Queen Of Chaos: February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

The Decor Queen

From this point forward I am going to call my sister in law The Decor Queen. Every time I go to her house I'm in awe of her eye for design and decoration. This is something I am not good at all!!!! I need to just hire her to help me with my house. Look at this cute wall she put together.

I love it! I don't think I would have ever thought of that.

Her and I both love to hang our kids artwork. I'm more of a fridge and tape it on the wall person. She actually has cute ways to display them. Which way do you love?

She also lets each kid have a tupperware for all their pictures under their bed. If you have little artists like we do, you know how fast you can get overwhelmed with artwork. I like to scan and save some pictures digitally to help save on space.

She also always has cute displays like this for pictures.

This one isn't finished yet, but I had to share her work in progress. I'm excited to see the end result.

What do you think? Is it just me or is she amazing?

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Hormel Rev Meat Snack Mix's

Our family loves to be on the go. We look forward to car trips, outings and lots of adventures. Which also results in lots of eating and snacking on the go as well. I am always on the look out of good healthy snacks that we actually like. Especially things with protein. I was really looking forward to review the new Hormel Rev meat snacks.

Hormel has these new Rev Meat Snack Mix's that I love. I tried 3 different flavors. The Spicy BBQ & Bacon, Pepperoni Pizza, and Turkey Ranch. They also have Honey Mustard Bacon (One I can't wait to try) and a pepperoni and cheese snack mix. Each of them having 8-12 grams of protein.
The Spicy BBQ and Bacon tastes just like it sounds. It had a nice spicy BBQ flavor and lots of bacon in it. The BBQ comes from the BBQ seasoned bagel chips, the kick is from jalapeno bacon and it also has sourdough pretzels in it as well.
The Pepperoni Pizza Snack mix has cheese crackers and parmesan, tomato herb bagel chips, and pepperoni. Really cute little pepperoni to be specific. Perfect snack for that picky eating kid that loves pepperoni pizza.
My favorite was the Turkey Ranch Meat Snack mix. It comes with cracked pepper pita chips, ranch seasoned breadsticks and smoked turkey. It was addicting. I couldn't stop just after one cup, I had to eat two!

Where can you find some of these yummy filling snacks? Right now they are at several Smith's in the state of Utah selling them. Here are a few of the Smith's that you can purchase them at:

Smith's in Pleasant Grove

210 East 700 South

Smith's in Orem

45 S State Street

Smith's in Draper

212 E. 12300 S.

Smith's in Sandy

10305 S. 1300 E.

Smith's in Salt Lake City

3470 Bengal Blvd

Smith's in Ogden

4275 Harrison Blvd

I also have several $1 off coupons I can give out. That would make them probably just a little more than $1 each. If you are interested in trying one and want a coupon then leave me a comment below of which Smith's you would go buy it at, and which meat snack sounds yummy to you. I'll pick a few comments at random on March 1st to give them out to. Make sure to include your email so I can contact you.

I am curren tly a member of the HORMELTM REV TM Meat Snack Mix Program and this post is part of my involvement in the Group. While Hormel Foods provides me material and necessary resources to complete various activities, all statements and sentiment in Utah Queen of Chaos are my own.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Valentine's Traditions

Last year we had a packed day on Valentines Day. Looking back to plan for this years I am trying to decide what we should do. Should we get a sitter and have a date night? Should we go do something fun as a family? Maybe stay in for some fun?

Last year I made yummy Red Velvet Crepes. My husband and I really enjoyed them, my girls liked them, my son openly announced he preferred the regular kind of crepes. We could do that again for breakfast.

We also went to Dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. We could go out to eat, or order some to go at home. I even heard you can buy just their sauce, and we could make our own at home. Hmmm that sounds good. Then I could watch one of the movies from my top 5 Valentines movies lists.

My kids love crafts and my son has gotten into origami lately. Maybe I could teach them to make something origami, play some games and decorate sugar cookies.

I'll have to keep thinking about this one. So many choices what do I do? It's not every year that Valentines falls on a Friday night.

Comment, Tweet or Facebook me what you are doing this year for Valentines Day, I would love to know! I feel like my creativity pool is running a little shallow.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

My Top 5 Favorite Valentines Movies for the Family

Today I am sharing my top 5 favorite shows to watch with my family around Valentines day. If you want some suggestions for just you and your husband that aren't on most people's romance favorites make sure to read yesterday's posting.

5. Up

How cute is the couple in this movie? It's rare for Disney to keep both parents alive till old age, even though the wife dies in the first 10 minutes. technically they lived a long happy life. Usually Disney has single parents or dead parents right of the bat. I love how much the husband is willing to go through just to fulfill his and his wife's life long dream. I also love in the end when he realized all the things him and his wife really had accomplished together. I think too often we forget how much the little things in life count and can mean so much more than the big things.

Lift Your House with Balloons By Movoto Real Estate

4. Enchanted

Princesses, comedy, cartoon characters and real life characters? Yup this is a perfect for my family. With only 1 boy and 3 girls, my son gets to laugh at the guy mocking love, and get the cool fight scenes, all while my girls get the gushy love stuff, big frilly dresses and other princess stuff. I like to see how many Disney Easter eggs my kids can spot in this movie when I watch it. Here is a little slide show I made of a few of them, but this movie is loaded with them.

3. Winnie the Pooh A Valentine For You

Winnie the Pooh is one of my favorite shows from my childhood. It's not something my kids like to watch too often, but every once in a while (like on Valentines Day) they'll sit through one with me. It's just a fun cute movie to sit and watch while the kids load up on the treats from school. It's fun for me to see all the fun personalities of the characters I so fondly remember.

2. Gnomeo and Juliet

What's Valentines Day with out Romeo and Juliet? Gnomeo and Juliet is a great introduction to the Shakespeare classic. Only this one has a much happier ending. I love the ninja scene where she sneaks out wearing a black sock. I also love when the best friend is watching the person buying the new lawn mower, "Not the kitty clippers."

Want to make this into a fun movie night? Here is the link to download and print 13 fun coloring and activity pages. http://www.gnomeoandjuliet.com/main/activities/flash/activityPack/int/pdfs/printables.pdf

1. Mulan

If you read my list of favorite movies for moms and dads this one shouldn't be that surprising. There's a love a story, but not the usual love at first sight lets get married Disney movie. Muln shows that she is more than just beautiful. She's smart, brave, honorable and besides "You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty."

I mentioned earlier that few Disney movies have both parents, alive, well, and competent through the whole movie. This is one of the few I can think of. I love the history and culture in this movie. I also can't help but dance and sing along with all the great songs in Mulan. This is my all time favorite Disney movie and Disney princess. This is my kind of love story.

http://spoonful.com/disney/throw-a-mulan-party#carousel-id=photo-carousel&carousel-item=2

Here is a link to throw a Mulan movie night party. You can print and make a Mulan paper doll, make a sweet twist on Mulan's smiley face breakfast and make cute panda cupcakes.

Bonus-

The Princess Bride

I thought I would try something new this year. My kids are getting older and I thought maybe they were ready for a movie like this classic. Sure enough I was right, they loved it. Well at least the parts they watched and didn't ask a million questions through.

There were 3 scenes that were questionable with kids. One was the scene with the rodents of unusual size (ROUS's.) That freaked the kids out a bit, till I told them they were actors in costumes, then they laughed. However his bloody shoulder after the fact made them cringe. The second scene I thought would freak them out was when Wesley is in the pit of despair being tortured. Again they just laughed, they thought it was funny. At the end where Inigo Montoya finally fights the 6 fingered man was too much for them. The knife being thrown, then being stabbed and then ending in his death with an obvious swear word. My son looked at me and said, "Mom is that a..." I just interrupted, "Yes, yes it is." (If you can't tell we don't swear in our home and my family are naïve to cuss words.) Really it was just 2 scenes with a little blood, but really not that bad.

The rest was great. My son loved the little boy who interrupted the story, cause it was almost the exact reactions from him almost mirroring the boy played by Fred Savage. He loved the fighting, catch phrases, and twists in the plot. My girls loved the princess, and silly saying they actually understood.

The fun part was for me to watch it again, and pick up on little things, or sayings that may have gone over my head when I was younger. I actually watched it again the next night just my husband and I.

If your family isn't all kids under the age of 6-8ish than this is a fun Valentines movie recommendation from me. If you have all tiny tots, then I recommend making it a date night and saving it for a few years.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

My Top 5 Favorite Valentine's Movies for Mom and Dad

Here is a list of my favorite movies to watch around Valentines Day. Keep in mind I am not a huge romantic. I don't typically read romance novels or watch romantic movies. I do like romantic comedies, but more for the comedy than the gushy parts. So pretty much what I'm trying to say is this list isn't going to be your typical Sleepless in Seattle type movie list.

5. Valentine's Day

I know too cliché right? I also know this movie got horrible reviews. Oddly enough I know how much it cracks me and my husband up every time. Ashton Kutcher is hilarious, especially him and George Lopez together. It also has Bradley Cooper, Julia Roberts, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, the list goes on and on.

I love Anne Hathaway's "side job" in this movie, cracks me up every time. The girls with the I Hate Valentines Day party is also fun. I wish I would have thought of that piñata in my singles years. My husband loves movie where there is that twist of how everyone is all connected in the end. Plus what guy wouldn't love the last 3 words of the movie?

4. Mr. & Mrs. Smith

This is not only one of my favorite movies, but my kind of love story. Action, fighting, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, what's not to love. It has the sarcastic humor that is right up my alley. I think my favorite scene in the whole movie is the car/van chase towards the end. When they are discussing what was real in their relationship, and what wasn't while trying to evade the bad guys at the same time. When we saw this in theaters we were seriously laughing so loud the whole movie. Now I know we were the only ones laughing in the theater then, but today we still laugh the same amount.

3. The Notebook

Ok, ok I can't have a Valentines movie list with out a Nicholas Sparks movie. If I had to pick one it would be The Notebook. I do enjoy the courting part of their relationship. The crazy, silly, dance in the street was (and is) my kind of thing. I like the spontaneity of it. I also love the beach scene where she pretends to be a bird randomly. That is something I would randomly say. Let's face it, if you want gushy romance, no doubt, The Notebook is the way to go.

2. Crazy, Stupid, Love

Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling, enough said. This movie may be on the dirty provocative side, but it is also on the ridiculously hilarious side as well. Steve Carell is so funny, and one of our favorite actors. The way he interacts with his wife, kids, friends and lovers are great. I love the sarcasm between him and his wife's personal conversations, like their joke about switching kids in the hospital. I enjoy Emma Stone's character in this. I think we all sometimes try and walk that line of what I should do and makes sense and the what I want to do and be crazy side. The scene when she goes home with Ryan Gosling's character cracks me up. The classic awkward "Ok, now what?" moment. I always felt bad for the son though. Till the end, then I'm a little disturbed for him.

1. Date night

Sorry to put another Steve Carrell movie on here, especially back to back, but what can I say? We obviously like him as an actor. I'll bet he and Tina Fey had a blast making this movie. As many married couples may feel the same way they did at the beginning, stuck in a rut. Same dating rituals, who would blame them for wanting to change things up a bit, and pretend to be the Tripplehorns. We may or may not have used that name for a reservation, just to spice up our own date night.

I also love how much was improve in this. After the director did his few takes, he would ask if they had any suggested changes. Almost always they did, and apparently they almost all made the movie. For instance the scene in the strip joint. They didn't want it choreographed at all, they wanted it just as awkward as the characters themselves. Also I know the scene with James Franco has a lot of improv in it as well. The only part in that scene from the script is "Zip your face," the rest was made on the fly. Don't forget to watch the outtakes on this, hilarious movie!

Bonus-

Live Free and Die Hard

For my bonus I thought I would share with you the movie I have watched for the past 3 years on Valentines Day itself. That's right, it's Live Free or Die Hard. Not exactly romantic- AT ALL! That is one of my favorite movies of all time. I figure this movie doesn't reference Christmas at all like the other's so why not make it a Valentines movie?

There is only one man in the whole world that I know that could actually take down a helicopter with a car, and that's John McClane. Ok in all seriousness Jack Bauer could too, but that's besides the point. If you haven't noticed by now I love sarcasm, and this movie is oozing plenty of it. The story line progresses' but isn't too complicated for me to understand. I also love the daughter in this, you can tell she is her father's daughter for sure!

That's it for my favorite movies that I watch with my husband around Valentine's Day. For the list of my favorite family friendly love movies check back tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

A Pokemon Valentines

My son loves Pokemon. Unfortunately it's not exactly the most accessible thing on the market. Last year he wanted Pokémon Valentines to hand out at his schools Valentines party. He didn't believe me that they don't sell them at the store. So we had to result in making some. So I searched the ever so handy Pinterest for idea's. This is what my son decided to make.

I know they aren't the cutest most Pinterest worthy Valentines in the world, but my son loved them. I could have made them all my self and made them cuter, even and so on, however, I believe in the importance of involving my son on his own Valentines. They were his to hand out, why should I do all the work? Besides it was a fun to have some bonding time just him and me, cutting, writing and taping them together.

We started out by both tracing some of my drinking glasses on white and red construction paper. My son cut them all out, Then I would cut the red ones in half. While he glued the red paper on the white, I wrote the "I 'Chews' you Valentine" on them. When we he went to bed I drew the black line and circle across the middle. When he woke up the next morning he was so surprised and kept telling me how much he loved them and kept hugging me. Then he taped the bubble gum to them. He was so happy and excited to hand them out. That's all that really matters right? That he was happy. The fun time together was a bonus too.

On top of that every year his school on most holidays do some kind of a PTA fundraiser where you can purchase a candy, flower or something and have it delivered to his class with a little note. Every year I send him a note with a Pokémon joke on it. Yup, I'm that cool of a mom!

Here was the past 2 years with a few I have saved up for the future. If you don't get it, than you may just not be a huge Pokémon fan like we are ;)

-Charmander is red, Squirtle is blue, if you were a Pokémon, I would choose you.

-Just like Bulbasaur, you will always be my number 1!

-What does one Geodude say to the other Geodude? "You Rock Dude!"

-What's Pikachu's favorite Valentines treat? Shocktarts

-Like Jesse and James, we make the perfect team.

-You're more legendary than a Zapados!

Now on to this year, know what he wants? More Pokemon valentines! Here are a few I have come across I think we could do, many aren't that different from last year. Which one do you like best?

Pokemon Card With Flip Top and Pocket.

Gamers Valentines cards.

You Caught My Heart.

Printable Pokémon Cards

Pokeball Card

I'd "Raichu" a Love Song

Monday, February 3, 2014

Year of Firsts- Family Game Night

The other day I was watching a show and it hit me, I had never played Hungry Hippos with my kids! With my daughters birthday coming up I thought what a perfect gift for her. Then just a few hours after that thought a friend was cleaning out her house and had some things she was getting rid of. I decided to peek and see if there was anything we needed and there it was- Hungry Hippos. Free game of Hungry Hippos? Yes please! Not only was there that, there was one other classic game my kids have never played... Twister. I was so excited I couldn't even wait till my daughters birthday. Well we played Hungry Hippos all day, and for Friday night, family night we played Twister.

The kids loved both the game and being the spinner. It was a fun way to reinforce left and right with our 5 year old. Especially when you get all twisted up like that. In the end it was a winner for my family. Now if I could just get them to fold it up and not have it out all the time.

What game from your childhood have your kids never played? Try browsing the game section and find something new. New games are a great way to add to your year of firsts. Maybe invite some friends over to enjoy a game night too. Tell them you'll have the food and they can bring something new to play. We love learning new games.

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Saturday, February 1, 2014

Valentines Cinnamon Hearts Popcorn Recipe

A little while ago my friend brought over this delicious popcorn to book club. I thought I'll just have a little bit, Wrong! I was hooked, It was surprisingly good. I've had cinnamon bears on my shopping list for a few weeks now and kept forgetting to get them. Last week I saw these cute heart shaped cinnamon bears and was so excited to finally make it.

It's really easy to make and would be so fun for a family night or date night with a cute love/Valentines movie.

Cinnamon Hearts Popcorn

1 cup butter

1/2 cup Karo syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1 1/2 cups cinnamon hearts (or bears*)

2 regular size bags light or plain microwave popcorn (or about 18 cups popped)

* The original recipe chops the bears in half. I liked the hearts whole cause they were cuter, so you could do it either way.

Pop the popcorn and dump in a large bowl. Make sure to pick out any un popped kernels (this is a great job for little helpers.) Melt the butter, Karo syrup, and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour over the popcorn and stir. Stir in the cinnamon bears and marshmallows.

I boiled mine for closer to 4 minutes and it made the popcorn a little harder when it was all said and done. Next time around I want to stay closer to the 3 minute mark to make it more gooey.
How easy is that? Thanks oneshetwoshe.com for this yummy recipe.

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