Old World Christmas Market

For those of you in the Salt Lake area, the Old World Christmas Market will be at The Gateway Mall in the Grand Hall today and tomorrow from 10am-9pm, and Sunday from noon to 6pm. I will be begging Hubba to take me when he gets home from work this morning.

Don't miss out. Read more here.

Today is Fun -POPPY

'Today is Fun' is one of my favorite sites for ideas on entertaining my kids.

I love, love, love it because it's simple and free. I check in about once a week, read up on the activities I haven't yet seen, and store them away for a day when the kids are bored or restless.

My boys, to this day, love talking in robot voices because, once upon a time, mommy did story time in a robot voice. And I think, after a year or so of getting ideas from the site, I'm better at coming up with fun ideas for my kids all on my own. If I'm ever stuck, I've got 'Today is Fun' as a backup.

*I did the yodeling activity with baby g and big brother when they had a friend over. They thought it was HIGH-larious! Nevermind that I looked like a middle-aged overweight man in a lederhosen. Something I've learned is that, the sillier you are, the more fun the kids have. So don't be afraid to dance around and make funny faces. They'll like it that much more. Kids don't judge. Just use caution when adults are around. That's a whole different story.

International Dinosaur Month

Who knew October was International Dinosaur Month? I was pretty surprised myself. I thought we'd embrace the month by visiting the dinosaur exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. There's also a great exhibit at Thanksgiving Point. I chose the Museum because its free the first Monday of every month! I love FREE!

We'll also be embracing the dinosaurs by reading the 'How Do Dinosaurs' books. I'm pretty sure my little guy can recite them from memory. We love those books!

Please don't go...

It's obvious that summer is on its last leg. I'm sad, but I have to admit that fall is my favorite. Even so, how can I say goodbye to summer before I've seen even one lemonade stand. Did you do that when you were little? I sure did, and even though we didn't make money it was always really fun!

This is the cutest little lemonade stand, and made out of a cardboard box! How cool! You can make one of your very own with these instructions from Parents magazine.


Parents has some other really cool ideas for cardboard boxes...check it out here.

I scream, you scream...

If you'll be in Austin, TX on August 15th, you might want to check this out...

Its the Austin Ice Cream Festival! I wish we had one of those here! It looks like there will be lots of fun, entertainment, and deliciousness! Check it out here!

Days of '47

I want to go to Salt Lake on Pioneer Day for the Days of '47 parade, so I was looking into it to find out what kinds of things would be going on.

Guess what?! There is a Youth Festival going on...TOMORROW! Don't miss it if you can help it! It looks like so much fun for the little kids, and there is NO admission fee! There will be a parade followed by games, face painting, balloon art, crafts, and lots more.

To find out more details, go here.

1940s Birthday Soiree -POPPY

Hubba's Birthday Soiree was Saturday and it couldn't have turned out better. Everything went just as planned, we weren't too stressed the day of, and our guests really pulled through with their outfits. It made the party that much more special.

blackjack anyone?

the invitations:

We served dinner: 7 bone roast, potatoes, and Caroline's delicious salad and dressing*.

Hors d'ouvres: olives. sushi. pita bread, veggies, and hummus. cheese, fruit, and crackers.

Dessert consisted of chocolate chip pound cake (the best cake EVER) with lemon curd and caramel sauce* on the side, 'Magnolia's' cupcakes with 'Sprinkles' frosting, and red, white, and blue tootsie rolls.

I made toothpicks for the cupcakes using red, white, and blue cardstock, 3 inch scallop punches, and 2 inch circle punches. I used mod podge to glue two scalloped pieces together (with a toothpick in between) and glued a circle in the center. Hubba made a '29' stencil out of contact paper and used one of his gum erasers to sponge in the number. He's crafty like that.

I made the cake stand. Yes, MADE it, using instructions I found here*. I actually used a candlestick instead of a sundae cup and I had to be patient and keep returning to the thrift store until I found the perfect plate. I'll have to take a close-up of the finished product so you can actually see what it looks like. LOVE how it turned out. (I made three but my favorite is the one the cake is on).

We found some 'Happy Birthday' music online in Big Band style. This was one of my favorite little details about the party. It added the perfect touch to the usual a capella singing. Fun, fun.

Hubba and I both found our outfits for under $20.

earrings- $5 Wal-Mart

flower- a PETUNIA+POPPY original.

I already owned the shirt.

skirt-$4 DI

shoes- (Steve Madden) $4 DI

Hubba used a shirt and tie he already owned.

hat- $7 Taylormaid in Provo

pants- $5 DI

suspenders- $3 DI

shoes- $4 DI

That brings the grand total for two outfits to a whopping $32.

Thrift stores are priceless for these types of events. I found a lot of the decorations there, as well.

I watched some YouTube videos for tips on my hair and tried the styles out a few times before the party. Hubba used some grease in his, to slick it back like they did in the 40's.

decorations:

I made a mini paper banner in red, white, blue, and yellow for the arch in the kitchen.

Costco had these amazing glass drink jars for $30 a piece. Something that will definitely come in handy for our annual Halloween bash.

We also got our drink bin from Costco. We served bottled rootbeer and Coke, and Martinelli's. We were hammered by the end of the night. : )

We hung a white sheet from the ceiling and used it as a backdrop for pictures of our guests. We had tons of balloons- red, maroon, white, and creme.

We got cigars and cigarettes from Taylormaid and Hubba made some '29' sleeves for the cigars. Each of the guys had a cigar in their champagne glass and the girls had a cigarette and a pack of retro gum: Blackjack, Beemans, or Clove.

It was SO much fun and I'm really sad it's over.

Luckily I have a four year old birthday party to plan within the next couple of weeks. Whew! I get worn out just thinking about it.

*if you haven't checked out the Armelle Jewelry blog yet, you must. By far one of my favorites. I've tried tons of her recipes (all DELISH) and tutorials and have loved them all. Caroline is so creative and crafty and has some great ideas.

::Homemade ice cream in a bag::

I've been looking for fun easy things (crafts, food, etc.) to take and do on our camping trip (July 4th). In my searching, I found a recipe for ice cream in a bag! I decided to try it out first in order to, hopefully, save ourselves from a total fiasco while camping. I was a bit skeptical when I saw the recipe, but we tried it and IT WORKED! Is it delicious? It's no Blue Bell, but its pretty good. My little man sure liked it, and it was so easy! I set the bag of ice cream in a dish towel for J to eat because it was really cold. The one downside is that its kind of leaky while you're shaking it. So, maybe plan on making outside, and it should work great!

What you'll need:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes

How to make it:
-Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
-Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
-Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
-Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
-Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

Tips:
A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more that that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.

I got this recipe from Kaboose. Go check it out! They have more fun summer craft ideas to help keep those kids entertained while school's out.

Downtown Farmer's Market

The Salt Lake Farmer's Market starts today, 8am-1pm, and goes through October 17th. I'm a sucker for food, and fresh food is even better, but there are other types of goodies there as well, in the form of arts and crafts. Read more here.

Friday Night Flicks

Every Friday night, for seven consecutive weeks, a movie will be shown at a different park in Salt Lake City. How cool is that? I must take advantage. I'm thinking we'll gather some friends and go on the last night, because what day does it fall on? My birthday!

Last week was the first one, but there are still six left. Tonight, at the Lindsey Gardens they're showing Superman. So check it.

Summertime. . . .and the livin' is easy.

Sometimes I wish my kids would just sit. Just sit down and read a book or think. Or at least let me do one of those things. I'm finally realizing that's just not going to happen. My kids like to be entertained. All day. Now that school's out, I thought I'd come up with a short list of kid-friendly, summer activities.

• swimming- whether it's a public pool, a community pool, backyard pool, or a blow-up kiddie pool, don't underestimate the POOL. kids LOVE to swim.
  

• feed the ducks- find a pond near you and feed the ducks. make a day out of it. pack a picnic basket full of goodies and have a fun picnic in the park with the kids. bring a ball, a frisbee, blankets, bubbles, and don't forget bread for the ducks. give your picnic basket a cute facelift with instructions here.

• explore downtown- if you live in a small town, it's a lot of fun to park the car somewhere and try walking for once. you'll discover all kinds of fun things you miss everyday because you're not looking. take a peak into some of the stores. you'll be pleasantly surprised at the things you find. there are antique stores, clothes stores, ice creameries, boutiques, bakeries, and cafes hiding behind each corner, just waiting to be discovered. a whole new world is opened to you when you slow down and take in your surroundings.

If you don't feel like driving into town for this, at least take a stroll through your own neighborhood. you might get to know a neighbor better, discover a fun park, or at least be able to enjoy the beauty of a rose bush, an old house, or a beautiful garden that you never knew existed.

• lounge on some lawn chairs on the porch- bring drinks, chalk, a book, a radio, or nothing at all. One of my favorite times to do this is at the beginning of a thunderstorm. i love the smell and feel of the air, the calm before the storm, and the sound of thunder.

• go on a picture walk- take pictures of things you see on your walk. come inside and draw pictures of you pictures adding new objects within. this idea is from today is fun, a lovely little site where parents can find creative (and free!) ideas for keeping life fun for the kids. check it out. my kids and I have personally tested countless activities from this site. and they always have a blast doing them.

• go to a store just to walk around. don't buy a thing. go somewhere that also has a food court- ikea, target, costco, sam's, or the grocery store. play in the toy section until you get hungry. then go to the food section and get some lunch, or just a snack or ice cream cone. ikea even has a kid section in the cafeteria! the picture below was taken at ace hardware, where they have popcorn and candy, and a fake lawn set up. (of course they didn't intend the 'lawn' to be a hangout, but what's the fun if you can't play, right?)

• do a project together- paint a picture, build a fort, make a collage. a sight i love is family fun. they have great ideas for crafts, parties, games, and food.

• make treats or have the kids help with dinner- getting the kids involved is great fun for them. sometimes it hard to get these things done because the kids feel left out or want you to come play. make it into a game. have them help and discuss measurements and cooking terms with them. let them steal a couple bites here and there, too.

• if you have a grocery store in walking distance, walk to the store (or ride a bike), buy ice cream cones or popsicles, and eat them on the walk back home.

• get snow cones and eat them at a park. what's more summery than shaved ice in a cup? i have yet to meet a kid who didn't enjoy a snow cone. let everyone pick their own flavor and rotate so everyone gets a taste of eachother's.

• have a water balloon fight- if possible, get daddy involved in this one. just trust me, it's more fun.

• go to the library- one of our favorite activities. if you don't have a card, you must get one. you can sit and read books at the library or check some out to bring back home. and don't forget that libraries have more than just books. There are also puzzles, games, movies, and themed backpacks available for checkout. you can check out educational videos or fun cartoons that you haven't seen yet. and it's great to keep the kids intellectually stimulated throughout the summer. There are also fun summer programs for kids. So go to your local library and sign up now! You'll be happy you did.

• some cities have fun festivals and city events. I know here in utah, each city has it's own festival: summer days, strawberry days, steel days, etc. look into this. check the internet for local events. there are also sometimes outdoor concerts or movies in the park. both excellent family activities.

Have some more good ideas? Leave a comment. I'd love to expand my list.

Let's get camping -PETUNIA

We will be participating in the Great American Backyard Camp out on June 27th...will you? You don't actually have to camp in your backyard. The goal is to get people out to reconnect with nature. I love the idea. I think it's great to slow down, enjoy nature, and spend time with family. Go register your camp out today...I did!

This is where Poppy and I will be taking our families
We went last year and had a great time, so we decided to do it again, and bring our little sister and her husband along too!

I want that

This looks like so much fun! I bet the kids would have a blast with this beach ball sprinkler during our Fourth of July Party! I even want to try it out!


Walmart carries a cheaper version. Still looks like fun to me!

::Date Night::

This week: PIZZERIA SEVEN TWELVE, hottub, and comedy.

p712 is a small, trendy restaurant in Orem, Ut. I love the cozy setting. When you walk in, you find modern art displayed on the walls and a big open-faced oven, where you can watch the chef flip the crust. Aside from the atmosphere and decor, the food is amazing. I suggest you make reservations because I have yet to go when there's not a line out the door.

I'm a little upset that I didn't get one picture the whole night, but that's kinda what happens when you're having a good time.

We went with a group of friends. It was a farewell dinner of sorts. Some of our friends are leaving for the summer so we decided to get one last night out before they left us for too long. We've been a few times but it was a first for everyone else.

It was a HIT!

They start you out with soft pita bread and hummus. Nice and light to start your meal. Many things were ordered but the favorites of the night were the Asparagus, the Artichoke Pizza, and the Rhubarb for dessert. The crust is perfection and the toppings are the likes of which I'm sure you've never had at your local 'pizza place'. I have yet to try a dish I didn't LOVE.

Like SPARK, the menu at p712 changes regularly, allowing you to try a variety of foods with each visit, so don't be shocked if none of these things are on the menu when you go.

they have a blog, if you're interested in updates and news, and it's located at:
320 S. State St. #185
Orem, Ut 84058
801.623.6712

So take your friends and enjoy good company, great food, and a fun night out!!

We followed dinner with hours of talking in the hottub and later watching Sebastian Maniscalco on Comedy Central. It was our first time seeing him. HILLARITY!! Look him up. You won't be dissappointed. Here's a short comedy sketch for your viewing pleasure: