Blueberry Muffins

I love blueberries. I love them so much that I put in a small blueberry garden in my yard. One of my favorite things to do throughout the summer time is to get up in the morning and pick a handful of blueberries to throw into my granola - and let me tell you, there is nothing better than a just picked, ripe blueberry!! Towards the middle of summer the blueberry bushes are weighed down with all of the amazing plump berries and we are able to pick them by the handfuls. So yummy. Then it becomes muffin time. 

Garden Bling

I love to garden. There is something very therapeutic about digging in the dirt and listening to the birds chirp while the sun warms my back: complete peace. My garden is a place I love to be, and I have decorated it beyond the beautiful plants I have growing there. A trip to the thrift store can make your garden sparkle in the sunlight and give it a wonderful addition of art and color.

Mini-Berry Pies

One of the joys of living in the Pacific Northwest is the bounty of berries we have here. Blackberries are EVERYWHERE and with a short hike you can have your hearts content with wild blueberries and huckleberries. With that comes pie of course! With just the hubby and I at home we don't need a full pie so I wanted to make it a little smaller and a lot healthier. These little mini pies fit the bill perfectly on both fronts.

Home Canned Dill Pickle Relish

We have had a great summer here in the Seattle area, which has made me and my garden extremely happy. At the moment however, I have zucchini and cucumbers overflowing the veggie bin and I have been working hard to keep it from spoiling (you can eat only so many cucumbers!). If you have always wanted to try canning, but have been intimidated by the complicated equipment and long list of directions, relish is a good starter. It's easy and you can use what you already have in your kitchen.

Take A Photo Walk

Today's technology is amazing. Everyone has a camera with them almost all of the time. Take advantage of the modern era of digital photography by taking the kids on a photo walk. Let them have complete control over the camera and take pictures of whatever catches their attention. It's very interesting looking at the world through the eyes of a three year old.

FREE Printable Movie Night Tickets

I know my last post has gotten you all excited about having a movie night! Whether you decide to set up a little theater in your backyard, or just go the easy route and have it inside, these movie tickets will make the event even more like a party. I have put together a few printable movie tickets that you can give your guests ahead of time to get them excited about the cinematic evening. Pop some popcorn, gather up all the fluffy pillows and blankets and have a cozy night in.

Take It Outside

With today's technology it's easier than ever to be portable. We can work at out computers at the same time we are tanning on the deck outside and play video games from 30,000 feet in the air while flying over the Pacific. Why not take full advantage of this technology and move your weekend movie to the back yard?

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.

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. 

Sesame Street Picnic Platters

Well, dog-gonnit, if there aren't the most creative people online! Once again I was doing my morning surf of facebook and saw this idea. It is the most simple, adorable, creative thing I have seen in a long time!!! And, it's healthy to boot so it has my vote right away. Can't wait for my next BBQ potluck ;o).

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

As we enter into the summer months, I am usually found in the garage dusting off the ice cream maker and gathering all of the parts for assembly. Ice cream is one of my favorite foods and it's even yummier when it's freshly homemade: it's pure, natural, soft-serve amazingness.

Rock "Horseshoes"

Remember those pet rocks from your youth? The rock that you wandered around picking through piles to find: it had to have just the right shape and size? The one you lovingly took home to paint into the character it would become? What a great experience you can have again, with the kids: and I have a great game you can play with those fun little critters.

Mango Salsa

It's just about BBQ and picnic time, if you haven't started already. I am always looking for different fare beyond the hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad. Don't get me wrong, I love hamburgers and potato salad, but it's nice to have variety. I found this salsa recipe quite some time ago and it's amazing. Not only good with corn chips, its amazing on grilled salmon.

Make A Splash Kid Style

It's hot. You want to cool off. Hmmm.... what to do. I have the answer. Head out to the store and buy one of those cheep little kid pools and fill 'er up. It's amazing how cool you will get just sitting around in one of those babies. It's inexpensive to buy, doesn't take too much water to fill and is perfect.

Go To The Drive-Ins

Remember the days of yester-year, when you would get on your jammies, pile the back seat of the station wagon with pillows and blankets, cram a bag full of popcorn, Jr. Mints and Woppers and head off to the dive in? Create those memories today with your kids.

5 Great Popsicle Recipes

I just got done creating a new office for myself. I am LOVING it. I moved all of my stuff into my dining room and created a smaller eating area in the kitchen. It is suiting our needs much better now that it is just Aaron and I most of the time.

I am sitting here at my computer, in the sunshine. That is the best part of this whole move, it is super open and sunny here in this little spot. It has me craving a Popsicle of all things - who'd have guessed. So, in honor of my craving, here are 10 recipes for you to try.

Head Off To The Aquarium

Pack a lunch and head out to visit some of our water friends. Make it more of an adventure by researching some of the animals you will be seeing before you go. It will be more fun for the kids to know a bit about each animal as they watch them.

6 Safety Tips: Kids DO Die In Hot Cars

With us being in the full swing of August, and most of the country having record high temperatures this year, I have been slightly nagged to do a blog post on infant deaths in hot cars. The statistics are staggering, and they are not all cases of neglected kids left for hours in a car while mom is out having a good time. Most involve normal kids from normal families, and could have been prevented with just a few simple safety measures.