Scrabble

Nope, not the game, but the food.  Have you heard of it?  Most people haven't.  I really have no idea where it came from, but it was always made by my grandmother at Christmas time.  My mother carried on the tradition for us growing up, and now I make it every year starting right after Thanksgiving.  Looks a lot like Chex Mix, but tastes a whole lot better.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Mixed nuts (added last)
12 oz shredded wheat (we use wheat Chex)
10.5 oz Cheerios
6.5 oz Rice Chex
6.5 oz pretzel bits (we use Corn Chex here)
5.5 oz pretzel sticks

2 C Mazzola Corn Oil
2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T garlic salt
1 T season salt

What to do:
In a large roasting pan, combine cereals and pretzels.  Sprinkle garlic salt and season salt over mixture.  Wisk corn oil and worcestershire sauce together.  Pour all over dry mixture.  Add mixed nuts last and give a good stir.  Place lid on roaster.

Set oven to 275*.  Scrabble will be in the oven for a total of 3 hours.  Remove and stir every 30 minutes and replace in oven until the 3 hours are up.

Gift Ideas: For Baby

There are all kinds of cute little gifts out there for babies.  I thought I would share a couple of the gifts I'll be giving this year to the new little ones in our family.

First, is a really cute and super easy self binding blanket I found at Megan Poulton Designs.

These blankets were done in flannel and are actually for baby dolls.  I did the inside fabric at 16 in x 16 in and the binding fabric 26 in x 26 in.  I know I'll be doing more of these in the future for baby showers and gifts (at the normal size, of course).

Second, would be the Car Seat Canopy I designed.  I believe I've made about 7 of these in the past 6 months.  Very easy and fun to do.  This will keep the baby warm and dry during these cold months ahead.

Another baby gift I'm thinking about making are some Baprons from a tutorial put together by Jessica at Craftiness Is Not Optional.

via Craftiness Is Not Optional

She put together such cute combinations of fabric!  We really don't need bibs around our place much any more, but these are so much cuter than all those bibs in the stores with the cheesy saying on them.  I just don't know if I have time to make all the bias strips.  Hmmmm.

Well, people, we are down to only 10 days 'til Christmas.  Are you ready?

Meet Joe the Crab!

Joe the Crab is a little blue crab that goes for a walk along the beach one day and discovers he's a little different.  What a shock!!

This is an adorable little story written by a friend of ours and shows kids it really is okay to have something different about you.  I can't wait to give our kids their copy at Christmas!  I see this becoming a favorite in our home.  Plus, Tim is slated to have two more books about Joe the Crab coming out in 2012.

If you would like your own copy, Tim has them for sale at his website for $8.99.

Any cute kid's book recommendations out there?

**Tim's Blog and Facebook

Toy Deal

Do you have an Ebates account?  Do you have someone on your list who would love something from The Disney Store?  Have I got a deal for you!  (Have I got a deal for you? I feel like a used car salesman!!) 


I don't do this very often, but this is a great deal!  20% off, free shipping AND 8% back - who wouldn't like this?!


Okay.  Your steps for getting this deal.


*If you don't already have an Ebates account - sign up for one.  This will allow you to get the 8% back on your Disney purchase.  They are also giving gifts to new signups that are received after your first $25 purchase.  Bonus!


*Do a search for Disney and get to The Disney Store.


*Do whatever shopping you want and then go to the checkout.


*In the Promo Code box enter FAMILYFUN20 to get your 20% off one item.


*Enter TOYSHIP in the Promo Code box to get free shipping on your order.  You have to have at least one toy or plush item in your cart for this to work.


*Continue finishing your checkout process and you are done.


Things to keep in mind - The 20% off is only for one item and can only be used one time, so shop wisely.  To use the free shipping code you have to have at least one toy or plush item in your cart.  8% Cash Back is only through Ebates, but the two promo codes can be used regardless.  I think this deal might actually end today.


Hope this helps you to round out or finish up those Christmas lists!


**In the interest of full disclosure - The Ebates links are attached to my account and I will be compensated for any new accounts signed up using said links.  Thanks in advance!

Gift Idea - Apps and Tunes

I thought I would deviate from handmade to easy and cheap.  I know a LOT of people out there have a smart phone.  How many of you allow your kids to play with said smart phone turning it into a ridiculously expensive 'toy'?  Yep, I'm guilty.  There are times when parents get desperate to entertain the little ones, though.  {Like when you have to spend 5 hours at the auto repair place with 3 kids waiting for tires.  Not the most kid friendly place and even new display tires are dirty.}


I personally I have an iPhone.  I absolutely love it!  Apps for me and the kids, plus all the music we like to listen to.  We rarely listen to the radio anymore when in the vehicle.  I also like to have it playing throughout the house when we're cleaning.

Do you have an iPhone or Mac?  If you do, I'm sure you have iTunes on your electronic already.  If not, you can download itunes easy enough.  Itunes cards are all over the place and make great gifts for all ages.  Plus, it takes away the angst of deciding which songs/albums someone else would like or want.  For younger kids, consider placing money in your iTunes account and then giving each child a certificate or coupon they can redeem for x amount of songs.  (This is what we plan to do for our older kids.)  Or, pick the songs and make a personal CD for the receiver.

'There's an app for that.'  An app for just about anything you might want - couponing, stores, games, educational, jokes, weather - you name it.  Want to know what's popular?  How about apps for kids?  Just do a quick search and you've got it!  There are so many free ones out there, too.

Here's a rundown on some that we like - Nook and Kindle, The Weather Channel, Angry Birds,  Glow Draw, Racing Penguin, DoodleBuddy, Fisher Price,  and KidCalc.  Right now I'm bribing my 8 yr old with Fruit Ninja for when she passes her times table test.

I know this isn't a crafty post, but it is a gift idea.  Hopefully this will give you another idea for your gift list.

Do you have some favorite apps?  Please share - Here in the comments or on Facebook.

** I know there are other devices that can download apps.  I'm not familiar with them.  Better to stick to what I know.  :)  Do a google search if you have a different brand of smartphone.

Gift Idea - Tents

Did you ever make tents out of blankets when you were growing up?  My siblings and I did.  All.  The.  Time.  We had some pretty amazing structures made out of card tables, sheets, chairs and clothes pins.  Best of all?  It could be anything we wanted - a castle, a treehouse, a mansion or even a secret cave.  We had so much fun and now have so many memories.

Here are a few tent ideas I've come across to share with you all.

Fire Station Card Table Tent by Utah County Mom

Hoola Hoop Tent by Living With Punks

Kid's Tent/ Reading Nook by Ana White (seriously love this site!)

Playtime Teepee by Baby Lock

Use a little imagination and any of the above tutorials can be modified to make a little one's pretend play much more real.  These are all easy to store and easy to move.  Use them indoors during the cold and/or rainy times of the year and then move them outside when nice weather rolls around.

So, how many of you out there built tents as a kid?