Simple Summer Activites

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend! 

Danielle and I are slowly adjusting to our summer schedules, so we should be back to our normal five posts a week now. Today I want to share some of the stuff we have been up to lately. It's always hard to find ways to keep the kids entertained without spending a ton of money going places. Here are some free activities that Makenna and Matthew love to do over and over again.

After we pick Matthew up from camp we usually head to the park for a picnic. We pack up lunch, snacks and a blanket to use if there are no picnic tables available. They love to eat outside and watch all the kids play. Bonus, they usually finish all their lunch without any issue because they know they have to eat before they play. When lunch is finished we do all the regular fun park stuff; swings, slides and sand boxes. To keep the kids entertained a little longer, I started making up some other things to do. 

We usually have a ball of some sort or a little train in the car. One of the kids takes the item to the top of the slide and the other stands with a bucket at the end and tries to catch it. Then they switch places. They will do this for an hour non stop. 

Another activity that will keep them entertained for HOURS is water play. Every night when we make dinner, Makenna gets all her buckets, cups, spoons, shells and any random toy and sits on the deck. She loves to play with water and when its time to clean up she never wants to. So simple, but she has so much fun!

What kid doesn't like playing in water on a hot summer day? Another water activity they love is playing carwash. We take the bikes, scooters and play cars outside and set up a little carwash station. We make sure to dirty them up with some chalk if they are looking to clean. Some old rags with a bucket of soapy water and another bucket of clean water to rinse is all you need. Sorry I forgot to take pictures of this one! 

The last activity that the kids are loving this summer is pretend camping. Matthew got a really cool Thomas blow up bed. They pack up some necessities and camp out in the living room floor to watch a movie. We also build tent forts and read books inside.

So that's what we have been up to the last week. What are some fun activities you and the kids have done? Please share below! Danielle will be back tomorrow with a book review. 

-K

A Great Summer Recipe

I feel like this week just flew by! Maybe it's because we have been super busy. So when I saw this recipe for a veggie pasta salad from Better Homes & Garden, I knew it would be a fast and yummy addition to our dinner. I changed the recipe up a bit so I'll write it out for all of you. 

My husband went to dish up some and I yelled "STOP! I need to take a picture first!" lol

Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad

You need:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 red sweet pepper 
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 pound of asparagus
• a can of halved artichoke hearts 
• 3 Tbs of olive oil
• 3-4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups of cooked pasta (I used zucchini & spinach pasta by Barilla)
• salt 
• pepper
• garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cut up all veggies and mix with 1tbs of the olive oil. Add a little bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder
2. Grill veggies ( I used this QVC grilling sheet! AMAZING!! The absolute best way to cook veggies on the grill) 
3. Cook until veggies are tender
4. Add cooked pasta and veggies into a bowl with the remaining 2tbs of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
5. Salt and pepper to taste

It was SO good! The original recipe only called for 1tbs of balsamic vinegar. I added 2tbs and my husband and I both agree it could have used more. So play around with how much vinegar you like. I also added the artichoke hearts and left out the fresh oregano. I'm just not a fan of oregano in pasta salads, but I'm sure most other people are. 

This would be a great recipe for parents that use baby lead weening. Just make sure pieces are cut big enough for baby to hold and chomp on. I would cut veggies into large strips instead of chunks. I'll get more into baby lead weening for those who don't know what it is in another post soon. I swear though, baby lead weening is why Makenna will eat ANYTHING you put in front of her.  

So there you have it! A fast and delicious recipe for those busy summer nights. What recipes are you all loving?? Feel free to share below! 

-K

Some Fun and Easy Frozen Treats

I have been absolutely loving the weather this week! After a long and cold winter, we were ready to play outside and enjoy the sunshine. The kids love to sit outside and have an ice pop after lunch. I really want to get an ice pop maker or some ice pop molds, but in the mean time Bomb Pops are a big favorite! Here are some other fun and easy frozen treats kids are sure to love!

"Homemade" Ice Cream Sandwiches

With two busy toddlers, I am keeping this really simple. Feel free to make a from scratch or allergy free version by just swapping out items.

1. Get a ready to bake pack of large sized chocolate chip cookies and bake according to instructions.
2. Wait for cookies to cool down entirely.
3. Take your favorite flavor of ice cream and put about two good sized scoops in the middle of two cookies.
4. Gently press down on cookies and flatten it out a bit. Use a spoon to even out ice cream falling out.
5. Wrap in tin foil and put in freezer for a little bit to firm back up.
6. ENJOY!

Frozen Grapes

Again this is such a simple thing to do and the kids love them. I probably don't have to write out directions, since most of you have probably done this before, but I will anyway.

1. Buy a bunch of grapes.
2. Wash throughly and take off vines... is that what they are called, vines? lol no clue
3. Put still wet grapes in a freezer bag or a freezer safe container.
4. Pour a tiny bit of sugar into bag or container and seal it up
5. Shake to mix sugar around grapes.
6. Freeze for a few hours or until grapes are hard.

For the kids I like to cut them in half when I serve them frozen. Grapes can be a chocking hazard and while frozen even more so. So make sure you supervise younger kids. You can also leave out the sugar part if you want to!

Frozen Watermelon  

This is so good and again very straight forward. I have been craving watermelon this entire pregnancy!

1. Buy a watermelon. I wish I could tell you how to pick a good one out but I always buy the WORST one there somehow! :( I'm cursed.
2. So if you are bad at picking watermelon like me, get some pre-cut ones.
3. Cut the watermelon into triangle slices keeping the green rind part. Its easier for the kids to hold that way, and just slightly less messy.
4. Put in a freezer bag or freezer safe container and freeze for a few hours.

How simple is that and they are sooooo good! I have even seen people insert sticks into the rind part before freezing them. 

Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful weather like we are! What are some fun and simple frozen treats you love? Feel free to share them below! 

A Fun & Cheap Summer Activity

Finding activities to keep the kids entertained during the summer can be challenging if you are on a budget. Going to the movies is usually out of the question, especially with small kids. Movie theater prices are high and you never know if the kids will actually sit thorough the movie. It can end up being a total waste of money. That's why I am so glad I found this Summer program from Regal Cinemas. It's called Summer Movie Express. Nine weeks during the summer, starting June in most areas, Regal Cinemas will be featuring kid friendly movies. FOR ONLY $1!! On Tuesdays and Wednesdays with start times at 10:00am. I think it is a perfect morning activity and over just in time for lunch then naps :) Sounds like a great deal to me!

Here is a list of the movies that will be running each week:

Week	Title	Rating	Start Time
1	Hotel Transylvania	PG	10am
1	The Smurfs 2	PG	10am
2	Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2	PG	10am
2	The Pirates: Band of Misfits	PG	10am
3	Arthur Christmas	PG	10am
3	Despicable Me 2	PG	10am
4	The Lego Movie	PG	10am
4	Free Birds	PG	10am
5	Adventures of TinTin	PG	10am
5	Rise of the Guardians	PG	10am
6	Kung Fu Panda 2	PG	10am
6	Madagascar 3	PG	10am
7	The Croods	PG	10am
7	Epic	PG	10am
8	Turbo	PG	10am
8	Walking with Dinosaurs	PG	10am
9	Mr. Peabody & Sherman	PG	10am
9	Rio 2	G	10am

 I have wanted to bring my daughter Makenna to see a movie in the theater for the longest time. I just didn't feel like wasting money on a ticket, because the chances of her sitting through the whole thing is slim. Now with this great deal, I am definitely going to be taking her. If she doesn't sit through the whole thing or makes to much noise, it won't be that big of a deal. I am lucky that we have a Regal Cinema right down the road from us. You can go to this link, Summer Movies, to find the closest participating Regal Cinemas. A portion of all the movie ticket proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute.

This would be a great rainy summer day activity. Instead of being stuck in the house, take the kids to the movies! It would even be fun to meet up to see a movie with a group of friends. Has anyone else found any fun and cheap summer activities? Feel free to share your tips below!!!

-K