How to Buy Sunscreen

It is that time of year again that when you leave the house you must have sunscreen on.

Does it really matter the brand that you buy???
Not really, what does matter are: the SPF, UVA/UVB protection, and the ingredients, that's right, you need to read the label.

1-Choose a sunscreen with a SPF 15 or higher, even if your make-up has sunscreen in it, remember to apply sunscreen to your neck and chest. Your face may not show your age, but if you don't take care of your neck and chest, they will.

2-Look for ingredients such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or mexoryl. I have searched through the walmart reading labels and I did not find any of these, I have found who does make them though, Anthelios SC Daily moisturizing sunscreen, try CVS or Walgreens. Also Lancome UV Expert SPF 20.

If you are not willing to leave the Walmart, your best bet for anti-aging sunscreen is Helioplex found in Neutrogena.

3-Make sure you are applying enough sunscreen. You need about a tablespoon for your face including ears. About a shot glass size for all exposed areas. The spray on sunscreen is an awesome option for your arms and back of neck to help you not to miss any spots.

4-Make sure to reapply every 3-4 hours depending on strength. Remember to reapply more often if in and out of the pool. I always apply when I leave the house and I carry a Small size bottle in my purse. I am very fair skinned and burn easily.

Hope this is helpful!

Even if your only a "Wee Bit Irish" have a Happy St Patrick's Day

Blarney Stone ..Pucker Up for Good Luck

1. Find a Stone and Paint it
2. Add some Flare, we used Lucky Gold Glitter

3. Apply Flare generously

4. Display with Irish Pride

5. Pucker Up for Good Luck

What is a Blarney Stone?

The Blarney Stone (Irish: cloch na Blarnan) is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney about 5 miles (8 km) from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the Stone and tour the castle and its gardens.

The word blarney has come to mean clever, flattering, or coaxing talk.

Thank You Wikipedia

Éire go Brách (Irish) Erin Go Bragh

Erin Go Bragh (sometimes Erin Go Braugh) is the Anglicisation of a Gaelic phrase used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever"[1] and pronounced /ˌɛrɪn ɡə ˈbrɔː/.

Like to know how to make the card, Click
More St. Patricks History, Click
Need more Pattys Day fun, Click

Vintage Irish Post Cards

*I just googled it and found such cute free printable's

Try Vintageholidaycrafts.com

Little Leprechaun's afternoon Snack

Delicious raindow of fruit, Trader Joes white cheddar corn puffs for clouds and a Pot-o-Banna's.... a perfect little St. Patricks Snack.

**Idea from Family Fun Magazine

Homemade Valentines Day Cards

Below is a pattern you can use. Place this cut out on top of another piece of paper. Each dot on the pattern you polk a hole through to the next page.

You stitch back and forth across the pattern to create the below.
Cut out and paste on the front of a card.

Follow the link for the step by step guide on how to embroider a card. This took me two hours to do. This was my first time though so hopefully I will get better.

Here is another one that I did. Here is the front:

Here is the back.

2nd Day Sunday Roast

Shred Roast
Add to your left over roast
1 can diced green chili
green chili enchilada sauce (enough to make it a little wet)
salt pepper

Spoon mixture on to tortilla I added Verde Salsa and Cheese, roll up in baking dish cover with more enchilada sauce and cheese bake at 375 for about 30 mins until warm.

I served with pinto beans (I made them in the pressure cooker!)
and rice.

Danish French Toast

Happy New Year!! We love to try a yummy new breakfast on New Years Day, and this delight wast it! It tasted just like the name. The cream cheese and jam tasted like a danish covered in a crispy french toast. It is very rich and sweet, loved the added crunch of the corn flakes. A great special occasion treat!

Danish French Toast

what you need

Texas Toast
mixture of Eggs, milk, cinnamon/sugar
cream cheese
jam (a berry type)
corn flakes (lightly crushed)

How to assemble
make a sandwich with the cream cheese and jam
dip/coat the sandwich in the egg mixture
cover in corn flakes

I cooked our on our new griddle at 350 degrees until they were golden brown

Seriously

Do these trees really fit back in to the box! Next year I am getting Giant plastic wrap, and wrapin this thing up lights, decorations and all!! I have all things Christmas packed and ready to go into the attic until next year. I am enjoying a clean house but the is a sigh of sadness to pack up all that Christmas delight.

** I did find a sucker stick, small toy cow and a napkins stuck in my tree...hmmm wonder who put that there!
.

Leftover Christmas Ham?

I have never used a Pressure Cooker befor. Mr Safety spent 2 years in Brazil living off of food cooked in a pressure cooker. I am scared of the things, I envision the house exploding with some crazy mishap. I am here to tell you its not that scary!! I was very pleased.

First I "Quick Soaked" my Great Northern Beans by keeping a 2 cups of water to 1 cup of Bean ratio.

Bring Beans and water to Boil

Boil for 2 mins

Cover for and hour drain water

My pressure cooker said to add 5 cups of water for dried beans so that's what I did

added my leftover diced ham, dried onion, salt and pepper

**I followed the instructions that came with my cooker**

bring to pressure on high once it starts to left off steam or jiggle turn down to med-low (like a 4-5 on my stove) then start time

20 MIN that is it I tell you, 20 minutes to this yummy dinner!!! LOVE IT

SnowMan Kit

Ok now that I have given this gift I can post about it! G was so excited to give a gift that she can use!
This fun little kit went to her Pop and Grandma



SNOWMAN KIT

1 Black Hat
1 Red Scarf
2 Rocks eyes
1 carrot Nose
Handful of rocks for a mouth
3 tin buttons
2 sticks for arms
2 mittens

***Just add Snow

Found the hat and scarf at the store
I hot glued tin lids from canning jars and painted them Black for buttons.
Found some rocks (in my neighbors yard!) and painted them black also.
The carrot nose was hard to find (I wanted a fake one) I looked at a couple stores and ended up finding it at Hobby Lobby.
Mr Safety cut some branches of our tree for arms.
I think it turned out cute, a fun gift for someone who gets to live where it SNOWS!

Is he here yet?

Just Checking

Merry Christmas

We have been Busy Baking

If you want a yummy easy Holiday Treat my Sugared Almonds "how to" is HERE

Christmas Tag

Christmas Tag

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping?

Yes and finished! (in November)

2. Tell me about one of your special traditions.

Baking as a Family. Temple Lights, Zoo Lights taking walks at night to see the lights (um we like lights)

Coco Latte!!!

3. When do you put up your tree?

Day after Thanksgiving

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?

No, but if YOU go I will send money

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home?

Home Sweet Home

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory?

G and the Purple House, maybe the Toots Hippo game.. she just makes so many. Or the time I shot Mr Saftey in the eye with a Candy Cane

7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time?

Elf (Christmas Vacations, A Christmas Story, Shreck The Halls)

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking? What's your favorite treat?

Oh man we do, Sugar Almonds, Fudge, Divinity, Cookies, Carmel Pop Corn ....stop me now!

9. Fake or real tree?

Fake Tree and LOVE IT

10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done?

Oh I love to Panic Year Round.

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?

Somethimes

12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?

Playing Games and eating, and Polor Express

13. What Christmas Craft do you like the best?

I am going to call Baking and EATING a craft!

14. Christmas music? Yes or no

Yes it starts after Thanksgiving

15. When do you plan to finish all your shopping?

I thought I was done, I need a 100 watt light blub, (Santa ask me to pick it up)

Our Ocean Theme Christmas Tree

Turkey Day is coming Fast!

I have had these coloring pages for a few years now, I can't remember which site I got them from (most likely I did a color page search) sorry I am not able to give credit. They are cute and a fun thing for the kids to do. I think thye would be a cute Place Card for Thanksgiving Dinner too! Remember last year we made this  Little Turkey

This years Halloween Best Book Pick goes too.....

Goodnight Goon: A Parody by Michael Rex

If you love Goodnight Moon, you will love this frightful delight, the pictures will have you looking at all the spooky details. My 3 year old has ask to read it everyday this week!

Halloween Chili

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 slices of bacon, chopped
2 pound coarsely ground sirloin (yes sirloin get a 2 lb roast and have the butcher grind it!)
3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
½ medium onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I add one Big can and one 15 oz can)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
8-12 oz Beef Broth (pour un till it just covers bean/meat)
1 cup chili sauce (I use Heinz Chili Sauce)
Salt to taste
Yields: 8-10 servings big bowls
Preparation
.
Preheat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat with vegetable oil and brown the bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add the sirloin to bacon drippings in the pan, using the back of a wooden spoon to break it up while it browns. Season with the chili powder, cumin and ground black pepper.

Add the onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add the beans, brown sugar, Worcestershire and Beef Broth, and cook 5 minutes. Add the chili sauce and season with salt to taste.

.
A few minutes before serving, add bacon back to the pot and stir to combine.

Make This

Another fun idea from Glamma, we made a mini size to start. Then enlarged a new one, put on card stock and took to have it laminated. Cut out the pieces put magnets on the back. I can't wait to make accessories for it. Necklaces, skirts, bags, shoes oh the possibilities. Just you wait! I hope to finish it be for next week.

Chalk Pumpkin

Our Delightful "Crazy Aunt Bethany" made this Chalk Pumpkin, she just painted it with chalk board paint! My three year old loves it! What a fun idea. I am thinking I might try it on a large artificial pumpkin. We will see if I have time this year, it not I absolutely will be doing it next year!

Scary Tree Display Finished (for this year)

Quick Witch Lunch

We had a Witch stop by and stir up a spell for lunch. It was a frightful delight. My little goon helped wrap the mummy, she shrieked with delight.

We swirled and whirled a brew so green (amazing how coolaid can do that thing) It was fresh worm juice.

Creepy crawly spiders joined us, but not for long they got gobbled up too!

Color it Halloween

Get more Free Pictures Here












**Pictures are from Coloringpages.com see link above**

Pillow Cases

My very Crafty sister had us over to make some Very Spooky Pillow Cases! They were so easy all you need it one yard of fabric and my sister! You can find her HERE. We made all 4 in an hour with crazy kids, each one took there turn! They all loved getting to sew. Take your fabric fold in half iron to make creases. Sew bottom and side. Inside out and measure 5 inches to make the "cuff" sew that and TA-DA! One more way to have some Halloween fun.

Price of Old Navy Halloween Socks

$1.00

How they look on this baby's chubby feet.
Priceless!

Halloween Tree

Thank you Monsoon Season for breaking a perfect size limb off my neighbors tree. It will make the perfect "Scary Tree" to add to my Halloween collection. I cut the branches trimmed it up and shaped it. Filled a tin can with "quick set" cement and spray painted it black. We added some hanging bats. It is still a work in progress, we are painting black pumpkins, and need some cob webs. I got some flashing lights to put under and around the tree (on the ground not the actual tree per Mr Safety putting lights on a dried out tree= fire hazard) check back for a picture of the final product I think it will be great!

Creepy Crafty Halloween

This very fun Craft was an inspiration from a great blog, Life and Art with Glamma Fabulous click here to see it. It was under $15.00 and my 3 year old loved it.

Carmela's Chicken and Rosemary Bread

If you want an AMAZING melt in your mouth meal, keep reading below. This is a copy cat recipe from Macaroni Grill.

CARMELA'S CHICKEN

Ingredients:

6 oz butter

8 oz mushrooms

2 chicken breast (Pre-cooked)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium onion sliced and caramelized

6 0z cooking wine

1 pint heavy cream

24 oz pasta of choice (rigatoni or bow tie work well)

8 oz Parmesan cheese

Directions

1-Cook pasta as directed on package.

2-In a hot saute pan add butter, mushrooms, chicken, caramelized onions, salt and pepper and saute for 2 min

3-Add the wine and saute for another minute. Add the heavy cream and bring to boil over high heat.

4-Drain pasta and return to pot, mix the saute mixture until well Incorporated. Toss briefly and add cheese and mix well.

5-Transfer to plate and serve.

ROSEMARY BREAD

Ingredients:

1 package yeast

1 tbls sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbls rosemary (I didn't have rosemary so I just used Italian seasoning)

2 tbls butter

Directions:

1-Place yeast, sugar, and water in large bowl or food processor.

2-Mix in 1 tbls butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.

3-Add one tbls of rosemary

4-Knead for about 10 min by hand or in food processor about 5 min until smooth

5-Add more flour if necessary

6-Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with towel.

7-Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until double.

8-Punch down dough and divide in half. Let raise about 5 min

9-Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and divide bread into two rounded oval loaves.

10-Sprinkle remaining tbls of rosemary over the top of loaves.

11-Let loaves rise again until double, about 45 min

12-Bake at 375 for 15-20 mins until lightly browned.

13-Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter.

Oil and Vinegar Dipping Sauce for Bread

Verde

Enchiladas Verde, I got the recipe from Americas Test Kitchen (click here). Really good but a lot of work, just as good as any restaurant. I am not a fan of cumin so I reduce the amount a lot, and I also used jalapenos and the canned tomatillos (for more on tomatillos and a good salsa click here).

Bird Nest Cookies
12 oz butterscotch chips or semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 C peanut butter
1 (5oz) can crunchy Chinese noodles

peanuts, jelly beans, M&M's or what ever you would like to top them with!

Melt butterscotch, peanut butter together in double boiler. Mix in noodles. Spoon onto wax paper, add your "egg topping" refrigerate until harden. keep refrigerated