MIA?

Have you wondered where I've been lately? Well, to be honest, we've been busy over here having fun in the summer! Seriously, I am so tired by the end of the day.

Here are some images from my parents home in central Utah.  We've visited a couple of times this month and I wanted to capture the natural beauty that they are surrounded by. It certainly keeps my children busy while we're there.

I hope that you are enjoying your summer break as well!

Red White and Blue desserts

Remember these from last year? Yum! I wanted to make these again but decided to branch out a bit. I didn't have to go very far from sandwiched ice cream with sprinkles and candies.

I found these on Pinterest and had to make my own. Do you love Pinterest as much as I do? My new Inspiration Board place to store and remember cool images and inspiration. Love it!!


You saw these S'more pops in an earlier post but I wanted to show them again because they are so tasty and easy to make! These were made with the gigantic campfire marshmallows. Have you seen those at your local store? They're pretty fun.

More sprinkled and mini m&m covered ice cream sandwiches on a stick!

Trifle in a jar.

What is your favorite red, white and blue dessert for Memorial Day or 4th of July?

Memorial Day 2011

Although it was rainy most of the time, we had a fun filled Memorial Day weekend anyhow. We celebrated with friends and family and ate way too much delicious food!

Here are a few snapshots from the weekend.

S'more Pops. Huge hit with the kids. And with the mom's :)

Patriotic T-Shirts, #43 on Summer Fun list S. is wearing his shirt from last year because his was still drying.

Little C with Otis

BBQ with friends, with Georgia Leigh

Movie night

More desserts coming soon.....

Pennant Bunting Summer Event Calendar

Along with the 50 summer fun ideas list that I created from the Crafting Chicks, I wanted to hang it up somehow. I liked Chocolate on my Craniums idea of an appliqued wall hanging. However, I wanted something a little smaller. So I kept it simple and stuck to a six day pennant flag bunting event calendar. Each day they flip open the flag and there is a little pocket. Inside each pocket there is a number on a piece of paper. (So far, they haven't cheated and looked ahead at the other pockets so I put them in a week at a time). They refer to the 50 summer fun idea chart clipped to the bunting and that is what we do special that day!


So far it's worked out really well. The visual calendar gets them really excited about what we are going to do that day. Then at the end of the day, they can check it off the list!

Here are some photos I submitted to Delia Creates "Color My Summer Contest". I didn't have the list of 50 summer fun ideas picked up from Costco yet so I substituted it with some scrapbook paper. My idea was chosen and featured here! Thanks to Delia Creates and Kojo Designs for the features!





In the next week I hope to put up a tutorial of how to make your own Pennant Bunting Summer Event Calendar and perhaps a giveaway! So stay tuned!

Featured: Otis

photo courtesy of a Nicole Hill Gerulat

Once in a while I check out Nicole Hill Gerulat's photo casting calls. She is one of my favorite photographers. I particularly love her work on one of my favorite blogs, One Charming Party. So simple, bright and clear. She's a great commercial photographer. I also know her family through association as I student taught at the high school she graduated from. So we have a lot of common friends. Plus she's a super genuine gal. I went to her book signing party and she was so courteous! Well, she was casting animals a while back so I submitted our little bunny rabbit, Otis. And she chose to use him form some Easter shots including one with this darling model. She said we might even see him on the cover of a parenting magazine. Maybe next Easter?

Our little rabbit is a star!

Here he is featured on A little sussy!

Summer Fun Week 1

Each week I will post a photo montage of the previous weeks summer special day activities with a brief description. To see my list again check it out here.

Week 1

Day 1: #9 Pot a plant and watch it grow
We used the treasure pots that we made for St Patrick's Day. And a pot S decorated at a local art class.

Day 2: #30 Dirt Dessert
In the kitchen, the kids made the chocolate cook 'n serve pudding. Topped with "dirt", crushed oreos, and buried sour worms.

Day 3: #34 Water Fight
I was feeling under the weather and things didn't go quite as planned. So a water fight with the neighbors and a lengthy play date were the special activities.

Day 4: unnumbered
I was still sick. S took his kindergarten test and did so well! Instead of miniature golfing as planned we bought a gigantic doughnut and posicles and watched a movie instead. It was a happy compromise.

Day 5: #43
Paint patriotic T-shirts.


Day 6: #48 Memorial Day festivities
BBQ with our friends Dave and Georgia (from Georgia Leigh) and enjoying sprinkled ice cream sandwiches.

I'm excited for this upcoming week. In honor of Memorial Day it's Service week. My goal is to visit with our elderly friends, serve Grandma next door and other service related activities.

Later this week I'll post my summer fun calendar which was featured on delia creates! Plus a photo of our pet rabbit who was featured on A little Sussy!

Summer Fun Ideas 2011

Click on image to see the full list. You can download your own free blank chart from The Crafting Chicks.

I am hoping to make this summer the best one yet in our family! I want to avoid boredom, fighting, watching too much TV and playing too many computer games. My kids ask every single day, "What are we doing special today?" It gets old, real fast.

For the last two summers a friend of mine has used this idea from Chocolate on the Cranium by making a fabric event calender. This year I am finally ready to make my own version (to be shown later...). But today I am showing you our family "Summer Fun 2011" list of 50 plus things to do.

Here are the three main websites I used to get inspiration:

1. The Crafting Chicks: Summer Fun list in jpeg form seen above. I just edited it in Picasa by adding my own text to their blank (free) copy. They also have "60 Summer Fun ideas" here.

2. Chocolate on my Cranium: See her appliqued ice cream cone "cool summer days" calender. Additionally, she has a long list of fabulous activities along with links.

3. The Long Thread: 50 plus summer craft ideas, also divided into year round activities. Fabulous links and photos.

I have to be honest, it's an ambitious list but I really want it to work. And I'm pretty sure my kids will hold me to it :) I'll keep you posted throughout the summer with photos and success (or failures) stories! Stay tuned for the summer chart!

Here are our 50 ideas divided along with some links:

Weekly we'll try going to the library, to a park with friends, and the local water park (we bought a pass).

Vacations:
**Trip to Colorado
**Visit cousins in Richfield
**Lake Powell
**Family Reunion
**Grandma visits

In the Kitchen:
**Dirt Cake
**Mini Jello watermelons
**UnBirthday party prep
**Aroma dough
**Homemade popsicles

Craft/Art/Sew:
**Eric Carle inspired art work here and here.
**Sew church bags
**Paint: Patriotic T-shirts
**Star Fruit stamped bunting, tricky part is finding the star fruit. Maybe a sponge or potato will do.
**Pudding Paint
**Chalk Fun
**Sew summer PJ's
**Paint rocks
**Sea shell creatures
**Water paint sidewalks

Field Trips:
**Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum ($2 Tuesday)
**Thanksgiving Point Gardens ($2 Tuesday)
**Thanksgiving Point Petting Zoo ($2 Tuesday)
**BYU Art Museum
**Zoo
**Bowling, FREE for kids in the summer
**Cabella's
**Bean Museum
**Cars 2 movie

Outdoor:
**Picnic at the Temple
**Hike the Y
**Hike Rock Canyon
**Walk to the Creamery
**Camp in the backyard
**Movie on the lawn
**Ice melting games
**Nature Walks
**Irrigation ditch boat races
**Upcycyled toys here, here and here.
**Fishing at reservoir
**Plant seeds
**Snow cones in the park

Science:
**Slime/Goo
**Volcanoes (mentos and diet coke)
**Ice Melting Games

Themed Weeks:
**Cultural Week: learn about a different culture each day. Invite our International friends over for a lesson/food exchange.
**Pioneer Week: July 18-24. Learn Pioneer stories, go on a hike, make pioneer games, attend parade, etc
**Service Week: visit an elderly neighbor
**Water Week: water fight with neighbors, neighborhood water party, homemade popsicles

I know there are so many great ideas out there! Each family has customized activities for the age, size and shape of your own family. What does your family do? Do share!