Labor Day Lunching

It's Labor Day weekend, which means cookouts, grilling, and beer. I'm fortunate enough to have married into a family that has an "in" in the BBQ world (If you're in or near Albertville, AL - check out Wilson's BBQ!). My Father-in-law owns a barbecue restaurant, so we get barbecue (and good barbecue at that!) for all of the appropriate holidays - Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day. I love barbecue, but I get bored easily. That's when I get my "great ideas," which J then implements in the kitchen. This Labor Day, I got the idea to do a twist on the classic barbecue sandwich. It's sort of a combination of a melt and a barbecue sandwich (you look confused - bear with me!).  It ended up being one of the most delicious ways I have ever enjoyed barbecue (and we even had it at our wedding reception!). It's super easy, makes a quick meal, and is quite filling!

Ingredients:
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
Mayo
Cheddar Cheese
Romano Cheese
Barbecue (about 1/4 pound per person)
Coleslaw (premade or homemade will work!)
A stick of butter
Bread (we used honey wheat)

Directions:
1. Mix 1/3 cup BBQ sauce and 1/3 cup mayonnaise together in a bowl. Blend with whisk until smooth. It'll look a bit like chocolate - definitely deceiving!

2.  Take the stick of butter, peel back the wrapper and wipe it across a warmed pan several times, making sure to grease the entire pan surface. Lay down 2 slices of bread per person.

3. Slather a decent amount of the barbecue/mayo mix on each slice.

4. Pile 1/4 pound of barbecue on 1 slice and another 1/4 pound of barbecue on another slice. 

5. Add a mixture of cheddar cheese and Romano cheese on the 2 remaining slices.

6. Pop pan into a 450 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and the corners of the bread are golden brown.

7. Pile coleslaw on top of the barbecue meat.

8. Put the sandwiches together. 

9. ENJOY! We served ours with sides of fresh watermelon, baked beans, and potato salad! YUM! 

GiGi's Baked Beans

There's nothing quite as comforting as family recipes. It takes me back to my childhood, fills my belly, and warms and comforts my soul. J loves to cook family recipes. He apparently likes the pressure of trying to measure up to my mom's (grandma's, Mimi's, or aunts') cooking. I'm not complaining. It means that I get all the comforts of my childhood home in my own home. My mom's baked beans recipe are definitely a go-to recipe anytime we have to take a side dish to a potluck or need a quick, easy side for dinner (like a Labor Day BBQ!). We have put our own (very slight) twist on the recipe to make it a bit more hearty, but there's still nothing like the original. T calls my mom "GiGi," so we have renamed this recipe "GiGi's baked beans" at my house. These also heat up nicely on a cold day and make an amazing hand/heart/soul/belly warming dish!

What You'll Need:
1 Tbsp Butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
3 Tbsp Ketchup
1 tsp Mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce (just a few dashes)
2 pounds of beans (fresh, homemade or canned is fine, as well!)
4 strips of bacon

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a Dutch Oven, melt one Tbsp of butter over medium low heat and allow the minced garlic to simmer in the butter for a few minutes.
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned.

4. Once beef is browned, add the remaining liquid ingredients and stir together.

5. Take 2 of the strips of bacon and cut into 1/4 inch wide slices. Stir into bean mixture.

6. Top with the 2 remaining slices of bacon. Place lid on Dutch Oven and cook for 25-30 minutes. If you don't have a Dutch Oven, a regular 3 qt. baking dish will work!

7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy my mom's baked beans as much as we do! Take it to the next potluck you're invited to. I promise you, they'll be a crowd pleaser!

7 Minutes to a Fresh Face!

We are all busy! Unfortunately, between getting hubby and kids out the door, we ladies often neglect ourselves. No more! Getting a simple, but fresh, clean make-up is super easy. It doesn't require a lot of time, either! It can be as simple or as fancy as you want! I have literally nailed my make-up routine down to 7 minutes (or less!). Want to know how?! You're in luck!

1. Foundation: I have 3 "favorites" that I rotate between. I have a slight system that determines which foundation I use. If I'm just throwing on make-up for work, I use E.L.F. High Definition Powder. I really like it because it keeps me from getting shiny during the day while running around the hospital or the office (and it provides a simple base for my make-up that doesn't make me look pale or too yellow!). If I'm going for a more finished look (like for date night or drinks with friends), I'll use MAC Studio Fix Pressed Powder Foundation. It makes my skin look amazing and it provides a flawless finish! If I'm going to a super fancy event where lots of pictures are going to be taken (i.e. a wedding), I use my Younique BB Cream. It really evens out skin tones so that you don't look splotchy with all the bright flashes from the camera!

2. Blush: I used to be a Clinique girl, but then I discovered Revlon Matte Powder blush at Target. Way cheaper, and it works just as well as Clinique blush. When I first started learning how to apply make-up, a consultant for Mark Kay told me that the best tool a girl can have in her make-up bag is her make-up brushes! I love the brushes by E.L.F.. They are fairly inexpensive, but work really well. I use the E.L.F Blush Brush to apply my blush.

3. Mascara: I also have 3 options depending on the look I am going for. Generally, I wear my Younique 3D Fiber Lash mascara. It makes my lashes look ridiculously long and full! It's almost as if I am wearing fake lashes, but they are mine! If I'm going to a pool party, I'm all about the waterproof mascara (just incase I get in the pool!). I love Rimmel London ScandalEyes (Waterproof version!). Sometimes, if I want a little extra thickness to my lashes as the base for my Younique Mascara, I apply some Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. Just a head's up - it's not waterproof!

4. Eyeshadow: I don't usually wear eyeshadow, but when I do, I wear Maybelline. I love these little sets. If you flip the case over, there's a diagram for how they recommend you apply the make-up to achieve a smokey eye. Sometimes I follow their diagram; sometimes I make up my own way of applying the eyeshadow. I use my E.L.F. angled brush to apply the darker colors as liner. Sometimes, I just apply the darkest color as liner and leave it at that!

5. Lips: I'm a chapstick girl. Even for fancy events, I'm applying EOS chapstick on my way in the door.  The only time I haven't worn chapstick is for my wedding! I love e.l.f. lipsticks, particularly the Studio Moisturizing Lipstick in Wink Pink!

As we have established in previous posts, I love things that give you options! This make-up routine is quick, easy, and allows for you to customize the routine to your liking! I generally apply foundation first, then blush, and save my eyes for last. Here's my finished look: 

5 Amazing Fall Soup Recipes

If there's one thing I love about fall, it's the cooler weather. Cooler weather means boots, leggings, hot chocolate, fires in the fire place, soups, and snuggling - just to name a few things I love about fall. If you're looking for some ideas for you and your significant other (and/or family!), wander on over to my post "5 Things To Do During the Fall" and see what else I love about fall! One of my favorite parts about fall is the fact that it is no longer "too hot" for soup. I love soup. It's so comforting and warm. Soups are truly my comfort foods. (yes, you read that right - other comfort foods include macaroni and cheese, buffalo chicken dip, and cookie cake with LOTS of icing). Back to the soups. In the spirit of my little blog miniseries "The 5's of Fall," I've included my top 5 favorite soups (with recipes!) for you to peruse, possibly make, and enjoy! I can't promise that they are all low-calorie or super healthy, but they are super yummy!

Original Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

1. Broccoli Cheese Soup (With Ham!) 
4 heads broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
Olive oil
Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 stick unsalted butter
1 whole onion, diced (we substituted 3 cloves of garlic due to onion allergies)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I use gluten-free flour)
4 cups whole milk (we used 2%)
2 cups half-and-half
Nutmeg (just a pinch)
1/2 pound of ham (optional), cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups grated cheese (we used sharp cheddar)
1 cup chicken broth (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Take the broccoli florets, cut in half, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the florets on a baking sheet with the cut-side down on the sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the florets crisp and become slightly brown.
2. While the florets are cooking, melt the butter in a fairly large pot over medium heat. If you would like, add 1 whole onion, diced, and cook about 3-4 minutes until they are softened. If not, sprinkle flour on top of the butter and stir to combine. Cook until the flour is absorbed (about 1 minute). Add the milk and half-and-half. Add a dash of nutmeg, then the broccoli florets, a small dash of salt, plenty of pepper, and the ham. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until broccoli is tender (about 20-30 minutes). Stir in the cheest. Allow it to melt completely.
3. Taste. Add salt and pepper to season to your taste. Using a hand blender, break up the broccoli until the soup is more of a puree consistency. If you have a food processor, you can use this instead. Make sure you break up the soup into 2 batches if you use to the food processor. If needed, pour a smidge of chicken broth in to thin the mixture out.
4. Serve, garnished with grated cheese.

2. Vegetable Beef Stew on Mashed Potatoes
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 lb stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup red wine (that you are willing to sacrifice. We generally use Bordeaux, but the dryer the wine the better the flavor!)
Salt & Pepper
4 small potatoes, or 2 sweet potatoes (optional, particularly if serving on mashed potatoes)
1 cup green beans
4-6 small carrots (4 doesn't seem to be enough to me sometimes)
1 cup tomatoes

6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Salt
8 cloves garlic, cut into quarters
1/2 c heavy cream

1. Heat pressure cooker, add oil and brown the meat slightly.
2. Place vegetables over the meat, and pour in 1 cup red wine.
3. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe and cook 10 minutes with pressure regulator rocking slowly.
4. While the soup is cooking, place the cubed potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Make sure you skim the starch foam off the top occasionally. Drain potatoes and place in a blender/food processor (or use a hand mixer!).
5. Return saucepan to stovetop, and place on low heat. Add garlic and heavy cream to saucepan. Heat until cream begins to simmer. then add to blender (or place potatoes in saucepan and use hand mixer). Blend until potatoes are totally smooth puree. Add skim milk, as necessary, to thin to taste.
6. Scoop one ladle-full of mashed potatoes into a large soup bowl. Using the bottom of the ladle, form a bowl-like shape out of the mashed potatoes by pressing a "crater" into the mashed potatoes.
7. Ladle a healthy serving of beef stew on top.
8. Enjoy!

3. Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

1 Cup chicken breasts cooked and diced (we just shredded a rotisserie chicken instead)
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1 quart half-and-half
15 oz can chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. potato gnocchi (You can buy this, but we made our own. It's super simple, and recipes are ALL over the internet!)

1. In the bottom of a medium-to-large pot, saute the butter, garlic, and olive oil on medium heat. When the garlic becomes translucent, add in the flour a little at a time, creating a roux. Let this cook for about 1 minute. Then add in the half-and-half.
2. Cook gnocchi according to package directions (we just made our own right before starting step 1. Super easy. I have not heard good things about the store-bought gnocchi. What I have gathered is that you need to buy the gnocchi in the refrigerated section, not the dry gnocchi on the shelves).
3. Into the roux, dump the carrots and chicken pieces. Once the mixture thickens, add the chicken broth.
4. Once everything has thickened back up, add in the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings. Simmer on medium heat until the soup is heated through.

4. Chicken and Dumplings
1 Rotisserie chicken
32 oz. chicken broth
11 oz. can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Pillsbury biscuits
1 cup flour
Salt & Pepper

1. Shred the meat off the rotisserie chicken. (This is J's job. I hate getting my hands dirty.)
2. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
3. Pour in the cream of chicken soup and shredded chicken pieces. Stir well. Splash in salt and pepper to taste.
4. While this is heating through, taking the biscuits and pull them apart, making sure to separate the top of the biscuit from the bottom. You should have 2 thinner sections for each biscuit. Cut each piece into quarters. Dip the pieces into the flour. Place the biscuit pieces gently on top of the soup.
5. Gently poke the bread down, randomly, while cooking for about 10 minutes. Don't stir too much or the dumplings will break apart. Once the dumplings are cooked, you're done!
6. Serve. Enjoy!

**Side note, we sometimes add peas and carrots so it's like a chicken pot pie soup! Amazing! :)

5. Brunswick Stew
1.5 pounds of BBQ pork from your local BBQ place
1 Cup BBQ Sauce
2-16 oz cans tomatoes
1 can cream of corn
1 can reg whole kernel corn
1 Tbsp sugar

1. Squish up tomates with clean hands and break up the BBQ really well.
2. With clean hands, mix up all the parts with some TLC.
3. Place in crockpot and cook overnight (or all day) on low.
4. Enjoy!

Steak Salad

I absolutely love a good salad. And there is certainly nothing better than a good, well-seasoned steak. Why not combine the two into one, glorious meal? To me, it's perfect for summer. You get your protein with the steak without feeling like you had an enormous, heavy meal. It's super simple to make, and really only requires a little bit of your time to make. Been wanting to check out that local farmer's market of yours?! Here's your excuse! Drive on over there and get yourself some fresh veggies for your salad. And of course, if you know anything about me by now, you know that I love a meal that you can tailor to your own tastes.

Ingredients:

Fresh veggies for your salad

1 top Sirloin, marinated if you would like (for 24+ hours)

Shredded Cheese

Salad Dressing

Directions:

1. Take your freshly marinated steak and toss that puppy on the grill! OR - slather on your favorite meat rub before you grill it instead of marinating!

2. While the steak is grilling, start working on your salad. Make sure you periodically check on the steak! You don't want a blackened steak salad! ;)

3. Once the steak is done, slice into thin strips or cube it. Add desired amount onto salad.

4. Top with some shredded cheese and your favorite salad dressing.

5. Enjoy!

Shrimp & Grits

Let's be honest. I'm Southern - yes, with a capital S. I was born and raised in Georgia. I have sweet tea coursing through my veins. And I can smile while silently looking down my nose at you with a "Bless your heart." So to say that shrimp and grits is a favorite meal of mine is an understatement! J treats me to a meal of shrimp and grits at least once per month, and more often if it's summertime and the shrimp is fresh!!!

Shrimp and grits is an easy, flexible dish. Have 2 for dinner? No problem. 8 people? Still a cinch! It is easy to make an amount specific to the number of mouths you are feeding. The best part?! It takes no more than 20 minutes to make this amazingly satisfying dish! It's also very popular, particularly here in the South! Recipes abound! Just check out Pinterest. But J makes an amazing, slightly hot (spicy hot) version that is to die for! So how do YOU get your paws on such a Southern tradition?! Look no further! J has given me access to his secrets.

Ingredients:
Shrimp (I generally guesstimate about 6 shrimp per person)
Grits (Don't frown at us - we use Instant Grits)
2 Tbsp Butter
1/4 tsp Garlic
Dash Hot Sauce
1/4 tsp Tony's Cajun Seasoning
Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Directions:
1. Melt butter in saucepan (large enough to hold all your shrimp) on medium heat. You may need to use a bit more butter for larger amounts of shrimp. Keep in mind we cook for 2.)
2. Add in garlic and Tony's seasoning, as well as a dash (or 5 if you are J) of hot sauce.
3. Once the butter and seasoning mix starts to sizzle a bit, toss in your shrimp! Cook until those puppies are pink! Stir occasionally.
4. While the shrimp are cooking (and sizzling - I love that sound!), start cooking your grits. We just follow the stove-top directions on the Instant Grits box (do not get the individual packets, get the huge box that'll last you a while). This is a bit more time consuming, and requires just a *bit* of babysitting, but I can attest that it is worth it.
5. Once the grits have reached the desired consistency, get a bag of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Add by the handful, stirring as you add cheese. Add as little or as much as you would like.

To Serve:
Once everything has finished cooking, I recommend you serve this in a bowl! Get your bowls out and plate as such:
1. Spoon (with a ladle - don't skimp!) the desired amount of grits into each bowl. We generally do 1.5-2 ladle-fulls per person.
2. Spoon 5-6 shrimp per person on top of the grits, making sure to get some of the spicy goodness still left in the pan drizzled on top of the shrimp.
3. Enjoy - carefully! This dish will be piping hot, so go slow (and don't burn yourself!).

Make a few extra, and you have a topper for your salad for lunch tomorrow! Yum! :)

A "Pinteresting" Life: Wine Bottle Night Light

I saw this amazing idea on Pinterest a while ago and immediately pinned it to my board. I have kept it in the back of my mind because I hadn't found a bottle that I thought was "interesting" enough to use until recently. Backstory: I was wandering the wine section at Sam's and found this incredibly different, HUGE, blue wine bottle. Now, they had a smaller option, yes. BUT we were having company for dinner (and we know about their love of wine), so we thought we could stock up by purchasing just this one bottle (and I could totally use it for a craft later).  Once it had been annihilated... ahem, I mean, emptied...I had a "lightbulb" moment. Why not use this incredibly different, fairly unique, wine bottle as my "night light" for the downstairs in the hallway between the living room and the kitchen (And next to my liquor cabinet!)?!

What You Will Need (And Where to Find It):
1. A fun, interesting bottle! I recommend either some Kraken Rum or Falkenburg Wine if you want something fun or funky. Kraken Rum can be found at most local package/liquor stores. We actually have one as decoration on a set of shelves in the living room. It has such a cool look to it. Falkenburg wine (the big bottle) can be found at Sam's. I love how tall the bottle is (so unusual!) and the blue color.  You see lots of green/brown/black/yellow bottles, but I've never seen blue! We haven't found it anywhere else other than Sam's Club.

2. A Glass/Tile Drill Bit: I found one at Home Depot. This was the only brand that we found that had glass/tile drill bits in the store. I picked a fairly large drill bit (1/2 Inch) so that I would have room to push the lights/light strand through the hole into the bottle. We purchased a Bosch 1/2" Glass/Tile drill bit from Home Depot. The reviews on it online aren't great, but for craft purposes it's awesome.

3. A Strand of Lights With Only ONE Plug: I finally found a strand of lights here. The strand of lights I bought was called "Craft Lights."  It's only 35 lights, BUT there's only one plug (rather than one on each end). That way, I can stuff the lights into the wine bottle without trying to figure out a way to get a plug inside the bottle.

4. A Drill: I would recommend if yours is battery operated that you charge it first. That way you won't have an "Uh-Oh" moment in the middle as your drill dies. Speaking from experience, yes....

Here is ours. Charging - after 30 minutes of drilling.

5. Safety Supplies: This means goggles, gloves, and a safe drilling space/area! You can use construction goggles, found at your local hardware store, lab goggles found at a local community college...I don't really care. I just want you to protect your eyes! Gloves (J refused to wear these. He stablized the bottle with his feet - no joke). We laid down a moving blanket from our "recent" move (5 months ago) on our hardwood floor. We spread it out so that it covered about a 3 foot x 3 foot space. When you drill, it starts to look like a fine sand or dust accumulating on the bottle and ground around it - that's fine shards of glass, so please take these precautions when you start to drill!

Those white splotches you see?! That is the glass shard dust
that you will produce! Impressive, huh?!

Proof that J doesn't follow directions ;)

6. A Handy Man (Optional): I had J help me. I am totally fine using tools for a less fine-motor-skill activity, but drilling through glass requires more fine motor activities. However, I am fairly clumsy and I would like to keep my fingers intact! J was sweet enough to  agree to help me. But if you are comfortable with your drill-wielding skills, I bow to you girl! Go get 'em!

J - not following any of my directions...at least
he's using his hand to stabilize in this picture!

How to Make It:
1. Set Up: Once you have all of your supplies (it took me several days to accumulate mine!), and some muscle, set up your "construction zone." I would recommend that you do this away from kids and pets. One blog I read recommended duct tape in the area you are going to drill. This will provide traction for the drill bit so it doesn't walk all over the glass and it will help reinforce the glass. We decided to leave the labels on (as we felt it was part of the bottle's charm), so we did not to place duct tape where we were going to drill. Don your gloves and safety goggles!

2. Go To Work: Set your drill bit in your *CHARGED* drill. Now, here's the tricky part: start drilling. I read on another blog while researching the best way to do this that you need to have the mindset that you are etching a hole into the bottle, rather than drilling a hole. You need to have a firm grip on the bottle and the drill, but DO NOT bear down hard with the drill. It took us a total drill time of one hour to have a complete 1/2" hole through the entire thickness of the bottle. If your press down with the drill bit too hard, the bottle will shatter. Take your time, and take breaks if you need to! Slow and steady makes the most perfect bottle night light ever! This is where patience truly is a virtue!

After 15 minutes of drilling.

After a half-hour of drilling...Just after J's drill died.

3. Clean Up: The bottle will need to be dusted off (hopefully, into a trash can!). We dusted the bottle off onto the blanket we drilled on, and then threw the blanket away. No need to re-use a glass-shard infested blanket for anything else. I would highly recommend that you leave your gloves ON for this (as well as your eye-protection gear). Rinse the inside of the bottle as well. Point that little hole you drilled away from you. Yes, again...speaking from experience.

4. Test It Out: Plug those lights in and make sure you didn't get a faulty strand or a burned out light. I know that I personally would hate to find out the lights didn't work after I had stuffed them into the bottle!! Better to find out sooner rather than later if they don't work.

5. Stuff It: No, really. Stuff those lights in, sister! This is a fairly slow, tedious process as I am OCD and a perfectionist. However, it's nevertheless worth wriggling the lights around to make such a beautiful final product! I would recommend leaving the lights plugged in as you stuff to make sure that you are spreading the lights around the bottle adequately!

6. Enjoy It: It's that simple! You've worked hard to make such a beautiful product! Put it in a highly visible spot and enjoy! :)

What's In Your Bag?, Episode 3

Kerri is a very sweet Mommy of three that I met in a Facebook group for planner addicts, such as myself. She sells Origami Owl, which is an adorable way to express yourself with jewelry without a huge price tag! I received one from my mother-in-law for Christmas, and I wear it tons! Check out her site! :) Kerri's husband works long hours, as he is in his LAST year of residency! There's no better person to show off how to stay organized on the go than Kerri! I hope you enjoy, and a very special thanks to Kerri for sharing how she keeps it all together! 

1. The bag: my amazing leather Whipping Post tote. This bag holds everything I need for 3 kids, planner items, and wallet (I have 2 in diapers!).

2. What's in my bag: 
- My Erin Condren
- Louis Vuitton Cluth (carry hair elastics, hand sanitizer and lip gloss)
- My Origami Owl yellow cosmetic pouch (Carries lotion and sunscreen)
- My hot pink Origami Owl business card holder
- Diapers, wipes, change of clothes for each kids
- Briber tools (M&Ms & stickers)
- My In A Pikle (A Mommy Must-Have!)
- Quick snacks squeeze pouches
- Sunglasses
- Sophie, the Teething Giraffe
- Lovie Blanket for my baby

3. I'm obsessed with my Orla Kiely (cosmetic organizer), and I use it to house all my planner goodies! Below shows the inside, which is filled with EC stickers, Post-Its (another must have on the go), pens, labels, and travel washi tape that I wrapped around business cards.

4. My gorgeous EC planner & Nate Berkus pouch (also pictured with the Orla Kiely). I use my planner to balance schedules and crazy family life with 3 babies: Bills, To-Dos, my Origami Owl business (mostly tax info). I love washi tape & stickers.

5. A closer look at the planner! (How sweet is this picture of her 3 kiddos?!)

6. A Monthly View of My EC Planner. I finally came up with a monthly view I enjoy! Just a touch of washi, my husband's schedule, birthdays, and small dot stickers mark when a bill is due. 

Thank you Kerri for taking some time to share how you keep it all together on-the-go! :)

A "Pinteresting" Life: Behavior Chart

J and I have really been struggling to find a consistent means of handling T when he becomes cranky, defiant, etc.  We have tried essentially everything in our arsenal with some limited success.  Enter Pinterest. I had suggested a behavior chart a while ago when I stumbled across an adorable Super Hero-themed behavior chart. J had originally vetoed the idea.  Then we found out that T has a behavior chart at home with his mom. Once we found that out, J was on board with doing a chart of our own for T at our house! While the one I found was originally designed for a classroom, it essentially met our needs for a behavior chart at home (with some minor DIY and tweaking involved, of course!). Here is my inspiration (How adorable, right?!):

T is obsessed with super heroes, so what better way to mark how well (or not so well) he has done that day?! So where to start?! I swung by my local Michael's (Don't worry - I paid cash with the recent card breach that occurred with this company!) and picked up some supplies:

1. Paper. Rather than use 7 colors, I used 6 (Sorry, Indigo - you've been voted off the island).

2. Ribbon. I needed some way to connect each individual piece of paper together. Closer inspection of the original picture revealed it was held together with 1.5-2 inch wide ribbon.

3. Stickers: My handwriting is cute and all, but I wanted some uniformity with all the different "levels."

My supplies that I had to purchase!

I spent several days drawing these little super heroes and cutting them out. I even drew a little T for the green sheet of paper, where he will start off each day. Here are some of the little super heroes I drew.

Then I laid out each piece of paper in the order I wanted to have them hanging (purple on top all the way down to red on the bottom). I cut out the individual sticker letters and laid them out in the general spacing pattern that I wanted to follow, choosing which hero I wanted on each level. I put Batman and Superman on the "Super T" paper (purple) since those are his 2 favorites. It let me play with the spacing of the letters and figure out which super heroes would work and be most visible on each color! Here is the Green Lantern on "Warning!":

Once I had each pice laid out like I wanted, I stuck the stickers down and used rubber cement to glue down the super heroes. Once everything had been stuck down and/or glued down, I wrote a Reward at the top of each page and a Punishment at the bottom of each page, giving T motivation to work hard to improve his behavior, but providing punishment should his behavior warrant it.  It also gives him a visual of how his behavior has been that day (and what he has lost by being ugly). This is how all the pages look once put together:

It's coming together so nicely! I was so excited! Then I laid out the 1.5" wide ribbon to see about how long I would need for my ribbon to be to connect all of them together on one piece.

I then flipped all the pages over, lined them up like I wanted and used hot glue to attach the ribbon to the back of the pages.

Once that was done (and I had let it cool and dry for a few minutes), I used a piece of skinnier ribbon to form a loop at the top. This way we can hang it up in an area that T can see frequently throughout the day. We also wanted to hang it low enough that he could (for the most part) move the clothespin up or down. Once I got the loop of ribbon situation where I wanted it, I doused it in hot glue.

We then hung it up in our downstairs hallway where T runs through frequently, giving it high visibility. This is our final product, and I couldn't be happier! I say it's "our" product as J did help...by hammering the nail into the wall!

Some rewards we discussed (and some of which we used): earning TV time, one additional TV show, earn a toy back (that he lost as punishment), an extra cookie/dessert item after dinner, come out of his room (he has to earn this by apologizing), extra bedtime story..

Some punishments we discussed: 5 minutes in time out, time alone in his room, lose a toy he is playing with, lose TV privileges for the day, go to bed early...

Hopefully this will help you design your own behavior chart! Thanks for stopping by!