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3D Shamrock Craft

Easy 3d Shamrocks are perfect for St. Patrick's Day crafting with the kids!


This is such an easy project. All you need are scissors, glue and  paper!


Begin by Tearing the green paper into small squares. I decided to put the shamrock on a purple background. You can use whatever color you like.



Cut 6 green hearts from the small squares. Cut at least 2 hearts at a time so they are the same size and easy to match up!


Fold two in half and match them up. Repeat, creating the shamrock shape.


Add a little bit of the green scrap paper as a stem.


And there you have an easy 3d shamrock!

You can find easy kids crafts here
Easy Mermaid Tail

Toddler Tulips


Best Blueberry Pie Recipe

I am going to make a confession to you guys today. I am borderline obsessed with baking pies. You guys probably already know how I feel about blueberries... yep an addict. I cannot get enough of them! It seemed only natural that I would share a favorite Blueberry Pie Recipe with you!

This pie comes together easily, especially if you use a premade pie crust. While I have a few unbelievable pie crust recipes, sometimes life with 2 little kids gets crazy busy. I take a helping hand where I can get it, and Pillsbury is always willing to shave a few moments off for me by producing lovely premade pie crusts!




Ingredients

  • 1 refrigerated pie crust
  • 4 cups blueberries
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel


Instructions


  1. Roll out one sheet pie crust to flatten. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish.
  2. In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup of the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until mixture is thickened and clear. Stir in butter; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 cups blueberries and lemon peel.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Turn cooled filling into pie shell. Lay the remaining pie crust on a sheet of wax paper. Roll out to flatten. With a knife or pastry wheel cut pastry into 3/8-inch wide strips. Arrange in a criss-cross pattern on top of blueberries, pressing ends into the edges of the bottom crust and crimping to seal.
  4. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake in the bottom third of oven until crust is golden and filling bubbles gently, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack.

What is your favorite kind of pie? I honestly don't have a favorite. I like them all!  I hope you enjoy this recipe for Blueberry Pie! If you make it, I would love for you to share a pic with me on facebook! Don't forget to check out some of my other recipes!
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Professional Essay Writing: How to Get Your Paper Created by Experts


Do you sometimes have this crazy feeling that you have no time to deal with your tasks and you will fail inevitably? This feeling is inherent to students nowadays. You are not alone. With overwhelming writing load student face weekly, it is no wonder that rates of depression and anxiety rise extremely fast. But you are not obligated to play by these rules always. You are not obligated to be stressed or unhappy, you also don’t have to fail your graduation dream just because you the system itself is broken. I think we all agree that one of the most efficient ways to deal with the excessive essay writing stress is to hire a professional essay writing to write some of your papers. Most students choose this road, and if they do everything right, they receive incredible results without compromising their reputation and getting the best out of this cooperation. Here, we will tell you more about how you can get your paper created by experts and what are the hints and tricks when you address a professional essay writing service.
Choose Wisely
Of course, there are plenty of essay writing services online, and there is no one efficient algorithm that can be applied to all of them. But there are standard ways to make sure the writing service you address will answer your highest expectations:

Use your right to ask any questions. There are plenty of support team members whose only job is to answer any questions you have. If something looks suspicious, or you want to know more about some guarantees of rules of submission, payment security, etc. just address a support service. It should be online 24/7. Otherwise, it is better to look for another company from the very beginning. Many services promise to serve you around-the-clock, but in reality, only a few actually do it. So it is only normal to check this before you place an urgent order or any order for that matter.
You need to understand the logic of pricing policy, and it should be fair. Typically, the final price for your order is based on three primary factors — the proximity of the deadline, the number of pages in your assignment and the year of education. You should make sure that none of these factors makes your paper twice more expensive just in one click. Pricing policy should be logical, price growth shouldn’t be steep, and there should be no hidden payments. When you address a reliable essay writing service for processing your
write my paper for me request, you can be sure that the price you pay is a final price and it is fair and affordable for any order.

Look for guarantees. A set of guarantees makes it an excellent essay writing service. You need to be protected by the public contract and guarantees are the basis of this public contract writing service makes with its clients. For example, it should be clearly stated that your paper will be delivered on time, it will be 100% original, written from scratch, plagiarism-free. That writing service is liable in case something goes wrong. On top of that your confidentiality should be guaranteed as well, it means that service should promise not to share any kind of your personal details with the third parties and not to post your essay online (very important!).
Share Information
Even the best and the brightest writers don’t read your thoughts, they just can’t. Especially considering the fact that you make your order online, without even talking with them. Give all the details on the order you can, share all the requirements and your professor’s instructions. If you have any personal preferences related to the essay you buy to make sure to share them from the very beginning. For example, you need to write an essay on assisted suicide and you are definitely PRO. But the assigned writer won’t know it unless you write it very clearly in your requirements.
Stay in Touch
Many students think that addressing a reliable writing service they can just forget about the assignment. Partly it is true, but only partly. You need to understand that ordering papers still requires some input and collaboration if you count on a good result. So, if you are willing to impress your professor with a stellar essay, make sure to be online sometimes and answer the writer’s questions when needed. They hardly ever require more than 10-15 minutes of your attention in general, but paying that attention is crucial in terms of the final draft’s quality.

Don’t get discouraged with the overwhelming amount of tasks and find a reliable essay writing service to hold you back on your way to ultimate academic success.

Minnie: Bow Be Mine with Harper


Earlier today my 5 year old walked up to me and struck a thoughtful pose. With a finger to her lip, and a sparkle in her eye, she said how can we make a headband with ears and a bow?

I received a copy of this dvd to inspire this post.

I knew what she was getting at, in her Minnie Mouse print dress, with her Minnie Mouse printed high top sneakers, she was on the track of needing some ears to complete her punk princess look.

While I had no ideas for giving her ears, I did have a way to give her a Bowtique fix. I popped in the newest dvd in our collection; MINNIE: BOW BE MINE and let her indulge in some tv time with her favorite characters.



Minnie: Bow Be Mine has 2 fun music videos in addition to 11 episodes.  Each episode is action packed with fun for little ones and their moms. Yeah, I admit it, I got wrapped up in a few episodes with Harper. Grandpa vs Grandpa was our collective favorite. If you pay attention you may recognize a familiar voice; Jay Leno is the voice of Billy Beagle. How fun is that?

Find this adventurous dvd in stores now; it is perfect for a rainy spring day or anytime your little one is craving the famous ears.

While we are talking about Minnie and the gang, who is your favorite character? My son loves Pete and all of his antics. Harper is all about Minnie and Daisy. Pluto is my favorite.

Why not make a craft together while you watch Minnie: Bow Be Mine? These easy Mickey Ornaments can double as a necklace if you make the string longer.


In The Wrong Career? Here's What To Do About It

It’s very rare that a person will stay in the same career/position forever. Many people go through multiple job changes throughout their lives. As we get older, our tastes change. What we want from a job changes. We may need a different role to suit our lifestyle, or we may realize that the current role we are in just doesn’t suit our values and beliefs anymore.


If you feel like you’re now in the wrong career, don’t look at it as a failure. Look at it as a natural occurrence that happens to a huge majority of people! So, what are you supposed to do now that you realize you are in the wrong career? Read on to find out!


List All The Reasons You Are Dissatisfied With Your Current Position
Grab a pen and a piece of paper and list all of the reasons that you are dissatisfied with your current position. You’re going to do this in order to identify whether they can be realistically resolved over time. You can also use them to figure out what you don’t want in your next career, if it does transpire that you would like to change jobs. Be as detailed as possible!


Consider The Positive Parts Of What You Do
Now it’s time to do something you might find a little hard if you’re experiencing problems - consider the positive aspects of the job. The problems you are encountering may be short term, and intense feelings of dissatisfaction may be distracting you from the positive aspects of your career. Think hard. What are the pluses? Do you enjoy the people you work with? Maybe your role allows you to use a particular skill that you have? Not only will you be able to weigh the pros against the cons, you’ll also have a good idea of the sort of things you want in a future role.

Save An Emergency Fund
If you do want to leave your job, you must understand the immediate financial risks of leaving. Saving an emergency fund before you leave, if you don’t have one already, is a good idea. More finances mean more freedom. Having more money saved in an emergency account allows you to leave when you are unhappy and find something you actually enjoy, without the pressure of needing another income right away and potentially ending up in another job that isn’t right for you. You should aim to save a minimum of 3-6 months living expenses. Depending on how long you think you may be job hunting for, you might want to save more.

Know Your Strengths And Weaknesses
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses means knowing where you need to improve for your new role. You might want to take a msw degree online and look into other learning opportunities that could make a you a more attractive candidate for future jobs.

Network
Network regularly, so you can identify relevant contacts in your chosen industry. You never know who you might meet and what opportunities might be presented to you!

Why You Should Start A New Hobby In Time For The Summer



Hobbies are something that everyone needs to have in their life. They give you purpose and keep you entertained for as long as you need, as well as being a healthy distraction to just pass the time. And what better time to pick something new up now before the Summer is upon us?



It's been a long Winter, and whether or not you want to admit it, we have all been in a state of hibernation that has left us all feeling rather blue - but that's enough! It's time for a pick-me-up that will put you back on track and get you ready for the delicious sun that awaits. It's fine to feel a lack of motivation at times - it's completely normal, but you can only allow it to go on for so long until you decide enough is enough, and you want to be passionate about something again. This post may contain affiliate links.

Capture the beauty.
Photography is a stunning visual way of capturing all of the wonderful things around you, like the magical sunsets that paint the sky all different colours of the rainbow, and the wildlife that surrounds you when you take a walk through the park. This is why you should pick up a camera and get snapping. You don't need to have an expensive high-end camera to do that with either, just go with something easy to start out with and take it from there. The warmer things start to become, the more your environment will begin to flourish, so enjoy the transition that is to come. 


Ride the adventure.
Cycling is not only great for your body, getting it ready for the Summer attire, but it's also a wonderful way to encourage you to get outdoors and explore. There is so much to see around you that you may have always overlooked because you've never had the need to go down that path, or through those trees, but you'd be amazed to find what beauty awaits you. You don't have to venture off alone either, you can buddy up with a friend and make a whole day out of exploring, with a pit stop for some lunch and a refreshing beverage to wash it down with, as well as a giggle or two.


Start DIY'ing

I watch way too much HGTV and am always adding to my home improvements wish list. Summer is the perfect time to learn the basics of DIY at home. Making renovations to the home can prevent wildlife infestations. Being proactive about critter control in warmer months makes the home comfier than ever. Not to mention the pride you would feel from DIY'ing those projects around the house.

So stop thinking about what is to come, and instead choose something exciting to pass your time and discover a newfound thrill that you’ve always had waiting inside of yourself.

Create the sound.
Who doesn't envision spending their evenings sitting around a fire, roasting smores with a ukulele, playing some of their favourite tunes off musicianauthority? It's the ideal dream while being in the company of the ones you love most. So the sooner you start to learn a new instrument, the sooner you can make this happen. Just think, you will be able to create your very own music and share stories from the songs you've written. This is a very powerful tool that can touch so many people on a deeper level, and that's what makes it such a special thing.


Presidents Day Patritoc Art Project

This easy art project is a fun way to engage preschoolers, toddlers and kindergarteners in a patriotic craft for President's Day, Fourth of July or Veteran's Day!



We had a lot of left over heart cut outs from our Valentine's Day crafts and I wanted to use them up, but I also wanted to make a patriotic craft with the kids for President's Day. This heart flag is what we came up with.

This craft is so easy and lovely. My 5 year old made this one, and she did a really great job with it too!
The older your kids are, the more detailed their projects will be. If you are making this with kids a little older than Rolfie and Harp, you could have them cut the correct number of hearts to use in place of stars.



The supplies for this craft are super basic and you probably have just about everything you will need on hand. We used Kwik Stix in blue to paint the blue square, but you could use markers, crayons or just a small section of blue paper.

Supplies

2 sheets of copy paper or white construction paper
2 sheets of red construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Blue paint, markers of crayons



Directions

Create a small blue square on one sheet of copy paper.
Cut 2 sheets worth of red hearts, then glue lines of red hearts on the paper.
Cut small white hearts from the extra sheet of white paper and glue them on in the blue square you made earlier.

Find all of our kids crafts here



Strawberry Shortcake Floats



All of the flavors of a Strawberry Shortcake, but in a decadently cool float form! There is nothing like an ice cream float on a hot summer day!

You will want to pin this recipe to your dessert board for future reference!



Summer is the perfect season to make ice cream floats. This one is perfect for a dessert or a decadent way to cool off on a summer day.

I love strawberry shortcake on a summer day! But, sometimes I want something cooler than cake. A float is a perfect solution to cure my cravings.

These floats look and taste gourmet, but they are so easy to make! The most basic of ingredients come together to create a treat that is going to become a most requested drink in your house!

This was so good. I had to have a second float! My guilt subsided when my husband asked for another one but in a bigger glass.  This is an easy way to impress a guest or a delicious addition to any day of the week!



If you love floats, you won't want to miss this delicious strawberry cheesecake float or this blackberry cheesecake float.

Click through for the recipe.

15+ Mardi Gras Books for Kids

Moment of truth, I know pretty much nothing about Mardi Gras. When my inquisitive 8 year old wanted all of the details, I had to admit, we need to Google this pal. Well, now both kids want to learn everything they possibly can and recreate the festivities at home. I thought the best thing I could do would be to get a variety of books on the subject. I found 15 Mardi Gras books for kids and these are such fun options that you might want to get a few titles to check out.



I am a participant in the amazon affiliate program, if you make a purchase I will earn a commission. These titles may also be available at your local library.




The King Cake Baby

Dinosaur Mardi Gras

Mimi's First Mardi Gras

The Night Before Mardi Gras

The Great Festival of Mardi Gras

Gaston Goes to Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras ABC's

The Little Purple Mardi Gras Beads

Mardi Gras: Book of Festivals

The Mardi Gras Chase

Mardi Gras in New Orleans: An Alphabet Book

Mimi and Jean Claude's Mardi Gras

Timothy Hubble and the King Cake Party

If you have any ideas for Mardi Gras for kids I would love to hear about them!

You can find all of my spring craft ideas here

Homemade Rice Pudding

This rice pudding recipe comes together in about 35 minutes and will impress your family in ways that the pre packaged variety of this classic dessert could only dream of!


This post contains affiliate links.


If you like rice or pudding, you are going to love this recipe for homemade rice pudding! It comes together easily and creates a deliciously economical dessert that your family will love!

I usually purchase Rice Pudding in a container and feel content with it, but a few days ago, I was inspired to try my hand at making it myself. The process was simple and the results were marvelous!

Cooks Tips

  • I used long grain rice. If you have another variety, feel free to use it and adjust the cook time.
  • You can use raisins or craisins in this recipe if you like. 
  • I like to top my rice pudding with cinnamon, brown sugar makes a sweet addition too!
  • This dessert serves deliciously both warm and cold!
  • If you like it cold, store in a sealed container for up to 3 days, if it lasts that long!




Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; stir rice into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a clean saucepan, combine cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 18 minutes.

Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and beaten egg; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

Top with cinnamon or raisins if desired. Serve warm or cold, per preference.




More Yummy Rice Pudding Recipes

Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding {Tastes of Lizzy T}
Hawaiian Rice Pudding {Shaken Together}
Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding {This Silly Girl's Life}




Valentine Gifts for Guys

What does your sweetheart want for Valentine's Day? If you have no idea, you are in the right place! I have found more than 15 Gifts for Guys this Valentine's Day! These gift ideas are definitely going to make him feel loved!


I am an affiliate for amazon. If you make a purchase I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Under $15








Under $25








Under $50








Which of these ideas do you think your sweetheart would like the most? My hubby will love the whisky wedge!

You can find all of our Valentine ideas here

Some of our favorites include
Valentine Lady BugsDeath Star Valentine Box

15 Valentine Treats Your Son Will Love to Share with the Class

Valentine's Day is near and that means it is time to plan the classroom treats to share! This year I needed 24 treats for my son and I knew I didn't want to send a ton of candy. I found these 15 Valentine Treats Your Son Will Love to Share with the Class and these ideas are so fun you will want to order a few for your son to share!

15 Valentine Treats Your Son Will Love to Share with the Class

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase I will earn a small commission.

This list is packed with fun things for boys to share while staying in the spirit of Valentine's Day without getting too mushy!

From mini footballs to building block hearts, these are fun and fantastic things to share with your classmates this Valentine's Day!


You can find more Valentine Ideas here


Some of our favorite Valentine Ideas include:

Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This red velvet pancake recipe is nothing short of decadent. Light and fluffy but packed with the flavor of my a favorite cake, these are even better than the IHOP version!



Pancakes are a perfect start to the day because they are easy to make, they are economical and they are delicious! This recipe is perfect for occasions like Valentine's Day but also they are a go to recipe anytime you need a scrumptious start to the day!

Ingredients

Pancakes

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened baking cocoa
1cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons red food color
2eggs

Cream Cheese Topping

4 oz cream cheese softened
1/4 cup butter softened
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and 3 tablespoons milk with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until topping is smooth. Cover; set aside.

In large bowl, stir all pancake ingredients except powdered sugar with wire whisk until well blended. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat (375°F).  Spray with cooking spray before heating.

For each pancake, pour  1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle.

Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles form on top and edges are dry. Turn; cook other side until golden brown.

Spoon cream cheese topping into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pancakes.

Garnish with raspberries or strawberries if desired.


You also might like these pancake recipes:



Confetti Pancakes
ABC Pancakes


Chocolate Cherry 7 Up Float


On a hot summer day there is nothing quite as nice as an ice cream float to cool you off! This Chocolate Cherry Float is easy, decadent and sure to become a family favorite!


4 Ingredients are all you need to whip up this tasty treat. Luckily, it is as easy to devour as it is to make!
Recipes like this are perfect for when guests drop by on a hot summer day, or anytime you need a little pick me up really!

This post contains affiliate links.
Ingredients:
Cherry 7 Up
Whipped Cream


Directions:
Drizzle the glass with Hershey's Special Dark Syrup
Add a scoop of chocolate ice cream
Top with Cherry 7 Up and a squirt of whipped cream.




This is such an easy drink that wows everyone that tries it. Ice Cream Floats are perfect for sharing on a summer day! 


If you really love chocolate, you can drizzle a little extra syrup on the whipped cream as a lovely and decadent garnish!


You might also like this Chocolate Cherry Dr. Pepper Float recipe or this Blackberry Cheesecake Float recipe.