Backyard Fire Pit

We invested in a fire pit a couple of years ago and  it has been a great addition to our backyard. It's one of our favorite things to do on a summer evening: having a campfire without the camping. Just sitting around watching the fire and talking until the late hours of the night.

Kick Bones

Jess wants to take a bunch of games with her to school when she goes: games, movies and a popcorn popper will hopefully help make her one of the social hubs of her floor. We bought her a pack of dice and started learning some dice games. This one is super quick to learn, fun to play and all of the game pieces can fit into your pocket.

Don't Drink!..... But, If You Do

We have always raised our kids to not drink. We have discussed with them, ad nauseum, the dangers of too much alcohol. They have grown up with the phrases "You never want to turn your right to choose over to something else" and "It only takes one choice and one moment to change your life forever". We have also taught them this with the big but at the end of it, and I have learned recently how important that big but is.
 

The Man Cave: Food Fight

I don't remember now if it was green beans or broccoli. I think it was green beans. Jeff was 5, and he didn't want to eat them. As his father I had taken my stand: you will not leave this table until your plate is clean.

And so it began.

10 Tips For A Successful Hike

I have spent the last couple of days talking about hiking in my posts Take A Hike and Our Top 10 Trail Foods. We are in prime hiking season here, and if you haven't done much, I highly recommend you get out there and hit some trails. If you do a lot of hiking, bear with me and share any ideas you have that I haven't mentioned.

Today I will give you 10 Tips to ensure you have a successful hike.

Our Top 10 Trail Foods

As mentioned yesterday in "Take A Hike!", we are pretty avid hikers around here. If we have a sunny weekend you can pretty much guarantee we are out on the trails at least one of the days. We have had a lot of trial and error on what kinds of foods work best when hiking, so today I will share our top 10.

Take A Hike!

One of our most favorite things to do through the summer months is hike. There aren't many things more satisfying than hauling tail up the side of a mountain to a beautiful view, or cooling off in an alpine lake you worked so hard to get to. It doesn't matter the age or athletic ability, everyone can hike.

Biking On The Water

Needing a little something different to do on a hot summer day? This just might be your ticket. You can be out on the water, get a little exercise, and if the weather is hot enough take a dip and cool off.

Paddle boats are perfect for a great family activity.

Bubbles! 10 Homemade Bubble Wands

One of my favorite summer activities is blowing bubbles. It just takes me back to being a kid, is relaxing and looks super cool. The best time for me? Right as the sun is starting to go down, the weather is cooling off a bit, and it is comfortable to sit outside and watch your bubbles float lazily down to the lawn. Here are some fun ways to get creative with bubbles.

Dreamy Ice Cream

I saw this idea this morning and since it is National Ice Cream Month, and it looked so simple and amazing, I thought I would share. 

I really think they should make ice cream it's own food group ;o) Yum!