DIY Toddler Busy Box

I'm excited to be linking up with one of my favorite blogs, Schue Love today for a DIY Toddler Busy Box activity!  

This toddler activity was first presented to my daughter via her daycare provider and ever since, it’s been a go to activity for us at home, too!    

For this, all you need are craft beads and pipe cleaners…easy enough, right!?

Just have your little one string the beads one by one onto the pipe cleaner!  Rowen's favorite things to create are her very own princess crowns, bracelets and necklaces!  Oooh la-la! 

I highly recommend this activity as it's great for developing fine motor skills!  However, I will say, if your child is young you will want to make sure to monitor them while playing as the pieces are small and can easily be put into the mouths of little ones (side note, the larger foam beads work great, too!).

While I'm at it, check out these adorable Halloween crafts using beads and pipe cleaners - we're totally going to have to try these!

Halloween Spider: 

Beaded Pumpkin:

Enjoy!

Meal Plan Monday 9/15

What a weekend!  Saturday morning Ryan and I woke up bright and early to meet up with friends for the Iowa vs Iowa State game in Iowa City.  Rowen had plans of her own as she spent the weekend with Ryan's parents.

While Rowen pumpkin picked with Grandma...

...we tailgated, drank a few choice beverages, ate a lot of bad-for-you foods and then convened to watch the game. The bets were high because (as usual) Ryan was cheering for the Cyclones and I was cheering for the Hawks.

I'll spare you the details, but the hawks lost in what was possibly the ugliest football game I have ever seen. Damn.

Sunday was a gorgeous day spent outside weeding and planting in the flower garden.  We started our landscape project earlier this Spring and decided to finish it this fall by planting bulbs.  I must have dug 50 holes and have the blisters to prove it!  I can't wait to see how it looks next Spring!

I ended the day with some last minute grocery shopping.  I wasn't as creative with meals for this week (sorry, I was tired), but nonetheless, it still looks delicious!

Monday:  Slow Cooker Cheesey Potato Soup (and Sandwiches)

Tuesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs with homemade Marinara 

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Wednesday:  Crockpot Rootbeer and BBQ Pulled Pork

Thursday:  Not cooking

Friday:  Ramen Noodle Stir fry

Shared with:

Org Junkie

Do you WASHI?

Normally I don’t carry a protective case on my iPhone.  Reason being, I usually run with my phone in an arm band, and taking it out of a pesky case so it fit always seemed like more work than it was worth.  Until the other night that is, when I dropped my phone on the tile floor and cracked the heck out of the screen.  Lesson learned, I guess.  Since then I’ve been on the hunt for a case.  Most of the cases I want cost between $20 and $30, which I think is ridiculous.  

Enter Washi Tape.  

Apparently Washi Tape has been around for quite sometime, but for one reason or another I’ve only recently discovered it!  I love all the bright colors and the endless amount of things you can decorate with it…including a cell phone case!

I have to say, I love the two cases I made – they turned out cute and were a fraction of the price!

Supplies Needed:

• Clear or solid color cell phone case (found mine in the dollar bin at Target)
• Washi Tape
• X-acto Knife
• Mod Podge
• Paint Brush 

Start by taking your Washi Tape and laying it down in strips on the back of the case (be sure to line up the tape as straight as possible)

Trim the edges and the hole for the camera with your x-acto knife.

Next you’ll want to seal it with a thin layer of Mod Podge so the tape won't scratch or peel. 

Wa-la...so easy and so inexpensive! 

And while I'm at it, here are a few other cute ways to Washi - check it out...

Washi Tape Letters: 

Keyboard Art:

Organize with Washi Tape:

Shared with:

The Pin Junkie

Meal Plan Monday

How is it Monday already? Hope everyone had a great weekend regardless of how fast it flew! 

My Saturday started with a cool, crisp 9 mile run outside.  Let me tell you, running in cooler weather totally beats the hot humid runs I've been tortured with for the past month.  This week’s run was easy as pie!

After my run I headed to my parents' house to watch the Hawkeyes stumble through the first three quarters of the game only to miraculously pull off a win in the end, whew! 

Only one week until the big rivalry game between Iowa’s two biggest schools, Iowa and Iowa State! 

This year I’ll be heading to Iowa City to partake in the game time festivities, but until then I have another week to get through, which starts with meal planning!

Here's what I've come up with for this week...

Monday:  Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

Tuesday:  Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Wednesday:  Zucchini Lasagna

Thursday:  Softball night - not cooking

Friday:  Baked Nacho Casserole

Shared with:
Org Junkie 

Football Recipe Roundup

Football season is upon us, and for me it means I've completely lost my husband for the next 22 weeks.  It also means ESPN, Sports Center and Game Day will be showing non-stop on our living room television...God help me!   I happen to love college football, but cannot for the life of me stand NFL football.  The only way you can get me to sit through an NFL game is if there are delicious appetizers on the coffee table in front me.

So for today's post I decided to comb the internet and share with you (what I hope will be) five appetizers that will get me through this year's football season!

1.  Pizza Fries:

2.  Lasagna Dip:

3.  Snickers Pop Corn:

4. Jalapeno Popper Totchos:

5.  Ham and Cheese Sliders:

They all look super delish, don't they?  I cannot wait to start chowing down!

Shared with:

Rattlebridge Farm

Meet @ the Barre

Meal Plan *Tuesday*

The short week has me a bit mixed up so instead of Meal Plan Monday, you're getting Meal Plan Tuesday, better late than never, I guess!

Here's what's on our menu this week...

Tuesday:  Buffalo Style Mozzarella Pork Chops

Wednesday: Spinach and Tortellini Soup

Thursday: Open-Face Turkey Sandwiches

Friday: Chicken Enchilada Mac N Cheese 

Shared with:

Org Junkie

Goodbye Summer!

Long weekends are simply the greatest thing ever, don't you agree?  We had a wonderful long weekend filled with the three "F's" in life...football, family and fun!

Football -  Saturday I spent my entire day here.

Kinnick Stadium, home of the Iowa Hawkeyes! My mom and I woke up bright and early that morning for the two hour drive east and then caught the train into the stadium to watch my beloved team win!  I'm already counting down the days until I can go back again in a couple of weeks!

Family - Sunday we took a little road trip to the lake to visit Ryan's family (yes, Ryan loves to ruin my pictures).

We started the day with a ride on grandpa's boat...

And ended it with a fish fry at the edge of the lake!  No better way to spend a summer evening!

Fun - One of the things I had at the top of my to-do list this weekend was to go through Rowen's closet and put away all of her 18-24 month clothes, which no longer fit (girl is growing like a weed).

After filling up (yet another) giant tub of clothes, I realized she had hardly anything that fit for Fall and Winter.  So, off on a little shopping spree we went!

Thank goodness for Labor Day sales because I pretty much bought out the entire Carter's and OshKosh store in our town!  50% off of everything meant double the pants, shirts and pajamas...score!  All this girl needs are a couple pairs of shoes and she'll be set for Fall and Winter!

We ended the weekend by hosting a BBQ with our good friends, the Wilwerdings.  It's always so fun to see our kids play together - and their bounce house a huge hit!

With that being said, I think it's finally time to say goodbye to summer.  As much as I have loved the warm weather and the time spent outside, I am welcoming Fall (my favorite season) with open arms!