Quick Patriotic Treat

Fruit-filled Cookie Treats

Refrigerated sugar cookie dough

Sliced strawberries and blueberries

Whip Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan. Cut cookie dough into 1/2 inch circles. Place circles into the muffin pan, and press very slightly in the middle (it needs to stay thick on the bottom).  Bake for about 11 minutes, then let completely cool in the pan.  Use a butter knife to carefully remove it from the muffin pan.  Fill with fruit, and top with whip cream!

Sorry I've been missing for a while! Here' a photo of my brother and his new wife. Don't they look so perfect together? It was such a beautiful wedding and reception!

I also did a little craft group at my house. We made these cute patriotic banners.  I knew I was saving my old denim for something!

Target Giveaway Winner!

What a week it has been! With school getting out, swimming, and having a campout, I believe our summer is off to a good start!

I've learned that I'm just a weekly blogger.  Daily blogging just isn't for me.  After all, I have 6 kids to take care of! But it's been fun trying to do a daily blog (ha! ha!!!)  I'll have some projects coming up.  I'm in charge of the craft this month for a craft group. So I'll post about that soon!

Walking home on the last day of school.

Our new popup camper. LOVE IT.

So are you ready for the winner of the $25 Target gift card???

There were 23 comments, and so I went to Random.org, and it generated comment

#21, "Anash".

Congrats! And I will be emailing your for your address so I can mail you the card!

Summer Boredom Buster #17

Check out your public library this summer!

We just got a big flier sent home with our kids. It has all the great details for the summer programs in the library.  Anything from free plays and music concerts, to summer reading programs with prizes for the kids. 

Start marking your calendar!

Museum Trip (and playing catch-up)

Summer Boredom Buster #9,10,11,12,13,14,15,&16!
(and be sure to check out the giftcard giveaway in my last post)

So, posting everyday has not been happening around here! Sorry 'bout 'at (said with a Hagrid voice!) 

My goodness, I can't believe my kids only have one more week of school.  It's pretty funny that I saw the snow plows out yesterday, because we got a huge hail storm.  Summer already???

Not to mention the tornado alert! No thanks!

Well, for #9 I'd like to mention the Natural History Museum. Or any museum will do! Usually museums will have a FREE day.  But you might like it so much that you buy an annual membership!

(Unfortunately we don't have many pictures. But there was SO much to see!)

#10  Take a nature walk with a paper bag.  Collect fun treasures (leaves, twigs, cool rocks, shells, etc.) and make a poster.  Let your child hang their poster in their room.

#11 Invest in a children's digital camera.  Let your kids have fun taking their own pictures of your summer adventures!

#12 On one of those hot days, give your kids foam paint brushes and a bowl of water.  Let them "paint" on the cement patio or sidewalk with water. 

#13 Have a puppy grooming day! Invite your friends to bring their dogs over for some wet and wild fun! Fill a couple small, plastic swimming pools with water, and let the fun begin! Don't forget the doggy shampoo and brushes!

#14 Play hopscotch with your kids.  Yes...you play with them! Then have Popsicles afterwards.

#15 Have your kids been "eyeing" a certain toy at the store? Let them do extra chores around the house and yard to earn some extra income.  They could even decorate a savings jar to keep in their room.

#16 Create a family flag! What does your family center around? Let each child draw a picture that represents them, and what the family means to them.  Post your family flag in a prominent place in your home throughout the summer. 

Smiley Face Store, plus Target gift card Giveaway!

Summer Boredom Buster #7

One way to help your kids from getting at each other's throats this summer is to encourage service, and good behaviour!  I've posted about the Smiley Face Store before, but I'll do it again.   You could make up your own play money or tickets.  Get the kids involved with the ticket making if you like. 

Leave a Smiley Face on their bed if they make it without being asked. 

Or how about when they share their toys happily.

Or pick up trash off of the sidewalk.

The possibilities are endless!

If you have really little kids, it would be best to have your store each week, or every other week.  This way they can mentally look forward to it.  If it's too far away, it may be too difficult to be motivated.

But for older kids (5-8 year olds) it's good for them to see what's in the store and SAVE their tickets if they don't have enough.  This will help them to learn patience and know that they can earn things on their own.

It's nice to have things that don't cost too many tickets too.  This way they don't get discouraged if they're trying to save for a bigger item.

Ideas for your Smiley Face Store:

For older kids:

Movie tickets

gift cards

candy/gum

fun stationary

T-shirt

make-up

hair accessories

books

beach towel

For little kids:

hot wheels

goggles

coloring books/crayons

dolls/stuffed animal

My Little Ponies

bouncy balls

candy

The possibilities are endless...

The dollar store is a great place for prizes. 

And another awesome place to look for prizes it at Target.  You know those dollar bins? Yes...LOVE them!

So in order to help you start your store, I'm giving away a $25 gift card to Target!

The winner will be announced at the end of the month, along with the other giveaway winners.

(More giveaways coming soon!)

You have 3 ways to enter.

1. Leave a comment about what your kids might like in their Smiley Face Store.

2. Blog or Facebook about the $25 gift card giveaway, with a link back to this post. Be sure to tell me that you did in a separate comment.

3. Become a follower, or tell me that you are a follower. (I don't have sponsors or anything.  Followers just keep me motivated to blog about fun things!)

New Girly Hairstyles

***Be sure to check out my last post HERE for the Target giftcard giveaway!

(Plus....I apologize to the very first commenter on the Target giveaway. For some reason your comments were deleted by blogger. So PLEASE leave some more comments so you can be entered in the giveaway!)

Summer Boredom Buster #8

Don't you just love all the cute hairdos out there for little girls?  I feel a bit intimidated at trying these techniques.  But there are some fun websites out there with so many cute ideas and tutorials!

My girls love to brush their own hair.  Sometimes they put on a blue polk-a-dot bow. in the back of their hair, with their red and black outfit.  I then smile and send them off to school.
But every once in a while they'll want me to do their hair a certain way.  I think I'll be experimenting with some of these cute ideas!

Give it a try!

Image from http://www.shedoeshair.blogspot.com/.

Image from http://www.shedoeshair.blogspot.com/.

Here are a few sites that I've had so much fun browsing through...

www.shedoesdair.blogspot.com

www.cute2tryhairdos.blogspot.com

www.princesshairstyles.com

Sprinkler Park!

Summer Boredom Buster #6

Kids these days have so many options! I would have just been in summer heaven if I had a sprinkler park to go to as a child!  Sprinkler parks are popping up all over the place now.  Check out your area...You may find one not too far from you.  They are often free too!

Mommy's should wear their swimsuits too, because your little ones will want you to stand under that tall watering flower or sit behind the water fall with them!

Be sure to bring your sunscreen, water, snacks, towels, and swim diapers if needed.