Strawberry Shortcake Thank You Basket

Strawberry season is closing in. Are you as excited about that as I am? Where strawberries are there is strawberry frozen yogurt, strawberry lemonade, strawberry pie, strawberry spinach salad, strawberry jam, and of course Strawberry Shortcake. I recently had a few friends do me the biggest favor ever. They watched my three older little men while my littlest man and I went on a week long trip. There is no feeling like not having to worry about where your kiddos will be during the day while you are out of town. That kind of peace of mind deserves a really a big THANK YOU. A BERRY special kind of Thank You if you will. Hahaha. We all have people in our lives who are BERRY sweet. There are teachers, neighbors, friends, moms, and so many others all awesome enough to be thanked with Strawberry Shortcake.

Making your own Thank You Strawberry Shortcake Kit is really easy.

Just gather up all the stars of the show. Starting of course with the leading lady. Strawberries.

Then we have whipped cream.

Now introducing the strawberry glaze and cakes of the shortcake variety.

Everything is store bought. I simply prettied everything up just a tad. I put the strawberries in a fun paper berry container. I added a paper doily and yarn to the whipped cream. The store bought strawberry glaze found a new home in a fun textured mason jar.

I printed out the Thank You tag and attached it to the basket with a cloths pin.

 

 

Download Berry Thank You Tags HERE

It has never been easier, prettier, and yummier to say thank you to that awesome person in your life.

Now I can say thank you to my berry special friends with a little Strawberry Shortcake Kit. I am pretty sure they will be my friends forever now.

Jello Popsicles

Summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean we can't have popsicles. Especially if they are these really easy and delicious Jello Popsicles.

Three ingredients, some popsicle molds, and a little freezer time is all it takes.

The Little Men agreed across the board that these popsicles were amazing. Awesomesauce if you will.

To make these all you need is:

1 3oz box of Jello
4 cups water (2 boiled, 2 cold)
1/3 cup of sugar

Mix the Jello and the cup of sugar in a bowl. Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Stir the boiling water into the Jello sugar mixture. Stir constantly until the Jello dissolves. Stir in 2 cups of cold water. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds. This amount filled 6 popsicle molds, with a little left over.

Freeze.

To get out the popsicles out of the molds run them under hot water for about 20 seconds and then gently remove the popsicle from the mold.

Trust me that these are awesome and easy. They are the perfect treat for a hot day, or any day. Yum!

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Water Gun Fight T-Shirt: Thirty Handmade Days

 

I am super excited for this month's project for Thirty Handmade Days! 

Who doesn't love a good water gun fight? You know what is better than a regular old water gun fight? Well a water fight that is kids versus the dad of course.

This Get Dad Wet T-shirt also has a sweet bullseye on the back. 

All you need it the shirt and a couple of filled water guns. Fun is soon to follow.

Head on over to Thirty Handmade Days to check out the details on how you can make this shirt. It is super easy and is sure to bring some fun to a summer afternoon.

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Stay Cool Gift Basket {with printable}

Lately it would seem that I am kind of obsessed with making themed gift "baskets". Just in the last couple months there has been a Strawberry Shortcake gift basket shared at Thirty Handmade Days and a Picnic themed gift I shared for a teacher gift idea. 

I can't seem to help myself. I love a good gift basket and I love it even more when there is a theme. Two things I obsess over, sticking to a theme and color coordinating things. I geek out just thinking about it.

So now Summer is in full swing, well most of the time anyway. If you follow me on Instagram (which heck, ya should @larissa_anotherday), you know that over here in these neck of the woods last week it was in the high 40's DURING THE DAY. I am trying to get over it. The weather is now appropriately summery.

Now that Summer is upon us I thought it would be fun to do a water themed gift for some special little boys I know.

A little "Stay Cool" gift you could say.

I gathered some supplies at The Mart. Read my Ten Craft Supplies to Buy at Walmart post to find out what I get at The Mart on a regular basis. As for this gift, can you beat those super cute towels for $5.88 a piece? I think not!

In this basket I put cute beach towels, water guns, a "Get Dad" water gun target t-shirt, water balloons, and Gatorade.

I also made this tag, in PicMonkey of course, because I LOVE that site. Like a lot, a lot.

I put everything in a plastic drink bucket and then attached the tag.

Now it is ready to give to some cute little boys. Just in time for a Summer scorcher.

Stay cool everyone.

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DIY Outdoor Board Game with Sharpie Paint Markers

"This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media

Group and Sharpie, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PaintYourWay 

http://my-disclosure.es/OBsstV"

. 

What is all the rage in outdoor Summer fun? Well your very own DIY Outdoor Board Game of course. Trust me I have a neighborhood full of kids who think this giant sized Outdoor Board Game is the bees knees. Okay so, they didn't say that specifically and they would be confused with the concept of bees having knees.

You get the idea though.

They loved playing a human sized board game outside, especially because in our custom Outdoor Board Game water was involved.

Putting together your very own Outdoor Board Game is super easy.

You only need a few items and all the imagination and creativity you already possess.

The number one must have item, these Sharpie Paint Markers. PAINT markers! Paint in marker form. They are amazing.

I picked up this colorful variety pack and a single black marker at my local Michael's Craft Store. They have water based and oil based. They sell them as packs and as individual markers. Seriously, you should head over to Michael's and check them out either at your local store or online at Michael's.com

Once you have yourself some of these markers, then all you need is a bed sheet, a vinyl tablecloth, some fabric, iron on transfer, and a couple of boxes.

 Then let your imagination run wild. You decide the theme of your Outdoor Board Game. Then you can decide how many spaces and what kind of spaces they should be.

I used fabric and iron on transfer for the plain squares and attached them to the white sheet.

Since our Outdoor Board Game was a water themed game, I used my Sharpie Paint Markers to make several water activity spaces. I thought up some fun activities and then I drew pictures that represented that activity.

Then I sewed the sheet and the vinyl tablecloth together. 

For the die I spray painted two boxes. Then I drew dots and wrote phrases, like "lose a turn" on each dice with my Sharpie Paint Markers.

I got to tell you, I LOVED these markers. They were great to work with. I was able to write easily on both the sheet and the cardboard box (which of course were a giant set of die). The coverage was great and they lasted through my whole project, with paint to spare for some extra projects. I also have to tell you that the paint dries quickly.

So quickly in fact, we didn't have to wait to long to play our very own Outdoor Board Game.

In case you want to make a water themed Outdoor Board Game like we did, here are the water activity spaces I did.

Water Activity Spaces--

Get Hosed (sprayed by a hose)

Take Aim (one on one water gun fight)

Ice, Ice Baby (stand or sit in a bucket of ice water)

Kick the Bucket (bucket of water over the head)

Attack (player's choice of water activity to another player)

Run the Sprinkler (run through the sprinkler)

Ambush (water balloon fight)

I also got to say how impressive my pictures held up during this very wet game. Since I had several neighbor kids dripping wet from before mentioned water activities I was a little worried that all that water would cause the pictures to bleed. Guess what, they didn't! They held up and after the game dried they still looked as good as when I first drew them.

Seriously, these paint markers are crazy awesome.

Strawberry Soup

Before I get to this Strawberry Soup, let me just say I love strawberries. One of the best things about Summer is strawberries. So...I really love strawberries.

When we lived in Ohio this time of year would be about the time that we would be berry pickin' at our favorite local farm. Strawberry picking at that farm is one of my favorite family memories. We would eat as we pick, which was allowed. We would load up crates, baskets, and flats with bright red, delicious strawberries. We would then roll them all out of the berry fields on the most quaint green wagon.

We would take the berries home, eat some more, and then make lots and lots of freezer jam.

We may not be able to pick berries anymore (no sweet little strawberry farm by us now), but we still manage to find buy ourselves lot and lots of strawberries. I still make lots of freezer jam. I mean seriously, how can I live without freezer jam? Nobody can. It is the best stuff ever, especially slathered on a just out of the oven warm slice of of homemade bread.

Strawberry freezer jam holds a special place in my heart.

Now so does this Strawberry Soup. Don't be confused by the word soup. This is not a warm bowl of pureed strawberries. This Strawberry Soup is more like a creamier version of a smoothie.

Oh. My. Heavens.

This pretty much made my day. I had myself three bowls in one day. Don't worry I saved some for all the boys in the house. Everyone else thought it was quite spectacular too.

This soup is the perfect addition to a Summer meal. Heck it is perfect for anytime.

I highly encourage you all to give it a try. I am fairly positive you won't be too sad about it. So after you pick your berries or buy your berries or grow your berries, put some aside for a delightful bowl of this Strawberry Soup and be prepared to eat several bowlfuls.


Strawberry Soup

4-5 cups of fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chill for an hour before serving. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Happy berry picking and berry eating. Happy Summer!

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Vanilla Bean Lemonade

Days are getting warmer and longer. You know what that means don't you?

Barbecues, picnics, and lemonade.

Lots and lots of lemonade.

I have two favorite lemonades.

First is Strawberry Lemonade. 

Next, well I am sure you can guess...

Yup.

Vanilla Bean Lemonade.

Oh gracious. Lemons and vanilla beans. I think they must be soul mates. I am so glad they found each other.

I first had Vanilla Bean Lemonade when we lived in Ohio. The Hubs had come across it at a Market in Cleveland. He bought a few bottles to bring home. After trying some, I had to force myself not to drink it all down.

The lemonade was perfectly sweet and tart. Then it finished with the best vanilla flavor. I know it will sound cheesy, but it was like drinking a summer breeze and a summer sunset all in one.

We haven't lived in Ohio for almost three years now (which is crazy people, CRAZY) and I haven't had Vanilla Bean Lemonade since then. I have been missing it. I mean, seriously almost three years without my favorite lemonade. Well that is just craziness.

So I figured I should probably whip up my own Vanilla Bean Lemonade.

Oh my favoritest lemonade I am so glad you are back in my life. I look forward to many long summer days, relaxing on the back patio with the warm breeze blowing across my bare feet drinking down glassfuls of this lemonade.

Happy Summer.

Vanilla Bean Lemonade

4 large lemons, juiced (about 4 cups)
2 quarts of water
2/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, scrapped
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

First, scrap the vanilla bean to get all the seeds out. If you have never scraped a vanilla bean, here is a great video by the Martha Stewart on How to Scrape a Vanilla Bean.

Put the sugar into a small bowl and add in the vanilla beans seeds. Mix until the seeds are evenly combined in the sugar. This makes vanilla sugar.

Combine the vanilla sugar, lemon juice, water, and vanilla extract in a pitcher.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Pour into glasses. Add ice. Drink it down.

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Have a Whaley Good Summer (Printable)

The end of school countdown is on.

Oh it's on. On like Donkey Kong.

With the end of the school year comes my boys' favorite time of year...

SUMMER BREAK. Time for end of the year treats for the kids to give to a friend or two.

Last year I made up Have a Kool Summer printables to go with Kool-Aid packets.

This year's end of the school friend gift idea came when  I found these gummy whales.

Gummy Whales! I had never seen gummy whales before. My brain immediately came up with this play on words--Have a Whaley Good Summer. Like seriously, right there in the store. I was standing in front of the bin candy. I stood there staring at the gummy whales running the play on words through my head all while Bean sat patiently in the grocery cart. It is like he is used to this sort of spontaneous grocery store brain storm session.

P.S. Does your brain think in play on words? It doesn't. Hmmm. So what you are saying I am not normal.

Hehehe, well I knew that.

Anyway, so I came up with this idea. I bought myself a bag of gummy whales and then I went home and started putting some together.

I designed the tag using PicMonkey.

Download the Have a Whaley Good Summer Tags HERE.

I put the gummy whales in a treat bag, tied it up with a scrap of fabric. I tied on the tag and then put the treat bag in a fun chevron cup. I love these little cups, they are meant for ice cream, but I think they are great for holding treats. Plus the chevron pattern reminded me of the ocean.

Oceans are where whales live. So it really just made sense.

Hope you are excited to have a Whaley good summer! We sure are.

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Capri Sun My Go-To Kiddo Drink

  

Summer is practically over. Boats are making their last runs. Tents and roasting sticks are being put away. Cars have been cleaned out from just-ended road trips. Trips to the swimming pool are being crammed in before they all close up for the season.

For some of you school is already in, for us it is quickly approaching.

Hubby just wrapped up his summer time off with our little family. The last of our summer house guests have left. Our unscheduled, easy, breezy time in the sun (okay and occasionally inside in the air conditioned house watching a movie) is wrapping up.

School starts pretty quickly and then we will be on the go, living out of the good ole' mini van, known from here on out as The Mini, from sun up until sun down. Unscheduled will go to scheduled. Day in and day out all-around merriment will be reserved for the weekends when there is slightly less going on.

With summer ending, it is now time to make the most of The Weekend.

We love the weekends around our house, by Jove. We really rather enjoy just going and doing stuff with our little family.

You know what you can almost always find in the back of The Mini?

A box of Capri Sun Juice drinks. My kids love them. They practically beg for them. Quite often I am inclined to grant their very exuberant begging.

Why?

Well that is because I feel super confident in giving my kids Capri Sun Juice drinks. We take them to games. We take them on our family trips to Yellowstone. We have a box handy in our pantry for school lunches. They are a must for barbecues. My boys drink them at picnics. They suck them down on road trips. We also have been known to help stay hydrated with a Capri Sun Juice drink poolside.

 

 

 

Ahhhh...so refreshing.

Kids happy. Momma is happy.

They love all the flavor options. They pretty much also love drinking everything from the ultra cool, shiny pouch and then inflating it back up and insisting that they didn't drink it. Then they giggle in a rather conspiratorial way. Like they pulled one over on the Mom.

I love that I can feel good about giving my kids Capri Sun Juice drinks.   

I can feel confident that as they play hard and need hydration, Capri Sun Juice drinks are a fun beverage they will enjoy and one I feel good giving to them.

My favorite Capri Sun Juice drink is Capri Sun Roarin' Waters Flavored Water Beverage. Love, love, love them.

They are low calorie and have no artificial colors or flavorings. There are six flavors so my kids don't get bored. They are also a fun way for my kids to stay hydrated.

Hydrated on a hot day spent in the pool during a little weekend family pool party.

They offer a variety of wholesome Capri Sun drinks for your family. Besides the original Capri Sun Juice drink and my fav the Roarin' Waters, there's also Capri Sun 100% Juice and Capri Sun Super V Fruit and Vegetable Juice Drink which has 1 combined serving of fruit and vegetables.*

As the mom, I really just want them to have fun and wholesome options. It is a bonus when those fun and wholesome options are portable and can go as much as they do.

I love these squishy faces so much. 

Capri Sun Juice drinks are drinks I feel comfortable giving these cute, healthy, and active squishy faced boys.
 

Summer may be almost over, but family time and weekend fun is still going strong and Capri Sun Juice drinks will be with us every step of the way.

 

Learn more about Capri Sun's wholesome drinks.

 

* Each pouch provides 1/2 cup of fruit and vegetable juice. According to U.S. dietary guidelines, Capri Sun Super V Fruit and Vegetable Drink contains one combined serving of fruit and vegetables--3/4 from fruit juice and 1/4 from vegetable juice. Be sure to feed your kids a variety of whole fruits and vegetables each day.