My kids were actually begging me for crafts this week. They caught me off guard and I had nothin.

Usually, I am begging them do do a craft. Seriously. And at that point, I am just talking about cutting up some scraps of paper or fabric or whatever and glueing it to something- more paper, more fabric, or whatever. So simple. Just something that they can do to channel their tired energy into their eyes and hands and brains. But of course when they said, "Can we do a craft?" I immediately said "Suuuure". I was trying to come up with something before I finished the word!

I said who wants to make friendship bracelets?! I got one taker. Nicholas, my oldest. He is 6.

I have been seeing these bracelets on blogs, so I suppose they are making a comeback, but I haven't seen any one wearing them around here. (Maybe I don't mingle with the right people.) But still, I grabbed what few colors of embroidery floss I had and started hyping up this friendship bracelet craft to my son.

He really was excited. I even did the first row to get him started. (I remember that was the trickiest part.) It all came back to me. knotting. keeping the colors organized. we used to pin them to our jeans to make them...I opted for a pillow.

Good thing. Because he got this far.

It will probably stay like this for the rest of the summer...unless I pick it up and get addicted to the mindless knotting...quite therapeutic, too.

I found this tutorial for making them...which I don't need, because I already know/remember how to make them from a zillion years ago! OK. Except that fancy one with the pink diamonds I have no clue how to make that one.

Source:  Cut Out and Keep

***OH, and I did finish the curtains.  Can't wait to show you.  I started measuring for the new slipcover for the ottoman, too.  It is a lot of fabric to spread out and cut so I am waiting for a non t-ball night or weekend...

DIY Curtains- Part 1 Living Room Lightning Fast Redo

Lookie what I made this weekend...New curtains!

These curtains are not only new, they are the only curtains these windows have ever seen! (I can hear you gasping from here. So, I am a bit noncommittal about some things, ok?) We lived here for three years (already!) and I never even considered putting up a single curtain, until now. And all I can say is: "What was I waiting for?!" I think it dramatically improved the look of the room.

This is just the start of my living room color redo. Basically before yesterday, our living room was just plain. Beige-ish. Unless you count the dark "wood" (from Ikea) furniture or the colorful toys that scatter the room. Which I don't. The room was really, um, yuk to be honest.

But this BLUE...OH how I LOVE this BLUE!!! What was I so afraid of?! A little color is really fresh and grown up.

I still have to make the set of curtains for the other window. I hope to do those tonight. Then I will share how I made them. Basically, I added some length to a store-bought panel. I needed a curtain that was approx 105" and I couldn't find any (reasonably priced and immediately available, that is). I searched for fabric and never really found any that I was in love with. I was just about to settle on a green print when I saw this blue and white paisley shower curtain at Target. That's when my ideas took off. And when I scoured my favorite craft blogs to get ideas that were already tried and true. This will take several nights and maybe even weekends to finish, as that is the only time I can manage to squeeze out of this summer to make anything. But I am going for QUICK not cheap on this redo. I need a fast turnaround! And judging from my progress on Saturday afternoon...my goal looks promising. Stitched up two panels and hung them in probably the same amount of time it took to hang the curtain rods!

I also plan to make a new slipcover for my ottoman...some new throw pillow covers...and a wall hanging. I can't wait!

{Recipe}: Turkey Caesar Pitas

...Here is my go-to QUICK-don't-have-time-for-dinner dinner!...

I know summer is busy. I know having the kids home (all day, every day) it is difficult to accomplish anything. I know when it is 100 degrees outside a hot dinner is not appealing. So I give you you, my all-time favorite go-to recipe for times like this.

Reasons I love this recipe:  I don't have to use my brain to make it.  I dirty up one bowl.  No cooking involved.  No side dishes needed.  No measuring.  Seems healthy-ish.  And very adaptable to your likes.

Turkey Caesar Pitas

- Romaine lettuce, cut smallish
- tomatoes, diced
- deli shaved turkey, chopped
- Caesar salad dressing
- Parmesan cheese or shredded cheese, optional
- pita pocket bread

In a bowl, add lettuce, tomato, and turkey. Toss with salad dressing until well coated. I like the dressing a bit heavier than a normal salad. I just think it goes better with the bread. Sprinkle in some cheese if you like. Then put mixture into a pita pocket. I mean really stuff it in there, too. This is dinner, remember.

That's it! Salad you can eat with your hands, basically.

Or maybe it is a way to trick my kids into eating salad.  Hmmm.

Some ways I vary it up: add more meat to my husband's pita, left over grilled chicken chopped up, shredded carrots, warm the pitas first, and I like slices of sharp white cheddar cheese for a treat. My kids have learned to like this recipe. For them, I throw some extra shreds of cheese in theirs and I don't fill them up as much.

It is practically a given that we will have this for dinner if it is a t-ball or soccer night.
This recipe is perfect for busy nights all year long- soccer practices, swimming lessons, school activities...or maybe you just want to get in and out of the kitchen and enjoy family time together.

Hey, did you just put this on your menu for next week?   We will have it again on Tuesday...double t-ball night!

Linking here:

Trying to regain momentum

Remember when kids napped? Ahhh. Those were the days. An hour or two to do something that I want to do or just recharge my batteries for the rest of the day. I miss naps. {sigh} I mean I REALLY miss naps.

I want to (finally) share some pics from when we tie dyed a couple weeks ago. They just turned out so great!

This was a spiral design

I don't know how you other craft bloggers are doing it! Crafting, Taking Picutres of Crafting, and Blogging about it all. I can barely stay afloat in my daily routine. Let alone make something *adorable* and share it with the world. (Ok, not really the "world" per se...just my handful of readers! Ha!)

I used a Tulip brand kit for this one!  Dyed the top and skirt!

This shirt is a bullseye and some stripes on the little sleeves.

At the moment, I don't know where my 6 and 4 yr old are...not good. Oh wait, at least I hear them. My 2 yr old has a fever and is napping (the only one who still humors me with a nap of some sort most days). It is storming. Which is fantastic because for the last, I don't know, 13 days it has been over 100 degrees. I think it was 106 on Saturday and Sunday. But the dishes are piled up. My coffee is cold and still in the pot. I still need to eat lunch. I need to start some laundry- all my kitchen towels are dirty. I did wash clothes this weekend and washed diapers yesterday. Dinner tonight is easy-peasy! I have got to share the "recipe" with you! It is one of my go-to dinners when we have a busy evening. Tonight we will divide up after dinner between a t-ball game and a t-ball practice.

But I AM thinking about crafts...if that counts for anything. I am getting ready to bring a color into my beige living room. I know, living on the edge here. I have decided on blue! Surprise, surprise. I just can't get into making anything because I am spending a lot of energy on keeping my kids entertained. I even offered to get out the paints today and they said "no". I don't get it! I can't win with them these days. Not like we had any *solid* routine before, but coming off of a two week vacation isn't helping either. Me or them. I still don't have a good routine with them. Well, there is always tomorrow!

Happy Birthday and Independence Day!

Ahh...Good to be home. Good to see you again, too! I didn't get much time to recover from our 2-day drive home before putting on a birthday party for my littlest. I really enjoy his birthday because it is on July 4th! (I get to combine patriotic ideas AND birthday ideas!) {squeal}

I literally threw together this birthday party in a day! Even I am surprised that I pulled it off!

But I found such great ideas from other craft blogs while we were on vacation. {Love you, craft bloggers!} I just had to make them all as soon as we got back. I had about 24 hours to pull it off. So if you are ever looking for some fast party ideas with big impact, these are worth noting:

Poke cake for the birthday cake...

~~Make a white cake, poke holes in top of cake with a fork, dissolve 1 box of jello with 1 cup boiling water and pour over cake (do this for each layer), chill 3 hours, frost cake with cool whip topping~~

Ice Cream Sandwich pops...inspired by this at Living Locurto.

I had to make some red, white, and blue cupcakes with Homemade Buttercream Icing!

I will make buttercream icing any time I have a reason to!

Red and blue Jello flavored popcorn...I found the recipe here at Claire's Creations.

...What are your "go-to" party ideas?...

And seriously, I might have found my new July 4th tradition- Cheesecake Filled Strawberries! Mmmmm. Sadly, I don't have a picture of these, but I filled strawberries with cheesecake filling and topped each with a blueberry. I apologize for no pic. But we ate them all! And honestly, if it weren't for my husband (who knows I get super side-tracked during a party) I wouldn't have any pics at all. I think he took all of these. I did have to rescue them all with some quick editing in iPhoto. Note to self: Teach husband how to focus camera...even on auto.