{I’m Bored}

I read recently that boredom in children produces creativity…works the same for adults doesn’t it ;) . Allowing your children to overcome boredom with their own creative projects allows you to see your children’s real passions and interests. I do not have the time (or the brain capability) to remember suggestions for my kids to encourage their creativity – so I’m putting the list here for quick referral. There are 15 weekends (a complete bummer when you think of it that way) in between when my kids get out of pre-k and start back to school so I created a “chart” with 12 spaces where we can fill in our activities and cross them off when they are done, so we can see all of the memories that were made the Summer of 2012 (before my baby girl started Kindergarten – wwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaa)! I will let them pick some of the items for the “Fun List” but the others will be filled in with cool things that we already have planned that they do not know about yet. I’m REALLY looking forward to Summer! Enjoy the list and let me know if you have suggestions to add to it…options are good!

ride bikes
roller blade
basketball
play board games
make a tent out of blankets
squirt with hoses
run through the sprinkler
jump rope
read books
blow bubbles
make homemade play dough
play with play dough
press flowers
do crafts with pressed flowers
write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
make a craft
draw
color
paint
watch a movie
write stories
use binoculars
use magnifying glass
bird watching
perform a circus
play card games
make art on the front walkway with sidewalk chalk
play catch
play baseball
collect rocks
collect leaves
collect feathers
play Frisbee
make Frisbee’s out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers
write letters
read a magazine
play dress-up
play Cowboys
pick vegetables
play outside with the pet
build a fort in your rooms
build a fort in the backyard
do a jigsaw puzzle
play on the computer
listen to a story or book on tape
do brain teasers (ie:crosswords,word searches,etc.)
cook
prepare lunch
surprise a neighbor with a good deed
play store
prepare a “restaurant” lunch with menus
hold a tea party
have a Teddy bear picnic
play with toy cars
play dolls
play house
chase butterflies
collect caterpillars and bugs
plant a garden or a pot
collect seeds
hunt for four-leaf clovers
learn magic tricks
put on a magic show
plant a container garden
sprout seeds or beans
make sock puppets
put on a puppet show
make Christmas presents
make homemade wrapping paper
make homemade gift cards
make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
make doll clothes
run relay races
make bookmarks
take a quiet rest time
feed the birds or squirrels
watch the clouds
practice musical instruments
perform a family concert
teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar)
wash car
wash bicycles
play in the sandbox
build a sandcastle
work with clay
copy your favorite book illustration
design your own game
build with blocks or Legos
create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and- ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn,etc.)
paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days
finger paint with pudding
make dessert
make dinner
give your pet a party
paint the sidewalk with water
start a journal of summer fun
start a nature diary
have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
have a neighborhood bike wash
play flashlight tag
play Kick the Can
check out a science book and try some experiments
make up a story
arrange photo albums
find bugs and start a collection
do some stargazing
decorate bikes or wagons and have a neighborhood parade
catch butterflies and then let them go
play hide-and-seek
create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
listen to the birds sing
try to imitate bird calls
read a story to a younger child
find shapes in the clouds
string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
glue noodles into a design on paper
play hopscotch
play jacks
make up a song
make a teepee out of blankets
write in your journal
find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
play charades
make up a story by drawing pictures
draw a cartoon strip
make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
call a friend
cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines                                                                                                                

do a secret service for a neighbor
plan a treasure hunt
make a treasure map
plan a special activity for your family
plan an imaginary trip to the moon
plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
find a new pen pal
make up a play using old clothes as costumes
have a Spelling Bee
make up a game for practicing spelling
surprise an elderly neighbor or relative by weeding his/her garden
finger paint with shaving cream
collect sticks and mud and build a bird’s nest
write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
put together a family newsletter
write reviews of movies or plays or tv shows or concerts you
see during the summer
bake a cake
bake a batch of cookies
decorate a shoe box to hold your summer treasures
make a hideout or clubhouse
make paper airplanes
have paper airplane races
learn origami
make an obstacle course in your backyard
make friendship bracelets for your friends
make a wind chime out of things headed for the garbage
paint your face
braid hair
play tag
make a sundial
make food sculptures (from pretzels, gumdrops, string licorice, raisins, cream cheese, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.) and then eat it
make a terrarium
start a club
take a nap outside on your lawn
bbq

go to an ice cream shop

build a bonfire / make S’mores

plan / go on a scavenger hunt

play soccer or kickball

go to a baseball game

play putt-putt

visit the playground

jump rope

water balloon fight

fly a kite

go to the beach

teach/play hopscotch

ice cream sundae party

{I Believe}

{ I Heart Faces – Monthly Challenge}

 

This month over at I Heart Faces the challenge is Beautiful Black & White. I love black and white pictures and believe that they capture true emotions. It was hard picking a picture for this challenge, but I finally decided on this one of Bubs. Those eyes of his study and capture everything. Although, he is a clown he is pretty serious too – and in this moment I captured that. Head on over to I Heart Faces to check out more B & W photographs!

{Project 52:6}

 

{Project 52:5}

 

{Project 52:4}

 

{Southwestern Eggrolls}

In cleaning out my email (YAY for January and wanting to clean, clean, clean) I stumbled across this recipe that I made for a friends wedding shower that we hosted at our house in 2008. It was my first time making Southwestern Eggrolls but we were having a FIESTA so I thought they would be perfect -  they did not disappoint. I had several people ask for the recipe when the shower was over. Try them – I think you will be pleased, like a little Fiesta in your tummy! I couldn’t make up my mind on what sauce to make so I made them both – they were both great but anything with avocado in it can’t go wrong in my book!

Southwestern Eggrolls

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 can of chicken

2 tablespoons minced green onion

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

1/3 cup frozen corn kernels

1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/3 teaspoon salt

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

5 (6 inch) raw flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
2. Add chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack cheese so that it melts.
3. Wet the raw tortillas and then spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. Place seam side down. Arrange in a medium dish. Brush the tortillas with olive oil (or spray with baking spray) and bake in the oven at 425 for 20 minutes or until the tops are a golden brown.
4. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting them in half and serving.

 

Cilantro Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl.

 

Avocado-Ranch Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

dash dried dill weed

dash garlic powder

dash pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all of the ingredients  - you can either blend until smooth and creamy or smash up the avocados with a fork and leave it chunkier. Place in a serving bowl.