Christmas in July – Plan Your Disneyland Holiday Vacation Now! (she: Kimberly)
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Christmas in July – Plan Your Disneyland Holiday Vacation Now! (she: Kimberly)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

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)

Portrait Drawing Activity for Kids (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

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
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Grilled Steak with BBQ, Ranch, Corn & Black Bean Relish

ByJana

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)
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Gnome Finger Puppets (she: Amy)

ByAmy of while wearing heels

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!
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Stripes & Dots Birthday Banner Free Printable!

ByMariel

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!

Buffalo Lane ‘Pick Your Bling’ Giveaway!

ByRebecca

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)
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‘A Person’s A Person…’ ~ Dr. Seuss Printable Quote (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

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

Our Beautiful Earth

ByMariel

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
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More from Marriage (& Giveaway!) ~ Amber Creek Family Counseling

ByMariel

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.

Gold Animal Place-Card Holders by The Thinking Closet
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Animal Place-Card Holders (she: Lauren)

ByLauren

Growing up, when my parents hosted company, it was always my job to create place-cards for the dinner table. My favorite set were made using soft clam shells that we spray-painted gold and wrote on with paint-markers. However, in the four years since I’ve gotten hitched and moved out of my parents’ home, I’ve grown lazy on the job. Our household has been painfully lacking in the place-card department…until now, that is!

My inspiration came from the variety of projects I’ve seen out there in blogland involving plastic animals from the Dollar Store covered in spray paint. Do you know the ones? I’ve seen these animals become bookends, wall art, jar tops, even magnets. One day, it just struck me that some gold spray painted plastic animals would be the perfect bearers of place-cards.

Snap Photos. Win Prizes. Love Life. (Instagram July 2013)
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Snap Photos. Win Prizes. Love Life. (Instagram July 2013)

ByMariel

Hello, lovers of life and Instagram! Today, myself and some fellow bloggers, are kicking off something super-duper cool. You know how you’re always snapping pictures for Instagram?? Well, now you can actually win prizes for doing it! If you haven’t joined the Instagram world yet, it’s time! To read about why it’s so great and some Instagram tips, check out this post: All About Instagram.

Now, without further ado, let’s get this party started! Let me introduce you to… ‘Loving Life…’.

Caprese Artichoke Pasta Salad (she: Cathy)
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Caprese Artichoke Pasta Salad (she: Cathy)

Bycathy

Hi, Everyone! It’s Cathy from Lemon Tree Dwelling, back with another delicious idea to share with you today: my Caprese Artichoke Pasta Salad! This salad combines the delicious flavors of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and artichoke hearts in a light, tangy homemade Basil Vinaigrette. The perfect dish for your next summer cookout!

A good friend said to me recently that we’re lucky to live in the Midwest, where the weather is always changing, because it keeps us grateful. So true!! There is nothing we Midwesterners appreciate more than a good summer cookout, because we can only have them 3 months out of the year!