Box Fort

Posted on May 18, 2012 by admin

In my quest for activities for the boys combined with blog stalking I had an epiphany.

Instead of just having the boys use sheets and pillows for forts why not boxes?

The grocery store produce department has tons of boxes and they will give them to you for free.

So I asked and I got over 30 boxes.

A good start

Do you remember that vinyl shower curtain from the dollar store?

Time to color

And now to let them construct…

A giant fort with boxes and the shower curtain for the roof.

After they are done with the boxes we store them in a spare room and when they are destroyed they can be recycled.

This afternoon of imagination cost us a dollar.

Perfect!

How to make a Creeper

Posted on May 16, 2012 by admin

Minecraft, it’s a game and an addiction.

We are big fans of the game and today I found myself with a lot of boxes, green craft paint and a brilliant idea. It ties into my summer activity box…

We made ourselves a Creeper and good news YOU can too..

1. Go to your local grocery store and ask the produce department for some boxes. They will be free

2. Find a green paint that will be suitable and start working on your new friend. We mixed a leaf green with army green

3. After everything is dry stack them on top of each other and draw the sad face. I think he is just lonely and has anger issues (They blow things up in the game)

Ta Da! A Minecraft Creeper is in your home. It took us about an hour from start to finish.

However….

He came to life after his face and we put him outside

He promised to play nice and now he is following me everywhere I go.

Easy and inexpensive fun. Let’s see if we can scare the crap out of my husband by hiding this guy in the dark bathroom.

Box of activities

Posted on May 15, 2012 by admin

I am not a crafty person by nature. I cannot walk into a dollar store and see a treasure trove of supplies that can produce endless hours of fun for my children or potential home decor options. That is why there are bloggers that ARE crafty and teach me how to think outside the box

I recently found All for the Boys on Pinterest and I was thrown into a world of ideas and it was through her site that I was inspired! Our summer last year was painfully long and boring so I decided that this year was going to be different; crafty if you will. (I also don’t have a ton of cash laying around to enroll my kids in a million different summer programs so this a helpful alternative)

I have started out small. A simple box of supplies for a few ideas.

Contents:

Clothes pins (1.88 for 100 at Wal-mart)

Paintbrushes (had on hand)

Masking Tape (1.00 at the dollar store)

Shower curtain rings (1.00 at the dollar store)

Glue stick (came in a pack of the 3 – 1.00 at the dollar store)

Balloons (1.00 at the dollar store)

Vinyl Shower curtain (1.00 at the dollar store)

Playing cards (came in a pack of 2 at the dollar store; 1.00)

Puzzle (1.00 at the dollar store- I bought 2)

Plastic container (.96 cents at Wal-mart)

So for approximately 12 dollars I have the beginnings of a box activities for the boys. If you have scanned the list you may ask what is the point of the shower curtain and rings. Over at All for the Boys she hosts Fort Friday. I figured, since the the curtain and rings cost a whopping 2 dollars I will allow the boys to color on the curtain and we will figure out a way to hang it for a fort. I am also having my husband pick up produce boxes at the grocery store for the boys to build a fort. I am going to post the results on Friday!

I don’t expect this box to stay this small. It will (hopefully) grow over time. As I have been writing this post my four year old has already raided it….

This box thing just may work.

Sunscreen; A hot topic

Posted on May 9, 2012 by admin

Tanning is a controversial topic. I am not sure if it really needs to be but everyone seems to have a very passionate opinion about it. The media glorifies it and then suddenly back pedals when a celebrity has over tanned or over misted. Either way I am fairly neutral about the topic unless you are as brown as the New Jersey tanning mom or orange as the Jersey Shore crew.

Although I am neutral on the entire concept of tanning, I am concerned with burning or not being prepared for prolonged sun exposure. Burning your skin in efforts to be tan or just not being prepared is worrisome to me. Skin cancer is a very real thing and it is something that I have to watch for on a daily basis. I have already had two malignant melanoma moles removed before the age of 25.

I am not anti-sun nor am I anti-tan. I like being tan. I am one of the lucky individuals that rarely burn and almost always tans. It is a blessing and curse. I have to keep an eye on my skin and as I get older I have become more aware of keeping it healthy and safe. (I also don’t want to wrinkle prematurely but that doesn’t sound as wholesome as being healthy and safe) I am very aware of my children’s skin and I have noticed that they have inherited my superhuman tanning ability. So when the opportunity to become a Coppertone Water Mom arose, I signed up. The summer is upon us and swimming, gardening, outside crafts, water days, and other outside activities are high on the priority list. I want my kiddos to be prepared and ‘covered’ and I want the same for you.

If you are interested I have been given many coupons for $1 off any Coppertone Product. Let’s face it, sunscreen ain’t cheap and this will make it a bit more affordable. The first 10 people to email me will receive a coupon and a sample bottle that is great for your purse. Email me at: morgan@becominghomegrown Be sure to include your name and address.

Stay safe and let’s all try not to look like the Tanorexic mom from New Jersey.

**As a member of the Coppertone Water Moms group, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.**