family time | Plain and not so plain

We had a great weekend, as we usually do, lots of time spent outside playing t-ball with the children, having a BBQ, swimming–usually but it is only 68 degrees for August:(, and then we have a fire to roast marshmallows for a nice fun wind down to our day.

We have always used the regular type cylindrical marshmallows, but this time we used the flat square ones. They worked so wonderfully. I don’t know if my children all of a sudden became experts at toasting marshmallows, because they almost always burn them, but these didn’t burn as quickly. They turned a nice roasted brown color and then didn’t puff up and make a mess. A nice “clean” roasting marshmallow so to say.Definitely something to try next time you think of roasting marshmallows with your children.

With 12 of us celebrating birthdays throughout the year, we pretty much have one for every month to celebrate. Our 8-year-old daughter is the fortunate one to enjoy her birthday on the 1^st of July. She is the lucky recipient to enjoy “Daddys’ awesome fireworks show.” My husband enjoys the 4^th of July holiday more than any other holiday during the year. The excitement and anticipation of fireworks and seeing the joys of the childrens’ faces is what gets him excited. He is a good Daddy. Here are the highlights of a plain and simple birthday party in summer.

we started off by riding go karts around the yard. The 8-year-old was taught to drive the go-kart herself this year.

here she is chasing her 17-year-old brother on his Odyssey.we did a water balloon toss game, and our daughter diligently filled up 200 water balloons for this occasion. By the way my daughter is wearing our bathing suit…they are made by wholesomewear.com a wonderful durable bathing suit. I love them.here are the 1,2, and 3 year olds getting into the water balloons

On the menu: macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and………

hot dogs cooked over a Dakota hole fire—very cool google this idea

fresh fruit blt chicken salad veggie pizza a homemade water slide fondant cake made by big sister
We then made a treasure hunt, that sent the girls around the yard looking for clues. One example of a clue was…..in the tree that Tarzan swings from you will find me……..(we have a willow tree). We did 6 clues and that seemed to be sufficient for them.

In the end they found a box filled with glow sticks,(for our fireworks show)bubbles, candy, slap bracelets, and silly string……which they decided to get the older siblings while they were driving the go-kart.
My 15 and 20-year-old, yeah better not get mom…………..Then on to more games…….. Our neighbor gave us a refrigerator box this week out of the blue and it worked out to be a blessing. We found some paints in the garage and came up with a homemade bean bag toss game.We made the “bean bags” out of felt squares and rice.Next, we made a homemade pinata. The children really enjoyed making that this week.
Dad brought out the potato gun to shoot. Another great fun family project.
Here is the 8 year olds first time shooting. Then to top it all off fireworks!! This was our first year in…….forever…….that we all got to sit outside and enjoy. We usually have a little one that does not enjoy the noise. But this year everyone stayed for the whole thing, it was beautiful.