Strawberry and Lime Moscato Punch

 I wanted to make something special for Mom on Mother's Day so I decided to make her a drink she had talked about trying. I found the recipe, whipped it together and served it to her and my sister. 

They said it was delicious!! My brother tried it and even he thought it was good!

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1.5 liter of Moscato wine

1 can frozen limeade concentrate, defrosted

1 c strawberries, diced plus 1 c strawberries sliced

1 lime, sliced

7 Up

Place 1 cup of diced strawberries and ¼ cup of limeade in a blender and mix until pureed.

Run the mixture through a strainer to remove most of the seeds...

Now, pour it into a pitcher...

Add the remaining limeade and the entire bottle of moscato into the pitcher.

Chill in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

When ready to serve, divide into 8 glasses. Top each glass with desired amount of 7 Up!!!



 Garnish with strawberry and lime slices.

Hope you enjoy!!! :)

Valentine's for Kids (or Teachers)

The big day is almost here, and I am scrambling around to get my kiddo's Valentines ready! I thought I would share them with you as long as I am putting the hours in making them. ☺
Feel free to print them off and use them for your own kids!  They would also be great for teachers! :)

The Valentine below is used with a pencil as a gift.



Happy St. Valentine's Day!!

Valentine's Day Coupons

Flowers, chocolates, jewelry...you know the drill.  Valentine's day has become very commercialized.  So much so, it seems if you don't spend at least a paycheck on your significant other, you may as well just toss in the towel on that relationship!  I'm being serious.  I have heard people talk like that.  It's so frustrating. :(

I love Valentine's Day...not for gifts, flowers, etc. but I think it's nice to show your love a little extra attention.  Hopefully it's not too much more.  We all should be treating our better half well all the time.  Right? ;)

As much as I love Valentines Day, my husband hates it.  He detests what it has turned into.  He hates seeing those signs- "Get your dozen roses for only $90.00. If you buy today, we will give you the heart shape vase for FREE!" (which by the way, on a normal day those same roses would be $9.99. ) He hates the jewelry store adds that go on and on telling you how to show your "love".  You get the point. With that said, he always plans something special, maybe not a whole paycheck worth but something special. This year I told him I did not want to spend money on Valentine's Day.  We have been talking about saving for a trip so I suggested we put money towards that instead.  Being in agreement,  I still planned a nice dinner, some dessert, and I made THESE!  I think they are great. 

When I was growing up, my Mom did this for my Dad many times.  Not necessarily only on Valentine's Day.  Any occasion would work.  You just make up cute "coupons" that they can redeem any time they want.  I love it because it doesn't cost anything and it's something my husband would really enjoy!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!  

Date Jar!

Do you know what you're getting your Valentine this year? How about a Date Jar? This is a gift that can be customized for any couple. Pick and choose what you think would be fun and put it all together. We don't go to the movie theatre very often, so I thought it would be fun to use that for this date. 

The best part about giving a "date jar" is that it's already paid for, and all you have to do is pick a night! :)

If you need some date ideas, check out our 30 Date Ideas!

What I used:

a large jar

craft paper for a label

marker or pen

ribbon

2 movie tickets

$3 concession voucher

1 pkg. licorice

$25 gift card to Red Lobster

$10 cash (for extra expenses-tip, dessert, popcorn, etc.)

Put it all in the jar, and get ready for a fun night out (or in!*wink,wink*) with your sweetheart! :)

The Love Mug (w/Sharpies!)

Goodwill is always a good place to get something that you're going to experiment with. I found a matching set of these mugs for only 98 cents! Maybe they're soup bowls...I'm not really sure. Either way, I think they're cool. I wanted to make a Sharpie mug like so many people on Pinterest are doing. I loved the mug that My Sister's Suitcase Blog made, and kinda copied the look. :) (Thanks for the idea, girls!)

Using your mug, grab a cotton ball or two and wipe it down well with rubbing alcohol to get rid of all the dirt and oil from your hands. 

 Let dry completely and try not to touch the areas you are going to be writing on more than necessary.

 Taking your Sharpies, write whatever you would like!
I wrote "Some of the things that I really love about you" across the top.

Using different types of handwriting, I wrote a bunch of different things.
(Ignore that I left out the 'me' in "you make me laugh"...oops)

When making these Sharpie projects, make sure you put "HAND WASH ONLY"! As cool as they are, unfortunately I don't believe they are dishwasher-safe. I've already washed this mug a couple times in super hot, soapy water and scrubbed, and nothing has changed, so it definitely works when washed by hand.

Place your project in a cold oven, then turn it on to 450 degrees and set your timer for 45 minutes.When your timer goes off, don't open the oven! Just turn the heat off. Let sit for a few hours, or overnight, so that it cools completely before the door opens.

Unfortunately, after I baked this mug, the black lightened to gray and the red turned yellow of all things! After it cooled completely, I decided to rewrite over all my writing and bake it again.

I think that looks better...although I'm still a little bummed that it didn't stay red. Oh, well. Just gives me an excuse to make another one sometime soon.

Magnetic Word Tiles

Have you ever seen those magnetic words that let you create different sentences and phrases all over your fridge? My husband loves them, but we've never actually bought any. Inspired by Mariel over at One She Two She, I decided to make him some for Valentine's day. 

I bought these magnetic sheets at Michael's. It was $5.99 for three (8 1/2 x 11inch) sheets and I only used about 1 1/4 sheets for these.

Unfortunately my printer wouldn't work, it kept saying saying 'paper jam' so I had to print it all out by hand.
I used most of the words that Mariel used, then made some of my own, too.
Once printed, cut the strips out.

Then cut each word out and you're done!

We've had fun making silly sentences.
Our entire freezer door on the refrigerator is covered with these words and little phrases now!

Valentine Scratch Offs

With Valentine's Day approaching quickly, I knew I had to get going on my gift for my hubby. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I had a few ideas on my mind. I finished one part of it today. (I'm hoping the other part of the gift will work tomorrow.) I wanted to get him something a little different this year and decided to do my own romantic scratch offs.

I've seen a few versions of making scratch offs using liquid washing soap and metallic acrylic paint. Although it wasn't metallic, I did have acrylic paint so I did a few tests to see what ratio of paint and soap worked best. I'll give you what worked for me, but you may want to do a test of your own before actually making your scratch offs.

Start by deciding what you want your cards to look like. You can print them on the computer or decorate them yourself like I did. I realize they look very simple and definitely "homemade", but at least it looks like I put some thought into it, right? I used heavy paper and permanent markers to get the look. 

(Try to ignore the fact that my L's look like Z's! So much for me trying to write "fancy"!)

Write your prizes in, then cover it with scotch tape or contact paper. 

Mixing your ratios of soap and paint, carefully paint a coat over the prize. I used 1 part original blue Dawn dish soap and 2 parts acrylic paint. (For more authentic looking scratch offs, use metallic acrylic paint.)

(Don't worry, there is plastic wrap on the counter.)

Once dried, you may need to apply another layer until the writing is no longer visible. 

(They are still wet in this picture.)

Once dried, you're ready to give it to your love along with a lucky penny!

30 Date Ideas

St. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and we all decided to help you out a little bit. This holiday tends to be vastly commercialized, but even if you don't believe in going extreme with all the materialization of it, you can still have some fun. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using this day to show that special someone how much you love them in a way you may not necessarily do every day. It doesn't have to be big and fancy, or even purchased! 

We all put our heads together and compiled a list of date ideas that may help you decide how to spend the day. Or any day, for that matter!

Some of you may say that you don't have the extra money to go out right now or to spend on a babysitter. This list has many ideas that range from no cost, cheap, warm weather, cold weather, you can choose to include the kids or take the time to "get away". You choose and alter them to your satisfaction to match what fits your budget.

1. Chopped Challenge- (Have you ever been as addicted to this Food Network show as much as we have been?) You both go to the grocery store and separate. Each choose 2-3 random ingredients (be sure to get 2 sets of each) and get them home. When at home, separate the ingredients so you each have the exact same thing to work with. Start a timer for 1 hour and begin! Make whatever you can think of, in any way you can, in the set amount of time using all of the ingredients and anything available in your fridge or pantry. Once the timer goes off, it's time to stop and taste!

2. Living room Fort- Be a kid again! Pull out a pile of pillows and blankets and make the biggest, baddest fort in your living room. Once it is made, get creative. Make some popcorn and enjoy a movie, or make a "picnic lunch" and talk about when you were kids.

3. Ice Skating & Hot Cocoa- Pour some hot cocoa in a travel mug to enjoy at the rink. If you don't have skates, take a walk together around the pond. Just be sure to keep each other warm!

4. Local Arts Theatre (Plays & Pottery)- Do you have a local performing arts theatre? If you do, there's a good chance they offer services you never knew about! Not only does our local theatre have some pretty fun plays and musicals, they also have one night a week set up for pottery classes! And it's less than $10 (all supplies included!) per person. Now that's a good deal on a new experience! Besides, who doesn't like getting dirty with their spouse?

5. Coffee & Window Shopping- Indulge in your favorite cup of joe at a coffee shop and go window shopping. This is a fun chance to be silly and also learn some things about your significant other's tastes that you may have never known before. 

6. Cuddle under the Stars- Okay, obviously where we live, right now is not "star gazing" weather, but I love this in the summer time! Grab a pillow and blanket and cozy up together under the stars. Even better, if you own a truck, fill the bed with a pile of of blankets and pillows so you have a plush and cozy bed. You'll want to move outside permanently.

7. Local Sports Event- If either one of you likes sports, check your local high school or college for a calendar of sporting events. A lot of times it's as little as $3 to get in (sometimes free!) and popcorn is a yummy and inexpensive snack if you've got the munchies. Root for the home team!

8. Picnic at a Park- What's more relaxing than sitting under the shade of a large tree with the person you love, enjoying a nice lunch. Pack a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bring along some wine and cheese!

9. Grill at Home with a Bottle of Wine- How many women would argue that it's sexy watching your man cook? Pop the cork on a bottle of wine and serve your man while he grills up a flavorful dinner.

10. Go to a Professional Sports Game- Basketball, Hockey, Football...dress up in your team's gear and make a day of it. Say yes to face painting and shouting!

11. Karaoke Bar- Has your significant other ever seen you really let loose? This could be really fun for you to have some laughs and just enjoy the crazy side (and maybe embarrassing side) of your date!

12. Laser Tag or Mini Golf- Find a mini golf course or laser tag arena near you and show each other what you can do. Team up to blast opponents or be the first to get a hole-in-one!

13. Order in, Watch a Movie, Give Each Other Massages- Who can say no to their favorite take out, a movie, and finishing off with a massage?! I don't think there is anything else to say to make this date sound good.

14. Make a Fan Fort, Have Popcorn, Bed & Talk- Find as many bed sheets as you can and build a stable tent using clothespins to hold them together. Place box fans inside and you have your very own bubble fan fort! Build a bed inside, pop some popcorn and chat your worries away.

15. Wine Night & Cribbage- We have an aunt that always says "the secret to a happy marriage is a bottle of Sailor Jerry's and a cribbage board". She may have a point there. Cribbage is a great game in itself, but throw in some wine or a couple of beers and you'll be surprised at how much fun you'll have. This would also make a fun double date since you can play cribbage with 4 people as well.

16. Bowling- You don't have to belong to a bowling team to play the lanes. Go shine up a ball and knock those pins down! Order a pizza or burgers and enjoy a couple beers while you're tallying up those scores.

17. Walk at a State Park- If you can't find a state park near you, look for bike trails or quarry parks. Explore new places! Who knows...you may find your new favorite "get away" spot.

18. Cook Together- Plan your favorite meal, or something completely new, and cook together. Make sure you remember to wear your apron...it might get messy.

19. Wine & Cheese Tasting for Two- If you have a little extra cash, pick up a couple bottles of wine and a few blocks of good quality cheese. Sip & savor and enjoy the good company!

20. Massages with Quality Oils- There are many places you can buy scented massage oils, including online, that would make this date smell, and obviously feel, amazing!

21. Movie & Dinner- You can never go wrong with the basic dinner and a movie! Find a theatre with arm rests that raise to make watching the movie even more snugly.

22. Hotel Stay with Dinner & Massages- If you have the extra money for a hotel, but no time to travel, stay at a local hotel. See if you can get a deal on a whirlpool suite and splurge on a fancy dinner and massages. Or you can stick with room service and lock yourselves in...

23. Shopping Splurge- Take this time to indulge yourself. You each get to splurge on one thing you normally wouldn't spend on yourself!

24. Visit a Zoo- Most zoos are open year round. They may have less animals available to see during the colder months, but you can still have a great time. Maybe you'll learn that your husband's favorite animals at the zoo are not the lions, tigers, or bears, but the prairie dogs. Yes, it's happened!

25. Golf Course- There are many courses that are open to the public and usually you can find good deals on golfing for two and even getting a cart! If you don't have your own clubs, they will sometimes have a set for you to use for free or for a small fee. Take the time for him to teach you positions and assist you with your golf swing!

26. Drive In Movie- We know there aren't many drive in theatres remaining nowadays, but if you're lucky enough to live near one, take advantage of it! Grab some blankets (and maybe some bug spray) and spoon under the stars while watching a classic film! If you don't live near one, build your own backyard theatre! Pop some popcorn, build your bed, and hang a large white sheet against a building. Use a projector to create your own drive in right at home!

27. Art Museum- Modern, eclectic, painting, sculpture...there are many different types of art! Find an art museum near you and soak up all the talent! When you're done there, don't wait too long to seek out a science museum next! 

28. Local Museum- You'd be surprised how many museums are around you! Even small towns have museums containing all the local history of the surrounding land. Take a tour and experience the history of generations before you.

29. Take a Tour- Are there wineries, breweries, or even bakeries near you? Seek one out and ask for a tour! Many tours also include sampling, so you can choose something you like and take it home to reminisce about the experience while sharing your favorite part of the tour.

30. Amusement Park- Flash back to your teenage years and go have some fun! Get some cotton candy or slushies and take a ride on the ferris wheel with your love. Be daring and ride the biggest roller coaster and hold onto that love of yours for dear life!

We all hope you enjoy the time with your special someone! Remember, even if you're married, don't ever stop dating each other!