olaf beach ball game
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Olaf Beach Ball Game and Printable (she: Adelle)

ByAdelle Belnap

Hey Everyone, it’s Adelle from over at PackedwithFun.com, the official blog for Get Away Today, where I get to share fun ways to keep vacation magic alive at home. School has started and depending on where you live, fall may already be in the air. Although I love the change of the seasons, every once in a while I start to feel a little like Olaf and wish to bring back summer!

A few months ago I put together this Olaf beach ball game and printable that is perfect for those days when your kids long for some summer fun. My kids have had so much fun with it, that I wanted to share it with you!
You can play any basketball-type game at your party with the Olaf hoop. We bought a 24 pack of 6-inch beach balls for less than $10 at the party store. We used them as decorations for our Frozen themed party, in the Olaf Ball Game and then gave them to the kids to take home as a party favor! We of course held onto a few beach balls and the Olaf inspired summer fun continues on at our house year round.

Doorknob Hanger… Free Download for Kids’ Room (she: Sharon)
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Doorknob Hanger… Free Download for Kids’ Room (she: Sharon)

Bysharon

My daughter somehow got a hold of a doorknob hanger from a hotel that says “I need some me time,” and she has had it on her doorknob for the past month and loved it. Of course I decided it is time to make my own doorknob hangers for my little kids!
This printable has two sides; one for when your kids are sleeping, and one for when they’re just hanging out in their rooms. This can be printed on cardstock or even regular paper if it’s all you have on hand.

Black Raspberry Smoothie
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Black Raspberry Smoothie (she: Zainab)

ByZainab

Hello OSSS readers, this is Zainab from Blahnik Baker stopping in with another recipe today! I hope you all had a great summer. I can’t believe we are saying that already meaning summer is winding down. I’m sure most of you already have kids that are back in school and the new school year schedule is just starting to kick in. Or they are about to start next week after Labor Day weekend. Unbelievable how this particular summer flew by. I hope you got to do everything on your summer bucket list!!
I’m trying to get used to the new rhythm of school too as I start my last year of graduate school. It’s called fast-paced life and now more than ever I am in dire need of quick, nutritious and energy boosting breakfasts to keep up with my demanding days. I am sure most of you can relate to this. That’s why I always love reaching for smoothies. They are one of my favorite ways to get more fruits in my diet but with so many add-in possibilities, I can increase the nutritious value beyond just fresh fruits.
This black raspberry smoothie has a secret ingredient high in protein but low in fat. Can you guess what it is??

Fried Mozzarella Sticks
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Fried Mozzarella Sticks ~ Cooking with Kids!

ByMariel

So, this fun little cooking school, Spoon and Spatula, opened up near my house and my girls just finished their first ‘camp’ there… pizza camp! Each day of the week, the classes revolved around pizza. The first day was bubble pizza, then fruit pizza, calazones, pizza wontons, and fried mozzarella sticks.

The girls have been anxious to make some of their newly-learned recipes for the family. So, this past Sunday, I did my own little cooking class with the kids. They taught me how to make their Fried Mozzarella Sticks from the Spoon and Spatula class, and I taught them how to make homemade marinara for spaghetti, Jana’s Awesome Breadsticks, and Cherries and Cream Dessert Squares. Mmmm! It was a ‘free day’ (from the diet) to remember.

Adirondack Park
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Adirondack Park for Families (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Happy August from Allison at Tips for Family Trips! I know that many of us are getting into the back-to-school groove, but I can’t let the summer slip away without sharing one more top vacation destination – Adirondack Park in New York.
August is one of the best times to visit the Adirondacks because temperatures are cool and comfortable, while the park’s many lakes are just right for swimming and canoeing. If you love colorful autumn leaves, then fall in the Adirondacks is unbeatable.

Lake Placid, a two-time Olympic host city, is located in the Adirondacks, and my family had the opportunity to visit this lovely town last June. Here are some of the fun activities we recommend in Adirondack Park.

girls-night-out gift bags
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Girls Night Out Gift Bags… Fun & Inexpensive Ideas (she: Mel)

ByMelissa Sunday

Hey! It’s Mel from So Festive {Simple Ways to Celebrate}. Are you all having a great summer? We sure are! Summer is winding down. In fact, where we live, most kids have already started school. After the hustle and bustle of summer ending, you might deserve a little Girls Night Out.

And if you are going to have a Girls Night Out, you might as well put together some favor bags. Because who doesn’t love a fun swag bag?

Check out my fun and inexpensive ideas, and let me know in the comments what you’d include in a Girls Night Out gift bag for your friends.

Easy Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding | FiveHeartHome.com for OneSheTwoShe.com
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Easy Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding (she: Samantha)

BySamantha

Hi there, Or So She Says readers! It’s Samantha from Five Heart Home, and I’m excited to be back today sharing a doozy of a dessert!

Croissants, meet caramel. That’s right, folks…as if flaky, buttery croissants weren’t already decadent enough, today’s recipe drowns them in a custard of homemade caramel sauce and bakes the whole concoction into luscious bread pudding goodness.
As an added bonus, the caramel sauce is homemade yet takes less than five minutes to whip up! Sound too good to be true? It’s not…the recipe is actually deceptively easy to make. But nobody will ever guess that when they taste it.

inspiration for moms
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Inspiration for Moms… “You Are Enough” (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Hi my friends! It’s Veronica, and I’m so excited to be back this month with some inspiration for moms (and kids)! Here in Tennessee, we have been back in school for two weeks now. So life has been pretty chaotic around here!

Over the past little while I’ve seen the saying “You Are Enough”. It seems to be all over Pinterest and the internet. After the past couple weeks I’ve had, I think I’m beginning to understand why! I’ve needed this great little reminder.

Gift Ideas 8 Year Old Girl

Gift Ideas 8 Year Old Girl

ByMariel

Something special is happening on Saturday. Audrey’s getting baptized! It was so fun to snag some pictures of her in her pretty white dress and talk to her about the big day. She even got to get her ears pierced on her 8th birthday, so turning 8 is a pretty big deal around here.

So, with gift buying freshly on my mind, it’s time to share some gift ideas with you… because maybe YOU need some gift ideas for 8 year old girls. These ideas come from Audrey, herself AND some OSSS Facebook fans, mother’s of 8 year old girls. Here we go!

sweet and sour shrimp skewers
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Sweet and Sour Shrimp Skewers (she: Ruthie)

Byruthie

Goodmorning everybody! It’s Ruthie from Cooking with Ruthie back to share a quick and easy end of the summer grilling recipe…

If you’d like a fresh take on shrimp, try grilling it on a skewer with a sweet and sour sauce. It’s a nice flavor combination you can enjoy as you say goodbye to summer and hello to fall. The sauce is easy to whip up, and you keep the shrimp moist by basting while grilling for just a few minutes on each side. It really is easy and so worth the prep work.

DIY tin can vase
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Tin Can Vase for Flowers or Art Supplies (she: Carmella)

ByCarmella

Hello again! It’s Carmella from the Creative Carmella Blog! I am so happy to be back here at Or So She Says to share a fun and easy craft project.

I have learned that some of my favorite creative projects have been those that don’t require anything special to make. Only using what I had at home, I made a little tin can vase, perfect for a surprise gift for a friend or to spruce up a drab corner of your house.

halloween at southern california theme parks
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Halloween at Southern California Theme Parks (she: Kimberly)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

Hey everyone, it’s Kimberly from PackedwithFun.com, the official blog for Get Away Today. We specialize in Southern California vacations and I love sharing insider travel tips and tricks here on “Or So She Says.” The Southern California theme parks are always fun, but one of my favorite times to visit is during the Halloween season. Now, just to be clear, I love Halloween, but I don’t do scary. I know there are a lot of people that love to be scared to death, and if that’s what you’re looking for, Southern California is the place for you, too. Each September – October, the major theme parks celebrate the holiday and the events range from G-rated fun for the whole family (my personal cup of tea) to good luck going to sleep at night for the next month or so. Since October is a really popular travel month due to U.E.A. and other fall breaks, I wanted to share a brief overview of what you can expect during Halloween at Southern California Theme Parks: