Jazzed Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies Treats are fun and easy. Don't stop at cutting then into boring squares. With a little extra special touch, Rice Krispies treats can be jazzed up and exciting to eat.

Rice Krispies Treats Recipe:

Melt, on low heat, 3 Tbls. of margarine or butter in large pot. Add 4 cups of mini marshmallows or 1 10 oz. package of regular marshmallows (stir frequently). Take off heat and stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies. Spread into a greased (cooking spray) 13x9 pan and let set for a couple of hours.

When Rice Krispies treats are ready, gently release the sheet of treats from the pan and place on wax paper or counter. Jazz the treats by:

1. Cutting into fun shapes with ease using the Press Dough cookie cutters.

2. Create chocolate covered (w/sprinkles) Rice Krispies Suckers - Just cut treats into round (or other) shapes and push popsicle or cookie sticks into the bottom sides. It's a great way to limit messy fingers too!

Melt chocolate: Melt 1 cup chocolate morsels and 1 Tbls. shortening in a double broiler (heat resistant bowl over pan of boiling water). Stir continually. Dip sucker treats into melted chocolate, place on wax paper, and sprinkle with sprinkles. Refrigerate to harden then wrap in plastic wrap or plastic gusset bag. For an even more festive look, tie plastic with ribbon.

3. Rice Krispies Sundaes - Use the remnant pieces of Rice Krispies treats after cutting shapes or rip off small pieces and place in sundae dish or bowl. Drip melted chocolate over pieces and sprinkle, sprinkles on top. Place in refrigerator to harden.

Note: Substitute chocolate syrup or caramel for ease or place remnant pieces in a baggy. The small pieces are perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Crafty & Cheap Summer Fun

Bubble Blower

Kids love this simple (& crafty) toy!

Supplies:

• plastic cup
• round piece of felt
• rubber band
• straw (cut)
• dish soap
• water (spray bottle)

Directions:

Tie felt around plastic cup. Cut small hole in the top of the plastic cup to feed straw through. Cut straw length just enough to touch top of felt (straw should be angled upwards). Pour small amount of dish detergent on top of felt. Spray felt with water.

Have Fun! Once the kids blow into the straw, bubbles will begin to form on top of the felt. They love this. Go outside with some breeze and see the bubble float through the neighborhood. This will keep the kids distracted for tons of time.

Hint: Great party idea!

Go Green - DIY Crayons

Go Green!

Recycle those crayon remnants into fun shapes any age will love to color with.

Just melt and pour into metal cookie cutters.
Step 1: Unwrap all paper from crayons (that you will be melting)
Step 2: Place crayons in a tin container or old pan (or old hot pot). Tip: Try to keep light colors together. If you mix light and dark colors, the color of the crayon will turn out dark.

Heat in over or on stovetop.

Step 3: While crayons are melting, place metal cookie cutter on an old baking pan or platform that you won't worry about. Roll out a little play doh (the size of the cookie cutter) and gently push the cutter into the playdoh (this will keep the liquid from running out)....do as I say, not as I do. I learned this tip from experience.

Step 4: Carefully pour the liquid crayon into the cookie cutter shapes. Step 5: Leave to harden. The crayons will literally pop right out.

Kids love these. What a great way to get some extra mileage out of old crayons.

Holiday Savings

Only 47 Days Until Christmas

If you are looking for holiday shopping savings, this weekend may be a good time to get some Veteran's Day deals. Here are some links for Free Shipping and savings I have received:

Press Dough - Free Shipping on select holiday cookie cutters

www.pressdough.com/store/home.php

Wal-Mart - $0.97 Shipping

http://www.pressdough.com/resources_affil_site.htm Click on Wal-Mart Icon

Potpourri – Up to 60% savings
http://www.potpourrigift.com/search.asp?skw=RSALE110308&srccode=RE8199&ver=3&GEN1=Fall+Back+Savings
Hanes – Free Shipping with $75 online purchase

http://www.hanes.com/

Lands End Free Shipping unti Nov 11th.

Enter in: Promotion code FREESHIP and the PIN 181990108
http://www.landsend.com/

One Step Ahead – Free Shipping on orders over $100 (until Nove 11th)

Enter promotion code SHPFREBE
http://www.onestepahead.com/

Pottery Barn Kids – Veteran’s Day Sale – Until Nov. 12th.

http://www.potterybarnkids.com/shop/sale/index.cfm?&bnrid=3501652&cm_ven=Email&cm_cat=Veterans_Day_Sale&cm_pla=DTC&cm_ite=dtc_shop_all_sale

Shop Irish – Free Shipping Plus $10 off $60 or more order (see details)

$4.99 Shipping on all other orders until Nov 20th.
Enter code FSDBL at checkout to receive discount.
http://www.shopirish.com/

MQT: Do you know of any holiday deals? If so, share them with us and post a comment. We have to look out for each other. After all, isn't that what true holiday spirit is all about?

High School + Heart Cookies = Yummy Fun

Well, I think I just found the most famous cookie cutouts ever:

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/10/05/zac-vanessa-are-cookie-cutter/comment-page-6/#comments

If you are looking for something to do during a fun night of sleepovers, a night of movies or friendly gathering, try baking up some cookie cutouts. Recipes for either sugar cookie cutouts or chocolate chip cutouts can be found at: http://www.pressdough.com/resources.html#recipes

Bake up some fun using the Press Dough Heart Multi-Cookie Cutter:
http://www.pressdough.com/store/product.php?productid=2&cat=8&page=1

Your tween and her friends can create fun "cookie" messages while chatting about the latest and greatest styles or celebrity gossip.
Yummy, hip, and fun! You are sure to be voted "Most Popular Party".

Don't forget, holidays are coming.

MQT: What name or message would you write on your own heart cookies? Who would you give it to?

I would give a cookie heart to my daughter with her name printed, mini m&m's lining the edge, and pink icing dotted throughout. For my son, I would bake a chocolate chip heart - knowing he would never eat such a sweet indulgence - print a big letter R in the center (for his name) in Red (favorite color), line the edge with a thin layer of red, swirly icing and stick a candle in the center (since choc. chip cookies can be cooked softer) and sing a melody of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". Keep in mind, my kids are still very young.

Investment

Is my answer to my previous post.

When a teacher, therapist or paraprofessional is personally invested in my son, I can be assured that they are working to make a difference for him. When I hear, "your son is such a joy" or "Ryan is so great to work with", I know that their help is going beyond a paycheck and the obstacles that arise will be handled with passion because of passion for my child.

For each of our children, there is no cookie cutter approach. If there were, we all would have answers, not questions.

My Question Today (MQT): Are you invested in something (a cause or person) more than just stocks? Can you see how heightend your passion becomes when an investment deals with the heart and not the wallet?

Stay tuned for: Team meeting thoughts and some cookie talk

"It Takes a Village..."

After a stressful week of working the kinks out with the bus, I have a good feeling about my son’s current team of school personnel. The quote that comes to mind, and now unfortunately associated with politics, is the popular proverb:

“It takes a village to raise a child”

In our case, this can’t be truer. Team Ryan consists of my son, a kindergarten teacher, a special education teacher, a paraprofessional, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, a speech therapist, P.E. teacher (we get extra help), Aqua therapist, bus driver, principal, peer mentors, me, my husband, and my daughter. All are individuals who have daily interactions with my child for the success of my child. This doesn’t even include the support of our family and friends (I need to mention them or I will bear the wrath of my mother), and oral motor therapist, nutritionist, music therapist, pediatrician etc. It is amazing, challenging, and inspiring.

Why do I think we have such a great team? Tune in. I have a great reason.

Today’s Question: Do you consider yourself a team player or are you an exclusive member of your mission in life? For that matter, do you have a mission?

Are You A Mother Goose?

This morning I went to a hair appointment. While in the chair, outside the window, there sat a "mother goose" sitting on her eggs, awaiting the arrival of her ducklings. The hair shop has named her Irsula. Guarding her most precious creation, she sat so stoic, grabbing a branch here and a branch there to build her home. The true form of a "nesting" mother, it brought a tear to my eye as I think about my own children. From my observation, I found out that I am a, "full-on", mother goose.
From the time my son was born, I have rarely left his side. Diagnosed with a heart condition, we had him transferred to a hospital in NYC where they performed surgery on him at only 5 days old. The hospital was so frustrated with me because I required round the clock supervision, by either my husband or my mother, in order for me to leave my child and go get the rest I needed. The nursing staff was more than qualified to care for my son, but I needed to have him "feel" that there was someone right by his side that loves him and will protect him. Well, almost 5 years later, the mother goose in me has not changed.
My son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of 18 months. He did not speak an intelligible word until almost 4 years old. During that time, we used pictures and my gut, that voice inside of me, to know what he wanted or how to help him. Though he is doing phenomenol, he is entering kindergarten and mother goose (that would be me), is still hovering with passion, concern, and hope to make sure he gets what he needs (therapy wise). Oh the poor souls that have to deal me. When it comes to my kids, I am a passionate person and no one better mess with them.
So for today, the question I ask:
Are you a mother goose or a goose that happened to become a mother?