Things to Do - Ice Toys

Ice toys - another one of our go-to summer projects, which I learned about here. We use old yogurt containers to freeze small toys, most of which we "discover" while searching the bottom of toy bins and various other hiding places throughout the house (so nice to see these discarded treasures finally get some use). Then, the next morning, the kids break open their toys. I thought they'd try using various tools to facilitate toy escape but instead all the kids usually throw the frozen toys against the back deck until the ice breaks. Not very original, but the kids really love doing it. And it's so easy we often have a "batch" in the freezer. Plus, on a hot day the ice feels good against your skin.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE! What are your plans for beating the heat?


Usually they throw them to break the ice, but when it gets really hot, sometimes they lick them too (like a popsicle).

WEEKEND LINKS:

*This recipe for watermelon/feta salad looks so good, the perfect summer treat.

*Sleepytime Gal has a great post on the disconnect between blogs and reality. Personally, I tend to prefer "happy" mom blogs to more negative blogs, but I hate blogs where everything just seems too perfect or where people spend the whole time bragging about their kids' accomplishments, but that's just me. What do you look for in a blog?

*Before and after wedding photos - a good reminder that I need to get better at creating wonderful Lightroom presets. Any suggestions on how to get presets this good?

*Flavorwire's 15 Apartments on Film That We Wished We Owned - great eye candy.


T views ice toys with a mix of confusion and excitement, as if he's thinking "but why would we freeze my car?" Um, well, that's a good question T.

Things to Do - Couchpotatos

For the last few months, in the afternoons the girls have played together in their room while T and I chilled together in the family room. I've worried on and off about the fact that T is often left out, but friends have advised me that sibling relationships have a tendency to change. Well, change has arrived. Lately, F's become obsessed with learning to read, so while F sits with her face in a book P's taken on the roll of T's mentor and friend. And some days it really is the cutest thing ever. Though wow, when the youngest two get together they tend to wreck some havoc.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!

WEEKEND LINKS:

*So true. And perfectly stated. A must-read.

*Best Ikea-hack ever.

*Roasted strawberries = yum. Recipe here.

*Covet garden is a great online interior design magazine, very artsy. Check it out here.

*Wow, these are all so cute, especially the squirrel lamp.

*Funny.

*My favorite song ever LIVE. and perfect.

*This collection of "beautiful decay" photos is just gorgeous. Kelley's pinterest files are so beautiful, I could get lost in them for days (seriously).

*Everything about this site is wrong and awful but I can't stop looking at it. It's the internet equivelant of Jagermeister shots (tastes icky, feels bad, but yet, when I was 20, I did them anyways). But then again, it's nice to realize that celebrity parents have issues too. Thank god my kids' tantrums aren't recorded by paparazzi.

*If you live in the DC area and love baseball - this looks like an awesome deal.

*Beautiful spring photos.

Things to Do - Color Stuff

This is what the kitchen table looks like when I'm cooking dinner, sometimes the mess drives me crazy, but all in all it's a pretty happy place. Hope your weekends are full of fun and random moments!! (By the way, the photograph below is of Impressionist Art (Stained Glass Colouring Books), the girls love the pictures and we enjoy seeing the light shine through their lovely creations).


WEEKEND LINKS:

*CAN'T STOP LISTENING!! (As summarized by F, "Mom, I love this song. Why can't more people write songs this good?")

*I'm in LOVE with this Best of Etsy blog, LOTS of great, reasonably priced art. LOTS. I especially like the work of photographer Joe Baran and painter Christina Romeo (link via ArtHound)

*I dream of Emily Henderson coming to my house. Dream of it. Until then, I just read her blog and try to channel her genius.

*Did you ever read Sweet Valley High books as a kid? Did you ever wonder what happened to the twins when they grew up? Well, here you go.

*Apparently we're not the only people interested in cracks in the pavement (for my "cracks" post, click here), these "yarn bombed" potholes are gorgeous.

*I love this DIY nursery on Papertiaras. I would sleep here.

*West Elm's kitchen line is just beautiful (and reasonably priced).

*If you live in the DC area and you're looking for an easter egg hunt check out this list.

*Gorgeous photo of a Chinese terraced rice field, it's hard to believe it's "real".

*Ever wonder how it would feel to raise a real-life Doogie Howser? Click here to find out.



T worked so hard at lining all those crayons up.