what's hot in southern california this summer

What’s Hot in Southern California This Summer (she: Kimberly)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

Hey all, it’s Kimberly from Get Away Today. I know it seems like spring has just sprung, but before you know it, it will be summer! The kids will be out of school and it will be time to hit the road for the all important summer vacation. Southern California is a happenin’ vacation destination year-round and there’s always something new and exciting going on. This year is no exception, so I wanted to share what’s hot in Southern California this summer at what I call the Big Three – the Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. I hope it helps in your summer vacation planning!

Fun Easter Egg Spelling Scramble for #Easter morning. www.orsoshesays.com #games
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Easter Egg Word Scramble – A Spelling Game for Kids! (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Happy spring Or So She Says readers! It’s Brooke again and I’m happy to be visiting you today from Blissful Roots. Don’t you love this beautiful, refreshing time of year? It’s one of my favorite seasons. Come to think of it, I say that at the beginning of every season, and then by the end of some seasons I’m complaining a bit. But never with spring! Spring could last forever in my book!
Today I have a fun, easy educational holiday game for you to do- an Easter egg word scramble.
When I taught first grade, we did a lot of great activities for our literacy centers. This was always a hit with my students during the weeks leading up to Easter. When I taught, we didn’t use Easter words, we used our spelling and/or high frequency words, but since Easter is just around the corner I think Easter words are perfect for this activity!

easter place setting
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Easter Place Setting Idea … using simple craft supplies (she: Maria)

ByMaria

Hi Everybody! This is Maria from Shopgirl, and I’m excited to be here again to share a fun Easterplace setting idea with you! Can you believe that Easter is just around the corner?! With as long as winter has lasted this year, it’s hard to believe that spring is finally here! I love this time of year; I love that after months of cold, dark and dreary weather (especially this year!) the world all of a sudden becomes beautifully colorful as trees turn green and flowers begin to bloom! You may already be planning your Easter menu and decor (and if not, you still have time!) and I have a fun place setting idea to share with you today! All you need are a couple of craft supplies and you have these cute little Easter egg place settings for your holiday table! Here’s what you’ll need and how you can make these…

Family Night – Teaching Kids Their Words Matter! (she: Tonii)
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Family Night – Teaching Kids Their Words Matter! (she: Tonii)

ByTonii

Hello everyone, it’s Tonii again and I am so glad to be back with another fun and simple Family Night! This month, I felt inspired to talk to my kids all about the importance of WORDS. The words that we use, and the way that we use them. It’s so important to spend time teaching kids their words matter.

To get started I whipped up a simple printable with the words I say to my kids every day before they head off to school… Check it out!

toilet training

Toilet Training: Is Your Child Ready? (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Toilet training our children can be one of the most challenging things we have to do. One of the reasons it is so hard, is because we often start training our children before they are ready. Regardless of the method you choose to use when you train, knowing if your child is ready is the first step.
Remember, our goal shouldn’t just be to get our children to go to the bathroom in the toilet and not in their pants, but to teach our children to go to the bathroom in the toilet by themselves. Here are a few simple tests that can help you gauge if your child is ready to be toilet trained. Most children 20 months and older are capable of being toilet trained. But remember, every child will be different. Three simple tests (Bladder Control, Physical Development, and Instructional Readiness) can help you assess if your child is ready.

Personalized Initial Letter Art on www.orsoshesays.com. A fun project to do with (or without!) the kids. #initialart #letterart #lettering #homedecor #DIY #crafts
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Personalized Initial Letter Art (she: Darleen)

ByDarleen

I love anything with a personalized touch, and you can see that in many of the jewelry pieces I design. We recently moved, and I have slowly been decorating my youngest daughter’s bedroom–making the transition from crib to bed. I have wanted to add a little something to personalize her room. Usually for wall decor in my other children’s bedrooms, I have displayed a piece of their artwork in their room. So, since my youngest daughter is at that toddler’s age and she loves to make “messy” artwork, I thought it would be a fun project to create an abstract piece together using a large canvas initial letter.
This is just your basic painting project–paint brush, acrylic paint and canvas painting board. But the one who is making the personalized initial letter art is your child.

Blackberry Crumb Bars (she: Gina)
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Blackberry Crumb Bars (she: Gina)

ByGina Kleinworth

Happy Spring Everyone!! It’s Gina from Kleinworth & Co. again. Do you love spring?? I am so excited for the warmth to come back. I really enjoy this time of year when the days are longer, the sun shines more & there’s more fresh fruit available. I just feel better when I have an abundance of fresh fruit & vegetables stocked in the house. I know that I always have a healthy snack available whenever I want it. Plus – I love baking with fruit, especially berries. They are like little gems with those gorgeous, vibrant colors – they just make me happy.
I was so happy to do my usual stock up run for produce & my house is overflowing with colorful foods. I was looking forward to using some in some test recipes. Since we are on the countdown to Easter I am already planning my celebration meal. This means that I am making many test recipes to figure out what exactly will end up on the final menu. I created these Blackberry Crumb Bars as a little snack that guests can grab while chatting or would also work well topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I think they may just make an appearance on Easter day. They have just the right ratio of crumb & berry – so yummy.

Free, Customizable Spring Printable (she: Anne)
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Free, Customizable Spring Printable (she: Anne)

ByAnne

It is hard to believe, especially with the snow still falling, blowing, drifting, and staying in WNY, that Spring is actually here. But it is and regardless of what is out my window, I am seeing bright and cheery days ahead. I just can’t wait to get out and start my spring planting, to see the roses start to bud, and to be able to get out of the house without layers on. Inspired by the coming Spring weather (it IS coming, right?), I decided to switch out some of my usual wall art up with something a little more fitting given my anticipation.
I made these fun prints using the Janda Flower Doodles Font. For a little bit of experimentation, I printed one on kraft card stock, one on plain white card stock, and one on vellum. Then I colored each with a different medium. I admit, sometimes I am not quite sure what I want until I try some things out.

Products to prevent and treat lice
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Products to Prevent and Treat Lice (she: Rebecca)

ByRebecca

So, this is a post I thought I would never be qualified to write … at least I hoped I’d never become an expert at dealing with dreaded lice! But, I’m coming to you now as a seasoned veteran of the war against these horrible, nasty, persistent little pests.

Let me start from the beginning. I have a first grader with long, thick, thick, thick (Did I mention her hair is thick?!?) gorgeous hair. At the end of the Christmas break, she started complaining about her head itching, so I casually checked her head only to find the tell-tale white nits buried deep in there. I was horrified! I cancelled all our plans, called any friends we’d been in recent contact with, loaded the three kids in the car and headed straight for the drug store. I bought everything I could find, spent a fortune and went home to begin the war!

spaghetti sauce recipe
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Killer Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (Make a Lot, Freeze the Rest) (she: Jamie)

ByJamie S.

This spaghetti sauce recipe kills the competition!

I know that’s a bold statement since I’m sure your Grandma has a great recipe too, but this is beyond delicious and has been known to turn people into spaghetti addicts! It’s one of the reasons I added this spaghetti sauce to my Food Storage Plan first, because if I had live on it for a year that wouldn’t bother me one bit!

The best part is this recipe makes a ton – so you can freeze the extra, can it for storage, give some to neighbors, or eat spaghetti sauce for a straight week (or a year, depending on how much you make)!

lemon-coconut quick bread
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Lemon-Coconut Quick Bread (she: Cathy)

Bycathy

Hi there, friends! I’m so happy to be back here with you today, sharing this yummy Lemon-Coconut Quick Bread recipe! We love quick breads, especially for breakfast, and this one is just perfect for spring. It’s packed full of zesty lemon and toasted coconut and topped with a citrus honey butter that’s to-die-for. And best of all, my kids can’t get enough of it!
I find that homemade breakfast options usually go over better than packaged, which I guess is a good thing. The only problem is that I never know what be a favorite and what will be a flop! What I do know is that this bread was a FAVORITE! Not only did all three kids like it, they couldn’t get enough of it…..meaning it’s been gone for a while now. And I definitely need to make more of it!

minion lollipop
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Simple Jolly Rancher Minion Lollipop Tutorial … all you need is 10 minutes! (she: Adelle)

ByAdelle Belnap

One of the cutest little creatures created for the big screen are the Minions from Despicable Me. They are so silly and likable! My kids love them. We are really excited to visit the new Minion Mayhem attraction and Super Silly Fun Land at Universal Studios Hollywood that opens April 10. I hear you get to become a Minion and can play in a carnival made just for Minions! Fun, right? In the meantime, you can bring some Minion Mayhem into your home by making these tasty Jolly Rancher Minion lollipops. This project is so easy – even little kids can do it! And, it only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.