CAMPING SNACK MIX and FREE CAMPING CHECKLIST

Howdy!  Happy Friday!

We are about to pack up the car and attempt our first camping trip of the summer.  I'm hoping I have not forgotten anything and that it goes smoothly.   We are tent campers for now.  I really would love a camper, but that will come in time.  For now, it's just fun to get outside for an entire weekend and play!

Since we are packing up, I thought I would share with you my secret camping weapon.  It's sure to clam up whining and complaining of any kind.  SNACK MIX.  Yup, it's fun.  We serve it in plastic cups - just scoop some and eat.

Because it is in a cup, it will fit in the cup holder of your camp chair.  Easy, right?  We never really make it the same way twice.  I always take the kids to the store and let them choose what they want to mix in.  

We dump it all in a humongous bowl and just stir it up.  Here are the things we picked this time: M&Ms, Golden Grahams, Honey Nut Chex, Chocolate Teddy Grahams, Pretzel Sticks, raisins and peanuts.  

Yum! Yum!  We can't wait to eat some.  I swear I didn't eat any when I made it.  Well, maybe that's not the entire truth..... 

Just for fun too, I am sharing my camping checklist that I use for weekend trips.  (just click on the link to download the excel file.)  The hubs loves to cook breakfast, so that's our biggest meal.  The rest is just burgers and dogs. 

I am also a big fan of buying a veggie tray and making a fruit tray.  That way, the kids can snack on that stuff too.  Anything that's easy is the way to go!!  Now, if I could just survive enjoy the instant coffee, we will be OK.  I hope you have a great weekend!!

Enjoy!






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LEGO STORAGE PEGBOARD

Hey! Hey Friends!  To say I am excited for this post is a bit of an understatement.  I am bursting at the seams!!  The Bug and I worked on this most of the day and I think it's finally ready to show you!

As a Mom, I constantly find myself growling under my breath at the mess path of destruction my kids tend to leave with toys.  

I have an inner struggle.  The complete Virgo in me thinks that everything should have a place.  An organized, well thought out place.  

I fight it because I also want my kids to play with the toys they have.  Sometimes, this means leaving them out, so the battle of Lego people can begin again tomorrow where it left off.  Grumble Grumble.  Wrinkling nose.... 

My six year-old boy is obsessed with building Legos.  He loves to sit and listen to music and put together all the STUFF.  And take it apart and make new stuff.  

It's great, but I was noticing that the simple IKEA desk we purchased for him when school started looked like this.  Yep, everyday.  

He even has it roped off in this picture - to warn visitors I suppose.  The desk was making me CRAZY.  I needed to get all the stuff off the desk!! But where do I go with it? UP!  I grabbed a piece of pegboard and some 1X2s and got to work.  I used the leftover red paint from The Boo's big girl room to paint the pegboard.  It looked a bit plain so I added some frog tape and spray painted the metallic racing stripes.  

The hubs added a frame with the 1X2s on the back and attached it with screws right through the peg board.  I made sure to paint the sides of the frame too.  We placed the pegboard on the desk and attached it with L brackets.  You could also hang it on the wall too!  It would work just as great.

I also spray painted a board in the same metallic to place on the shelf brackets we got as part of a pegboard multi-pack.  I purchased some plastic buckets to hold al the smaller stuff (4 for $1.00 at the dollar store).  That's it!  The entire project cost about $20.00.  This is the after...

The Bug and I had fun figuring out how to put everything up and what to do with each bracket that came with the pack.  We still have some leftover to add if we want.  

My favorite part of all of it though, is the way The Bug thought of to put the Lego guys up.  They just clip onto this rack! AWESOME.  

We used straight hooks to hold things up too, sort of like a makeshift shelf.  

It it so cool to now see the top of his desk.  It's funny, before he would play for a bit and then say he didn't have any room, and now he couldn't wait to sit down and play with everything.  

I love how the Ninja Turtles fit in the circle hooks and the foot soldier fits in the screwdriver peg using the one leg.

We really do have more room to add a couple more pegs, but I am saving those for when I notice the desk starting to get cluttered once again.  It will happen.  I know it, you know it.  Let's just enjoy this while it lasts, k?  LOL.  

We hope you like it!! Have a great week, my friends.  We are getting ready for our first camping trip of the season - yes, in a tent!  Let me know if you have any other great ideas to store Legos!  I would love to hear about it.  Have a great day!

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CARAMEL SNICKERDOODLE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Howdy!  How are you today?!?! I'm excited for the weekend ahead - baseball and yard sales.  Perfect summertime combination.  

I wanted to share a very simple dessert with you that you can completely make in a pinch.  NO BAKING REQUIRED!

Let me first say that the pictures for this one are bad folks.  I've been trying to learn more about my camera, but I took these dandys last year... [bloggy embarrassed face]

The good news for you though, is that the dessert is totally yummy.  

Not sure what to call them - Caramel Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches.  That sounds about right.

Here's what you will need:
-2 bags Pepperidge Farm Soft Baked Sanibel Snickerdoodle Cookies
-Vanilla Ice Cream (or any flavor you like!)
-Caramel Topping (I would not use regular ice cream topping, but something thicker - like this Tastefully Simple one)
-Cinnamon Caramel Sprinkles (Tastefully Simple - but you could use anything that is similar)
-Holiday Sprinkles of your choice!
Makes 8 sandwiches.

Everything was purchased from the store (or Tastefully Simple) and then put together in about 10 minutes.  

Top with another cookie and then roll in your colorful sprinkles!  I wrapped mine up individually with waxed paper and placed them in the freezer.

You only need about an hour of freezer time for them to firm up and SERVE!

YUMMY!  They are so great on a hot summer day and an easy way to have the kids help you make their dessert.  Have a great weekend guys!  Thanks for stopping by - feel free to leave me a comment below to say HI!

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DIY 4TH OF JULY NECKLACE AND HEADBAND

Hello!  How are you this rainy day?! Well, it's rainy here in PA this week.  If you have sunshine, I'm jealous!  

Funny enough, I started out this post with one idea - a 4th of July necklace.  It turned into two things because the original plan ended up being too MUCH. Yup, shocker, right?  Too much stuff on one piece.  

Here's the inspiration.  I "inherited" this necklace recently.  It wasn't something I would just put on for kicks, but I thought I could turn it into something.  Always.  Sometimes I have to laugh at my brain and how it works.  

I purchased this brooch, thinking I could add it to the beads once I doubled them.  This is where it split into 2 projects.  The "firework" was a bit much with all the beads.  

So, here's what I did for the headband.  I removed all the gems from the piece and got out some navy nail polish.  I painted the entire thing so it was blue and then re-added new sparkly gems all in clear.  (they were a smoke color originally) 

I also bought cute ribbon - don't you LURVE! this red chevron ribbon.  I swoon.
I just added it to a headband, added the firework and BAM! super simple cuteness!  

The necklace was a bit more challenging because I've never really put beads together or worked with pre-strung stuff.  I added a line of circle beads with fishing line and tied each end up tightly.  

I added the ribbon by putting through the last circle bead on each side and sewing across.  You could totally do hot glue too, I just happen to have my sewing machine already out.  

The last thing I added was a couple of cute anchors!  I've been a bit obsessed with them of late, and wanted to do it up a bit nautical.  Why not?  

I'm excited that it turned into 2 projects.  Now, I have a necklace and the Boo has a headband - we will coordinate for the holiday!  

I hope you love it!  I know I will be searching out some red shorts to wear with my necklace... Have a great rest of your week and thanks for stopping  by!!  I would loooovve to hear from you!

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MONOCHROMATIC FAN and BEDROOM SNEAK PEEK

What's up all?  How has your week been?  I'm so happy to finally be able to eat comfortably outside with the fam!  It really has been an amazing few days here.

Way back, I showed you pictures of my flea market fan find.  I couldn't wait to spray paint it and put it somewhere special.  Well, time flies, spray painting went poorly was a gigantic FAIL.  I put it on a shelf to do at a later time and..... yup, it stayed there.

Over the weekend, while painting some "other" stuff (Can't wait to show you!!) I dragged it back out for some love along with the cool nickel spray paint I had from Lowe's.

The hubs was even sweet enough to dismantle it for me so I could spray it with ease.  I was a bit concerned when we put it back together it wouldn't run, but lo and behold! It works!

So here's the sneak peek of our master bedroom.  This is just my nightstand that I love from IKEA.  I love the color of it - a grayish-brown!  

Perfect for our bedroom, because we are making it completely neutral in color.  I have some lots of ideas for the room, but we have now lived here 6 years and it has yet to make the re-do list.  

I would be happy with just a bit of paint on the walls instead of the white!  It's a mishmash of furniture too.  Pieces from all different times of our lives!

Hopefully, it will come together in the next year, but I'm not holding my breath!  :)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!  Please let me know you stopped by, and leave a comment below!  I would love to hear from you!


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FATHER'S DAY GIFT - LOTS OF LOVE FOR LITTLE $$

Howdy!  How was your weekend? Ours was full of work, work, work with a spatter of baseball!  

I wanted to share a fun (NO $$!!!) Father's Day idea for those of you with a concrete or paved driveway.  (What, you don't know anyone with a dirt driveway?!? I think I still know dirt roads... no, really)

The kiddos and I did this last year for the scrumptious hubs and he was touched.  First, on Father's Day, send him out for a bit to do something he enjoys with a friend.  Then GET TO WORK!

Using sidewalk chalk, we drew a huge heart in our driveway to express our super-sized love.  

After we were done coloring it in - I grabbed a chair and had the kids "lay" next to the chalk drawing.  

Weird, they didn't want to fully lay on their backs... and to get a 2 year-old and 5 year-old to just look at me at the same time was an accomplishment!

I snapped a bunch of pictures and then printed the picture out as an 8X10 just on paper.  You could use photo paper if you have it, or even run to the local drugstore to have them print in minutes.  

I used a frame I had leftover from The Bug's Mario Kart Party.  We made cards and baked him his favorite cupcakes.  It was all out on the table when he got back.  

Not only was he surprised and happy when he pulled in to the driveway, but he was able to always remember it in a picture with the kids in it! 

It was a perfect way to show him how much we appreciate and love him!

Have a great day!!
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