OMG!! Do Something About Your Child!!

I'm sure we have all had the experience. You are in the check-out of the grocery store, standing in Starbucks waiting for your grande latte or passing by the toy section in Wal-Mart and the incident takes place: the snotty little brat next you starts to throw a tantrum. All I want to do is look that mother in the face and say "OMG! Do something about your child!". Then I do look into her face, see the desperation plastered there, and remember an incident with my own kids when they were young, and my heart softens just a little. Here's my story.

5 Fun Bowling Games

I am not a bowler. I like to bowl, but you will not see me twirling three times, skittering up to the lane on my tip toes, and throwing my ball for a strike Fred Flintstone style. Usually if I am in a bowling alley it's for something fun to do with the kids, hubby and/or friends. Over the years we have acquired a few fun "bowling games" to make the experience of gutter balls less humiliating and more entertaining. Here are our top 5 fun bowling games.

August's Wacky and Unusual Holidays

If you have been following this blog for any length of time, or have spent any time browsing around, you know that I get geeky when it comes to my holidays. Any excuse to throw a mini-party and I'm in. We are in full swing in the Dog Days of Summer, and here in the Seattle area we are having a summer that only comes around every handful of years: hot, sunny, dry.... did I mention hot? Here are all the fun holidays in August this year that will help you take your mind off the heat and give you a chance to Par-Tay!

Enjoy the rest of your summer!!

Clean Toys!

This may seem like a no-brainer to all of you big brained peeps out there, but to me - at the time years ago when I heard this tip - it was a revelation. Clean toys in the dishwasher........ I know, right?! You don't have to worry about the nicks and crannys, it comes out sanitized, and you would be amazed at how well it handles getting all of the caked on dirt off. Save yourself a ton of time, toss those suckers in the dishwasher, and in an hour you'll have a sparkling new toy.

Strawberry Fruitsicle

I am always amazed at the mechanics of a child's eardrum.  You can stand no more than two feet in front of them and ask them to do something, and they somehow cannot hear you - but at the sound of an ice cream truck (two blocks away!) and they are screaming through the house trying to beg for any change they can dig up. Go figure. These amazing little delights however will save you the change and give you piece of mind, because they are healthy and packed full of fruit. Let them have two.

Strawberry Picking

There's something magical about a fresh picked strawberry: the sun on your back, the sound of bumble bees buzzing around your head and the occasional berry that "falls" into your mouth is a great way to spend the afternoon. Head off and go pick some strawberries, then come home and make some yummy jam. Just make sure the kids have old clothes on, because they are sure to come home with plenty of berry stains. Here's a great freezer jam to try with all those red delights you will be bringing home.

Progressive Dinner Party

I'm all for a good dinner party. There are several ways you can approach having dinner with your friends: 1. Cook the entire thing yourself, which would involve a lot of work, and sometimes a lot of money, but can be extremely rewarding 2. The good ol' pot luck, and have everyone bring a dish to share 3. A progressive dinner. 

Progressive dinners are a super fun, and different way to share a meal with several other families.

10 Car Camping Tips

When the kids were growing up we did a lot of camping. It was cheap, fun and got their energy out. We kept it simple, but always had a great time. When my father died in a car accident, the weekend after the funeral we were up in the mountains camping. It gave our family some time to ourselves, to be together, to reflect and be away from the distractions of the rest of the world. I think that's the thing I love the most about camping and hiking - the peace. Here are 10 tips to help make your next camping trip a success.

Banana Pops

I love ice cream. It’s one of my favorite foods, and if I could eat it every day without my backside spreading to create its own solar system I would. Unfortunately ice cream is reserved for those treat days that we set aside for ourselves every couple of weeks. BUT, I do make a treat in the summer time that is the next best thing to a big bowl of creamy deliciousness. It’s frozen, yummy, and feels like you are cheating by eating an ice cream bar. The best part? It’s good for you. 

August Holidays

Things have bee a little quite for me in the blogging world: I don't have much time to sit down to my computer these days, but I haven't forgotten. I am in the midst of starting up a new business, reorganizing my house, and - oh ya - my son's wedding this month! Holy  Crap!!! My son is getting married in two weeks! It is very surreal for sure. We are busy planning our big party - here are your reasons to have one of your own.