Snacktastic Saturday: Macaroni Salad

When you think of macaroni salad, you generally think of summer barbecues, right? I know I sure do. Which explains why I love to whip some up in the middle of winter (yes it's usually accompanied by some kind of meat grilled on my indoor grill pan, over-priced corn on the cob & out of season fruit salad). But I always make extra macaroni salad. There's just something about eating a small dish of it while drinking some sweet tea that reminds you the dog days of summer will be here soon enough.

*Remember to use desired amounts.

•macaroni noodles, cooked, drained & rinsed under cold water

•onion, chopped

•relish (I prefer a sweet & spicy version)

•hard boiled eggs, chopped

•mayonnaise

•mustard (I'm a yellow kind of gal)

•salt, pepper, parsley & paprika to taste

- Mix all of the ingredients together & allow to chill for at least an hour. 

Enjoy!

Fun Friday: Upcycled Headband

I know this has happened to you. Your child outgrows an outfit that is one of your favorites. Of course it was their favorite too since it's stained beyond belief. Which makes it hard to part with. 

I had a dress that my now 2 year old outgrew quite a while ago (6-9 months). It was a cute & comfortable Harley Davidson dress in a coral color that really brought out her blue eyes. When it became too short to be a dress, it was worn as a shirt. Until it just became too small, period. But it wasn't until recently that I thought of a way that she could wear the dress again, so to speak anyways.

Since the dress was cotton (or a cotton blend, I didn't read the tag), I knew it would stretch perfectly for a headband. 

I started by cutting off the bottom hem. Then I cut 2 strips, roughly about 1in. thick & laid them on a flat surface in a giant "X".

Next I joined the ends of each strip together, then sewed all of the ends together. I layered mine in an every other kind of way so that one side wouldn't appear shorter than the other. And I also needed assistance of a table to help push the needle through all of the layers. 

After it was double stitched, I stretched it as much as I could. Not only to get it to fit better, but for the strips to curl too.

I attempted to take a picture of my darling 2 year old wearing her upcycled headband, but she wasn't having it. Her baby dolls wore it for a bit, but now it's m.i.a. So another attempt will be made when I find her hiding spot, which I'm sure is where her other headbands have disappeared to. But I'm sure she'll love it then...I hope.

Think It Thursday: Staying Warm...& Sane!

With this crazy winter weather, some of the schools have had to use some snow days. Most notably was right after winter break. So what do you do to stay warm, but keep your sanity too? 

 Finger Paint Twister: Let the kids finger paint on paper plates with one color per plate. When they're dry, place them on the floor for a makeshift game of twister. To play, we use 2 dice, taping over the 5 & 6. One die is for which arm or leg & the other which color. 

Build a Fort City: Use whatever furniture you can, along with boxes, laundry baskets & every blanket you can find. Just remember the rule of thumb for this is "Go big or go...bigger!".

Obstacle Course: My downstairs has what has been dubbed as "The Race Track", which the kids seem to do a million laps a day through. So every now & then, I make good use of it. Limbo through the doorway, hands & knees crawl (complete with rags) through the kitchen (see what I did there), backwards down the hallway but don't bump into the bubble wrap walls... You get the point, fun with a clean kitchen floor!

Work It Wednesday: Keeping Your Hair Static Free

Static strikes again! Only this time it's in your hair. Which makes you look like you're a walking science experiment, only you don't have your hand on an electrostatic machine. Luckily, I have some helpful tips that I rely on during the dry winter months.

•Wash every other day...at least. This allows your hair to retain some of it's natural oils & therefore counteract with the electricity. Absolutely need to "wash" your hair in between? Try a dry shampoo (learn how to make your own here). 

•Are you a stickler for shampooing into a lather daily? Try rubbing a dab of hair oil, mousse or even gel throughout your tresses to help weigh them down. Just be sure you don't overdo it & end up looking like a greasy mess.

•Maintain moisture. Whether you're using a moisturizing shampoo, leave-in conditioner or a weekly hot oil treatment. It doesn't matter as long as your hair is getting that extra moisture. Even sleeping with a humidifier on helps. 

•A little spray goes a long way. Spraying a bit of anti-static spray on your brush before brushing dry hair helps keep static electricity at bay. Not too keen on that idea, just stick to a light misting of water instead. 

•Dryer sheets are for the ultimate static emergency. These are nice to carry with you at all times to not only keep your clothes from sticking when you unknowingly become supercharged, but for your hair too.

Tasty Tuesday: Chocolate Pomegranate Crepes

Every now & them i feel like going a bit fancy when it comes to breakfast. Which usually means a crepe of some sort. Of course I try to stuff them with things my kids love...like chocolate & pomegranate seeds!

•2 eggs

 •1C. all purpose flour

•1/2C. water

•1/2C. milk

•2Tbsp. melted butter or margarine

•1/4tsp. salt

•nonstick cooking spray

•chocolate spread (I used the new Hershey's Chocolate Spread)

•pomegranate seeds

•powdered sugar

 

-In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs before adding flour, water, milk, butter or margarine & salt. Stir to thoroughly combine. (Mixture will be smooth.)

-In a medium (or large if you prefer) nonstick skillet, lightly spray nonstick cooking spray & heat over med.-high heat.

-Add crepe mixture 1/4C. at time. Quickly remove pan from the heat, slowly turn the pan in a circular motion so the mixture evenly coats the entire bottom. When you no longer see the mixture moving, replace pan over heat.

-After a couple minutes, slightly jerk the pan to see if the crepe moves, if so carefully flip it.

-Cook other side of crepe for 1-2 min. & remove from pan. Repeat process with remaining batter.

-To assemble the crepes, lightly cover the entire surface of the crepe with the chocolate spread. 

-Sprinkle with desired amount of pomegranate seeds.

-Fold in quarters & sprinkle with powdered sugar & pomegranate seeds for garnish.

-Enjoy! 

Messy Monday: Homemade Anti-Static Spray

There are two things that just don't go together very well. Laundry & winter. The amount of static that produces is insane. I'm sure I have several lost socks that are hidden inside pajama pants, fitted sheets or something else that came out of the dryer. Which means that an anti-static spray is a must to keep my laundry from sticking to everything. Including myself. 

•2C. water

•2Tbsp. fabric softener

•2Tbsp. vinegar

- Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. 

- Lightly spray to combat static cling. 

 

Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum

Wouldn't it be nice if there was such a product that could help improve your complexion while making it look like you were aging backwards too? Oh wait, there is! 

Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum is quite the "youth-enhancing serum". I use just 2 pumps at night & have noticed a dramatic change in my complexion. I have far less "bad complexion" days when my monthly BFF comes around, which is what really caught my eye. 

I also seem to be moisturizing less, but have more hydrated skin. Meaning, those spots that seem to get dry no matter what I do...well, I haven't seen them yet this winter. And with this weather, that could almost be considered a miracle. 

Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum is made with a triple blend of anti-aging ingredients like super antioxidant melon complex, anti-aging peptides & hyaluronic acid that helps restore your skin to a more youthful looking state. 

Learn more about Meaningful Beauty, the collaboration between French anti-aging specialist Dr. jean Louis Sebagh & Cindy Crawford. Otherwise known as the supermodel who never ages! Am I the only one who notices that? Obviously it has to do with the Essentials for More Beautiful Skin. 

Better yet, there are even 2 complete systems! I really want to try the 7-Piece New Advanced Deluxe System since it comes with an Eye Enhancing Serum & a Glowing Serum. It's not too late for a Christmas present to myself, is it?

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Disclaimer: I received Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.