Nutella Hot Chocolate

I'm on a bit of a Nutella kick lately. I looove it. It's good spread on graham crackers. Whenever my kids dare venture outside for a minutes in the freezing winter, they think they deserve some hot chocolate. So when they were sipping their store bought I kind, I wondered if Nutella would make some good hot chocolate. I was right! It was so rich and delicious.

Nutella Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
Milk
Nutella
Whipped Topping (optional)

Nuke some milk in the microwave and then add desired amount of Nutella and stir until combined. Then nuke again for another 20 or so seconds. Top with whipped topping.

Other Nutella Recipes I want to try:
Nutella Pancakes

Nutella Cupcakes

Now go grab some Nutella!

And I have to share my favorite thing I did for Valentines Day: My man-bouquet for my man!
I got the idea here.

Easy School Valentines Day Party

I'm in charge of the third-graders V-day party this year. Here is one game I thought up:
Taking the numbers of kids in the class and divide that number in half. Then find out how to say "I love you" in that many languages. Then I will print off two strips of each language, fold them up and randomly hand them out.
Then they have to go around the room saying "I love you" in their language until their find their match.

One of the other moms helping me is going to do "Do you love your neighbor?" Which I think the kids will like too. Click here for the instructions to that game.

"Love Bug"

I decided to do a cute little Valentine project with my 3 year old today. I got the idea from here.

We didn't do it exactly as this site suggested. But that's part of the fun!

You will need:Empty toilet paper tube
Valentine paper
Scissors
Glue
Pipe cleaners
Pom pom balls

Acrylic Paint

Foam Paintbrush

Small paintbrush

(You can really use what you have around the house, that's what I did!)

First, paint the toilet paper tube.

Let it dry.

We painted a little bit on the inside. Just along the top where you would be able to see it.

Glue a pom pom to the top of the pipe cleaner.
I used hot glue for this.

This is what you will end up with.

Cut hearts out of your Valentine paper.

(I used my Silhouette for my hearts. LOVE that machine!)

Decorate your hearts however you want and then tape or glue them to the back of your tube for the wings.

Next, use a hole punch and make two holes in the tube for the antenna to go and hook pipe cleaners to the tube.

**I made my holes close to the top, next time I would make them a little lower.**

Paint or draw a face on your "Love Bug"

Love your "Love Bug" :)

When we were finished with this craft, my little girl asked, "Are we going to do another craft?"

She loved it.

Guess I will have to come up with some more fun Valentine's activities.

Valentines Decor Remembered

Just got out my two Valentines Decorations, and I couldn't help but smile. I was pretty crafty last year. I'm not sure what has happened since then :) Anyway, if you missed these last year they are easy, cheap. and cheery on a wintry day!

Sweetheart candy topiary: And the rag heart wreath

These have probably been our most viewed posts too. Don't forget to host a friend Valentines party for yourself too:

Valentine's Day Gift

I don't know about the rest of you, but I always have a hard time thinking of something to get my husband on Valentine's Day. This year I decided to make something. And this is what I came up with:

I found this box around my house and I cut the top off.

I found some red "valentine-ish" paper and traced around the edges of the box.

I cut out the measured pieces and used Mod Podge to stick the paper to the box.

This is what it looked like with all the sides covered with the paper.

I used my digital scrapbooking program (that I love!) to make little signs that said "Happy Valentine's Day" and then underneath it I wrote a reason why I love him. I printed them off and then glued them to white cardstock and cut them into strips.

I folded them in half and filled little bags with some of his favorite candies and then stapled the reasons I love him to the tops.

I also made little coupons for various things like going to lunch at his favorite place or something we could do together. (With a new baby coming we just might need coupons to get out of the house! ;-) I put all the coupons in a little bag and sealed them together.

Then I stuck all the treats and coupons in the box with some tissue paper. And glued the "Happy Valentine's Day" message on the front.

What do you get your husband for Valentine's day? I am sure I will need another idea for next year!

Friend Valentine Party

Ok, it might be too late to try this out this year before Valentines Day, but you definitely need to put it in your Valentine file for next year.

For our "ladies" night last night, the host had each of us make Valentines for everyone in the group and then we passed them out Elementary style. Then we each wrote what we admire about the person on their Valentine.

I really felt like I was in 1st grade grade opening them and reading all the nice things people wrote. I have the best friends!

As a mom sometimes you go through life serving and giving to other people and don't realize how much it means to have someone say something nice to you until they do. Then it really means a lot and you realize how blessed you are.

Thanks for the great idea Jess!

Sweetheart Candy Valentine Topiary

So instead of making the felt flower topiary on my project list I decided to try to make a candy one. I thought it turned out pretty cute.

Supplies: Foam ball ( I used one for flowers but you can use regular styrofoam)

Felt

Pins

Sweetheart Candy

Finish Spray

Pink Paint

Dowel

Flower Pot

Foam to fit on flower pot

Ribbon

You need to cover the ugly green, so I took a cup a traced around the bottom on the felt to get several circles. It took about 1 1/2 sheets of felt. Then I cut out the circles a cut slits on two opposite sides so it would lay nicer.Then I started covering the ball using two pins per circle. I overlapped the slits a little bit so they would lay flat. At the end you should have a nice pink artichoke looking ball.

Now you simply start using your GLUE GUN to glue the candy all around the ball. Leave a small opening at the bottom for your dowel. When it is completely covered you can spray with finish spray and let dry.Now you cut your foam to fit into your pot. Then paint your dowel pink and stick it in your pot. Then I glued more candies to cover up that foam and sprayed with finish spray. Now you are ready to stick your ball on the dowel and tie a cute bow around that. Now you can still enjoy your carbs without them going straight to your hips!

A heart-shaped Valentines Wreath

Okay, so I have like zero Valentines decorations. Nothing. Nada. So, I was thinking about making a wreath for the door. I liked the look of the rag ones I have seen. I'm trying to "use what I have" to craft method, so instead of buying a wire wreath I took this baby:And bent it into a rough heart shape.
Then I cut up a whole bunch of pink fabric into strips (approx. 1" by 7", but they don't have to be exact). I used old shirts, ribbon, fabric I already had, and baby clothes I had been given but were stained.

Then I tied them around the hanger wreath. It took awhile but turn on a good show and tie away! Wahlah! Number two on my list complete. And I didn't have to buy a thing!

See what you can get done when you focus!