Weekend Adventures

This weekend was for sure not without the struggles we face every weekend where the days seem long and we are tying to figure out what to do and get the kids to go outside and all they want to do is TV or X-box and we all get snappy and grumpy at each other. We did though end up having a pretty good weekend and having a blast! Saturday we spent the morning helping our town with a City Clean up day. We walked along the river and picked up trash. It was a beautiful morning to be outside, but the amount of trash along the river and in it is disheartening and I really wish people would take better care of our earth. When our resources or gone, so are we! The kids did a play X-box some but We managed to get them to go outside and enjoy the sun. Since the sun was shining and so they then think it is just sooo hot and they need a pool, I made a compromise and bought a slip n slide for them to play on instead.



Sunday was the day things seem to go down hill and everyone was just tired and cranky. It end up being a pretty good day once we got outside and enjoyed nature together. The day started out with the kids waking up early and watching TV all morning, this never seems to be a good idea. So when the neighbor kid came over in the afternoon and wanted to play X-box and we said they needed to play outside. This created a spat between him our oldest son and sent him into a horrible mood. Di spite all the grumbling about it, we loaded up the bikes and drove to a beautiful spot not far from our house where we have never been as a family but where husband bikes. We rode bikes on the dirt roads and through the creek and played and splashed in the creek, which my youngest the little water baby thought was just great! He unfortunately took a little spill on our way back to SUV so this wasn't a good way to end the trip. Thankfully thought the crash was not as bad as it looked and he was able to limp away with only some scrapes and bruises on his knee and hands. This was not a good way to end the adventure but we still had a blast and the mountains/hills and creek where so so beautiful and green this time of year.


Riding through the creek


Of Course we had to play in it too


and Lots of just enjoying the beauty of nature

Our Earth such a beautiful place and inside of us it creates beautiful feelings, if you feel down a little fresh air and the beauty of nature can do so much for your soul. Most importantly though if you are feeling down remember there is only one you and that is amazing and that is why you are so loved.

on my Facebook page I have set up donation to The Ocean Cleanup. Keeping our water clean is a good place to start to protect our Earth.

DIY Shoulder Manikin

I have been needing/wanting a display manikin for my neck wraps. They are kind of expensive and I didn't really want to spend the money on one. Last night when I should have been sleeping I had this idea to make one. So using some scrap wood and a hanger and a crochet headband I had made but never finished I made one!

you will need:

long piece of wood 1.5 inches thick (my long one was about 15 inches long)
short piece of wood 1.5 inches thick (I used one about 7.5 inches in length)
velvet hanger
yarn or fabric
spray paint
a screw long enough to attach the boards


You will need to cut your wood pieces to size, mine already happened to be this size so it was what I used.





You will then screw them together with the short one on bottom to create a base



Then Spray Paint I used some black I had in the cupboard and painted on two coats



While your paint is drying wrap your hanger I used a crochet ear warmer headband thing I had made and never finished similar to this one my aunt made that turned out much better:


So if you happen to have one of these around you don't ware use it. If not you could use some material cut to size and glue on hanger or wrap the hanger with yarn. I wraped the corners of the headband arond the sides and bottom of the hanger and used a safety pin to hold it together and on the hanger.



You will then attch the hanger to the base. I tried to nail it on but this happened:


So, I got out the hot glue gun to glue the hanger back together and attach the hanger to the base. some better glue other than hot glue may be better but for now that is what I had available



This makes a perfect display for a hot/cold therapy Comfort Pad

The weekend Struggle

Seems Social Media is full of I love the weekend snuggles and time with my little ones it is so precious... Yes time with our little ones is precious and I enjoy spending time with mine, but lets be real here weekends aren't all snuggles and all sweet. Weekends are a struggle for us. when there isn't a plan and when we don't take a little time to spend together outside the tension rises. My kids would be completely content to spend all weekend sitting in front of the tv or a kindle but too much electronic time turns them into little demons! I will admit too it seems to have the same affect on me! Anyone else notice this? The struggle is finding something to do everyone can agree on,something everyone can agree on that is free and not too far of a drive makes that even more of a struggle. Usually what one kiddo wants to do the other doesn't.

Well this weekend we went to a place we have gone to many times this usually doesn't go over well as I hear "We have seen that it's boring." We went to a nature preserve that has trails to walk on, this time though we took along a little scavenger hunt. That helped to get them to be a bit more agreeable to go. While I wouldn't say it was a complete success and it ended up being a pretty quick little outing. It was cold and windy and the boys forgot their coats. It was enough fresh air to lighten everyone's' mood and get us to interact with each other instead of stare at screens and snap at each other.

My husband found and printed this nature scavenger hunt from chidhood101.com



I couldn't find a clipboard but found this clear cover folder I cut a piece of cardborad the size of the paper and double stick taped onto the paper this helped so we had a somewhat hard writing surface and works well to erase so we can use the scavenger hunt again!


Good thing there was blanket in the car for the kiddo in short sleeves that forgot his coat


We even managed even to get a cute selfie with everyone looking at the camera.


Oh and since the next day was earth day or rather that everyday is earth day we took along a bag to pick up trash luckily though there wasn't much to pick up!

No Fold Laundry System

Today I am tackling that dreaded laundry pile of clean clothes that never put themselves away. I used to spend what seemed like hours folding and hanging my boys' clothes only a day later to have the dresser look like this:





I started this system of bins in their closets I don't worry about folding just sorting them into piles and then they get thrown into the correct bin. This system works well because it easy for them to help with the sorting and taking them to their room to put away.




They have a bin for pants/shorts, one for shirts, one for socks, and one for underwear. They just sort out what is theirs from the pile sorting them into these categories then throw them into the bin in their closet.


While I still dread that laundry mountain and there is still some things I fold this does make it a lot easier and more manageable!

Front Porch Decor

Saturday was the first nice weekend day of spring so we deiced to head into Home Depot to get a few things for the yard and things for projects around the house. Apparently this was everyone's idea of what to do on a sunny spring day, as the place was crowed and trying to keep the kids from bumping into people and displays was a bit stressful so it was a quick trip and I wasn't able to browse and get all the spring flowers I wanted. We of course got home and realized the many things we forgot to get.

I did get a few flowers for the front porch, the kids picked out the snap dragons and little clay pots they are the perfect addition to the little stool on the front porch along with a cheerful hello.



I love the cheerful feel this adds to the front porch, Next I need paint the front door. the tough part on this is deciding on a color!



Which one is your favorite?