Summer Time Fun Time

With us moving again this summer after just having a move the past summer, I'm on a quest for some fun things to do with the boys. I don't want this summer to be another one that is all about the move. In the past I've run across some really cute ideas ~ "DEAR" which means "drop everything and read". Everyone including parents find a spot to get cozy & comfortable and read for a bit. A friend of mine places ideas in a jar and one day each week has a child pull one out and that's what they do that day.

I'm attempting to come up with some on my own. Of course we will hit up the libraries, Maymont, parks, pools, etc. in addition to our traditional stay home jammer days. The past few summers we have counted on an outdoor movie night once a week during the whole month of July but it's not returning this year. BIG ole bummer for the skamfam! We've also made up our own camp days or weeks. Our favorite was Pirate Camp and the boys still talk about it. Jacob wants Space Camp this year. So I'll definitely be coming up with some fun things for that.

I have one good idea (well I think it is anyway!). We're going to call it "Make it with Mom Monday". The boys will help me plan the menu for Monday night's dinner, shop for it, and make it with me as well. Jacob enjoys looking for fun things to try & have me make. Ben enjoys the process of making it. We'll combine both for some fun times in the kitchen even if it's not in our kitchen. Right Memaw & Granny?!

Who knows maybe I can even interest the boys in some crafts?! I think they would love to have a book club. I'm still pondering some simple ways to have fun that do not include the television!

Jacob has also started his own blog and is so excited about that. I'm sure that will aid in keeping his mind stimulated as well.

So if you have some easy, family time, entertaining ideas please share! I'm excited about the summer ahead ~ Jacob only has 4 1/2 days left of school after today! YIPEE!

Our "TO DO" this Weekend

We started our weekend with a list of things we would like to do.

~strawberry picking
~festival in the park

~cook out

~have a picnic

~craft show

~sell our house

~give the dog a bath

~mow the grass

The dog got a bath Friday and the front yard was mowed. (the back yard is the beast though and will hopefully get done today)

We made it to Festival in the Park Saturday and had a wonderful time with all there was to do there.

We had a picnic yesterday with Granny & Poppy before we went to the festival at the Strawberry Farm. We didn't realize until last minute that it was the weekend of their fesitval so there was lots more to do than just pick strawberries.

While we all did this Poppy got a start on picking.

and thankfully because this is what Jacob did.

(you may not be able to see him

but he's at the other end of this row ~ sitting & waiting)

He was too hot & cranky to participate.

Ben on the other hand had a great time!

He did lots of picking and filling that bucket.

So to finish our list TODAY we just want to have a cookout, finish mowing the grass, and SELL OUR HOUSE!!

Another Blogger in the Family

Isn't this the cutest thing?!
He made this tonight w/ Dadu's help
while I was out for a walk with our neighbor.
I love my little sugar bug.
He's feeling much better!

10 things I Love . . .

. . . in no particular order:

1.

yummy

with fresh blueberries & almond milk

2. wrapping up our lazy saturday with some silly cuddles with our 2 little guys.

3. having another lazy day today complete with rain and sweet boys. (I'm not loving the reason we are home from church today ~ our Jakey was up all night sick ~ but he is much better as of now)

4. I'm thrilled about make your own sub night at small group tonight.

5. that I fixed our toilet! yes, I'm pretty proud of myself!

6. summer is around the corner ~ yipee! little B & I are done w/ preschool this week and J only has 2 weeks following that.

7. house hunting ~ but I can't get too excited until we sell this house.

8. these yummy treats from Trader Joes ~ I can't wait to stock up on some more chocolate covered coffee beans.

9. anything oil cloth

10. finding a new blog filled with crafty inspiration

Terri's Tip Today

My girl Jill had some questions regarding Terri's post from last week. I was quick to get Terri's response and here is what she has to say. I hope this helps clarify.

Great point Jill! Thanks for bringing this up so I can clarify for you. The green tea ITSELF is a wonderful health food. Absolutely great for anti-inflammatory purposes, including arthritis, and many others. What I am refering to is the CONTAMINATION of green tea. And you are right, nobody else is talking about it! This is cutting edge stuff. If you look it up the original scientific studies in www.pubmed.gov you will find clarification, however, I had to pay a scientist(with donated money from a foundation) to conduct my own test of common brands to find a brand of green tea with a lower concentration of fluoride so that I could still have an occasional cup of green tea for its amazing health benefits! These are the results I have shared with you on Regina's blog.

as always if you do have questions that you think Terri may be able to answer, leave a comment! She loves to respond.

Fabulous Friday Fun

Today Jacob's class had their Mother's Day Tea and it was a wonderful time.
Our children met us in the lobby of the school to escort us to their classroom.

We were led to our seat and offered water or tea to go with our strawberry shortcake.

The children were prepped extremely well in regard to manners.

When I offered Jacob a bite of my strawberry shortcake,

he responded, "no thank you mommy, this is for you."

We then watched a video of each child's picture with their response to the prompt,

"I know my mom loves me because . . .

" written above their picture.

Jacob's response to the prompt

". . . because she feeds me."

Then each mom got to sit in the special blue chair
while their child read the card they created for them.
It was evident that the children as well as their teacher
worked extremely hard to make this time special for all involved.
In addition to the cards with sweet sentiments,
they created portraits, placemats,
and planted flowers in cans that they painted.
Then it was time for Mrs. Stanley to take a break.
She went to her first grader's Mother's Day Tea
while I helped the class get an art project ready
for their art show next week.
We created beautiful, bright colored fish after we read
"The Rainbow Fish".
We tried a "Batik" style on brown paper grocery bags.
They turned out so pretty.
I can't wait to see them all up at the art show.

Have I mentioned that we have an amazing neighbor?
Well actually we have a few wonderful neighbors . . .
but this one is in 8th grade and the boys LOVE him!

Well today he took out shis cool go-cart.
Jacob assured us that he needs to practice
so he'll be ready for Thunder Vally.
It's been a wonderful day and I'm hitting the hay!

Terri's Tip for Today!

Here's what Terri has for us today.

Green tea bioaccumulates fluoride at up to 300 times the level of thewater and/or soil. Despite its numerous health benefits, green tea drinkers may develop arthritis, an early sign of fluoride toxicity. I have seen several cases where patients have eliminated stiffness and weakness in their hands by simply cutting out their daily intake of green tea. Check out the table below to discover which brands of green tea tested highest in fluoride concentrations.

Fluoride Concentration in Green Tea
Name of Tea with Fluoride per Liter mg/LBlank water (reverse osmosis, carbon filter and uv) --Tetley Black Tea 3.45
Lipton Black Tea 2.54
Carrington Tea 2.23
Royal Matcha 1.96
Lipton Organic Black Tea 1.82
Celestrial Green Tea 1.53
Yogi Chai Black 1.43
Lipton Organic Green Tea 1.19
Tazo China Green Tips 1.18
Tazo Earl Grey 1.14
Ito En Breakfast Tea 0.94
Yogi Chai Green 0.77
Ito En Sencha Green Tea 0.69
Traditional Medicines Weightless Cranberry 0.05
Traditional Medicines Organic Echinacea Plus 0.03

Thanks Terri!

Lazy Sunday

I wish I had pictures to show our laid back day but instead you'll have to use your imagination.

"Picture This"

~boys lounging on the couch watching Beethoven in their jammers
~the sewing machine putting out little oil cloth lunch saks
~a sweet little 7 year old constructing with wooden blocks & magnets (from our neighbor's yard sale)
~a sweet little 5 year old constructing with k'nex (also from the neighbor)
~the mixer spinning the dough to make chocolate chip cookie brownies (have you seen these?)
~yummy fresh salads for lunch
~melting chocolate chips for covering strawberries (we went to the strawberry festival yesterday and Jacob & I haven't been able to stop thinking about them)
~the amazing middle school boy from next door that treats our babes so wonderfully ~ our boys absolutely love him. he showed the boys how to fly his remote control hover thingie.
~those same sweet boys in the bed by 7

yeppers . . . that just about describes our day!