Apple cocktails

Ahhh, fall is in the air!  It's the perfect time to bring out the apple everything!  Today I thought I would share a couple cocktails with some apple in them.

Happy Apple

Ingredients:

• 3 Oz. Apple Cider 
• 1/2 Oz. Lemon Juice 
• 1 1/2 Oz. Gold Rum 
• Lime Peel 

Mixing instructions:

Mix all ingredients, except lime peel, with cracked ice in a shaker or blender and pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Twist lime peel over drink and drop into glass.

Apple Martini

1 part Vodka

1 part Sour Apple Pucker

1 part apple juice

Poor all ingredients into a shaker. Shake well and strain into a Martini glass.

Happy Thursday!  Love, BJ

Lunch Notes-Take 2

About 2 weeks ago I posted Lunch notes if you missed it.  It shares different kinds of lunch notes and a printable.

While cleaning out my scrapbook paper I had a brilliant idea.  Why use post-it notes everyday and throw them away when I you can use something that can be reused?  So I decided to find some papers that weren't too girly and use it for some reusable lunch notes.

I chose a print and a solid, stuck them together with some of my scrapbook stuff, then laminated them.

I use overhead projection markers because they don't come off quite as easily as dry erase.

Drop it in the bottom of his lunch bag, and it makes for a happy little guy.

He loves these notes!  One day he didn't realize it was there and was upset, I told him to double check the bottom, and he was so excited to know I hadn't forgotten.

The great thing about these is that you can make them whatever size you want, and have free range at what you put on them. You could even drop them in your hubby's/boyfriend's lunch box for a nice little surprise.

Enjoy, be sure to share your favorite crafts on Mondays at

See you soon! Love, BJ

Cattle Drive Snack Mix

 A goodie perfect for snacking on the go or in the little ones lunch boxes.

What you'll need:
1 Tbsp margarine
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 cups small cheese crackers
2 cups pretzels
1/3 cup lightly salted dry peanuts
1/2 cup raisins

1.  With oven at 300 degrees, melt margarin in 13x9x2 inch baking pan
2.  Remove from oven; stir in chili powder, cumin and garlic powder
3.  Add cheese crackers, pretzels, and peanuts, toss until well coated with margarine mixture.
4.  Bake for 15 minutes, stirring twice; remove from oven
5.  Stir in raisins; spread on paper towels to cool
6.  Enjoy

Love, BJ

Free Rangers

 

In an era of overbearing, over scheduling and helicopter moms it hard for kids to be kids. I am definitely a product of an overbearing mother. I couldn't cross the street until I was 12. Mind you I lived in a rural community and the only people that drove down this gravel drive way lived there! I am thankful for our pediatrician who advised us when our little guy was in his infancy that we should let him experience the world and explore his surroundings. This led to my wife and I adopting the free range idea.

 

Its nice to see little boys being little boys. Samuel is pretty good and well rounded, we don't hover over him or over schedule him or keep him on such a strict routine that our kid's childhood his being sucked right out of his soul. Yes, he gets into trouble, hell he's even been run over by a golf cart; but that too was a learning experience. The glare from his notebook paper doesn't bother him, he isn't afraid of getting dirty, and he knows if he is going to do something wrong, the juice better be worth the squeeze. I am terrible at a bunch of things, but I think I'm an OK dad.

 

Thank you Sam for being my son, drinking from our water hose, peeing outside, and being mischievous. Y'all enjoy your labor day with your kids.

Happy Labor Day

Ready for school checklist

While going through my scrapbook scraps, I decided I would use a little to make "D" a checklist for before school and after school.  I figured this would be the best way for both of us to stay organized and to let him see what he still needs to do while participating in the process.  I cut some printed scrapbook paper and cut it to the size I wanted, then on the computer printed out the his checklist on a solid color.  I drew the boxes next to the words, not perfect, but they'll work.  We laminated it for durability and to be able to write on it.

I left a couple blank spots for things that might need to be written out for a day or two.  So far, it's worked smoothly.  "D" enjoys checking his things off, and I enjoy that there aren't any arguments.  Perfect Mornings!  Here is how they turned out.  I keep them on the refrigerator where he can reach them, and it's great! 

Have a Happy Friday Friends!  Love, BJ

Cocktails for kids

Here are a couple cute little "cocktails" for your little ones after a long day at school.


Sundowner
Pour Orange Juice into a tall glass. Then Gently pour in some Cranberry Juice. The red fruit juice slowly works through the orange juice making a  sunset effect.


Red Alert 
For a traffic stopping drink, first place a Strawberry in the glass, then a slice of an Orange, Green Grape and so on until the glass is almost full. Then slowly pour on some Cherryade (Kool Aid works) so that it soaks through the layers. Make sure to provide an Umbrella so the kids can eat that fruit too.


Kids Champagne

• 2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
• 1 (64 fluid ounce) bottle white grape juice, chilled

Virgin Pina Colada

• 1  cup ice
• 1 1/4 cups pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. In an electric blender, blend ice, pineapple juice, milk, cream, and sugar. Blend until smooth.

While browsing around I found these, and they are just too cute not to share! 


Here are a few from an Elementary School that I thought was pretty cute! 


Have a Great Thursday, I know I need to spike a drink or two with the week I've been having, but you know.  


Cheers!  Love, BJ