Elf on the Shelf...

So, I was thinking that my kids may benefit from a summer visit from our elf.  No, seriously.  I'm considering having him reappear with a note (and some silliness) to encourage the kids to listen as the summer nerves start to wear a bit thin.  I'm still considering exactly what Buddy Kringle's antics may be....
That being said, I realized that Dropbox started blocking some of my other downloads.  PLEASE let me know if you're missing any, and I will gladly share them.  I know that in the past, I've hated having to create memberships to download freebies from other

 

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf ideas and printables here!

 

Recipe: Thai-Inspired Cucumber Chicken Salad with Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

I came across a similar recipe a few weeks ago on OhSheGlows, and I've adapted it to meet our family's needs.  We all loved it!  I served the leftovers to my mom, and she agreed - this one's a keeper!  I'll update this with pictures the next time I make it (which shouldn't be too long.)

 

Thai-Inspired Cucumber Chicken Salad with Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

 Dressing:

•1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
•1.5-3 tablespoons natural cane sugar, to taste
•1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
 
Salad:
•3 medium field cucumbers
•2 red pepper, diced
•1 cup diced red onion
•1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro (optional)
•1/2 cup chopped roasted cashews, for garnish
•Roasted spiced chickpeas (recipe follows)
•Chicken breast, sautéed and cubed with olive oil, garlic, cumin, and chili powder
 
1. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and adjust to taste. Feel free to add more sweetener if you prefer. Set aside.
 
2. Peel cucumbers, slice off the ends, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Slice halves into 1/8-inch “half moons” and toss into a large bowl. If your cucumbers are really big you can slice the half-moons in half as well.

3. Dice the red pepper and red onion and add into bowl. Roughly chop cilantro and add into bowl. Pour in all the dressing and toss to combine. Let this salad sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge, tossing every 10 minutes or so to help the dressing soak in.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the roasted chickpeas (if desired). Recipe follows.

5. Portion into bowls and top with cashews, chicken, and roasted chickpeas. Serve immediately.

Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

Ingredients:

•2 (15-oz) can chickpeas (or 3 cups cooked)
•1 teaspoon olive oil
•1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
•1 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 teaspoon chili powder
•1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
•1/2 teaspoon cumin
•1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
 
1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a medium baking sheet with a couple pieces of paper towel.
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and place onto paper towel. Add a couple paper towels on top and roll the chickpeas around until completely dry. This helps them crisp up in the oven.
3. Add the chickpeas into a medium mixing bowl and stir in the oil until coated. Now stir in the rest of the seasonings.
4. Discard paper towel and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Add chickpeas back onto the baking sheet.
5. Roast at 400F for 20 minutes. Give the pan a gentle shake to stir the chickpeas and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until golden and lightly charred on the bottom. I roast for a full 40 minutes because I like them on the crispy side, but keep an eye on them as oven temps vary.
6. Cool for 5 minutes or so and then top on your salad. They will lose their crispness quickly so these are best enjoyed immediately. You can also freeze the chickpeas once fully cooled and reheat them in the oven for 5 minutes or so to bring back the crispness.

Game Gear Organization!

Kids + Sports = Fun
Kids + Laundry = No Fun
Kids + Sports + Laundry = Recipe for Disaster

 

How many times have you asked your kids the night before a game if they have all of their sports gear together? How many times are they missing a pair of shorts or one specially colored sock?

 

I have finally found a solution that works for our family. Each game uniform/performance outfit has its own zippered mesh laundry bag. When the child comes home from the game or performance, they put the entire uniform in the mesh bag and into the laundry.  When I am finished washing the uniform, I hang the uniform and the matching mesh bag in our mud room area on a regular hanger (jersey/top) and a skirt hanger (bottoms, socks, tutus).  We keep the corresponding shoes in a wooden bench with open cubby holes beneath the racks.  (Helmets and balls are in separate storage as they are so bulky.) I haven't had any missing uniform pieces all season!

Recipe: Orange-glazed Hake Fish and Roasted Beet, Avocado, Mandarin & Arugula Salad Toasted Pecans

Orange-glazed hake fish, brown & white rice, and roasted beet, avocado, mandarin and arugula salad with toasted pecans

This was a yummy meal!  Even the kids cleaned their plates (although I did omit the red onions in their salads.)

Our oldest doesn't care for brown rice (or barley or *gasp* risotto), but I can sneak it in with 1/2 brown and 1/2 white rice, and he'll eat it without even flinching.  So, the side that you see in the picture is1/2 and 1/2. 

6 large red or yellow beets (about 4 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado, peeled
Arugula
Mandarin oranges in natural juices (not syrup)
1/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Remove root and 1 inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Boil beets in a pot of water for 1 hour or until tender. Cool; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/2-inch slices.
Combine zest and next 6 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl. Toss half of juice mixture with beets, and bake beets for 10 minutes.
Pour liquid from canned mandarin oranges in pan and reduce by 1/2. Add 3 T butter and melt. Pat hake fish loins dry and season with salt and pepper. Depending on the size of your fish, cook for 2-4 minutes per side. Drizzle remaining sauce from pan over the fish.
Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Slice each half into 8-12 slices. Place arugula on a platter; top with beets, orange sections, onion, and avocado. Drizzle remaining juice mixture over salad, and top with toasted pecans.
Serve immediately.

Elf on the Shelf: Tight Rope, Zip Line, or Swing

With a strand of curling ribbon, you can create a high wire / tight rope, zip line, or swing.  Add a straw (either on the ground or hanging from his hand) for the elf to hold if he was walking the tight rope.  Use a full size candy cane for him to zip line.  Add an empty toilet paper roll (cover it in wrapping paper) and extra slack to the ribbon for an elf swing.

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.

Elf on the Shelf: Quick Miniature Golf Game

What you need:

• Green construction paper, foam sheet, or felt.
• Scissors (and a hole punch if you're using paper)
• Miniature candy cane (a.k.a. golf club) - Our oldest thought this was funny since it's "miniature golf," our little ones didn't get it.
• Miniature marshmallow or a white sugar pearl (for the golf ball)
• Straw, chopstick or lollipop stick (and a way to "anchor" it: ie. clay, play-doh, etc. - I used a paper straw and cut the bottom into 4 long slits that fanned out beneath the putting green to hold it upright.)
• Red fabric, foam, felt, or construction paper for the flag

Easy and fun!

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.

Elf on the Shelf:Baking Gingerbread Cookies Printable

I hope you're enjoying our Elf on the Shelf ideas this year; I also hope that you feel free to make each of them your own!  I'd love for you to share what YOU'RE doing with the ideas I've shared to make them work for your family.

Did you make the Chef's hat and Apron?  Maybe you made the Barista Apron?  Maybe you intend to bake cookies with your kids today or decorate a gingerbread house?  Have your elf bring some Gingerbread Men to your kitchen (or to a kid-sized play kitchen.)  I made a foil cookie sheet to place my Gingerbread people on (directions on printable.)  This is the FREE Printable Gingerbread Man template I used to cut them from thin tan foam, but they could easily just be cut from paper.  You could also print them on paper and place a rectangle of them in a pan as if they're on parchment paper.  I decorated the gingerbread people with puff paint, but you can leave them plain if you wish.

It would be cute to use the template to make a long chain of "paper dolls" by folding brown construction paper accordion style and having the hands/feet go just past the edge.

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.

Elf on the Shelf Ideas and DIY

MORE ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS!  

If you made the DIY Cinnamon Rolls, maybe your elf needs a chef's hat and apron to play in the kitchen, too?  The chef's hat is made with a white coffee filter, a 3/4" strip of white cardstock and tape.  I used a strip of packing tape and trimmed in in half lengthwise.  Wrap it around your elf's head with the sticky side facing out.  Adhere the tape to itself to create a measured template.  Flatten the coffee filter out, and begin attaching and folding the edge of the filter to the sticky side of the tape "ring" to create a pleated look.  Once finished, use the cardstock strip to cover the raw edges of the filter.  Tape one end to the back side of the "hat."  Trim the excess end (if any) and tape at the back side.

The apron is a paper towel (but could easily be made with thin foam sheets - and then a ribbon tie would be easier; I just didn't have any) cut into a smaller rectangle (about 4 1/2" by 5" - long side being verticle) and folded with tape to hold the backside together.  (I didn't give it "strings" since his scarf covers it on our elf.)

 You can find directions for making your own sleeping bag (2 methods) HERE.  You can create a slumber party, add a book, hot cocoa, or whatever your heart desires.  Ours just snuggled up by the fireplace for a quick and easy elf night.

Our elf was caught break dancing with disco ball ornaments (found 6 per pack at our hobby store) and mirrored trees (that I had on hand.)  He moved them all to our Christmas village so he could spin in snow!

I found Elf on the Shelf ornaments (elf sitting on white jingle bell) at our local hobby store (they were on sale for 50% off, so were about $3 each.)  The elf brought them and had them hanging from each hand and a foot!  He left a note on the chalkboard, and hung a "Ho Ho Ho" banner he found for a dollar at the One Spot at Target.

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.

Elf on the Shelf: In the Nativity with Bible, & DIY Mini Cake for Jesus

Last year, our elf was also spotted in our nativity scene holding baby Jesus. With our twins being only 4 years old, our elf tried to be more relatable. He brought his own elf-sized Bible opened to The Christmas story in the book of Luke and a miniature birthday cake!
You can find the free Bible printable here. Be sure NOT to select "Fit to Page" when printing.
The birthday cake can be easily made with 2 Oreo type cookies and icing between and around them. Cut a regular birthday candle down to size. The cakes work best if made a couple of days before to soften the cookies so the candle inserts easily without breaking the cookie. These can also be made if your child celebrates a birthday during the time your elf visits. (Happy birthday to my nephew, Nick!)

*We didn't have any pre-made icing on hand (and I was in a hurry), so my icing is a little thin, because I just mixed milk and powdered sugar.  You can make your cake as fancy as you wish, but mine certainly looks like it was our crazy elf's attempt at a cake!

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.

Elf on the Shelf: Don't Do It - Let's Be Honest: Crepe Paper Door

So, let's be honest...some of the "so cute" ideas you've seen on Pinterest take a ridiculous amount of time!  For example, "Oh, let's crepe paper the door for when the kids wake up!"  Yeah, great idea if you have ONE kid that is a heavy sleeper or you aren't doing them by yourself, otherwise RUN AWAY NOW!  First of all, it takes MUCH longer than you would expect to quietly crepe paper the door to the extent you see below, and secondly, if you have multiple kids...it takes FOREVER!!!!  RUN!  It seems like a great idea, but that's NOT reality.  It takes less than 1 roll of crepe paper to do 3 doors and "swag" the living room.  So, yes, it's cheap.  That doesn't mean I'd do it again.

UPDATE: If your kids are little, you might want to leave enough room for them to crawl out beneath the lowest streamer.  Our 4 year old twins weren't sure what to do when they woke up.

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.