Hi again to all of Or so she says friends! It’s Ruthie from What’s Cooking with Ruthie back to share a delicious and healthy summertime treat! Mango Greek Yogurt is a refreshing and healthy way to cool off this summer. It tastes just like ice cream, but without all the fat! You’re family and friends will be fooled and you’ll be thrilled at how much they LOVE it!
Archives for July 2013
5 Reasons to Visit Ski Resorts in the Summer (she: Allison)
Are you ready to escape the summer heat? Try a ski resort. Ski resorts are not just for winter fun. Many resorts have transformed themselves into year-round destinations. Here are five reasons why ski resorts are great places to visit during the summer…
1. Cooler temperatures
When temperatures reach triple-digits in the summer, that’s typically my cue to retreat indoors, which is a shame on an otherwise beautiful, sunny day. In the summer, ski resort temperatures are more likely to top out in the 80’s (F), which is just about right for me. The mountains are also a great place to escape summer smog.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake (she: Tanna)
Hi there! I’m Tanna and I blog over at The Hub of our Home. I’m so excited to be a new food contributor here on Or so she says.
My mom has been making this Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake since I was a little kid and it has always been a favorite of mine. You start with a simple chocolate cake, mix in some zucchini for moisture, sprinkle it with some chocolate chips, and top it all off with a simple powdered sugar glaze. This cake is a great way for any of you who actually have a live producing plant to use up your zucchini. Or if you are like me this cake is totally worth buying some zucchini at the store. Trust me.
Christmas in July – Plan Your Disneyland Holiday Vacation Now! (she: Kimberly)
It’s hard to think of anything other than summer fun in the July heat, but winter will be here before you know it. At Get Away Today we’re already getting calls from families who know it’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays. If you’re toying with the idea of visiting Disneyland or surprising your family with a vacation this holiday season, NOW is the time to start planning. It’s no secret that one of my favorite destinations is Disneyland and I absolutely LOVE Disneyland over the holidays. In fact, I love it so much I’m in the process of planning my own family’s trip for December. Here are some of the whys and hows of getting your family’s holiday trip to Disneyland on the books today!
Portrait Drawing Activity for Kids (she: Veronica)
We are nearing the end of summer here in Tennessee, so my kids have been especially antsy. On a big “I’m SO Bored I’m Going to DIE” day, I came up with a fun drawing activity for kids. I asked each of my kids to draw three different pictures.
1. A picture of me.
2. A picture of Dad and Mom.
3. A picture of our family.
And they quickly went to work. My house became very quiet. They all found their own spaces and disappeared. After a while they all started emerging to show off their creations. They took time to point out little details, like the braid I sometimes wear in my hair, the brown spot I have in my eye, and details about each family member.
Grilled Steak with BBQ, Ranch, Corn & Black Bean Relish
Grilled Steak with BBQ, Ranch, Corn, & Black Bean Relish.
Okay, now THAT’S quite the recipe name! I wanted to add green chilies, cumin, red peppers, red onions and cilantro to the title as well, but figured that might be a little TOO much.:)
There is so much to love about this recipe. Let me count the ways…
Gnome Finger Puppets (she: Amy)
Hi there! It’s Amy from While Wearing Heels and I’m back to share another fun DIY project….for the kids! (Remember my Butterfly Finger Puppets from last month??)
To make these Gnome Finger Puppets, gather the following supplies: needle and thread (red, brown, blue), scissors, glue, felt (red, blue, yellow, white) and some small white rick rack (not pictured). Ladies gnomes first.
To make the lady gnome, print out the pattern below. Prep by cutting out all your pieces out of the appropriate color felt. Take the other gnome body piece and place it behind the front piece, tucking the sides of the rick rack in between. Hand sew the sides closed, doing a simple running stitch, leaving the bottom open.
Stripes & Dots Birthday Banner Free Printable!
It’s the 10th of the month and you know what that means… time for a new theme! This month, my blogger buds and I are sharing 10 ideas that all have to do with STRIPES. And, there’s some fun stuff! Food, crafts, printables, art, home decor, gifts…these gals are so clever! Come check out the ideas we have for you, and see what ‘Or so she says…’ contributed to the bunch, as well. I think you’ll love it. It’s super cute, easy, created by a rock-star graphic designer, and it’s FREE. Hello.
Buffalo Lane ‘Pick Your Bling’ Giveaway!
Is anyone else getting a little overwhelmed by the myriad of daily deal sites that are popping up? Don’t get me wrong, I love sitting on my couch shopping for great deals in my pjs, but they all start to look similar after awhile. But there’s one site that stands out from the rest … Buffalo Lane. Why do they stand out? Because they specialize in only jewelry and accessories. That’s it. Just cute, trendy, unique jewelry and accessories.
Come check out my favorite finds from Buffalo Lane and enter to win an adorable Jade Boho Ring and a $50 dollar gift card!
‘A Person’s A Person…’ ~ Dr. Seuss Printable Quote (she: Brooke)
Hopefully, you’re all rested and recovered from the busy 4th of July weekend. My birthday is the day after the 4th, so we’ve been extra busy. Good, but busy!
A few weeks ago my boys and I went to Seussical the Musical with my mom and sister. Have any of you seen it? If not, you really should. You can often find it at local theater companies, and I know our high school did it one year as well. My three boys (ages 3 and 6) were so entertained! The characters, the outfits, and the music are infectious!
Horton from Horton Hatches the Egg and Horton Hears a Who is the main character in the musical. There’s a line in one of the songs that comes from Horton Hears a Who. It says, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” I used that quote all of the time when I was teaching first grade, and now that I’m a mom I use it even more.
Our Beautiful Earth
One of my favorite things about Utah is being able to experience all four seasons. Every August, I’m completely burned out on summer craziness and just want to chill. Welcome, Fall. It makes me want to stay home, cook yummy food, and just relax. Then I start getting a little overly anxious for Christmas and using the fireplace. Utah is usually pretty happy to dump a pile of beautiful fluffy snow on the ground. For me, Christmas needs snow. But soon enough, the snow starts to turn to slush and everything looks dead, dirty, and depressing… UNTIL the leaves start popping up on the trees, our creek runs higher with the snow run-off, and the birds return to build their nests. I love it! Everything feels fresh and happy in the spring. With the new life all around us, the kids and I start itching to wrap up the school year and play, play, play! And, we do. All. Summer. Long. …and, then I’m tired, longing for structure, and some cooler weather. Repeat, every year. It’s fun. Every season excites me.
More from Marriage (& Giveaway!) ~ Amber Creek Family Counseling
Who here has been to marriage counseling?? When I was first contacted by Amber Creek Family Counseling about attending one of their marriage classes with Dan, I was like, ‘Eh, I don’t know. I think we’re doing good.’ And, I knew Dan would never go for it. But, then I heard it was catered by Costa Vida (who has this sweet pork that I dream about regularly), and I was like, ‘Now, what is this again??’ It’s a marriage class. You know, a refresher on communicating, meeting each others needs, etc. Remarkably, Dan was perfectly fine about going… which immediately conjured up my suspicions.