Helping Families to Connect and Thrive

Stay at Home State Fair

09.02.20

One of our favorite summertime traditions is spending a day at the State Fair! We love the thrill of the rides, visiting the cute animals, the challenge of the games, and of course, all the indulgent fried foods! The fair is such a cheerful way to wrap up the summer, and since it was not an option for us this year, we decided to have our own Stay At Home State Fair!

When Isaac suggested we add the idea to our summer fun list, the Ferris Wheel in my mind started spinning! No surprise the first thing I started mulling over was what we would eat! Haha! Mouths watering, we reminisced over our favorite fair treats, and then decided on a menu of fried pickles, corn dogs, curly fries, corn on the cob, frozen lemonade, some fresh watermelon (because something needed to be healthy!), and elephant ears. I don’t have much experience making fried foods, but I have to say, they all turned out pretty tasty!

We used a spiralizer to make fresh curly fries with Yukon gold potatoes. Once cut, we soaked the fries in water for 3-4 hours, dried them thoroughly, tossed them in olive oil, and then baked them in the oven on 425F for about 35 minutes, moving them around with a spatula every 10-15 minutes to ensure even browning. When we pulled them from the oven, we gave them a generous dusting of coarse kosher salt. A tad healthier than fried fries, and SO delicious!

To make the frozen lemonade we just whipped up a large batch fresh squeezed lemonade (juice from 7-8 lemons, 1 1/2 cups of simple syrup, topped off with water). We filled two ice cube trays with the lemonade, and reserved the remainder in the fridge. When the lemonade ice cubes were frozen, we blended them with the lemonade. Super simple, sweet, and refreshing!

As we prepped our food, we decided to spread out all the indulgence and eat the elephant ears the next morning as part of our breakfast. It was a great decision for our bellies and our taste buds!

We knew finding fun games would be critical to our Stay At Home State Fair success. Wanting options that were simple and reminiscent of the games we played at the fair, we scoured Pinterest for ideas, and landed on balloon darts, ring toss, cup tower, and a barnyard animal cleaning station. Each of the games were easy to set up, inexpensive, and used mostly items we had around the house!

Balloon Darts
Isaac spray painted a scrap piece of plywood and then attached blown up balloons with tape. He had purchased a set of new darts for the game at the grocery store, only to return home and discover that someone had stolen them from the packaging! Oops! Turns out some really sharp pencils work okay in a pinch. They weren’t quite heavy enough to pop the balloons by throwing them, but the kids had a ball running up to the balloons and giving them a good jab.

Ring Toss
For the ring toss we used some decorative bottles we had around the cottage, and placed them on an upturned cardboard box that we had spray painted. We twisted two pipe cleaners together and formed them into the rings. Doesn’t get any easier than that!

Cup Tower
After the ring toss, we set up a pyramid of paper cups on the cardboard box and let the kids try and knock them all down in one shot with a small inflatable ball (which also happened to be one of the prizes!).

And then Nana knocked ALL the cups down on her first try, and completely blew the kids’ minds!

Barnyard Animal Cleaning Station
On a small table outside, we set up a large plastic bowl of soapy water, 2 toothbrushes (from a 4-pack from the the Dollar Tree), and a set of plastic farm animal toys that we had dunked in the water and then rolled in the dirt. We explained to Isla and Cole that the animals had rolled in the mud and now they needed a bath so they would be sparkling clean for the fair. The kids had a ball scrubbing the animals, and Cole kept taking the already clean toys and rolling them in the dirt so he could wash them again!

The games were plenty of fun on their own, but you can’t have a fair without prizes! I gave this aspect of our day a lot of thought, because I try to be really intentional with our purchases so that we aren’t overloaded with stuff and contributing too much waste, but I also wanted the kids to feel the thrill of a true fair-like experience. Thankfully, I found some amazing options at The Dollar Tree that the kids wanted, needed, or would definitely use:

fairy wings (Isla has been asking for new fairy wings for weeks, and I knew if Cole saw her wearing them he would want a pair too! I foresee lots of great imaginative play happening!)
a journal (Isla uses them constantly, and this journal had a black scale print, reminiscent of Toothless, so I was certain she would go crazy for it!)
a sparkly pencil case (perfect for Isla’s special pens)
a ball
a minion toy (this definitely falls into the LPC “little piece of crap” category for toys that I try to avoid, but I knew Cole would just adore it— life is all about balance, right?!)
a cement roller truck (no matter how many vehicles Cole has, he is always thrilled for the next one, and he uses them all!)
a mini stapler (somehow we didn’t have one and Isla asks to staple things all the time)
a build your own birdhouse kit
a construction vehicle coloring/sticker kit
an Onward movie puzzle (perfect for family game night!)
set of canvases

The kids were so excited they could barely contain themselves when we revealed the prizes to them. Isla exclaimed, “These are WAAAAAY better than the real fair toys because we’ll actually use these!” I was so dang proud of her response!

Isla set to work writing in her journal as soon as she won her first game.

Ferris Wheel Art
While art projects are not typically part of the fair, I thought it would be fun to commemorate our Stay At Home State Fair with a collaborative piece and so we created this playful Ferris Wheel collage! The kids pained different sheets of paper, which I cut out to make the wheel and individual buckets. Then we snapped a few silly photos us, each imagining what we would be doing if we were in a Ferris Wheel. Can you tell I am not a fan of that ride?! Safa is clearly not impressed either. I was, however, so happy with how this little project turned out!

Barnyard Bingo
I don’t know about you, but I love playing BINGO at the State Fair! It is a nice little break from the hustle and heat of the day, and winning some extra elephant ear money is always nice! I created these cute little Barnyard Bingo boards (see inspiration here) by making a table in a Pages document and dragging saved clipart into the cells. This game is perfect for a fair themed party, and the fall season, so I have no doubt we will be reusing it over the next few months!

Pseudo Photo Booth
Before bed we wrangled the kids for a few photo booth-esque pictures. I created the strips in Photoshop and then printed them so we could hang them up and reminisce about our Stay At Home State Fair!

That night we all fell into bed tired, full, and happy— just like after a day at a real fair, only less dusty and with more money left in our wallets! Our Stay at Home State Fair was a great success, and I am truly surprised by now simple and affordable it was to pull together! There is a good chance this could become a new summertime tradition… at the very least, we will be making fried pickles more often!

2020 Favorite Summer Books for Kids

07.13.20

As you likely know, this family LOOOOOOOOVES good seasonal books! I’m always on the hunt for new titles to add to our library, and this year our summer book collection got a serious boost!

The Mermaid Atlas: Merfolk of the World This is THE book for mermaid lovers! Take a trip around the world and see which magical merfolk you may be fortunate enough to find. This is such a unique and wonderful book! Author, Anna Claybourne, has compiled mermaid folklore from all over the world, and Miren Asiain Lora’s illstrations are gorgeous! Isla has been absolutely glued to this book!

The Sand Castle That Lola Built A playful story about Lola’s day at the beach and her efforts to build a sand castle. She recruits people to help, builds new friendships, and overcomes beachy obstacles to create the perfect home for mermaids. Our kids cannot get enough of this book!

The Little Blue Cottage Year after year the same little girl spends her summers at the Little Blue Cottage. Every word in this sweet story is perfection, and fills your heart and mind with seaside summertime nostalgia. “The little cottage smelled like bacon, pancakes, and popcorn. The little girl smelled like syrup, sunscreen, and sea.” If you’re even a little bit sentimental, you will adore this book!

The Music of the Sea A terrible storm destroys a seaside village and only one fisherman and his daughter decide to stay. Seeing how lonely and sad his daughter became, the fisherman snuck down to the shore every night to create a surprise sea organ for her. The beautiful music brought his daughter joy, and before long it brought some incredible new friends. This is such a lovely story of thoughtfulness, hope, and the power of music.

Ice Cream Summer This is such a cute and clever book– and perfect for ice cream lovers! A young boy receives a letter from his grandfather asking what he had learned that summer. He responds, and you’ll notice that all his learning seems to revolve around his favorite sweet treat.

Pearl Another fabulous title for the mermaid fans out there! Pearl is a young mermaid who longs to help care for the ocean. When her mother asks her to care for a single grain of sand, Pearl is heartbroken at being given such a seemingly meaningless job. She learns, however, that even the smallest of responsibilities can be very, very important. Not only is the story fabulous, but the illustrations are so dreamy!

The Honeybee This might be the most adorable informational book out there! The rhyming verses explain how bees find flowers, communicate, and create honey. On top of that, the illustrations are beyond charming! Have you ever seen a cuter little bee?!

Swashby and the Sea All our new summer books are truly wonderful, but this is the story our kids ask to read every single day! Swashby is a salty old sailor who loves the sea and solitude. He is none too pleased when a little girl and her Granny move in next door and attempt to strike up a friendship. He begins to leave them notes in the sand, urging them to leave, but the sea fiddles with those notes just a little, and before long Swashby’s life is changed for the better. This is such an original and heartwarming story, and the illustrations are fabulous!

Our 2019 list of favorite summer books is also great and includes a few of our favorite stories EVER! Happy reading, friends!

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Berry Picking Traditions + Sponge Stamp Strawberry Tutorial

07.03.20

Thanks to an abundance of caution, new farm guidelines, and the courtesy of others, we were able to visit the Smith Berry Barn for our beloved annual berry picking adventure with Toni and Piper. We were SO grateful to be able to keep this mother-daughter tradition going for our 6th year in a row!

It is hard to believe how much the girls have changed!!!

The weather could not have been more perfect and we had the most wonderful time filling our flats with gorgeous strawberries and blueberries!

And per tradition, we wrapped up our outing with fresh berry milkshakes. I cannot even handle how sweet and squishy the girls were during our first picking trip!!!

Inspired by our latest berry picking adventure, the kids and I made up a sweet strawberry stamp project using a new kitchen sponge and a little paint. We turned our finished berries into a garland, some magnets, and clips for the kids’ art gallery! Here is a simple tutorial for making your own:⠀

Supplies:

new sponge
acrylic paint (red, pink, green)
sturdy craft paper
scissors
sharpie
glue stick
*optional supplies* thin cardboard (like a cereal box), twine, hot glue gun, magnets, clothespins

Use a sharpie to draw a strawberry and strawberry top on your sponge (make sure they are NOT attached)
Cut out the shapes using sharp scissors

Dab the strawberry stamp into red acrylic paint and stamp onto sturdy construction paper, leaving a little white space between the berries (you may need to do some test prints to find the paint thickness and pressure that you like)
Repeat process with the strawberry top stamp and green acrylic paint
When the red strawberry paintings have dried completely, stamp very lightly over them with a thin layer of pale pink paint to add texture (we stamped most of our pink paint onto a spare paper towel first and then used the very last bit to gently layer over the red)

When all the paintings are completely dry, cut out the strawberries and tops, leaving a thin edge of white around each.

*OPTIONAL STEP* (see below) BEFORE cutting out the strawberries, glue the strawberry pages to a thin piece of cardboard, like a cereal box, so that your finished pieces are more sturdy. Don’t goof like I did and glue them to the pretty tan side— make sure you glue to the side with all the printing so that backs of your berries are all neutral.

Use a glue stick to attach the tops to the strawberries. Voila!

Decide how you would like to display your strawberries— string them in a garland, attach a magnet on the back, attach a clothespin on the back, glue to the front of blank cards, etc. The possibilities are endless!

What kinds of crafts have you been making this summer? We are now working on a fun beach mural/collage installation for our entry wall that we will share soon!
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Taco ‘Bout a Great Birthday!

07.03.20

When Isaac asked how I wanted to celebrate my birthday, I knew the answer right away. A quiet day with some of my very favorite things— a family beach walk, a foot massage, and tacos and champagne. Isaac, my mom, and the kiddos worked together to provide me with the most wonderfully relaxing celebration filled with all that I asked for and so much more!

The morning began with a long, leisurely beach walk. We collected some really fascinating finds, including lots of toothy fish jaws!

After returning to the house, Isla set up a little foot massage parlor in the front yard for me! She has been asking to give me a foot massage for weeks (how awesome is that?!) and was just giddy about doing this for me. Her eagerness to give so generously is the greatest present in itself, though she gives a pretty great foot rub too!

Afterward, Isla took me to a “special magical place” she knew about for a little picnic. Unfortunately, all the mosquitoes on the Oregon Coast also knew about said special magical place, so we found a grassy, almost bug-free spot nearby. We shared the most wonderful hour of snacking and chatting and giggling– and planning details for Isla’s next birthday. Which isn’t until October. She is so my child!

When Isla and I returned to the cottage, Isaac had the most amazing taco display set up! How adorable are all those DIY tacos and his signage?! He and the kids made me taco cards too– set up in real taco holders!

My mom brought a gorgeous bouquet from her garden and made my favorite coconut cake. She also made an incredible chocolate sphere to top the cake— which I later learned was a piñata, filled with the most heartwarming sentiments from Isaac, Mom, and the kids! The evening was spent feasting on tacos, sipping bubbly, opening thoughtful gifts, lovely calls with family, and several rousing games of group solitaire. Taco ‘bout a great birthday, right?!
⠀
A humongous thank you to Isaac, my mom, and the kiddos for crafting such a perfect day for me. This was truly one of my happiest birthdays ever. And another massive thank you to so many amazing friends and family who helped me celebrate another year with calls, messages, gifts, and so much love!!!

Father’s Day + Peeking Kiddo Bookmark Tutorial

06.30.20

Father’s Day for us was lovely and low key— french toast for breakfast, a morning walk on the beach where we discovered teeny tiny sea stars and great big crabs, and heartfelt homemade gifts for our favorite guy. We went with a literary theme this year. The kids each made the sweetest books about their Daddo, and I gave him Your True Home by Ticht Nacht Han, along with one of my FAVORITE creations ever— PEEKING KIDDO BOOKMARKS! I had so much fun dreaming these up and then figuring out how to construct them so Isla and Cole’s little hands would grip over the tops of the pages. I’ve included a step-by step tutorial below so you can make your own bookmarks!

Isaac’s reaction to the bookmarks was EVERYTHING!

How To Make Peeking Kiddo Bookmarks:

Supplies:

sturdy paper
glue stick
scissors
x-acto knife
laminator and lamination sheets
camera
printer

1. Take photos of your kiddos with their hands gripping the back of the chair. I placed the chair a few feet from a window so there was nice bright light on the kids’ faces. Have them crouch down so their chins are just above the back of the chair. Make sure you can see their hands.

2. Select and print your favorite photos. I printed mine at home on our favorite watercolor paint paper. Make sure your printer settings are on the highest quality.

3. Carefully cut around the kids’ heads, shoulders and hands and separate them from the background.

4. Glue the cut outs to the top of a strip of sturdy paper. Cut each strip to the same width as the outer edge of the hands. I used one of Cole’s paintings (another reason to save the best scraps from your kiddos’ art projects!) for his bookmark, while Isla wrote the words, “Happy Reading!” on a strip of colored construction paper. There is a lot of creative freedom here to decorate the bookmark however you would like!

5. Carefully cut and remove the excess paper around the top of the head and shoulders. You may need to use an x-acto knife for a precise cut.

6. Place the bookmarks into a lamination sheet and laminate them. If you do not have a laminator, I highly recommend getting one. They are affordable and can be used for so many projects! Unfortunately, the model we have does not appear to be available anymore, but this is a similar option with great reviews.

7. Cut around the edges of your bookmarks, leaving a thin edge of clear plastic, and then run it back through the laminator. It is possible that air bubbles will form around the paper, causing the plastic to separate, so it is a good idea to run the cut out bookmark through the laminator once more to be sure the edges are sealed thoroughly.

8. Using your x-acto knife, cut around the shapes of the finger tips, careful NOT to cut all the way through the outer edge. Gently push the cut out hands so that they will easily slide over the top of a book page.

There you have it– peeking kiddo bookmarks! They were such a hit with Isaac, and I am SO excited to make more for other book enthusiasts in our family. These thoughtful gifts are perfect for tucking inside of new books, easy to send in the mail, and I am already envisioning how adorable they will look sticking out of Christmas stockings! Can you think of any readers in your life that would love these?

Oh! And per tradition, I put together a Father’s Day slideshow that we watched before tucking the kiddos into bed. What a gift it is to relive so many precious memories from our parenthood journey– nearly 7 years of love, learning, and adventures around the world. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day for our perfect Daddo!

Happy Father’s Day, Isaac! Isla and Cole are unbelievably fortunate to have a Daddo who is so dedicated, selfless, and genuinely loves to be part of their lives. Sharing this parenthood journey with you is the greatest gift of my life— even in the wee hours of the morning when the kids are wide awake and we’d rather be sleeping! Thank you for being a constant example of kindness, patience, creativity, and integrity to us all. We adore you!