I take the girls to daycare everyday and spend hours hanging with my little man. Of course, he sleeps most of the day away, so what's a mom to do? Pinterest, you say? Goodness, I am thankful for such a fun, inspiring website to have been invented in time for my maternity leave!
Here are some fun projects I've done so far.
A chalkboard table. Brilliant idea. Paint a table in chalkboard paint, and the kiddos will have a hay day with it. I bought the Lack table from IKEA for less than $10, and bought a can of chalkboard paint from Lowe's. I did two coats of paint on the table. If you decide to do this, be sure to let it dry overnight before drawing on it. Mine sat for about 10 hours and the paint flaked off in a couple of areas when the girls started coloring on it. They do love it! Great for a rainy day when they can't color on the driveway.
Glow stick jars! This was a fun activity to do. My sister and niece came over one night, and we made these fun glow jars. I bought the containers at the dollar store (plastic tupperware-like containers) and bought a couple 2-packs of glow sticks there, too. You cut them open and poor them in the container, and shake it around. Be careful when you cut the glow sticks, though- the "juice" can fly across the room. Yes, my countertops were glowing at one point. They don't glow for very long, either, so enjoy the lights while you can.
Vinegar... the new 409? Apparently distilled white vinegar can be used to clean all kinds of appliances- microwaves, dishwashers, washing machines, etc. I tried using it to clean our microwave (see above- sorry there's no before picture. You would've been disgusted) and our washing machine. You heat vinegar and water in the microwave for 10 minutes, and then you're supposed to be able to simply wipe out any gunk. The washing machine is a little more complicated, so you can see the link if you're interested. I think it helped... for the washing machine, I could tell a little difference. The microwave was a big difference in the end, but I still had to scrub it out. So, I don't know if the microwave trick is any better than just using lysol wipes. But, the good news is- both are now officially clean. Yay!
Chalkboard paint again... this time, on a platter! The problem is, I have so little wall/counter space in my house that I don't have a great place to display it. This had to work, for now!
An earring holder! I have a jewelry box that I got years ago that I have used to store everything. However, there's not a good way to keep my earrings together. I did a spin on the pinterest idea. My mom had some old frames in her attic that she gave to me. This frame was a lovely brassy/gold color (think 1970s), and I painted it brown. Instead of using wire to hang the earrings on, I got some fun, torquoise blue ribbon. I don't have a ton of dangly earrings, so the ribbon seems to handle the weight pretty well.
This is pretty self-explanatory... just framed pictures of the person whose towel is below. I just thought it was a cute idea!
I have also been able to make a few yummy recipes found on Pinterest. No pictures for these- just critiques if you're interested in trying them.
Crockpot Salsa Chicken: http://www.semihomemademom.com/2012/02/slow-cooker-salsa-chicken.html
-If you like Mexican food, this will be a hit. And it's SO easy. You pop chicken breasts in the crockpot, along with salsa, cream of mushroom soup, and taco seasoning, cook on high for 4 hours... then, you shred the chicken (it's so tender, all it takes is using a fork) and add in sour cream. Serve on tortillas, and you are done!
Chicken Spinach Pasta Bake: http://www.savingmoneylivinglife.com/2010/06/chicken-spinach-pasta-bake.html
-Another one I would recommend! Very yummy. And, it makes a ton- it could have fed my family for 3 or 4 nights.
Crockpot Applesauce: http://mommymakesitbetter.blogspot.com/2012/04/crock-pot-applesauce.html#more
-This was good, and definitely tasted homemade... but, I think for all the effort and time, Motts Applesauce is a better deal.
Mexican Stuffed Shells: http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/ (You do have to search for it on this site. Or, you can google "Mexican Stuffed Shells" and find a similar recipe)
-One word. YUM! This has been my favorite recipe. A friend made this dinner for us after we had Parker, and we all loved it so much that I tried making it for myself. I made it one night that we had other friends over, and they loved it, too. A big hit!
**I'm going to be making some homemade Chicken n' Dumplings this week, I'll have to remember to update this with how well we liked it!
Besides Pinterest activities, I've done some other crafty things like making necklaces, making wreathes, scrapbooking, etc.
My mom's church makes wonderful Christmas decorations and sells them at a bazaar. Parker and I trekked up there one day to help assist, and I got to make a wreath!
Every night it is a fight as to who gets their hair and teeth brushed first. I'm talking, one child is smug while the other one is melting down on the floor. I made this handy little sign with a pin that goes next to the person's name who gets to go first both AM and PM. Then, it changes to the next child for the next day. So far, this has helped.
I have a few more activities up my sleeve, especially with Christmas coming up so soon! Only about 4 more weeks of maternity leave (sniff, sniff), so I need to get on it!
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