Live for Pink!

Downeast Outfitters has always been one of my favorite places to shop. When I was in high school, the one in town sold lucky jeans and silver jeans at super discounted prices, and they always made me look a million times better than any other jeans. I LOVED THEM!
As I got older and the store shut down I went to others when I was near them, mostly in Utah. They are amazing. Their undershirts are long and give great coverage. I can always find something fashionable and modest. I am obsessed with downeast outfitters. In fact, I wear something from them almost daily. All my undershirts are from them, along with some of my favorite dresses. I also love their other shirts and well, everything.
Besides this fact, I have a newfound respect for them. They have always been a good company, but they have a new thing going on. It's called Live For Pink.
For those of you that don't know me well, I have many people in my life that have been touched with cancer. My sister was diagnosed as a nineteen year old, and has luckily never had a recurrence of it. She did not have breast cancer, it was another kind. My grandfather died when I was three due to complications following his fight with cancer, his was also not breast cancer. In 2000 my other grandfather (who has become one of the most important parts of my life ever), had an extremely close call during his long fight with prostate cancer. My aunt lost her fight a few years following this from complications with breast cancer. My grandpa's wife, my grandma, (who is also one of the most amazing and important women I have ever known), had a fight with breast cancer a few years ago. She found a reoccurance a couple years ago, and she recently finished chemo. I am so thankful for the medicine we have and the ability to overcome things like this. I don't think I could survive without them.
Needless to say, I am a huge advocate for breast cancer prevention, and all kinds of cancer research. Well, this is what LIVE FOR PINK is all about. Not everyone can contribute in the way they would wish, but Downeast Outfitters has created a way to get a cute pink shirt, with options of which you want, and 50% of the proceeds go to the cause of breast cancer research. You can also try hooking up with the Susan B Komen foundation. Just be thankful for those you have, and try and support the cause by wearing a super cute pink shirt from Downeast!!


Cristina

http://www.downeastbasics.com

Macaroni with chicken and spinach in creamy bacon sauce

Tonight I made pan seared parmesan crusted chicken, and it was tempting to ready but I withheld....

I then made some macaroni because I had no rotini or corkscrew pasta. Then I fried bacon and crumbled it... And removed it from the drippings where I made the chicken. I added a little water and half a bag of fresh spinach. I cooked it until slightly wilted and threw in some garlic. After simmering I added some heavy cream, milk, italian seasoning, sadly and pepper, and about a third if the bacon. I simmered it for about ten minutes. Then I sprayed a casserole dish, put in the macaroni, topped with the chicken, and then poured the sauce over the top of it all. I put the rest of  the bacon on top and then added some shredded mozzarella. I covered the pan with aluminum foil and baked it for forty minutes. Yum!

Four things to do with your kids!

This is one of our favorite memories and one of our favorite things to do ruth our kids as grown ups... Today is.... (drum roll please)... Ba da da da da, baking cookies together!

This is a time honored tradition we all love, and theres nothing better to destroy  a good diet like a fresh from the oven cookie or two with a cold glass of milk to make your day better!

Today we made homemade snicker doodles. Our recipe is just a basic sugar cookie with some extra cinnamon. My kids love to roll the balls of dough, roll them in sugar mixture, and flatten them up (maybe with a bit too much force)! So basically, they just love making these cookies.

Here are some pictures to make you all a bit jealous! And to add to the greatness, they only include ingredients we always have on hand! Bon appetit!

Six and FiveThings to Do With Your Kids

What else can I do in my town?

There's so much!
But for this post I am going a few hours outside of my town. (THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR TWO POSTS!)

Recently we went to my step-sister's volleyball tournament to kick off her senior year season. She was awesome, as were the rest of her team. It got me thinking about how we so often take advantage of all the free or inexpensive events that take place in our own hometowns.

She lives really far from us, and we obviously can't drive six hours to go to a volleball game or watch her dance in drill team, and I don't have any family that does those things where I live. What I do have is an insanely loud voice and too much passion when watching sports. (YES, I am one of those crazy people that you stare at and pray you aren't there with) (and so is my husband, one of the oodles of reasons I love him)

There are many games and events you can go to to cheer on your home team. TOWN PRIDE! You need practice for when your kids are old enough to play and to get them excited about sports and wanting to engage in physical activity. (Which in and of itself is amazingly good for their health and self esteem) So, next time you are "bored" and there's "nothing to do where I live", look up to see if there's any tournaments of your local schools, or games. Go cheer! Teach your kids to be good sports, and wahoo, there's popcorn and hot dogs! AWESOME!

So, now... #5
My sister's tournament was in this awesome little town I lived in for only one year as a kid. It was awesome to go back for a couple days, and the memories that came back. It was a kick for me. More importantly, this town, Saratoga, is known for it's natural hot springs. I know this is unique but, we just have to drive a couple hours and there are free hot springs, which are smelly but soothing, and a really cool natural occurance. Not many people can say they have sat in a God made hot tub that could fit all their relatives too! It was fun, and the resort there has the hotter little pools covered by teepees, which is a little cute and romantic too. So, what is a natural wonder in your area! I guarantee there are a few!! Which... will be part of tomorrow's post... GOTTA GET BACK TO HOMEWORK NOW!! Have a splendid day!

Cristina

 

 

 

Seven Things To Do With Your Kids

I have not had the fortune to be able to go many places in my life. I would love to travel, more than some. I even have a list of all the places I want to visit. I have a list that I have been making of the top destinations in all the fifty states of the USA that I want to visit, and I also have a planned itinerary and list of foreign places I want to visit and in what order.. this will be another post though!

As much as the idea of learning about other cultures(which fascinates me too) and being a world traveler compels me, it is obviously not an option at this point in my life! And it is not an option for many of us out there! What makes me sad is that so many of us complain that "there is nothing to do where we live". Our states or towns have a tendency to hold little of our attention. My question is how many of you have actually experienced the inexpensive wonder of a place around you? So, this is where my 7,6, and 5 things to do comes in!

#7

GO TO THE MUSEUM!

There is nothing as great as learning while you are playing, and getting to spend quality time together. Not to mention, everyone can gain some knowledge by going to a museum, whether you are three years, thirty years or just young at heart :)
The other great thing? There are museums everywhere in our great nation, some cost alot of moolah, and some are free! Your choice which you visit. One of my favorite museums cost a little, not alot, but it is in Denver Colorado. Luckily for me, I have learned ALOT and gained alot of knowledge and passion for learning throughout my entire life from visiting tiny museums in towns of 4,000 people or less. I have also experienced alot of this from large and amazing visits to really neat museums. My favorite field trip being a chaperone was to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, it's awesome to experience with a group of first graders who love to learn. But, I absolutely love going to the Wyoming State Museum. We can go as much as we want, everyone there is super nice, and best of all? It's free! They have a neat room where kids can learn and dress in period costumes, along with alot of other super cool educational activities. It's a great place to take an educational time out from your hectic life!



And museums are a great location to visit for educational activities. There are often readings or conferences or other such events at these great places.

Bun braids

My daughter wanted to have cute Braids in a pony tail today but get hair has lots of lengths and didn't look too cohesive, so we took a pony after doing all the individual braids and did it around and then pulled them half through and then pulled each stand until it was right before the elastic and then we took bobby pounds to secure them tightly... We didn't want it going crazy since she is a busy eight year old on the run! I love it! But most importantly it was exactly what she wanted!

Italian chicken and vegetables with cheesy au gratin potatoes

Sorry that I have been so far behind ! The beginning if a semester makes me a little panicked and crazy, and u trends to over stress and be scatter brained.. But now I am back!

so in penance I will be playing catch up over the weekend :-)

Tonight we do a simple and quick dish. Italian chicken and vegetables and cheesy potatoes. This is super good and super easy for a busy night.

Boneless skinless chicken breast lightly boiled in water and italian dressing(whatever kind you gave on hand our the packet kind works too). Just make sure it's super diluted... Cook it together for a few minutes turning your breasts twice... Then take the chicken and place it in a casserole dish lightly sprayed. Throw in some yummy veggies of your choice. I had done fresh cauliflower, brocoli and carrots from a snack I had while studying today so I threw those in (and I supplemented with some extra frozen brocoli because thats what my kids LOVE) and then sprinkle some parmesan cheese and pour the juice if dressing and water over the whole thing. Cook for about thirty minutes at 375°

Then I had some potatoes I sliced while the chicken was cooking. Make some white sauce, add some cheddar when it's complete and suite till it's thoroughly melted. Cover and place in oven for thirty minutes. Uncover when you remove the chicken from the oven, and sprinkle some cheese, salt and pepper over your taters. Let cook until cheese is melted. Scrumptious dinner in a breeze! * make sure you check that the potatoes are cooked through before adding the cheese, let cook a little more if they aren't. A quick cheat is to boil them for about ten to fifteen minutes while preparing the chicken and then putting it together!

Healthy and yummy dinner!!
I forgot to take a picture before serving the kids, sorry!

Eight things to do with your kids

Lunch date! Make your kids feel special by taking the time every now and then to spend some time one on one... Today my daughter had a playdate, so my son and I went out to our favorie pizzeria and got a slice... $3 bucks each isn't too bad, and then we are headed to the park to play! Thats a well spent couple of hours if you ask me!

My boy got a big slice of cheese pizza. I,on the other hand, splurged... And got my guilty pleasure of italian food.. Bocce balls. Seriously, these are on my to five must eat before you die to have a full life list. You haven't truly lived until you've had  Bocce Balls followed by a canoli!

Bocce Ball-
Meatball
Mozzarella
Marinara

All surrounded by homemade dough and baked to golden brown... And then smothered in marinara or served with it on the side! (alfredo is good with them too)

Homemade spaghetti sauce

I love cooking from scratch... I just gate the mess. I truly believe you can taste the difference and it makes A TON of difference with the outcome when you love what you are doing. My favourite spaghetti sauce is my own. I don't measure anything though.... So I do not ever make it exactly the same two times.

Tonight I made  a homemade version of ptarmigan chicken. I did my homemade sauce, spaghetti noodles, and chicken; served with a salad. The sauce is:
Tomato sauce
Stewed tomatoes
Fresh cut tomatoes
Cut black olives
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Marjoram
Garlic
Garlic salt
Onion
Onion salt
Thyme
Rosemary
Basil

Sugar is the key, if you forget it then the sauce just tastes off. This us the problem most people have doing it on their own. The great thing about my sauce, it's good in ten minutes, but it gets better the longer you cook it, do it works for a quick meal or a normal meal.

I didn't want greasy chicken, so, instead of doing the normal I opted out for a healthier pan seared chicken breast, cut into smaller pieces to make it easier for the kiddos. I served this with spaghetti noodles and a salad.

I forgot to take a pix of the whole meal because we ate so late..but here is my sauce! (This sauce also works great fire spaghetti or any pasta and just add some cooked hamburger our italian sausage to the pan while it simmers)

Nine Things To Do With Your Kids!

Ah... it is once again that time of year when I think I might die from stress, nerves and frustration! I try as hard as I may to be a good wife and mother still, but heavens! Back to School!! My kids get uber excited and uber cranky... it's a conundrum: the excitement of a new year and new class, getting back to see all the friends you haven't gotten to over the summer, shopping for clothes and supplies (cringe). Then there is the no more sleeping in, the no more lazy days with video games, ice cream cones and swimming pools! There is now bedtime, homework, and TESTS! YIKES!

Luckily for this momma, my kids LOVE school. They love recess (obviously), but they also adore reading and writing and even the challenge of learning new things. This incorporates my # 9 idea!! Your local library. It's a wonderful place to explore, learn and use your imagination. Ours is AMAZING! It even has these great grassy areas fabulous for a picnic on a warm day.







 

















We are spoiled with an amazing library. It has drive thru return when you don't have time, and if you don't have the ability to get there and don't want late fees you can renew over the phone or on the internet. It also has a fantastic play area with full kid sized chess/checkers board, a great story time, and some other really cool features. The child's area take up the ENTIRE 2nd floor, and it's great. It's also a wonderful source for information, relaxation and community resources. It's even won a few awards for being the bomb :)

So, onto my point I guess! The library is a great place to hang out with your little ones. There is a little something for everyone, it has A/C on a hot day (like it is here), and the best part? It motivates kids to get away from video games and tv, it motivates and encourages kids to interact with each other and you, along with making reading super fun! Our library even has board games you can check out and play there. You can also check out storytime bags and daycare bags, which are great lesson resources for young kids. And the greatest part of a library?? THEY ARE FREE! No charge and it is the best thing to motivate little brains and get them active, and the only time you have to pay is when you lose a book or forget to turn it back in. Ours even has a superb summer reading program, where the kids won ice cream, tacos, got free books and a kids meal to chick-fil-a among other prizes. Check out what yours has going on!


This weeks must read list for us?
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
The Walking Dead Graphic Novels (NOT FOR KIDS)
Rapunzel
Dr. Seuss Easy Readers-(our library has them marked by reading level so you can work on the skill with your kiddos)
and last but not least, my guilty pleasure at the moment- Dexter is Delicious

Whoops!

I missed a day.. I was ssssooooo busy yesterday I didn't have time to post... watch out later today for two more posts!! Happy Friday!

Ten Fun and Free (or budget-friendly) Things To Do With Your Kids!

This is a ten part posting, starting today, august 22nd.

We all have go to things that we like to do with our children. My family definitely has our "normal" fun things. We love to go outside to play, and we also love just relaxing. So... The next few days will have something for every person or families taste!

Today was a crazy day... It was my second day of the semester and needless to say, I was a bit worn out. Today was a homework and spending time with the kids day (up until I had class in the afternoon). The laziness was fantastic...which is what led to day #1.

WE LOVE POPCORN! We even have two different kinds of poppers plus two or three different kinds of microwave popcorn.  I dont know about you, but my kids love to help in the kitchen. So, we made some cheesy homemade popcorn and tang today. And what goes great with popcorn? Jammies and a movie! So today while daddy was at work we settled in front of the tv with a healthy snack of homemade popcorn, and rented The Lorax. That doesn't have to be done, we have a large selection of others too, but $3 for a movie and pj party with my kids seems reasonable to me!

And to tie the afternoon up we made corn dogs and french fries, and then went outside and played with a remote control car for a while! Successful day overall I think. To be continued with another adventure tomorrow!

Back to School and Kids Books

So, today was the first day of my last semester of my Associates Degree. My kids don't head back for one more week. Therefore, my fabulous husband took the time off when I am in class this week to help out. He's amazing!

I am going into education, and am doing 30 practicum hours this semester. I think it will be fabulous preparation for student teaching, and I love any chance to work with kids. With this in mind, I may just be nuts! I can't believe how many credits I am taking and how much work is entailed in this. I have five online courses and three on campus courses going on. The amount of reading, homework and posts that I will be responsible for this semester is a bit overwhelming. I am responsible for posting 1-2 times a day five days a week for my various online classes this semester. I must be a little crazy to do this! I am super excited to read the books for my Children's Literature class though! It's nice to find ways to incorporate my family into my school and life outside the home. We are even reading my son's favorite book: "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie". This made me think...
what's my favorite kids book? When I was a kid I loved to read, and I read ALOT. So, my favorite book was a bit different than most kids of my age... In elementary my favorite books were "The Hobbit", "Anne of Greene Gables" and "The Wind in The Willows".
        

We are reading The Chronicles of Narnia in our house right now. Which got me curious, what does everyone else read with their kids? Any favorite books out there? Comment if you would like to share!

Needless to say, this semester is going to be a bit nuts! I am excited for it though, I really want to be a teacher. I also am striving to be the best mom I can and devote my time to my kids. I am really blessed in that I am able to try and meet my goals and not sacrifice my family. The only times I am in class is the time my kids are also at school. I have to take some time away to do homework but overall I am able to still be the mom I want to be, with alot of stress added onto that!! It's all worth it so my kids never have to be in anyone else's care though. I'm off to play mousetrap and do some laundry. Cheers!

Cristina

Cox Crayon Creations

Today we are making crayon meltings. We were looking for something fun to do, and since we have so many crayons that have melted a bit do to a coloring mishap in the sun, today seemed like a great day!
Step 1. Get out some crayons

Step 2. Remove the paper from your crayons
  

Step 3. Shave your crayons. Kids can do this with a dull knife or a sharpener. Adults can do this with a sharp knife, although it goes alot quicker with a sharpener.



 Step 4. Put all your piles of shavings together. ( We kind of organized by color )

 Step 5. Get out your paper. I would personally recommend using construction or cardstock paper. It being thicker will help it to hold up better to the heat and melting. We used construction paper, my kids like it because they have lots of variation on colors in a pack of construction paper.



 Step 6. Pick out your piece of paper and create a center line by creasing the paper down the middle, or folding it in half.

 Step 7. Set up the iron and start heating it.

 Step 8. Place crayon shavings on ONE SIDE only of the fold line in a specific pattern or just random, whatever looks good. The first one I did was specific, all the others were just done however!

 Step 9. Fold the paper back over, being careful not to move around and messing up the shavings. Take out some wax paper and tear a piece off that's just a little bigger than your folded paper.


 Step 10. Hold onto the paper with one hand and iron over the paper with the other. Make sure to evenly get it ironed and melted or the picture will not be evenly melted.


 Step 11. Pull the paper off and carefully unfold.

       
 *If you only do one side it will not be melted evenly.


To make sure it is done evenly, after your melt one side, take the wax paper off, flip your folded paper over and place wax paper over the top and melt again.

 Step 12. Unfold again and you'll see the finished picture. It will be hot and wet for a minute, allow to dry before hanging up.


Do it again and again! It's fun.... As you can see below, my kids had alot of fun... maybe a bit too much!!


 



This was fun, and my kids had the best afternoon ever. It was also a great way to spend the last little bit before school starts, especially since I go back tomorrow and they go back next week.