Savor the Moments

Everyone who knows me appreciates I am a planner. I keep my to do lists on pads and notebooks in my office, kitchen, dining room, my purse, my car...well you get the picture. But sometimes the most memorable moments in your life are the ones you didn't plan. Recently our family was enjoying the park together when our son and daughter- in -law suggested ordering pizza for lunch from our local Kringle Company store . We turned our park outing into a fun and relaxed pizza picnic. Our son-in-law ran to our house to pick up drinks, plates, bubbles for the children and bocce ball for the rest of us. And an extra bonus was having the park to ourselves. It's the kind of a day we will smile about for a long time. 

Isn't it nice to be enjoying family, friends and the outdoors again? Enjoy your weekend and do something fun and spontaneous. 

Bubbles!

Three Simple Ingredient Bubbles to Make at Home

Are you spending money on bubbles 

when the children want to make bubbles outside? I found this easy bubble formula to mix in a bucket. Today I used a 13 x 9 foil pan and the wands fit the pan perfectly. It creates hours of fun for ALL ages.  (Did I mention I made bubbles too and had the best time? )  Order the dozen fun long handles bubble wands assortment on Amazon for about $6.00....we love them! We all need some laughter these days.  Even if you don't have little ones at home, go outside and make some bubbles.  It's a promise it will leave you smiling and laughing.

-Mix together-

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup Dawn dish soap

1/4 cup corn syrup

(Happy birthday today Mom. You are in our hearts every day)

Fourth of July

Begin the day with waffles (homemade or store bought) topped with sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

 Keeping safety in mind, we can celebrate Independence Day in a celebratory way.  It may not be the large gatherings we have had in the past. With luck, Mother Nature will grant us mild weather allowing outdoor activities on this special day. Here are a few ideas that are easy and fun. 

 Hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, potato salad, corn on the cob, blue corn chips and red Doritos.  

Desserts include white cupcakes decorated with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and/or red, white & blue sprinkles.

Root beer floats are a favorite at our house.  My husband has made them for guests ever since we bought the house and it's a tradition that takes me back to when my Dad made them for my brothers, sister, Mom and myself growing up.  

Let's not forget ice cream sundaes or banana splits.  Provide the red, white and blue sprinkles , hot fudge, caramel, or chocolate sauces and customize. And the whipped cream!

Favorite games we play are croquet, bocce ball, volleyball (play it with a beach ball if you don't have a volleyball) and frisbee.

Make up a summer scavenger hunt for backyard fun.  Who can be the first to find a bird, flip flops, shorts, ice cream, bike, ball, or lawn chair?  Use your imagination. The possibilities are endless. Popsicles for participants are a fun finish.

Set up the back yard pool.  Due to stay at home restrictions, pools are difficult to find this summer and taking longer than usual for delivery because of high demand. If that's the case, bring out the sprinkler and let it run.

 Line up to take a  turn at the pinata where everyone scrambles for the prizes inside.  

Fire up the fire pit in the yard and bring out the makings for S'mores!  We like to find sticks to use for our marshmallows in the yard. The hunt for sticks is part of the fun. 

Make campfire pies over the fire pit with our Campfire Pie makers.  You need a can of blueberry, cherry or apple pie filling, white bread and butter. 

Place a piece of buttered bread face down in the pie maker. Add 3 tablespoons of pie filling on the bread, top with the other piece of bread, making sure the butter side is against the pie maker.  Close the pie maker and place over the fire.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the bread is browned.  Cool a few minutes and enjoy!

How will you be celebrating this year? Have a safe and happy holiday!

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Here's a fun outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy. Celebrate with s'mores by the bonfire tonight.

🆊 Hammock

🆊 Bug Spray

🆊 Lawn Chair

🆊 Flip Flops

🆊 A Swing

🆊 Road Sign

🆊 American Flag

🆊 Bug

🆊 Sunglasses

🆊 A Bike

🆊 Sunscreen

🆊 A Blade of Grass

🆊 Flowers

🆊 A Hose

🆊 Pinecone

🆊 A Birdhouse

🆊 A Furry Creature

🆊 A Grill

Happy Weekend!

Decorate your walkway with frozen water balloons

Photo from Cabin Life

Here's a fun idea if you're having a winter party. Simply fill water balloons with water, add a few drops of food coloring, tie off the ends, and freeze them overnight in the snow.  Once frozen, use a pair of scissors to cut the balloons off.  

Place them around the entryway for a great conversation piece.  The color will stand out in the white snow beautifully.  

Tips: 

1) To avoid a mess indoors, carry filled balloons outside before adding food coloring.

2) Watch for leaks.  Food color coming out of a tiny hole in the balloons can stain wall, clothes and tiles.

3)  Wear gloves to protect your hands from the food coloring.

4)  If you live in a climate with no snow or freezing temps, use the freezer instead.

Great fun & happy weekend everyone!

Visit an Apple Orchard or Winery Next Weekend

                                                 

There are so many great activities to enjoy with your family and friends in the Fall.  Are you searching for a new tradition? Have you visited a local winery, pumpkin farm or apple orchard?  Many provide apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and sell freshly made deli and bakery treats. Our favorites are the fresh pumpkin or apple cider donuts!  The Apple Barn Orchard & Winery in Elkhorn is on our list every Fall.  Another favorite in Wisconsin is The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, Wisconsin near East Troy. It is open year round but in the Fall you can enjoy tractor-pulled hayrides, pony rides, train rides on the "famous" electric trains, or visit the market for their delicious paper baked apple pies drizzled with caramel.  They give you a fork just in case you can't wait to take a bite in the car! Trust me, these are worth the drive. 

How Can You Celebrate Earth Day this Weekend?

photo and ideas found on Family Education

Celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 22 by learning more about our environment and make a commitment to help protect the world we live in.  Get involved in community groups or start a group of your own.  Plant trees or perhaps find others who have an interest in installing a community garden in your neighborhood.  Toss your bottled waters and invest in a good BPA free bottle to refill on your own.  

Children are never too young to begin teaching how to nurture their neighborhood and the earth.  An excellent source of information link is fun.familyeducation.  

~A few of my favorite ideas are ~

Take a family bike ride explaining you are using an environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

Turn off the heat or air conditioning and open the windows.  

Scatter seeds or bread crumbs in your yard and let your children watch the variety of birds who gather to enjoy the "Earth Day" feast.

Cook a meal together using local produce.  Supporting local farmers and markets reduces your dependency on fossil fuels used to otherwise get these items to you. 

What are you doing today to observe conservation of our great planet? 

Enjoy your Weekend!

Winterfest in Lake Geneva

Every winter, Lake Geneva is host to 15 teams of talented snow sculptors from around the USA competing in the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition  for a national title.  It begins January 27th and ends on Sunday, February 4. The event is open to the public and draws huge crowds.  Along with human dog sled races, helicopter rides, magic shows and a chili cook off, you can watch the sculptors in action as they create their magic the week before judging, sometimes working under lights all night long.  It's fun for the entire family and only 90 minutes from the Chicago area.  Check out the schedule of events on visitlakegeneva and hope to see you there.

The vent draws large crowds for viewing of the magnificent sculptures.

Sculpting takes place lakefront in front of lakegenevariviera.

Our family loves this event each year.  Every year we agree each sculpture is worthy of a prize!

The view from the steps of the historic lakegenevariviera.

Helicopter rides over the lake.

Sculptors working through the bitter cold nights to finish.

They all begin with a cylinder block of snow eight feet wide and nine feet high.  Artists are only allowed to use saws, axes, files, shovels, scaffolding and other homemade tools. 

~Happy Winterfest Weekend~

Support your Local Farm Stand this Fall

The pumpkin harvest is bearing its fruit and they are rolling in to your local farm stands and pumpkin patches by the wagon full!  We have been waiting with great anticipation. Our family will soon be spending the day visiting Pearcefarms in Wisconsin where we have been going for the past 20 years since buying our home here. Its family owned and run and it's by far our favorite farm stand to visit.  I enjoy buying my produce there in the summer months, along with fresh donuts, jellies, jams, salsas and more. We all take part in the corn maze and climbing the tower of hay stacks to achieve the goal of saying you made it to the top!

 Do you have a favorite farm stand?  Enjoy the weekend with your family & friends and thanks for stopping by Lakehouselyn.

Lions Club Annual Lobster Boil/Steak Fry

Saturday, July 29th will mark the 34th Annual Lobster Boil & Steak Fry in Fontana, Wisconsin hosted by Bigfootlionsclub.  If you live in neighboring communities, or are planning a weekend to Lake Geneva or southeastern Wisconsin,  mark your calendar & come out and enjoy a great family day of festivities.  It's worth the trip, I promise! The children's area has fun things for the kids, and there's music all day long starting at noon.

The Bigfootlionsclub has covered much of the cost of building a beautiful pavilion in Reid Park along the lakefront of Geneva Lake where the event is held.  Our family attends the Lobster Boil each summer and it's such a highlight of our summer activities.  Festivities begin at noon serving hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and soda and dinners are served from 2-9, but if you'd like to take your dinner home to enjoy, there is a great drive through service open from 2-8 at the Park House on the north end of the pavilion.  Click Bigfootlionsclub for more information.

There's also a beer tent featuring Leinenkugel Summer Shandi, & also offering red and white wine. The weather looks outstanding in Wisconsin this weekend with a lot of sunshine.  I hope to see you there! Have a great weekend with family and friends.  

Host a Game Night with Fabulous Snacks

Oldies but Goodies

The Spice House Madagascar Vanilla Extract & Maple Sugar

    Dust off the board games and gather everyone together for family game night.  

Our family has been playing Uno for years and it's a real favorite.  Other runners up in our family are Scrabble, Catchphrase, Scattegories, Headbanz and Pie Face! You can set up card tables or play at the kitchen or dining room table. If you want to send everyone home with a little prize, travel size games are always fun and appreciated for future adventures at home or away from home. 

Game night isn't complete without awesome snacks. Set up a food and drink table with easy to eat finger foods. TheSpiceHouse.com was recently featured in Food and Wine online magazine's list of "Best Spice Shops in the World."  I could almost smell the fragrance of these spices, which are all of the highest quality, ground and mixed in their shops.  I placed an online order and it didn't disappoint!  When I opened the box to find my bottles of spices inside, the fragrance filled the room.  

They have great and easy to follow recipes on their website. Here's one that is a big hit with family and friends you are entertaining.

Maple Nut Carmel Corn.  It features TheSpiceHouse Maple Sugar and Madagascar Vanilla extract. Trust me, your game night or any other family gathering isn't complete without it!

Maple Nut Carmel Corn Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 gallon prepared popcorn, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 maple sugar, 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup peanuts, pecans, or almonds, toasted and roughly chopped.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 250. Prepare popcorn and set aside.  In a sauce pan, bring maple and brown sugars, butter and corn syrup to a boil.  Slow boil for 5 minutes without stirring.  Remove and add baking soda, salt, vanilla and peanuts.  Pour over the popcorn and toss.  Lay out on greased cookie sheets and bake for one hour stirring every 20 minutes.  Cool and store in large storage bags.  I can't tell you wonderful your house smells when this is in the oven baking.  

 Let the games begin and Happy Weekend!

Frisbee Tic Tac Toe

Photo courtesy of betterhomesandgardens

Check out this easy outdoor game to play with family and friends this weekend.  

I found this great idea on BetterHomesandGardens Pinterest page. 

It's super simple, tons of fun and easy to make.  All you need is a large shower curtain or bed sheet, colored duct tape and 8 Frisbees.

Place the sheet or shower curtain on a large grassy area.  If it happens to be a windy day, place rocks on the corners to hold it down.  

Make 4 large squares across and 4 large squares down with the duct tape.

Then make an X on each of 4 Frisbees and an 0 on the other 4 Frisbee.  

Mark a start line with duct tape and gather teams.  

The first team to land Frisbees all the way across OR down is the winner!

Have a large bucket filled with icy drinks nearby to cool everyone off!

~Happy Weekend~

Check upcoming blog posts for other outdoor game ideas!