Rose earrings!

I ordered tiny plastic roses from The Plaid Barn not too long ago....and I finally figured out what I wanted to do with them!

I bought earring pieces and E6000 glue (apparently the best thing ever....and I'm just finding out!) and here's what happened :)

I'm in love! These are totally going on the etsy page.....no way can I keep these to myself ;)

~Happy Crafting!

Brandie

Heathly "Fried" Chicken!

My youngest son turned 8 yesterday.....and he of course, got to pick dinner! 

These are his favorite chicken strips....so I thought I would share them with you!!  They are a huge a hit in this house (even with the Daddy) and the kids can help make them.

I got the recipe years before Facebook ran our lives and I do believe that it came from a kid friendly book.

Here's what you need:

Cheese It's 

Club Crackers

Milk

Chicken Breast (boneless and skinless)

A Pre-heated Oven to 425

A cookie sheet (or other baking pan)

two bowls

You will pour a good amount of milk into one bowl and the other bowl you will smash up the cheese it's and club crackers.  There is no rhyme or reason for how much you use.  I use 5 club crackers for 1/3 cup of cheese-its.  I smash mine in the bowl with the back side of my ice cream scooper.  If the kids are helping, I put the crackers in a sealed baggie and them smash away.

 

 

Once your chicken is sliced the way you want, you will submerge the chicken in milk before coating them with the cracker mixture!

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Serve with ranch, BBQ sauce or whatever your crew like to dip chicken in :)

Hope you love these as much we do!!

~Happy Eating!

Brandie

Baseball Tank

Here is a Pinterest inspired piece :))

I asked my FB readers what they wanted to see on the blog this week.....this tank was one of them!  I am a crazy baseball mom so this tank is super fitting!

I used a matte fabric paint for this project....I won't again!  I have always used the Tulip Satin fabric paint for projects like this in the past and when I make another one, that is what I will buy!

My supplies:

Lace Template

Red Fabric Paint

Sponge Brush

Racer Back Tank

In the picture, you will see a glitter paint.....I decided not use it because I am not 100% happy with the matte paint.  I will be making more of these because they are going on the Etsy Shop....when I decide to use the glitter, I will post it!

The template is homemade.  It is an old plastic placemat from my table!  I use these these all the time for a lot of projects.  I played around with a piece of paper to decide how I wanted the laces to look.  Then I used it to trace the lace pattern onto the mat, then I cut it out.

Here is a close of the laces at the top of the tank:

And here....is the finished product!!

There were ideas flying last night at the ball fields to dress her up...team name down the back, football versions....and they will all happen :)  When they do, I will totally share!!

~Happy Baseball Season!

Brandie

"Man of the House" Cricut Father's Day Card!

Cut it Free!  My favorite feature on Cricut's Craftroom!  They have been good to the Cricut owners and are offering a select few of their Father's Day Cards for free!

This one is my favorite!  Both my mother and I have made this one for the men in our houses!  (Let's just hope he doesn't read the blog anytime soon!!)

There are a few cute ones that are also free....but if you want something else, there are even more in the Cricut Single Images Library for $1.99 each!  There are a couple I have my eye on...might have a Father in this house that gets more cards for one day then he does for the whole year!!

~Happy Planning!
Brandie

Summer School....and why my kids go!

Every single year my kids fight about whether or not they are going to go to summer school.  It's the same story every year:  "mom, I don't need, I know everything," "My friend so and so isn't going," and my all time favorite, "summer school is boring!"

Yet every year, my kids go.  Period, end of story, it is happening!  Day One this year was yesterday and my kids came home with stories of friends, both old and new, awesome teachers and exciting plans for the rest of the month.

Summer school isn't boring, their friends do go and by golly YES, they need it!

A couple of years back, I was pursuing my secondary education degree ((another story for another day about why I decided to stop)).  I took a psychology of education course, probably my favorite course of all time for several reasons, but today I will tell about the one reason that you need to hear.

In this class I was assigned a topic to research and write a 15 page paper on.  That topic was about the arguments both for and against year round schooling.  This topic was extremely intriguing because I live in a state that does not have any district that follows a year round calendar.  We still adhere to the standard 9 month calendar with a two and half month summer vacation.

There are good and bad points for both sides but if I had to choose one, if I was willing to pack up my whole family and their lives to reach the choice I wanted most for them....year round school would win every single time.

Retention, retention, retention!

It is my opinion that retention is the biggest goal that schools in this country can't seem to master.  Teachers will spend the entire first quarter reviewing what was learned the year before....when a week or two should be all that is needed.  For some subjects, students will spend the better part of the year re-learning what was taught the year before.

My children do not need a two and half month vacation!  They need to not forget their math!  They need encouragement from more than just me to read during the summer.  Also, our district adds curriculum they don't get during the school year.  Extra science and social studies lessons that they wouldn't get otherwise.  This has always been the driving motivation for them to go.  The numbers and stats I saw during my research on year round schooling have kept me up at night.  My kids aren't getting that!  My kids  need that!!  They may hate me for the first week of June...but 20 years from now...they'll thank me...probably silently, to themselves, but still they will!

A lot of parents have good reason not to send their kiddos to summer school; lack of busing, early hours, vacations, etc.  All I have to say is this:  Keep retention at the forefront of your summer vacation!

Review math with flash cards, keep them reading, and every once and while pull out a hand full of scientific facts or social studies fun info for them to learn about.  It's the best thing you can do when summer school is not an option for your family!

Football Safety and the NFLs Influence

With little league football signs up starting around the country, high school teams already starting camps and practices (with baseball season not even over yet ;))!

To get the season off to great start, I am sharing with you a guest post about safety on the field.  This writing, John, has done extensive research on football safety in the youth.  His goal here is to educate.  I know too many parents myself that do not know all the facts or how to ensure their son's equipment is right for them.  As a team manager of several teams over the years and mother to three boys that have playing sports since they could walk, this issue is very important to me.  This will not be the first post about football you will see form me!

Here is John's article, I hope you find as informative as I have!

Hi my name is John O'Connor, I am a father, outdoorsman, sports enthusiast and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.  Check out my new blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com

How the NFL is Taking the Lead to Make Football Safer

While baseball is sometimes referred to as America's pastime, football has surpassed it in terms of popularity. The NFL is a juggernaut in American culture, and high school and college football are tremendously popular as well. In recent years, however, studies have shown that football may be more dangerous than previously thought. In response, the NFL has commissioned a number of studies and instituted a number of rule changes that will make the sport safer in the future. In addition, rule changes adopted by the NFL are generally adopted on all levels of sports. For parents who are concerned about the safety of their children, these rule changes will make football a more safe sport than ever before.

The NFL has been extremely pro active over the past few years in trying to make the game of football not only safer for professional athletes but also for athletes who participate at all levels. Many of these changes have been instituted already, and football players and their parents can expect even more changes to come in the near future.

That said, there are certain types of injuries that parents will want to be aware of, and parents can take a proactive role in ensuring that their children are safe when they play football. Here are some of the most common types of injuries and how parents and coaches can help children stay safe while playing one of the nation's most popular sport.

Concussions

In recent years, concussions have received a considerable amount of attention. In particular, studies have shown that subclinical concussions can lead to accumulated damage over time and that stricter guidelines can help prevent players who have suffered from a concussion from becoming injured even more. By simply preventing players who have suffered from a concussion from returning until all of their symptoms have resolved for at least a week, experts believe that damage noted in former players can be avoided.  The NFLPA has partnered with EarQ, a hearing aid supplier to help treat former NFL players who are affected with hearing loss.  Along with treating past players, this partnership has been looking to spread awareness to parents and children around head injuries and the direct correlation they have with hearing loss. 

In addition, new technology is helping to prevent concussions from occurring at all. Better helmets are being used to move the force of impacts away from the skull, and rule changes are discouraging players from using dangerous techniques.

ACL and Ligament Damage

Knee injuries are also very common in football, and some injuries may necessitate surgery and rehabilitation. While some knee injuries are unavoidable, the NFL and other football leagues are taking steps to reduce the incidence of ACL and ligament damage. Football coaches are now emphasizing flexibility as a means of avoiding injuries, along with strength and conditioning programs tat focus directly on building and strengthening the lower body specifically the muscles around the knee. In addition, better technique can lead to a reduction in the rate of knee injuries, and the NFL is helping encourage better fundamentals on all levels of football.

One of the best ways parents can help their children is to monitor for knee injuries. Football players may be reluctant to admit that they have been injured, so looking for signs that your child is having difficulty walking normally can help. Always speak with a doctor if you have any questions about whether your child needs to take a break from football to recover.

Heat-Related Injuries

One of the most dangerous sports injuries is heatstroke, and there are a number of other types of heat-related injuries as well. In the past, heat-related injuries were far more common than they are today, but the NFL and other sports leagues have taken steps to keep players even safer. Proper hydration is now viewed as an essential element of football practice, and those who have children who play any sport will want to ensure that coaches provide water when it is needed.

Parents can also encourage their children to wear light clothes and to drink water on a regular basis. Even those who do not feel thirsty may be suffering from the early stages of dehydration, and any athlete who feels unnaturally tired or confused will need to cool down immediately. Fortunately, coaches know of the dangers of heat-related injuries, and they will take steps to keep their athlete safe.

Injuries cannot be avoided entirely in football or in any other sports, but most believe that the benefits of organized sports outweigh the potential risks. This does not mean, however, that safety is not actively emphasized, and parents should be assured that sports leagues on all levels are taking steps to prevent and treat injuries that occur. Thanks to the NFL's leadership, parents who have children who play football can expect fewer concussions to occur in the future. In addition, football players will be at a lower risk of developing knee injuries over the coming years, and parent should expect coaches to take all steps possible to avoid heat-related injuries. While football will always cause occasional injuries, parents should take comfort in the fact that the sport has never been safer.

 

 ~Happy Football Season!  Ours Starts in August!!

Brandie

Baseball Themed Pennants!

Do you remember the Pick Your Plum deal with the cake and cupcake stands??  There were pennants involved with that deal also.  They came four in a set, unfinished wood, and I spent weeks trying to figure out what I was going to do with them.

I decided on baseballs!  I am currently obsessed with baseball season.  It might have something to do with the fact that my boys are currently play....but whatev!

I did each of the 4 pennants a different way....and I am loving them!

If you ordered some too, I'd love to know what you did or are doing with yours!

~Happy Decorating!

Brandie