Dessert: Baked Alaska

This looks yum

http://familyfun.go.com/magazine/familyfun-magazine-archive/familyfun-july-2010/triple-decker-baked-alaska-888910/

Outing: Camping

Here are some camping tips:

1. a be prepared kit in a zippered pouch, including: bug spray, sunscreen, flashlight, lip balm, wipes, safety whistle, twist type sharpener for marshmallow sticks!
2. walkie talkies
3. bungie cords
4. reflective tape
5. Gorilla tape/duct tape

Snack: Cucumber snake

Another cute and easy snack! A cucumber snake http://familyfun.go.com/magazine/familyfun-magazine-archive/familyfun-july-2010/crazy-cucumber-snakes-892771/

Year off: Little trip on the Prairie

This will have to be a summer 2014 must.

Little house on the prairie:
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/pioneers-in-the-prairie-660354/

Maple sugaring:
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/we-tried-it-maple-sugaring-713911/

Thanksgiving, plymouth plantation:
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/we-tried-it-a-feast-at-plimoth-plantation-712896/

Safety: Walkie Talkies

Hmm - here's an idea. Use walkie talkies to communicate with kids as they widen their horizens a little. Heading to a neighbors place - bring a walkie talkie.... hmmm...something to think about

Game: Lawn darts

A cute fun homemade game of lawn darts that could be a summer craft or a gift idea - or maybe a family fair fun day activity http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/on-target-893219/

Movies: Toy story three cupcakes

I couldn't find this recipe on the web but Family Fun's summer 2010 issue had cute Alien Toy Story 3 cupcakes on page 10. Here's the instructions:

Ice with light green icing
use a 2 inch green sour straw for the antenna
flatten spearmint gumdrops and resugar for the ears
use three white mini mentos for eyes with a dab of black gel icing and a small black gel icing for an awed, filled in O shaped mouth

Halloween: Cute funny costumes

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/alien-encounter-667082/

Craft: Tote bag

A great way to recycle an old tshirt that your child loves! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/tee-is-for-tote-785100/

Maybe for April - a recycle month?

Crafts: Valentine bookmarks

Valentine bookmark ideas - might be especially fun for friends and family.
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/bookmark-this-675057/

Halloween: Skeleton cupcakes

These are cute little (and seems to be) easy cupcakes to make for Halloween.

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cupcakes/scrumptious-skeletons-686972/

Christmas: Rudolph cupcakes

Another cute idea for a Christmas treat - maybe for a school lunch?


http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cupcakes/rudolph-the-red-nosed-cupcake-685632/

St. Patrick's Day: cupcakes

Combine these two ideas for the perfect St. Patricks day cupcake treat!!!!

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cupcakes/st-patricks-day-recipe-rainbow-cupcake-dessert-recipe-685421/

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cupcakes/taste-a-rainbow-cupcakes-842128/

Treats: Halloween Eyeballs

These are cute little eyeballs - perfect for a Halloween party. I just need to find white chocolate chips in Taiwan!!!!
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cupcakes/forked-eyeballs-784937/

Christmas: Santa cupcakes

These are really cute Christmas cupcakes. Usually cookies are our Christmas treat but who knows when these might come in handy...maybe an advent idea?
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cupcakes/claus-cupcakes-685637/

Treats: Basketball

Basketball treat anyone? Wouldn't these be fun for the last day of basketball!!!! http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/theme-cupcakes/basketball-cupcakes-688605/

Treats: Petit Fours

Cute little french treats. These would have been fun in a french themed birthday party. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/holiday-seasonal-cakes/pastel-petits-fours-699553/

Lunch: Taco wraps

These look really yummy - Taco wraps. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/taco-roll-ups-687009/

snack: pencils

A fun cheesy snakc for the first day of school? :-)
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/chew-on-your-pencil-784817/

Lunch: Scuba diver bagel

A really fun treat...especially for the first day of summer :-)
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/bagel-buoy-686753/

Potluck: Deviled egg boats

Cute treat.... not sure what event would be appropriate though... http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/deviled-egg-boats-686865/

lunch: Monster sandwiches

LOVE it! These would be great for play dates...
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/silly-face-sandwich-683238/

lunch: tuna boats

So cute! Would Erin eat Tuna salad though? ... It would be so worth trying...
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/lunch-ahoy-687719/

Lunch: Jelly sandwiches

So cute - we could use cream cheese and jelly I guess - instead of pb and J. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/pb-j-blossom-sandwiches-686605/

Meals: Southwestern wraps

These look yum - a southwestern wrap: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/southwestern-club-wrap-687940/

Lunch: Stick-wiches

Family Fun has a cute idea - sandwich kebabs. Check it out....
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/sandwich-on-a-stick-687359/

A few games

Family Games

Boggle and Apples to Apples Junior

A sensitive child

Ways to be sensitive to the sensitive...

- Couch advice in between positives: (e.g.) I'm proud of..... but I think.....Let's do......I know you can ......)

- Rethink hurt feelings: Maybe so and so did (or didn't do) that because....

Kidsafeseafood

The battle with Fish

Maybe this website will help...plenty of recipes and advice regarding fish

http://www.kidsafeseafood.org/recipestips.php

Reuse Christmas cards

Christmas cut out

At the end of the Christmas (or birthday) season, cut out parts of the cards you don't want to keep for the craft box. :-)

Schoolhouse snack

Fun idea :-)

Make a log house with julienned carrots and cucumber (or celery) with dip on the side, large rye crackers with cream cheese "glue"

(From Parents September 2004)

Cookie cutters

Summer shopping?

Oh - how I would love these cookie cutters: acorn, apple, bunny, butterfly, candy cane, chick & egg, crown, dinosaur, eiffel tower, maple leaf, mitten, moose, olympics, palm tree, pumpkin, rabbit, reindeer, shramrock, stocking, tshirt, teacup, teddy bear, tree, fish, tulip, haunted house ....oh so cool!!!!

http://www.annclark.com/viewcart

Art pens

Decocolor

These look like great markers for glass, pottery, plastic...great possibilities for decorating and labelling.

http://marvy.com/product_details.aspx?ProductID=119

Christmas tips

Some tips to keep in mind...

1) Signature drink??? - Maybe ask Anna & David about their orange/passion fruit drink?
2) Line pans with foil to help in quick clean up.

Popcorn Factory

Great Gift Idea

For Christmas or those cousins going through exams....or cute kids boxes...

http://www.thepopcornfactory.com/survival-kit-treats-pail.product.250950.70021

Scrabble Slam

Game idea

Scrabble slam looks like a fun card game for kids.

Window Markers

Great Gift Ideas

Crayola Window Crayons look really cool! :-)

Lego Family Time

Love Lego!

Some great lego plans here! :-)

http://creative.lego.com/en-us/FamilyTime/buildinginstructionssecret/BuildingInstructionsBoxSecret.aspx?domainredir=creative.lego.com

Cute oysters

Party idea

For a beach theme, try these cute little oyster-like cookies! :-)

http://familyfun.go.com/magazine/familyfun-magazine-archive/familyfun-august-2009/pearly-bites-784772/

Pineapple upside down cupcakes

Ideas for Peter

Peter loves upside down Pineapple cake. These little cupcakes would make a great Father's day treat! :-)

http://familyfun.go.com/magazine/familyfun-magazine-archive/familyfun-august-2009/pineapple-upside-down-cupcakes-784734/

Peel and Stick Labels

Useful Tips

From Labeldaddy.com, there are peel and stick washable labels for all belongings! Cool.

Rubber label bracelets!

Great Gift Ideas

From InchBug.com - personalized rubber bands to go around cups. Very cool!

Tag - your it

A New Family Tradition

Take a notebook and write a note to your child. At the end, sign it:"Tag, you're it!" Hide it in their room. When they find it, they should write a noteand hide it back for you to find! :-)

(From Family Fun, August 2009)

Yarn Bowl

Craft time

Place some white glue in a bowl. Add various colors of yarn or thread and soak in glue. Lace and zig zag them around the top of a large plastic ball. Leave overnight to dry. The next day, lift off your beautiful yarn bowl!

(From Family Fun, August 2009)

Beach globe

Summer Craft

Take a small water bottle. Add 1/4 cup of sand. Tint some water with blue and green food coloring and fill the bottle half way. Add some seashells and silver glitter. Fill the remainder of the bottle with baby oil. Glue the cap on and lay the bottle on the side. Voila! Beautiful mini ocean.

(From Family Fun, August 2009)

Being thankful

A new family tradition

Before dinner, every one should say something they are thankful for!

(From Family Fun, August 2009)

Outdoor Reading Picnic

Summer Activity

For a quiet downtime summer activity, take a blanket, books and a snack outside. Spread them out and enjoy as a family!

(From Julie Warther,Ohio as reported by Family Fun, August 2009)

Ready to go Veggie Stick

Snack Ideas

Julienne celery and carrots and store them in pasta containers in the fridge door with just a few inches of water. Kids can help themselves! :-)

(From Family fun, August 2009, page 33)

Sponge Balls

A Summer Craft

Take three different colored sponges and cut them into 5 strips each. Mix and match while layering them into three layers of 5 across. Take some string and gather the sponge pieces into a cinched ball in the middle. Tie tightly and you have somecool looking, light, fun water sponges!!! :-)

(From Family Fun magazine, August 2009, page 18)
Also found online at http://www.marthastewart.com/article/sponge-ball?lnc=0e78dc53f03ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD

The Foamerator

A summer craft idea...

Cut the bottom off a small plastic bottle. Cover the open end with a face cloth and secure with an elastic band. Dip in dish soap and blow gently through the mouthpiece. You will end up with a long foamy snake. :-)

(from Family Fun magazine August 2009 p.17)
also online at http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/the-foamerator-785017/