Karissa Tunis

Springtime Entertaining and Easter Tablescapes

Spring is such a lovely time for hosting a party, don’t you think? Everyone is ready to slip on their sandals and leave behind their hibernating ways! So whether it’s a special occasion like Easter, or no occasion at all, gathering around a pretty table with friends is always a good idea! Springtime entertaining is a lot of fun, and Easter tablescapes can be magically beautiful!

I believe there can be so much joy found hosting in your home. But all too often it ends up being stressful because we are worried about the space not being “right” or the lack of budget for a “Pinterest perfect” party. But below are my secrets to throwing a simple – yet gorgeous party on a budget….

Free Activity Book for Children with Autism – “I Have Autism”

I originally wrote this story when I was working with children with autism. I designed it to be part social story, part activity book. This book is a printable so that you can work with your child to illustrate this book and really make it their own. Below is our free activity book for children with autism.

Free Activity Book for Children with Autism

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Steps for Activity Book

To create your free activity book, follow the steps below…

1: Click below to download your book.

2: Fold each page on the dotted line with the text facing out.

3: Trim the excess paper at the edge.

4: Set the cover aside. Arrange the other pages in order (beginning to end).

5: Put all of the pages inside the cover (they will be facing the opposite way).

6: Staple the book along the edge.

7: Read through the book and have your child draw their own illustrations 🙂

Here is a free Checklist to Help Families Living with SPD and check out How to Find Balance as a Special Needs Family

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Healthy Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

These 5-ingredient fudgy peanut butter cups recipe is simple to make. The best part is that they can be made in just a few minutes, and are a delicious, healthier version containing no refined sugar!

This article is written by Lindsey Cover
For more on this topic, check out the full Easter Fun and Recipes collections

Lindsey Cover

Peanut Butter Cups

Enjoy this delicious, healthier version that can be made in a matter of minutes!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 12

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil slightly melted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
unsweetened shredded coconut or chopped nuts optional, for garnish

Method

Prepare a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin liners (each liner will be approximately half full). If desired, top cups with unsweetened shredded coconut or chopped nuts.
Refrigerate the peanut butter cups until hard, at least 30 minutes. Store cups in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil, slightly melted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
unsweetened shredded coconut or chopped nuts (optional, for garnish)

Directions:

Prepare a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin liners (each liner will be approximately half full). If desired, top cups with unsweetened shredded coconut or chopped nuts.
Refrigerate the peanut butter cups until hard, at least 30 minutes. Store cups in the refrigerator.

Makes 12 peanut butter cups

PRINT THE RECIPE

HERE ARE 4 MORE EASTER THEMED CRAFTS & TREATS I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE:

Because we know Easter is just around the corner… Therefore, take advantage of these free Easter resources! Not only are these all budget friendly ideas; but they also provide non-messy solutions for some of the most popular Easter themed treats. Above all, your kids will love the extra craft time at home!

Easter Activities for Kids – easy and fun Easter activities for kids

Jelly Bean Tree – cute and inexpensive Easter decor

A Cute Easter Treat for Kids – perfect Easter treat or party favor

Easter Jars – adorable chocolate bunny jars are easy and delicious

For more on this topic, check out the full Easter Fun and Recipes collections

Featured Contributor: Lindsey Cover

Lindsey Cover is a work-at-home wife and mom of two young boys, Jadon and Owen. She blogs about affordable healthy living, money-saving methods, simple recipes, and more at SimpleSaverWife.com

Facebook: @SimpleSaverWife
Instagram: @SimpleSaverWife
Pinterest: @SimpleSaverWife

How Much to Serve at a Party – Food, Drinks, Dessert

Great news! You do not have to be an expert party planner, or a professional event coordinator, to host a successful event. Take advantage of these free resources (like how much to serve at a party) from Adore Them Parenting. Now you will be able to plan your next festivity like a pro! And who knows, maybe you will even be asked to join the entertainment committee. Or become the next event organizer for your child’s school or local club 🙂

Our first topic is food. Whether you are throwing an extravagant dinner party, or are just having a few friends over for appetizers, you always want to make sure that you are serving enough refreshments for everyone to enjoy! …

Religious Easter Craft for Kids – The Tomb is Empty

The tomb is empty! This morning we took that inspiration and created a beautiful religious Easter craft for kids. Follow these simple instructions to make your own simple Easter garden:

Purchase potting soil, a small clay pot, and shade grass seed
Collect some rocks and twigs to decorate
Create crosses out of twigs
Sprinkle grass seed generously on top of the dirt
Sit in a warm, sunny spot
Spritz with a water bottle a few times a day
Grass will begin to sprout in 7-10 days

He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Religious Easter Craft for Kids

Created by Carey Martin Bender
For more on this topic, check out the full Easter Fun collection

HERE ARE 4 MORE EASTER THEMED CRAFTS & TREATS I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE:

Easter Activities for Kids – easy and fun Easter activities for kids

Jelly Bean Tree – cute and inexpensive Easter decor

A Cute Easter Treat for Kids – perfect Easter treat or party favor

Easter Jars – adorable chocolate bunny jars are easy and delicious

For more on this topic, check out the full Easter Fun collection

Featured Contributor: Carey Martin Bender

Carey Bender is a wife, mom, and entrepreneur. She is a fashion lover and a fitness fanatic who is always looking for a DIY project, a perfect cup of coffee, and inspiration around every corner. Carey adores Lancaster County living, but is always dreaming up her next adventure.

Easy Easter Gift – Easter Jars!

Check out these fun easy Easter gifts – Easter Jars! These were made for less than $3.00 per jar! I found these adorable glass jars in the Target $1 bins (of course). I added “grass”, a small chocolate bunny, chocolate carrot, 2 chocolate eggs, and some twine around the top. And voila – a cute, inexpensive, and super easy Easter gift! Keep scrolling down for another photo and some other fun easy Easter activities that are perfect for kids, enjoy!

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Jelly Bean Tree – Cute and Cheap Easter Decor!

This Jelly Bean Tree craft provides a super cute and cheap Easter decor option that your whole family (and guests) will surly love! All you need are some branches, a large vase, jellybeans, and a hot glue gun to get started.

It is the perfect time of year to be picking up branches from the yard, and now you can make them beautiful again by bringing a little bit of “outside” in, and decorating them with jelly beans! I prefer the pastel colored jellybeans to give it a more “Eastery” feel, but the option is yours of course as to which brand you use.

This article is written by Carey Martin Bender
For more on this topic, check out the full Easter Fun collection

Cheap Easter Decor Instructions

1. Collect your branches and vase

2. Arrange the branches in your vase

3. Carefully use the glue gun to attach the jelly beans all over the branches.

4. All Finished!

My 5 year old enjoyed helping me with this project and we were thrilled with how beautiful it turned out.

HERE ARE 3 MORE EASTER THEMED CRAFTS & TREATS I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE:

Easter Activities for Kids – easy and fun Easter activities for kids

A Cute Easter Treat for Kids – perfect Easter treat or party favor

Easter Jars – adorable chocolate bunny jars are easy and delicious

For more on this topic, check out the full Easter Fun collection

Featured Contributor: Carey Martin Bender

Fingerprint Easter Egg Craft

With Easter coming up, we wanted to share with you a fun option for decorating your Easter eggs. All you need to make this fun fingerprint Easter egg craft are:

Eggs
Acrylic paints
Sharpie or marker pens
Your fingers!

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Family Conversation Starters – Early Intervention

We hear all the time how important it is to open up the lines of communication. Communication improves relationships with partners, friends, and coworkers; but we can’t forget that it also improves our relationships with our children.

Taking the time to have a genuine conversation with your child can be so much fun and so insightful! It also helps to build up a great family bond, which is why we are offering a few family conversation starters to go a long with each curated collection of content….

Easter Egg Coloring Sheets

Here is an easy and free Easter activity for your kids! They will surely love these Easter egg coloring sheets!

Use as an Easter party activity. Or print out on card stock, cut out, and use as Easter decorations. In addition, you can simply print out a few sheets for a fun, festive activity leading up to Easter 🙂

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