Road Trip Activities 101

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Kerri

Road Trips are a fun family tradition I look back on with fondness....UNTIL I became the Mom and realized all the behind-the-scenes work that my Mom must have put in to make it all happen! The planning, organizing, gathering, etc. etc. etc, just to make sure we were all happy.

Because every road-trip parent knows that the ride is a lot more fun for everyone if the kids are occupied and happy than if they are restless and cranky.

My family of 5 (ages 5, 3 1/2, and nearly 2) just wrapped up our 2nd annual cross-country road trip, and this one wins the title of best trip ever. With a little preparation and advanced planning, your next road trip can be full of fun memories, instead of "are-we-there-yet" headaches.

1. Use your local library

Get materials that will be new and engaging for your children. Go early enough before your trip to request holds or transfers on items you want. Some libraries also have travel-kits available for check out that have activities, coloring sheets, and books your kids will like. Search-and-Find books captivate my kids, from 18 months and up, as they are visually stimulating and can mostly be used independently from a parent. Some even have Board Book versions. Look for these Search-and-find books:

  1. The "I SPY" series by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick
  2. The "Can You See What I See" by Walter Wick
  3. The "Look-Alikes" by Joan Steiner
  4. The "Where's Waldo" series by Martin Hanford
  5. The "1001 Things to Spot" series put out by Usborne. Search by title, because they are published by several different authors names.

Check out Books-on-CDs for your kids, too. We love the short stories, often found in the children's section. Sometimes I leave the books at home and just listen to the stories while we drive. Other times, I make sure to take 2 copies of the books, so each child old enough can have one to follow along. One big tip: Compile all the short stories into 1 CD before you leave. Otherwise you will be juggling with lots of CDs and cases every 3-5 minutes.

Check out some longer books-on-CDs, too. For our ages, we've been captivated by:

  1. The Magic Tree House books on CD by Mary Pope Osborn
  2. A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
  3. The Romona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary
  4. Shel Silverstein's poem collections (Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, etc.)

And remember to get something for the parents, too. There will be times that the kids will be asleep or self-entertained. This is a good time to have something you will enjoy individually or as a couple. Get some books to read, or a book on CD you would enjoy together. We always take at least one stand-up comedy CD. Try Bill Cosby, Brian Regan, or Seinfeld.

2. Plan your Stops ahead of time

Your trip will be a success if you remember these 3 things that kids need but are often ignored in the car.

1) Wiggle Room
2) Natural Sunlight
3) Permission to use their energy

Every family will have to stop at some point to get wiggles out, use the restroom, and have a meal. Why not plan it around something captivating for the kids? Check out roadsideamerica.com to see what amazing Road Trip sights are on your route. Yes, this includes the largest ball of twine. We used this site on our most recent trip and found amazing stops along the way, including a toy train musuem just minutes off the main highway. I kept a list of interesting sites and addresses on hand, so when we were ready to stop we could just plug it into the GPS. Also, if you have a smart phone, type in "splash pad" or "playground" into Google and the cities you are approaching and you will be able to find a great park to picnic in and use some energy. You will all feel refreshed and rejuvenated after some fresh air, natural sunlight, and running around, even for a few minutes. And you'll end up seeing more of the country than the interstate rest areas allow.

3. Plan Healthy Snacks

Eating the wrong foods while driving can affect everyone's moods ... and digestive systems. Keep junk food to a minimum, and try to maintain your regular eating schedule. Instead of allowing kids to graze and munch the whole car ride, anticipate lunch time and snack times and have the food prepared for them before they get too hungry. Treats are fun, but remember that sugars will make kids hyper and then sluggish...a bad combination for being strapped in a car for too long. Sugars also affect the drivers, as they make you feel tired and bloated. You will feel more comfortable and alert by choosing natural foods and sugars, as found in fruits and veggies, other than chips and processed foods. Most importantly, keep everyone hydrated. Water Water Water. 100% Juice Boxes are great too, but keep water as your main source to keep your bodies feeling great. For some more ideas, click here.

4. Bring activities that Engage their Brains

Perhaps you've noticed, but kids are happier when their brains are being active. Instead of relying on DVDs or Electronic games, neither of which require brain exercise, bring a variety of activities that will keep the kids active and engaged. When their brains are happy, their moods are more likely to be happy. When their brains are not engaged, they will more likely be bored, and as a result, complain and whine. To have a happy trip, help the kids stay happy with the right activities. For example:

1. Books to look at, Books on CDs, and parent Read-Alouds.
2. Coloring Books and Crayons. Divide the crayons into baggies for each child. In my opinion, road trips are worth investing in Crayola's Color Wonder Books, with markers that mark only on the special paper and nothing else. Have Tape in the car to display their pictures on the window.
3. Take cookie sheets to act as table tops for their laps. This helps keep markers, toys, and food in place.


4. Make Paper Bag Puppets -- pack along some lunch bags, googly-eyes stickers, and markers in one baggie and pull it out for a half-time craft. Then use the puppets for some read aloud stories.


5. Make Mini Marshmallows and Toothpicks Sculptures(on their cookie sheets)
6. Magnets are fascinating, too. Take the ABC magnets from your fridge for car learning, or put magnets on the back of puzzle pieces, using your cookie sheets for magnet table top.


7. Thread Pony Beads onto Pipe Cleaners -- the pipe cleaners are bendable and have friction so the beads don't slide off! Again, the edged cookie sheets are great! Fun to make for presents if you are going to be seeing family or friends along the way!
8. Print out Travel Games and Bingo at crayola.com. Also print off Coloring Pages, Dot-to-Dot, Color by number, and other activity pages from here.
9. Bring Postcards and stamps. Write at least one postcard each day to a family member, or to your family to receive when you get home. Send it from a city along the way.


10. Cotton Balls or marbles and egg crates. Youngsters love to place the balls in the egg cartons over and over again. Older kids can play a fun games by themselves, with a sibling, or a parent. Put a marble in every hole except for one. Find a marble that can jump over one marble and land in the empty hole. Remove the marble that was jumped over. Now you have 2 empty holes. Continue jumping marbles around the crate until you can't jump anymore...the challenge is to get it down to 1 marble remaining.

5. More Helpful Hints

1. Keep your car organized and clean. Discard trash each time you stop. Put toys back in their bags frequently. An orderly vehicle can help everyone's spirits stay bright.
2. Take a screwdriver and extra batteries, or rechargeable batteries and a car charger. Helpful for any battery-operated toys or games.
3. Ziplog bags of all sizes are helpful, too. We use them to pass snacks back to the kids or to store unfinished snacks. They're great if someone has an accident or gets carsick as it locks any stink right in until you can get to a trash can.
4. Keep bubbles close by to Mom. When the kids need a quick mood change, blowing bubbles into the back seat does wonders!
5. Use bungie cords to help toys stay close to carseats for little toddlers.
6. Give bigger kids plastic grabbers (you know, those plastic claw things?) so they can pick up their own dropped toys.

The most important advice I can pass on from our trip is this: Let your vacation begin the minute you leave your house and last until the moment you get home. Happy Road Tripping!

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Favorite Dress to Favorite Skirt

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Sunny

Does your daughter have a favorite dress that she has grown out of? Consider recycling it into her favorite skirt! When my daughter was 2 years old, she loved her "butterfly dress," and it later became her little sister's favorite dress. But this summer it's too small even for her, so we made it into a skirt for her older sister who is glad to have it back!

I simply cut the top of the dress off--in this case right under the arms.

I ironed and sewed the raw edge down, and that was IT!

girl wearing skirt made from favorite dress

I used part of the cut off top to make a matching hair clip. That actually took longer than the skirt did.

hair clip made from the scrap material

And in case you're trying to do this and came across this question, I left the button below the cut off intact. For this skirt to go on and off, it still needs the button. And I left the tie on because it's cute and gives a better, more versitile fit.

the button below the cut is left on

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The Many Faces of Vinegar

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Janae

Lately, I've been pleasantly surprised by the "all-around" uses of Distilled White Vinegar. Apparently, Vinegar is a natural cleaner, heating agent, and antiseptic. So, it's uses are many. Here's a few you might find useful.

Dishwashing Rinse-Aid: Just add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse aid cup. No more spotted dishes! For a couple of years now I've gone without a rinse aid, content to deal with spotted glasses in order to maximize the budget and minimize the chemicals in our home. But, when I learned about vinegar, I tried it and it works great!

Carpet Cleaner: For spot cleaning, just spray vinegar directly on the spot and blot up. It's worked great on all sorts of spots...new ones, old ones, you name it! I also put it in my carpet cleaner instead of soap. It works great, leaves no residue to attract dirt, and surprisingly, does NOT leave a funny odor.

Mildew Remover: Spray on bathtubs, tiles, and bathroom fixtures (not marble, limestone, or travertine) to get ride of mildew.

Now a few I haven't tried, but sound great:

Laundry Soap Booster: Add 1/2 cup to a load of laundry to freshen and brighten clothing.

Wrinkle Spray: Mist dried, wrinkled clothing with a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Hang to dry.

Ease sunburn and bug bites: Dab affected area with cotton ball saturated with Vinegar.

Clean Store-bought Produce: Combine 4 Tablespoons of vinegar with 1 gallon water. Rinse produce with mixture to clean.

And, my son's personal favorite: Volcano Builder: In a baking pan, pack clay or mud around a small soda bottle until the structure resembles a mountain. Do not get the clay or mud inside the bottle. Fill the bottle 3/4 with warm tap water and, if desired, food coloring. Add 6 drops of dish detergent and 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the bottle. To create the eruption, slowly and carefully pour vinegar into the bottle. (Note: We've never built the whole volcano, but my son loves to combine baking soda and vinegar to create eruptions.)

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You CAN Make Freezer Jam!

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Cheri

Homemade. To some, that sounds scary. Add to that Homemade Freezer Jam and it sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? No! It is one of the easiest homemade recipes to successfully complete and you can do it too!

All you need is fresh fruit, sugar, and Sure-Jell Pectin.

What is pectin? It is a derivitive from natural fruits, mostly apples, I believe, that allows your jam to gel together and set. It is NOT the same as gelatin. You can get a variety of pectins from the grocery store or Walmart, but I prefer Sure-Jell Premium Pectin (in the yellow box). I have had problems with the Certo Liquid Pectin, but rarely have problems with the yellow box.

Every box of Sure-Jell comes with instructions for a variety of freezer jams and cooked jams and jellies. Start with the freezer jams. They are easier and taste more like fresh fruit than the cooked ones. For one batch of strawberry jam, you'll need 1 1/2 lbs. strawberries, 4 cups sugar, and 1 box of pectin, plus containers to put your jam in. These can be pint-sized canning jars with lids and rims or just old sour cream containers. Whatever you have. But they should not be large because the jams may not set as well in a large container. And it has to be able to go in the freezer.

Follow the instructions that come with the pectin. But here are some tips. You do need to be accurate in your measurements. A scant cup of sugar is not the same as a level cup of sugar. Make sure you are getting level cups. Same with the fruit. Don't just guess-timate. Measure. Let the sugar and fruit combo sit for at LEAST 10 minutes, stirring frequently to get the sugar to dissolve. If the sugar isn't mostly dissolved before you add the pectin, it isn't going to be completely dissolved AFTER you add the pectin. And finally, make sure you boil that pectin for 1 minute. Follow the instructions, they are there for a reason.

That being said, there are a few tricks that I've learned that go AGAINST the instructions. First, you CAN use frozen fruit when you are making combination jams. If you're making plain strawberry, you must use fresh strawberries. But if you're making strawberry-mango, you can use frozen mangos with fresh strawberries. Or with raspberry-peach, you can use frozen raspberries with fresh peaches. Same with blueberry-peach, you can use frozen blueberries.

Second, you can double the recipe. Tripling it causes more non-sets. But doubling generallly works and saves you time. Just make sure your bowls are big enough.

Third, even though it says the batch makes so many cups, every time I find I end up with more jam than it says.

And lastly, play around with the recipes! If you notice on the instructions, there is not a recipe for strawberry-mango OR blueberry-peach. But I adjusted things here and there to create my recipes for those flavors and they've turned out beautifully.

If you do have a batch that doesn't set, it is easy to fix. Just dump all the jams back into a large bowl and add one cup of sugar. Stir well and let sit another 10 minutes to dissolve. Prepare another box of pectin like you did the first one and add it to the jam. Stir well and pour into jars again. It should set just fine. If, however, it doesn't, jam is a great topping for pancakes, waffles, french toast, and ice cream!

Now all you need to do is run out to the store and get your supplies and get making some jam! While you wait for it to set up, whip up some homemade bread to go with it and you can consider dinner made.

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Math Machine – a craft for elementary age kids

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Sunny

I was helping my daughter make one of these for her kindergarten teacher, and my husband suggested I do a post on it. My boys have made these for teachers and friend gifts before also. I had made one in elementary school myself and remembered enjoying it, so it just goes to show I do remember something I learned in school. (The basic machine is just the purple center unit–my daughter waxed creative and added the blue units on the sides)

Even with the electronic gadgets kids play with all the time now, they still seem to enjoy seeing how this simple machine works. Try it to help your child keep up their math skills over the summer, or make cards to learn vocabulary in a foreign language, etc. Be careful about making too many cards, though. It can be overwhelming to a child. If you do make too many, put some away for the future.

Purple math machine with card coming out with the answer 4

Materials:

cardboard 1/2 gallon juice/milk carton, washed out and dry
empty cereal box (or other chipboard)
packing tape
pointed scissors, an art knife would be helpful as well
a ruler if you are a measurer
extras: paints, stickers, etc. to decorate, maybe a milk cap with a brad for a dial

1. Cut two 3/4″ slots in carton approximately 1 inch from the top and 1 inch from the bottom.

2. Cut two rectangles from the cereal box slightly narrower than the juice carton (mine is 3 3/4″) and approximate lengths 10 1/2″ and 7 1/2″

(If you want a milk lid knob on the front that turns, you need to attach it with a brad before the next step.)

3. Tape the longer rectangle to the top of the top slot and the bottom of the bottom slot.

4. Tape the shorter rectangle to the bottom of the top slot and the top of the bottom slot. You are creating a path for the card to follow so it will turn over before falling out of the bottom slot.

5. Test with a card about 3 1/4″ x 2 1/2″.

If the space between the two rectangles turns out too narrow or too wide, the card will not turn over and slide out easily. This will also be a problem if the card size is too big. The card should slide out of the machine and on to the counter easily.

6. Decorate as desired. You may want to make a card holder and tape it to the side of the carton. The bottom 2″ of a mac & cheese box works well. You can use the top of the box too and have two holders, one for the cards to be put in, one for the cards that have come out.

The craft paint covered the waxy carton and the packing tape better than I expected, though the stickers didn’t all stick to the paint as well I would have thought. She’s using leftover fabric paint in the picture below to add some details and label the slots “IN” and “OUT”. Paint pens are great for this, if you have them.

7. Make cards. You can make your own, or print off ours. Here is a file my husband made for me of cards with easy math problems. He put a frame around the problem side of the card so the child can easily recognize which side to read and insert up. You can also use our Math Machine Card Generator program to create cards for more advanced math problems.

Generator Info:

When you download the Math Machine Card Generator, you will probably get a message asking if you want to open it or save it. Save it somewhere on your computer and then unzip it. You can then open it in Excel (enable macros!) and follow the instructions in the first worksheet (named “Instructions”). The card setup and final output are in the 2nd and 3rd worksheets, respectively.

This is free, but please give credit where it is due. Tell people where you got it from. It is written in Microsoft Excel with macros so you will need to have Excel to use it and make sure you enable macros when you open it. We know it works on Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7 but we haven’t tried it on a Mac. But it should work there, too, with the exception of Excel 2008 which does not support macros. We also have only tried this on Excel 2003 and Excel 2000. It is also in a zipped format. Some versions of Windows include the options to extract files from zipped folders but if you don’t see that, you may have to find a zip file extraction program. The Math Machine Card Generator program doesn’t come with any guaranties or warranties. And even though we have scanned it for viruses, we are not liable for any real or perceived issues resulting from you downloading or using this program. If you enjoy using this Math Machine Card Generator program or if you find bugs in it, please leave a comment on this post.

May your kids enjoy learning all year ’round! Let me know if you have any other great ideas or uses for the Math Machine.

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Kids Eat Free

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Janae

With a large family, eating out can seem like an impossibility. But, in today's economy, more and more restaurants are realizing the valuing of catering to families with kids. Lots of restaurants now offer Kids Eat Free nights (or close to it...some are actually Kids Eat for 99 cents, but it's still a killer deal). In attempting to make a great list for you, I stumbled upon a great site that will give you a list specific to your state. Check it out and enjoy meals out with your kids!

www.mykidseatfree.com

I saw they are also adding a site called mykidsgofree.com. It looks like a great resource for vacation and fun ideas, though it hasn't filled all the states yet. If you're in one of the lucky states that are listed, you may also get some great activity ideas for free, too!

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How To Make Your Own Word Art

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Heidi

My mother in law's birthday was coming up, and as a woman who doesn't need or want a lot of stuff, I had no idea what to give her.

I'm one of the lucky ones who has an amazing woman as a mother in law. With many admirers and close friends, I often have people tell me qualities they love about her. And that gave me an idea for a gift that is uniquelly hers.

We made her a framed reminder of some of her greatest qualities :


Gift complete!

Of course, this can be made for any occasion and with any type of words. We all have words that inspire us, bring holiday cheer, or remind us of our aspirations. Consider creating a reminder of these inspiring words by using this same technique.

This is a kid-friendly project, and allows you to reuse those pieces of fabric from old clothes or left overs from sewing projects.

How to Make Your Own Word Art

What you will need

Picture frame

Modge podge

Scraps of fabric

Scrapbook letter stickers

I found these cute scrapbook letter stickers on Amazon that would work great. Check them out!

1. Ask close friends and family members to describe the recipient in one word.

2. Pre-design your artwork by laying out the scraps of fabric on top of the cardboard insert that came with the picture frame.

3. Lightly and evenly spread the modge podge on the cardboard.

Be careful -- larger blobs of modge podge will seep through the fabric. It can be difficult to readjust the fabric once it is in contact with the modge podge.


Painting on the Modge Podge

3. Carefully press the fabric into place. You may want to consider overlapping the fabric for a fun look.

4. Create the adjectives by using the scrapbook letter stickers. Place whereever, being aware of edges that will be covered by the frame.

5. Write the names of the people on the back of the frame whose feelings were expressed in your homemade word art.


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Best Cinnamon Rolls

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Cheri

Occasionally, you need a treat. Right? I'm not alone in this, am I? Sometimes we need that treat more often than others, but we would never admit that. Just like I would never admit that in the last 36 hours I have had 4 of these amazing cinnamon rolls. Including the one I'm eating right now. I've made a half dozen batches of cinnamon rolls in the last year or so, but I think I've finally mastered it to produce the most incredible cinnamon rolls ever. And I'm going to share the secrets with you.

Secret #1--the texture of the dough. This is the MOST important part. You must not add too much flour to this recipe. When you add the flour to the dough, add it slowly and mix well in between, for about 2 mintues between each addition to make sure it is incorporated. In the end, you should be able to touch the dough without it sticking all over your fingers but it should still be sticking to the bottom of the bowl and should be VERY soft and slightly sticky.

Secret #2--the temperature of the oven. You're not making bread here, you're making sweet rolls. You are trying to bake them for a short period of time in a hot oven. If your oven tends to be too hot, lower the temp to 385 degrees, but not past that. Do not over bake them. They should be golden brown, not dark brown. Light.

Secret #3--the filling. First of all, don't try to make these healthy. They're not supposed to be. Embrace the butter and sugar content. Just don't eat the whole pan or make brownies, cookies, and a chocolate cake on the same day...unless you're throwing a party. Anyway, don't be afraid of the flour in the filling. Add it, love it. Be generous when you're spreading the filling over the dough, but make sure to save enough for a layer of filling in the bottom of your pan. This will elevate your rolls from good to incredible. And lastly, do not ignore the step of turning your rolls over at the end. Sure, it's not as pretty, but it will amaze you what that step adds to your rolls.

Now for the recipe.

BEST CINNAMON ROLLS EVER

  • 1 cup milk, divided
  • 5 Tbs butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp yeast
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • Bread flour

Filling:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter, very soft
  • 1-2 Tbs flour (all-purpose)
  • Nuts, if desired

Frosting:

  • 6 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a glass dish, combine 3/4 cup milk with 5 Tbs butter and heat in microwave in 30 second intervals until butter is melted. Add 1/4 cup cold milk and pour into mixing bowl (or KitchenAid). Add sugar and yeast and let proof for 5 minutes. (It will not get as bubbly as it would in water, but you do want to see some activity going on.) Add eggs, salt, and 2 cups of bread flour. (Sure, you could use all purpose flour or even try to make these slightly healthy using wheat flour, but don't blame me when they don't turn out as good as I'm making them sound...they really can be amazing, but you have to use bread flour.) Mix well. Add additional flour slowly until dough is pulled away from the sides of the bowl but NOT the bottom and is slightly sticky and soft. Cover and let rise about 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix together filling ingredients. (I like my butter to be VERY soft.) The flour will help keep the filling from just oozing out of your rolls. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish (I prefer a glass casserole dish to a metal jellyroll pan.) Pour 1/4-1/2 cup of your filling into the bottom of the pan. (You want it to be more than just a coating, but not a swimming pool.) If you are using nuts, sprinkle them generously over the filling in the pan.

When dough has risen significantly, punch down and roll out onto lightly floured surface. You do not want to add too much extra flour. Roll out into large rectangle until 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Spread filling over entire surface, all the way out to edges. Roll the longer edge inward to create a roll. Roll tightly. Using floss or thread or another string, score the top of the roll into halves. First mark the middle of the roll. Then mark the middle of each side, then the middles of each quarter, etc. Each roll should be about 1- 1 1/2 inches thick. When I made these last night, I ended up with 16 rolls, plus the ends I cut off for my daughter to eat raw. So in theory, 18, though I never count the ends.

Go back and cut into rolls using the floss or string by sliding it under the long roll, crossing over the top where your score mark is, and pulling to cut. Place each roll into prepared pan and filling. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (or 385 if your oven runs hot).

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. DO NOT overbake. Remove from oven and let sit for 2 minutes. Then flip over onto another pan or baking sheet and let cool 10 minutes before frosting.

Mix together frosting ingredients. Add more of any ingredient to taste. Spread over tops of warm rolls. Serve and enjoy.

Now, if you would excuse me...I need to go lick my plate...

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Southwestern Veggie Wrap

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Sunny

This is one of my favorite summertime recipes. I made it up myself trying to get more greens into my diet and picnic cooler. It's got it all--your veggies, your protein, your whole grains, though most of the ingredients can be left out or added to as desired (or depending what's in your fridge). I often make these wraps to take to the pool and share with friends. Thanks for posing for me, Janae!

Southwestern Veggie Wrap

Chopped Romaine lettuce (about half a head or a whole heart)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 or so cucumber, diced. Probably less.
1 can beans (black, kidney, etc) rinsed and not too wet
1 avocado, chopped and seasoned to taste (I like salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice)
1 cup or so frozen corn
Shredded cheese, as desired. I used colby/jack.
Kroger’s Lite Southwest Ranch
8 or so tortillas, fewer if they are large
plastic wrap

I like to let the beans dry a while in the strainer so they aren't too wet. Then mix everything (except the tortillas, of course) in a big bowl. I use frozen corn still frozen so that the salad is cooled from the inside--brilliant, I know! I told you this is perfect cooler food. If you are packing it, it will thaw before you can eat it, don't worry about that.

Lay out a generous piece of plastic wrap and put out some of the salad on it. Here I am using tortillas that are a bit smaller than I'd like. (The burrito size are good, but I can't find any whole grain tortillas that size that I like. Bigger would be even better, like wraps in restaurants, but they are way too expensive for me.) I deal with the smallish tortilla by making plastic wrap do the work of holding the stuff in. Which is one reason why I consider this a great cooler food--I don't want to wrap something I'm just going to put on a plate and eat.

wrap ingredients on the tortilla, which is on a large piece of Saran Wrap or plastic wrap

To hold more salad, I only fold up the one side of the tortilla. For the other side, I twist the plastic wrap before folding it down to make it obvious which side to start eating on.

wrap wrapped in plastic wrap with the end twisted to show which end you should open first

A cooler full of these little babies, and you and your friends don't have to eat what the kids are eating at the pool! Unless, of course, they want a bite.

placing another wrap in the cooler

Cool and refreshing, and you can feel good about it. This dressing tastes great, but can be hard to find, as I've only seen this one store brand. I'm sure regular Ranch would be good also, though you may want to add some taco seasoning or something for a little zip. If you have suggestions for other dressing, or better yet, a homemade healthier version, I'd love to hear about it.

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Make Your Own Tetherball Game (with a Balloon!)

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Heidi

Playing Homemade Tetherball

A favorite summer pasttime -- tetherball -- is fun for all ages. And not having a proper pole or ball doesn't have to stop you from batting around!

Here's how you can make a super-simple yet effective tetherball game (or shall we say, tetherballoon!)

What you need:

- A medium size balloon

- Water

- Twine (6' to 9' long -- the longer the twine, the more times the balloon has to go around the pole to win.)

- A pole or straight tree (A pole is better than a tree because the bark can cause the balloon to pop, but use what you've got! We used an umbrella pole. A post on a house porch can work, or a flag pole -- be creative!)

How to make your own tetherball game:

Blow up a medium size balloon.

Add 1/4 cup water to the balloon. This gives it some weight.

Tie the twine around any type of pole or straight tree.

To tie the twine on the pole, pinch the twine against the pole with about 3 inches hanging down. The height of the twine should be higher than the height of the players. Tightly wrap the twine around the twine that's hanging down until you reach the end. Pull the rest of the twine through the loop of twine at the top.

Tie the balloon to the end of the twine.

How to play

The goal of the game is to wrap the twine all the way around the pole in your direction. Both players are trying to wrap around to their respective right or left. Players wrap the twine by hitting, punching, or swinging the balloon. The only firm and fast rule is each player remains on their own side of the pole -- no crossies! Besides that, you can make up as many house rules as you wish.

HAVE FUN!!!!

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