It is snowing again today! It's off and on and not sticking but it's March! It makes me yearn for summer and on the inspiration of my last post I decided to blog all the things I can't wait for in the summer!
1. Going to the zoo and not wearing 3 layers of clothing.
2. BBQing and eating in the backyard as a regular occurrence and backyard BBQ's with our friends.
3. Taking lots of photos.
4. Watermelon
5. Fruit cobblers
6. The sound of the ice cream truck, and of course eating ice cream!
7. Iced Tea
8. Taking our dog to the dog park and not having him come home with muddy paws.
9. Wearing my sunglasses every day.
10. Using the kids' nap time to layout in the sun and get a tan.
11. Going to Cannon Beach and playing all day in the sand, then going window shopping and getting ice cream and having dinner at our favorite restaurant with the most amazing applesauce you've ever eaten.
12. Wearing shorts and a tank top with flip flops.
13. Not being cold when I wake up in the morning.
14. Parks full of children and laughter.
15. Farmers Markets (along with fresh fruits and veggies).
16. Riding bikes and playing in the park every day.
17. It still being light out at 8pm.
18. Going to Multnomah Falls with the kids.
19. Hiking.
20. Swimming, or at least watching my kids swim.
21. The refreshing feeling of moving from the hot outdoors into an air conditioned house.
22. My garden full of tomatoes and herbs.
23. The smell of fresh cut grass and sound of lawn mowers.
24. Iced Chia Tea Lattes.
25. Going up to the property and swimming in the lake, hiking on the trails, playing in the woods, roasting mellows over the fire pit, playing darts and Yahtzee, and spending the day on the boat (hopefully with friends and family).
26. Making homemade Popsicles.
27. Flowers growing all over the place and the smell of my Jasmine bush.
28. Feeling warm from the outside in.
29. Graduation parties.
30. Weddings.
31. Fourth of July.
32. Justin's birthday (30 this year!).
33. Not as much TV.
34. Kids home all day and a more relaxed schedule.
35. Picnics on a whim.
36. College students home from school.
37. Summer dresses on my cute little girls.
38. Cold pasta salads.
39. The feeling of cool grass or warm sand on my feet.
40. Horseback riding.
41. Not having to watch the news to see what the weather would be like each day.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
We're back!
I know it has been some time since I have updated my blog and I do apologize. We have been really busy and it took me awhile to be okay with posting something over my last post. But, I am back and do have some updates and photos that I will be posting over the next few weeks. I was inspired today to re post an old blog entry from January of last year. The weather around here has been very odd. Some days have been sunny enough (although cold) to go out to the park and play while other days are rainy and cold and dreary. Today being one of those deary days I was trying to figure out what to do with the kids since we are all home together and have no plans. I remembered this post from last year and thought I it was worth putting up again since I needed some ideas today, I thought maybe some of you would too. Hurry up spring and summer, I am ready to play outside!
Family Activities:
* Go to the local library, or check one out that you haven't been to before.
* Barnes and Nobles makes a great date place. It might not work that well for a big family to go all at once but I take my girls there for little mommy dates all the time. We browse the kids section and read stories. It's fun. (thanks Alicia for the inspiration).
* Go to Ikea and window shop. You can spend hours there just looking around and they have a great place for the kids to play. Just don't take any money with you if you are determined NOT to spend anything! (thanks for that idea Candace).
* If your kids are old enough make a home movie. They can get pretty creative and LOVE to watch themselves on the TV. OR watch old home movies from when your kids were younger, or before they were born. They eat them up.
* Take a walk
* Go on a bug hunt or an animal hunt (squirrels or something of that sort)
* Go to a free local public park and play on the playground
* Ride bikes in your neighborhood
* Make a fort at home for the day and play in it with your kids
* Put on a movie you have, turn out most of the lights, pop some popcorn and have a movie time on the floor with blankets.
* Have the kids help you re arrange a room (I recently re arranged my living room and was shocked at how into it the girls were, they would have totally designed their own room if I let them!) You can always put it back different later.
* Go to Multnomah Falls (here in Portland) for a day of sight seeing. It is a great free place to go with kids who can walk. There are also many great hiking trails along the scenic highway that you can stop at, and Crown Point, and parks to have a picnic lunch in too.
* Take your kids to the local fish hatchery, free and very interesting. Cascade Locks has a great one!
* See if there are any working farms or ranches in your area and visit one to show your kids how a working ranch operates.
*In the summer time, if you have good self restraint, go to a local farmers market just to look at all the neat vendors, plants, and fresh foods (and other people there!).
* Go to a dog park, if you have a dog, or not, no one would probably notice if you didn't have a dog with you but if you have animal lovers it's a great way for them to get up close and personal, if you aren't afraid.
* Get out your old photo albums or albums from when your kids were little and go through the pictures and tell the stories behind the pictures, we do that with our storybooks. You can also watch old home movies.
* Do a craft - use supplies you already have so you don't have to spend money at the craft store, get creative!
* Have a cooking or baking day - I have all girls so maybe more likely for me.
* Go visit a family member or friend at their house.
* Go for a drive down a part of town you haven't ever been before - or out in the country.
* Sit down and write letters and draw pictures for out of state family members and friends (or those possibly imprisoned?) and send them the same day.
* Visit any historic buildings or landmarks in your home town or close to it.
* Turn on some music and dance, dance, dance!!
* And our personal favorite, pull out the Ultimate Fighter moves on daddy!
If you've got some new ideas please leave a comment!
Family Activities:
* Go to the local library, or check one out that you haven't been to before.
* Barnes and Nobles makes a great date place. It might not work that well for a big family to go all at once but I take my girls there for little mommy dates all the time. We browse the kids section and read stories. It's fun. (thanks Alicia for the inspiration).
* Go to Ikea and window shop. You can spend hours there just looking around and they have a great place for the kids to play. Just don't take any money with you if you are determined NOT to spend anything! (thanks for that idea Candace).
* If your kids are old enough make a home movie. They can get pretty creative and LOVE to watch themselves on the TV. OR watch old home movies from when your kids were younger, or before they were born. They eat them up.
* Take a walk
* Go on a bug hunt or an animal hunt (squirrels or something of that sort)
* Go to a free local public park and play on the playground
* Ride bikes in your neighborhood
* Make a fort at home for the day and play in it with your kids
* Put on a movie you have, turn out most of the lights, pop some popcorn and have a movie time on the floor with blankets.
* Have the kids help you re arrange a room (I recently re arranged my living room and was shocked at how into it the girls were, they would have totally designed their own room if I let them!) You can always put it back different later.
* Go to Multnomah Falls (here in Portland) for a day of sight seeing. It is a great free place to go with kids who can walk. There are also many great hiking trails along the scenic highway that you can stop at, and Crown Point, and parks to have a picnic lunch in too.
* Take your kids to the local fish hatchery, free and very interesting. Cascade Locks has a great one!
* See if there are any working farms or ranches in your area and visit one to show your kids how a working ranch operates.
*In the summer time, if you have good self restraint, go to a local farmers market just to look at all the neat vendors, plants, and fresh foods (and other people there!).
* Go to a dog park, if you have a dog, or not, no one would probably notice if you didn't have a dog with you but if you have animal lovers it's a great way for them to get up close and personal, if you aren't afraid.
* Get out your old photo albums or albums from when your kids were little and go through the pictures and tell the stories behind the pictures, we do that with our storybooks. You can also watch old home movies.
* Do a craft - use supplies you already have so you don't have to spend money at the craft store, get creative!
* Have a cooking or baking day - I have all girls so maybe more likely for me.
* Go visit a family member or friend at their house.
* Go for a drive down a part of town you haven't ever been before - or out in the country.
* Sit down and write letters and draw pictures for out of state family members and friends (or those possibly imprisoned?) and send them the same day.
* Visit any historic buildings or landmarks in your home town or close to it.
* Turn on some music and dance, dance, dance!!
* And our personal favorite, pull out the Ultimate Fighter moves on daddy!
If you've got some new ideas please leave a comment!
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