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7 In 2020/ Family/ Free stuff/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado/ Things to do in Minnesota

Summer Fun Unleashed: Beat Boredom with These 55 Kid-Approved Activities!

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🌞☀️ Summer Fun Alert! 🌞☀️ Are you ready to banish those dreaded words, “I’m bored,” from your kids’ vocabulary this summer? 🎉 I’ve put together the ultimate list of activities guaranteed to keep young minds engaged, bodies moving, and creativity flowing all season long! From outdoor adventures to indoor escapades, there’s something for every kid to enjoy. Let’s dive in and make this summer the most memorable one yet! 🚀

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Note: I put this list together during the 2020 lock down and it came in handy when my son and got Covid and had to spend two weeks in quarantine. When we were finally ‘free” he said:

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“Mom, I’m sad that quarantine is done. We made so many memories.”

Luke, age 7

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Thankfully, the lockdown is long gone, but this list remains incredibly useful for those moments when boredom strikes and you’re in need of some inspiration! Plus, it’s an added bonus that you’ll make ‘so many memories’ along the way!!

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1. Draw a Picture and/or write a letter

Paul

Set out Pencils, markers, water color, or crayons and blank paper or coloring books.

Draw pictures and write letters to family and friends!

Click here to purchase a “How to Draw” book on Amazon.

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2. Read a book

  • Go to the library and allow your kids to explore!
  • Find books that will pique your child’s curiosity.
  • Most early readers (and pre-readers) enjoy comic-strip style books. 
  • Set a timer so your kids know that it’s “reading time.”
  • Ask an older child to read to a younger child  – or –
  • Read a few pages of a chapter book to your kids. The “Who Was” series is great!
  • My 12 year old son and I recently finished Front Desk and he LOVED it and kept asking me to read more.
  • We read Little House on the Prairie in 2020 and laughed at how similar the “little house life” and “quarantine life” are!

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3. Tell/ write a story

  • My fourth grade teacher once gave us the title “The Entire City Lends a Hand” and had the class each write their own story. Read a rendition of that here.
  • Give your kids a title and let them write! 
  • Title ideas: The first day of school! Best Vacation Ever, If I were President, Undersea Adventure, You Won’t Believe what Happened! 

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4. Make a book

Buy blank books from amazon or use a notebook you have on hand.

Have your kids write a little each day about what they are doing during the summer. (It will be interesting to look back on these journals in the future!)

Another option: Have your kids write 1 thing they are grateful for each day. 

Be sure to have them add the date and their name.

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5. Start a Gratitude Journal

Thinking about our blessings and what we are grateful for is extremely helpful in building resiliency! I researched journals a few months ago and decided to purchase this simple one for George. I’ve loved watching him open this up (without prompting), and write what he’s grateful for!

Research suggests that keeping a gratitude journal can boost your health and happiness.

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6. HOME EC – Cook together 

Making pancakes with Paul
cook
George making his favorite treat!
  • My boys love helping make any type of dessert. But they are also good “sous” chefs – peeling potatoes and carrots, etc.
  • Teaching kids how to cook builds confidence in them and is a huge help once they know what to do.
  • Here is an easy recipe for – Personal Pizzas

Here’s a post about the benefits of cooking together

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7. Balloon games

  • It’s crazy how much joy a simple balloon can bring.
  • Blow up balloons and work together to keep them from touching the ground.
  • Use a string/rope/crepe paper across the living room and play “tennis” or “volleyball.”
  • Use a tennis racket outside with a balloon.
  • My son’s love this balloon rocket from amazon!

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8. Go Park Hopping!

George cooling off on the hot day
George on the zip line

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9. Clean together

My sister’s daughters (ages 4 and 7) – She says the girls enjoy the tactile nature of finding the clips, reading them, and then putting them in the container when completed.
  • There are so many benefits to giving your kids household chores and teaching them to clean! 
  • Some bigger things we are working on together – the basement, baseboards, and cleaning our cars.
  • Smaller things the kids can do – a junk drawer, the pantry, baseboards, wiping lower cabinets, all door handles, appliance handles, pulling weeds, folding and putting away laundry, bathroom, bedroom, their closet, and loading/unloading dishwasher.
  • I offered my kids a quarter to whoever could wipe down the baseboards and bring me back the dirtiest wet wipe.

Click here for a “chore chart” idea!

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10. Dino Dig

My boys love uncovering a treasure, your kid will too!

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11. Make some homemade gifts

Friendship bracelets are back! (Thank you T.Swift)

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12. Play Hide and Seek

Take turns hiding – or – Hide a stuffed animal. Say “hotter/colder” when they are getting closer or further.

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13. Play bean bag games

  • Toss back and forth
  • Toss in buckets, pans, or boxes
  • Play “keep away!”
  • For bean bag toddler games, CLICK HERE.

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14. Scavenger hunt

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15. Puzzles

  • Do a Puzzle together
  • Puzzle races: 1. Time your kids and see how fast they can put a small puzzle together. 2. If you have two 50-100 piece puzzles, race to see who can put them together faster.
  • Optional Money-saving tip: Trade puzzles with your neighbors or buy some used ones! Dollar store sells some too!
  • Get a new puzzle from Amazon, or trade with friends.

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16. Paint by Sticker

This sticker book has over 5000 5-star reviews! I got this for my son for Christmas and I see why it has so many positive reviews. We love it! The pictures turn out so pretty you could frame them!

Before…
During…
After

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17. Sidewalk chalk

  • Lay down and trace each other – then decorate with clothes, faces, etc.
  • Write a verse or word of encouragement for passers-by
  • Use tape and color in the spaces like stained glass (pictured above)
  • Color rocks around your house

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18. Create an Indoor or outdoor Obstacle course

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19. Have a Spa Day!

Facials, paint nails, do hair, etc.

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20. Spot It

This is a fun game for kids ages 4 and up!

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21. Don’t Eat Pete Game

Click here for instructions

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22. Play games with a Jump Rope

  • Do competitions to see who can go the longest without tripping. It’s great exercize and FUN!
  • I definitely recommend you purchase the segmented jump ropes (pictured above). We bought several so we could all jump rope together.

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23. Build with legos or megablocks

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24. Do a craft together

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25. Memorize a poem or verse together.

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26. Build an arcade game out of boxes.

Clark created a game called “Hit It” – Targets for Nerf Guns

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27. Play with Cheerios

  • Allow your kids to string Cheerios or Fruit Loops for an edible necklace
  • Stack cheerios on Spaghetti noodles
  • With older kids – turn this into a race!

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28. Play a board game  

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29. Spike Ball

spike ball
  • My son Clark just got this game for his 11th birthday. My boys love it. It’s best for ages 8 and up.
  • When it’s too cold to play outside, this game can be played in a living room or basement.

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30. Play charades or download the HEADS UP app

  • Even little ones can play this game. Whisper what you want them to “act” out and let the sibling(s) guess.
  • The Heads Up app is lots of fun.

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31. Build a fort

  • Put blankets over your dining table – or
  • Use boxes, or pillows and blankets.
  • Read a story in the fort!
  • “Go on a Bear Hunt“
  • Decorate with Christmas lights!

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32. Create or Buy Kinetic Sand or Play Doh

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33. Exercise! 

  • Follow a youtube exercise video
  • Family Bootcamp
  • Run around your house for 5 or more minutes. I don’t know about your kids – but my kids NEED to burn energy in a healthy way or they start getting mischievous!
  • If we are outside, I challenge my kids to a foot race so that we can BOTH burn energy and get exercise.

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34. Play some backyard games

  1. Duck Duck Goose 
  2. Balloon Bounce â€“ Kids lay down (or sit down) and have to work together to keep balloon(s) in the air. 
  3. Red Rover, Red Rover
  4. Red Light, Green Light
  5. Tag

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35. Have a unique conversation

conversation starters

Has months of summer left you with nothing else to talk about than how bored you are? Then you NEED this set of cards.

Each card asks interesting questions for your family to answer or discuss. My kids ask for us to pull the cards out whenever we sit down to eat. One time my kids were eating alone and my oldest son pulled the questions out to ask his little brothers. I LOVED listening to their conversation!

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36. Have a “What’s in the Box?” Challenge

what's in the box
  • Cut holes a in box
  • Choose an item to put inside
  • Allow someone to reach their hand inside the box and “guess” what it is.
  • Take turns finding items to hide, then guessing “What’s in the Box?”

Click here to watch the Egly boys’ challenge. They’d love for you to subscribe to their channel.

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37. Homemade Tap Shoes

Sorry parents, this one’s noisy! It’s so easy, though, and will keep your kids busy.

Simply tape coins to the bottom of your child’s shoe. Voila, homemade tap shoes.

Get them to come up with a tap-dancing routine, rehearse it and record their final performance (bring your own earmuffs).

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38. Look at old photos

Take out your photo albums or pull up pictures on your computer and enjoy!

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39. Build a Marble Maze / Labrynth

Your kids can use an empty box.

Glue straws to the bottom to create a maze.

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40. Card Games

Playing “Garbage”
RataTat Cat – fun family card game!

Play “War” with the classic deck of cards.

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41. Play “Minute to Win It”

Flick it!

Click here for 10 fun games to play with your family

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42. Practice an instrument

Piano, keyboard, xylophone, harmonica, recorder or drums…make it a family band. Look on Youtube for free lessons.

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43. Blow bubbles

bubbles

Make some bubbles using dish washing soap, water, and sugar (for consistency).

Or check out these “bubble gloves” on amazon.

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44. Make a flip motion animation book

Kids can learn how to make a flipbook animation in less than 5 minutes. All you need is a pen and a stack of notecards, paper, or a sticky note pad. This video is a great and very quick tutorial.

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45.  Play Simon Says or Follow The Leader

  • Have each child take a turn being the leader
  • Walk all around your house 
  • Do jumps, turns, stop to hug dad, etc.

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46. Ice excavating

Place some toys in a bowl of water and Freeze. Let the kids dig them out.

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47. Build a volcano

Click here for instructions

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48. Make Ice Cream

If you have milk and sugar, your kids can make their own ice cream! Click here for the recipe!

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49. Nerf guns

Shoot at targets – I made some targets with construction paper and held them in place with play doh.

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50. Jokes

Get a joke book from Amazon, or search for kid’s jokes on the internet and entertain each other!

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51. Create Salt Dough Figures

salt dough recipe
salt dough
sAlt dough
Salt dough ornaments

Click here for instructions

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52. Play “Would you Rather?”

Click here for questions!

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53. Create “Ramp Races”

A really fun and simple activity that can act as a physics lesson and opportunity for an experiment. Make a simple ramp using cardboard or a piece of wood, and roll different objects down: measure how far they go, how fast they roll, or hold races between different kinds of balls to see which wins!

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54. Leaf or Texture rubbings

Find leaves, grass, and other flat-ish items and put them under paper. Color over them.

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55. Take an aimless drive.

  • Listen to a podcast or the radio.
  • Go through the drive through for ice cream or dinner.

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CLICK HERE FOR 20 more ideas

Bonus Idea: Create a “I’m Bored” Jar:

  • Print the 55 options listed above, cut apart each idea, and put them in a container. If your kids say ‘I’m Bored’ – have them pull a paper from the jar and complete that activity.
  • It’s OKAY for your kids to be bored and figure it out too! Boredom leads to creativity! Clark was bored when he created his own Cardboard Arcade!
  • Boredom leads to new inventions. I look forward to what will be thought up during this quarantine!

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Do you have an idea? Leave a comment!

Please subscribe so you don’t miss a post!

*I am an Amazon Affiliate, so I make a small percentage off of Amazon links I share if you click through and purchase, without any additional cost to you.  Thank you for your support in this way! 

March 22, 2020 By
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2 In 2020/ DIY/ Free stuff/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our week: Creating an Arcade

Basketball ended and it left us with an entire weekend with almost nothing to do.

I like to have things to do so I started feeling cabin fever…wishing for warmer weather.

My kids handled the free weekend better than me.

Clark watched a really cool video on youtube (see below), and was inspired to create arcade games out of boxes. His brothers saw his creativity and were inspired as well.

They are all working on creating arcade games and will invite neighbors to come over and play.

  • Clark created a game called “Hit It” – Targets for Nerf Guns
  • George creating his game called “The Ultimate Maze”

Here’s Clark’s first creation:

Here’s the super cool video that inspired the weekend’s creativity:

March 1, 2020 By
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3 In 2020/ Family/ Free stuff/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

Don’t Eat Pete!

Here’s a fun and easy game to play with your children or grandchildren.

It’s also an activity I leave out for the babysitter.

What you need:

Any small snacks (cereal, candy, tiny crackers, peanuts, raisins)

1 piece of paper and a writing utensil

To do:

  1. On a sheet of white paper, draw a large grid – nine squares.
  2. Put a number on each square.
  3. Put a small snack on each square.
  4. Have ONE person leave the room.
  5. Have another person choose which square is “Pete.”
  6. Ask the person who left the room to come back. He or she eats one snack at a time. When they grab the snack that is “Pete,” everyone screams:

“DON’T EAT PETE!”

Their turn is over.

Repeat as many times as your kids are interested!

Parenting tip:

Are you having a hard time getting your kids to eat certain foods? Cut it into SMALL pieces and use it on the game board.

You can turn this game into LUNCH!

  1. Cover the game board with a piece of plastic wrap.
  2. Cut up small pieces of a protein of your choice, fruits, and vegetables.
  3. Play!

Interested in more games for kids?

Click here for a WOULD YOU RATHER game!

Click here for many more ideas!

February 23, 2020 By
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3 In 2020/ Family/ Free stuff/ Games/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

Would you Rather?

Here’s a fun game to get your kids talking! My boys love this game and ask me to play when we are having dinner together or driving.

Because this game needs NO SUPPLIES, you can play during dinner, on a walk, or anytime you want to engage with your kids.

Would you rather….

Be Superman or Batman?

Eat Pizza or Hotdogs?

Ride a roller coaster or a water slide?

Go to Target or Walmart?

Laugh or cry?

Jump high or run fast?

Have summer all year or winter all year?

Be really smart or really funny?

Drive a truck or a sports car?

Go back in time or go to the future?

Be able to fly or be invisible?

Have ONE great friend or 20 pretty good friends?

Be in the Mountains or at the Beach?

Take a ride in a speed boat or helicopter?

Go Skydiving or Swim with Sharks?

Build a Sand Castle or Play in the Waves?

Go Skiing or Ride a bike?

Watch a Movie or Read a Book?

Go Rock climbing or Swimming?

Own a Cat or a Dog?

Write a Story or a Draw picture?

Clean the Bathroom or Vacuum the carpet?

Ice Skate or Roller Skate?

Drink Pop or Water?

Play Inside or Outside?

Take a Shower or Bath?

Take a trip to Australia or Italy?

Go Fishing or Make slime?

Play a Video game or Board game?

Have more time or more money?

VOTE WITH YOUR FEET:

If you’d like to play this game with more than one child, call it: VOTE WITH YOUR FEET! Kids have to vote for which one they’d rather do by WALKING to one side of the room! This gets kids moving and allows them to see that they have something in common with another person.

Click here for lots of game ideas for kids!

Give us another ‘Would You Rather?’ Add a comment below!

Please subscribe!

February 7, 2020 By
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1 In Food/ Free stuff/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys/ Review

Bonding through cooking & eating together

I’ve been ordering from Hello Fresh for several years.  I’ve tried other subscription meal services, but keep coming back to this one. I usually order 1 box every 4-8 weeks.

You can choose from an assortment of meals each week. There’s a vegetarian option, seafood, pork, chicken and/or steak.

The 3 that I chose for this week were:

  • Chimichurri Steak with a Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Tomato Jumble
  • Balsamic Fig Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Mixed Greens
  • Shrimp Pasta with a Kick with Garlic Herb Butter and Zucchini
Here’s how it works:

Hello Fresh sends me a box of colorful recipe cards and perfectly portioned ingredients, allowing me to prepare a balanced, delicious meal for my family without having to spend the time planning and shopping as much as I normally would.

 

I love that someone else takes care of all the parts of dinner that I don’t enjoy – especially the DECIDING what to eat! With Hello Fresh, we make and try things we would have never made or tried before.

Here are some reasons why we like Hello Fresh:

#1 :

We get to cook together – spending time side-by-side!

The recipe guide has pictures and instructions that are step-by-step and easy enough for a child to follow. My sons feel great about being able to prepare a delicious meal for the entire family.

#2:

It’s an ADVENTURE!  

A cooking adventure of trying and preparing something new and discussing what we like about each meal, and what we want to cook again. We discover foods and recipes we would have never tried if it weren’t for Hello Fresh.

#3:

We all sit down to eat together!!

This is my favorite part of ordering from Hello Fresh. It’s a well-balanced meal that really encourages sitting down and eating together. Hot dogs and chicken nuggets don’t do that – I warm those up and hand them out.

Cooking these delicious Hello Fresh meals has us sitting down and enjoying a meal TOGETHER!!

Many of us know that everyone benefits when we sit down and eat meals as a family. 

5 Scientifically-Proven Benefits to

Eating Together as a Family:

  1. Family dinners mean better family relationships
  2. Eating together fosters happy, well-adjusted kids
  3. Eating together helps kids do better in school
  4. Eating together reduces stress
  5. Eating together provides better nutrition
Here’s the rundown about how we felt about each meal:

Chimichurri steak – My boys LOVE steak so this was a hit. I didn’t put the chimichurri sauce on their steak, but I loved it on mine. We all enjoyed the sweet potato medley too!

Balsamic Fig Chicken – Chicken is something we eat on a regular basis, so trying this new recipe was fun and it tasted great!

Shrimp Pasta with a Kick was DE-LICOUS!  Clark and I loved the meal, just as shown in the picture – pasta mixed with shrimp and zucchini. The other boys liked all their items separate, not touching. Ted, not much of a pasta eater – just ate the shrimp and zucchini. 

 

My version – not as pretty as the picture, but definitely tasty!

I order from Hello Fresh to add some variety. To save money, I order the smallest meal size and just add my own ingredients to make enough for 6. 

If you’d like to try Hello Fresh, I have a $40 discount for you. 

Click here for a $40 discount off your first order!

You do have to log on to Hello Fresh about once every 6-8 weeks to choose your meals or hit “skip.” If you don’t love it, just cancel! It’s easy!

Thanks for reading and happy cooking!

Would you like some ideas about what to talk about with your kids? Here’s a game we play at dinner called: Would You Rather?

Click here to read My Struggle with Housekeeping!

Here’s my unpacking of a Hello Fresh box:

January 17, 2020 By
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0 In Book Review/ Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Free stuff/ Giveaway/ Things to do in Colorado

A peek inside Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore!

Because I’m a teacher at heart – I wanted my first children’s book to be FUN and EDUCATIONAL!

Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore takes you on an ADVENTURE to the top of Pikes Peak (a Colorado mountain) and teaches you fun facts about the animals who live there.

I worked with a talented local artist who hand painted each illustration.

You can purchase a copy for $10 shipped!

Click here for PayPal, add $10, and I will send you signed 1st edition!

Prefer Venmo? Scan this:

Thanks for your support!

December 12, 2019 By
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13 In Free stuff/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota

My Top 25 Minnesota Bucket List

Something special about moving to a new state is discovering the things that make that place UNIQUE – the things you can ONLY DO in that state.

I enjoyed discovering the best things to do in Colorado Springs and created a top ten list here, and now I’ve created one for Minnesota. It’s been fun talking to locals, looking on Pinterest, and exploring the “only in your state” website.  I’m excited about all the things we will get to see and do here in the land of 10,000 lakes!

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1.Hike Minnehaha Falls

I checked this off my bucket list soon after arriving in Minnesota – we LOVED it! Click here to read that post and see pictures.

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2. Spend time in St. Paul – Drive down Summit Avenue to see the historic mansions, stop and visit the Cathedral, tour the Minnesota State Capitol Building, then eat a Jucy Lucy at Matt’s

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3. Eat Breakfast at Hope Kitchen, then visit the Minnesota History Center

Hope Breakfast Bar is inside a beautiful old fire station and is a restaurant that invests back into their community. The History Center is close by and is a fantastic ‘hands-on’ museum where you will learn more about Minnesota.

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4. Visit Walker Sculpture Garden

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5. Stop by Cafe Ceres for a latte, then take a walk around Lake Harriet

We visit here over and over and it never disappoints! The lake is pretty, but the historic homes surrounding the lake are even prettier.

There is a 3-mile paved path around the lake for bikes, walking or running. You can also fish or play at a small beach. There are concerts at the Pavilion and a food stand too.

Visit the Roberts Bird Sanctuary or pack a picnic/get takeout and have lunch/dinner at the Beard’s Plaisance park!

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6. Ride the roller coaster at Nickelodeon Universe in the Mall of America

Click here to read about our visit and the BEST DAY to go!

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7. Visit Como park zoo and conservatory

Take the kids to Como Park across the street for a picnic and to play.  Click here to read about it.

Como Zoo and Conservatory

Como Park

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8. Walk across the Mississippi River headwaters in Itasca State Park

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9. Visit the Minnesota Zoo

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10. Visit the Science Museum of Minnesota

Our family of 6 visited the Science Museum and loved it. I can’t wait to go back!

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11. Attend a Minnesota Vikings Game

My husband and son went to a game last season and had a great time. I hope to go soon too.

As a family, we went to see the Vikings practice. Click here to read about that.

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12. Explore the Mill City Museum

Click here to read about our visit and what we thought about Mill City Museum

The Remains of the inside of the General Mills Factory

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13. Minnesota Children’s Museum in St Paul

All four of my boys loved it and want to go again!

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14. See the Northern Lights.

Get as far north and away from lights as possible and wait for midnight, when they tend to shine brightest.

Northern lights

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15. Walk across a frozen lake

A frozen lake covered in snow is like a GIANT art canvas! My kids made paths and snow fort. They also shoveled a section for an ice rink.

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16. Visit historic Minnesota towns like Stillwater and Red Wing

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17. Go Ice Fishing

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18. Spend a weekend in Duluth, then drive along the shore to see Gooseberry Falls and/or Split Rock Lighthouse

We finally made a trip here and ABSOLUTELY loved it! Click here to read all the best things to do in Duluth. 

Love this place and these people

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19. Canoe and/or Camp in the Boundary waters

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20. Visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

This place is AMAZING! Click to read my post here.

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21. Explore the Bakken museum inside an old Mansion

Click here for peek inside and our review of this museum.

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22. Visit the American Swedish Institute (inside a different mansion!)

Click here for a peek into our visit to this magnificent mansion!

Turnblad mansion

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23. Eat at all the best restaurants around the Twin Cities.

I’m especially excited about the restaurants on water!

Colita is one of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities

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24. Go skiing and tubing at Buck Hill

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25. Explore the beautiful parks around the Twin Cities:

– Lebonon Hills Regional Park

 – Eloise Butterfly Garden

– Nine Mile Creek

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I know this list is only the tip of the iceberg, but I had to start somewhere! PLEASE leave me a comment if there is something I need to do, see, eat or you know of a place I must go.

Have you been to one of these places and have something to say about it, please leave a comment.

If you’d like to read a few tips about fitting in as a Minnesota transplant, click here.

Click here to read the 20 gifts Minnesota Give the world, CLICK HERE.

August 1, 2018 By
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4 In Colorado/ Family/ Free stuff/ Memories/ Things to do in Colorado

Breckenridge, Colorado – 12 FREE things you’ve gotta do!

 

Breckenridge, Colorado.

This town.

So quaint. So much history. Such beauty.

I love that it’s just a two-hour drive from Colorado Springs, and only 90 minutes from Denver or Boulder!

If you live in Colorado, or are here on vacation, it’s absolutely worth taking at least ONE day to spend in this magnificent place.

The drive is phenomenal. Your day will be magical. Your soul will be refreshed.

This town must be on your bucket list.

 

Here are 12 FREE things we recommend doing in Breckenridge.

  1. Play downtown!

There are two parks right on Main Street that our kids love. They can also splash around in the river on a warm day.  The views are beautiful and the people are friendly – we all have a good time!

 

 

2.  Visit the museums!

Breckenridge is the largest historic district in Colorado.  Once home to gold mining, Breckenridge’s history dates back to the 1850s.  With that said, there are a handful of interesting, free museums! Take a tour, learn about the history of this great little town. I recommend starting at the Welcome Center. It’s a museum filled with lots of interesting information about the city, plus, the staff will provide free maps, and recommend all the best places to go in town!

 

Blurry view outside the Gondola – prettier in person!

3. Take the Gondola

It’s free and PHENOMENAL! This is one of our favorite things to do when we come to town! We LOVE the beautiful ride up the mountain. You can get off at the top, walk around, and play in the snow!

 

4. Hike

There are spots all over town perfect for family hikes! As I mentioned before, stop by the visitor center/museum. You will get a map and recommendations. The guides inside the welcome center will tell you all about the different hikes – lengths, whether they are hard or easy, and what you’ll see!

 

5. Walk Main Street

Walk all the way down one side, cross over and walk all the way back. It’s probably 8 blocks each way and so many quaint stores to see. I love that many of the stores are old homes. In summer, you can find AMAZING deals on winter items. I found a hooded Patagonia coat for my son for just $20! In winter, find great deals on summer items!

 

6. Ride the trolley

Breckenridge provides a free trolley for you and your family. It will take you from one side of town to another. Just stay on and do a loop to enjoy Breckenridge from another point of view. My kids enjoy this unique experience.

 

7. Visit the Breckenridge Sunday Market

If you come on a Sunday (from June 17 to September 2) don’t miss the Farmer’s Market! You’ll hear band’s playing music, taste local food, and see/experience some of what makes Breckenridge so special.

 

8. Bike Ride

Bring your bikes and enjoy a bike ride along the river. (Bikes are available to rent as well)

 

9. Riverwalk Concerts

Throughout the summer, you can enjoy a free concert from the lawn on the Riverwalk!

 

10. Find the Fairy Forest

This is a hidden gem found at the base of the Snowflake lift. Hike the Sawmill Trail that follows alongside the river. Once you get to the top of the trail, hike around the corner to the right, and you’ll see a rocky path headed up towards Four O’Clock. Don’t step off the trail just yet, or you’ll miss the magic. Stay on the lower part of the trail that leads behind a few beautiful homes off Four O’Clock Road.

11. Go Sledding!

In the winter, we bring our sleds to Breck. There is a FREE sledding hill in Carter Park, which is located at the south end of High Street adjacent to the Breckenridge Elementary School. My kids and I have so much fun sledding this large hill!

 

12. The Breckenridge Snow Sculpture Championship

Towards the end of January people from around the world come together to compete at making snow sculptures. Just like the World Championship of Sand Sculpting, the snow sculptures are works of art and take hours to complete. If you would like to look at these marvelous works of art in the flesh, check your calendar and make sure that your trip aligns with the snow sculpture dates. This is one of the BEST things to do in Breckenridge during the winter months.

 

Four fun things to do that are not free:

  1. Epic Discovery – If you ride the Gondola up to Peak 8 you will find an extremely fun place to play. There’s an alpine slide, a zip line, a roller coaster.  The park is not free (its about $60 a person) and I have not done it yet, but it’s on my list of things I want to do!
  2. Ski – it’s beautiful, but gets crowded and is quite expensive for a beginner like me.
  3. Children’s Museum – This museum has good reviews and is reasonably priced (Kids $6) but we have yet to visit. There’s so much to do for free, we haven’t made time for this museum yet.
  4. Walking History Tour – Enjoy a two hour walk around town while learning about the history of this charming place from an expert.

CLICK HERE for the best places to EAT in Breckenridge!

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Have you been to Breck? What do you love about this town? Leave me a comment!

July 4, 2018 By
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2 In Book Review/ Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Free stuff/ Giveaway/ Product Recommendations/ Things to do in Colorado

You are invited … to a book signing and a chance to win a $40 and $50 gift card!

Colorado Friends!

I’d like to invite each of you to Ted and my first ever duel BOOK SIGNING!

In the last few months, my husband and I have both published our first books.

Mine is a children’s book is entitled “Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore: A Pikes Peak Adventure Story. (click here to read more about my book).

Ted’s book is entitled “Conversations with a Billionaire.” His book is an amazing story on life and leadership (click here to read more about his book).

Till Kitchen has invited to come do a book signing at their beautiful coffee bar/restaurant. We’d love to meet you and sign a book for you and your children!  PLUS, for every book you purchase, your name will go in a drawing to win a $40 gift card to this fabulous restaurant! (which is on my list of best places to eat in Colorado Springs!) Also, Till Kitchen has offered to give away a $50 gift card for “Tillivery” – their delicious meal delivery service!

Here are all the details:

What: Ted and Kathryn Egly’s book signing

When: Saturday, June 29th from 9-11AM

Where: The Roost Coffee Bar inside Till Kitchen – 9633 Prominent Point | Colorado Springs, CO 80924 | 719 282-8004

Why: Have a cup of hot coffee and a delicious pastry, meet your neighbors and local authors, purchase a book that we will sign with a personal message, and be entered to win a prize!  

For each product you purchase, your name will go into a drawing for a $40 gift card to Till Kitchen OR a $50 gift card for Tillivery! 

PS – If you mention the secret word “KathrynEgly.com,” you will get $2 off my book – making it only $8 for you! The is the best price you’ll find anywhere, ever!

Ted’s book is available for the low price of $12 – the best price you’ll see anywhere as well!

Hope to see you there!!!

UPDATE: Giveaway winners: Mary Kathryn S. ($40 gift card), Pam ($50 Tillivery)

June 25, 2018 By
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