I actually DID something I pinned!!

So. I LOVE Pinterest. I mean, like, "if I could I'd marry it" kinda love. I am an idea kinda gal, and it is THE place for ideas. The problem I have with Pinterest is the same problem I have in life...taking those ideas and putting them into action. Well, tonight I put feet to an idea! YEA, ME! :-) (hey, when it happens so infrequently we have to make our own cheering section.)

Now, before I go on I do feel the need to say this isn't the ONLY thing I've pinned that I've done, but it's the only thing I've done that I've pinned that I took pictures of and decided to pat myself on the back for. Yes. I am blatantly asking for pats on the back. Moms sometimes need that, don't we? Ask for people to pat us on the back (figuratively) because we may be feeling like all that we're doing really isn't adding up to much...even though it really is...but we just feel that way so we need pats on the back? Well, that's what I'm doing. Sooooooooo, pats on the back are welcome!

Okay, so what did I do? I would love to say I organized our entire home and put together a place for everything and everything in it's place, then put together t-shirt quilts for both boys and put together a menu plan for the next month so we won't eat out during the month of October. I would love to say that. It's not what I did, though. Nope. Nothing nearly quite as pat-on-the-back worthy. What I did was.....

Put together Instant Oatmeal packets.

W O W!!!! Are you proud of me?? Isn't that amazing??? I mean, come ON! I did something I pinned!!!

Oh, I crack myself up. Yes, I really do wish it was something more exciting. Maybe I'll work on that. But for now....

Here's my uber exciting post:

Some of you may be asking why I even did this. Well, let me remind you I have two boys. Two boys my DH and I are raising to be adults, not lifelong children. This means I am training my boys to be more independent in caring for themselves on a day-to-day basis than depending on me or DH to do it for them. Therefore, I want to make mornings as independent for them as possible. (another way to read this is: I hate mornings and can barely function so I try to get my boys to do as much for themselves in the morning as possible. *grin*)

A few years ago the boys saw this:

in the store. They were so excited to eat dinosaur eggs that we decided to try them. They REALLY liked them, so we bought some more. Then I realized that the box of 6 packets was lasting....maybe 2 days. Why? Because growing boys like to eat. At more than $3.00 a box, and a box lasting 2 days, that really gets expensive. So I stopped buying it. The boys, however, still wanted it, and we'd splurge every once in a while when it went on a really good sale. It didn't stop me from groaning about the cost, though, so I decided to look for other options. 

Enter Pinterest.

I bought this: 

and some black, white and purple ghost candy sprinkles (those crunchy decor things for cupcakes), and gathered my brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and measuring utensils as well as some plastic ziploc bags (I used the 4x6 kind that zip at the top so it's easier to pour out of). 

I decided to put it all together in a larger measuring cup before pouring it into the bag, and I decided to go with the 1 cup serving due to the amount of packets of Dino Oats they would eat in a morning. This way they just need one bag and it's all good.

 I measured my 1 cup of oatmeal into the measuring cup:

Then I added two teaspoons of  brown sugar (I limited the number of teaspoons of brown sugar due to the added candy sprinkles):

Sprinkled a generous amount of candy ghosts over the whole thing:

Then I sprinkled a little bit of salt over it all (difficult to see 1/8 tsp of salt over all that, but it's there):

I then stirred it gently. Just enough to mix it all up: 

Then came the fun part ~ pouring it into the bag:

I didn't do a very good job of making it all into the bag. :-(

On the first one I simply used a sharpie to write out the directions. It didn't take me long to figure out that would be too time consuming and might rub off, so...

I made up labels in Microsoft Word, printed them out, cut them out and used scotch tape to adhere them to the bag so they're protected. (I could've used the adhesive labels, but this works just as well)

(notice I made a point of letting them know they did NOT need to add anymore sugar!)

In some of the packets I sprinkled cinnamon in there, too. I labeled them as such so my non-cinnamon child would know he wouldn't want to eat that packets. 

Then I put them all together in an organizing basket that will go on the island for them to grab each morning. 

I do realize it's a rather silly little thing to get so excited about, but I know my 7th grader eats breakfast at 7:20 am and doesn't eat lunch until 12:50 pm. That's a long time to go for an almost 13 year old, so if I can help him stay "full" longer I'll be helping him AND his teachers. AND, because he has ADD, I can feel much better about knowing exactly what is going into his breakfast. For my 5th grader it's an added little treat for him because he is a total "Acts of Service" kinda guy so my putting together oatmeal packets for him to enjoy each morning is like a kiss to the soul. It's also a treat to me because I know my boys are eating (somewhat) healthfully when I can't get my brain to do much more than figure out how to get downstairs without falling down them. 

So, what have YOU done from Pinterest lately? (yes, I know some of you are TOTALLY going to show me up!! Go for it!! =)   )