My Downtown Adventure

Yesterday started off like any other day.   The kids and I did lots of stuff... we tinkered around on the piano (Elmo's Song about 30 times), played hide and seek, made another cardboard train (this time Henry), and they ran around wearing their super hero capes.

We also made and ate yogurt pops using pudding, raspberry apple sauce, and strawberry yogurt.  Le yum!

However, at 2:45pm, I said "goodbye kids" and "hello Go Train!".    My downtown adventure was to go shopping at King Textiles with Michelle from Thunderpeep Designs.  Michelle makes lovely cards and other things which she sells in her ETSY shop.  These are the cards that I got.  So nice!  She also put in some extra goodies in my loot bag.  I love paper.  Thank you Michelle!

I took a bunch of pictures of construction sites for Joshie.  This was by far, my favourite picture.  Love the orange...

This measuring tape was painted into the sidewalk near the fabric shop.

What a beautiful day!   So why no pictures of fabric?   I didn't actually get any (pat myself on the back for exercising self control).   I wasn't inspired so it ended up being just a nice day, having a nice chat with a new friend, and dinner with my cousin.  

Oh, and I came home to kids who missed me.  Aww... I should go out more often!

Recipe: Lime Chiffon Pie

Spring is in the air!  I love spring... fresh air, chirpy birds, and no more winter jackets!  It also means lighter tasting desserts.   One of my favourite spring/summer desserts is Lime Chiffon Pie.  I found this recipe for a lime chiffon pie a couple of years ago on the Kraft Canada website and I still love it.   I modified the recipe by adding the zest and juice of 1 whole lime.

I made the pie yesterday when the kids were sleeping.   Thank you kids!

Ingredients

2/3 cup boiling water

1 pkg. (0.3 oz.) JELL-O Lime Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin

Ice cubes

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping

lime zest from 1 lime

lime juice from 1 lime

1 ready-to-use reduced-fat graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz.) or a tart shell

Directions:

ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir with whisk 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is melted.
STIR in COOL WHIP, zest and juice. Refrigerate 15 to 20 min. or until mixture is very thick and will mound. Spoon into crust.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm.

This is what it looks like when you pour it into the pie shell.  It looks exactly the same after its been refrigerated.

Happy Eating!

Day 5 of Cardboard: Banker Box Oven and Refrigerator

Welcome to Day 5 of Cardboard Crafts! It's also the last day of March Break.  The weather has been so nice out so we've been out and about every day.  This is the last cardboard craft of the series and I hope you've enjoyed it!

Today we are going to take 2 plain brown banker boxes (like this one) and turn them into ovens and refrigerators.

 

These are so easy to make and kids can help too! The best part about this craft for parents is that you can put most of this back into the recycling bin once the kiddies are tired of playing with it.

Skill level: Easy!

Time: 10-15 minutes

Tools Required: 2 Bankers boxes, X-acto knife, ruler, pencil, printer, tape, glue

Cardboard Refrigerator:

1. Place the bankers box onto its side so the door opens to the left or to the right.
2. To make a "freezer" door and a "fridge" door, cut the lid in half horizontally.
3. Inside the box, glue on some painting stir sticks or popsicle sticks in the middle of the box on all 3 sides.  This will be the bracket for the inner shelf.
4. Take a piece of cardboard and place in the box on top of the brackets.  Now you have a shelf for your freezer
5. Add handles to the door if desired
6. Glue a magnetic sheet to the door and add some fun magnets
7. Get some play food and put it inside!

Cardboard Oven:

1.  Head over to Martha Stewart's website for the complete tutorial on How to Make a Cardboard Box Oven.  
2. Once you take a look at the tutorial, don't copy it exactly.  Let the kids help you decide so that it's unique.   

Have fun making these with your kids!