Library Reading Programs

FREE FREE FREE 

I'm all about free activities

Check if your library has reading programs, ours has summer reading programs for age 0-18.
This year was titled Catch the Wave. They provided fun prizes when number of books were read (50 pages counts as one book if reading a long one, for older kids, obviously no way am I reading Ava 50+ pages for one book. Can you say attention span? Me not her) Read 5 we got a pencil and notebook, 10 a beach ball, 15 a water bottle, 20 a cute t shirt.

We read the following books (all new to us)
Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear Turnaround (One of Ava's favorites, she made her teddy bear do the actions :)
Dora's Sleepover
Betsy B. Little by Anne McEvoy
Sleep Tight Little Mouse
The Sheep Made a Leap
Cold Little Duck Duck Duck
I love My Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck (Sweet Sweet Sweet this is my favorite)
Pat A Cake
The Alphabet Atlas
Good Night Harry
The Jazzy Alphabet
Who Likes Rain
Time To Get Out
Skippyjon Jones and The Big Bones
Noodled Lou
Dora & The Unicorn King
A Birthday for Cow
Where is Baby Jaguar?
A Dozen Ducklings Lost & Found

Now our summer program is over but we are lucky that our library also provides story-time and crafts.This is where Ava has gotten her love for Ring around the Roses.

Puppet fun

a new friend

Tissue Paper Flowers

 

I love making tissue paper flowers/poms...they not only look awesome in photos...but are super easy and very inexpensive...I generally buy my tissue paper at the dollar store but for these particular colors I found them at Target...For the table decoration I use 5 sheets of paper per flower...I have never made the hanging ones but imagine you would just add more sheets of tissue paper probably a minimum of ten sheets...My preference is the larger sized flowers...so I cut a fourth off of the tissue paper of the length...approximately 14 in length by 16.5 height.

 



Fan fold the tissue paper...

Pinch in the center...and wrap with any wire or twist tie (it won't be visible)...cut off the excess.

 



While the tissue paper is fan folded cut rounded ends (you can cut a triangular shape also for a different look)...gently fan the tissue paper back out...then gently separate each layer of the tissue paper...scrunch if needed... The smaller ones in the above photo were made with the excess tissue paper that was cut off originally (need another idea for the excess tissue paper... cut the layers in strips...fold the middle of the strip over a string...twist then glue with good old Elmer's white glue and you will have a beautiful tissue streamer garland)

Have you guessed yet??? Yes my next party will have the color scheme aqua and orange...Isn't it beautiful...Details coming soon.

 

Pick Me Up Tuesday

 

Walk with us...Just 15 minutes...that's all we ask...you can go by yourself...bring your children...your husband...your pet...or if you happen to be at work...take a break...I promise it won't take long...Feel the air brushing against your face...Listen to the your favorite music...the birds chirping...your children's voices...See the life that surrounds you...Take a deep breathe in...Take a deep breathe out...Before you know it you will have walked a mile...If you are having too much fun...keep going...Every step will benefit your health...Your families health...It's the little things.

Black and Cream



 When I saw this shirt at TJMaxx I just had to have it...for one it is made by Daniel Rainn...have you ever heard of him or seen his designs?...I didn't have the pleasure until last year...his pieces are modern, trendy and very flattering...I mean just look at the black detail around the collar and buttons...and that bird print...AMAZING...best of all you will LOVE the cut of his clothing...he is very generous with his sizing...so if you happen to find this particular shirt buy a size smaller than what you typically are...yay!!

My pieces not only have to catch my eye but also have to be versatile...I look for items that I can wear every season...this will definitely be perfect...I can see it now...under a black blazer with a pair of colored jeans and heels...maybe even add a pop of color with my bright pink blazer...or untucked paired with a long cardigan and skinny jeans and boots...the possibilities are endless.

Dainel Rainn top TJMaxx found similar , Limited bermuda shorts found similar, Target bangles (on clearance 2 bangles $5.00) and H&M cuff, Banana Republic Factory Earrings, Belt Ann Taylor found similar , Vince Camuto Wedges (I purchased at Nordstrom Rack for 24.90 found similar)

Come to the Cincinnati Zoo

Having a gold membership has been worth its weight in, well, GOLD. It comes with free parking, one free guest per visit, and unlimited train and carousel rides.

My favorite place is always the goats. They have baby pygmy goats, Nigerian dwarf goats, and baby doll sheep.They are super cute don't you want to curl up with the one top left? Come on, not even a kiss? The zoo even provides brushes so the kids can brush the goats. They are touted as the Zoo's friendliest animals but the sign that says don't bring goat food into the petting area? They MEAN it!! Jeanne unknowingly gave the kids (who were in with the goats) food and the goats started chasing them. From afar it was quite funny but my poor nieces were a little freaked out.

More More More

Ava's favorite part is feeding the giraffes. Did you know they have BLUE tongues? It's thought to keep them from being sunburned, huh the more you know. 

"they're okay they do that all the time" said the zoo worker

My sister, Lisa's, favorite animal is the penguin so I just had to take 500 pictures and send them to her. The cuties were close enough you could touch. No we didn't touch we minded the "no touching" sign.

No children or animals were harmed or at risk in this filming

Bring your camera for the many photo ops

I can't wait to plan our next visit. What is your favorite part of the zoo?

Melted Marshmallow Cereal Balls

 For some reason, I won't name any names...ahem grandma....we had a surplus of Cheerios and Trix cereal. A party was coming up and we needed another desert so we decided to use what we had and made melted marshmallow cereal balls. It was a perfect desert to make with the kids plus we were able to make it a day ahead of time.  All you need is one bag of mini marshmallows, butter and the cereal of your choice.


Melted Marshmallow Cereal Balls

Ingredients
3 Tbsp Butter
1 Pkg Mini Marshmallows
6 cups of Cereal

Place butter in a large bowl and melt in microwave for about 45 seconds.  Add marshmallows and Stir.  Place bowl back into microwave again for 45 sec. Stir once again. Continue placing in microwave for 45 sec increments and stirring until all marshmallows have melted. Add cereal and stir. (this was perfect for the kids they love stirring things)  Place some wax paper on counter. (if you are making ahead of time place the wax paper in the bottom of a Pyrex that has a lid to store) Butter up your hands and roll mixture into a ball (kids favorite part). Place on wax paper to harden. We tried putting some on sticks but the sticks kept falling over...It's better for them to harden just a bit then add stick.

Pick Me Up Tuesday

When we were researching frantically for anything to do with Tramatic Brain Injury (TBI) my sister, Sandi, found this amazing link to another family's tragedy that turned into a miracle.  I wanted to share because it was so inspiring to us...actually It was more than inspiring...it became our HOPE for Kate. 

Doctor saves his Wife's Life Twice


Alison Delgado Update

Last Minute Summer Activities

It's August the air conditioner is turned off...kids will be heading back to school...Thoughts of have we had enough fun this summer? Can we cram any last minute activities in? Can I handle being away from them for eight hours a day? The answers are yes, yes and YES...Oh but I will miss them...I might even cry...Did I tell you that they are ten and fifteen? I don't care..I am a softy. Truth is I still think of them graduating preschool or thier first day of kindergarten...I absolutely love them more than I love myself...ack dare I say it...even my husband... yeah I said it...Shh don't tell him...so Today squeeze your love muffins as hard as you can and maybe even try to cram in one more last minute summer fun activity...because for me sixteen years flew by in the blink of an eye.



Here are some of our favorite summer activities

Swimming at the Pool

Getting Ice Cream from Whit's

Going to the Local Amusement Park

Riding Bikes

Visiting the County Fair and Festivals

Participating in the Reading Program at the Library

Playing Board Games

Sleeping In and Moving at a Snails Pace

Seeing all the animals at the Zoo

Summer Vacations..Charleston and Savannah this year... so much fun
Going to the Ballpark to cheer on our home team

 Any last minute summer activities you want to squeeze in?

Obsessed With Mint

First and foremost I am not a model by any means...I know I didn't have to tell you that just look at the photos... I have horrible poses.(check out my claw hand in the photo below)  I cannot think of that many body parts at the same time...I am a mother, a wife, a sister and aunt who when she has spare time tries to start the day out right with a workout and healthy eating...Did you catch that word tries?...Some days are filled with oreos or even dare I say pizza a lot of pizza...I am a size 8-10 pants...definitely a pear...smaller on top and larger on bottom...size 6-8 tops...I have large thighs and I think I mentioned this before I am bootylicious. Thanks to my amazing sister/photographer Kate you won't be seeing me from that angle. I also have to thank Joey at Joey and Roman Salon http://www.joeyandromansalon.com/.  He is a true artist and I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else to get my hair done.

I wanted a fashion/style blog page that was not only affordable but also would be for the person that was average in size...I will never be a size two remember the oreos and pizza...so tired of seeing those websites where the posting person has a perfect body and would look great in everything...then going to the store to try it on and major fail...Don't get me wrong I love you size two body types...You are my envy...It's the clothes that don't fit me like they fit you that I have an issue with...Most days when those racks aren't overwhelming I love bargain shopping at TJMaxx and Forever 21 but you will find that I am a very diverse shopper...I shop anywhere even anthropologie when they have an amazing sale...Every once in awhile I might even have a splurge moment...I love my Michael Kors purse and watch but that will  not be an everyday occurrence.  That is a I love my husband moment.

Sorry to bore you with the details so on to my new favorite color Mint.  This top caught my eye it was not only mint but also had lace another obsession of mine...Charlotte Russe  Top (bought medium), Ann Taylor Shorts (I got them cheaper in the store size 8), Bracelets gifted found similar rockstarsz, Sandals found similar Nine West (I bought my sandals at the Nine West Outlet cheaper and a little bit different), Belt found similar Banana Republic.(I had purchased my belt last season for $9.99 be patient wait for an amazing sale)



Newest mint purchase Mint Sorbet by Sally Hansen





Fun at the Local County Fair

Every year the local county fair comes to town and with it brings smiling faces of the kids when they realize that they are going to get to go...an afternoon of petting a thousand different animals...eating gyros, cotton candy,chili fries and funnel cake...red velvet funnel cake yum...riding rides and being creeped out by the carnies... what could be better?

To be frugal try some of our helpful hints:

• Check the fair schedule.  They generally will promote a day of discounted admission prices.
• Eat lunch before you go so that you can save your pocket change for that red velvet funnel cake.
• Buy the ride bracelet if your kids will be riding rides a lot.  If not pick out one to two rides buy the individual tickets and walk away.
• Bring your own drinks.