RECIPES/ Seasonal

10 Slow Living Summer Recipes From New Nostalgia

I recently looked at what posts on New Nostalgia were getting the most pins on Pinterest and noticed that many fell under the category of what could be called Slow Living Summer Recipes. It made me smile to see what was resonating with readers and what was being repinned. They are all my summer favorites!

I feel like I must thank you all for the inspiration to title and write this post. You show me what is most appealing to you by how you save and share posts, and it makes me giddy to see what we have in common.

Thank you for reading, pinning, sharing and liking. Without you, I could not do what I do!

10 Slow Living Summer Recipes

Slow living often inspires healthy living. It takes a slowing to be purposeful in how time is used and what is put in and on the body to create healthy living. Slow summer living makes me nostalgic and I want to get in the kitchen and make everything homemade with simple, healthy ingredients. I don’t have the time to do this all day every day, so I’ve learned to collect recipes that have simple ingredients and are easy to make.

Fresh & Healthy Lime Soda

This Fresh & Healthy Lime Soda could not be more simple and is so refreshing. I love to sip slow while sitting on my porch swing. Even if it is just a few short minutes in the middle of a busy day, it always pays off take a few deep breaths and slow!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Baked Peaches

Peaches scream summer. I just stopped at a local produce stand yesterday and bought the most delicious, juicy sweet peaches. I ate 3 already and am heading back to buy more today. They are so sweet that I may have to cut the brown sugar even more in this recipe.

These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Baked Peaches are simple but make quite an elegant dessert. Pick up and eat with your fingers when alone, or serve on a dessert plate with a mint leaf for added color when serving to guests.

Simple Tomato Salad

Tomatoes and basil are a duet of food that I just cannot get enough of in the summer. I love making this Simple Tomato Salad as a quick lunch or as a no-cook side at dinner. Add a small slice of toasted sourdough because, why not?

Best Ever Zucchini Bread

I didn’t grow any zucchini in my square foot garden this year and now I’m regretting it! I will just have to take full advantage of the zucchini at our local farmer’s markets. My youngest daughter already has asked me when I’m making this Best Ever Zucchini Bread, she knows it is a tradition during the summer months. She also asked if it was “healthy.” Well, it DOES have a vegetable as the base, but I told her we put it in the dessert category due to the sugar in the recipe.

This recipe whips up so quickly in a blender. Make it and bake it. Grab a magazine and sit slow while it cooks and cools.

Oven Corn on the Cob

I picked up some corn at the produce stand yesterday along with my peaches and will be roasting them in the oven tonight. I LOVE this method of making Oven Corn on the Cob, you shuck the corn until AFTER it roasts. This makes for very easy removal of the silks as they steam and clump together for easy removal.

No Cook Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Oats

No Cook Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Oats can be thrown together the night before which makes your summer morning nice and slow. We love chia oats, especially in the summer when a hot breakfast just sounds too heavy. These are delicious, filling, full of fiber, protein, and omegas.

2 Ingredient Homemade Lemon Face Scrub

How about a recipe for your face? This 2 Ingredient Homemade Lemon Face Scrub works! It has sugar and lemon in it and leaves the skin so very soft and smooth. The lemon has the power to lighten age spots and the sugar is a nice exfoliant. Don’t forget your lips! Mmmm…tastes like summertime lemonade!

Cheesy Tortellini Crockpot Soup

I love to get my slow cooker out in the summer. The oven stays off, the kitchen stays cool, and I can find some moments to relax while dinner simmers away unattended. This Cheese Tortellini Crockpot Soup is very popular with my readers and on Pinterest. It has been shared over and over again!

30 Minute Sloppy Joes

During the summer months, I often will keep dinner super simple by making one main item, like these 30 Minute Sloppy Joes, on the stove. I then turn off the stove and oven and keep side dishes fresh and raw, like cucumbers and hummus, cut fruit and a green leafy salad. 30 minute meals are GREAT for giving more time to enjoy those long summer evenings.

Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Glaze

Fruit is so refreshing in the summer, and the perfect item to include in a summer picnic! Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Glaze is really beautiful and delicious. The glaze gives the fruit amazing shine and the little specks of lime zest give a pop of fresh flavor to the fruit and is super pretty! This salad is great to take to summer parties and potlucks.

So there are 10 of my Summer Slow Living Recipes. Let me know in the comments which ones look good to you!

What are some of your favorite summer recipes?

What are some of your ways to live slow in the summer?

Christmas/ Holidays/Parties/ Kids/Family/ Seasonal

Gift Ideas For Teen Girls

I have 3 teen girls.

WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?

It is crazy unbelievable how fast my girls have grown up. I am so thankful to be here to witness the growth! I think of these teen years, and I’m pleasantly surprised with how much fun we are having.

Don’t get me wrong, we have our share of dramatic moments, but we are growing as a family and learning how to love & accept each other even when it is hard. Sometimes this takes an exhaling of self and an inhaling of acceptance that we are all a bunch of imperfect humans learning to live closely with one another. I am Mom, learning and growing right along with my teens, and loving every moment of it!

Goodbye Littles, Hello Shopping For Teen Girls

Christmas with teen girls is so much fun. Gone are the days of shopping at Toys R Us during date night with my hubs. Gone are the days of shopping at the dollar store for stocking stuffers, tutu’s and plastic glittery heels & princess tiaras.

I still have my princesses, but they are now growing up at ages 17, 15 & 13.

Amazon Gift Ideas/Wish Lists

My teen girls now make Amazon wish lists, as requested by Mom & Dad, and send us a text to let us know when their lists are updated. Granted, they do not get everything on the list, but these wish lists sure makes “Santa’s” job by giving a heads up to what they would like, and even the reindeer get a break thanks to free shipping from Amazon Prime!

Drinks/ HOME/ Homemaking/ RECIPES/ Seasonal

5 Warming and Comforting Drink Recipes To Sip Slow and Savor

Fall is my favorite. I get all nest-y when cooler weather hits. I get out the fuzzy socks, drape my couch in snuggly blankets, light candles and make sure my Kindle is full of good reads.

I fight the hustle and bustle of life, deliberately slow down and nestle in.

I delight in evenings when we are all home together, and when it happens I make sure there is soup simmering, and often offer mugs of warm drinks after dinner.

Even when I can’t gather my 3 lovelies (as they are teenagers and often scattered), you can still find me most fall evenings with a warm mug in hand.

Here are 5 favorites that I have on rotation:

5 Warming and Comforting Drink Recipes To Sip Slow and Savor

Warming Spiced Almond Milk

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 tablespoon almond milk creamer, vanilla flavor (optional)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of ginger

a pinch of cayenne

……….

Combine all ingredients in a small pan.

Heat on the stove over medium heat until warm.

Sprinkle top with a touch of cinnamon for pretty. Sit down, inhale, and sip slow.

Hint: if you like a bit of froth on top, you can put it into a blender & blend (venting to allow steam to escape) or use a french press and plunge a few times until bubbles form.

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Chai

1 cup milk (I used almond)
2 pumpkin spice teabags
3/4 cup chai concentrate, or to taste

Put milk into a saucepan. Add teabags. Steep the teabags in milk for 5-7 minutes & warm to desired temperature. Add chai concentrate. Stir. Pour into 2 mugs, sit with a loved one and sip slow.

Hint: if you don’t have pumpkin spice tea (my favorite is from Trader Joes) you can use black tea or rooibos tea and sprinkle in a little pumpkin pie spice. Also, the brand of chai I like is Oregon Chai Concentrate. Tazo is another popular brand but its cardamom flavor is too strong for my taste.

ALMOND VANILLA MAPLE SPICED MOCHA

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup double- strength brewed coffee

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1-2 Tbsp maple syrup

pinch of cinnamon

2-3 dashes of cayenne or a pinch of red pepper flakes

pinch of salt

……….

Brew a double strength coffee. Heat the almond milk until quite hot. Add cocoa powder. Whisk the cocoa powder into the milk, briskly stirring until all clumps have melted away. Stir in the coffee, spices and maple syrup. Adjust the sweetness and spice according to your own taste. Snuggle up in your favorite chair and sip slow.

Hint: if you don’t have vanilla flavored almond milk, just add a drop or two of vanilla extract.

Best Ever Hot Chocolate

8 oz milk of your choice (almond, soy, dairy)

3 Dove chocolates (or your favorite brand chocolate square, milk or dark, I like dark)

1-2 teaspoons Godiva Chocolate liqueur

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

……….

Heat in microwave until hot (less than 2 minutes.) Whisk until combined.

Sit back, relax, and sip slow.

Hint: use my favorite frother to whip it up and make it extra creamy and beautiful.

Honey Lemon Ginger Tea

1/2 inch fresh ginger root, cut into slices (no need to peel)

2 wedges of lemon

1 tsp raw honey

……….

Squeeze 2 wedges of lemon into your tea cup. Add the wedges into the cup for added benefits of the oils from the lemon skin. Add 2 slices of ginger. Heat water in a tea kettle–I love my electric one that heats in minutes. Pour over ginger and lemon. Add honey and stir. Steep for a good 5 minutes. Strain, hug the mug, inhale the steam and sip slow.

Hint: both lemon wedges and ginger slices can be kept in the freezer in small mason jars. The hot water will thaw them. Also, a tea cup with an infuser like my favorite one is very handy.

{click photo for your pinning pleasure}

How about you?

What is your favorite warm drink?

HOME/ Organizing/ Seasonal

5 Steps To A Clean Pantry + Keep A Clean Home Free Printable

According to my “Keeping A Clean Home” Printable, I am due for a good seasonal pantry cleaning. It is perfect timing as the holidays are coming, so I need to see what I have and make room for the holiday cooking and baking items I need.

I will have people all up in my kitchen, opening cupboards and helping me prepare—talk about motivating! I love having a full kitchen during the holidays, but I don’t want to cringe when someone opens my pantry or cabinets! I know you feel me.

It will also be very helpful to know exactly what I have in my pantry when I am holiday menu planning, and really just meal planning in general. I get so frustrated when I buy an item just to come home and discover I already have it. Wasted time, space and money!

Speaking of money, having an organized pantry really does help save money. Not only will you buy fewer duplicates, but if you make sure all foods are in containers or airtight, they will last longer and you will have less waste. We definitely are better at eating up the food we already have when we can clearly see what is there, which keeps us from grabbing food on the go or wanting to order food in. All big-time money savers.

Last summer I made and shared with you this super helpful “Keeping a Clean Home” printable checklist. It divides tasks into Every Day, Once a Week, Once a Month, Once a Season, and Once a Year. This checklist allows me to focus in, know exactly where I am at and what needs to be done.

The chart is keeping me on track and I’m slowly working through it. I’m pretty good at the Daily, Weekly, & Monthly lists. It’s the Seasonal and Yearly lists that I really need to zero in on, which I have actually been doing! The list is on my refrigerator and I have about half of those Seasonal and Yearly items crossed off.

Would you like to print one out for yourself too?

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ‘KEEPING A CLEAN HOME’ PRINTABLE HERE

5 Steps To A Clean Pantry

1. Remove Everything From Your Pantry

This will allow you to see what you are working with, what needs to go and clear your pantry for a good clean wipe down. This step is always entertaining, as I find all kinds of items that I didn’t know I had! I get inspired and a bit giddy about all of the possibilities of fun food I can make with the treasures I find.

2. Sort and Toss

Go through the items, start putting ‘like’ items together, then toss, toss, toss! Say goodbye to old, expired items. Don’t be afraid to get rid of items you won’t use, even if they are not expired. Donate them if you don’t want to throw them out. Use a critical eye and don’t keep anything you won’t use.

This is a good time to get rid of spices that are older than a year and bulk items that you have no idea when they expire or when you purchased them.

3. Categorize

Think “like with like.” Use the way a grocery store organizes their food as a guide to organize yours. Decide if you want to create stations, like a baking station, breakfast station or snack station. I personally always have a nuts and seeds station and an ‘oatmeal toppings’ station, as these are foods I eat every day and it is convenient to have them all gathered together in a specific area.

4. Clean

Cleaning will be a breeze with all your items out of the way. I used my DIY All-Purpose Lemon cleaner and paper towels from Viva to unleash clean in my pantry. I like using Viva Vantage because it has a scrubby texture like a terry-cloth, that is great for cleaning anything that is stuck on shelves and cabinets. They are so strong and durable that you can actually wring them out and reuse them several times! I used Viva Vantage to wipe the bottoms of my food containers and jars before placing them back in the pantry.

As you can see in the picture below, Viva not only sells textured Viva Vantage towels, but also Viva towels which have a signature soft and smooth texture, almost like an undershirt material. They are amazingly absorbent and won’t leave any residue behind. I like to use these to dry my jars and dust the tops of cans. I also use these to dry my shelves completely before returning items.

DIY All-Purpose Lemon Cleaner

1/2 c white vinegar | juice of one lemon | 2 c water

Stir to combine. Put in spray bottle.

Use the dusting vacuum attachment to get all hard-to-reach crumbs from the corners and any that fell to the floor. Now is the time to be thorough, since this is a seasonal cleaning.

5. Return Items

This is the most fun and satisfying part. Put your organized, wiped and grouped items back. Keep beauty in mind as you are arranging them on the shelves. If you use storage containers, keep them similar in color. My favorite storage containers are mason jars. I love being able to see what is inside and they look so darn cute. I also have a few favorite containers to corral smaller items. Keep it simple, keep it beautiful, and label only if it is your ‘thing.’

Now your pantry is clean and ready for the holidays. Hopefully, you have created extra room to hold all of those holiday groceries and store holiday leftovers.

How often do you clean out your pantry?

Are you having holiday guests this year?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

FUN/DIY/ Holidays/Parties/ Seasonal/ Sponsored

Tips For An Effortless Outdoor Late Summer Party

School is back in session, but that doesn’t mean that summer fun can’t continue! How about an effortless outdoor late summer party? Late summer is the perfect time to have an outdoor party, and I have a bunch of tips to make it easy and enjoyable!

I’ve often been told that I have a certain touch when it comes to entertaining, which always makes me smile. My goal is for people to feel loved and have a great time when they come over, and I accomplish this by being the queen of shortcuts! I’ve been known to sweep piles of dirt under the rug, order takeout and put it in a pretty dish (always being honest about it, of course), and just close the doors of rooms I don’t want seen, telling people if they enter, to enter at their own risk!

I’ve learned that in order for my guests to have fun, I have got to be present and willing to just– be. To let go of perfect and show up, creating lasting memories full of laughter and fun.

Thankfully I have learned some great shortcuts, tricks and tips to plan an effortless party, which really help me enjoy the party just as much as my guests do!

13 Tips For An Effortless Outdoor

Late Summer Party

USE DISPOSABLES

It is ok to take a break from doing dreaded dishes and instead use utensils, plates and napkins that you can toss. If being green is a goal of yours, there are awesome disposable products out there that are kind to the environment. The key to keeping things fun and pretty is to display them in containers that have some personality, like the above polka dot mug.

Choose disposables that match the vibe of your party. There are so many cute disposable plates and napkins out there! I especially love bringing in some color with napkins, as there are so many great prints out there.

EFFORTLESS GREEN

Cut plants and flowers are a great way to add beauty in an effortless way when entertaining. Don’t want to buy cut flowers? Grab a few cuttings from a fern or houseplant! That is what I did! Look closely at the photos and you will see that I trimmed my fern and stuck the trimmings in little jar vases. I also cut palms off of a palm plant and used them laying flat on the serving table. So simple & FREE!

CASUAL DELICIOUS BEVERAGES

If you read this blog, you know I’m all about my lemon water, but when it comes to a fun, effortless, causal party, I want my drinks to match the vibe. Enter JaM Cabernet. It is an easy-to-love, berry-licious, velvety-rich & bold wine. This wine is a luscious Cab that doesn’t need a gourmet meal…it’s right at home in a casual backyard setting and is totally my kinda JaM! I’m a wine lover, specifically red wine. JaM Cellars makes three everyday California wines with names that make me smile; Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling. JaM Cab is my favorite to chill out with. Bursting with the flavor of juicy berries, it is the best cab $20 & under, and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Want this JaM to be your JaM too? Check the JaM Cellars Wine Finder page to find where to buy it near you.

USE FRUIT TO ADD COLOR

A favorite trick of mine to brighten up any room or table is to grab whatever fruit I have and display it in a great dish, or, like the lemons in the photo above; a great pot! It adds instant color, and often I will use fruit that can be eaten straight from the dish, like whole strawberries, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries, clementines, apples or pears. No need to do a bunch of chopping to make a fruit salad! Just set pretty dishes or jars of whole fruit out. I recently had a party and set out small, wide-mouthed mason jars filled to the brim with blueberries, and they received so many comments about how cute they looked from my guests.

BUY A VEGGIE TRAY

The veggie tray you see in the photo is under $10 from our local big box store, and comes with the yogurt ranch dip. This allows me to skip making a green leafy salad or pasta salad and the work of all that chopping, but I can still offer guests some healthy self-serve vegetables which compliment and round out any casual meal.

MAKE SELF-SERVE FOOD

By late summer, I’m ready to put the grill away but not ready to turn the oven on. This is when I pull out the slow-cooker. My 30 Minute Sloppy Joes are self-serve and can be made and kept in the slow-cooker. I even start early in the day and let the ground beef cook right in the slow cooker, then drain it and add the sloppy joe sauce ingredients. I’ve also bought a frozen foil pan of BBQ Pork from my big box store, threw it in the slow-cooker and it was ready when guests came to help themselves. Can’t get much easier than that!

BUILD A FIRE

Late summer into fall is our favorite time of year to build a small pit fire. Some evenings are starting to cool down around here, so a fire is a great way to stay warm and gather people around in one place with JaM Cab in hand, of course!

MUSIC IS A MUST

There is an article called “Summer’s not done, chill with JaM!” on the Scoop! if you are looking for a fun party playlist. Music can add instant fun to a party, and can really control the mood of a party. The above linked playlist has everything from Coldplay to Billy Joel, and one of my favorites to chill the night out with: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.

BLANKETS ON HAND

If the evening is expected to be cooler, take a wicker basket of rolled-up blankets outside with a chalkboard sign that says “help yourself.” Another way to use blankets while entertaining outside is to spread them out on the lawn for a casual, picnic feel.

MAKE S’MORES

Might as well take advantage of that fire and make some s’mores! We get creative around here with our s’mores and use nice thick cored apple slices in place of graham crackers and offer peanut butter cups along with the typical chocolate bar. One thing that we don’t change is the marshmallow! There is something about putting a big white marshmallow on a stick, watching it puff up and nursing it to the perfect gooey golden brown, that brings out the inner child in all of us. S’mores are another fun way to have your guests make their own and serve themselves, and are so sweet that you don’t really need much more for dessert.

CUPCAKES FOR DESSERT

If you DO want more for dessert, make cupcakes! Everybody loves a cupcake, and they are a great dessert to make ahead of time. I love how they look on a white platter, and often I will take the platter around to guests and let them grab the one they want. No need for dessert plates, just pass out a napkin with each cupcake. Use a cake mix, find some fun sprinkles & use gold or silver cupcake liners for a bit of sparkle.

Use Glass Jars

Fill them with nuts for guests to munch on before and after dinner. Put a candle or starry lights in them. Use them as casual water glasses, as containers to send leftovers home with your guests, and as vases to hold flowers or greenery. Put slices of lemon in one for guests to help themselves to for their water. Put butter or condiments in them–they will be so much prettier on a table than the bottles that most condiments come in. Yes, even ketchup and mustard can add color and beauty to a table if in a glass jar!

Lighting

Lighting is a must. Keep it simple. A few candles, some string lights or a jar of battery operated starry lights are all it takes to set a mood. When we are going to have a get-together in our backyard, I love plugging in our string lights over a sitting area, and I make sure the lightbulbs work in our spot light to light up the basket ball area. Use citronella candles to keep the bugs away and add ambient lighting at the same time. Light is important!

So there you have it. My 13 Tips To an Effortless Late Summer Party. Keep it simple! Use what you have! Good drinks, lighting and music make all the difference. Add some cut greens in jars & easy, self-serve food, and you will have a party that all will enjoy…including the hostess!

………………..

Want to know more about JaM Cellars?

Second-Generation Napa Valley vintners John and Michele are the “J” and the “M” in JaM Cellars, and I want to meet them just to tell them how much I love the clever names for their wines. They make their wines in the tradition of great California winemaking, rich bold and luscious, and in a style to enjoy with friends any day of the week.

“We take our wines seriously; we just don’t take ourselves seriously!” – JaM Cellars

Yep, I’d love to meet them…we could hang for sure!

Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for daily wine-aspiration #JaMCellars @JamCellars.

Want to know where to find JaM Cellars near you? You can purchase JaM Cellars wine at leading grocery stores. Enter your zip code to identify local stores at JaMCellars.com/WineFinder {<–click}

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Decorating/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Seasonal

How To Divide A Flower Bouquet To Add Spring Color Throughout Your Home

My new favorite thing to do during my once a week grocery shopping trip is to buy an inexpensive flower bouquet. I then take it home and have so much fun dividing it up into different size vases to distribute around my home.

I’ve never been a huge fan of most mixed flower bouquets. I guess I just like the simplicity of one color and texture, so I have always preferred bouquets that have a bunch of the same type of flower–that is–until now.

Now I look for flower bouquets that have many textures and stems that would look great separated into individual jars & vases.

DIY/Crafts/ Featured/ FUN/DIY/ Seasonal

Snow Day Memories & 3 DIY Snow Paint Ideas

Have you ever made snow paint? It is one of the easiest DIY’s we have done & is lots of fun too!

We are on day two of blissful snow days. I’m wearing the same pajama pants that I wore all day yesterday and you would all just laugh at me if you saw the state of my crazy hair. It is 10:30am and even my husband is still walking around in his pajama pants, so we are truly taking advantage of the forced slow that snow brings!

Snow days are so different now that my girls are older (16, 15 & almost 13). I found myself reminiscing about snow days of old, and I remembered a few photos of one particular snow day from 2013. My Avery was 10 and was so very excited to stay home from school. Those were the days when she was young and snow was magical & she couldn’t wait to get out in it. I dug the pictures out to keep the memories alive on this blog & to share them with you!

I vividly remember my Avery waking up that day in her snuggly jammies with a cozy bathrobe wrapped around, but still her feet were bare. Is it just me or do naked toes on cold days drive any of you other Mama’s out there nuts? To see naked feet on a snow day just makes me shiver.

“Put some socks on those cute feet, you are making me cold!” My kids have heard me say this more than once on cold winter days.

That morning, Avery made a list on the white board she kept in her room. I love that she made plans that took action. Now, during the last 2 snow days, the action is less as she lays in her bed with her ipod and Netflix. I do know those cute toes got a coat of polish yesterday, so I guess that counts as movement!

She did come our from her room yesterday afternoon and baked some cookies. I can always count on my Avery to get in the kitchen on the weekends or days off of school to bake something yummy. She LOVES to bake. Back in 2013 on that fun snow day, we baked brownies while waiting for the afternoon sun to warm the day up a bit. Look at that brownie batter all over her face! Now, the only mess is in my kitchen after she is done baking, but not on her face. Both are precious moments, though, and I know I will miss that messy kitchen someday, as much as I miss mess on her face!

We continued to pass the time by making paper snowflakes. My goodness she was so adorable! I loved that stage with adult teeth but child face. So cute! Soon she will be getting braces on those teeth and look very much like the middle schooler that she is. Now if I want snowflakes, I make them myself. This is the first year she has not been too into crafty things. She is growing up!

I snapped a picture of her boots warming by the vent. She outgrew those long ago. She now is in the stage of her feet staying the same size for more than a few months at a time. A blessing, as adult size shoes are about double the cost of children’s shoes. She now wears the same size I do.

DIY SNOW PAINT IDEAS

Before she went out into the snow, we decided to make some DIY Snow Paint. This is so simple to make. It is just food coloring and water.

~Fill squeeze bottles halfway with water.

~Add drops of food coloring until desired shade is achieved.

~Put your finger over the hole and shake to mix.

Kool-Aid Snow Paint

~Fill bottles up with water.

~Add a packet of kool-aid

~Shake to mix

~Enjoy the fun colors that smell wonderful!

Magic Snow Paint

~spinkle areas of snow with baking soda

~fill squeeze bottles or spray bottles with vinegar & a bit of water

~add food coloring for color & shake to mix

~have kids find the ‘magic snow’ by spraying the snow and watching for a bubbling reaction of the baking soda and vinegar

Avery had fun that day painting snow, but the highlight of the day was when a local news crew saw her shoveling and stopped to ask her a few questions. They featured her snowman & asked her why she liked shoveling. Her answer? “Because you get to help out your parents and..it’s just FUN shoveling!” Aww…be still my heart. She told me today that even though she looked cute and composed, she was a little freaked out as they didn’t ask us to interview her and just started filming. We still have it locked and saved on our DVR. I need to figure out how to get it off and save it another way! It was fun to watch again today as a family. Her little voice was so sweet.

After her big interview, she came in to warm up… with an icicle?!? Love the pink cheeks & the willingness to pose for a photo. I find that my teenage girls are now much less likely to let me take their photo. Now I just steal their instagram photos and use them as my own when needed, knowing they are already approved for the public. Or pictures like the one below, where they are prepared & ready to smile!

{Christmas 2015}

As much as I miss my girls and their younger versions, I am cherishing every moment of them as teens, as I know there will be a day coming where I will miss their teen version! I am so very thankful to be here, to be their Mom in every stage they go through. I love my girls…oh, and that man in the middle? He’s not so bad either!

…………

Do you have snow days in your part of the world?

What do you love to do on snow days?

Do you have littles or teens? How do you enjoy every stage?

{for your pinning pleasure}

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