Summer Fun

This has to be one of the hottest summers we've had in recent years (though two years ago was pretty awful when I was pregnant!).  My kiddos love to be active and be outside, but there it is just not safe for them to be spending a lot of time out there right now.  We've had to get a little creative around here and we started off our day with a little "snowball fight" turned into "air hockey."


Our Kindness Jar poms are turning out to be quite the versatile little entertainers.  This morning's activity required straws, poms (though you could use cotton balls or torn tissue paper), and some small containers that can open up to make some goals.  To begin the activity, I gave each of my kids a flexible straw and told them to blow the poms at each other.  A "snowball fight" in the middle of summer!  After a bit, I pulled out a few storage containers, flipped them up on their sides, and told the kids to blow their poms in the "goal."  They loved it and as an extension to the activity, I had them pull out the poms and count them.  For my oldest guy, he had to figure out how many he won by.  They loved it!

A little "snowball fight."

Blowing his puck into the goal!

As you know, we are entertaining our large family group this weekend.  To cut down on my last-minute prep time, I decided to make a refreshing frozen fruit salad last night.  We will be eating these yummy treats with our BBQ on Saturday afternoon.  It should be the perfect way to cool everyone off a bit (and I can avoid cutting up a ton of fruit on Friday!).   These would be perfect to store in the freezer for a grab-and-go treat. 

Frozen Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad

1/2 cup sugar

6 oz. water

8 bananas

2 pints strawberries or one large bag frozen strawberries

1 large can crushed pineapple with juice

6 oz. frozen pink lemonade concentrate

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

1 can lemon lime soda

Dissolve sugar in water.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix carefully.  Scoop into plastic cups and freeze.