Tuesday's Summer Tips & Advice

What do we do? with all our kiddies out of school on summer break?

I can't believe 4 weeks have passed already in my children's summer break?

Where has the time gone?

I find activities for the children. We do the activity. They want another activity. We do another activity. They want another one. So we do another one. This goes on and on everyday until I can't think of anything else. My brain gets spent. I mean, I have energy, but nothing like my kids.

WHERE DOES the energy come from? I try, really, to keep up with their excitement and joy for the smallest thing. But really, how happy can painting rocks and slip-n-slides make me?

This morning we have been to the park and back, played on the slip-n-slide, played on the swings in our own backyard. The children are outside in the sandbox now. I am here, writing about summer tips.

Since this weekend will be the beginning of summer festivals in all the suburban towns around. Each weekend, there is a festival somewhere! I was reading Family Fun magazine last week and came across a fun activity for The Fourth of July. This will be my tip for the day! I bought some of the supplies on Sunday, but will be off to Michael's (with my 20% coupon off entire purchase) as soon as I am done here to purchase the rest of the supplies.

Crowning Glory From Family Fun Crafts

YOU WILL NEED:

Flexible measuring tape

Blue and red duct tape

Flexible straws (we used 35)

Pipe cleaners

Star garland, cut into 6-inch lengths

Tacky glue

Pom-poms

1. Measure the circumference of your child's head. Cut a piece of blue duct tape to this length plus 2 inches. Lay the tape sticky side up (A). Adhere the straws to the tape (B), leaving four inches clear on either end.

2. Cut a second piece of blue tape, the same length as the first, and place it sticky side down to sandwich the straws (C).

3. Cut a piece of red duct tape to the same length as the blue ones. Fold it over the bottom edge of the blue tape "sandwich." Fit the headband to your child, then tape the ends together to form a circle.

4. Slide curled pipe cleaners and garland into the straws. Glue pom-poms to the pipe cleaner tops. Bend the straws as desired.

I actually will manage a couple of the Fourth of July projects from this magazine (July/August 2008) this week.