn't take up a lot of space in the living room. It's small and portable so it fits nicely in the corner when she is not playing with it.

 

So when considering a fun gift for a special toddler this holiday season, keep this one in mind!

Available Summer 2012 | Ages 6 to 36 months | MSRP $44.99

 I was selected for this opportunity as a compensated member of Clever Girls Collective and received free product from LeapFrog to review. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own. #LFAnimalAdventures #spon