Tuesday, December 24, 2019

How To Make A Clothespin Christmas Wreath Ornament

Clothes Pin Wreath Ornaments are so much fun to make! Here at my house we are in full Christmas crafting mode. Glue, glitter, scissors and paper are regularly scattered over the table while we craft our little hearts out. 




Holiday themed crafts are some of my favorites and every year I'm always on the hunt for the perfect new craft project to try. The catch is that the craft must be multi-age friendly so that the younger ones in the group can participate and the older kids enjoy it too. We host a big craft party with our friends from Bible study each year with 25+ kids whose ages range from 6 to 18.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please read my Disclaimer page. 

Last year we made 3-D wood (and cardboard) Christmas trees which were so much fun. You can find the full tutorial and pattern for the tree HERE.

This year I found another great multi-age friendly Christmas craft to do with our Bible study friends! We are going to make clothes pin wreath ornaments! I'm so excited for this craft since it is super simple, budget friendly and great for a group to do together. 

Before our big craft day arrived I whipped up a clothespin wreath ornament of my own to show the kids and hopefully inspire their imaginations! Follow along to see how it is done so you can make your own too!


Easy Christmas Clothespin Wreath Ornament Step-By-Step Tutorial


Supplies Needed:

Stiff Cardboard (5"x5")
Scissors
20-25 Wooden Spring Loaded Clothespins
Acrylic Craft Paint
Paint Brushes
Ribbon 8" long
Holiday Flowers or Jingle Bells (optional)
Hot glue gun & glue sticks

Let's get started making our clothes pin wreath ornament, shall we? 

Oh, and don't for get to Pin this project to share with others. I've got tons of great ideas pinned to my Pinterest Crafts-holiday board too so please follow me so you don't miss out on any other great ideas!




1 - To begin we will make the base for the wreath. Cut the cardboard square into a circle measuring 4 inches in diameter. Then cut a 2 inch diameter circle out from the center of the circle. You will be left with a shape like the letter "O". 

Once the cardboard is cut out it is time to paint it. Small parts of the cardboard will show between the clothes pins so you can choose to use a paint color that either "pops" or is neutral and blends in with the colors you will be painting your clothes pins.

Tip - give each crafter a paper plate to do all of their painting on so that your table and other items don't get full of paint. Also, if you are hosting a large group have the children keep their clothespins on their plate so they don't get mixed up or lost! 

2 - While the cardboard base is drying it is time to start painting the clothespins. Let your imagination lead the way here! Paint the flat side of each of the clothespins in whatever pattern or color you want. Since this is for Christmas you might want to do a red/green alternating pattern or even add a few silver or gold clothespins to give it a little sparkle. Other ideas might be to paint holiday characters like an angel, gingerbread, Santa or even a green Grinch on your clothes pins. 

Again, imagination and creativity is encouraged here!

Make sure you let your painted clothespins dry completely before assembling your wreath ornament. After the paint is dry start clipping the clothes pins close together around the cardboard base. Make adjustments as necessary until the entire base is filled.

3 - To finish your ornament twist the ribbon in a loop between two clothespins and add a dab of hot glue to the cardboard base then press the ribbon into the glue until it is dry. Now you're ready to hang it on the tree!

How did your finished clothespin wreath ornaments turn out? What colors did you paint your clothespins? Please share your finished projects with me in the comments. I hope you and your children loved making them as much as we did.

Clothespin Wreath Ornaments Make Great Homemade Gifts!



Wouldn't Grandma and Grandpa love getting a homemade clothes pin wreath ornament from their beloved grandchildren? Make a bunch to give to all of your family members as gifts this Christmas!

This is the fourth year I've hosted the kids from our Bible study over to make Christmas themed crafts. Curious to see what we've crafted over the years? These are all fun projects that won't drain your budget and work great for any size group. 


click HERE to read more


to read more click HERE

The key to hosting a group for a craft party is planning and prepping it all ahead of time. Not only is it less chaotic but you as the host have more time to enjoy your guests and help them with their craft. 

If you loved the clothespin Christmas wreath ornament tutorial please don't forget to follow me HERE so you don't miss out on other great kid friendly craft projects.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Easy DIY Bath Bombs With Custom Flavor Recipes

DIY bath bombs are a ton of fun to make and are a fabulous homemade gift idea! Because they are quite simple to make, are fairly forgiving when it comes to measuring the ingredients and can be shaped into almost any form you have available they are a great project to do with your kids.




Did you know that you can make custom scented bath bombs too? There are endless scent combinations you can use to truly make your bath bombs one of a kind. Customize your bath bomb scents and give them as gifts for celebrations like Christmas, Easter, birthdays, Valentine's Day and many more special occasions. They truly make the perfect gift for those you and your kids care about! Keep the simple ingredients handy so you are ready at a moment's notice to whip up a batch for gifting to a last minute party or just to surprise your child with at bath time!

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

I remember the first time my kids got their own bath bomb. A small box from an out of state aunt and uncle arrived a few days post Christmas and they were so excited to open this belated gift. They tore it open and stood looking confused at the big colorful set of 4 bath bombs. At the time they didn't know what they were so I had to explain that they made your bath all fizzy and scented as they dissolved in the water.

Of course the kids insisted that they needed baths at that exact moment so we ran up to the bathroom and filled the tub! They were pretty little at the time and we often called the bath our pool so they all threw on their swim suits and jumped into the tub together. Needless to say the bath bombs were a BIG hit! The kids loved holding the bath bombs just under the water to feel them bubble and dissolve. The bathroom smelled AMAZING too! The biggest surprise for all of us was the little toy hidden inside each bath bomb! Since then my children have all loved bath bombs and love getting and giving them as gifts!

Ready to make your own bath bombs to give as gifts this year? Gather the following ingredients and follow the step by step instructions below!


Easy DIY Bath Bomb Tutorial



Supplies Needed:



Dry Ingredients



Mix The Dry Ingredients
In a large stainless steel or glass bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. If you are going to make multi colored bath bombs, divide the dry mix into two or three separate bowls and add different color pigment to each bowl (this step is optional).

Mix The Wet Ingredients
Melt the coconut oil in a small microwavable bowl or over a double boiler. In another stainless steel or glass bowl mix the wet ingredients together including the melted coconut oil, water and essential oils. (For custom flavor scents see the recipe options below)

Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
Start by SLOWLY adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix all the ingredients together until they are the consistency of wet sand and won't crumble. Depending on the climate where you live you may want to use the spray bottle to spray the water over the mixture evenly. The amount of water may vary slightly depending on the humidity of your area.

Shape & Mold The Bath Bombs
Lightly spray the non-stick spray on the inside of whatever molds you are using to ensure the bath bombs don't stick to the mold. Fill each mold completely packing the mixture in until the mold you are using is slightly overflowing. 

If you are making a multi colored bath bomb you will want to fill the mold with the desired colors and continue packing the ingredients into the mold until it is completely full. If using the ball shaped molds fill each half them press the halves together firmly. 

Allow the mold to sit for 2 minutes then gently tap the mold and slowly pull the halves apart to remove the bath bomb. The bombs will be fragile so be careful when separating the halves! 

Set your bath bombs somewhere where they will be left alone to dry for 24-48 hours. 

Packaging Your Bath Bombs
Are you giving your bath bombs as gifts? In this case you will want to wrap them in clear cello sheets and tie them closed with string or ribbon. Don't forget to add these FREE printable Christmas gift tags from Fragrancex.com! All you have to do is print these cute gift tags onto card stock, punch a hole at the top and tie them to your gifts. 


Click HERE to find the free gift tag printable.
DIY Holiday Scented Bath Bomb Recipes Image Map
click HERE to get free printable Gift Tags

*Fragrancex.com has all sorts of great fragrances for both men and women! Make sure to check out this site when you are looking for perfumes, fragrances and many other great scented products.




8 Holiday Essential Oil Flavor Scent Recipes 

Here are 8 great custom holiday flavor scent recipes you can mix and use in your bath bombs this winter or holiday season.

* remember these are NOT edible! They may smell yummy but they will not be good for your tummy! Please supervise children when using bath bombs to make sure they don't eat them.


Make sure to PIN this post so you can refer back to it when you are ready to make your own bath bombs! Let me know how your bath bombs turned out in the comment section!

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Secret To Reducing Stress During The Busy Christmas Holiday Season



The Christmas holiday is fast approaching! Are you ready or do you feel a bit overwhelmed by the upcoming busy holiday activities such as shopping, baking, holiday parties and decorating that can easily fill up your calendar? An overly stuffed calendar can easily create a stressful holiday season for you and your family. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks!

So what can you do about it? Don't worry I have the perfect solution for you so your holiday stress is reduced and your holiday cheer can shine through!

What is my secret to a stress free holiday? 

A Holiday Plan

Having a holiday plan in place before the season starts is key! If you've never had a plan for the holidays it isn't too late to start one now. You are probably wondering where to begin and what a holiday plan looks like. Don't panic the perfect plan is just waiting for you and includes EVERYTHING you need to make this holiday the best for you and your family. 

Sunny Day Family has done all the hard work for you by putting together a Printable Christmas Planner that includes 140 planning pages including:



  • Blank Monthly Calendar
  • To Do Lists
  • Budget
  • Activity & Acts of Kindness Planners
  • Christmas Card Planner
  • Wish List, Gift Giving Planners, Shopping List, & Online Shopping Tracker
  • Gift Tags
  • Letters to Santa
  • Decorating Plan & Project Planner
  • Party Planning Sheets
  • Menu Planner, Baking Planner, & Grocery List
  • Recipe Cards
  • Baking Labels for Gift Giving

Seriously, I don't think there is a single thing missing from this planner. All you have to do is print off the pages that apply to your needs, fill them out and begin enjoying the benefits of being organized this holiday season.

I'm always worried I forgot to get someone a gift, or I forgot to write down a Christmas party on my calendar, or heaven forbid, I left someone off my Christmas card list! Not this year, my friend because this year my Christmas planner will be parked on my counter in sight so I can add and check off my to-do's as I complete them. 

What stresses you out most during the holidays? Follow me so you don't miss any more tips and tricks to help you survive the holidays! 






Fun Group Games To Play At Your Next Holiday Party


Quite often during the holiday season I end up hosting a party at our house. I love hosting family or friends for the holidays and I do my best to come up with some fun activities to keep everyone entertained. Since there is usually a big age range to my guests it can be challenging to find games and activities that everyone can participate in and enjoy playing together. Over the years I've found a few fun activities that are super fun that I want to share with you. Here are my top 3 Group Games you can play at your next holiday party:

1 - The Name Game

Difficulty: Easy | # of Players: 6+ | Time to Play: 10-30 minutes per round

This game requires very few supplies and is super simple to play. All that is needed are small slips of paper and a pencil for each person. Select one person from the group to be the "reader". This person selects one of the following categories for the first round of play: person, food or city in North America (as you begin to play this game you can come up with your own categories to add). 

For explanation purposes let's assume the Reader selects the category "Name". 

The rest of the players write down a name on their slip of paper, fold it and give it to the Reader who collects all players papers. Examples for the Name category could include, but not limited to: Dolly Parton, Spiderman, Mom, or even Peppa Pig - the options are endless! The reader unfolds the slips of paper and reads all the names written on them to the rest of the group twice. 

The person to the right of the reader starts the first round by asking one of the other player if they wrote "Spiderman" (select a name from the list read aloud). 

**The reader is not allowed to re-read or remind the rest of the players the names that were written on the slips of paper. 

If the player who was asked if they wrote "Spiderman" on their slip of paper did write it on their paper then that player joins the player that just asked them and they become a team. The player asking continues asking other players until they get a guess wrong. Play then passes to the next person to their right. 

The goal is to get as many players on your team by guessing the correct names each player wrote on their slip of paper. The game ends when one player has successfully guessed all players names correctly and has all players on their team. 

To begin the next round of play, select a new player to be the Reader. 

2 - Christmas Music Bingo

Difficulty: Easy | # of Players: 2-8 | Time to Play: 10-15 minutes per round

via: Sunny Day Family

With 3 fun ways to play this simple game it is sure to be a hit at your next gathering - or even in the car as you travel over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house! To play this game you will need these printable Christmas Bingo Set that includes 8 Bingo cards and 24 clues (on 2 pages). The clue cards are cut out, shuffled and placed in a pile face down. Each player needs their  own Bingo card and something to mark with (Christmas candy, holiday stamps or even stickers would work). 

Select which of the 3 ways you will play first. Here is how each are played:


  • Name That Tune - the bingo caller chooses a card and reads only the lyric at the top of the card. The rest of the players need to identify the name of the song and mark their card accordingly. First player with five in a row wins (if they got them right!).

  • Match The Title - super easy way to play by reading the song title instead of the lyrics. First player to get 5 in a row wins the BINGO round.

  • Listen and Play - perfect version to play at parties or on a road trip! Use your Amazon Music Unlimited to queue up some Christmas tunes and mark each song as you hear it. First player with 5 in a row wins! This is a great way to pass time in the car on a long road trip. 


3 - Name That Shape

Difficulty: Easy | # of Players: 10+ | Time to Play: 10-15 minutes per round

Prior to playing this game the host should prepare by drawing a different shape on 10-15 separate pieces of paper or 3 x 5 cards. The shapes should be somewhat simple like these: heart, flower, sunshine, sailboat, smiley face, house, a hand, a bird, star, football.  Divide your group into teams of 5 players. Each team should line up five people deep all facing forward. Each team should be given a pad of paper and pencil that is placed at the front of the line for each team. 

Play begins when the host selects one of the papers with a shape to show the last person in line of each of the teams. After the last player in each team has seen the shape they try to draw this shape on the back of the teammate in front of them. The person drawing has 2 tries to draw the shape before the person being drawn on must now draw that same shape on the person in front of them. 

The drawing continues until the person at the front of the line has had the shape drawn on their back. The player at the front of the line then has to draw the shape on paper and show their team what they drew. The team with a shape closest to the original drawing wins a point. 

To start the next round the person in the front of the line now shifts to the end of the line and gets to see the next shape card selected by the host. 


Happy Holiday's and Merry Christmas

Now that you are organized and ready to hit the holidays head on you will have plenty of time and energy to play these fun games with your family and friends at your next group party!

For more great games, printables and recipes please remember to follow me so you don't miss any of them!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

12 Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes Your Family Will Love

Thanksgiving is a cooking marathon! You get up early, pop the turkey in the oven, chop, slice, stir, mash and prep the side dishes, set the table and greet your guests. Exhausting isn't it? But as you look around your table at all who are gathered to celebrate a day set aside for reflecting on what we have to be thankful for, it makes the work totally worth it. 




This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please read my Disclaimer page. Thanks for your support!

While the post-feast turkey coma sets in on you and your guests don't forget about the leftovers! 

Thanksgiving food leftovers are almost as good as the original meal. That's is why I try to make a little extra of the side dishes so I can box up a meal for each of my guests to take home with them. 

Not only will your guests be thrilled to take home some leftovers but your overflowing fridge will be grateful for the extra space! 

Boxing Up The Leftovers

I LOVE these affordable, reusable, microwavable, and freezer-safe plastic containers to pack up leftovers for my guests. There is plenty of room to pack a sizable leftover meal in them and the lid snaps on securely so no worry about it popping off on their trip home. 

Oh, and don't forget to prepare a separate to-go container for leftover desserts too! Nobody wants their gravy mixing with their pumpkin pie! 

via: Amazon


Once all the leftovers are boxed up and packed into the fridge it can be so hard to tell what is in each container. Who wants to spend time pulling out container after container from the fridge, popping open each lid only to find that the one you opened isn't the leftover dressing you're craving. 

I've got the perfect solution to this problem - customizable printable labels! 

via: wikibuy

Print off several sheets of these FREE labels from Wikibuy.com and fill them out as you pack up the leftovers. Not only are the labels super helpful but they add a little extra elegance to your guest's to-go containers too. 



12 Easy Recipes For Thanksgiving Leftovers 


Turkey Leftover Recipes


Fall Harvest Turkey Pot Pie


recipe via: Fairlife.com

Comfort food at it's best! Piping hot pot pie with mixed vegetables, cubed or shredded turkey in a seasoned creamy sauce make this meal the perfect leftover dish. It whips up quickly since the turkey meat is already cooked! 

This meal tastes amazing baked in a cast iron skillet! If you don't have one I recommend this cast iron skillet. I use mine ALL the time!

Turkey Shepherd's Pie


recipe via: Yellow Bliss Road

Leftover mashed potatoes plus leftover turkey are the stars of this tasty casserole dish! This rustic dish is similar to pot pie except for the crust. Instead of pie crust or puff pastry topping, mashed potatoes and a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese top off the dish. 

Turkey Noodle Soup

recipe via: The Recipe Rebel.com

Soup is the perfect fall food. It is warm, filling and full of flavor. This turkey noodle soup is a great meal to make for dinner on a busy night especially since the turkey is already cooked. Just toss the ingredients into your soup pot and let the stove do its magic!


Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes


Mashed Potato Balls


recipe via: Rasa Malaysia

Here is a recipe that will take your leftover mashed potatoes to a whole new level! Mashed potato balls are simple to make and you can customize the seasonings and flavors by adding your favorite ingredients like bacon or diced peppers. Serve them as a side dish, appetizer or make it the main course. They are best when served warm. Beware these are sure to be gobbled up quickly!

Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes


recipe via: Belly Full

This recipe can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for when you are ready to fry them up. These loaded mashed potato cakes would make the perfect side dish to a leftover turkey meal. Adjust the flavor by adding bacon, ham or pepper jack cheese. 

Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi 


recipe via: Life As A Strawberry

This recipe is by far the most creative use of leftover mashed potatoes! Have you ever made your own homemade gnocchi? It is quite simple and makes a wonderfully comforting meal. The recipe from Life As A Strawberry walks you through the process step by step! 

Leftover Stuffing Recipes


Leftover Stuffing Breakfast Casserole


recipe via: Sweet And Savory By Shinee

This is the perfect day after Thanksgiving breakfast recipe! If you are a die-hard Black Friday shopper you are going to want to have a slice of this casserole before you hit the stores! Packed full of protein, veggies, and flavor you would never know that the night before it was the dressing or stuffing as some call it. 

Chicken (or Turkey) Stuffing Bake



This weeknight winner is sure to please your family as a post-Thanksgiving day meal. Simple on-hand ingredients mixed with your leftover turkey and stuffing (a.k.a. dressing) add flavor to this dish. It can be made in one pan so no worries about more dirty dishes piling up in the sink. I think your family will love this recipe! 

Leftover Stuffing Waffles 


recipe via: Best Recipe Box

Does this recipe surprise you? What a creative and tasty way to use up that leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving dinner! The surprises don't end here because these stuffing waffles are topped off with maple gravy. 

My family loves all things waffles! I make them all of the time in my waffle iron. This twist on a traditional waffle will really be a hit with my crew. 


Leftover Cranberry Recipes


Oatmeal Cranberry Bars


recipe via: A Few Shortcuts

Whip up a batch of these sweet oatmeal cranberry bars using your leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving. These can be a sweet breakfast treat or an after-dinner treat. Use gluten free oats to make this a gluten-free treat!

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Bread


recipe via: Oh My Veggies

Bake up a warm loaf of this cranberry sauce bread using your leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. Cranberries give this sweet bread a little tang of goodness in every bite. Spread some of the sauce on the bread to get even more cranberry goodness!

Leftover Cranberry Meatballs


recipe via: Life Made Simple Bakes

You already have leftover cranberry sauce so why not make these flavorful meatballs using the cranberries plus a few additional ingredients as the sauce? Homemade or frozen store-bought meatballs work perfectly for this recipe. Plugin your crockpot, toss in the meatballs and sauce and you are all set for dinner tonight. This is a great way to use up your leftover cranberries too! 

Enjoy your leftovers!

After finding all these great leftover recipes I'm almost as excited to make the leftover recipes as I am to make the original Thanksgiving feast! I'm sure my family will be blown away by the creative dishes I'm going to be serving them post-turkey day!

Follow me so you don't miss future posts including crafts, parenting tips, and fun DIY projects! 

Do you have any delicious leftover Thanksgiving recipes you can share with me? What is your favorite? I'd love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment below!

More Thanksgiving Themed Ideas You Will Love


Check out these other Thanksgiving-themed posts! Teach your kids how to be thankful and Thanksgiving craft round-up. 

Tips To Teach Your Kids How To Be Thankful - click HERE to read more. Includes a free holiday printable.


click HERE to read more

Is your family crafty? These 5 easy to make Thanksgiving crafts are fun for all ages to make! Click HERE to get the instructions for the projects. Also, included is a free Gratitude Game printable you can print and play as a family. 


Thursday, November 21, 2019

Top 10 Family Friendly Board Games

The weather outside might be cold and frightful but game night at home is so delightful! Don't let the cold and snowy weather get you down, keep your mind sharp and cabin fever at bay by playing a board game together.




This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my disclaimer page. Thanks!

Family game night is always a favorite time at our house. A little healthy competition over a board game or card game between friends and family is a great way to spend an evening. Shoot, even Candy Land, a classic kids board game, can bring out your inner competitor! My young son is known for his Candy Land and Shoots and Ladders trash talk. He is a fierce competitor and loves to play hard.

The best part about board games is that there are so many great ones to choose from that kids and adults of all ages will enjoy. My kids ages range from teen to kindergarten age and playing board games together provides them with an activity that they can all enjoy together whether it is a quick round of Slamwich or a lengthy game of Monopoly.

Every year for Christmas my husband and I make sure that there are a few new games gifted to the kids as a family gift. We always end up playing the new game several times on Christmas Day as a family. I've got such great memories each year of the games we have played.


Don't forget to Pin for later!


This year I'm once again on the hunt for a new family board or card game to give as a gift. Since I've been doing a lot of shopping online and in the store searching for the perfect game I thought I'd share some new ones I've come across as well as some of our family's favorites.


Family Favorite Board Game Ideas Everyone Will Love


1 - Ticket To Ride



Players - 2-5 |  Difficulty - Easy | Ages - 8+

Players score points by creating train routes across the continental United States. The winner is the person who finishes with the highest store including bonus points for completing specific routes or longest continuous train route. This game is also a great way to teach kids geography, strategy and basic math. There is also a popular European version too!

2 - Pinch 'N' Pass

click HERE



Players - 3-6 | Difficulty - Easy | Ages - 12+

Quick wits and quick responses makes this naming game fun for a group to play. Perfect game for a party! Start the game by selecting a "Pinch" card where you are given a category like "Tom Cruise movies". Anyone can join in by calling out an answer to fit the category earning a card for themselves. If the random timer hasn't run out any other player can call out another suggestion to fit the same category thus stealing the card. Whoever has the card in their hand when the timer runs out gets a point and moves one space on the board. "Pass" cards have the opposite effect where the goal is to get rid of the card and the person left holding the "Pass" card when the timer runs out moves back a space. Game time can range fro 10 minutes to 40 minutes.

3 - Articulate

click HERE

Players - 4-20+ | Difficulty - Moderate | Ages - 12+

Another great game for a large multi-age group to play! Super straight forward rules make this classic so easy to play. Players take turns describing as many words from a category as they can within thirty seconds except they can't say what the word sounds like or rhymes with. If you have good communication skills this game is for you! If you don't it is still a lot of fun.

4 - Apples to Apples 

click HERE

Players - 4-10 | Difficulty - Easy | Ages - 12+

This is an easy to learn fast-paced card game that everyone will love to play! Each round is filled with surprising and outrageous comparisons from a wide range of people, places, things and events. Every round of the game has a new judge, deciding which one of the person, place, thing or event cards played by the other players is the best apples to apples comparison to the description card. The player who collects five description cards first wins! This game is bound to become your family's favorite!

5 - Monopoly - Fortnite Edition

find it HERE

Players - 2-7 | Difficulty - Moderate | Ages - 13+

Inspired by the popular Fortnite video game this edition of Monopoly isn't about what players own but rather how long they can survive. Battling your opponents and avoiding the Storm to survive is what makes this version so much fun.  Instead of Monopoly money players earn Health Point chips to stay in the game. Last player standing wins!


6 - Catan Junior

find it HERE

Players - 2-4 | Difficulty - Moderate | Ages 5+

Are you a Settlers of Catan fan? This Junior version is the perfect way to introduce this great game to kids ages 5+ who are ready to explore Catan! Players use resources to build ships and hideouts on a ring of islands or get help from Coco the Parrot. Watch out for the dreaded Ghost Captain who lives on the Mysterious Spooky Island!

7 - Yeti In My Spaghetti

find it HERE

Players - 2+ | Difficulty - Easy | Ages 4+

This is silly, easy-to-play game the whole family can enjoy together! Simply place the noodles across the top of the bowl and sit the Yeti on top. Players take turns removing the noodles one-by-one trying not the let the Yeti fall. The player who makes the Yeti fall loses.

8 - Clue Game

find it HERE

Players - 2-6 | Difficulty - Moderate | Ages 8+

A classic game of Who Done It? Players become detectives as they try to solve a murder through deductive reasoning and luck! Was it Mrs. Peacock with the rope in the study or maybe it was Professor Plumb with the wrench in the study? The player who correctly guesses the room, weapon and guest wins!

9 - Uno Attack

click HERE to find it

Players - 2-10 | Difficulty - Easy | Ages 7+

Uno Attack has all the fun of the classic version but with a twist! The new Hit card forces the next player to hit the button on the random roulette Card Launcher and wait and see if any cards are shot out at the player. Will they get a couple of cards? Four? A whole pile or brand new cards? This exciting new twist makes Uno Attack feel like a whole new game!

10 - Disney Villainous Board Game

find it HERE

Players - 2-6 | Difficulty - Moderate | Ages - 10+

Choose your favorite Disney villain in an all out race to finally end the story as a winner. Each player sets out their villain card that has different story scenes, a villain deck and a fate deck of cards. One your turn, you'll move your villain to one of the locations on your card to preform a variety of different actions. Gain resources to use your villain powers and gain items or curse the other villains with terrible conditions. Find allies to help you sent heroes to hinder your opponents. Gain the victory points to prove that your villain was right all along! 





Snack Ideas For Family Game Night

As the saying goes: families that play games together stay together and have more fun! Make some lifeline memories with regular family game nights. 

Of course no game night would be complete without a good snack! I've got the perfect snack ideas for you to serve at your next family game night - carmel corn, kettle corn and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels! 

Is your mouth watering yet? Whip up this delicious carmel corn or kettle corn in no time at all and enjoy it as a family as you gather around the table to play your favorite board games. Oh, and you can't go wrong with soft pretzels now can you? 

My whole family loves these and I love to make them! 

Easy Kettle Corn Recipe
get the full recipe HERE

Easy Carmel Corn Recipe
read the full recipe HERE


Cinnamon & Sugar Soft Pretzel Recipe 
click HERE to get full recipe



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Tuesday, October 29, 2019

How To Make Homemade Cinnamon & Sugar Soft Pretzels

Homemade soft pretzels are such a delicious and easy treat to make at home. As the weather turns colder do you find yourself craving all those wonderful comfort foods like pot pie, hot chocolate, apple pie and warm soft pretzels? At our house we are in full comfort food mode. The crock pot is churning out meals while tag teaming with the oven! 




Our latest comfort food recipe is homemade soft pretzels. At first this seemed so intimidating since pretzel making is a three step process, but once I made my first batch I realized there is nothing to be intimated about homemade pretzel making! They are quite simple and easy to make at home thank goodness, otherwise I was considering buying stock in Auntie Anne's due to our frequent stops there for warm soft pretzels. 

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If you have never made anything with dough before, making soft pretzels is a great one to start with. As I mentioned before making soft pretzels is a three step process broken down as follows:

  • Make the dough and let it rise, 
  • Shape the dough and give it a quick water/baking soda bath
  • Bake the pretzels
Let's make a batch together shall we? Here is the recipe I used to make mine that I think you will love:


Easy Homemade Cinnamon & Sugar Soft Pretzels


Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 pkg dry active yeast
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 egg white

Baking Soda Bath

  • 6 cups water
  • 1/4 cup baking soda

Cinnamon & Sugar Topping

  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar + 1/4 tsp cinnamon mixed together



Step #1 Make the Dough

In a metal mixing bowl pour in the warm (see Tip below) water, yeast and the tablespoon of sugar. Let the yeast activate or proof (technical term) for 10 minutes. The yeast will feed off of the sugar and begin to foam and get frothy. 


Tip: If it bubbles up and gets frothy you know your yeast is active and well. Causes of "dead" yeast can be too hot water, too cold water, old yeast or too much sugar. The water should feel warm to the touch on the inside of your wrist - not hot. 


After the yeast is proofed add the melted butter, salt, flour and cinnamon and mix for about 10 minutes. I find it easiest to mix everything in my Kitchen Aid mixer starting with the mixing paddle then switching to the dough hook once the ingredients come together. Using the dough hook is how you are going to kneed the dough. 

If you don't have a stand mixer you can do all of the mixing by hand using a solid wooden spoon and then once the ingredients come together dump it out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed it by hand. (if you need a quick lesson in how to kneed dough here is a great video). The dough should not stick to the bowl at all and feel smooth and elastic. 


The dough needs to rest and have time to double in size. We don't want the dough to stick to the bowl so you should pull the dough out of the metal mixing bowl, pour in the vegetable oil and spread it around the inside of the bowl with a kitchen brush and then place the dough back in the bowl. 

Completely cover the top of the bowl with a piece of saran wrap or a towel. It is best to put the bowl in a warm location to help the dough rise. The dough should be doubled in size after 60 minutes.


Tip: Since it is super cold where I live I like to turn my oven on low for about 15 minutes then turn it off and set the bowl with the dough on it to rise.  

Once the dough is double it's size pour it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 to 10 equal size pieces. If you want huge pretzels go with 8 pieces otherwise for medium size pretzels divide the dough into 10 pieces. 


Step #2 Baking Soda Bath

Pour the six cups of water into a large pot, mix in the baking soda and turn the stove top on medium high temperature. You want the water to come to a full boil. 


While you are waiting for the water to reach the boiling point you can use this time to shape your 8 or 10 pieces of dough into pretzel shapes. 
  • Shape your dough by rolling each piece into a long rope about 24 inches long. 
  • On your work surface lay the dough rope into a "U" shape.
  • cross the ends of the U two times to make the center twist
  • fold the top of each U shape down towards the bottom of the U and pinch the ends down. 
The dough should now resemble the shape of a pretzel. You can easily adjust to dough into the proper shape of your liking. 


Tip - If you don't want to make the traditional pretzel shape you can cut the long rolled rope of dough into small 1" pieces to make pretzel nuggets instead. 


Once the baking soda water bath is boiling carefully drop one pretzel at a time into the water. You do not want to crowd the pot so you may only be able to bathe one pretzel at a time. Remove the pretzels from the water after 30 seconds and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. 


Mix the egg white with 1-2 tablespoons of water and brush each pretzel top with this mixture. Since we are making Cinnamon pretzels I don't recommend sprinkling salt on the unbaked pretzels. 


Tip - if you want to make traditional pretzels, skip adding cinnamon to the dough in the first step. After the pretzels are brushed with the egg wash sprinkle salt on each pretzel to your liking. 


Step # - Bake The Pretzels & Add Toppings
Bake the pretzels in a 425F oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow the pretzels to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a small dish. Brush the baked pretzels with melted butter then sprinkle the sugar & cinnamon mixture over the pretzels. 

Enjoy!


Tip - if you aren't going to eat the pretzels right away (or within an hour after baking) I recommend flash freezing the pretzels then storing them in a Ziploc freezer bag to keep them fresh. When you are ready to eat place the pretzels on parchment paper on a baking sheet and put them in a 425F oven for 10-12 minutes until thawed and warm.
Wasn't that easy? There are so many different toppings you could put on your homemade soft pretzels like - poppy seeds, drizzled chocolate with chopped nuts and Parmesan cheese.
What's your favorite pretzel toppings? Share your favorites in the comments or follow me so you don't miss out on future recipes, crafts and useful parenting tips.
While you're in the kitchen in full comfort food snack mode why not whip up a batch of this amazing carmel corn? I have the perfect recipe for you that is fast, easy and YUMMY!