In the Carrot Patch Activity

This easy activity for kids is fun and it uses their fine motor skills!

My kids are too cute. In the warm months, they attack my flowers with the cutest dramatic play sessions. The flowers are carrots and they are farmers, anxious to share their crops!

With that kind of imagination, it is hard to get irritated over it. I thought maybe we could keep the carrot patch fun going, long after they had picked every stem.

This activity comes together fast! All you need is a box, some orange and green cardstock and some glue. A utility knife or box cutter will be handy as well.

Cut carrot shapes from the orange paper.

Glue green bits to the top, to resemble a fresh carrot.

Cut slits in the box, making them a tiny little bit wider than the carrot shape.

Slip the carrots into the slits and let the kids pick them and plant them.

This is great for fine motor and dramatic play, and it just might save the flowers, but I am not counting on it!

Throw Together Chili Recipe with Farmer's Pantry Cornbread Crisps

Throw Together Chili with Farmer's Pantry Cornbread Crisps
This post was sponsored.

It is May.... my furnace is still kicking on in the mornings and again throughout the evening! One day last week I felt that a pot of chili was in order, but I was ill prepared to make it. I had very limited ingredients. I didn't let that stop me and I made a quick pot of Throw Together Chili. This was an economical and delicious dinner- and it was easy! Best of all, this made 2 dinners!

Before we get to the recipe for Throw Together Chili let me tell you a little more about Farmer's Pantry Cornbread Crisps.

Farmer’s Pantry Cornbread Crisps, available in Original and Jalapeno flavors, are a crispy, savory snack that tastes as mouth-wateringly delicious as the first bite of a slice of corn bread or corn muffin. Made from fresh corn and other whole grains grown on American farms, these crisps are sure to appeal to discriminating snackers across the country.

Throw Together Chili

A quick chili made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

• 4 cans Condensed Tomato Soup
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 bag Farmer's Pantry Cornbread Crisps

Instructions

Cook lean ground beef until browned and cooked thoroughly. 
Drain any fat.
Break beef into small pieces.
Place beef into a soup pot.
Add onion and saute.
Add 4 cans of tomato soup to the beef and onion mix.
Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the soup. 
Add the chili powder and ground red pepper.
Stir well.
Heat on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly.
Serve topped with shredded cheese and Farmer's Pantry Cornbread Crisps.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: 8 servings

You might also enjoy this Hungry Girl's Sweet and Spicy Tuna Taco Recipe.

Easy Rain Drop Craft

Spring is here and we have been trying to make the best of the rainy days that comes with the season. Harper and I thought a raindrop craft would be the perfect way to spend the last rainy day we had. This was perfect for my 3 year old. Oh, who are we kidding?! I had a lot of fun with it too. I mean, there is glitter involved!

This craft was so easy, yet so engaging!

All you need is:

A pair of scissors

A few sheets of blue paper

glue

glitter

Begin by cutting a drop shape 

Next have your toddler or preschooler liberally apply glue to the paper.

Next, invite the child to shake some glitter on the drop!

And there you have a way to add a little sparkle to any rainy day, regardless of the season!

This was a 5 minute craft, it took very little time to assemble, but it completely engaged my little one! We love easy paper crafts for those hey, let's make a craft moments.

Easy Dipped Shortbread Fingers

Spring is here and that means it is time to pack dinner into a picnic basket as often as possible and head out for an al fresco meal with the kids! We usually take cookies along on these occasions for dessert, but last week, I wanted to take that to the next level of delicious.

This post is part of a sponsored collaboration with Walker's Shortbread.

Walker's Shortbread is the natural choice for my family, we love the buttery flavor of shortbread, but spring days require something super special; after all, we are celebrating the return of feathered friends, the sunshine, and shorts, and we are sending our bulky coats back to the closet from which they came!


Within a few moments time, I took our favorite shortbread to new heights with 3 simple ingredients and very little effort! To make our picnic a nutty sweet affair after the meal had ended I offered my family Walker's Shortbread dipped and drizzled with white and dark chocolate and coated in crunchy walnuts. This was maybe the best ending to a meal that I have ever whipped up in under 3 minutes!

To begin, I laid out parchment paper and spread my shortbread fingers on it.

Next, I melted a fine brand of  White Chocolate and a decadent brand of dark chocolate. I drizzled the melted goodness directly on to my shortbread.

Next, I sprinkled on chunks of raw walnuts and followed up with the dark chocolate.

Allow this to cool and harden for about 30 minutes. If you are in a rush, pop the cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Serve or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

If you like cookies, don't miss this awesome collection of cookie recipes.

Making Motherhood Less Messy With Dyson

I was compensated to write this feature with a sample from the manufacturer. 

As a busy mom of 2 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and a few small animals, let me tell you that life can get busy and messy! Having the right tools on hand to clean up all of the aftermath of family life is important to me because it makes the job easier and it helps me to stay stress free.

We are a crafting family so, scraps, sprinkles and sparkles are frequently an issue to contend with. Not to mention general dirt, ever present pet hair and kid schmutz.

My husband often comments that in my hands, a vacuum stands no chance at survival. I will work it to death in record time. He isn't joking either. With a herd of goblins in tow, things get out of control fast here. My vacuum is put to work 2 times a day, at least!

The number of vacuums I have worked to death over the years is at about 10. With a track record like that and knowing in my heart, if it can suck up dirt, I will push it to the cleaning limits, I am a hard sell on any vacuum retailing at over $200.

Then I got to try the Dyson Animal Ball. This vacuum is priced much higher than my cut off of $200. I had never used a Dyson, so I wasn't sure how I would feel about this unit. I know this is the brand my peers all cheer for so it had a point in its favor with me.

The vacuum was easy to assemble. My husband had it together in a few minutes time. He reported the instructions were easy to follow.

When I turned it on to start my daily cleaning, I was immediately taken by the power of this unit. This vacuum really sucks. And it sucks up dirt you didn't know was there, left behind by my old vacuum! Pet hair? Where? I can't find any on my floors after running this.

It is easy to clean with, easy to empty and has a whole lot of power. No matter how much dirt the family tracks in, they can rest assured I am nearby with my Dyson Animal Ball in hand.

I tested this unit for a full 4 months. I wanted to form a complete opinion on how it preformed compared to the cost. First, the vacuum looks good. The purple color is appealing. The canister is easy to see, making it obvious when to empty.

The unit has a lot of power. It really sucks up well, but I have found that on occasion I need to release hair and small debris that might become lodged inside the vacuum. This has been easy enough to do, but is a problem I haven't encountered with other vacuums. I love how much hair and dirt it can suck up quickly, making cleaning time less time consuming for me.

I like the lightweight features of the Dyson Animal Ball. It is easy to push and carry as needed. It is compact enough to easily store in a small closet when not in use, which is another bonus for me.

Overall, I liked this vacuum very much. It is one of the best ones I have used in terms of cleaning power and durability. I think it is well worth the price and would happily recommend the Dyson Animal Ball to other parents looking to make clean up time a breeze!