Tag: mothersday

Mini Picket Fence Craft

The calendar says it’s officially Spring (even though it doesn’t feel like it outside where we live) so it’s time to do some Spring crafts for kids! Today we made a mini picket fence that is really so cute! This could be a great Mother’s Day gift for a child to make with some assistance from an adult.

You will need 7 craft sticks, some craft glue, some miniature flowers and a butterfly or bug puffy sticker or button.

You can use the craft sticks as they are or they would look really cute painted white. Start with 2 sticks and place 2 dots of glue on each stick at the same place on the 2 sticks.

Slide the 2 sticks apart and place another craft stick horizontally across the top and one across the bottom onto the glue dots. Try to keep the sticks straight so they form an even rectangle.

Allow the glue time to dry before moving to the next step. Once the glue is dry and your fence can be moved without the sticks moving, turn it over. Place 3 dots of glue in even spots across the top and 3 dots across the bottom stick.

Lay 3 craft sticks vertically on the dots of glue, as shown in the following picture.

Allow the glue to dry again until all the sticks will stay in place. (For a quicker project, you could use a glue gun, but craft glue is safer for younger children.) Once the fence is dry, turn in back over so the front side is up and decorate it by gluing on miniature flowers and a butterfly.

You can add a magnet to the back for hanging. Or add a piece of twine by gluing each end of the twine to the top sides of the back of the fence.

Or glue both ends of the twine to the backside of the middle vertical stick.

That’s it! Now you have a cute mini picket fence to display around your house and make you think of warm Spring days! 🙂

Calling All Dads! Quick & Easy Chicken & Noodles You Can Make For Mother’s Day!

Yep, it’s almost Mother’s Day again! Moms love to have a day off with no cooking! Are you a dad that tries to cook lunch for your wife or even for your mom? Kudos to you and a pat on the back for being awesome! This chicken and noodles recipe is super easy and you can impress your wife with your cooking abilities! (If you are a mom reading this, maybe casually send your husband a link to this blog page!) 😉

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need: 1 – 32 oz. carton of chicken broth, 1 – 28 oz. can of cooked chicken, 1 – 12.5 oz. can of cooked chicken (only needed if you like lots of chicken in your chicken and noodles), 1 – 16 oz. bag of medium noodles (they can be whatever thickness you prefer), and 1 – 10.5 oz can of Cream of Chicken soup. I suggest checking the noodles bag for the time needed to cook them…this brand only needs cooked for 10 minutes.

Using a large nonstick cooking pan (mine is a 5 quart pan), pour in the broth and both cans of chicken. Include the broth that’s in the cans of chicken. Break the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Bring to a boil over a high heat but keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t boil over. (You will lose brownie points if you make a big mess on the stove.) 😉

When the broth and chicken mixture is boiling, add the noodles and stir so they are all down in the broth.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook for the time printed on the noodle bag. Set a timer…don’t try to remember what time you started the noodles cooking. 😉 You may need to add some water as the noodles cook. You should always see some liquid in the pan. Stir occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

After the noodles have cooked for the time on the bag, carefully remove one noodle with a fork and see if the noodle is soft enough. Eat it and see what you think. (See? There are benefits to being the chef!) Some people like noodles a little chewy while others want them softer. You can cook it a little longer if you like them softer. When the noodles have reached the desired tenderness, add the Cream of Chicken soup.

Stir the soup in and allow the mixture to cook for just a couple minutes more so the soup is heated completely. The soup helps the noodles to be creamy and adds more flavor.

That’s all there is to it! You did it!! You can serve the chicken and noodles with a heated veggie, bread and butter, fruit, salad, applesauce, etc. Some people like mashed potatoes with chicken and noodles. HINT: Bob Evans sells already made mashed potatoes that you simply heat in the microwave. They are available in most grocery stores. 🙂 Heat them in a bowl and she’ll never know you didn’t make them from scratch! LOL

This recipe of chicken and noodles is, of course, good for a quick meal anytime! Hope you enjoy making them! 🙂