Things are always changing (#StreamTeam #Netflix)

Thank you to Netflix for sponsoring this post! 

So with three kids, it seems that as soon as I think we are settling into a pattern the kids change, their sleep patterns change, their eating patterns change, their preferences change, their activities change.  Life is always changing, and in most ways I welcome the change.  I have always thought I was a flexible person generally.  But some days I just want to soak it all up and have everything stay the same.  But, with change comes the chance to reinvent ourselves... a chance to better ourselves.  That is this month's Stream Team Theme... reinvent yourself.  It is never too late.

It doesn't have to be a whole new makeover, maybe there is something little that you want to change. This weekend my husband and I were talking and he said that he thought it was time for me to go back to work next year.  I was a teacher before I took up the full time mom gig.  So I emailed a few of my teacher contacts in the district I worked in and the next day they emailed back with some jobs openings.... in one day I went from maybe I will think about going back to work to almost having a job... it was exciting and scary all at once.  Going back to work will mean that I will be a working (outside the home) mom, something I have not done yet.  I am excited to go back to teaching because I love it, but also anxious about the changes it will mean for the kids.  So, I am reinventing myself as a working mom.

I will leave you with a video of my son, who used to not say a word... now belting out Let It Go.



Here are some great movies/tv show to stream on Netflix to motivate you to reinvent yourself!

Mulan

Jimmy Neutron

Turbo

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

*Disclosure: I am part of the Netflix Stream team.  However all opinions are 100% honest! 

Easy Minecraft Party Decor

We always decorate the house for each kid's birthday. Even though this year was the "small" birthday party (i.e. take a friend to a movie and that's it!) we still decorated the house with my son's latest infatuation: Minecraft.  If you have a boy between the ages 5-12 you know what I am talking about!  But I also wanted to keep it simple!  So here is what I did to make a big impact with little effort.  I am also including the Minecraft faces at the bottom as a free printable so it will be super easy for you! 

I got this party banner at the dollar store and taped Minecraft faces to it.

These swirly decorations used to be angry bird decorations :

I saved them from the angry birds party we had last year, and just removed the angry bird part and taped 2 minecraft faces to the bottom back-to-back. 

My hubby came up with this idea and it turned out so cute.  We taped Steve's face to the school pictures of the kids to turn them into minecraft characters.  My kid LOVED it!

I got some paper plates from the dollar store, (I wanted the green ones to be a square too but they only had circles and it worked out fine) and taped the Minecraft faces to them.  For the spider I draw the face with metallic Bic permanent markers, cut out the legs out of another paper plate and taped them to the back.

I also made this super easy Creeper Shirt.  Just some heat transfer vinyl cut in the creeper face shape onto a green shirt.  I used my silhouette but you could totally cut this out by hand too.   

Here are the Minecraft faces for you to use (PERSONAL USE ONLY!!!))

Just right click and download.

DIY Milk Carton Easter Baskets (15 minute craft!)

I am so excited to be part of Craft Lighting this week! The theme this month is Recycled Crafts.  Since it is starting to warm up around here, I made some Milk Carton Easter Baskets!  And they are super easy and cute! 

Here is what you will need to do:

1. Gather supplies: Empty (Clean) milk carton, Scissors, Duck Tape

2. Cut off the top of the milk carton (be sure to leave the handle)

3. Cover the edges with duck tape- they have some fun patterns now so it is easy to customize to your child's preference!

4. You can stop there and be done.   

OR...

You can embellish! 

Option 1- Felt Flowers

1. Make these felt flowers (Tutorial HERE).  They are super fast and easy to make!

2. Hot Glue them to the Carton.

Done and CUTE! 

Option 2 - Bunny! 

1. For this one I used white duck tape.

2. Draw on a bunny face.  I hot glued some felt for the nose.

3-4. Add some bunny ears. I cut out the ears out of card stock, and colored in the inside of the ears.  I used the white duck tape to stick them on to the back.

Ohhh- I think he is my favorite! 

Check out other Craft Lighting Recycled Crafts! 

Super Easy Dinner: Mexican Ranch Chicken Soup

Here is one of my families favorite diners.  It is super easy to make and everyone eats it!  It is my go-to meal for when I bring a meal to someone, and they always ask for the recipe.  It is also gluten free- bonus!   We like to eat it with corn/tortilla chips to dip.  It is a hearty soup so it will fill you up! 

Here is what you need: 

2 cups Milk

1 cup ranch dressing (not the powder mix)

1 8oz package cream cheese

1 can sweet corn or 1 cup frozen

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 can tomatoes and green chilies

1 can white chicken shredded

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a large pot.  Cook over medium heat until cream cheese is melted.  Serve with Chips.  

You can also cook it in the crockpot on low for 3-6 hours and High for 2-4 hours.  

I made a free printable of the recipe.  I like to include it when I bring a meal to someone.  It also has some nutrition information on it.  You can just right click and download the image.  I made 1 large one and one that has 4 to a page. 

Fairy Tale and Super Hero dress-up round up! {#StreamTeam}

Thank you to Netflix for sponsoring this post! 

My kids have been loving to play dress up lately.  Their play times go in phases - some times it's playing with blocks/legos, some times it is coloring or doing puzzles, now it is dressing up and pretending to be in a fairy tale or super hero story.  
So I have a round up for you with super easy dress-up DIY's! 

For Girls: 

Snow White Dress up Apron: 

Cinderella Style Dress-up Apron:

More princess dress-up aprons:

Wonder Woman Tank Top: 

For Boys: 

Angry Birds Hoodie:

Batman Hoodie:

Knight Hoodies:

Buzz Lightyear  Space Ranger Wings

We love having Netflix and the fact that there are no commericals is the best!  Our favorite shows to watch this month are:

The new Netflix Original Series: Ever After High:

I have to say that this is a pretty cute show.  It is about the kids of our fairy tale heroes... Apple White is the daughter of Snow White, Ashlyn Ella  is the daughter of Cinderella, Sparrow Hood is the son of Robin Hood and so on.  There is some clever writing in this one! 

My son loves the new Richie Rich (Another Netflix Original Series)

It is an updated version of the one that was out when I was a kid and it is pretty cute too. 

*Disclosure: I am part of the Netflix Stream team.  However all opinions are 100% honest!