Backyard Campfire

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Janae

Today I want to share one of our favorite summer traditions: A Backyard Campfire.

Needed Supplies:

  • An outdoor fire pit. Believe it or not, these don't have to be expensive. We found ours for $35 at Walmart a couple of years ago. Searching online, I found a few under $50. We bought the cheapest we could find and though it's not the gorgeous designer kind, it works great for an evening camp fire roast with the kids.
  • Firewood. Whenever sticks fall in our yard, we have our kids gather them and place them a bucket to use as kindling. For a great fire starter, keep the lint from your dryer. LIgh
  • Hot dogs
  • Hot dog Buns
  • Graham Crackers
  • Marshmallows
  • Chocolate (For added fun, buy Reese's Peanut Butter cups instead of Hershey bars...YUM!)
  • Roasting Sticks
  • Camp Chairs
  • Kids, friends, neighbors, whomever!

There's not much to say as to how to make this a great night. Without fail, it always wins the "hands-down best summer meal" year after year with the kids. Even the neighborhood kids look forward to "hot dog night" at our house. And while they enjoy the novelty of it all, we enjoy the quiet time as the fire burns down to just sit and chat and watch the stars come out.

Just a few safety tips: Check your community's weather and fire danger before starting a fire. Dry and windy? Probably best to wait for another night. Also, be sure to extinguish the fire completely before calling it a night. And, finally, depending upon the model you buy, you may need to have some sort of stone beneath the fire pit. We place ours on the patio. But, if you want to place it on your grass, water it down pretty good first and then use a large paver or stone beneath it to keep it from burning the grass.

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Posted in Activities, Children, Family, Food, Fun, Janae, Outdoor Activities, Summer Fun, The Moms | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Quick Cleaning Tips

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Cheri

Do you have a messy eater in your home? Or maybe two? Or three? I find that the floor under our table is always messy, wet, sticky, or literally STUCK. Cheerios and Life cereal are the worst, aren't they!? Today, we had milk, water, blueberry shake, Cheerios, beans, and meat stuck on the floor. Okay, that's admitting that I didn't clean up after each meal, since that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but let's just say it was a busy day. Plus, I'm big and pregnant and getting on my hands and knees isn't something I like doing multiple times a day.

The mess is often on the table, too, especially around my 1-year-old's table seat. Oatmeal, eww...It gets pretty gross.

I used to battle against those nasty stuck on leftovers. I tried getting a towel wet and leaving it on top of the mess to loosen it from the grasps of the laminate flooring, but generally that ended up in me forgetting that I had put it there since it took so long for it to loosen the gunk. I've taken a knife to my floors, trying to scrape it all up, but I have some reservations about the scratch marks on my wood table and laminate floors. Finally, one day, I had a revelation. Sure, you probably had this revelation years ago, but it was an "ah-ha" moment for me. And now I share it with you.

A trusty spray bottle + water = less work and no mess!

As I was cleaning up the kitchen, I picked up the spray bottle I use to spray my daughters' hair on non-bath days to put it away when I suddenly thought of the gunk on the table and floor I'd have to tackle in a few minutes. Instead of putting it away, I quickly sprayed down my table and floor. Sure, the concept is the same if you're using household cleaner, which I'm sure would be better, but to be perfectly honest, I don't have any in spray bottles because they keep clogging my spray bottles. You could add a little soap to the water if you wanted to. Regardless, the result was awesome. Give it a couple minutes and wipe it all up. And it all comes up so nicely. No more scrubbing, scraping, or scratching.

(Yes, I feel a little foolish posting this. I do realize it is not a new concept. But maybe someone out there has been frustrated about stuck on messes and needed a quick, easy, on-hand, free solution. So I posted it.)

Now, for another quick and easy clean up solution, think about your microwave. Do you have stuck on (burned on) messes in there too? Just take a cotton dish rag, get it wet and ring it out. Pop it in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Open up the microwave and use that same dish rag to clean up all the mess. (Careful, the towel may be hot.) Everything will just wipe off.

If you're cleaning out your fridge, get your towel wet with hot water before wiping down your shelves and it will take the mess off quicker too!

Now, just find the motivation to get cleaning, and hopefully it'll go faster!!

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Posted in All Writers, Cheri, Cleaning Tips, Family, For You, Money Saving Tips, Spring Cleaning, The House, The Moms | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

4th of July Good Eats!

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Kerri

If your favorite holiday came only once a year, you'd want to eat it all up, too! Aside from the other staple foods at our 4th of July barbecues, here are my top picks from our house. Click the links for my recipes.

Patriotic Jello -- Super duper festive! Adults think it looks cool, and kids think it tastes cool...what could be better?

Berry Apple Crisp -- a Red, White, and Blue twist on my favorite apple crisp recipe!

Peach Mango Salsa -- delicious with every backyard barbecue!


Blueberry Flag Cake --Yum, I've made it every year, but next year, I'm making a fruit pizza version!

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Posted in All Writers, Food, Holidays, Kerri, Recipes, The Moms | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

American Flag Retirement Ceremony

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Sunny

worn American Flag

Have you ever wondered what was the appropriate thing to do with your Old Glory that is too worn to use? My sons' Boy Scout troop was asked to put on a flag retirement ceremony, and now we know! For more details, you can check out the U.S. Scouting Service Project web site.

They announced ahead of time that they would be having the ceremony, giving flag owners an opportunity to bring their worn or soiled flags.

It is interesting to know that the flag should be cut up before being burned. When it is cut, the blue field of stars should be left intact, as it represents the Union. Here is some footage of our ceremony.

The boys also commented that it was really hot around that metal drum.

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Celebrating Independence Day

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Janae

I love Independence Day. I always have. It is definitely one of my favorite, if not THE favorite holiday of the year. I love all the fun that surrounds the day. I love the big brass band music, the thrill that leaps in my heart as they play the Star-Spangled Banner. I love hanging out with my family on a big huge blanket, filled with treats and snacks and just laying down, getting ready for the show to begin. And, most of all, I LOVE the boom of the fireworks, when the ground shakes and skies fill with color. I LOVE it.

So, today I thought I'd share just a few ideas to help make your holiday great. Most of all, I hope you'll share your ideas because in my mind, there's never too much celebrating on the 4th!

  1. Start the day with a red, white and blue meal. We love to make waffles topped with whip cream, strawberries, and blueberries. Elizabeth took it a step further and really put patriotism on her plate!

2. Decorate your bikes and either join a community bike ride or do one of your own. Use streamers and glitter strands and get as creative as you can!

3. Host a BBQ! There's nothing like grilling on the fourth.

4. I love to get all dressed up in our red, white and blue. My kids all don their American Flags and wave them endlessly during the parades and fireworks show. There's something about dressing patriotic that makes the day fun! Make it even more special with a little face paint!

5. Do you research and pick the fireworks you like the best. I know you may think this is over the top and if you love your neighborhood fireworks then great! But, too often I've been disappointed by the local show. Last year, I got on all the surrounding community websites and found out what each community had scheduled. I found the one that had fireworks set to music, bands playing all evening, free bounce houses, bubble machines, and fair-like booths for the kids. It was perfect for our family. Like something a little less kid-oriented and more "quiet"? You'll find the community just right for you.

6. Now, the most important thing: Glow sticks. With 5 kids, this can get pricey at the fireworks. The salesman walk around as the kids drool and beg for their own glow stick necklaces and bracelets. Win your kids' heart, get in the spirit of things, but don't break the bank by running to the dollar store ahead of time and grabbing a bunch for the special event.

7. Now's where I need your help. This year I'm struggling to come up with dinner. We usually get to the fireworks location in time to have fun before settling down on our blankets for dinner. Any great ideas for dinner on the go? Something that we can eat cold or even have hot and insulated in a cooler? I'm not sure why I'm stumped, but I can't seem to solve this dilemma. So, write in and let me know if you have any great meal or snack traditions at the fireworks!

8. For great fourth of July tips, check out familyfun.com. There are great crafts, recipes and activities for the fourth! Whatever you do, love it and Happy Independence Day! A special thank you to all those who have defended our freedom through the years. You are what make this holiday so special.

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Posted in All Writers, Fun, Holidays, Janae, Proud to be an American, The Moms | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Make Water Taste Good

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Heidi

Summer means more time outside in the sun, necessitating the need to hydrate ourselves. Unless I'm really thirsty, I find chugging down glasses of water to be a chore, especially if it's tap water. But I have learned that we really ought to be hydrating our bodies before they are begging for water.

Lately, due to some fun additions, however, I have really enjoyed a tall glass of water.

Here are some ingredients to add to your pitcher of water to make your water taste good, which will help your whole family stay hydrated this summer. With the exception of lemon water, all these recipes are even better if the ingredients are allowed to sit for a few hours. If you're in a hurry, you can boil part of the water first with the ingredients. Vegetables and fruit should not be boiled first.

Cucumber- Mint- Lemon Water

Add 10 slices of cucumber, a few mint leaves, and a squirt of lemon to a pitcher of water.

Cucumber - Rosemary Water

Add 10 cucumber slices and 1 rosemary sprig to water

Ginger - Cucumber Water

Steep a 2-inch long piece of fresh ginger for 10 minutes in 2 cups boiling water. Pour into pitcher. Add cold water, a whole cucumber. sliced, and ice cubes.

Ginger-Cucumber-Lemon-Mint Water

Add grated ginger, 10 slices of cucumber, a few mint leaves, and lemon juice to a pitcher of water.

Lemon Water

Add a squirt of lemon juice to a pitcher of water.

Lemon Basil Water

Add 2-3 large leaves of basil to lemon water.

Orange and Green Apple Water

Add the slices of one orange, plus 3 slices of green apple that have been doused with lemon juice.

Enjoy your water! If you have other water recipes you love, please share them in a comment 😉

I'd like to give credit to http://athome.kimvallee.com for a few of these recipes and the photos.

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Posted in All Writers, Cooking Tips and Tricks, Food, Heidi | 1 Comment

Chore Wheels

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Cheri

When we were growing up, our mom had a chore chart taped to the inside of the cupboard door. Our typical daily chores were: Set the table, Clear the table, Unload the dishwasher, Load the dishwasher, Sweep the floor. Our typical weekly chores were: Kitchen, Bathroom, Living Room, Laundry Room, Family Room, Basement, Study, and Entrance/Halls/Stairs. Besides the last one, does that sound familiar to anyone? It seems like chores are pretty standard and typical from home to home...at least the rooms in the home are and the things that need to be done around mealtime.

I really did enjoy having an assigned task when I was growing up so I wanted to start the same chores with my kids. Trying to remember who had what when to avoid the fighting and complaints about "I ALWAYS set!" or "I did that yesterday!" seemed too complicated, but simply having a list taped inside a cupboard door didn't seem exciting enough to capture my girls' attention. So I made a chore wheel.


(Here's an example of a chore wheel you can make)

The first wheel I made was to organize assignments for a family activity we have weekly. This one was a simple circle divided into four parts. I printed it in color, laminated it, and put a brad in the middle so it could spin. It has served us well. But I made it before our youngest was born, so I need to update it (preferrably before our next youngest will be born).

The second wheel I made, I didn't put as much time and energy into. I just drew it on cardstock, colored it, cut it out, and stuck something in the middle to make it spin. It works well, is really uneven, and gets bent easily because it is not laminated. I definitely prefer the first version.

But the second version allowed me more flexibility. I could give all the assignments I wanted to one kid for the entire day. I like that.

I made up some copies of different sized wheels for you to print out and write what you want on them. There's a 4-, 5-, and 6- person version. I know many of you need more than that, so play around with Word or Publisher and create whatever you need for your family. Just click here, print out the big and small of the shape you need, cut them out, label your names and chores on the correct spaces, and put the small on top of the big as shown on the third page of each shape (you don't need to cut out the third page). Stick a brad in the middle and you've got a chore wheel. Or go all out and laminate each piece before sticking together. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy sharing in the work so you can all share in the play!

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Posted in All Writers, Cheri, Children, Chores, Cleaning Tips, Family, For You, Fun, Goals, Learning, Organization, Organization, The House, The Moms | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joy School, a Co-op Preschool

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Sunny

Joy School Co-op preschoolIf you are thinking about preschool options, you should know about Joy School. Started by Linda and Richard Eyre when their own children were in preschool, Joy School has been taught by parents to their children and classmates for over 30 years (I'm going off of the fact that my mother-in-law did Joy School with her own children about that long ago).

The Joy School program is a co-op preschool where the moms are the teachers and the classroom is the home of the teaching mom. Class size is ideally about 6 students and is geared for the two years preceding kindergarten. This fall my will be about my seventh doing Joy School.

Here are some of the things I like about Joy School:

1) The curriculum teaches a child to better understand and enjoy who they are and the world around them. It is value oriented and includes such units as honesty and selfless service. It is non-academic, though there is an optional kindergarten readiness program the second year.

2) The lessons are completely planned out with helps, suggestions, options, and music. There are illustrations for stories and crafts that you just print out. I do confess though that it is a bit of work to put it all together, and the days it's your turn can be exhausting (but also rewarding). Look at how much fun we had the day we acted out the book Caps for Sale during the unit . (You may want to skip ahead, it's kind of long.)

3) The music deserves it's own place on the list. You can download the mp3's or have the CD's delivered, and there are several songs for every unit. Sure, some may be a little cheesy, but really there's a lot of good stuff in there. Here's are some Joy School children singing at their graduation a song from the "Family Security, Identity, and Pride" unit.

3) It is a bargain. You have to become a member of ValuesParenting, which is a $50 lifetime membership for your family. Then each semester costs $70 (or just $60 if you download the mp3's instead of getting the CDs). If you did Joy School with one child, the two years of preschool would cost $330 total. How much of a traditional preschool could you get for that? And any subsequent children you do Joy School with would be free.

4) The other moms are awesome and the interaction with them because of Joy School is a definite perk. The Joy School groups I have participated in have been made up of moms I already knew. The website also can help you find a group.

5) And, of course, being involved in what your child is doing and seeing first hand the experiences he is having is so helpful in understanding and supporting your child. It is also beneficial to get to know the other children in a way you never would just at a playgroup or play date.

If you have a preschool aged child, give it a thought. Let me know if you have any questions, or if you have taught Joy School already and have any other input.

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Posted in Children, Family, Learning, Sunny | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Perfect Summer T-Shirt

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Janae

The other day, my daughter came home from a day camp with the coolest shirt. Excited to teach us her new-found way of tye-dying, she quickly taught her brothers how to make one. They got to work and had a great time making shirts together. It was simple, creative and lots of fun!

Supplies Needed:

  • plain t-shirt (we used white, but I'm sure you could use any color)
  • sharpie fine-tipped markers in multiple colors
  • rubbing alcohol
  • dropper or squeeze bottle
  • rubberband
  • baby food jar
  • plastic placemat or cardboard
  • Dryer

Step 1: Place cardboard or placemat inside the t-shirt, separating the front from the back. This will stop color from bleeding through to other side.

Step 2: Place baby food jar inside the t-shirt. Tighten the t-shirt over the opening and secure with a rubberband.

Step 3: Using the sharpie markers, decorate the space over the jar. Experiment and have fun with this. Make dots, squiggles, lines, etc.

Step 4: Using a dropper or squeeze bottle, drop a few drops of rubbing alcohol over the design. You will see your design spread as it gets wet with the rubbing alcohol. You know you've used enough when the design spreads.

Step 5: Remove the rubberband and the jar.

Step 6: Start the process over. Fill the shirt if you'd like, or just put random designs around the shirt. The creativity is endless.

Step 7: When your shirt is completely finished, throw it in the dryer for 20 minutes.

Step 8: Wear your shirt with pride! Once it has been thoroughly heat dried, it is safe to wear and wash as normal.

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How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Heidi

Are you like me, and have a twinge of guilt when you slab on the oily peanut butter and sugary jelly onto slices of bread, day after day, and serve it as lunch to your kids?

Well, I thought up a solution and now I happily serve up the kid-favorite.

The solution: Add Flax.

Being the only plant based carrier of Omega-3 fatty acids, flax is great for your brain. But did you know flax can help your body and well-being in many other ways as well? From Cancer-Fighter to Blues-Eliminator, flax is a superhero for your body. Peanut oil, on the other hand, isn't that great for you.

1. Buy 100% natural peanut butter.
Now, first of all, if you are looking for a healthy peanut butter, steer clear from any “already mixed” types, like Reeses, Jiffy or Skippy. As mentioned in my previous post, it is important to read the ingredients – especially when it comes to peanut butter. Many popular brands are selling peanut-flavored, sugary fats. Get a peanut butter that is 100% natural, like Adams, one that you have to stir in the oil.

2. Pay attention to the volume of peanut oil in the jar. Dump out the peanut oil, which really isn’t that good for you anyway.


3. Replace the peanut oil with flax seed oil to the same volume as the peanut oil.


4. Add a handful or two of flax seed.


5. Stir. Here comes the messy part, as all of us old-fashioned "knife-in-jar" moms know. Did you know that there's an easier, cleaner way? Introducing the peanut mixer - no mess, no fuss.


I have found that using flax instead of peanut oil does not change the taste, or if it does, only slightly. However, if you are sensitive to taste, perhaps start out with switching only half the peanut oil with flax oil. You’ll feel like a smart mom next time you make that peanut butter sandwich for your child.

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Posted in All Writers, Cooking Tips and Tricks, Food, Health & Weight, Heidi, The Moms | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments