busyworkingmom

I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all my American Readers.

Why do turkeys always go, “gobble, gobble”?

Because they never learned good table manners!

Hey I said it was silly!

My daughters room has just been completed beautiful new hardwood floors and nice fresh paint and all.  Last week she colored on her floor which I managed to scrub off and we discussed the offending marker and she of course promised only on paper.

Tonight I went in there to clean up her room properly as she likes to keep it a disaster area.  Her wall had some interesting art  work.  There was pretty flowers, stars and in capital letters she had written YOU ARE A POOP. I was furious and removed all her pencils, crayons markers and other craft supplies from the room and sent her to my room to sit on my bed while I attempted to clean it (thus removing the temptation to tan her little 5 year  old bottom).  Unfortunately he paint came of with the marker, pen and crayon.  So needless to say I was furious.

I then picked up her toys from the floor and found more writing saying MOM IS A BIG POOP HEAD.  Thankfully that washed up nicely as it was only crayon.

I went into my room and asked her why she wrote such mean things about mommy and she replied she was very angry when she wrote it as I washed her pictures off the floor and was mean to her. That is also why her room was a mess the toys were on the floor to hide it and the giant teddies were pulled out and piled on toys to hide the wall.

I guess in a way i should be proud that she figured out how to spell everything so perfectly at five, but honestly i am afraid if she is that defiant at 5 what do i have to look forward to a 16.  She seems very remorseful now as she did cry herself to sleep.  Now if only remorse would go buy paint and repaint the room I would be set.

She wont get her craft supplies back until after the weekend and hopefully she will not do it again.

As you all know I just love diaper cakes… I know weird, but seriously for a baby shower gift or even a center piece when throwing a shower for a friend nothing beats a diaper cake.  Diaper cakes are now all the rage at baby showers and as a result they are cooler then ever now that more and more people are creating them.

I am always on the hunt for new designs and ideas for these cute creations and the following are the most interesting designs I have found.

I have seen a few bikes and tricycle designs for diaper center pieces in my travels but this one is one of my favorites.   The little details are certainly what won me over with this diaper cake… the bottle head light, the cool handle bars complete with booty grip.  The bib fenders are adorable… this diaper cake is a sure winner for the bike enthusiast or just about anyone… the only con to this diaper cake is you know the recipient is not going to use any of the diapers from this cake as noone will want to pull this work of art apart.

I just love this diaper cake its just too cute for words, again its all the details my favorite part here is the flower shaped headlights too cute.

This cute little diaper cake is shaped  into a bi-plane… I love the little pilot with his soother he is too cute for words… I plan on making this one really, really soon.  Once I figure it out I will post instructions and pictures for it.

This cute little pink teddy bear on her diaper cake bike is an example  of a simple understated diaper cake design that is sure to gather ohs and ahs.

As you can see this Diaper cake is made much the same as my previously posted diaper cake, but paper cutouts, dragon and flags finish it off and make it a truly cute castle.

This is the first Diaper cake bed i have come across and I must say I love it… the diaper bed skirt is truly what sets it off.

This traditional two tiered diaper cake makes the list as the flowers turn it from diaper cake to floral arrangement…

This adorable giraffes are actual  Diaper cakes…. on first glance I actually almost thought they were stuffed animals… they are flawlessly designed.  I can’t figure out quite how to reproduce them but if i do I will be sure to post them.

This pretty castle is my daughters favorite diaper cake… she calls it the princess castle and wants to make one in pink.

As you can see from the examples above you can shape a diaper cake into anything at all.  The only thing limiting you is you imagination… Please share your designs as I would just love to see them.

Breakfast Squares

Crunchy oatmeal base topped with egg and bacon filling. A hint of sweet maple flavour, too.

All-purpose flour    3/4 cup    175 mL
Brown sugar, packed    1/2 cup    125 mL
Baking soda    1/2 tsp.    2 mL
Hard margarine (or butter)    1/2 cup    125 mL

Quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)    3/4 cup    175 mL

Bacon slices (maple-smoked is best), diced    12    12

Large eggs    8    8
Water    1/3 cup    75 mL
Salt    1/2 tsp.    2 mL

Block of cream cheese, softened and cut into    4 oz.    125 g
small cubes

Combine first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add rolled oats. Stir. Press 1/2 of mixture into greased 9 x 9 inch (22 x 22 cm) pan. Set aside.

Cook bacon in large frying pan on medium until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Remove drippings, reserving 1 tbsp. (15 mL) in pan. Heat reserved bacon drippings on medium-low.

Beat eggs, water and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour egg mixture into pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring slowly, until almost set. Remove from heat.

Add cream cheese and bacon to egg mixture. Stir until cream cheese is smooth. Spoon mixture over oat mixture. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 of oat mixture. Press lightly. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 30 minutes until top is golden. Cuts into 6 pieces.

1 piece: 565 Calories; 36.6 g Total Fat (18.2 g Mono, 3.9 g Poly, 11.9 g Sat); 319 mg Cholesterol; 42 g Carbohydrate; 2 g Fibre; 17 g Protein; 843 mg Sodium

Popcorn Balls

Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :15
Ingredients:

* 2 qt Popped popcorn
* 1 c Sugar
* 1/3 c Corn syrup
* 1/3 c Water
* 1/4 c Butter
* 1/4 ts Salt (omit if popcorn is already salted)
* 1 t Vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 250. Put popcorn in a large, 4 inch deep butered baking pan. Keep warm in the oven.

Combine sugar, cornsyrup, water, butter and salt in a large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

Cook until mixture reaches 250 on a candy thermometer, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Quickly stir in vanilla.

Remove popcorn from oven. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn, stirring to mix well. Form into balls.

Makes approximately 8 balls.

Easy Fruit Juice Ice Pops

Prep Time: :15
Cook Time: :
Ingredients:

* Fresh fruit juice
* Ice cube tray
* Tooth picks
* Plastic wrap

Preparation:
Pour juice into the ice cube tray. Cover tightly with the plastic wrap. Using one tooth pick per cube, poke through the plastic wrap so that each tooth pick stands up straight. Put in flat in the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Variation: Add half a tablespoon of crushed pineapple to each cube before pouring the juice. Stir each cube before placing on the plastic wrap.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies—kids recipe

Prep Time: :20
Cook Time: :15
Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
* 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
* 3 cups oats, rolled (raw) quick/ old fashioned
* 1 cup flour all-purpose
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 cup raisins
* 1 cup walnuts chopped

Preparation:
Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening. Combine shortening, brown sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla; beat with mixer on high speed to blend well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add to shortening mixture and combine until just blended. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 for 10-13 min., or until lightly browned. Cool 2 min. on cooling rack.

Cheesy Popcorn—kids recipe
Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :
Ingredients:

* 6 cups popped popcorn; plain flavor
* 2 tbsp butter or margarine; melted
* 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; grated
* Salt to taste

Preparation:
Place popcorn in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle butter over popcorn and sprinkle cheese evenly. Stir. Serve immediately.

For more great kid friendly snack recipes check out snack attack it is filled with kids snack recipes complete with photos.

Cheesy Crunch Snack Mix—recipes for kids
Prep Time: :15
Cook Time: :30
Ingredients:

* 3 cups thin pretzel sticks
* 4 cups Wheat Chex cereal
* 4 cups Cheerios cereal
* 13 ounces jar salted or dry roasted peanuts
* 1 t. (4 shakes) garlic powder
* 1/2 (2 shakes) teaspoon seasoned salt
* 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/3 cup melted butter

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until the cereal is well coated. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cereal is toasted dry, but not burnt.