Valentine's Bags for chairs

Aren't these bags so cute?!
I've seen similar style bags online that were over the top adorable, but so pricey.
(Click here for my inspiration. Her tutorial was great, but I wanted to go way simpler)

These are super cheap, about $1.25 a piece, and you can finish them in a nap time.

Perfect for a few Valentine's treats!

All you need is 4 sheets of standard size felt, 6-8 inches of velcro, and
any coordinating felt for embellishments.

Here's the inside so you can see how it's joined.

Here's the straps

(I was out of felt, so I had to make the tutorial with paper -- pretend)
Felt Sheet 1: leave full size for the back

Felt Sheet 2: Measure down 3 inches and cut off. 3" piece will be the bottom, the bigger piece will be the top front flap.

Felt Sheet 3: (Sorry it's sideways)
Measure down 3 inches and cut, just like felt sheet 2. The skinny piece will one of the sides. The bigger piece will be the front. If you want, go ahead and cut out a heart shape from coordinating felt.

Felt Sheet 4: Measure down 3" for the last strip on the side.

Fold down the bigger piece and cut in half. These two larger pieces (3.5") will be the straps.

Take one of the 3 1/2" pieces and fold it into thirds.

Sew down the middle to hold it together.

Sew the straps on the back. These were my measurements.

Be sure to skip down 1/2" so you don't catch your straps when you add your top flap

After you finish these steps go on to:

1. Sew your side pieces on to the bottom strip. So you'll have three 3" rectangles in a row. Be sure to pay attention to how the seams connect so they'll be right when you assemble the bags.

2. Sew on the front bottom flap (with the heart) to 3 side/bottom strips.

3. Sew on the back to the other side of 3 side/bottom strips.

4. Sew on the front flap to the back side so it flips over to the front.

5. The sides will be a little long at the top. I folded it over into a triangle shape and sewed down. Then I cut off the excess fabric.

6. Add your velcro so that your strap rolls around and connects.

7. Add your embellishments. Ric Rac or ribbon would be so cute!

You could really have go crazy with decorating these, but I was trying to keep cost down, and keep them easy.

Just call it an Oscar Meyer

We took Adam out to dinner a couple of weeks ago. We had a huge appetizer, and he just wasn't very hungry. He decided it was more fun to break his hot dog into pieces and slap them together.

Jared tells him to stop, to which Adam responds, "What, I'm just playing with my weenie."

Followed immediately by his justification that, "weenie is okay to say, it's weiner that is the bad word."

I almost spit the food in my mouth all over the table.

Any parenting moment I had was completely lost because I could not stop laughing.

It's sad I have the same sense of humor as 7 year old boy. Shameful, I know.

Adam-isms

After not being allowed to call everything "dumb."
A: Well then I'm just leaving!
me: (sweetly) Would you like me to get a bag for your clothes?
A: I'm not leaving this house, but I'm going to my room until after Christmas break!
me: Oh, great, can I have your presents then?
A: Well...I think I can do that part.

Adam's writing about Santa:
If I found Santa stuck I would get a real bulldozer and dig a hol that gos to the chimy and then get a rocket that touched his feet. Then I would light it and then he would pop right out.

Little Cowboy Fan

I got the rare opportunity to sub for Adam's class today. I relish any opportunity where I can get paid to be responsible for my own child.

Today, was Dallas Cowboy dress up day at his school.

Adam has this great team jersey, he's been excited to wear. Since the weather was cold I got him a white long sleeved shirt out to wear underneath it.

At school, while all the children were in the gym waiting for the assembly to start, I noticed Adam's clothing choice looked a little off.

I couldn't even see his jersey, because he had tucked it into his pants, and put the white shirt on top of it.

Clearly, he has his father's fashion sense.

I asked him to change, to which he refused because, "he had it on the right way!"

I left with a "I'm not going to argue with you about this -- go switch it around in the bathroom."

By the time I got back to his class from my supervisorly rotations, I noticed he was gone.

On my next lap, he had returned. I overheard him bragging about how awesome it was to a classmate, "Check out my jersey -- you can really see it now!"

...just so you know according to Adam, I'm still not right about the whole thing.

Serenity now!

Snowman Ornament

I'm prepping for Adam's class winter party. Here's on of our student projects. It's fairly easy & affordable project for a class full of first graders. (This is not my original idea -- I found the project here.)

Supplies: (Makes 24 -- all from Hobby Lobby)
24 plastic ornaments (glass works, but we used plastic for the kids)
Orange Adhesive backed felt
1 pack of 1" red pom poms, 24 pack
1 pack of 1" green pom poms, 24 pack

1 green felt, cut strips 3/4 x 12 inch
1 red felt, cut strips 3/4" x 12 inch
2 packs of Pipe Cleaners - Christmas color pack, cut into 4" strips
Hot glue gun
Anita's black craft paint
Pencil with unused eraser

1. Cut triangle shape from orange felt. Remove backing and stick on.
2. Take 4" of two color pipe cleaners and twist together. Dab a bit of hot glue and stick on the pipe cleaners.

3. Add pom poms with hot glue.

4. Remove holder and stuff white tissue paper into hole with an unsharpened pencil. (You can also use white crinkle cut shredded paper)

5. Replace holder. Cut 3/4 inch strip from felt. Carefully wrap and glue around the "neck" area of the snowman. It doesn't have to be stuck on perfect. Just add glue here and there and stick it on. Trim length if needed. Trim edges with scissors for fringe.
6. Dip an new pencil eraser into black paint and gently put on for eyes & mouth. You could also use black glitter glue, or a black paint pen. (Black sharpie wasn't dark enough on the plastic ornament)

Mexican Style Chicken & Rice

You will be singing my praises after you make this dinner. Right there, in your kitchen, you will do a little dance because this is so good, and so easy! Just 5 main ingredients! (Thanks Jessica for giving me another rockin' recipe!)

2 Chicken breasts (you can use left over baked chicken or rotisserie, shredded...or you could use canned)

8 oz. cream cheese

1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans
Optional: Rice, tortilla chips, tortillas

- Cook chicken using your preferred method. Shred it into bite sized pieces.
- In a large pan or pot, cook everything together until cream cheese is melted.
- Serve over rice. You can eat it with chips or in a tortilla, burrito style.

The Check -up

Yesterday, I had my checkup.

I think my oncologist was playing the gynecological version of minute to win it. He was done before I even have time to formulate a joke about him upgrading to fleece sheets with our colder weather.

(Dr. M has the greatest set up for exams. No tissue quality paper privacy wrap there. He has great big comfy, cotton sheets. You can wrap that thing around you and know with a surety that no one is going to see your butt crack, or that you are going to accidentally rip the entire thing down the front in the process.)

Luckily, there are no signs of cancer. I'm back to 6 months appointments, which is a relief.

Phew!