If there is one thing that helps me get started in the morning, it’s a warm breakfast. Of course, it also has to be an easy breakfast because I’m preparing food for myself and for my little man. But the person in my family who depends the most on an easy breakfast is J. He leaves very early in the morning and if it’s not easy (and hearty) then he’ll skip it.

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But my sister-in-law is also a pro at making the dinner table look so festive. So this year, I wanted to find some great crafts that the kids could all do to help her decorate and to help make the party even more festive. I’ve gathered a small collection of some of my favorites to share!

Memorial Day Recipes & Crafts

First up! The recipes! Because I love a good sweet treat after a tasty piece of barbecue chicken!

Memorial Day Recipes

1. Red, White, & Blue Dipped Pretzels by Formula Mom (pictured)
2. Patriotic Raspberry Coconut Cake by Simmworks Family (pictured)
3. Patriotic Berry & Cake Dessert Platter by Around My Family Table (pictured)
4. Stained Glass Jello by Brown Eyed Baker
5. Patriotic Push-Up Pops by craftaholics anonymous
6. Patriotic Ice Cream Pops by Living Locurto
7. Patriotic Caramel Corn by I Heart Nap Time
8. Firecracker Rice Krispies by Grin and Bake It
9. Memorial Day Cupcakes (corn on the cob, hamburger, & picnic ants) by Hoosier Homemade
10. Red, White, & Blue Funfetti Cookie Sandwiches by My Pinterest Reality

And something to keep everyone busy on the long weekend and to help get decorated for your next gathering!

Memorial Day Crafts

1. DIY Poppers at Formula Mom (pictured)
2. Red, White, & Blue Felt Wreath by 7 on a Shoestring (pictured)
3. Red, White, & Blue Tin Can Luminaries  by Days of a Domestic Dad (pictured)
4. Star Centerpiece by Frogs & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails
5. Handprint & Footprint flag art by Serendipity
6. Memorial Day Flag craft by The Iowa Farmer’s Wife
7. Popsicle Stick Flags by A Pumpkin & a Princess
8. Patriotic Tin Can Wind Sock by u create
9. Handprint Fireworks by learn create love
10. Patriotic Toilet Paper Roll Centerpiece by Classified Mom

How does your family celebrate Memorial Day? Do you have any Memorial Day recipes that are traditions?

The post 20 Memorial Day Recipes & Crafts appeared first on Formula Mom.

Just one little issue to contend with… how do we decorate? Do we go with a gender neutral approach or do we wait until we find out what we’re having? I will admit that the hopes around here were for a little girl to go with our little man. I really want the experience of raising a boy and raising a girl.

Oh the developments in modern medicine! I had blood test that screens for the big chromosomal abnormalities and can also screen for the sex of the baby (if you opt in). Through this test we found out earlier than our 20 week anatomy scan that we are having a healthy little baby.

So we decided to use our Glidden Disney Paint to get started on decorating and to share the news with the family!

Sharing Our News with Disney Paint

I fell in love with the line of Glidden Disney Paint available at Walmart. The color choices are gorgeous and we found just the right one for our room. To make it even more fun for kids, they offer a variety of great finishes like metallic, glitter, and confetti. If I was doing W’s room over again, I would love to incorporate some of the metallic paint.

At Walmart, I was able to stock up on all of the painting supplies and party supplies we needed! If we were having people over to share our news, I was going to be making some tasty treats to enjoy! But before I could start baking, we had a room to prepare!

I would love to have some before photos that didn’t reveal what we’re having, but there are plenty of hints in the before. We got a little excited and made a few purchases when we found out. But remember, our family hadn’t seen the before closet space! They just showed up to see the after!

When we moved in, the room was a dark brown and the previous owners had “touched up” some spots with a darker shade. It wasn’t pretty at all. So we used a light silvery gray color that we had to freshen up the room. W’s room has gray walls as well but they are a bit darker. We’re just loving the neutral clean look of using grays.

The closet doors were also all broken-down so we removed them. We will put up curtains instead. But because you can now see into the closet (even with the curtains), we wanted to really make the inside of the closet pop. We wanted to make it a feature of the room. That is where our Disney Paint from Glidden came in handy!

We had a little help from our painting “helper” who thought that all of the brushes could be baseball bats. But the beauty in doing the inside of a closet is that it’s a small project that is done quickly but makes a huge impact!

Grambo and I are a painting team! She is fabulous at taping off to get a nice clean line and then doing the cut in work. I’m great with a roller so we can knock out any project in no time. But this one was especially easy and so pretty when it was done! We did the color first and let it dry before applying the Disney Specktacular confetti top coat.

So… what color did we choose?

A gorgeous buttery yellow that goes perfectly with an old quilt my mom had. It also pulls from the yellow in a rug we found a love. The rug is rainbow striped (pink, purple, yellow, green, and blue) and I’m in love with it! It is going to be the start of a beautiful little room! I also love the scatter of confetti sparkle that makes the closet pop now. Thank you Glidden and Disney Paint!

So yes, we’re having a little girl and we couldn’t be more excited!

Welcoming Our Princess to the Family

We still need to order furniture for our new little girl but otherwise the room is painted and we have artwork! I didn’t want to wait to share the news with out family. So even thought the room isn’t complete, the closet was looking good and I think it’s pretty obvious that we are start decorating for a little miss!

So we invited them over and I headed into the kitchen to whip up some goodies for our little celebration. I decided to make some lemon cookies to go with our gorgeous yellow color in the closet. And I was thrilled to find some Disney Princess sprinkles to top them off and celebrate our little princess!

The sprinkles inspired me to try my hand at my first batch of homemade buttercream frosting since taking a cooking class with Grambo back in March. I will have the cookie recipe posted later this week and you can check back next week to see just how easy it was to make my own buttercream! I don’t think I will ever go back to store-bought frosting (well… I’m sure from time to time, but I was excited to make my own)!

Well, the closet was a huge hit and so were my cookies! Everyone was thrilled to learn that W will have a little sister in a little over 5 months! And I’m thrilled that her room is off to such an amazing start! Paint really is one of the easiest ways to make a huge change in a room. People remember it and it can change the whole feel of a room.

Gone is the dull brown of the previous owners! Now my little girl will have a bright and warm room to call her own. And the bit of sparkle from the Specktacular Disney Paint makes me smile every time I walk into the room. I might be a fan of sparkles and glitter, so I’m loving it!

We have plenty leftover so I have a feeling I may try to sneak a bit more in before the room is done. But I’ll keep you updated and I’ll be sure to post photos of the final product when it’s all ready for my little girl’s arrival!

What room would you change with Disney Paint?

Disclosure: Compensation and products for review purposes were provided by Glidden. All thoughts and experiences are my own.

The post Sharing Our News with Disney Paint #DisneyPaintMoms appeared first on Formula Mom.

Zesty Italian Dressing from Kraft Adds Zing

So I looked up the definition of zesty (well actually zest) and discovered it means hearty enjoyment or gusto. And I fell in love with the word.  Well, I’ve actually always loved the word because it’s so fun to say! Zesty! I mean, it’s hard not to smile when you say it out loud. And I think it described me well most of the time.

As summer creeps closer, I have a renewed zest for life. I am making a huge change with the decision to work at home and be with my little ones for the next few years. It excites me and invigorates me. It has brought a new zest to my life!

So feeling zesty doesn’t have to just relate to food! It can be all about your approach to life. Of course, I do enjoy a little zing of flavor in my food which is why I depend on Kraft and their Anything Dressings. I have used them in the crockpot, on salads, and as dipping sauces. I love the convenience and the versatility!

Meet ZestyGuy

I’m sure you’ve probably seen him around. He’s kind of hard to ignore (there I admitted it). He’s all about bringing zest into our lives and into our kitchens! And he has a few great recipes to share!

• Zesty Italian Chicken Salad
• Primavera Pasta Toss

Kraft offers some amazing recipes and I have been known to use a few in my kitchen. But I’ve also found some fabulous recipes from fellow bloggers that I would love to try this summer!

Recipes Calling for Zesty Italian Anything Dressing

1. Steak and Feta Salad by Around My Family Table
2. Greek Pasta Salad by Chef in Training
3. BLT Pasta Salad by Six Sisters’ Stuff
4. Easy Pasta Salad from Cathie and Steve
5. Shish Kabobs from Recipes We Love
6. White Pizza by Recipes Happen
7. Zesty Italian Chicken by From the Kitchen of Mama Harris
8. Italian Crockpot Chicken by Crock-a-doodle-do
9. Marinated Cheese from allrecipes (can use italian dressing instead of oil and seasoning mix)
10. Tri-Color Salad by Matt and Shari

Do you have a favorite recipe that calls for italian dressing? I would love to hear about it! Especially if they are great for summer outdoor gatherings!

If you need some more zest in your kitchen (and maybe in your life?), follow @theZestyGuy on Twitter and discover more zesty recipes on the Kraft website and by connecting with Kraft Dressing on Facebook. You can also send your friends a ZestyGram to add a little zest to your day!

Your Chance to Win!

One lucky reader will win a zesty bottle of Italian perfume, such as Versace! Enter below for your chance to win! This is a quick giveaway and it will close at 11:59pm EST on Thursday, May 23rd. Open to US residents only. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received product for review purposes in addition to compensation for my participation in this campaign for Kraft. All thoughts and experiences are my own.

The post Zesty Italian Dressing from Kraft Adds Zing #GetZesty appeared first on Formula Mom.

But while I continue to browse the ideas to decide what else I want to make, I took the time to make some easy dipped pretzels. They are very simple to make and extremely versatile. So many people love the mix of salty and sweet! These are quickly becoming one of my favorite treats to whip up for special occasions!

Memorial Day Desserts: Dipped Pretzels

If you’ve been with me at all, you know that when it comes to cooking and baking, I like things to be pretty easy. I’m definitely that kind of mom but I still like to do special things for my family. That’s why recipes and activities like these dipped pretzels are perfect for me! Check out how simple they are to make!

What you need:

• Pretzel rods
• Vanilla almond bark (or chocolate or candy melts in your desired color)
• Sprinkles to decorate
• Floral foam (to stand pretzels in to cool)

What you do:

1. Melt the almond bark or chocolate according to the directions on the packaging. I’ve also found that a small Little Dipper Crockpot works great for keeping the bark melted for this project.
2. Dip pretzel rod 3/4 of the way into the melted bark. Turn and tap on the edge of the pan to get rid of the excess bark.
3. Sprinkle (or roll depending on your set up) with desired sprinkles to decorate.
4. Stick pretzel rod into a hole in the floral foam to cool. You can also lay them on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper but one side of your pretzel with have flat almond bark when cooled.

The pretzel rods will be cooled within 15-20 minutes and you will be ready to celebrate! That’s how simple these are to make and why I love them!

What is your favorite salty and sweet combination?

The post Memorial Day Desserts: Dipped Pretzels #MemorialDay appeared first on Formula Mom.

Memorial Day Crafts: DIY Poppers

I am the mom who strives to be crafty. I always have these big plans but then the crafts that only really get done are the ones that are pretty simple. That is why I’m a huge fan of these DIY Poppers. They only take about 5 minutes each to make (unless you get your kids involved in putting them together) and are an adorable addition to your next Memorial Day BBQ.

Oh and the great thing about these poppers is that you can make them for any occasion just by changing up the scrapbook paper you choose! For Memorial Day and the 4th of July, scrapbook paper in festive reds, whites, and blues is perfect. But you could easily choose reds and greens for Christmas, pastels for Easter, etc. The possibilities are endless and perfect for any party!

I’m thinking these would be a blast for W’s 3rd birthday party later this year. Oh, maybe instead of goody bags!

What you need:

• 12×12 scrapbook paper, cut into fourths (I chose festive colors)
• White tissue paper
• Ribbon
• Candy/small prizes
• Tape
• Scissors

What you do:

1. Cut tissue paper a little wider than scrapbook paper and place it on the wrong side of the scrapbook paper.
2. Line back of scrapbook paper with tissue paper and roll both together to form a cylinder. Tape shut leaving about 1-2 inches of tissue paper coming out of each side.
3. Tie one end with ribbon to secure shut.
4. Fill cylinder with candy. Make sure to get the candy inside of the tissue paper.
5. Tie other end of cylinder shut to seal in the candy.

It’s seriously that easy! And they look absolutely adorable too! I love the polka dot paper that Danielle chose combined with the sequins to give the popper some flash! These would be fun at a baby shower too! Oh, now the ideas are rolling. I love crafts that are so versatile!

What Memorial Day crafts are you planning to do with your kids?

The post Memorial Day Crafts: DIY Poppers #MemorialDay appeared first on Formula Mom.

Why am I so excited? Well, I’m pretty sure that W will love it. He has a Cars obsession now (well, more like a Tow Mater obsession) and is all about anything related to transportation. When he sees the Cars logo, he announces, “Mater!” And when I showed him the sneak peek from Disney’s Planes, he was intrigued.

You can check it out too! I would love to hear what you think!

Taking off with Disney Planes

Oh, and I might have a little crush on Dane Cook. But that is all J’s fault. Yes, my dear husband is the reason I’m a Dane Cook fan and I’m even a fan of his voice. I like to support performers I like in their different endeavors. I have seen a lot of odd movies as a result. So Disney’s Planes doesn’t make me bat an eye. I’m ready for it!

I’m actually hoping that it will be W’s first movie in the theater. He will be on his way to 3 and I’m thinking he might be interested in sitting through an early matinee. He loved Wreck-It Ralph and watched the entire DVD so I think he’s getting there. I would love to take my little man to the theater and share a popcorn with him for this movie!

So we’ll see. August 9th still gives us plenty of time so I will have my fingers crossed! While we wait, I’ve printed a few activities to keep W interested in the movie so that hopefully he’ll be excited at the end of the summer!

I might be teaching him the name Dusty already. He could be a Mater and a Dusty fan, right?

You can download character coloring pages and connect the dots activity pages to help get your kids excited about Disney’s Planes too! Then you can learn more about the movie by visiting disney.com/Planes or connecting on Facebook or Twitter.

Join me (and W) on August 9th with Planes flies into theaters!

Who would you take to see Disney’s Planes this summer?

The post Taking off with Disney Planes #DisneyPlanes appeared first on Formula Mom.

So recently we took advantage of a gorgeous Saturday and set off on an affordable family adventure! It was a simple day at the park. But what made it an adventure is that we took W to a park where we don’t usually go.

Affordable Family Fun: A Day at the Park

My son is a huge fan of any playground, but our neighborhood playground isn’t much of an adventure for anyone else in the family. We have been too many times. So, we decided to pack up a picnic and take a drive to a huge park that is downtown.

Bringing our own food and drinks is always a great way to save money. So for the price of gas, we were on our way. The park downtown has multiple playgrounds, walking paths, picnic areas, gardens, and even a large lake with ducks.

There are activities you can pay to do such as paddle boats and riding the train, but there is enough to keep a family busy all day long without spending any money. We brought a blanket, our food, and a few balls to play with and enjoyed an amazing day of affordable family fun!

Starting the Day Off Right

But whether we are off on a planned adventure or one of a more impromptu nature, once thing I cannot leave the house without doing is eating breakfast! I am one of those people that cannot skip breakfast or I end up not feeling well the rest of the day.

This pregnancy, oatmeal has been my morning staple. It was one thing I was able handle despite my nausea. I actually enjoyed it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner some days!

Quaker® Perfect Portions is one of my most recent discoveries and has helped me add some variety into my daily oatmeal. I am a huge fan of the cinnamon flavor but would also love to try the maple flavor.

The best thing about the Perfect Portions is that my entire family can enjoy it! I can prepare as much or as little as we need! So if it’s just breakfast for me, I know how much I like. But if W wants to have some, I can easily prepare a bit more!

As you know, I like convenience so this definitely works for me! And it gives me the energy I need to make it through our everyday adventures and memory making!

Every day is an adventure and with Quaker® Perfect Portions I know I am providing my family with the fuel they need for their epic adventures.

Share how you make everyday an adventure and see other storieson Everyday Health.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker®. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Affordable Family Fun: A Day at the Park #QuakerEpicAdventures appeared first on Formula Mom.

Jack Daniels Chicken Recipe

Although I usually gravitate towards recipes with fairly short ingredient lists, this chicken sounds too good. So the number of ingredients that go into the sauce doesn’t have me too overwhelmed. And if I can pass the recipe off to J and have him take care of all of it, then I will be thrilled!

What you need:

Jack Daniels Chicken

• 1 3-4 lb. whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (skin left on)
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 2 TBS grill seasoning
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Jack Daniels Sauce

(from about.com)

• 1/2-3/4 c. Jack Daniels, or to taste
  
• 1/2 c. onion, chopped
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 c. ketchup
  
• 1/3 c. vinegar
  
• 3 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
  
• 3/4 c. molasses
  
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
  
• 1/2 TBS salt
  
• 1/4 c. tomato paste
  
• 1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
  
• 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, or to taste
  

What you do:

1. Combine onion, garlic and Jack Daniels in a 3 quart saucepan.
2. Sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer uncovered until reduced and thickened (about 15 to 25 minutes).
5. Add more Jack Daniels if a stronger flavor is desired.
6. In a large bowl combine chicken, oil, grill seasoning, salt, and pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature about 20 minutes.
7. Heat grill to high. Spray well with cooking spray.
8. Sear chicken on each side for 2 minutes.
9. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for about 25 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes to crisp both sides.
10. Baste with barbecue sauce and continue cooking for 6-7 minutes, turning often and re-basting.

What is your favorite to prepare chicken on the grill? Do you have a great recipe to share?

The post Jack Daniels Chicken appeared first on Formula Mom.

Mother to Be… Again

It’s official! We are expecting baby #2 near the end of this year. We decided that the timing felt right to start trying and we were blessed to conceive quickly just as we did with W. So it made this Mother’s Day just a bit more special because I knew that our little family had already grown again.

Now I have a little less than 6 months to figure out how to be a mom to 2! It’s been a very different experience then my first pregnancy. I have been far more tired (no afternoon naps after work this time around) and I have been nauseous for about 2 months. With W, I had a funky taste in my mouth throughout most of the pregnancy but I only had a few bouts of nausea. We shall see what that might mean for us!

Being a mom has brought me such amazing joy. I never imagined how blessed I would feel. To know that I’m doing it all again is an amazing feeling. I cannot wait to experience my love for another child. My love for W is so powerful that I’ll admit I’m not sure how my heart will handle another little one. It’s definitely going to grow more than I ever imagined!

Although I know more of what to expect this time around, I can’t help but wonder how my two pregnancies will compare. So far they have gotten off to very different starts. And I also have a stream of questions that seems to keep my mind going.

• How will I handle a newborn and an almost 3-year old?
• Will I have two in diapers or will W be using the potty by November?
• How will W react to the new baby?
• Do I want to cloth diaper again?
• Will breastfeeding be more successful this time?

And on and on! But the best part is that I know everything will work out the way it should. We will figure it all out just as we did with W. I am a strong mother who can handle anything! But I am looking forward to those softer moments that are ahead. I cannot wait to have two little loves to cuddle on winter mornings!

Any mom words of advice to share?

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Win a Year of Angel Soft!

Angel Soft is offering one lucky Formula Mom reader a year supply of softness and strength! That’s 90 double rolls! To enter for your chance to win, please use the form below. The giveaway is open to US residents and will end at 11:59pm EST on May 27th! Good luck!

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Angel Soft. I was compensated for this post however all thoughts and experiences are my own.

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