6 Summer Funtivities

So guess what? The official season of happiness is here this week. Is it too apparent how very much I love summer? It's almost painful how much I love it. It's like if I'm not outside soaking up every available ray of joyous sunshine somehow I'm turning my back on it and bidding winter to come back three months early.. So what do you do in the summertime? Here are some ideas I have:

1. Visit a splash pad. If you live in Utah, do a splash pad marathon and visit them all.

2. Eat yummy food. I know everyone is worrying about looking swimsuit ready but honestly there is just not enough summers in a lifetime to spend precious playtime energy worrying about body image issues. So I, Maren Elizabeth Costa do hereby grant you on this day in two thousand and thirteen, freedom from counting calories, weigh ins, all scales actually, and request your total enjoyment drinking life in to it's fullest and with that enjoying some terrific food. Here are some recipes to try. So call up those friends that you've been meaning to get together with, and enjoy some good food.

Sweet Lime Enchiladas

Paradise Punch Pie

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Thai Chicken Sundaes



3. Fix up your favorite beverage, take a blanket, a good book and stretch out on the lawn. Or your balcony if you're in an apartment. Ahhhh heaven.

4. Make a masterpiece in sidewalk chalk. I have to confess I have not done a lot of coloring in my adult life.

Image source

 But having a professional colorer by my side all day who demands to get her work down on concrete makes
it easy to get out. I've found there's something relaxing about mindless doodling in the warm sunshine.



5. Take a picnic up the canyon. Sometimes the heat can get a little much around July time so lose some degrees by increasing elevation.
Pack up any of the aforementioned foods, your frisbee, and enjoy the fabulous outdoors.





6. Do whatever the heck you want. I mean, it's summer! Anything is possible.

~Maren

30+ Springtime Celebration Ideas

Photo by Beautifully Imperfect

** If you are new to our blog, we have a "Friday Forum" most Fridays. Each of us share ideas about a certain topic. We LOVE it when our readers join in... please share your ideas with us!!

As I was looking at my calendar, I noticed that there are lots of reasons to celebrate in the upcoming days!!  I'm ready for some fun, especially after the cold weather and sickness the last few moths.

Time easily sneaks up on us!! Often we aren't anticipating that, and we miss opportunities to make a day more of a celebration.   I don't think we need to go all out for every single holiday, but it's nice to plan a little something to make that day more special or fun.


Here are some of our plans and ideas to celebrate the upcoming holidays and events...

St. Patrick's Day:

Jan:
1.  Our family has all sorts of fun on St. Patrick's Day! Click HERE to find some fun things we have done over the last few years... shamrock party, rainbows, green lunch, a Leprechaun pot, and more!

Nancy:
2. My favorite dinner to serve on St.Patrick's Day are these Corned Beef Sandwiches by Our Best Bites. They are scrumptious, and "Irish." The kids aren't crazy about them, but grownups need a little celebratory goodness too :)!

3. These Ribbon Shamrocks are a staple for our home and hair!

4. The Leprechauns visit us several times the week before. They do a little mischief and leave a few treats and trinkets.

Maren: 
5.My family always loves a reason to get together and celebrate. A few years ago we started a St. Patrick's Day party. Everyone brings a green or Irish-esque dish and we sway and sing about the good old days in the motherland. And no, we're not quite Irish.

Lauralee: 
6. That tricky little Leprechaun is always causing trouble, so what do we do? We build traps every year hoping to catch him!  While this years traps are still in the works, here are a few prototypes we are drawing inspiration from:

First Day of Spring:

Jan:
7. A couple of years ago, we rode our bikes to our local SUBWAY, ate lunch and rode to a park and played.  Even though we were still in pants and  warm jackets, it was so nice to realize Spring was on it's way.

Nancy:
8. My kids love these flower cupcakes to celebrate the first day of Spring (shown above).

9. We take a walk and collect things that remind us of Spring....without picking thing we're not supposed to, like the neighbor's flowers. (Sometimes though...eh hem, I'm apologizing in advance, Lauralee).

Maren:
10. First day of spring....when is that again?

Lauralee:
11. While everyone else is celebrating the snow going away and digging out their shorts and t-shirts, we do the opposite. We throw on our jackets (not coats), gear up and head to the mountains and ski! Nothing beats the soft slushy snow and warm sunshine hitting your face while spring skiing!

Easter:

Jan:
12. We always look forward to decorating Easter Eggs. Find 18 fun and beautiful ways HERE at U-Create.

Nancy:
13.  A few years ago I bought THIS BOOK that has really helped us celebrate and learn about the true meaning of Easter. It's phenomenal!A week's worth of great REAL Easter activities.

14. We also like to do fun projects like these Jordan Almond Easter Eggs and Chicks. The kids think they are so fun to decorate and especially eat!

15. Our extended family has an Easter egg with a TWIST... one of the eggs has a $50 bill hidden in it. Yep, the adults get into it every bit as much as the kids!!!

Maren: 
16.  I LOVE Easter! It's so much fun. Growing up we always lined up from youngest to oldest at the door to go out back for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. That meant I was front and center and could beat my older brothers to the eggs at least as far as the back patio.

Lauralee:
17. We always have a spectacular Easter celebration at Grandma W.'s house, with the best sweets in the world. Including homemade chocolate bunnies. We look forward to Grandma's Easter egg hunt every year!

April Fool's Day:

Photo and tutorial by Our Best Bites

Jan:
18. I stink at April's Fools Day.  I hate practical jokes played on me so I don't usually do them but I have seen some really fun ideas on Pinterest.  My oldest daughter, on the other hand, loves practical jokes and likes to perform them regularly.  This daughter also hates to be late.  So one year, we set her clock in her bedroom late so when she woke up she started running around freaking out that she was late for school.  It took us a while before we told her since she was freaking out so much.



Nancy:
I love making this a fun day to attempt to trick my family. Here are a few tricks my husband has fallen for:
19. chocolate covered cottonballs (I told him they were marshmallows... he bit into them and got a mouthful of cotton, haha!!)
20. Placing a rubber band on the sink sprayer. He got so wet!!
21. I told him that a Mr. Lyon had called out home phone and left a number to call back a.s.a.p.. The number I left for him was the zoo. (It took him a minute to get it, but it was pretty funny when he did).

20. My absolute favorite  April Fool's Day  activity is to make fun food for the kids. Sometimes it really tricks them, and sometimes it's just whimsical and fun. The cupcakes from the book Hello Cupcake. Thankfully, Our Best Bites has a tutorial  to make them HERE.

Maren: Wow, now I know to beware of Nancy's house on April Fool's! Thanks for the heads up!
21. April Fool's is such a fun nonsense holiday. I always text everyone I know and tell them I'm pregnant. Gets em every time...they may have caught on to me by now...

Lauralee:  
22. It seems like every day is April Fool's Day around our house. We don't reserve the practical joke just for April fools. My son's ultimate childhood dream is to come up with something so good, that America's Funniest Home Videos will reward him for his efforts! 

LDS General Conference:
If you don't know what this is, go HERE to read more.

 Jan: 
23. I love General Conference and will be doing another post soon with more ideas. Click HERE to see seven of the activities we've done in the past (shown in the picture above).

Nancy: We do different things from year to year, but we ALWAYS:
24. Build a tent or fort for the kids out of couch cushions or blankets.

25. Make a yummy breakfast so that our children will associate General Conference with good, happy, yummy feelings.

26. Print a conference packet like THIS with games and coloring pages.

Maren: I have two favorite General Conference traditions.
27. One is inviting family and friends over and eating an enormous breakfast. I love trying out new breakfast things, it's pretty much my favorite meal of the day. Unfortunately it's usually boring oatmeal so this is a great time to pull out that fried french toast recipe I've been eying.

28. We always go to my parents house for banana splits after priesthood meeting. This tradition started as a treat from my brothers. They would "share" with us what they learned at the priesthood session. We all knew WWIII would break out if they didn't. The tradition still stands even though my brothers all have families of their own who they have to bribe into doing their brotherly duties.

Lauralee: 
29. General Conference always means having lunch with pajamas at Grandma's house.

Just Spring

All of us:
30. At least one new item for our wardrobe. Be watching for more about this!!!

Please share your favorite Spring celebrations and traditions with us!! We'd LOVE to know!

What to do now...

  

Can you tell I'm sad that all the fun holidays are over? My house once riddled in sparkle and color is now drab and blah. It's freezing so I don't want to leave. My blood sugar level is beyond diabetic levels. Seriously, if it were illegal I could get arrested for having blood sugar this high and I doubt even Robert J. Debry could keep me out of the clink. Oh yeah and I'm poor. Thanks a lot Christmas! Just kidding Christmas I love you, I didn't mean it. So what does miserable old me do with approximately six months of Utah winter left and no baking to drown my boredom in? Turn on TV of course! Annnnnd decorate! Ah, nothing cheers the soul like a brand new project.

 I'm trying to fill the void above my foyer table that's been holidayed out since October. I want to incorporate something fun and colorful to make an inviting space when you first enter my door. A good part of the fun of decorating is the thrill of the hunt and if you're not dripping in wealth like me, the sweet deal. Therefore I will run into DI's funky but warm arms and find something of use. But to focus in what to search for exactly, I've got a few ideas and I want your opinion of what you think would look best.

So imagine you are walking into my house... Bam! Table! Stuff on it! Wow, if I lived here I would put a (fill in the blank) right there. 

Some options I've been considering:

Photo Source

If I do a mirror, my plan is to paint the border so I can bring that splash of color to the scheme. The thing is, I really want an circular one and DI doesn't always have exactly what I need in stock...

Photo Source

A picture in a frame (not this one) would be fun and a great way to bring in color. So this would be cool too. 

http://mypinksketchbook.blogspot.com

I really like the foyer that Lauralee posted here  the orange is so vibrant against the blue and the mirror is exquisite. I'd be happy if my hall looked a third this good.  

So, my wonderful friends, tell me, what do you think I should do? My house and my Seasonal Affective Disorder thank you.
~Maren

Step by Step Tree Set-Up

For the first few Christmases my husband and I never had a tree. We were either moving or saving for tuition
that was due in a few weeks. Needless to say, it wasn't until 5 years into our marriage that I finally had a Christmas tree to decorate. So of course I went all out! Through the years I have streamlined and figured out  a few steps that make setting a Christmas tree up a little less daunting.

1. The Lights:
When it comes to lights, I generally like to divide the tree into 3 sections and start from the trunk and move up. Weave the light strand from the front and back of each branch. Leave the lights plugged in. Nothing is more frustrating than thinking you are done with the lights only to plug them in and find that there is a short somewhere! Stand back, blur your eyes and look to see if there are bare spots.

2. The Ribbon:
After the lights are up, grab some ribbon. I love to use a product called "Deco Mesh". You can find it at most craft stores (I found mine at Costco).  I love using this because it fills the tree, which means less ornaments. This is a great tutorial for using the "Deco Mesh".  If you want the your tree to look wider, wrap the ribbon horizontally and vertically if you are trying to achieve the look of a tall tree. Either way you really can't go wrong.

3. Garland: 
If ribbon isn't your style opt for a garland. There are some really fun ones out there these days! I decided to use both ribbon and garland.

4. The Ornaments:
When it comes to ornaments, I like to start with putting the largest ornaments on 1st. Create more interest by having oversized ornaments. Think outside of the box, I have used objects that aren't ornaments (such as picture frames, poinsettias etc.).

After you have your larger ornaments on, fill in the rest of your tree with the smaller items (bulbs, icicles, etc.)

5. The Filler:
If your tree still seems a little bare after the previous 4 steps, add some filler (twigs, glitter branches etc.)

Helpful Hints:
-Choose a theme (this helps when choosing ornaments and other accessories). My theme was in the color. I stuck with a white and silver theme.
-Add some natural (things you would find in nature) elements to the tree. I chose the twig garland for mine as well as a few poinsettias
- You really can't have too many ornaments on a tree, make it your own personal statement and have fun!.

If you have little people that love to decorate too. I have another small tree that I let my boys decorate until there hearts are content. This tree includes all of their "own" ornaments they have made or collected.

Have fun with your tree/trees. I would love to see your masterpieces, favorite ornaments or hear about your tree tips!

Merry Christmas!
Lauralee

Black Friday!

Photo Credit

Are you one of those crazy folk that camp out in long lines? Have you been caught playing bumper cars with your shopping cart just to walk out of the store with a steal of a deal? If so, this post is for you! I however, will be snuggled up in my warm bed at 4 a.m. on Black Friday and wish the rest of you the best of luck!  So shop til' you drop and don't forget to play nice! Here is a compilation of this years Black Friday ads: (thanks to theblackfriday.com)

Click on the following links to find this years ads:

Best Buy Ad      Sears Ad      Old Navy Ad     Costco Ad     Walmart Ad      Kohl's Ad     Toys "R" Us Ad

JCPenney Ad      Target Ad,       K Mart Ad      Sam's Club Ad      Macy's Ad

 Did you score something AWESOME this Black Friday? Tells us about your finds.

-Lauralee

Thanksgiving Traditions

I love Thanksgiving. Sadly, it gets overlooked sometimes because it's sandwiched between two other great holidays. Here are a few ideas to really help celebrate the Thanksgiving season!!

1. Turkey place mat by Fiskars  2 & 3. Decorative pie crusts by Martha Stewart  4. Mayflower dinner boats by Moore Minutes   5. Teepees and Houses by Parents Magazine   6. Candy Cornucopia by Simple Girl at Home   7. Sweet Acorns by Gracious Rain  8. Turkey Veggie Tray by Mom Endeavors

What do you do to make Thanksgiving important and special for your family?

Photo by Oh SO Savvy mom

Nancy: I like to start a "thankful project" with my kids 10 days or so before Thanksgiving. Sometimes we make a paper chain and write all the things we are thankful for on each link of the chain. Other years we make a tree out of a branch and construction paper for the leaves on which we write the thankful lists. This year I'm going to have my children write or draw what they're thankful for on our cupboard chalkboard. I love kids' handwriting and spelling. That's one thing I'm thankful for - so why not make it decor :).






 I also like to do different things every year to make it fun. Last year we went to the zoo to watch the elephants eat their pumpkin breakfast and then we went out to eat... Lest you think I'm a heathen for being "nontraditional",  I did not have to cook or clean or even wash a single dish. It was heavenly, and I got to spend every minute with my family. No stress at all, and we even spent waaaay less $$ than the years we've hosted it for the extended family. The most important part to me is having fun and happy memories with my family.

photo by Martha Stewart

 Jenn: One tradition our family has started within the last few years is having a pie eating party. Sometimes we have it the night before Thanksgiving, and other times we do it that night.  We all bring one or two different kinds of pies and sample them all. It's almost more fun than the actual Thanksgiving dinner!! 

   

Jan:  For the first seven years of marriage we went to Arizona with my husband's family to a Cabin.  We would usually spend  four or five days there with all of the Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.  We ate great food, played games and just relaxed in the Cabin.  Since then we have switched back and forth with each others' families.  The day is usually spent eating and playing games.  As for our little family,  if the weather is good we like to take a family bike ride before we go get stuffed.   This year we started November with our Give Thanks notes.  We have also done a paper chain like Nancy and write on the strips of paper what we are thankful for.

photo by Lidbeck-brent

Maren: Every Thanksgiving my dad stands up before we bless the meal and gives a little speech. Sometimes he talks about the origins of the holiday, past Thanksgivings or blessings and things he's grateful for. He is a great orator and it really sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Our family is massive (I'm the 15th child and the baby) and so the only place that can comfortably hold us is the church. One of my favorite memories was after the meal everyone was scattered throughout the church, playing basketball, tag, whatever and a bunch of us adults somehow ended up in the nursery with all the babies and toys. We just sat in a circle and told stories and talked for hours. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter what you have or don't have (a mansion to hold all my kin) having your family is the best blessing of all. 

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Or what do you want to try this year?

Halloween Art

 As Lauralee has shown us, Halloween decor doesn't need to be pricey to be awesome. Inspired by my sister Katy, I created this simple decoration that was cheap and fun to make.

I found the frame at my favorite store (D.I. of course). It was on sale for $2. What a deal! It looked so elegant and Gothic. Perfect for a Halloween something. If you don't want to hunt through the depths of the used, I saw similar frames at Target .

After this find I went hunting for the perfect greeting card. I found the ones that come in packs are better than single cards because they don't have writing all over them. This spider one was in a pack of six at Hallmark for $5.

I then tried to cut it into an oval to fit the frame. Bad idea. Katy gave me the idea to cut out the picture, mimicking the detail as closely as possible. Once it was cut out, I then glued it to some sparkly black scrap booking paper (.69 at Joann's) that I fit to the frame.

After about six minutes of hard labor I was done! It was so easy and the whole thing cost about eight bucks. Not bad if you ask me. Happy Halloween and Happy Creating!
~Maren

 

Here it is hanging out with it's fellow decorations.

7 Ideas for General Conference

To learn about LDS General Conference click here.

Ever since my husband and I got married we have been creating traditions with our family around General Conference time.  Before our girls were born, we would drive up Provo Canyon to Heber and get a shake at "GRANNY'S".  The ride was always beautiful since it was either Spring and everything was blooming or Fall and the leaves were changing colors.   As the girls grew up, I began trying to find other traditions to help them understand the importance of General Conference and to learn to be quiet during conference.  I began searching  the internet and blogs and also creating my own ideas. I loved when I discovered PINTEREST so I could save ideas  that I found throughout the year to use later. Click here to see our board.

 1. CONFERENCE BUCKETS and PACKETS

I try to add something new each conference session.  Last year I bought yellow buckets from the dollar store so that we could easily put treats, conference book,crayons and trash in them.  I like to bind the books so that after conference is over, the girls (and the hubby)can take it to church and use as a coloring book.  It also helps so there are not tons of paper scattered all over.  I usually find my books at Sugar Doodle.  There are several links on that site and I just print the pages I like most.                                                                                     

2. KING BENJAMIN TENTS

Another tradition we have is that each Friday night before conference we build a tent for the girls to sleep in like the people of King Benjamin.  The girls love the tent and usually stay there most of conference. 

3. COINS FOR CONFERENCE

This was a game I created last year to help the girls learn the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  At the beginning of conference I gave the girls 15 coins which they put on top of each picture.  When that apostle spoke the girls got to remove that coin from off of that apostle's picture. At the end of the each session, we removed the remaining coins.  Right before the next session starts, they put the remaining coins on the pictures again.  This time they had to remember who spoke in the previous session so that they didn't put the coin on an apostle that had already spoken. If they play their cards right they should end of with $1.16.  I printed the picture from Sugar Doodle.

4. QUIET AS A MOUSE

I made up this game this year.  In our Primary each week, they give out a Quiet as a Mouse award.  It is a cute little mouse made out of Hershey kisses. The Primary Presidency will give it to the quietest person this inspired the name.  The rules of the game go like this: Each mouse is worth 5 seconds.  When the girls are being quiet I will give them a mouse.  The mouse can be taken away if they are not quiet and they can earn up to 9 mice each session.  At the end of the session they get to pick out of my "Quiet as a Mouse" bucket. If they get 2 mice they get ten seconds to pick out as many things as they can, but their eyes have to be closed, they can only pick out one thing at a time and the bucket is moving.  (It was just a way to make it more interesting :). You could also give them as many items for as many mice that they earn. In the bucket are treats and little slips of paper that have coupons on it like "30 minutes of TV time", "Free Movie from the Library",  "Breakfast in Bed",  "Mom reads to you for your school reading time".  (You could also add small toys or money)  

5. CTR  APOSTLE

This idea is also to help the girls learn the names and faces of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  You can buy these pictures at the LDS Distribution Center for .50 cents.  The girls have fun finding the right apostle who is speaking.

 6. ACTIVITY CENTER

 This year I also created an "ACTIVITY CENTER" of activities the girls can do if they are having a hard time listening.  Two hours is a long time to be quiet for anyone especially children.  These are different things that I have made over the years for General Conference.  There are homemade puzzles made out of LDS pictures and glued on to card stock and then laminated, lacing cards, stencils, Apostle matching game (I printed pictures  and mod podged the picture on a piece of quarter inch masonite wood.  You could also laminate picture.) Each year we try to add new  activities, but I also try to keep it simple so that they are not so distracted with activities that they forget to listen.

7. CONFERENCE CINNAMON ROLLS

When my oldest daughter was 6 we started making "Conference Cinnamon Rolls" 

while my husband went to the priesthood session of conference. 

Each conference since then we have continued that tradition.  

Conference is a great time to build family memories and traditions. It really doesn't matter what you do just take the time to enjoy being with your family and listening to inspiring talks. So................

Do you have a Conference Tradition??

Jan



Make-A-Monster With the Kids

My family went on a stroll a few weeks ago through a lovely outdoor mall. The words "Build-A-Bear" jumped out at my kids and they insisted that we enter the store. We did, and they scampered with excitement as they saw all the cute bears and the machine of stuffing that spins round and round. Even the little hearts for the bears made my kiddos want one. SO. BAD.

I was seriously wanting each of my kids to get one too... with all the cute accessories including fancy underwear. I realized though that I would have to spend at least $200.00 if each of my four children got a bear with a few accessories. Ouch. We oohed and aahed over the cute fuzzy creatures and the adorable add-ons, but I said "not today!"  Sadly, we left the store.

My mind kept spinning with thoughts of Fall and Halloween.  I knew I would be getting out the sweaters soon, when suddenly this idea entered my mind.

Since my kids think monsters are the coolest thing ever, I decided to let them design their own monsters and use their old sweaters and hats for materials.  Even though it wasn't Build-A-Bear, my kids thought Make-A-Monster with mom was great.

Make monsters to kick off the Halloween season, and keep them all year round 'cause monsters are always chic with the kiddos.


Meet our monsters:

Our monsters have received lots of hugs:

 and even a few kisses:

 They've joined us in all sorts of activities:

It's just a whole lot of fun to have some monsters around!


I felt some major benefits as we worked on these monsters:
-Gives mom and kids a chance to be creative together
-Quality time for parent and child
-Teaches children sewing and cooperating skills
 -A fun memory 
-A new and free toy
-Teaches recycling or making do with what you have
-Helps the kids who are scared of monsters to laugh at them   instead
-We always appreciate more the things we work for. The kids work for this toy, and they love it.



How to Make-A-Monster with Mom

1. It's so fun for the kids to design their own monsters. But, it's hard for kids to just pull one out of the blue, unless they've had an imaginary friend monster, of course :).

Start by drawing some basic monster parts for them to choose. If they don't like what you've drawn, let them  choose whatever is in their imagination.

My kids came up with monsters like this:

2. Cut out shapes that resemble the monster. Also cut out hands, legs, ears, and other body parts if they are not already attatched to the monster body. I didn't get a picture of the limbs here.

Monster Louisa's pouch was made using the pocket that was already in the sweater.

 3. Lay the pattern on the sweater or whatever cloth you've chosen. Be sure to cut out both a front and back of each monster body part.

4. Make the face. It all depends on what your little designers drew. We cut out felt circles for the eyes, felt teeth for some of the mouths. I also did some simple straight stitch embroidery on two of the monsters.

please ignore the background clutter!!! When kids are helping- it's never neat and tidy:)

5. With some liquid stitch, glue the facial features into place. Put some heavy books on top of the monsters overnight for extra reinforcement. Or, sew everything in place.


6. Get the arms, legs, ears, horns.  With right sides together, sew around the edges, except a little bit to stuff.  Turn right side out and stuff.  Then pin limb to the main body...

7. Sew all of those little limbs on.

8. Put the back side of the monster fabric on top of the front side, right sides together. Sew all the way around except for a little bit to stuff.

9. Turn right side out. Let the kids stuff those little monsters as full as they want:

They think this part is really fun.

10. Whip stitch the opening for the stuffing closed.

Add any accessories.

That's it!!

Now turn on the Monster Mash, and dance with those monsters (both live and stuffed!).
Nothin' like the Monster Mash to get into the Halloween spirit!!

XO,
Nancy

PS. Did you know that Halloween is the third biggest party day of the year behind New Years' Eve and Super Bowl Sunday? Find some fun and interesting facts about Halloween here.