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0 In 2022/ DIY/ Family/ Free stuff/ Games/ Memories/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

My son Clark LOVES Scavenger hunts. But let’s be honest…who DOESN’T enjoy a fun hunt?

One year, my husband buried a treasure box in a forest, then created a treasure map for the boys to follow, find and DIG UP! (Best day ever! Best DAD ever!)

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Another year, just as George was learning to spell, he created a scavenger hunt for his brother. He left kind and encouraging words for him to find around the house. (Best brother ever!)

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For Clark’s 13th birthday, we gave him two hunts. One indoors (by himself) to find his birthday present, and one OUTSIDE with his friends. Both were a HIT so I wanted to share this idea with you!

Scavenger hunts work not only for a birthday, but also for Christmas, for a family night, or on any day you’re looking for something fun to do with your family. You could even have your kids create scavenger hunts for each other.

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Here was Clark’s INDOOR birthday hunt:

(Thank you Pinterest and Google for helping me with these riddles)

Here is our OUTDOOR Hunt:

(Feel free to copy and paste to a word document, or print this and play!)

Good for kids 12 and up. Make sure each team has a phone/camera.

Scavenger hunt    

  • Take a selfie of your entire team on the play set.
  • Take a picture of two people swinging.
  • Find the sidewalk chalk. Write an encouraging message on the sidewalk. (Ideas: You Matter. -or- You Got this!  -or-  Choose Joy) You will find the sidewalk chalk:
  • Find the secret message and write down what you see. Secret message is found:

  • Take a selfie with a dog or person out for a walk.
  • Trade a penny for something more valuable. 
  • What is the mystery word written on our neighbor’s front door?
  • Find the little library and write down the name of one book. 
  • Take a picture next to a fire hydrant.
  • Find leaves from 3 different trees and bring them back.
  • Take a picture of something red.
  • Take a photo of two of your team mates jumping in the air at the same time.
  • Take a picture of someone sitting on the park bench.
  • Take a picture of a house or mailbox with the number 2 on it.
  • Return home

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Here are some ideas from my son’s 13th birthday:

Scrambled word = teenager

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The boys loved the scavenger hunts!

What would you add or change? Leave me a comment.

Thanks for reading and please consider subscribing!

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Click here to read “How to Host an Amazing Backyard Birthday”

October 6, 2022 By
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0 In 2021/ Christmas/ DIY/ Inspiration/ Recipe

Christmas on the Stove Top

Who loves the smell of Christmas?

I’ve got this potpourri simmering on my stove right now, and I WISH you could smell it through the screen.

My boys asked with delight: WHAT are you making? My answer didn’t thrill them.

You can share the delightful scent of Christmas with friends and family by making them a bag of Stovetop Potpourri.

I made these for my sons’ teachers (and attached a Target gift card – which is what they REALLY want!)

Here is what you’ll need to make the potpourri:

  • Cinnamon Sticks: You can find these in the baking or Christmas aisle.
  • Cranberries: They sell bags of these in produce.
  • Oranges: If you plan to used slices, buy large oranges. If not, clementines fit well inside the small bags.
  • Pine: I cut some from a tree in my yard.
  • Plastic Baggies: I found these at the Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby sells them too.
  • Red Ribbon: In the gifting aisle or Hobby Lobby.
  • Labels: Linked here and below.
  • Cinnamon sticks
  • Baked Orange slices
  • Cranberries
  • Pine
  • Baggies
  • Labels

Inside each bag, place an entire orange (or dried slices), about a half cup of cranberries, 1-2 sprigs of pine, and 2 cinnamon sticks.

Tie the bag with ribbon and add a tag.

Last year, to save time, I just put a clementine in each bag. This year, I bought oranges and dried them. If you want to make these pretty orange slices, here’s how to do it.

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How to Make Oven-Dried Orange Slices:

  1. Preheat oven to 175° F. 
  2. Slice oranges about ⅛-inch thick. 
  3. Set slices in a single layer on baking sheets with wire racks (this will allow oranges to dry on both sides). 
  4. Cook for 4-6 hours, until dry to the touch. You may want to rotate halfway through for even cooking.
  5. Cool completely.

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Click here for some super cute labels

Christmas on your stove:

  1. Add 4 cups of water to a saucepan or slow cooker.
  2. Add a sliced orange, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/2 cup cranberries, and some fresh pine to the water.
  3. Simmer on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Check the water every hour or two, adding more as needed.
  4. Enjoy the scents of the season!

Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!

December 13, 2021 By
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0 In Christmas/ DIY/ Memories/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys

5 Cute and Easy Ornaments to Make with your kids!

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Have you put up your Christmas tree yet?

We put ours up over the weekend, and as we hung the ornaments, the ones that made us smile and brought back the sweetest memories were the ones we made together.

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Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas

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Here are five fun holiday ornaments my boys enjoyed making, and I think your family will have fun with it too.

You can keep them for your own tree, or gift them to loved ones.

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1. Hydro-Dipped Painted Ornament

  • ornament

Click here for instructions!

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2. Hand-Print Ornament

This is a precious way to capture that sweet tiny handprint. These make me smile every time I hang them on my tree.

  • ornament
  • ornament

Directions:

  1. Paint your child’s fingers.
  2. Help them press their ‘painted’ fingers on the ornament.
  3. Clean your child’s hand.
  4. Let the paint dry.
  5. Use permanent markers to turn the fingerprints into snowmen.
  6. Add the date.

Click here to buy white acrylic paint and colorful markers.

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3. Perler Bead Ornaments

This takes time and patience, but it can be calming and relaxing.

  • ornament
  • ornament
  • ornament

Click here to purchase Perler Beads.

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Perler Beads make a great Christmas gift for children ages 6-9.

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4. Popsicle Stick snowman

ornament

Set out paint, buttons, stickers, string, and construction paper and see what your kids create! The possibilities are endless.

Add your child’s name and the date to the back of the stick.

Click here for popsicle sticks.

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5. Salt Dough Ornaments

These are a classic. We enjoyed making these so much last year, my boys are already asking if we can do it again this year.

ornament
Salt Dough Snowman

Click here for instructions.

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Which one of those I listed is your favorite? Leave me a comment.

Send me a picture of your family’s favorite homemade ornament.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Love,

Kathryn

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Disclaimer: The items I recommended from Amazon are affiliate links. If you purchase an item I recommend, I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!

November 16, 2021 By
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4 In 2020/ Christmas/ DIY/ Making money/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Recipe

Simple Salt Dough Snowman Ornaments: DIY Christmas Gifts

Here’s a fun and simple activity to do with your kids: Salt dough ornaments.

My boys aren’t always into crafty things – but when they heard their cousins made and SOLD some of their ornaments, my boys were all in! They always love a way to earn money – right now they are saving up to buy a DOG! (This was their idea, not mine)

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The salt dough recipe is simple:

  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of salt
  • 1 cup of water
  • Mix with a wisk, and then your hands.
  • Flour a surface, then roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter inch thick
  • Cut into shapes
  • Use a drinking straw to poke a hole at the top of the ornament for the string to go through

To make the Snowman Ornament:

  • Use a cup to make circles
  • Take a little piece of the dough and form it into the shape of a carrot
  • Press the nose on top of the circle
  • Press divots in the dough for the eyes and mouth. I used the bottom of a paint brush.
  • Bake at 175 degrees for 3 hours.
  • Let them sit for 1 hour.
  • Paint with acrylic paint or water colors.
  • Seal with Modge Podge.
  • Tie a string through the hole.
  • Hang on your tree, gift wrap, or sell.
My boys …
Selling their handmade ornaments to neighbors

The boys put their earnings in this jar and tied one of their dog bone salt dough ornaments around it!

Click here for another DIY one-of-kind Christmas ornament

Click here to read all about the dog they got for Christmas – and they used their earnings to buy him toys!

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Thanks for reading! Enjoy your holiday!

December 10, 2020 By
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21 In 2020/ DIY/ Product Recommendations/ Things to do in Minnesota

30 FREE wintertime activities for quarantined kids! (Part 2)

Last time I posted 30 ideas for wintertime fun (click here to read that post).

Today’s post includes 30 more ideas for wintertime fun in quarantine – and they are ALL FREE!

1. Have a “What’s in the Box?” Challenge

George and Clark: What’s in the Box Challenge
  • Cut holes a in box
  • Choose an item to put inside
  • Allow someone to reach their hand inside the box and “guess” what it is.
  • Take turns finding items to hide, then guessing “What’s in the Box?”

Here’s a video my boys made of this challenge:

https://youtu.be/n1m4k1ktuIo

2. Build a Fort

  • Put blankets over your dining table – or
  • Use boxes, or pillows and blankets.
  • Read a story in the fort!
  • “Go on a Bear Hunt“
  • Decorate the fort with Christmas lights!

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3. Take a ‘virtual’ tour of a museum:

Click here for museums with virtual tours

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4. Pick up a free kit from Home Depot and build something together

battleship
  • Home Depot has created take home kits for kids
  • Go to customer service to ask for one for each of your kids
  • My 11 and 9 year old were able to follow the simple instructions and build a battleship on their own. I helped my 6 year old.
  • After my boys built their boats, they played with them in the bathtub.

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5. Draw Pictures

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6. Play “Jump the River”

  • Place two strings an inch apart.
  • Have everyone “jump” across.
  • Keep spreading the strings apart until everyone falls in the ‘river.’

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7. Play Ball Games

  • Put a kid-friendly twist on that classic shooting game H-O-R-S-E by using smaller balls and setting up bins, buckets, and pots around the house or yard.
  • Take turns making shots. If a child makes it, the next child has to try to make it from the same spot.

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8. Play “Would you Rather?”

Click here for questions!

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9. Play Hide and Seek

  • Hide a stuffed animal. Say “hotter/colder” when they are getting close or further away.
  • Also, try playing in the dark with a flash light.

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10. Have an Indoor Scavenger Hunt

Pinterest has lots of ideas

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11. Have a Dance Party!

  • Turn on some upbeat music and ask your kids teach you dance moves. Try whatever moves they show you!! 
  • Then turn on your music and teach them a dance – perhaps the Macarena?!

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12. Practice “manners!”

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13. Write letters to family or friends

  • Send joy in the form of a picture or a letter!

14. Make a timeline of your child’s life

  • Make a timeline of each child’s milestones.
  • If possible, get some pictures from each developmental stage, and tape or pin them to the appropriate place on the timeline.

15. Tickle tackle

  • Stay on your knees in the middle of a room.
  • Kids try to run past me without getting “tickled and tackled!”

16. Plan a family vacation or a DREAM vacation

17. Play dress up

  • Whether it’s super heroes or princesses, kids enjoy “make believe!”

18. Make shadow puppets

Click here for some ideas!

19. Match up your socks, roll them up, and have a sock fight

20. Exercise!

I don’t know about your kids – but my kids NEED to burn energy in a healthy way or they start getting mischievous! Sometimes we will set a timer and everyone has to run or MOVE or jump for 5 to 20 minutes.

Occasionally, a child does a lap around the house (inside or outside) if they are misbehaving.

21. Learn how to tie cool knots

Click here to watch and learn!

22. Homemade Tap Shoes

Sorry parents, this one’s noisy! It’s so easy, though, and will keep your kids busy!

  • Simply tape a coin to the bottom of your child’s shoe. Voila, homemade tap shoes!
  • Get them to come up with a tap-dancing routine, rehearse it and record their final performance (bring your own earmuffs!)

23. Mystery pictures

  • WooJr has TONS of fun and free printables for Kids.
  • The “Mystery Grids” are fun for kids – they won’t know what they are coloring until it’s finishe

24. Paint nails or pictures on a cardboard box:

25. Clean!

Chores are one of the best mediums we have for teaching kids about being part of a family, and about belonging, significance, and teamwork. 

Lynn Lott

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26. Take a free art class

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27. Play Hangman

This game has been around for over 100 years. Teach your kids how to play! Use their spelling or vocabulary words and call it “HOME SCHOOL!”

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28. Play charades or try the “Heads Up” app

  • Even little ones can play charades. Whisper what you want them to “act” out and let the sibling(s) guess.
  • The Heads Up app is lots of fun for kids who can read.

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29. Make paper snowflakes

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30. Learn some Old School Hand Clapping games like ‘Miss Mary Mack’

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Click here to read my previous post of 30 wintertime activities to do with your kids. The post includes some fun Christmas gift ideas!

Click here for 41 fun family ideas for winter in quarantine!

Click here for some fun MINUTE TO WIN IT games!

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My next post will include the final 30 activities for wintertime and quarantine fun! Subscribe so you don’t miss that post!

November 22, 2020 By
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2 In 2020/ DIY/ Family/ Food/ Saving money

Best 12 things to Buy at Aldi, 1 item NOT to buy, plus 2 simple recipes!

First of all, I haven’t abandoned my love for Target! Target has my heart…but there is ONE item that I can ONLY find at Aldi. So…I keep going back to grab this ONE thing….plus a few extras while I’m there.

Read the very bottom to find out my very favorite item from Aldi. The one item I can not find ANYWHERE else!

Here are some of our favorite things to buy at Aldi:

1. Bacon

  • Aldi’s Turkey Bacon – tastes great and is the best price around.

2. Bread

  • Sliced Bread – only $1 per loaf!

3. Crackers

  • Savoritz crackers – Their version of “Ritz” crackers. Your kids won’t know the difference, but you will save money. $1.99

4. Mayonaise

  • Mayonaise – tastes the same as any name brand Mayo, yet it’s only $1.99

5. Lunch Meat

  • Salami is what we always buy from Aldi

6. Cheese

  • Cheese – they have a huge variety. I love the sharp cheddar with cranberry, my husband loves the goat cheese, my kids like their string cheese.

7. Aldi Brand Cereal

Their cereal prices can’t be beat. My kids think their “Marshmallows & Stars” tastes just like Lucky Charms and their “Cinnamon Crunch” tastes just like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. And they are HALF the price!

Click here for a fun game to play with Aldi cereal.

8. Aldi Brand Chips

Aldi chips taste great and are less than $2 per bag!

9. Canned Goods

Their canned goods are half the price that you’ll find elsewhere – I love to buy canned tomatoes for salsa. (Click here for that simple salsa recipe!)

10. Fruits and Veggies

Their prices are hard to beat!

11. Butter

We buy their regular butter and Irish butter.

Finally, My favorite Aldi item that I’ve just discovered…

This item is the inspiration for this entire post. It is something that tastes better than any other brand. It’s the…

12. Gluten Free, Cauliflower Crust PIZZA

This pizza is Amazing! It comes fresh and is best baked fresh, not frozen. The crust is super crispy and the pizza is delicious. My kids love it. We’ve all decided it’s our favorite pizza. Not our favorite ‘cauliflower’ pizza…it’s the best pizza you can buy from a grocery store. My kids have no idea there’s cauliflower in the crust. When I make pizza everyone asks: “Is this the one we like?”

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What NOT to buy:

Brand Name Items – they often cost more than buying elsewhere.

Here are some popular recipes we make from Aldi ingredients:

Aldi brand Crispy Rice and Marshmallows make the most inexpensive Rice Krispy treats!

  • George making his favorite treat!
  • 3 simple ingredients
  • This recipe makes a LOT of treats!

This recipe makes a LOT of rice crispy treats. I filled one 9×12 inch pan and one 9 x9 inch pan. Cut this recipe in half if you are not serving a large group.

Ingredients:

½ cup Countryside Creamery Butter (1 stick)

2 10-ounce packages Baker’sCorner Miniature Marshmallows (2 bags)

12 ounces Millville Crisp Rice Cereal (1 box)

Directions:

  1. Coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a large pot, melt butter. Add marshmallows and stir occasionally until completely melted.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in crisp rice until evenly combined. Transfer pan. Spray hands with cooking spray and press mixture into pan.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes at room temperature and cut into 20 squares.

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Here’s a simple snack my kids love:

Salami Snacks:

Ingredients:

  1. Savoritz Crackers
  2. Mayonaise
  3. Salami
  4. Cheese

Directions:

Set out crackers. Spread a tiny bit of mayo on top of each cracker. Put a small piece of salami on top. Put a small piece of cheese on top of the salami. Serve with a smile!

Here’s a video where I show a couple of their items!

What’s YOUR favorite thing from Aldi? Leave a comment!

This post was NOT sponsored by Aldi, all opinions are mine.

September 18, 2020 By
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1 In 2020/ DIY/ Motherhood

5 Fun Easter Activities & Crafts for kids

Do you know why Easter Bunnies and Eggs are used on Easter?

Eggs are a sign of NEW LIFE! Through Jesus, we can have NEW LIFE!

Empty eggs represent the tomb that was empty on Easter Sunday.

Bunnies have lots of babies which is a sign of NEW LIFE.

Easter is a time we, as Christ-followers, celebrate that Jesus conquered death. He was risen from the dead in order to give us a NEW LIFE!

You can read what evidence we have of the resurrection here!

1. ‘He is Risen’ Easter Eggs!

  • Give your children a large sheet of paper and have them finger paint, scribble, or water color.
  • Cut their work out into the shape of an EGG!
  • Hang up!
  • If you are an overachiever 🙂 – frame it with a contrasting background!

2. Aluminum Foil Easter Eggs

  • Cut an egg out of Aluminum Foil
  • Color/decorate with Sharpies (I found this pack of sharpies at the Dollar Tree)
  • When decorating the egg, set it on top of newspaper…I have sharpie marks on my farmhouse table because I skipped this step! 🙁
  • Pictured below is the artwork done by my 12 year old. When I asked him to color this egg, he rolled his eyes – but then he spent 20 minutes working on it. It’s okay to encourage your older kids to be artistic. It’s relaxing for them, and they enjoy it more than they will admit.

3. Handprint Easter Bunnies

  • Trace your child’s hand
  • Create bunny ears and a face
  • Cut out and fold
  • Optional: Do this each year to see how their hands grow!

4. Easter Bunny Pancakes

  • Create small and large pancakes and help your kids construct a bunny!
  • I used mini chocolate chips and bananas on the feet, and whip cream for a “bunny tail.”

5. Easter sidewalk chalk

  • Tape out a design on a window, driveway or sidewalk.
  • Fill in the spaces with sidewalk chalk or washable paint.
  • Optional: Rub the sidewalk chalk with a paper towel for a smooth look and to make the chalk go further.
  • Peel off tape and ENJOY! Your neighbors will appreciate it too.
  • Money Saving Tip: I found tape and sidewalk chalk at the Dollar Tree.

Click here to read how to do a simple Easter Egg Hunt to delight a child:

April 10, 2020 By
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2 In 2020/ DIY/ Free stuff/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our week: Creating an Arcade

Basketball ended and it left us with an entire weekend with almost nothing to do.

I like to have things to do so I started feeling cabin fever…wishing for warmer weather.

My kids handled the free weekend better than me.

Clark watched a really cool video on youtube (see below), and was inspired to create arcade games out of boxes. His brothers saw his creativity and were inspired as well.

They are all working on creating arcade games and will invite neighbors to come over and play.

  • Clark created a game called “Hit It” – Targets for Nerf Guns
  • George creating his game called “The Ultimate Maze”

Here’s Clark’s first creation:

Here’s the super cool video that inspired the weekend’s creativity:

March 1, 2020 By
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3 In 2020/ DIY/ Food/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Recipe

Easiest dinner idea your kids will love

Here’s an easy dinner idea – it’s not original but sometimes it’s nice to have a new idea for dinner!

Mini Pizzas!

I love this option because I just set out the ingredients and my kids MAKE THE DINNER themselves. They are less likely to complain about it because THEY MADE IT!!

Plus, they have so much fun creating their own pizza.

Luke loves LOTS of pepperoni.

Clark likes LOTS of cheese.

George is very precise and careful.

Paul can eat his weight in pizza.

Only 3 Ingredients required:

  1. Individual Naan Bread (or pita bread or bagels)
  2. Pizza sauce
  3. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Other optional ingredients:

  • Pepperoni slices,
  • Sliced Mushrooms,
  • Chopped peppers
  • Olives
  • Pesto
  • Jalapeños
  • Ingredients
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Bake for 5-6 minutes

Set whatever ingredients your family enjoys onto the table. Allow everyone to create their masterpiece and bake for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees.

Dinner is DONE! Enjoy!

Please subscribe so you don’t miss a post.

Click here for another post about FAMILY DINNER!

February 14, 2020 By
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3 In 2019/ Christmas/ DIY

Create a One-of-a Kind Christmas Gift

Here’s a fun and easy, one-of-of-a-kind gift to make with your kids!

What you need:

  • Ornaments
  • Plastic container
  • Nail polish or paint of various colors

What to do:

  • Fill a container with water
  • Pour various colors of paint on top of water
  • Dip ornament completely in water or swirl around water
  • Hang to dry
  • Hang on tree or place in box to give away!

Start with a plain white ornament.

Fill a small plastic container with water and pour paint inside. I purchased nail polish from the Dollar Store.

Dip ornament into paint/water and swirl around.

Hang to dry:

Place on tree or wrap for a gift!


Here is a how-to video I created for you!

You can use this technique with other items too – including SHOES! We found an old pair of converse and turned them into a one-of-a-kind MASTERPIECE! (Put tape over the parts you don’t want painted.)

  • Before
  • After
November 30, 2019 By
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