Click the banner above and Sign up now to get a jump on all the bargains in all departments you will want to take advantage of for you and your family. The deals are everywhere . . . electronics . . . apparel and accessories . . . toys and games . . . sports and outdoors . . .
This gets you started on your holiday shopping . . . or just treat the family with some great stuff . . . I may be able to fulfill my wishlist with great bargains . . .
You may be interested in . . .
I know quite a few people who would love this Segway miniPRO . . . I wouldn’t mind one for myself . . . It’s a fun way of getting around.
The kids will be heading back-to-school before you know it. And, you may want to get some things to close out this summer season . . . Amazon does have something for everyone in your family during their Prime Day!
Today is a beautiful day to celebrate and remember the long hard struggle for independence.
This read-a-loud book may be helpful for you to share with your family.
We celebrate this day with parades and fireworks. We, as a nation eat millions of hot dogs and hamburgers, wave the American flag and decorate with red, white and blue banners, streamers and bunting. It is a colorful sight to behold.
I plan to sit out on my patio to watch the fireworks from the city park. I have my American flag waving proudly in the nice breeze of the day out in front of my house. A BBQ is in order with family and friends gathering. It is a day of celebration. And, a day of reflection . . . what freedom means . . . it is different for many people. And, today as in the days of our founding, not everyone agreed . . . but it was necessary to come together, to cooperate and compromise in order to make this new nation — The United States of America.
I’ve been working on some scrapbook projects and going through pictures. I do love all the Disney characters I grew up with . . . and some new ones. I have been going through clip art and coloring book images just for fun and to add to my scrapbook pages to give them some fun . . . and we all know Disney equals fun!
Well, we have Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto just kicking back. I think they may be waiting for the fireworks to start . . . but that won’t be until tomorrow night . . . or is it the BBQ feast they’re waiting on?
I know at my house we’re BBQ-ing up a storm. We just can’t get enough of that char-broiled flavor in our meat and vegetables.
And, yes, as the BBQ is cooling down, we bring out the fixings for s’mores.
There are those who would prefer to have a nice refreshing root beer float to top off the end of a beautiful day. I love root beer floats . . . done the old-fashioned way . . . just a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream in a mug of root beer. It is refreshing and oh so filling!
I usually start out small with a little ice cream and root beer . . . then add more ice cream and root beer . . . if I have room for a bit more. And you can always share your root beer with someone else . . . one can is more than enough for two root beer floats. At least at my house. You may do something quite grand with yours.
A beautiful summer day spent with friends and family is wonderful. Lots of conversation and plenty of activities to keep the kids happy and entertained. Maybe we’ll have a scavenger hunt before nightfall . . . I like doing it like an Easter Egg hunt. I hide things around the yard and take pictures of them. Then I cut up the pictures and mix them all up . . . the kids need to put the pictures together in order to find the hidden objects.
It is fun and a bit challenging. With everyone working together, the objects are found and the kids decide which one they want to keep. I usually have board games, card games and puzzles that I hide. Then we can close out the evening playing those games.
I love having family game nights. Kids can play together. Adults can play together. We can all play the games together. That is usually the best, but sometimes it’s good for kids to learn how to cooperate and settle their own disputes.
If this sounds like fun, here are some games you may enjoy playing with your family and friends during this summer season:
I could go on and on . . . but this will get you started. Just click one of the links and your adventure is on to finding the right board and card games to play with your family and friends.
While everyone is having fun this weekend celebrating America’s Independence . . .
I’m thinking of Halloween . . .
Can you relate?
I’ve been building paper models of haunted houses and making candy boxes shaped like coffins . . . and playing with my Silhouette Cameo to make appropriate boxes I can give away to the kids who come on All Hollow’s Eve with the message of “trick-or-treat!”
I do love Halloween . . . but starting too early could mean burning out down the road . . . So I am refraining from launching full force into Halloween, but I can still be thinking about it and doing various Halloween projects just for my own amusement.
It is always good to get started early on your holiday projects. Whatever holiday is your favorite. Or when the mood strikes.
The warm to hot days of summer seems appropriate for me to settle into doing some paper crafts. I find them enjoyable and relaxing.
Since I got my Silhouette Cameo I’m having fun learning the software and playing around with templates for making boxes. I do love boxes. I love to decorate them for whatever holiday is appropriate.
I have been making cards and mini-albums, too. It’s fun to have a span of time to devote to the crafts of your choice. I’ve been toying around with the idea of having a website for crafts and also a YouTube Channel . . . the more I think about it . . . the more I warm up to the idea . . . but I also wonder why I would do it.
I love the craft tutorials YouTube has to offer . . . I don’t know if I could actually add to it . . . There is considerable work involved. It could also be fun . . . but I may continue doing what I’m doing here. I don’t think I need the added work.
I love what I’m doing and sharing things with you. I do appreciate it when you click one of my links and purchase something. I know it is your way of saying Thank You and I thank you in return.
I do have much to learn about making my own PDF files that I can offer to you this coming holiday season starting in the fall. Yes, I’m referring to Halloween. I have a few things in the works . . . but, I don’t want to start too soon . . . I’ll also have things for Thanksgiving and Christmas . . . then Valentine’s Day . . . and all the following holidays.
We do come full circle year after year . . . with so very much to celebrate. And, I think the best is celebrating family and friends. We are all so very fortunate in so very many ways . . . and doing things for others does add to the fun every holiday and season and every day of the year.
Here are some things you may enjoy this summer while you’re waiting for Halloween:
I love apple pie however I can get that delicious taste.
A cookie would hit the spot just about now.
Especially one with all the ingredients of an apple pie with walnuts and raisins and diced apples to give it a satisfying crunch. These would be great for breakfast, as a snack for the kids or just any time a cold glass of milk would be welcome . . . or with coffee or hot chocolate. These would be excellent all year round.
I’m not a walnut fan, but I do like almonds. Or you can forget the nuts . . . and the raisins . . .
Fix these however you like . . . That’s the fun of making things yourself.
Apple Pie Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup quick oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 cup diced apple pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or a nut of your choice — or not nuts at all
1/2 cup raisins — or not
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl stir together the oats, salt and spices.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs, apple sauce, sugar and oil. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Fold in the diced apples, nuts and raisins.
Drop 1/4 cup size portions of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Flatten the cookies a bit.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until set.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to an airtight container.
