Summer Must Dos: Cure to Summer Boredom

It's finally summer! But you have nothing to do and you are bored. The cure to summer boredom is a Must Do List. This activity list will inspire you to get up and have fun this summer. Grab some paper and a pen; it's time to start writing!
Step One: Research
Looking at other lists will help you figure out what to put on yours.
Here are some that I really liked:
Draw it!
Categorize it!

Scrapbook it!

List it!

Cute it!
Photo It!


Step Two: Put it all together
Take all the ideas you've accumulated and organize them however you wish!
Step Three: DO IT!!!!
Do the things on your list, if you feel like there's nothing to do look and choose something.
Step Four: Tell Everyone about it!
Half of the fun in doing an activity is sharing it later! So take lots of photos and post them on the internet for all of your friends to see!
Here's My Summer Must Do List:
Picnic 
Water fight 
Drive in movie 
Go to a festival 
Go to a free concert 
Go to the aquarium 
Have a potluck dinner 
Go horseback riding
Go to a flower garden 
Go boating 
Go cliff jumping at Porcupine Reservoir

Porcupine Reservoir courtesy of Goldie Pierce

Ride bikes 
Go swimming at Spanish Fork Reservoir

Courtesy of utahfishinginfo.com

Take the tracks to the gateway 
Go to wheelers farm
 Rock climbing 
Hiking
Minature golf 
Make sushi 

Kids in Saratoga Springs play on a giant pyramid Monday, April 23, 2012, at Neptune Park.

Credit: Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News

Go to Neptune park 
Go out for breakfast 
Make a full on amazing breakfast for everyone 
Roller skating
Watch the sunset 

Courtesy of gardenervillage.com

Go to Gardener Village 
Go to a huge clothing sale
Fly a kite 
Go to the zoo 
Go get doughnuts
 Make a fort 
Sidewalk chalk 
Game night 
Spa day 
Cupcake party
 Make a pizza
 Post a video 
Make a new friend 
Plant a tree 
Explore a city 
Take my friends to a stake dance
 Sleep out on a tramp 
Mall scavenger hunt 
Photo scavenger hunt
Hide and seek at IKEA
Nickel City Arcade
Pool party
 Bbq
 Movie night
Thanksgiving Point Classes
Paint a Picture
Watch the sunrise
Finish my novel
Make a Sewing Pattern
Finish Personal Progress
Get my Liscence
Plant A Garden
Teach Someone
Cook something that is a advance level
Write an illustrated children's book
Build something
Craft Saturdays
Sew a dress
Sew a pair of pants
Practice design drawings
Visit a Museum
College Tours
Practice My Math
Write Essays
Write Book Reviews/Analyisis
Read more books that you thought possible
Scholarships
Learn a language
Visit a National Park
Camping
Play Tennis
Farmer's Market

Yes I know its a huge list but I won't get bored this summer, and all those who make one won't be bored either!
~ Maren

Tipsy Pots Planter

I saw this fun idea on  Studio 5; my favorite local morning show. It was so clever and cute and easypeasey, I had to try it.

Lets talk pots. You can use terracotta pots or ceramic or plastic pots. They just have to have a hole big enough to fit over your pole.
 If your pots don't have a hole, if you're handy with the tools, you can drill a hole or have someone do it for you. In my case, DH is usually at work when I get the urge to do my projects, so I used ones with holes already. You want to vary the sizes, I had 2 pots that were roughly the same size and 3 more of various sizes. You can start with as big a pot as you want on the bottom or not, its up to you.

Just keep tipping the pots as you add them, you can play with the positions whatever works the best for  your pots.
The pole is a piece of rebar (5 ft. length) bought at Home Depot or any hardware type store. I think I would go with a longer length because when you push it into the ground you lose about 1 foot of length.

So depending on how many pots you are going to use, your bar should be at least 5ft long. Less if you want to use less pots. Make sense?

 

My dear Hubby just pounded it in the ground with a hammer, the dirt was still pretty soft so if your ground it hard you might need a heavier tool.
Find a rock big enough to rest just under your first pot, so that it tips up. Then add some potting soil.
You can plant your flowers as you go or wait unit the end. I found it easier to plant as I added the pots.
Just keep adding the pots until you run out of room, then enjoy.
What type of plants work the best, you can do succulents, any flowers that will drape over your pots.

This is cool

Be creative.


-Nancy

Inspiration from here

Welcome to Summer!

Today was a lot of fun, I spent the morning shopping for Welcome to Summer surprises for my 10 grade daughter. Thank goodness Walmart and the Dollar store are close by our home.
Ever since I saw my friend use an art easel on her porch of her house to write a cute message to her kids on the last day of school, I have secretly been plotting to find my own art easel.
I found one for $5.00 at my favorite thrift store. It is originally from Ikea.
I brought it home and stuck it in the garage and forgot about it. Well sort of, I knew I would use it on the last day of school to write a cute message.
So last night I got it out and cleaned it up, Mr. Cleans Magic Eraser worked wonder. It even got off marker stains and other assorted stains and dirt.
Of course I got on Pinterest and saw some cute ideas on my favorite show Studio 5. Really popular is to do huge paper signs that the kids can run through and destroy.
I took the easel and sat it by the garage where it would be easily seen when we drove up the drive way.
I used dry erase makers and wrote Welcome to Summer, blew up some balloons and slapped some summery cut outs on the easel.
She was so surprised when we drove up. It's only taken 16 years to figure out something really fun and pretty easy to pull off. It was definitely worth the effort to see the smile on her face.

Funny side line, my neighbors were getting ready for their own last day of school parties and several walked by and asked "Are you having a party today too?"  I said "No, this just to welcome Maren home on her last day of school." Her summer fling party is tomorrow. Be sure to check back for pictures and update on how the party goes.
~Nancy

Happy Mother's Day to all the women who unceasingly give to the children of this world. 
Whether they be little,big, young, or old. 
Thank you for your unselfish sacrifices and time spent giving so much to others. We love you!
  
                                                        hugs and kisses,
                                                         Nancy

Maren's Ginger Snaps!

      Gingers, people blessed with red hair. We are a mysterious race are we not? I happen to be a Rare Ginger,  none of my family are redheads. I think being a Ginger is pretty awesome. We are only 2% of the world! It's not clear of where red hair came from. Many theories suggest that it originated in Ireland and Scotland, due to a mutation of the gene that controls your hair type. But my favorite theory is the one The Red-Haired Prince:
       According to a legend, Prince Idon of Mu discovered Atlantis just in time to move his people to the new Continent before his land was destroyed by natural catastrophe.


He came to Atlantis during sunset, and immediately fell in love with the new land. The sky and clouds were of beautiful red color, reflecting the rays of the setting sun. The leaves of trees were moved by a gentle breeze.


Prince Idon wanted to save that beauty for all generations to see. His wish came true. The image was permanently imprinted in his own looks. His hair turned red, like the color of the sky. His face was covered with freckles, the image of the leaves.


Ever since then, any time someone is looking at a redhead, he sees the image of that first sunset in Atlantis.


Because every single redhead descended from Prince Idon, who then became the first King of Atlantis, every redhead is a Prince or a Princess of Atlantis.
      
 I really like this book The Redhead Handbook, it's pretty informative about all our little secrets, even the ones I didn't know about. We learn some thing new about us everyday. My favorite thing about being a redhead (besides my hair), is that we stick together! Since we are so rare when I meet an other redhead, I count them as a relative. I have a friend who I have known since elementary school, he is my Ginger Brother. We always make jokes about how we can read each others minds, or its Gingers Are Grumpy Day. Whenever  people make fun of us, we stick up for each other.

Redheads have a connection! If you don't believe me check out the Redhead Festival where thousands of Gingers gather together from around the world.
   
 For an English project I wrote a poem on being a Ginger and made some Ginger Snaps based on this sweet recipe . I really love Our Best Bites!!!!!
 Here's My adaption:

Ingredients:
3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco
1/2 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 C brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 C molasses

1-2 drops of clove essential oil or 1/2 t ground cloves
3-4 drops of orange essential oil or flavoring


2 C flour
2 t baking soda

1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t salt


1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
sprinkles (opt.)


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.  Or don’t line them at all :)
With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and the molasses and beat until completely incorporated.
Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt
and then add to the mixture. Stir until combined. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.
Place on cookie sheets.


Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see “crackling” on the top.


Don’t overbake! You want to keep them nice and chewy-soft in the middle.Wait for the cookies to cool.
Then melt chocolate in the microwave, then dip half of the cookie.  
Set on the cookie pan and wait for the chocolate to harden. It takes less time if put in the fridge or freezer, just don't leave them in there.

Yield: about 2 dozen 

I love Doterra's essentail oils! I used Clove and Wild Orange to make my cookies.

Gingers
An Original Poem by Maren Bangerter

They call us Gingers, we have red hair
They call us names, but we don't care.
Because we know we are smart, cool, and admired by all.

Some of us are tall, some have less stature,
We are all the different, but we are all the same.
We tend to be honest, and lucky because,
We have leprechaun blood.

People may want to throw mud,
But we know they're just jealous.
They may say we haven't a soul,
But you know that just because the hair on our heads,
Doesn't mean we are dead.

My people have freckles and fair skin,
They are my brothers, sisters, and friends.
We have fire in our blood, a Scottish tradition.
Our tempers are boundless; it's just another addition,
To our unique disposition

We have a mutual understanding,
Something I would say to any other, who is not of our kind,
Would sound weird to anyone of any unlike mind.

Some say we are mean,
but that's our way of being blunt.
We have red hair, pale skin, and freckles,
We may be different from the sight, but the real secret is...
We are just like you!.
 

Project Tie Remake

   Looking for a great gift for a birthday, Father's Day, anniversary, or just cause? Making or buying gifts for guys can be a real pain compared to girls. But with this inexpensive and fun project, gifts for guys is a breeze!
   All you will need is:
 An old ugly tie
Thread & a needle
1 yard of silk or any sort of tie like fabric
Sharp Scissors
Sewing Machine (optional)
   You take the old tie and carefully rip out the stitches where the maker hand sewed the tie together. Once you have pulled the tie apart there should be the fabric that covered the tie, the tie interfacing, and on the tie's fabric there should be a some fabric sewn to the tips that make a little pocket. Take out the the tip liner thingys, and where the fabric of the tie meets, it is sewn in two or more parts, rip that out. Now you should have two triangles, a big and little, and two pieces of the tie, front ; these will now serve as a pattern for your new fabric.
    You use that to cut out your fabric then sewn on the tips to the tie front and tie back, then put the tie interfacing in it. Then hand stitch it closed and it's done!

   You also can make a paper box to but your gift in. I made mine out of scrapbook paper. Yes, i know the lady is very annoying. But its a good tutorial. 

~ Maren

The Craft OFF: Stapler Edition

Went to Target this morning with daughter # 1. She wanted to get a stapler for a friend.
She was hoping to find one that was all bling-a-fied (Daughter #2's word). No such luck.
She did find 2 clear acrylic staplers for $2.08 a piece. Score!
I told her I had some ideas of how to cute it up, so she got them.
We decided that we would have a Craft smack down and see who could redo the best stapler.
Ok, after an hour or so later, here are the results.

Stapler Y

Other side of Stapler Y

Stapler X

Other Side of  Stapler X

Vote for the one you like the best in poll to the side! You have a week to vote! Comment on which one you like best and why!