“When You look into your mother’s eyes you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth.” Mitch Albom

“Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mother.” Unknown

“The best place to cry is on a mother’s arms.” Jodi Picoult

“God couldn’t be everywhere and, therefore he made mothers.” Rudyard Kipling

“Mothers are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family together.” Susan Gale

Mother is a verb. It is something you do. Not just who you are.” Dorothy Canfield Fisher

There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one. Jill Churchill

“Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.” Robert Browning

“My mother was my role model even before I knew what that word was.” Lisa Leslie

“Having kids just puts the whole world into perspective. Everything else just disappears.” Kate Winslet

“A child’s first teacher is its mother.” Peng Liyuan

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.”

“Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.” Barbara Kingsolver

“For when a child is born, a mother is also born again.” Gilbert Parker

“I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars.” E.M. Forster

The post Best Quotes for Mother’s Day appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

And if you are wondering how it tastes??? My kids polished off a bowl of it in just three days.

Here’s what we used:

Heart Shaped Cherrios
Mini Pretzels
Mini Marshmallows
Dried Starberries
Craisins
Yogurt Covered Raisins
White Chocolate Chips
Animal Cookies
Pink and Red M&Ms

I used 1 cup of most ingredients but did 2 cups of the Cherrios and marshmallows.

I used this label to make gifts for friends.

You can get these labels HERE.

The post Valentine’s Day Trail Mix appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

I created these cute turkey donuts with my boys and they really are as fun to make as they are to eat. Set up a little table on Thanksgiving with the ingredients and let the kids go to town!

Here’s What You Need:

Fruit Loop Cereal
Mini Donuts
Toothpicks
Candy Eyes
Frosting or Gel

The post Thanksgiving Turkey Donuts appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

No, I am not a trained baker but I do find so much joy taking a theme and creating a cake to go with it. I hope one day my sons will look back at the birthday cake tradition I have started for them and appreciate the special cakes I created.

Please enjoy some of my “not so perfect but oh so special” birthday cakes that I have made my sons over the years. I think the tank cake I made for my oldest son’s Army birthday is still my favorite.

Bear Cake

Ninja Cupcakes

Tank Cake

Lego Cake

This was not my cleanest looking cake but my son still talks about it to this day.

Baseball Cake

See how to make this baseball cake HERE

Construction Site Cake

See how to make this cake HERE

Super Mario Cake

I used M&Ms and butterscotch chips to make the Mario design.

Beach Cake

Get this beach cake set HERE:

“The Big One” Fish Cake

Get this cake topper HERE

(As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no cost to you).

Naruto Cake

Get this Naruto Birthday decoration set and cake topper HERE

Sponge Bob Cake

Get the Sponge Bob Cake topper HERE

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As a mom, I get one day a year. I want that day to count. I often feel guilty saying this, but on Mother’s Day, what I actually want is a day off. I don’t want to have to be mom. Yes, I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to call myself a mom, but on this special day in May, I want a break.

I do have to say that my husband has been amazing the last few years. He has recognized how hard I work and has really made Mother’s Day a treat for me.

I want to share a list of the best things to give or do for a mom on Mother’s Day (straight from a real mom herself).

SLEEP IN

Yes, this sounds like a no brainer, but sleeping in is one of the gifts you can give a mom that might mean more than diamonds. I’m not kidding. Be the first one out of bed, feed the kids and keep them as quiet as possible so mom can get her much appreciated beauty sleep.

EMBER COFFEE MUG

This was a gift I got from my husband and it might have been the best gift ever!!! My husband noticed how many times I reheated my coffee during the day, or even left it in the microwave for hours. This Ember Coffee Mug holds your coffee at a set temperature for 90 minutes. Yes! It actually does and it’s amazing!!! I currently have the white mug but I’m kind of obsessed with the rose gold color.

Check out my very scientific test I did in this video review.

Spa or Massage

One of my favorite things in the whole world is getting a massage. If you book mom an appointment at a spa on Mother’s Day, you are sure to have a win! And if that’s not an option, send her to get a pedicure or give her one yourself.

Water Tumbler

My absolute favorite water bottle is my Simple Modern tumbler. I love the 24 oz size with the straw. It keeps my water cold and it never leaks water from the lid or straw. I probably own at least 4 myself. Throw in a Starbucks gift card and you have the perfect Mother’s Day Gift.

Mama Swag

I am a sucker for any mama swag. I will wear the shirts, hats, sweatshirt and necklaces. I’m sure when people see me it is obvious I am a mom but I sure do love to represent it. Here are some of my favorites.

My favorite t-shirts/sweatshirts are from Ford and Wyatt. Their quality is amazing and I love the simplicity of their designs. They have a “MAMA” line that is my favorite Note: their shirts run big. I usually size down from a large to a medium.

Tiny Trucker makes the cutest MAMA hats and necklaces. I never take off my necklace!

I also love children’s initial necklaces. I have one with R, J, M for my boys and I cherish it. You can find hundreds of options on ETSY.

Food Delivery

Treat mom to a night off from cooking dinner. Get her a Grub Hub or Door Dash gift card for when she just doesn’t have the energy to cook.

Leave Her Alone

Yes, that’s right, leave mom alone. Give her the day off, or at least an hour, to just chill and be by herself. If you plan to take the kids out of the house for a few hours to give mom some peace and quiet (and no mess), she will probably be eternally grateful.

Coffee Subscription

For the coffee lovering mom, treat her to a monthly coffee subscription. Check out this one from Atlas Coffee Club.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms! Whatever you decide to get her, make sure she feels special and knows how much you appreciate her!

(As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no cost to you).

The post Mother’s Day Gifts that Moms Actually Want appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

With Easter around the corner I wanted to try my hand again at making Bunny Pancakes. They were a huge hit in our house last year, despite looking a little odd (see picture at the end). I tried a few tweaks and I think they turned out much cuter this time.

You Will Need:

2 medium sized round pancakes
2 mini round pancakes
Blueberries
Strawberries
Marshmallows

I found that it was easiest to make round pancakes when I poured the batter onto one point and kept pouring on that one point until I got the size I desired. This seemed to help the batter spread out in an even circle.

I used the tip of a strawberry for the nose. For the bow tie, I cut the bottom half off a strawberry then sliced it in half. The ears were made by cutting a round pancake in half.

These are sure to be a hit. But remember, everyone burns their first pancake, so just keep flipping. Check out what my bunnycakes looked like last year! Haha!

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1. Magic Leprechaun Rocks

A few years ago, I made these Magic Leprechaun Rock for my son and he still talks about them to this day. The best part is, your kids will be so surprised when they wash them with the special Leprechaun water (vinegar) a gold coin appears.

What You Will Need:

1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup water
green food coloring
gold coins
vinegar

(This makes approximately 4 rocks)

I bought these gold coins and I loved that they had little shamrocks on them.

(As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

How to Make Magic Leprechaun Rocks

First, combine 1 cup of baking soda with 1/4 cup of water. Mix until combined and it holds together. You can add more water if it is dry. Add green food coloring and mix. Take a gold coin and form a ball around it using the mixture.

Place the rocks on a plate and let dry over night. I made a double batch.

Make sure not to get caught green handed. Good thing this food coloring is washable!

On St. Patrick’s Day, leave this note out for your kids with a jar of vinegar labeled with the sign Leprechaun water. To get the kids to put the rocks in the vinegar, the note says, “These rocks contain magic inside, but first they must be washed and dried.”

Watch the surprise on your kids’ eyes when they discover what happens when they clean the rocks.

Watch my YouTube video to see how to make the rocks and see how what happens when they are placed in the vinegar.

Download this leprechaun note and water label for free here:

2. Leprechauns Don’t Flush!

My boys got the biggest kick out of this one last year. It is so easy to pull off and your kids will not stop talking about it. It’s the funniest surprise.

All you need is some washable green tempera paint and green food coloring.

Dip the bottom of your fists in the paint and make a left and right foot. Then add toes using your pinky finger and add some green food coloring to the toilet bowl.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!!

The post St. Patrick’s Day Ideas For Kids appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

I decided I wanted relive those lovely girly afternoons by making some heart thumbprint cookies like we did back then. I whipped up a batch one afternoon while my toddler was sleeping and I have to say, I haven’t lost my touch. They turned out adorable and the plate was cleared by the evening thanks to my boys.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
raspberry jam

*Preheat oven to 350°

1. Beat butter, sugar and salt in a mixer until smooth

2. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined

3. Add the vanilla extract

4. Add in the flour and mix until just combined

5. Roll the dough into 1″ diameter balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

6. Create a heart shaped indentation by pressing your pinky finger 2x to make a “v” (to keep the dough from sticking, I dipped my finger into water before creating the indent.

7. Add jam to fill the heart shaped indent (I used raspberry jam and mixed it with a spoon to smooth the lumps).

8. Bake cookies at 350° for about 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned.

Serve the cookies with your best Earl Grey tea or in my case, let your children gobble them up in three bites.

The post Heart Thumbprint Cookies appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

On A Roll

The object of this game is to roll 10 candy hearts so they all have the word side up. Players put 10 hearts in a cup and roll them onto a table. Then they take the ones with the words facing up and move them to the side, replacing the blank side facing hearts back in the cup. Play continues until one player has all 10 hearts facing up.

Heart-A-Stack

The object of this game is to stack the most candy hearts in one minute. After the one minute timer goes off, the player with the highest stack wins.

Let’s Face It

This one might be my favorite. Get your camera ready because you will get some pretty comical pictures. The object of the game is to get the candy heart into your mouth. Here’s the catch, you have to stick the heart on your forehead and can’t use your hands. It is surprisingly hard but way too much fun!

Heart Transplant

The object of this game is to move as many candy hearts into a cup in one minute, using only chop sticks.

These light up Light Saber chopsticks are favorites of my boys. You can find them HERE.

As an Amazon affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Valentine’s Day Pyramid

Get yourself 21 red plastic cups. The object of the game is to see who can stack and unstack the pyramid of cups the fastest. To make the pyramid, players start with 6 cups on the bottom then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. For younger children, you can change the rules to just stacking and not unstacking or use less cups. This one is always a hit. My seven year old’s fastest time was 74 seconds. Can you beat that?

Heart Order

For this one, the object is to put five cups in order based on how many candy hearts the player thinks are inside. To prepare, fill the cups with 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 hearts and cover them (I used foil). Players have one minute to place them in the order they think is correct. Player with the most correct cups wins.

Don’t Blow It

Using a straw, players have one minute to transfer as many candy hearts from a table to a cup.

Hold Your Tongue

Putting a wooden tongue depressor in their mouth, players have one minute to stack as many candy hearts on the stick as possible. When the one minute timer goes off, the player with the most wins.

Race For Your Love

The object of this game is to blow a candy heart from one end of the table to the other first. If the heart falls off or if a player uses their hands, they must go back to the start. To make this more challenging, you could have players race to the end of the table and back.

Watch us play these games on my YouTube Channel:

The post Valentine’s Day Minute-to-Win-It Games appeared first on Burnt Pancakes.

Cute Quotes:

You’re The Bees Knees

You Make My Heart Race

I Love You A Bushel And A Peck

You Are The Apple Of My Eye

It’s All About the XXXXs and the OOOOs

You Are My Today and All My Tomorrows

Romantic Quotes:

Love Is In The Air

Will You Be My Valentine

Be Mine

I Love You, XOXO

Love Is The Closest Thing To Magic

Hug And Kisses and Valentine Wishes

All You Need Is Love

My Heart Belongs to You

When I Follow My Heart, It Leads Back To You

Nothing Could Be Sweeter Than Being Your Valentine

Funny Quotes:

I’m Yours, No Returns

Is Your Name Wifi Because I’m Feeling the Connection

I Love You More Than Coffee

I Love You A Latte

We Are The Perfect Pair (socks)

Can I Borrow A Kiss? I Promise To Give It Back

Olive Juice

Movie/Book Quotes:

I Love You To The Moon And Back – Guess How Much I Love You

And IIIII EEEEEEE I Will Always Love Yooooou – Whitney Houston

You’ll Always Be My Baby – Mariah Carey

I Love You Through And Through…Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Too – I Love You Through and Through

You Have Bewitched Me Body and Soul – Pride and Prejudice

You Are My Greatest Adventure – The Incredibles

I Look At You And I Am Home – Finding Nemo

If There Ever Comes A Day When We Can’t Be Together, Keep Me In Your Heart. I’ll Stay There Forever – Winnie the Pooh

We Belong Together – Mariah Carey

Take Me To Your Heart. For It’s There That I Belong – Elvis Presley

So I Love You Because The Entire Universe Conspired To Help Me Find You – The Alchemist

Love Is Like The Wind, You Can’t See It But You Can Feel It – A Walk to Remember

Cause All Of Me Loves All Of You – John Legend

Cause Girl You’re Amazing. Just The Way You Are – Bruno Mars

Which one is your favorite quote?

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