Funtastic Easter Basket Fillers

Easter is this weekend you guys! I always seem to wait until the last minute to tackle the baskets because my husband and I want to eat all of the candy otherwise. HA! This year we decided to focus less on the sweets and more on the treats to make Easter a fun yet simple affair that would be kind to our waistlines.

I have a list of ideas to share with you  that will make fun-tastic fillers for your Easter baskets this year. Samples and considerations of some products were received to inspire my list. We love these options because they provide hands on fun and invitations to explore and create.

1) Galaxy Slimy Gloop
This stuff is so much fun to make and play with! I am always a fan of gifts that encourage both learning and fun. This kit is available at Walmart and Michaels for under $7. It makes a fun option for older kids and teens.

2) Galactic Bath Bombs by Youniverse
Bath bombs are fun to make and create, so this kit is perfect for tweens and teens this Easter. It contains everything you will need to make several great bath bombs. The kit retails for under $13 so it is affordable and packs a lot of fizzy fun into the basket.

 3) STMT Signature Scent
This kit is perfect for girls that want to experiment with fragrance. It contains everything you need to make 4 rollerball bottles of perfume. Retailing at under $18 this is a great gift option for Easter. I made a batch of perfume from this kit with my daughter and it smells really nice, and we LOVED making it together!

4) Rock Art Kits
These are my favorite filler for an Easter basket this year because my kids love finding rocks, decorating them and hiding them! This can be so much more than just a art project kind of filler, it can be a totally fun family experience! Retailing at $5 each, these kits are perfect for kids 6 and older.

5) Aqualiens
Maybe it is wishful thinking on my part, but these had to go in the Easter baskets as they will bring my kids so much joy when the pool is ready to go this summer. This dive toy is not just a toss and go kind of toy. It is a transforming diving toy that is really quite impressive! Retailing at under $10, these pods that morph into a creature are awesome for Easter!

6) Squidivers
These are perfect diving toys for my little one who is just mastering swimming. These wiggle and jiggle to the bottom and are easy to see and grab for little hands. Retailing at under $8, Squidivers are a fun filler for any Easter basket that will bring a lot of happiness to the kids as the weather gets warmer.


7) Barbie Water Bottle
The Barbie bottle by Horizon group is a great way to encourage health and creativity this Easter. The bottle comes in a fun barbie style with the pens to color the bottle how you like it! Retailing at under $13 you can find this bottle on Amazon.

8) Welch's Fruit Snacks
I love to add these to Easter baskets not only for the fun design but also because they are a tasty snack that is mostly guilt free. Look for the fun 28 packs with Easter designs at your local grocery store.

9) Board Games
Payday by Hasbro is one of our favorite options right now because my 7 year old needs money management lessons terribly! This is a fun way to learn about money and budgeting in a way that kids can understand.

Jenga Pass also makes a fun way to add family fun into an Easter basket! I love that the classic game of Jenga takes a twist and turn in this new fun version! Retailing at under $20 I love this pick for tweens and teens.

10) Play Doh
As a kid, I got pretty excited for play doh. I love to see that same magic in the eyes of my kids when they open a can of play doh! The Play Doh Kitchen Creations Magic Oven Set is a super fun outlet for creation and hands on fun.
I love that this oven has lights to make the experience super realistic for my 4 year old.

The fun continues with the Play Doh Letters and Language Set and the Play Doh Textures and Tools Sets. These are so much fun for little hands! Each set contains the tools you need for fun like mats, stamps and play doh! At under $20 these are perfect for an Easter basket.

11) Nerf Guns
My son loves to invite his friends over to play. Lately they have been clamouring for Nerf Guns. The Nerf Microshot Series is perfect for Easter baskets. Priced at under $7, these guns pack a whole lot of punch in a small package.

12) Star Wars Force Link Starter Sets
With this new wearable tech you can FEEL the force during playtime! Compatable with more than 30 Star Wars toys, the force link starter set unlocks sound effects, phrases and lights. We love that our starter set came with Kylo Ren for a new twist on play! Retailing at under $35 this option will bring the fun of Easter out in full force!

13) Luke and Leia Muggs Figures
These are so cute that they practically beg to be in an Easter Basket! Retailing at under $10, they are a fun way to bring the force to Easter! We love that the faces change easily to give a new twist on playtime!

14) Disney Princess Little Kingdom Magical Movers
My little Disney princess can't get enough of her favorite girls, so these tiny little play sets are perfect for dramatic play sessions that she can really get into! Adding a favorite like Ariel, Snow White or Rapunzel to her Easter basket makes for a sweet holiday for sure. We loved that these are affordable and adorable for the win!

15) Adora 
With spring comes the need to coo about babies. This year why not bring a new little bundle of joy home for your little girl with a realistic looking doll from Adora. These are so cute and cuddly! Retailing at $15 and up, these are the perfect cure for baby fever this spring! You can find clothes, accessories and more to make the Adora doll the perfect filler for an Easter basket.

16) Strawbees
My kids love to build and create, so we knew Strawbees would be a really fun way to encourage hands on creativity. This set contains the parts and straws you need to create some really cool contraptions, creatures and fun things to play with.  Retailing at under $30, this 400 piece set is perfect for filling an Easter basket with fun!

17) Stomp Rockets
This is a fun toy to encourage active play. Kids won't be able to resist stomping their rockets into space! This is fun for kids of a variety of ages and encourages kids to learn about how the rockets launch while actively playing for the hippity hoppity win this Easter.




What are some of your favorite ways to fill a basket that are not candy? Leave me a comment to inspire me at the last minute please!

Free Easter Coloring Pages

Just in time for Easter I have three free coloring pages for your kids! Print as many of these as you like; there is an easy Easter Egg page for little ones, an Easter basket coloring page for elementary ages and a pattern egg page for older kids. But, really all 3 would work for any age!

Share these with a friend, or pin them for later.

These free coloring pages would be great for keeping the kids busy on the rainy days before Easter, or to keep them occupied at the table before Easter dinner.

If your kids color any of these pages, I would love to have you snap a pic and share their artwork with me on facebook. Rolf and Harp will color a dozen of these each in anticipation of coloring easter eggs!

Easter Egg Coloring Page

Pattern Egg Coloring Page

Easter Basket Coloring Page

You can find all of my coloring pages here.

Saturday #205 {Better Late Than Never}

On Saturday #205 (#25 for Harper) my family started the day off at Baseball practice. Roo was great this time around, he tried really hard! They ran the boys for almost an hour, so Roo was tired at the end of practice {Yay!!}

Then we were off to an Easter Egg hunt. It was cute for the kids, Roo enjoyed himself. He found his allotment of 10 eggs and was ready for a snack, Harper had fun at the Easter Egg Hunt as well. Her Daddy carried her around and helped her find her 10 eggs.

After a day of baseball and Easter fun I managed to get a sunburn. My husband and I had a good laugh over that. It was about 52 degrees that day. Since having Miss Harper my poor white skin has only seen the sun a handful of times in 6 months. Apparently 52 degrees and sunny was more than I could handle.

When we made our way home we had Easter Eggs to color and I had to clean for a visit from my mother in law. When the kids were in bed I was feeling quite exhausted myself, but I went to bed satisfied. The house was clean, the kids had a lot of fun that day and life was good.

I hope you had the chance to spend time with the people you love over the weekend. Every weekend that passes makes me a little sad as I think about how fast time has gone. I am so glad I started writing this series last year and I will have a record of how we spent our weekends to share with my children when they are older.

How did you spend your Saturday? Have you calculated where you are in the 940 Saturdays from birth until college?

In The Sky Sensory Bin

Roo loves waking up to find a new sensory bin waiting on him! I love making something fun for him and knowing he will happily play with this new bin for a few hours. I got a great deal on a Toob from Safari LTD and I couldn't wait to make the In the Sky Sensory Bin.

I started with a base of Easter paper grass stuff and a few cotton balls.

I pulled the cotton balls apart slightly to fluff them up a bit.

Gently pull your cotton ball apart until it looks like a fluffy cloud.

Next add a handful of planes and balloons- or a toob (In the Sky).

And you have a neat sensory bin for kids that incorporates fun with their senses. The paper Easter grass and the cotton ball clouds offer different textures to feel. The paper grass engages the sense of hearing as it crinkles when touched. The colorful blue base engages the sense of sight with a visually appealing color. The planes open the doors to imaginative play.

Roo liked this sensory bin. He was amazed at the planes inside and he caught on quickly that the bin was the sky. He excitedly showed me all of the clouds, several planes and the paper grass which he thought was pretty neat stuff. After about an hour of playing planes he smiled and picked out a few dudes and told me it was bubble bath time! The In the Sky Sensory Bin can double as a bubble bath sensory bin in the imagination of a child.

Thanks for reading! I would love to hear about your favorite sensory bin ideas.

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Saturday #152

It was a nice day weather wise in the great state of Ohio. We loaded up in the car and took Rolf to Mansfield for an Easter Egg hunt. Within 10 minutes of the start the eggs were all gone, they had an amazing turn out. We were a little disappointed to find they actually started early, as we got there (4 minutes after the scheduled start time) people were leaving in droves, there were no more eggs for the kids to find.

Rolf didn't really care. He found a few kids to play with so he was happy.

After things wrapped up there, Rolf and I went for a haircut. then made quick run into the grocery store.

When we got home, put the groceries away and had a snack we headed back outside for a while. He enjoyed playing with trucks and scooping pebbles from one place to another while I tackled the not so fun aspect of pet ownership... Pooper Scooper duty.

I wanted to keep Rolf outside and busy while my husband wrote a paper for school, so we enjoyed a small campfire and plenty of play time with trucks. When we were properly dirty and starting to get cold after our little campfire had gone out we went in for a bubble bath. Then I tackled the task of cooking dinner.

All in all it wasn't the most exciting day, but it was a day we spent together as a family. We made the most of the sunny weather and took the time for relaxing. I knew Sunday would not be as zen with the Easter holiday and the visit from the mother in law. 

I hope your family had a great Saturday too! 

Sock Roses for Teacher Appreciation Week

If you are looking for a cute way to give an inexpensive token of appreciation to a special teacher this year, this sock rose craft is the perfect way to gift something fun and functional in a unique way.

This project is so easy! It comes together in matter of moments and really adds a lot to the presentation of a simple pair of socks! All you need is:

 a pair of socks

 a rubber band

 a 9" section of ribbon 

 and a wooden dowel rod or maybe a pencil for the stem

Begin by stacking your socks together and folding up the toe section.

Next, begin rolling from the top. Roll tightly! 

As you get to the folded top section, keep rolling in, this will be your outer petal.

As the socks are tightly rolled, secure them with your rubber band. I knotted it, then knotted it again, on the other side for a really snug hold.

Remove the rubberband.

Gently insert the pencil or wooden dowel into the "bottom" of the sock roses.

Make a single sock rose, or a dozen for a fun way to gift a special teacher something different this year as school comes to a close. 

I added some leftover Easter grass to a mason jar to make the presentation even sweeter!

These easy DIY photo puzzles are also a great homemade gift idea.

Jelly Bean Infused Rum for the Weary Mom

Thanks to Blue Chair Bay for hooking me up with the goods to create this fun drink!

Have you ever had one of those days that seemed to be the day that wouldn't end? The day where everything goes wrong, everyone is fighting, the mess is never ending and your patience wears thin?

Ladies I had that day... over and over again last week. To the point that on Friday night I said "TGIF" as I had a really fun shot of Blue Chair Bay Rum with a twist.

Jelly Bean Booze? Oh yeah!

You know, Easter was not long ago. Do you have jelly beans in abundance? We sure did. This inspired me to make Jelly Bean Infused Rum.

You will need:
15 orange jelly beans
2 shots of rum- I used Blue Chair Bay.

Place the jelly leans in a plastic container with a leak proof lid
Add 2 ounces of rum
Seal, stash in the cabinet and walk away.

I waited for 6 hours before placing the container in the fridge for a few moments.

When the kids were in bed and I was finally able to unwind I took the 2 shots. They were fun and fruity and a great twist on a much loved White Rum.

After I drank the rum and I ate the 15 jelly beans which were colorless... but they had soaked up alcohol and gave me a little kick.

I felt the stress melt away with most of my cares. I don't recommend getting intoxicated all of the time, but Dear Weary Mom, sometimes you have flat out earned a drink! This is the drink to try as it will soothe your weariness away, at least for an evening!

 

If you love sugar cookies, then this is the place for you! I gathered 15 of my favorite sugar cookie recipes to share with you. Make sure you click thru to the full recipe.

Almond Sugar Cookies by The Taylor House

These are the perfect cookies to make with your kids, they make great cut outs that the kids can decorate and sprinkle!

Perfect Sugar Cookies by Spend with Pennies

This Sugar Cookie recipe is the perfect year-round holiday cookie! A simple mixture of butter, sugar and flour (with a few additions), these sugar cookies bake up beautifully every time. 

Cut Out Cookies with Marbled Icing by Easy Cookie Recipes

 These Cutout ugar Cookies with Marbled Icing are basically edible art. Each delicious sugar cookie is dipped into homemade swirled icing to create a unique marbled effect.

Peppermint Sugar Cookies by Gimme Some Sugar

If you’re headed to a holiday party or just love baking during the holidays, try this homemade Christmas cookie recipe. If you’re looking for a quick solution for the holidays, this is the best Christmas sugar cookie recipes out there! Seriously, I’ve never seen one easier.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies by Cooking on Caffeine

This recipe is like the holy grail of “safe” sugar cookie recipes. No eggs. No milk. No wheat. No nuts or peanuts. Easily made soy-free. Use a different flour blend if you have issues with legumes or potatoes. And no chilling the dough, because who has time for that? We just want cookies! 

Soft Lemon Cookies by On My Kids Plate

These sweet and easy soft lemon cookies are the perfect little cookie for a delicious treat. Full of fresh lemon zest, these are bright, yummy cookies you’ll want to make again and again!

Chai Sugar Cookies by Lovely Indeed

These chai spice sugar cookies are the perfect cookie to go with a cup of tea or coffee! The easy recipe makes soft, chewy cookies that will be a hit at any party or cookie swap.

Buttery Almond Sugar Cookies by On Ty’s Plate

Buttery Almond Sugar Cookies — buttery soft almond flavored sugar cookies rolled in almond flakes. It's the perfect cookie!

Crispy Sugar Cookies by Creative Lifestyles

Do you ever just want a little crunch in your cookie? I don’t mean the crunch you get from over cooking the cookie. I mean a little crunch inside the softest yummiest cookie you will ever try. This amazing krispy sugar cookie is so easy to make, but it is hands down one of my favorite cookies of all time.

Swirl Sugar Cookies by Bride on a Budget

This recipe is time consuming, but so worth it for the way these swirl sugar cookies turn out! These are perfect for special occasions!

Vegan Dairy Free Sugar Cookies by Delightful Adventures

Easy homemade cut-out vegan gluten-free sugar cookies you can make for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween…they’re perfect for ANY occasion! These cookies can be made soft or crispy, it’s up to you. Decorate simply with sanding sugar or buttercream frosting or get fancy with a simple vegan icing that hardens.

Spiced Sugar Cookies by Bean Around the Bowl

These Spiced Sugar Cookies are warm and cozy with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Perfect for the holidays and simple to make. These can be topped with additional sugar before baking to add a nice texture. They are not overly sweet to begin, so don’t worry about them being too sweet with added sugar.

Vegan Lofthouse Copycat Cookies by Strength and Sunshine

Sure, you could make classic cut-out sugar cookies for decorating, but no one can pass up one of the soft, cake-like, frosted gems that have been gracing grocery store shelves since 1994 from Lofthouse! Like a cake and a cookie all baked up into one delicious buttery, sweet, colorfully frosted treat! Can you still have this classic cookie even if you're gluten-free, vegan, or have food allergies? Sure you can! With this easy copycat homemade version of the classic soft-baked frosted cookie, you'll never have to miss out again!

Classic Sugar Cookies by Healthy Kitchen 101

This sugar cookies recipe makes fun treats for Christmas and any other occasion. Also, making and decorating cookies is a great activity to get everyone in the kitchen to spend time together.

Super Soft Sugar Cookies by Emily Fabulous

These Super Soft Sugar Cookies are easy to make and taste just like the Lofthouse sugar cookies in the grocery store. This recipe is perfect for making with kids and will work for Valentine’s Day or any occasion because you can choose whatever color and decoration you want to use!

Find more favorite recipes here

Cocktail Hour Favorites

Coffee Lovers Favorites

Handprint Crafts for Kids

Are you looking for some fun ways to keep the kids busy this winter? Well, why not look down, at your hands, to get a little inspo!

We love hand print art! When the kids were tiny, they liked nothing more than making some homemade monster puppets with their handprints!

Handprint art is so much fun for kids to make, but adults also love handprint art. It makes for the perfect reminder of when their hands were that small. Who doesn't love art that doubles as a keepsake? I gathered some of my favorite cutie pie ideas from some of my favorite bloggers to share with you. Please make sure you click through the links to check out the tutorials. Pin the ideas that appeal to you. You might just want to start a new board because all of these are adorable.

•  Thanksgiving Hand Print Tree by Crafts by Amanda
• Cactus Handprint Art by A Little Pinch of Perfect
• Handprint Snowflake Art by In the Playroom
• Hand and FootPrint Easter Art by Mimosas and Motherhood
• Handprint American Flag by In the Playroom
• Handprint Turkeys by The Keel Deal
• Handprint Elephants by Seaside Sundays
• Handprint Flower Vase by Mama of Minis
• Skeleton Handprint by Mom Brite
• Handprint Flower Poem by Mom Hacks 101

If you make any of these crafts with your kids make sure to hop over to facebook and share a photo with me!

You might also want to check out these cute hand print fish puppets.

Or 7 Ways to Entertain a 3 Year Old.

Paper Plate Spider Craft

This cute craft is perfect for Halloween, it is easy to make and the results are so cute you will want to display the finished project so everyone can see how creative your little crafter is!

We are big on holidays! We get excited about them all; Easter, Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, of course Halloween is a big one too!

This year we started crafting up Halloween fun maybe a little too early, but we couldn't resist! This is one of the first ones we made and it was so easy and cute!!

This post contains affiliate links.

All you will need is:
A paper plate
A piece of black construction paper
8 googly eyes
A black kwik stik
school glue
Scissors

Paint your paper plate black with a Kwik Stik.
Cut 8 strips of paper for legs and glue them on, 4 to a side
Add 8 eyes
Give your spider a smile and you are done!

Find more of our favorite halloween ideas here

Favorites include

Mumkins

Deliciously Scary Snacks

Saturday #206

On Saturday #206 (#26 for Harper) we went to baseball practice in the morning. Roo loves being on a team, but he really doesn't get it. He is 3, and the experience is good for our family. He tries, he will catch on soon!

After baseball we had lunch and ran into the city. You know what that means. We shopped. I was thrilled to find cheesecloth on clearance and a few fun Easter trinkets I want to incorporate into a sensory bin. 

We came home early. I threw together dinner and gave the house a quick cleaning. Roo and his Daddy practiced baseball and Harper had a mini nap. 

After dinner {asparagus, crab cakes and yummy little boiled potatoes} we gave the kids bubble baths and read a few stories. Then it was time for bed. I am always shocked at how fast our weekends pass by. It seems like we play, eat, shop, sleep.

Saturday # 206 was not overly exciting. The kids were adorable as always. We did typical things, but we did them together. Mission accomplished.

I hope that you had a chance to enjoy your children over the weekend. If you enjoyed this installment of 940 Saturdays... maybe you need a hobby...{just kidding!}. 

How We Afford the Holidays Without Credit Card Debit

When I talk to my friends and family about the holidays, the subject of budgeting and credit card debit comes up. No one can ever believe me when I tell them we accumulate $0 credit card debit for holidays and I never spend more than $50 on gifts.

I have had people say things like "That is a flat out lie Sara. The gift you gave us last year cost at least $30!"
They always want to know how I can decorate, gift and give without spending more than $50 out of my own pocket. Today I am going to share the low down with you too.

First, being a family that lives on a budget, events such as back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays are always on my mind! Creative ways to accumulate funds or gifts is a year round project.

I do a variety of things online to add to my kitty.

If I see a great item on clearance I will buy it, but only if I have the extra cash on hand. I don't buy on my debit card or credit card.

At the end of each season I buy the goods I need next year on clearance. I use my stash of gift cards to do this. I buy wrapping paper when it is down to 50 cents a roll or less. Instead of going out and buying decorations, I usually make my own using items that I already have at home. For example, I use Christmas ribbon to decorate not only the tree, but to also add finishing touches to garlands, wreaths, and wrapped gifts. Same with bows, gift tags, bags  etc. Seasonal trinkets are also great to get when they get marked down to 80-90% off. I get stocking stuffers for 20 cents and stash them for the next year. Or I might buy Easter coloring books for 10 cents and stash them too.

Inbox Dollars I spend about 25 minutes a week reading emails, playing games, watching videos and more. I have cashed out several times. It is pretty easy money and you get a $5 sign up just for joining!

I shop Zuilly. I shop here because it is easy to earn credits and they have such super deals. I get really low priced deals here through out the year and add to my "Gift Box".

I use the WalMart Savings Catcher App. I scan each receipt I get from WalMart and accumulate savings on products. I wait to 'cash out' until there is something I need to buy for a holiday.

I have the Shutterfly app, so I watch out for special offers, free prints and more. Photo gifts are always a hit. If you are not using Shutterfly sign up here for FREE Prints!!

I of course watch amazon for deals. I save money on everything! I do tasks on m turk to earn money too. I don't have much time for this, but I would estimate I spend about 30 minutes a week turking and making some spare change on easy tasks.

As a blogger, if I participate in a campaign that pays via a gift card, I save it.

That is how I can afford to celebrate all of the major holidays without dipping into our budget for any extra expenses. I limit us to about $50 for last minute things like batteries.

 How does your family afford the holidays?

Mint Chocolate Chip S'mores

S'mores are a summertime staple for good reason. They are incredibly delicious! This recipe takes the tastiness up a notch with the addition of mint chocolate chip to the equation for a melt in your mouth campfire snack!

Summer is here and my kids have been begging to make s'mores. Last weekend they talked their Daddy into building a campfire for them and they looked at me with big eyes, hopeful. Do we have any graham crackers?

Well, we didn't. But that didn't stop us from smashing some delectable ingredients together and creating something incredible Mint Chocolate Chip S'mores are gooey, chocolate-y and have a hint of crisp coolness from the mint, making them perfect for summer!

This recipe is so easy. It was created based on availability of what was in our pantry. We had a pack of Smash Mallows lingering from Easter, some single serve Chips Ahoy and snack size Hershey bars. I picked mint chocolate chip marshmallow because mint is my thing lately. I don't know if Smash Mallows are a thing you can get anywhere. I am not affiliated with their company, so I would advise you to check them out via my amazon affiliate link. Smash Mallows assortment.

Ingredients per 1 S'more

2 Chips Ahoy Cookies

Smash Mallow Mint Chocolate Chip 

Hershey Milk Chocolate

Directions:

Place a Hershey bar on one chocolate chip cookie

Roast a smash mallow mint chocolate chip

Smash it on the chocolate bar

Top it with the other cookie.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this easy Mint Chocolate Chip S'mores recipe check out this Easy End of the Rainbow Snack

or 

Homemade Blueberry Lime Soda