Olive Garden Chicken Pot Pie Copycat Recipe

     I have come to realize that having 2 blogs is hard, especially this week because I have been working on my spring cleaning inside & outside my home. The funny thing is I feel the need to have 3 blogs, one for my life kids and crafts, one for my cloth diaper blog, and one for my recipes and cooking tips. Honestly I do not know where this urge comes from, maybe it is because right now everything in my life seems to be coming in three's. 3 kids, 3 dogs, 3 bucks to my name........ Oh well I will probably not make another blog but then again who knows I'm crazy like that! Today there is one thing I do know for certain though, my first ever copy cat recipe is the bomb diggity and I am so excited it turned out so well and I can share it with you! 

     So my husband and I did something very naughty and we had Olive Garden twice in one week. Yes I said twice, I do not know what came over us, all I know is that I was ashamed of myself and the way I was treating my poor wallet. I also broke our rule of going out to eat once a month, a rule that seems to be harder to follow now that we officially declared it, it seems like everyone wants to put out all their new menu items at the same time and its become a pain in the Heineken to resist! Anywho this pot pie at Olive Garden caught my husbands eye because he loves chicken alfredo and since I apparently am always on him about branching out and trying something new he thought this would do. needless to say he loved it and I tried a bite and I loved it! Later that week when we went out to do our Easter shopping for the kids we decided that would be a great choice for dinner and we both got the pot pie, then that is when the guilt set in and I knew something had to be done, or we'd half to get jobs at Olive Garden to supply our new addiction. So when I sat down to do our meal plan for the week I decided to take on the task of recreating this meal. It went off without a hitch and the best part is for the price of one dish of this at Olive Garden you can feed yourself, your family, and then have left overs. 

Ingredients

• Chicken Breast 
• Broccoli Florets 
• Rotini Noodles (or any type of spiral/curly noodles) 
• Pie Crust 
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder 
• Butter 
• Cream Cheese
• Half & Half 
• Heavy Cream 
• Grated Parmesan

   Pre-heat oven to 375.  Salting some water in a pot and bring it to a boil, then add your bag of broccoli florets and let cook through, drain off water and set aside. Take your chicken breast and cut into diced pieces, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add this to a hot skillet with butter (or olive oil) saute and then add to broccoli. Now bring salted water in another pot to boil and add noodles, while they are cooking start preparing your crust. Roll out the first piece and lay in your pot, I used a casserole dish so I had to shape mine to fit a bit, you can also use a large pie pan. Now go back to your noodles they should be done, drain them and mix them with the chicken and broccoli. Grabbing the same pan you cooked the chicken in set your burner to medium high heat and melt 4 tablespoons of butter, add in 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, 3/4 C half and half, 3/4 C heavy whipping cream, and a sprinkle of pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder Whisk together and then add 1 C of grated Parmesan cheese. This must be freshly grated OR come grated in a package, please make sure to use REAL parmesan cheese, the "parmesan" in the green cap container will NOT work. Whisk these together until everything is melted and then toss with broccoli, chicken, and noodles. Add this to your pie crust and then top with the second pie crust, Brush the top with melted butter and a pinch of garlic powder, cut some small slits into the top of the crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the inside is bubbly. Then enjoy the amazing-ness of this dish!

     Its wonderful its delicious, it will save you money, and its pretty quick to whip up! I promise you this taste the EXACT same as the one we got at Olive Garden. I dare you to try the one at Olive Garden and then this recipe, you will be so amazed! Happy Cooking!
 

Stop the Shaming and Start Supporting!

   

      Too often I see moms getting shamed for their decision in their parenting, whether it be public breastfeeding, formula feeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, letting them cry it out, the list goes on and on. I like to think that most of these "well wishers" are giving their opinions out of the goodness of their heart and not out of being harsh or judge-y but I will never know for sure.  I have personally been a victim of this I have also seen friends family and strangers go through it and I am sick of it. If you have read either of my blogs or you're my friend you already know that I absolutely HATE mom shaming, and today I am going to lay it all on the table. What an amazing world this would be if we would unite together in support, think of all the things that we would accomplish, to me support breeds positive energy and shaming breeds negativity, its really not that difficult to understand just think about it, have you ever felt good when someone has shamed you? You most likely didn't want to do it again, but what about when you were praised for something, I would say that you persevered and tried harder in that aspect to make yourself even better.

     About a month ago I was talking to a mom at my daughters dance school, she had noticed that I would drop my daughter off and then return about half an hour later, which usually moms who have their daughters in class stay gone till the end or do not leave at all, when I explained to her that I exclusively pumped for my daughter she kind of chuckled  but then when she realized I was being serious replied back with, "Why would you waste your time, isn't formula so much easier?"  Whether she realized it or not that simple question hit me in the gut at full force. If you have exclusive pumped for your children, not matter what length of time, you know the stress, time, love, and mental exhaustion that goes into it. Yes I know how much easier it is to do formula when my first daughter was 6 months old I lost my supply due to sickness and it was a debilitating blow, I worked hard for my supply and I worked even harder to get my daughter what I thought was the best nutrition for her at the time. 

     I have another friend who is a single parent, she has pretty much zero support and she made the decision to sleep train, she did this so she could do her homework at night, so she could better herself for her child and their future life. You have no idea how many times I have heard "Why are you being so cruel to him? Just pick him up let him sleep with you." Do you not think she knows this already? It killed her every-time she heard her son cry, she would much rather have picked him up and snuggled him but she also knew if she didn't get her school work done then they would live in poverty and a dead end life forever. He was never in danger he got nighttime snuggles and love before bed, he had his lovey and a nightlight and his door was always cracked so he wasn't isolated. 

     Moms and Dads, ladies and gentlemen, we are all human, God made us all wonderfully different and we have our own opinions and free-will which is something special that he gave to us, but sometimes we forget that it is not our place to judge and instead of giving support and love like we should and were made to do, we spew coldness and judgement. You are you and no one else, you will never know the pain one mom feels or the shame she gets from public whispers and watching eyes, not everyone can be iron strong and smile and shake it off, some moms can get used to it but others cannot. Instead of giving another mom or dad your opinion on the way they are parenting how about giving them a pat on the back, or a smile and nod of approval, or what I love the most is "Wow what your doing is hard, great work".   Before you speak, put yourself in their shoes, and ask yourself "is it physically hurting that child?" More often times than not the answer is no, no they are not hurting their child in fact they are doing their best to do the opposite. 

     To moms and dads who are struggling with parenting decisions in your life, I say find yourself a good support group, meeting up with other parents in your area who share the same style of parenting you do is a great thing. There is also groups on Facebook you can join, and then you never have to worry about getting there on time or finding a way or gas money to get there. I also say your doing a great job, and don't let other people bully you or push you around.  If you see another parent being bullied or shamed (unintentional or not) let them know that their decision is great and they are doing a good job, I guarantee you it will take away those feelings of doubt and anxiousness the previous person just planted in them.  I am sure every parent has been a victim of mom or dad shaming I say that with certainty, there is always going to be someone in the store, at the park, or the doctors office who wants to give you their opinion, sometimes they can even be in your own family. As hard as it is just brush it off, take it with a grain of salt, find your support buddy (I have several!) and vent it out to them. It takes a village to raise a child, but it cannot be done unless that village sends out love.  

     If you have any questions, or are feeling alone in your decision send me an email or leave me a comment. I love to listen and help out I can also probably send you in the direction for a good Facebook support group! Your doing great, keep it up! 

Coffee Snow Cream

     So the snow is finally starting to melt away and now I think I am going to cry, yes I said cry. Most people in and around my area would be coming after me with a straight jacket to put me into a mental institution, but I have a very valid reason as to why I want the snow to stay and that is Free Frappes! Yes people I said FREE FRAPPES! Free as in nothing nada zilch and Frappe as in the wonderful frozen coffee drink you get at Mcdonalds. So if your a huge frozen coffee enthusiast like me you are probably wondering how I am getting all these free drinks and that is why I said I am going to miss the snow.  So the day after it started snowing really heavy here my bestie sent me a recipe for frappuccino snow creme, I was already on my way to getting my regular snow creme recipe ingredients out for the kids (which can be found here sweet snow creme recipe) so of course I was ready to try this for myself, the only problem was I was missing several ingredients, snowed in, and just about all of the stores near me were shut down.  I was crushed and having a craving so I did what I do best...I improvised and let me tell you girls and boys I'm not sure how the original recipe taste but mine is the bomb diggity.

      Ingredients

• 8 C snow
• 2 oz coffee 
• 1/2 C milk 
• 1/2 C sugar

              Make yourself a cup of coffee and let it cool. I use my keurig on the 4oz "strong" setting I then half it and set one half in a coffee cup on the counter to cool and the other in a little salad dressing container in the fridge so I can use it for the next batch.  After you coffee has cooled head outside and get your snow, In a mixing bowl pour the coffee in first and then add the snow on top of that, with a whisk mix together, then add milk, and finally your sugar. Add a straw or drink it straight from the glass and get instant gratification! Now that is the super simple version if you want to jazz it up and make a oh lets say chocolate chip frappe (favorite) add in some teeny tiny chocolate chips or chocolate shavings. You can then add your whipped creme, chocolate or caramel syrup and you will have a drink that will forever make you miss the snowfall. Now I know a lot of you are saying "Ew yuck snow pollution" To that I ask, do you eat Mcdonalds or any other fast food? Do you drink pop? People do you really think that that stuff is safe and good for you? I will admit I like a good burger and fries from Burger King and yes I know it is not the healthiest thing but that is also why we should use restraint and moderation and I promise you a little bit of snow is not going to hurt you....unless you use the yellow snow, stay away from it. I hope you enjoy the delicious goodness while you can because before we know it the snow will be gone and it will be spring again!              

By the way I own no rights to the Mcdonalds franchise (I wish) 

She's Not Suffocating

There are 2 kinds of people in this world that you will run into while baby wearing 

1. Wow I bet that helps you keep your hands free (usually older people)
2. *whispers behind back while looking on in disgust* Oh my gosh she  is suffocating that baby!

     People let me tell you something I am not suffocating my baby and I am oh so tired of the judging that goes on. Mom shaming is enough to deal with but now we have to deal with people who don't have children but think they wrote the book on parenting, and let me tell you I am so tired of that. Look I get it your young, you want to be a mom one day (or dad) your in college and have been taking some sociology classes and psychology classes so you think you know it all about babies/children. Let me be the first to tell you your wrong.  I wish I had $1 for every-time a person who is childless gives me advice or tells me I'm doing something wrong because they read it in a book or saw it in a magazine. While I have nothing against parenting books or magazines there is no manual that tells you how to raise a child. this is something that you have to experience and learn on your own. Now I know the sight of a baby in a sling can be a little surprising to someone the first time they see it and it does make it easy to judge but that doesn't mean you should. Rhiannon likes to sleep with her head on my chest and her face snuggled under the fabric, she is what I call a blanket baby and likes to be cuddled under a blanket when she sleeps so the "strap" part of my wrap is the next best thing for her. This does not mean she cannot breath and/or is suffocating, in fact she is probably getting better air flow, because its open on both sides of the straps. If you stand eye level with my chest you can see straight through to the other side, so even though the fabric runs down the side of her cheek she is still getting air (and NOT suffocating). Now I am not saying that asphyxiation is impossible there are safety measures that need to be taken just like everything else you should do with infants and children but that is also why you should always read the instructions, watch the manufacturers instructional videos, talk to experienced baby-wearing moms, and just plain educate yourself (NOT SUFFOCATING!)! Sorry had to get that out  😂


     So now that you know my baby and others are NOT suffocating here is why I love it!  Baby wearing is great, I recommend it to any new moms and also moms with multiple children who are younger. It frees up your hands so you can shop, clean, etc. It gives your baby a sense of security, and who doesn't love snuggling close to their little ones? When they get a little bigger its a great bonding experience they can see your face and watch how your mouth works and they are on your eye level, and then when they start hitting the toddler stage it keeps them right with you, no chasing them around and worrying! There are so many different options to baby wearing too! You have your wraps, slings, and basic carries! I have one of each! I love the moby wrap for babies, then step up to a lille baby when they hit about 6 months old and finally a peanut shell sling when they are older toddlers. The lille baby can be used when they are toddlers as well, and you certainly don't need to buy one of each to carry, I just have one of each from having 3 kids and I like switching between the 3 at certain age ranges because they work best for different age ranges IMO. 

     So ladies and mommies before you are quick to judge a women's parenting choices regardless of whether you think they are right or not remember you are 1. Not the childs parent and 2. You shouldn't make an assumption we all know what that word means when split up ;)

All pictures are property of 

Moby Wrap 

Lillebaby 

PeanutShell 

The truth about exclusive pumping

     Tray-vor tray-vor tray-vor.....this is a sound that I wouldn't mind never hearing again, to me it sounds like the name of an annoying caveman, kind of like that annoying friend you have that you wish you could get rid of but at the same time you wouldn't know what to do without it because that friend is constantly helping you. Yes I am talking about my breast pump and I hate it almost as much as I love it. There is some things that people will tell you when it comes to pumping, they will tell you that first of all its not possible and you won't be able to maintain a supply, and second that its not the same as actually breastfeeding. I hate both of these, and they both are not true, what they should say is that unless you are on a rigorous schedule your supply wont last, and no its not exactly the same as actually breastfeeding but the point is you are feeding your baby and giving them the best nutrition there is to offer.
     Pumping is mentally draining and it can and will take a toll on you. I told myself that I would pump but also offer my breast to Rhiannon and within a couple weeks she would rather nurse than drink a bottle, but this didn't happen. One day she nursed and I was ecstatic I called my husband told him to bury the pump and the bottles and break out the sparkling grape juice we were going to party, but when I got home and went to nurse her again she couldn't latch and I broke down in tears and beat myself up way more than I should have. Thankfully my husband came to the rescue and I was able to compose myself and start pumping again.
     I do not live a normal life, I cannot just pack a bag grab my kids and go out, I cannot clean my house as quickly or efficently as I once used to do. If I do go out in public I have to puck up my pump and all the parts, pieces, and other accessories that take up a ton of space. I also have to plan my whole trip out and make sure that there is a place I can pump. While I sometimes feel isolated I know that I am giving Rhiannon the best that she can get, I also know that a year really isn't that long and one day I will give anything for her to be a baby again and to sit every 2-3 hours and pump for 20 minutes each session and just be able to look at her smiling face while I pump or see the peace that comes over her face at bedtime when I lay her down and she hears the whir of the pump.
     So here I am today sitting in the floor listening to my pump wanting to smash it with a hammer, but then I look to the left of the pump and I see my baby girl smiling at me, cooing and babbling. She loves that pump so much, and it makes me love it as well. So I will let you make the decision for yourself, this is a decision that is not to be made lightly though, its emotional, time consuming, and life changing but it also has amazing rewards and you can do it and know that you are giving your baby the best they can get. Always remember that no matter which decision you make it will be the best for your baby because only you as a mother can decide what is best for your own child. Don't let anyone bully you into any certain direction, and always know that you are a good mom. 

Cheeseburger Soup

     Are you one of the many states that has been hit by all the snow? Are you longing for summer? Do you miss those wonderful cheeseburgers made on a charcoal grill out in the park? Well your in luck my friend! No sadly I cannot bring back the sun or the summertime fun, but I can give you a little taste of it in your kitchen for your family to enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1lb hamburger
• cheddar cheese
• can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• mozerella cheese (optional)
• chopped bacon or bacon bits (optional)
• pinch of chili powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic 
• small can evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 tblsp. flour
• 3 cups chicken stock (divided) 
• 3 potatoes

     Place your pot on stove burner and warm over medium-high heat. Add your hamburger and dice or grate garlic and add a pinch of salt (optional) Stir and cook until hamburger is no longer pink, then drain. While hamburger is draining place your pot back onto the stove and add your flour & 1/2 C of chicken broth, whisk together. When mixed add your cheese (2 C cheddar OR 1 C cheddar 1 C Mozerella) and whisk, when cheese is slightly melted add in the rest of the chicken broth, evaporated milk, tomatoes, chopped bacon, salt, pepper, chili powder and drained hamburger. Turn heat to low and stir occasionally. Wash, peel, and dice your potatoes (this is my soup version of the french fry!) add them to your soup turn heat up slightly and cook until potatoes are tender, making sure to stir here and there. 

     I have been making this soup of the past couple of months and I have finally tweaked it until it gives me a feeling of summertime on my insides ~sigh~ I am also proud to say this is my own original recipe , I am usually and epic fail at making my own but this turned out really good with a couple of test runs and my family as guinea pigs willing participants. I really hope you enjoy it and it puts a little summer into the rest of your winter!

~Birthday Week~ Put it all together!

     You have done the hard work, you have baked your little hero's cake, wrapped the presents, made the decorations, and bought all the supplies and food and have done it all for under $100 and possibly even less! Then all the sudden shear panic sets in, How are you going to set everything up??? If your doing it at a facility you usually only get to rent it for a certain amount of time and do not have time to decide what goes where before family and friends arrive. Take a deep breath super mom's you got this, it is not a big problem! A few days before the party (or when you rent the facility) go and look and see what all tables they offer, then go home and make a little layout on a piece of paper, place all the tables where they need to go, and where you want certain decorations, and the food. Then take it with you on the day of the party and have your husband, or family to help you set up. Its a piece of cake!

     I really hope your next party goes great and you save some major doe while doing it! You have been seeing bits and pieces of my sons party through the week, and now you can see it all put together! Here is some pictures for you to look at and maybe even get some ideas for your next little hero's party! Have a super day! 

~Birthday Week~ Decorations & Supplies

     Let's talk about party decorations! Decorations can make or break your party, this includes breaking your wallet, and making the look of your party so so. As always there are a few rules I follow to help keep myself on track and budget. First make sure you keep your supplies such as plates, forks, and napkins simple, I know it is tempting when you are on Birthday supply websites and you see awesome theme plates that go with what your little one or yourself has chosen, but I promise you if you just go with a good color palate relate-able to your theme (blue and white for Cinderella, red and blue for superman) your wallet will thank you.

     Next when it comes to your centerpieces and other decorations you need to (all together class) Make them yourself! Honestly friends it is not that hard, and most of the time it is not too time consuming either. Pick something simple. Simple can really go a long way and can really make a beautiful party. Take for instance my centerpieces I made for my son's party, I already had the vases from a previous party (re-use!) and all I did was take two .98c bags of tissue paper mix them together and placed them in the vase, then I took a roll of $1 ribbon and hot glued it the bottom piece to the top, that way I can take scissors later and remove it and then the vase will be plain again. Now with the word re-use fresh on our minds we will move to my 3rd tip! Use things you have around the house if it pertain to your theme, my son's party was a smash bash and since he loves the Hulk he had several action figures and toys we used. 

     Here is the last tip I will leave you with, I have been seeing a lot of the water bottle wrappers, and other downloadable items you can buy off of Etsy and they can be really cute but they can also be really expensive. You CAN make these, you do not need a fancy photo editor or anything like that. All you need is an image you like, picmonkey.com and microsoft word. Make your image on picmonkey you can upload any photo and then use their text tool, then save. Then if your doing a water bottle label open up microsoft and use their drawing tool to make a straight line a little ways down the page making boxes. Add your image and then print and cut out to make sure the sizing is right. Buy a case of Great Value water from walmart and then tape them bad boys on there! 

     So you see, you do not have to rack your brain, and drain your bank account to give your children a beautiful party, or your friend a great baby shower and so on with your other parties and get togethers, all you need is a little patience, some great ideas from pinterest, and even some things from your house you already have ;)

     

~Birthday Week~ Food

     Thanks to the wonderful Hour and a half p90x yoga that was on my schedule yesterday and doing alittle packing I was unable to do a post, but have no fear I will still be able to cover all the basics money saving tips for birthday parties! Today I want to talk about food, because if you have a family like mine food is all important! Food can also be the easiest or the hardest thing to do at your party. There is 2 ways you can do food at a party, you can have basic party food that everyone loves OR you can theme your food to your party.  For example at my daughters birthday last year we did Pink Poodles in Paris, and we had it done like a little bistro with finger sandwiches, fruit, and lots of sweets

No matter which direction you go with the food themed or non there is always a couple rules I follow. 1. Always make it yourself instead of buying it Ex. cupcakes, the cake, brownies, fruit trays or salads etc. I do not mean make 12 pizzas if that is the main food you will be feeding people, or do homemade nugget trays, you can if you want but I opt out. 2. Ask family members if they would like to make or buy anything, usually if it is a grandparent they are more than obliged to help out. 3. Do not go overboard!!! I always like to do a big item (pizza, nugget trays, sandwiches, sub, etc.) Pretzels or chips, fruit, and then a dessert, this might even sound like too much for the party you are doing but that leads us to my next rule 4. Plan your food to the time & style on your event ex. tea-party theme before or after lunch (tea-sandwiches, little cookies) casual any time of the day (pizza & chips). I always have my parties at lunch time, so that is why I serve as much as I do. 

     So that is the basics I use when I am getting my food ready for my parties its a simple yet complex thing, as always I love comments and emails so if you need to know anything more in depth please let me know! 

~Birthday Week~ Easy & Affordable Party Favors & Flubber Tutorial

   


     So it is Day 2 of my Birthday Party on a budget and today we are talking about party favors. You always want to make sure your little hero's friends go home with something, especially since they were kind enough to bring a gift and to come and spend some time with your hero's. Sometimes party favors can get expensive and if your child is old enough and wants to help you plan sometimes their ideas and wants for favors can add up and get a little over budget. Have no fear though, you can do a really awesome party favor bag and spend minimal money.

How to Save 

1. Make your own favors, you get more for less and your little hero's can help you make it and when they give it to their friends it will make them feel good to know the gift is really coming from them.There is a million things you can make, and with Pinterest the possibilities are endless. 
2. The dollar store is your friend, you can find hundreds of things for $1 and most of the time get them in bulk. 
3. Buy plain, what do I mean by that you ask? Instead of buying theme items from party stores go to Walmart and get their .97c table cloths and other party supplies in your theme color(s). You can get solid color bags from Walmart 3/.50c If your having a party for a small group you can also get really cool theme cups from Walmart for .88c like the one I have pictured at the top of the page.

     So now that you have some of my tips for buying party favor items lets look at the party favor cups I made for my son and how to make some slime/flubber to put in your next birthday party favor bag 

     My favors include homemade flubber/slime, 3 crayons, a magic towel, and gummies. I bought a 50 pack of crayons from the dollar store and took out all the good colors and divided them equally into the cups, I then had my daughter help me make the gak/flubber and put them in little storage containers I got at the dollar store 10/$1. They were having a blowout at our dollar store and I got the magic bath towels 3/$1 and then I went and bought a box of superhero gummies at Walmart for $2. The most expensive thing in my favors were the cups and they were .88c a piece, but I had saved so much with y other supplies I had the money to spare. It cost me around $2 a child to make the favor cups, not bad, If I would have followed my own rule and bought the solid bags I would have spent $1! So you see you can do awesome favors for really cheap and make them look like you spent a million bucks!

Gak/flubber/slime 

• Box of Borax
• 8oz glue (2 pack of 4oz at dollar store works awesome!) 
• Small containers for gak (10/$1 at dollar store) 
• 1/2C warm water
• food coloring 

1. Add glue into a mixing bowl, then fill empty glue bottles with warm water, place top back on, shake and then add to glue.
2. Add 15-20 drops of your choice color food coloring and mix.
3. Take half a cup warm water and add 1 tsp. of borax mix and then add to glue mix. Mix with spoon until stringy then use hands to mix. It will take about 3 minutes for gak to form.
   
4. Portion out your gak/slime into your container and then add the lid
5. Label your container with whatever you want to call it. I used a sharpie marker and wrote directly on the container, you can also buy the sticker labels from the dollar store and make a peel and stick label.
6. Assemble it into your favor bag and your done! 

     I hope this tutorial gave you some good ideas on how to save a little money on your favors, while also making it look like you didn't scimp on them. Stay tuned for the rest of the week and get more money saving tutorials and ideas! If you have any questions feel free to leave me a comment or send me an email! 

~Birthday Week~ Birthday Shirt

     Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone is staying warm, especially if you are being hit by these mini blizzards! In a week my son will be turning 2 =( I cannot believe it, time has gone by quickly with my daughter but with him it seems like it has been put into super speed! Moving has still been put on hold because this week will be very busy for me as I do everything for my children's parties, so I thought that this would be a great time to do a weeks worth of planning a birthday party on a budget but making it look like you spent a TON of money on it. I always get compliments from people at the parties and showers I do, asking me how much things cost, and how I did it.

     Today we will start off with one of the most important things your birthday boy/girl needs, and that is a birthday outfit! Now you can always go online and get something and pay a ton of money for it, or you could do it yourself and get exactly what you want! There is several ways you can make a birthday outfit, you can go to Walmart or and craft store and get iron on printer paper make an image on your computer and then iron it on to your shirt OR you can do appliques. There is a lot of custom made shirts on Etsy and they of course usually cost an arm and a leg so here is a simple way you can make yours.

Supplies and Tutorial 

• Felt
• t-shirt
• scissors
• sewing machine
• coordinating thread

1. Find an image of your birthday theme, my son is having a hulk party, I found a picture on google and I free handed it on paper, you can also print out the image if you feel you lack artistic skills. I think took another paper and make a pattern by only copying certain parts like the head without the hair, pants, etc. 
2. Cut out your pattern and pin it to your felt then cut. 
3. Place your felt pieces together like you want them on the shirt, you will most likely have to cut and make adjustments to certain pieces so they will go together properly.
4. Pin your item to your shirt and then sew together. When you come to the edge of your felt and need to tun place your needle down, left your foot up, turn your shirt in the direction you need to sew, and then place the foot back down and continue sewing. 
   
5. Continue doing this on all pieces until you have finished. Certain parts were harder than others to sew around the edges sew I sew straight across, and the eyes I hand stitched. 
   
6. Take your shirt and put it in the washing machine to get all the felt fuzzies off and then you are ready to wear! 
   

     For boys I say pair this with a plain pair of pants and girls can have a cute tutu, skirt, or pants. 

Cost

Felt = .92c 

Shirt = $2 (garanimals at walmart)

I already had thread at home but if you need to buy some it cost $2-$3

Total w/thread $6 Total wo/thread $3

Compared to $20+

Incredibly Easy Infinity Scarf

     So thanks to the snow and some other factors we are still behind on our little renovations which means that my week of showing how to do a neutral room, that is cute AND on a budget has been put on hold. Hopefully after next week we will be able to resume them! Until then I am going to work on a little things here and there that I know you will Looove! Today's project is incredibly easy and is something you can work on with your kids if they are interested in learning how to sew, you don't have to use pins, there is no ironing and minimal cutting! It is just an awesome and fast little project!

     So scarves are really "in" right now, you can get them in all types of colors prints and designs. If you want basic patterns you can go to Walmart, Kmart, or the mall and get them pretty cheap, but if your a nerdette like me and want something Star-Trek, Doctor Who, or comic book, you are left to the mercy of Etsy sellers. I saw this same scarf I made on Etsy for $30 dollars (not including shipping). So lets make these prints affordable to the rest of us. 

Supplies and Tutorial 

• 1 - 1 1/2 yard any type fabric (cotton, flannel, jersey knit)
• scissors
• coordinating thread

1.  Take your fabric and unfold it, there will be a beautiful line going right down the middle, the line should be going down and splitting the fabric Hot Dog Style Take your scissors and cut right down this line. Then take your ends and sew them right sides together, it should make a nice long strip of fabric.
2. Fold your fabric over right sides together and sew along the edge making sure your backstitch at the beginning and end.
3. Flip your fabric inside out.
4. Now take your ends and place one inside the other. Take the fabric on the outside and fold the raw edges down (like you would when hemming an item) Now sew right across the edge, and your finished! 

I used a cotton print fabric, and I got 1 1/2 yards but its really long and I had to wrap it around my neck 3 times which to me made it bulky in the back. Next one I will be making with 1 yard of fabric. The total cost of this project was $10 and then I had a coupon that gave me 25% off. If your looking for any kind of comic book, super hero or "nerdy" theme fabric Jo-Anne's is the place to go, I had a hard time choosing a print! Wal-mart also sometimes carries super hero fabrics, and I have never seen any at Hobby Lobby. You can also buy these prints online but they are much more expensive! If you have any questions on this tutorial please leave a comment and happy sewing! 

Sweet Snow Cream!

    Well after 2 weeks I am finally over and well from the wonderful super flu that was going around! I am glad to be back on my computer and writing blog post again! Today my children and decided to have the Best Snow Day Ever! In our little area of WV we got 5 inches of snow in just a couple of hours and it hasn't stopped coming down, but that is okay because we loooove snow! So we started off the day by watching a ton of winter themed movies, and sang Do you want to build a snowman from Frozen so many times I lost count! Dinner included warm cheeseburger soup, and then after we all went outside to play in our winter wonderland! We came inside and I realized I was out of chocolate chips and half and half so that threw my homemade hot chocolate out the window, and the natives were getting restless, I had to do something but what? Then it hit me, Sweet sweet snow cream! I used to make it as a kid all the time and I loved it, and the best part is it only has 4 ingredients that most everyone has in their cabinets and outside their house on a snowy day! 

Ingredients & Steps 

• 6- 8 cups of Snow
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
• 1/2 C of sugar
• 1 C of milk

1. Go outside and get some Snow, and make sure you know it is not in a "dirty" area, (stay away from the yellow and brown snow kids!) 
2. Add all the ingredients except for the snow in a bowl and mix it together 
3. Add 1 C of snow at a time into the sugar mix and use a spoon to mix it
4. Then dish it out between your little snow hero's and taste the snowy goodness! 

Now I know there are some moms out their reading this and saying "yuck" but listen as long as you are aware of your surroundings it is not going to hurt you or your children, I have been eating it for years and nothing has ever happened to me, I would never blog about anything hurting other's health. Enjoy the snow everyone! 

Easy Peasy Rag Quilt

    Well the 1st Week of January is over and I cannot believe it! We plan on being out of this house and into our old apartment by the end of this month, it might sound like a good bit of time but with all we are needing to do I can foresee it being here before I know it! If you read my last blogpost  http://momvenger.blogspot.com/2013_12_31_archive.html you will know that my kids will be sharing a room when we move. So this means that I needed to find something neutral that I thought was cute, and something that they would both like as well. I browsed Pinterest and all I saw was a bunch of generic rooms with no real theme, just girl/boy colors. I had all but lost hope until I saw some Mustache fabric at Hobby Lobby! I knew right then and there I could have a neutral black & white room, with pops of pink and turquoise! 

Of course you cannot go to a store and buy blankets and such in this theme so that means I needed to make it. I posted a picture of the finished product and I got a ton of messages on it, so guess what? Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to a couple of tutorials showing the making of the essentials for the bedroom, and then you can use it to customize your little superhero's room! 

Today we will start with a very important part of any bedroom, the comforter or quilt! 

I really love the rag quilts and they are so easy to do so this is what we went with! 

So this is a great quilt for any beginning person who wants to learn how to sew, or is new to sewing. You will be making these for everyone in your family and every room in your house! 

Supplies

7 yards of fabric (I used 45')

Quilt batting 

sharp scissors

coordinating thread

Sewing machine 

   1.  Get your fabric and cut it into 10 inch squares (they should measure 10in on all sides)

    2. Cut your batting an inch smaller, the square shape does not have to be as nice looking as the fabric 

   3.  Make a "sandwich" take a piece of fabric lay it right side down then add a piece of batting then add another piece of fabric with right side facing upward. Take your fabric sandwich and sew an X across it making sure to back-stitch to keep it from unraveling 

   4.  Next make a plan on how you want your quilt to look, do you want it to have a pattern, or do like me and make it a little crazy? You can do this 2 ways, by laying out your quilt squares together on the table or making a chart on a piece of paper. Once you are ready put your squares together and sew up the sides, I used 3/4in.

   5. Sew 4 of your squares together and this will be a row, then repeat. (I made a twin size quilt and it has 7 rows of 4 squares) Once you are done sewing 7 rows take them and put right sides together and sew 3/4in just like you did with the individual squares.

   6. All that is left is to take some sharp scissors and make little cuts on the fabric sicking up, then pop it in the washer and dryer. This will make the frays nice and soft and your whole quilt cuddly! Now put it on your bed and cuddle up with a good book! 

Smoothie Review & Recipe

So we have made it in the 2nd day of 2014!

Can I get a big whoop whoop??!!?

So of course everyone knows that a New Year brings new year resolutions

Lets face it, resolutions are over-rated and over-done, I have never met 1 person who has actually finished out a resolution. 

I think instead of resolutions which spread through the whole year we should do monthly goals, something small that is more easily achieved , and since it only last for a month your more likely to do it. 

So if your resolution is to loose weight set a weight loss goal for whichever month your in and then work towards it! 

My family has decided that each month we are going to try several new healthy meals, and then I have my own goals on the side. So to prepare for healthier eating habits I decided to try out some smoothie recipe's and tweak them, or if they were fine the way there were leave them alone. 

Apple Pie

• 1 apple 
• 1//2 C milk 
• 1/2 C greek yogurt
• Sprinkle of Nutmeg 
• Sprinkle of Ground Cinnamon
• Half a banana (optional)

Review

This was a very good smoothie! I made several changes to the original recipe because it did not taste like apple pie at all!  After I added the sprinkle of spices it really brought the flavor up a notch! I added the half banana the 1st time I made it and the 2nd time I left it out because I think whenever you add banana to a smoothie no matter how small the portion it dominates the flavor and instead of tasting like apple pie it tasted like banana pie yuck!

Orange Julius Copy Cat 

6 oz frozen orange concentrate (half of the can)

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/4 cup truvia 

1 tsp vanilla

8 ice cubes

Review

Okay this is a great copy cat recipe I found, and this is what I call my "cheat" smoothie because instead of using fresh fruit and the natural sweetener you get from the fruits and veggies you use the concentreate and truvia. The original recipe calls for sugar but since I am trying to eat healthier I went for the better option and used the truvia, this does taste like a true orange julius and since they are hard to find in some areas you can have it right in your own home! This is also the only recipe you will find that says I used ice* (see smoothie tips at bottom of page)

Strawberry/Blueberry Blast

• drizzle of honey 
• 1/2 C blueberries 
• 1 cup strawberry 
• 1/2 C greek yogurt  

Review

Great smoothie with a great taste, I had found several recipes for a blueberry/strawberry smoothie and most of them led to spam sites or were loaded down with sugar (really why do you need sugar added to this?) So this is my recipe, and not only do I like it but my little avengers like it too! 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries 

• 1/2 C strawberries 
• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate cocoa powder 
• 1/4 C greek yogurt
• 1/4 C milk 

Review

This is yet another great recipe and something that is kid approved! If your having a day where you need chocolate but don't want to fall into bad eating habits then this smoothie is for you! The cocoa powder is great for you, ad gives you that "junkfood" fill you need to keep you on a good path! 

*Tips*

• Never use ice, instead freeze your fruits the night before in a plastic baggie, this saves you time on getting it made the next morning, and by doing this you do not dilute your flavor.
• Buy a couple ice cube trays from the dollar store, freeze your yogurt and then use it when you make your smoothies, it makes them more creamy and smooth! 
• Have left over smoothie? Pour what you have left in a ice cube tray, the next morning if you want the same smoothie, take a couple cubes pop them in your blender and Viola! 

Well there you have it, these are the smoothies my family and I liked the most, we are also going to start making our own recipes and trying them out. You and your family can also do this! A few years ago my Zumba instructor gave me a paper that had a smoothie key on it, try it out and tell me the flavors your family comes up with! 

Homemade Laundry Soap Review & Recipe

Well Christmas has come and gone and once again my children are happy campers, and I have spent the last 3 days doing my after Christmas sales and cleaning/organizing my house!

My children got a large amount of clothes from Christmas and as always I decided to wash them before I let my kids wear them, but I noticed that my detergent had gone low and I did not have enough to wash even one load with. 

This used to be a problem for me, I hated having to go all the way to the store to get detergent week after week spending anywhere from $7-$10. We do a lot of laundry having a dirtball for a son, and from doing daycare in my home. I wanted a better way to do laundry that would not have me spending a ton of money on detergent. That is when I ran across an article about making your own laundry soap, and I decided to give it a whirl! 

I tried a couple variations on this detergent until I got it to the right formula for me, this formula is very versatile and can be changed for your families needs! It is also HE efficient!

• Box of Borax
• Box of WASHING soda (I use Arm&Hammer)
• Box of Baking Soda
• Feels Naptha Bar 
• Oxi-clean (optional)
• Scent Additive ex. Downy Unstoppables, Gain Fireworks (optional) 
• Large Container to hold Detergent

Everything on this list can be found in the detergent section at Wal-mart, the beautiful glass container can also be found at Wal-mart in the canister section. It is a 2lb "jug" and I only paid $9.89 for it! It is very stout and sturdy!  I added the ribbon myself with some I had leftover in my craft closet and just hot glued it into place. 

The making of this detergent is very simple! All you do is add all the powders together, mix as you add layers, the 1st time I did this I added everything then tried to mix it, it took a lot more muscle and time to get it mixed all the way! whoops!

 

Then all you need to do is add in your scent, and then grate the feels-naptha bar! This will take some old fashioned muscle, unless you have a food processor with a grater attachment ;)

Viola! You have made your first batch of detergent! Grab a tablespoon and add it to the inside of your detergent jug or you can buy a nifty little table spoon measure from http://rockingreensoap.com/. It comes in handy and has a magnet to stick to your washing machine! 

 

Mini Review

I use 1 tablespoon for small loads and 2 tablespoons for large loads.

Scent additives do not need to be added, this is a personal choice

I  only use the small $3.22 tub of Oxi--clean

My son and myself both have severe eczema this is the only soap that does not irritate it

Clothes & Towels softer, no fabric softener needed! 

Total cost to make $28 (including jug) This might seem like a large start up cost BUT this batch last me a year!!! compared to paying $7-10 every week to two weeks! 

Store Bought over a year total = $240

Homemade over a year total = $28

Crazy Christmas Traditions

So as I am sitting here on my couch with my poodle Louis listening to the Robertson Family Christmas CD I cannot smile and think to myself "Wow, we actually did it!" 

This has been a hard year on my husband and myself, but with the power of prayer and God's amazing grace we have made it to the end of another year, and were able to provide our children with a great Christmas, at least I think so, we will see what their reactions will be in the morning! 

I decided to do my last Christmas post as a funny and to share some of the crazy things my family does every year, and to hopefully let you get some ideas and start your own wacky traditions with your family!

So it ALLL started several years ago! I was a fresh teenager shopping with my mom and grandmother at a Gabriel Brothers store. Just in case some of your are not familiar, this is a store where items are sent because they are not up to the company's standards ex. buttons are missing, seam isn't exactly straight, etc. 

My grandmother happened upon a pair of leopard print panties that wouldn't even fit the fat woman at a circus, and no I am not exaggerating these things were huge!

We bought them of course they cost us a whopping 25c! Wrapped them up in a teeny tiny package and addressed the gift tag to a lucky winner! Honestly I do not know who was the 1st to receive them, but every year they were re-gifted and anonymously given. 

The panties have successfully been passed around to all the adults and teens, we never did this with the smaller children, they just wouldn't get the joke. 

I thought that last year was the end and the tradition was over.....that was until my aunt assigned me a special sewing assignment. Show showed me some fabric she bought at Jo-annes, and let me tell you I was a bit shocked at first, but now I laugh hysterically when I see it. 

(Do not worry this post is PG and I promise to never offend anyone)

I was told I needed to sew a pillow, it would be the new secret gift, I was given all supplies and some fur to decorate with this is what I came up with. 

Yes, I know its beautiful! This pillow will be going to my lucky father, who has no idea it will passed to him tomorrow. 

I added the bow at the bottom because I didn't have enough fur to cover, plus I thought it added another hilarious touch! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas tomorrow, let us not forget the reason for the season, our Savior coming to this earth and being born. Celebrate with family and have a good time! 

With Love 

The Momvenger