Little Chef: Meatloaf

Easy Meatloaf
1 1/2 lb. ground beef                       salt and pepper
1 egg                                              2 T. brown sugar
1 onion, chopped                            2 T. prepared mustard
1 cup milk                                       1/3 cup ketchup
1 cup breadcrumbs
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Combine; beef, egg, onion, milk & breadcrumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in loaf pan.
In seperate bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard, ketchup.  Mix well and pour over meatloaf.
Bake for 1 hour.

Before Noah came to the kitchen I had all the ingredients measured out in the cups.  Noah poured in all the ingredients.  I handled the raw meat and Noah held onto the spoon as we stirred.  He was great help and loves to be cooking with David and me.

Another great thing about Noah helping make dinner is he also ate dinner.  Noah is not a big meat eater but after we complimented him on his meatloaf and talked about everything we put in to make it he had no hesitation, he dug right in!

Kitchen Message Boards

There is not much open wall space in our kitchen but I needed a place to charge my phone, put up a marker board for grocery lists, and I also made this cute menu board.  There is about 3-4 feet of wall space between where the fridge door opens up and the back door open up, prime realestate!  I had all the materials so it was a very inexpensive project.  The decorative shelf was used in our old apartment in the dining room but I am using it in the kitchen here. I had the marker board from college and painted the frame black and the menu board is a picture frame. For the menu board: I measured some scrapbook paper, used my cricut to cut circles, used some sticker letters for the days of the week and header put it all back in the frame and use a dry erase marker on the glass.  David even thought it looked good (and he usually doesn't get into the crafty things).  So here's to being a little more efficient in the kitchen!  Does anyone want Pizza on Friday :-)

All Your Baby's Needs

Recently several of our very close friends are expecting their first child and have asked those of us who already have kids, (here are some of the kids, this picture was taken in 08, the number of kids have doubled since then!)

"okay, so what do we really need to register/buy to survive?  What was useful and what could you just live without?"

So I am writing all our responses and putting out there for anyone else who might want some ideas or opinions (not like you don't get enough people telling you what to do when you become a parent, HA!)

Newborn:
Bottle Warmer
Diaper Genie
Diaper Genie Refills
Crib/Mattress
Dresser (if you make sure and purchase a dresser that is atleast 34 inches in height it can double as a changing table - that was a total space saver for us since we lived in an apartment)
Changing Table/Changing Pad
Boppy Pillow (even if you don't nurse they are great, soft pillows to prop baby up and you don't have to worry about them rolling over)
Onsies
Sleepers (Noah pretty much lived in onsies and sleepers atleast for the first couple months)
Socks
Swing (this is something that can easily be found at a garage sale in fairly good shape)
Bouncy Seat  (this is something that can easily be found at a garage sale in fairly good shape)
Large Receiving Blankets for swaddling (one friend had a specific: Miracle Blanket)
Sound Spa (preferred by some for white noise, we personally used a small table top fan)
Baby Monitor
Dishwasher Baskets (for all those little bottle parts, if you have a dishwasher)
Bottle Drying Rack
6 Bottles (atleast)
Burp Clothes (old fashioned cloth diapers are very absorbant and pretty inexpensive and you can always dress them up by sewing on a ribbon)
Crib Sheets (atleast 3-4)
Bassinet (this was not something that we registered for, mainly because we lived in a small apartment and Noah slept in his crib from day one.  Many prefer one though for placing next to your bed for those middle of the night feedings)
Pack-n-Play (not a necessity right away but you will travel OR you can set this up in our room instead of a bassinet and really if people are going to buy you those bigger items then you having to do it later than you better add it to the list)

Pack-n-Play sheets (I have survived with one)
Baby Bathtub
Diapers (All sizes)
Wipes
Diaper Bag (I preferred one with an insulted pocket, but they are a little hard to come by and expect to by another one or two along the way, we are pretty hard on our diaper bags)
Bottle Brush
Stroller (Many prefer a system, we personally registered for the safety first that reclined and would put a positioner in the stroller so Noah wouldn't roll back and forth-again a space issue for us-but we have used the same stroller and Noah is now 2 1/2)
Nursing Cover Up (there are tons out there, you can even make your own)
Baby Wrap/Sling/Carrier (here is a really easy and inexpensive one that I have found to make check it out: Baby Wrap)
Formula Dispenser (if you aren't nursing and it is great for those middle of the night feedings before you go to bed measure out the correct amount and fill your bottles of water and all you have to do is warm the water and pour the formula when you are half asleep)
Travel Changing Pad (usually one comes with the diaper bag, but you better make sure)
Formula (if that is the route you are going)
Sun Shade (for the car)
Car Seat and Base

For Later On:
Highchair (one that can recline a bit and baby can join you and the family at the dinner table)
Travel Booster
Snack Traps (I have had the best luck with the Munchkin Snack Catcher)
Sippy Cups w/ handles and soft tips
Rubber Tipped Spoons
Safety 1st Training Potty (seems to be the most preferred among our group of friends)
Small bowls with lids
Bibs (I have some good friends that make some check them out: The Dotted Duck)
Bumbo Seat (these are also nice to sit in the bathtub, once baby gets control of their head, since it is rubber.  But please never leave your little one unattended)

Check back for any updates in case I missed something or please share what worked and didn't work for you.  Every child and family is different.

Jewlery Box

So this is what I started off with.  I had purchased this memory shadow box from Ross' for about $7!  I really couldn't pass it up even though I don't have a little girl, and it wasn't for me oringinally.  I bought it to remake for our son. (no, there was not a little boy themed shadow box otherwise I would have bought it) So I have held onto this for 3 months and last week I decided to redo it for myself after all and this is what I cam up with.

As you can see I made it to hang/display my jewlery, and I love how it turned out.

 

The vase is from our bedroom, so I kind of used that to match colors.  I used some paint that I already had, so no cost there!

Added some clear command hooks to hang my necklaces.  I attached ribbon with brads and adhesive to hang my earrings.  Lukily for me a majority of my earrings are hook earrings, so they just loop over the top of the ribbon.  And because it is a shadow box the pins and earrings that are not loop backs rest in the bottom.  I already use a dish for all my bracelets, so that is staying.

And there it is hanging above my dresser.  I am going back and forth about the colors it might be a bit too 'primary' in color for me.  But I really want to work on those 'pops' of color....I might repaint the outside frame a basic black or rich brown and then leave the insides green and the paper......I don't know I will see what I think in a week.  Anyway, I am really excited about how it turned out.  Thanks for checking it out.  I am still working on the rest of the room.  Do you know how hard it is to find a basic bedskirt that isn't spendy!!  I think I might end up making my own, ugh!

Linked Up With:

Tatertots and Jello

Master Bedroom

I know this looks pretty sad master but every parent out there know that when you have kids you come last, plus the whole moving in thing happening less than a month ago.  I have been pretty presistant about putting our bedroom together and excited about it.  Our home does not have very large bedrooms but we aren't the type that hangs out in our bedroom either.  But that doesn't mean it can't look good.  So begins my to-do list:

1) Paint walls:  I decided on Martha Stewarts Chocolate Truffle (doesn't it sound yummy?)  As you can see on the walls there are several different patches of paint colors and I have already started to go around the windows, baseboards ect. so I can just start rolling it on.

2) Figure out what to do with those two sconces.  We like them but they do not make sense, they are off centered!  Any ideas!?!

*The pops of color are coming from the colors in the quilt on our bed.  The quilt was made by David's mom as our wedding gift.  She is an awesome quilter and all of our beds are covered up with her quilts - we love them.  So any way accessories and pillows will be in blues and greens.

3) Sew curtains: I have a, what I think will be a great idea, I purchased sheer chocolate brown panels and  blue sheer/textured panels (don't you love my technical terms)  I plan on layering them on the two windows - hopefully that will add somthing.

4) Shelving (more of the decorative type)....still looking for inspiration for that.

5) Some sort of bedshirt.

6) The last picture is of the closet door that whole wall is a reach in closet but it only has this single door into it, and it is dark in there.  It will be some time but we are hoping to open that up with some double doors, and add some shelving and a light.

7) The desser and bedside table were my husbands growing up and are in great shape so I (we) are not ones to get rid of perfectly good furniture but I might put some new hardware on them...

8) Find/purchase a bedside table of myself.

9) Headboard needed.

10) Lastly accessorize:  I have that vase sitting on top of the dresser, some framed pictures, pillows, lamps (if I can't figure out the sconces)....

So there you have it what I will be working on for awhile, I will keep you posted.  Any ideas are welcome.

Need A Packed Lunch For the Little One....

Every morning we go through the same thing, what are we packing for lunches. Luckily my husband is usually on the lunch line and gets Noah and I out the door but we still feel like he is always eating mac n' cheese or hot dogs....he doesn't seem to mind but we still want to expose him to different foods and eat a well rounded meal. Here are some ideas for those of you that go through the same thing day after day.

1. Not just PB&J but try other toppings between two pieces of bread:
~ lunch meat and cheese
~ cream cheese (we use a vegetable & chive sometimes)
~ nutella (maybe more of a snack choice)
~ finely chopped BBQ chicken or pork (I say finely because our little guy really does not like the texture of shredded meat)
~ tomato sauce, pepperoni
~ peanut butter, honey, banana
Try some different grain choices:
~ pita
~ tortilla
~ biscuits
~ bagel
~ waffle

2. Pasta. Noodles are always a hit with out little guy.
~ macaroni and cheese
~ butter and grated parmasen
~ spaghetti sauce
~ mixed with veggies: peas, carrots (with a little butter)
~ teriyaki with mixed veggies
~ ravioli: stuffed with cheese, meat, vegetables
Not just Elbows: (Have fun with noodles there are so many to try)
~ rotini
~ elbow
~ shells
~ ramen
~ the wagonwheel shapes
~ spaghetti
~ sometimes you can find special shapes: hearts, animals, letters (I have seen them at World Market)

3. Chicken Nuggets

4. Mini Pizza

5. Quesadilla:
~ refried beans
~ cheese
~ shredded meat
~ spinach
~ mushrooms
~ peppers, onions

6. Sides:
~ applesauce
~ fresh fruit: apples, oranges, pears, peaches, bananas, mango, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, melon, grapes, the possibilities are endless
~ raw veggies: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, peppers
~ cooked veggies: carrots, broccoli, califlower, peas, grean beans, edamama, squash, sweet corn
~ crackers or breadsticks
~ cubed cheese/string cheese
~ graham crackers

6. Add a Dip:
~ ranch
~ guacamole
~ hummas
~ cream cheese
~ salsa
~ a mexican layer dip

Share your ideas, and I will add more as I think about it. We also try our best to pack lunches in containers that can be reused. Noah sports a lunch box from LapTop Lunches http://www.laptoplunches.com/ , it is a bit spendy at first but we use it. The Container Store http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodontheGo also offers several lunch container options.

Curio Re-Do

I adopted this fun curio cabinet, it used to be my grandparents.  It was a deep red with a black brushed over the top.  I purchased Rustoleum Satin Black spray paint and went to town.  I had to remove the broken glass and sand some edges.  I also decided to leave the insides/shelving red.

Here's the finished product, I am very happy with it.  All I need to do is get a piece of glass cut and it will be a project completed!  (I couldn't wait for the glass to move it into our house)