Fall Bucket List Printable

The new Fall Bucket List is here! 

Download it here!

This is a really fun idea for each season! This is a list of Holiday MUST'S. The time can seem to get away from us, and before we know it, it is Winter and Fall is over. Use this list to keep track of all the fun activities you want to do this season (make sure to take lots of pictures each time)! It will make your kids look forward to the upcoming activities even more! Simply print out your bucket list (card stock will make it more durable) and put it in a frame where you can use a dry erase marker to mark off each time you do a Holiday MUST! 

I am SO ready for Fall! This is going to be one exciting fall season for Mommy and Things. I am going to be posting TONS of yummy pumpkin recipes, DIY crafts, decoration ideas, fun ideas for toddler time, pumpkin decorating ideas, cute Halloween costume ideas, crafts to teach kids about being thankful and lots of fun ideas to do with your sweet family this Fall season! Fall is my favorite season! This year my little one year old is learning new words everyday and is so alert, it is going to make for a very fun time!

Make sure you subscribe to my blog to be able to follow along with all the exciting thing that are coming up!

What are you and your family MOST looking forward to this Fall season?

First Day of School: Back to School Breakfast Idea

I love the idea of a back to school breakfast! It's a great way to get the kids up in the morning, and to have them excited for the first day of school. There are a lot of ideas out there. You could do a back to school party and invite all your kids friends. You can do a special dinner the night before and talk about their favorite summer memories and their hopes for the school year! Or you could do a breakfast (keep in mind that the first day of school is normally hectic, so try to give your kids plenty of time and have a relaxing morning). The Diary of Dave's Wife has some great ideas, click here to see her post.

I think the best way to do a back to school breakfast or dinner is to either have the kids favorite foods, or go all out with something special. If you normally do cereal for breakfast, then try some pancakes or french toast! Make sure to start the kids out right with a balanced breakfast. Include some milk or orange juice and some fruit. 

For a dinner, make sure the kids get some veggies! Eat classics like spaghetti and meatballs or order pizza! Make sure to give the kids some dessert, especially if they don't get to eat sweets that often! Talk about their favorite summer memories and their concerns or hopes for the upcoming year! Help your kids get really excited for the upcoming year! 

The decorations: this seems easier than it really is. Fun colorful things work really well, get a colorful table cloth, plates, napkins, cups, silverware, muffin tins or cupcake wrappers, and maybe some balloons at any party supplies store. Create fun centerpieces and decorations by finding some classroom decorations (like bus or apple cutouts). Make a chalkboard sign or use a dry erase board to write a fun back to school message. Use school supplies as decorations, a glass canister with crayons or markers in it, a new notebook or pack of markers on their plate, an eraser as a name card, new books layed out on the table as a center piece, or a cup full of pencils (and be sure to decorate each item with ribbons). 

That's really all there is to it! Happy Back to School Everyone! :)

Comment below: 

What are your favorite ways to celebrate back to school?

Source: The Diary of Dave's Wife

4th of July Snack Mix

 

The perfect snack mix for a sweet and salty 4th of July treat! Fill up individual bags or paper cups for a take home treat from you cookout party! 

Ingredients:

Mini pretzels

Popcorn (air-popped)

Cereal (Chex Mix, Cheerios, your choice)

Peanuts (or any nut of your choice)

M&M's (or other candy)

Festive sprinkles

Chocolate for melting (white, milk or dark)

Directions:

1. On a sheet pan, spread out the pretzels, popcorn, cereal, and peanuts. Do not over fill the pan, you will need room to move them around.

2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

3. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the sheet pan of snacks, you can lightly stir or toss the snacks to coat them even more with chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm add the M&M's and sprinkles. Stir lightly to combine

4. Spread the snack mix back out onto the sheet pan. If you want, you can drizzle with additional chocolate. Let the mixture cool completely, and then begin to break it apart.

5. Store in an air tight bag or container. The mixture will be fresh for 2-3 days

Enjoy :)

Source: glorioustreats.com

Patrotic Pretzels

These are so cute and festive! Ever since I made Chocolate Covered Pretzels for Christmas, I keep getting asked to make them again! But they are SO simple and easy to make! It's a great combination of sweet and salty! Plus, the add to the festive decor!

Ingredients:

Bag of Pretzel Rods

Chocolate for melting (white, milk, or dark)

Festive Sprinkles

Wax Paper

Directions:

1. Melt the chocoloate in the microwave according to package directions, while it melting, spread the sprinkles out onto a plate, and lay out a sheet of wax paper.

2. Dip the pretzel in the chocolate, waiting for the excess chocolate to drip off

3. Roll onto a plate of sprinkle, making sure to cover most of the chocolate

4. Lay on wax paper to dry and for the chocolate to harden

 

Enjoy :)

Source: bouffeebambini.blogspot.jp

Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwich Pops

 

Who doesn't LOVE Ice Cream Sandwiches? This is an easy way to dress up a family favorite and serve it at any BBQ or Cookout Party! Its even on a stick! Which means you can easily spend more time watching fireworks!

Ingredients:

Cake Pop Sticks

Box of Ice Cream Sandwhiches

Festive Sprinkles

Festive Cupcake Wrappers

Directions:

1. Cut the Ice Cream Sandwich in half (if desired)

2. Place on stick and add sprinkles to the edges, leave in freezer on wax paper until its time to serve.

3. Serve on a festive cupcake wrapper   

Enjoy! :)

Source: livinglocurto.com

Star Spangled Spritzer

 

A refreshing, and delicious summer cocktail. This is one can either be an adult cocktail or a kid-friendly spritzer! It is tasty and will make a great addition to any summer BBQ, or 4th of July Party!

Ingredients:

2 oz. of Gernadine (Pomegranate flavored syrup)

3 oz. of Orange Pineapple Juice Blend

3 oz of Sparkling White Wine or Ginger Ale

Watermelon for garnish (star shape optional)

Directions:

1. Pour the Grenadine, Orange Pineapple Juice Blend, and Sparkling White Wine or Ginger Ale into a glass

2. Garnish with a star shaped piece of watermelon

Enjoy! :)

Source: celebratingeverydaylife.com

Brownie And Fruit Kebabs

 

The perfect dessert for a fun day! It has fruit, chocolate, and marshmallows! You can even drizzle it with more chocolate! And best of all.. its on a stick! The kids will love this. Its an easy dessert, that you don't need a plate and fork to eat, so you can spend more time watching the fireworks! 

Ingredients: 

9x13-inch pan of brownies (chilled and cut into 1 inch cubes)

1 pint of blueberries

1 pint of strawberries, hulled

Bag of Large Marshmallows

Hot Fudge Sauce for drizzling (optional)

Wooden Skewers

Directions: 

1. Alternate putting brownies, blueberries, strawberries, and marshmallows onto skewer

2. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce

Enjoy! :)

Source: melskitchencafe.com

Stars and Stripes Cookies

 

"Celebrate the freedom to express your creativity with this recipe for NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Stars and Stripes Cookies.An inspired display of American pride - these star-shaped cookies are decorated with red juicy strawberries and plump blueberries on velvety white cream cheese - all topped with a sprinkle of chocolate chip mini morsels.These star-spangled cookies are the perfect Independence Day treat."

-verybestbaking.com 

Ingredients:
1 pkg of Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1 pkg of Light Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup of Sugar
24 fresh, medium Strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup of fresh Blueberries
2 tbsp of Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º

2. Roll cookie dough between two pieces of wax paper, until it is 1/4 inch thick

3. Cut the dough into star shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet

4. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown, use a knife to press the sides to keep the star shape. Let cool completely

5. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a small mixing bowl until fluffy

6. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cookies. Top each cookie with strawberries (facing outward to resemble a star), blueberries and chocolate mini morsels

Enjoy! :)

Source: verybestbaking.com

Flag Cake Pops

A patriotic way to display a sweet dessert! Cake pops are so easy to make! Just make any cake (even a box kind), crumble it after it bakes, mix it with icing to make it firm. Roll into balls, and dip into melted chocolate. In this case, you would used white chocolate and dye it blue and red, add some white chocolate strips and pearl candies or sprinkles for the stars!

Source: bedifferentactnormal.com

Free "Proud American" Hats and Badges Printable

Happy 4th   of July!

We are LOVING this FREE 4^th of July Badges and Hats printable from The Dating Divas! Be sure to decorate your house with lots of Stars and Stripes to help celebrate! These are so easy to print out and make, the kids in your life will to dress up for the special occasion! Go on over to thedatingdivas.com to download and print your free printable hat and badges! Have a great 4^th of July!

 

Summer Berry Spritzer

 

This Summer Berry Spritzer is a fun, festive drink to add to any occasion! It is the perfect drink to have all summer long! It can be made kid-friendly by using the Seltzer or add a punch for adults by using the Sparkling Wine! This is a summer must try cocktail! 

Ingredients:

3 cups of Blackberries

1 cup of Raspberries

1/2 cups of Simple Syrup

1/2 cups of White Grape Juice

1/3 cup of Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Ice

Seltzer or Sparkling Wine

Patriotic Fruit Skewers

Directions: 

1. Place the blackberries, raspberries, simple syrup, white grape juice and lemon juice into a blender and puree until smooth. Run the mixture through a strainer to remove and seeds or clumps of fruit. 

2. Fill 8 cups with ice and divide the fruit mixture evenly between the glasses

3. Fill the glasses to the top with the seltzer or wine, and garnish with fruit skewers

Enjoy! :)

Source: marthastewart.com

Red, White and Blue Layered Drinks

Happy 4th   of July!

Can’t beat the heat? Give the kids one of these festive 4^th of July drinks! They are so easy to make and they will sure make a great addition to any 4^th of July party!

 Ingredients:

1 cup of Red CranApple Juice

1 cup of White Sobe Pina Colada Flavored Juice

1 cup of Blue G2 Gatorade

Ice 

Directions: 

1. Fill the glass 1/3 of the way with the red juice

2. Fill to the top with ice

3. Slowly pour the remaining drinks DIRECTLY on top of a piece of ice

4. Garnish with fun decorations and straws 

*TIP: Use empty Starbucks refrigerated Frapaccino bottles to look like the picture*

Enjoy! :)

Source: inkatrinaskitchen.com