Family Fun

  • Be My Valentine: Red Velvet Heart Cupcakes

    Red Velvet Heart Cupcake ready to be baked!

    If you are looking for a fun Valentine’s cupcake I have one for you to check out.   I got this brilliant idea from Muses of Megret on how to make heart shaped cupcakes without buying a special pan!  By putting a small marble beside the cupcake liner it makes the cupcake form a heart shape while baking.  Love it! 🙂

    When the girls walked into the kitchen after school last week the first comment I heard wasn’t “Mmmm….the house smells good!”  It was “Were you playing with our toys while we were at school?!”  The first thing they noticed was that their marble and maze toy drawer was sitting on the kitchen counter.  After a little more investigation they realized that I had just kidnapped the marbles for a little bit.  They thought it was a pretty cool idea and were willing to let the marbles finish baking with the cupcakes (and get re-washed because I dribbled batter on a couple of them) before playing with their marble mazes.

    Red Velvet cake mix

    I decided to make a Red Velvet cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting.  Red is a popular Valentine’s Day color and shows up beautifully in the cupcake liners.  Although I have made red velvet cake from scratch (with beets instead of food coloring) in the past I decided this time to use the Red Velvet cake mix I already had in the pantry.  The batter turned out nice bright red as expected.  Preheat the oven as directed on the cake mix or per your recipe.

    Using a marble to make the cupcake turn into a heart shape

    Put cupcake liners in 30 muffin tins.  Typically most cake mixes only make 24 cupcakes, however, this batch made more cupcakes with marble taking up a small portion of each cupcake plus I only filled the cupcake liners halfway with cake batter.

    Heart shaped cupcakes with the help of a little marble

    Once you have you cupcake liners in the pan place a small marble between the pan and the cupcake liner.  The liners should resemble a heart shape.

    Pan full of red velvet hearts just waiting to be cooked

    Add cake batter to each of the cupcake liners.  NOTE:  Be careful not to overfill the cupcake liners, if the cupcake expands over the edge of the liner you’ll lose your heart shape.  I filled mine cupcake liners half full and all of them turned out well.

    Red velvet cupcakes cooling

    Place in the oven and bake.  Since most cake mixes give you a range of time (27 to 32 minutes) I set the timer for the earliest time and checked them.  Mine were ready when the timer first went off.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

    Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting and red sprinkles

    Frost cooled cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting (I had some in the pantry that I used).  Spread the frosting in a heart shape pattern and add a few red sprinkles to dress it up a little bit more.

    Red Velvet Heart Cupcakes

    Enjoy your Red Velvet Heart Cupcakes!  The girls had a blast helping “sprinkle” the cupcakes.  It was fun taking the cupcakes to a couple events and enjoying the leftovers for school and work lunches.  These would be great for a Valentine’s Party at work, school or just for fun!

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    Jake was traveling for work most of the week and I had a lot of appointments for myself and the girls but I was able to squeeze in a quick trip to the grocery store.  Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Ingles, Walgreens, and Save A Lot | RiteAid

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $37.14 at Ingles for 6 containers Fresh Strawberries (marked down to $0.99 on clearance), 3 bags Fresh Oranges (4 pounds each marked down to $0.99 each), 3 limes, 1 box Roarin Twirling Berry Drinks (10 count), 1 box Roarin Twirling Fruit Punch (10 count), 1 box Laura Lynn Oatmeal, 5 packs Kool Aide, 2 packs Wylers, 4 cartons Minute Maid Cherry Limeades, 2 boxes Go-Gurt Strawberry and Blueberry (10 count each), 1 pack Laura Lynn Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 1 pack English Muffins, 1 large bag Pepperoni, 1 pack Potatoes, 1 small pack Pepperoni and 1 fresh Pineapple.  (All the items were on clearance, marked down or on sale.  I was able to use a couple coupons as well.)

    Walgreen Groceries:

    • $0.00 at Walgreens for 2 cartons of Eggs, a dozen each.  (Used Register Rewards to pay for the eggs).

    Save A Lot | RiteAid Groceries:

    • 20.49 at Save A Lot | RiteAid for 1 bag Granny Smith Apples (3 pounds), 1 bag Red Delicious Apples (3 pounds), 2 bags Carrots, 2 packs KoolAid Drinks (6 count each), 2 bags Cheddar Chex Mix, 1 bag Fresh Spinach (marked down on clearance), 1 fresh Green Pepper, 1 box Frosted Flakes, 1 stalk fresh Celery, 1 can Cinnamon Rolls, 1 box Little Hugs Reduced Sugar Drinks (20 count), and 1 fresh Cucumber

     

    Groceries from Walgreens

    Walgreens Groceries:

    • $0.00 at Walgreens for 1 gallon Milk and 2 cartons of Eggs (They had their eggs marked down to $0.99 each this week and they are still the best price I can find on milk in our area. I used Register Rewards to pay for the milk and eggs today.  We should be stocked up on eggs for a few days.)

    We were able to stock up on some great items this week.  Although we were a  little over we have two celebrations going on this weekend.  The girls Birthday party and Valentine’s Day!

    This week I spent $57.63 on groceries.  I was over on my budgeted amount for the week because of the busy week with traveling, appointments, and upcoming celebrations so thankfully I have a little extra to cover the groceries this week.  I was happy to find fresh eggs and great produce on sale that we can use for several meals.  I hope that next week is better week, back to normal, and we can come under budget!

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • Recipe: Fresh Garden Salsa

    Fresh yellow and red tomatoes from our garden

    As I was thinking about the upcoming Spring season I realized that it is almost time to start planning for the 2012 garden.  Yikes!  There are so many big events going on with our family between now and garden season, however, I don’t want to wait until the last minute to start planning either.

    I absolutely LOVED having a garden last year.  It was fun to grow, eat, and giveaway the food we had planted in the garden.    Recently, I took a few minutes to go back over my notes, photos, and information from last year’s garden to see which produce did well and what our family ate. During that time I came across my Fresh Garden Salsa recipe and pictures from when I made it in the Fall.   Just looking at the fresh vegetables got me excited about this upcoming year.  I hope the garden does well again because it was a blast giving away produce to family and friends!

    This recipe was created out of the items we had in the fridge and pantry at the time so feel free to alter it to match what you have in your kitchen as well.  My family enjoyed this recipe and ate it but cutting up the fresh vegetables did take a little more time than I originally planned.  The girls pitched in and helped so it made it a fun family event.

    Fresh Garden Salsa:

    • 4 cups fresh Tomatoes (used yellow & red tomatoes)
    • 2 cups fresh Peppers (used red & green peppers)
    • 1/2 cup Banana Peppers
    • 1 small Sweet Yellow Onion
    • 2 cloves of Garlic
    • 2 Jalapeno Peppers
    • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    • 1 freshly squeezed Lemon (or Lime)
    • 1 can Corn
    • 1 can Black Beans

    Wash and dice up all the fresh vegetables.  Mix all the ingredients together and blend lightly.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or more (to allow the flavor to blend together) and serve with any type of corn chip.  If you would like a spicier salsa you can add additional jalapeno peppers or hot sauce to the salsa.

    Fresh Green and Red Peppers from our garden

    Fresh Banana Peppers from our garden

    Mixing up some fresh salsa

    Salsa is ready….now do we have any chips!?

  • Be My Valentine: Sweetheart Strawberry Smoothie

    Sweetheart Strawberry Smoothie

    Last week I picked up some fresh strawberries on clearance at Ingles.  As soon as the girls saw the strawberries they wanted to know if I would make them a smoothie.  This past weekend while they were playing together I decided it was time to make they smoothie for them.  I came up with this recipe using ingredients we had on hand.

    As an extra treat I put freshly cut strawberries around the smoothie on a plate.  I cut the stems off the strawberries in a “v” pattern making the strawberries look like little hearts.

    Sweetheart Strawberry Smoothie:

    • 5 Strawberries (fresh or frozen0
    • 1/4 cup Raspberries
    • 1/4 cup Cranberries
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 1/2 cup Ice
    • Extra Strawberries for garnish
    • Cool Whip for garnish

    The girls loved the fresh “heart” strawberries and their smoothies.  I super excited that they willingly ate some fresh cranberries and raspberries which were in their smoothies.   The more healthy fruits, vegetables, and nutritional goodies I get into the kiddos the better.  They love smoothie treats just as much as I do! 🙂

    Strawberry Smoothie with Cool Whip and a Straw!  The girls LOVED it!

  • Be My Valentine: Sweetheart Sandwich

    Valentine Heart Sandwich for the Brina’s lunch box

    It is a lot of fun putting in something different into the girls lunch box.  Around the Holidays and whenever I get the urge I do a special surprise in their lunch boxes.  I typically do at least one special lunch box note or shape or treat a week, occasionally they get a few extras squeezed in when I have the time and creative juices flowing.  In honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day Holiday I put a heart PB&J sandwich in their lunches.

    It an easy way to show the girls that I am thinking about them and care, plus they had a blast showing off their heart sandwich at lunch time to their friends!  The majority of evenings if we have time I have the girls at least start putting together their lunches.  Many nights they make the PB&J sandwiches themselves.  Yes, they are messier and probably use more peanut butter and jelly but they enjoy pitching in and helping put together their lunches.  Also, lunch making  time gives us a few extra minutes of productivity and socializing together in the kitchen.  Sometimes after they finish their lunches I will sneak in a note or something special other times I am making the lunches so I will add a special Momma’s touch.

    All you have to do for this simple treat is make your peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Use a cookie cutter to make the shape you want.  Put it in a container or sandwich bag and it is ready for them to discover the next day at lunch.

    Heart shaped cookie cutter that I used for their PB&J sandwiches!

    Karlie’s sweetheart surprise sandwich!

  • Family Fun: Getting a Little Fresh Air

    Brina swinging on the jungle gym

    One of the best parts about the warm sunny days when they hit in the middle of winter is the family can go outside and get some fresh air.  Since it is the season of colds and sickness the fresh air is wonderful for everyone.  We try to let the girls get some play time outside when the weather permits and we even join in on the fun.  Whether it is pushing one of the girls on the swings or playing catch it is important that we spend some time relaxing together.

    Karlie playing catch with Daddy

    Thankful for the warm and sunny days in South Carolina as well as the opportunity to spend some extra time with my family! 🙂

  • Be My Valentine: “Sweet” Treats

    “Thanks for always rooting for me!” (IBC Root Beer) and “Thanks for always being our ‘sweet’ girl!”

    Every once in awhile when the girls and Jake are gone or busy with something else I will pull together a surprise.  I am thankful for my family and blessed with a wonderful husband and two sweet girls.  Life is not always “perfect” but it is fun.

    Spending a few minutes to show appreciation to my husband or my kids is worth every minute I invest.  The best part is I do it at random times when they are not around so it truly is a surprise.  This gift was originally given to Jake and the girls on Thanksgiving Day but it can be applied very easily to Valentine’s Day celebrations as well.

    If you are looking for something easy yet sweet to do this Valentine’s Day this was one that my family enjoyed.  After putting together your gift I challenge you to go one step further make a commitment to continue being a blessing to the ones you love by surprising them with a sweet note, treat, or something special throughout the rest of the year.  Try to make it part of your routine whether it is once a week, every other week or once a month.  Showing your care makes an impact on the lives of others.

    I came up with the sayings for the girls heart “love” notes – Thanks for always being our “sweet” Brina (or Karlie)! Love, Mom and Dad  The cute “pop” love note is from Darling Doodles.    She has a template you can print out if your interested in doing something similar for your spouse!

  • Fresh & Healthy: Lunch Box Meals

    Encouraging our kids to eat healthy lunches

    The best part about making lunch for your kids to take to school or for your husband to take to work is you know exactly what they are eating each day.  There were a few days when the girls would come home from school hungry and cranky, after asking them what they had for lunch I would occassionally get the answer……”yogurt”.  My girls really do like yogurt, unfortunately it is not the most filling nutrition to help you get through the rest of the school day.  Which is just one of the reasons we decided to start making the girls lunches this year.

    Here’s what they have in their lunch boxes:

    • PB&J Sandwich
    • Freshly Sliced Plums
    • Lime or Raspberry Jello (sugar free)
    • Freshly Sliced Summer Squash & Cucumbers
    • Yogurt Cup or Stick
    • Freshly Made Banana Bread
    • Snack – Bag of Peanuts or Biscotti
    • Drink – Gatorade or Reduced Sugar Juice

    After Halloween I picked up the “candy corn” baggies which the girls love!  I was able to get 100 candy corn baggies for $0.25 cents on clearance.  The girls smile when I put in a “fun” bag and it helps me stretch the budget so it’s a win-win for the family!

     

  • Be My Valentine: You Make My Heart “Pop” Valentine!

    Make My Heart “Pop” Lollipop!

    (Use one lollipop or a bucket full of lollipops)

    As I was thinking about ways to show love to my family over the Valentine’s Holiday I came across a picture I took recently of a gift I did for some friends and the idea hit me.  Why not a fun phrase for Valentine’s Day lollipops that I picked at Staples marked down on clearance and with a coupon.  That’s when I came up with the phrase….”You Make My Heart ‘Pop’ Lollipop!”

    This would be a fun one to put together the night before Valentines Day and have sitting out on the table for your kids for breakfast or to take to your spouse at work or have your kids take to share with their classmates.  Here’s what I did:

    • Red Metal Bucket
    • Green Shredded Paper
    • Lollipops

    Fill the bucket up with the shredded paper and add the lollipops!  You can add a saying like “You Make My Heart Pop Valentine” or “You Make My Heart Pop Lollipop” or something along those lines.

    I already had the bucket from a previous event, the green shredded paper was in my gift giving basket, and I bought the lollipops on clearance with coupon so the entire gift didn’t cost me anything but time.  You could do this with other lollipops as well (see below).

    Bucket full of lollipops to share!

     

  • Be My Valentine: “Bulls Eye Heart” Cookies

    Bulls Eye Heart Valentine’s Day Cookies

    You can use any cookie recipe you want to make these fun cookies.  We did a sugar cookie base, but chocolate chip would work great too.  The best part is you make your favorite cookie recipe and add frosting in the shape of a heart to make it special.  You could even do store bought cookies and add the frosting  to make it even easier if your tight on time! 🙂

    Our family likes picking up the writing frosting that sets up after a few minutes so you can stack the cookies without them sticking together.  The two brands we have used most often are Betty Crocker Writing Icing and Wilton Icing Writer (see picture below).  You can often find them for $0.99 (or less) for a box of 4 colors at Bargain Foods if you are in Upstate, South Carolina area or a couple dollars at Walmart or your local grocery store.  I have found that these tubes of frosting are easier for the girls to use as well.  Plus since you are not icing the entire cookie they get less frosting which means less sugar!