The Secret Ingredient for Awesome Fry Sauce

This post is silly... everyone knows how to make fry sauce, right?

Mayo and ketchup mixed together and you're done!

The thing is, I've been mixing it up a little differently... a little yummier for sure! A lot yummier in fact. Honestly, homemade baked fries have become merely the catalyst  for this sauce! So, I'm hoping sharing the "recipe" (if you can call it that) will be something you enjoy too :)

When Stephen and I were first married, he took me to a little hole-in-the-wall place in Utah that he really liked growing up- and they had the best fry sauce! Sounds weird, I know- it's kinda all the same. But, that sauce kinda wasn't... what was in that made it different? It wasn't until fairly recently actually that I got it figured out...

Video Game Chill Time: Smurfs 2

What ONE word would you use to describe Summer?

Sunshine

Vacation

Chaotic

Busy

Fun?

I Love the Summertime- do I gush about it too much around here?! :)

And one word I think would describe it well is FULL.

Summer is full of water fights, pool time, beach days, library days, park days, bike riding, picnics, drive in movies... and even things like video games. I know I simply can't entertain my boys ALL the time. My ideas run dry after so long, ya know?? They gotta have somethin' else to do that gives both of us some chill time! (Or makes it so I can load the dishwasher, take a shower or fold laundry on the fly) :P

This last Christmas, Stephen twisted my arm and we gave the boys a Wii as a family gift- and it really has ended up being fun! I knew the boys would LOVE getting the new Ubisoft Smurfs 2 video game in the mail- they love mail and they have been excited for the Smurfs 2 movie this summer too. We love catching new summer movies and this year there have been lots of great ones!

Simple Watermelon Bowl Carving

So my friend Shatzi from Love and Laundry is, oh, ya know, just off touring Europe this month... lucky girl :)

To help her not leave her blog empty in the meantime, I wrote this post as one of her guest posters recently. I've been having fun making watermelon fun this summer :)

Summer (and Life) In a Bottle

I just wanna keep this summer in a bottle.

I know, I know, I've said just that about different points in time before.

But still, I wanna bottle this time in life too :)

Like the time Cooper got little frogs from one of Stephen's customers

and he couldn't have been more thrilled about it :)

Simple Water Fight Shields

Any chance you noticed the cutie new button in my sidebar??

I am a new contributor for The Ribbon Retreat!!!! I'm so excited!! You could tell from all those exclamation points, right? Usually one is it for me- multiples is a big deal :) I have really loved communicating and working with Michelle, the blog coordinator there- she is awesome! So this post originally appeared on The Ribbon Retreat Blog- such a simple, but fun, idea...

Easy Pool Noodle Nunchucks

This post is part of a fun month-long homemade toy series going on over at the awesome Free Time Frolics. Last year I bought a simple pair of these foam nunchucks at a craft fair for my little guy that was tagging along with Mom that day. I knew they were something I wanted to re-create and only now am I finally doing it (and sharing it with you- seriously easy, fun project)!

Washi Tape Meets Incomplete Playing Cards

Truth: not a lot stays in tact very well around our house. Toys with multiple pieces get separated and pieces lost. If two parts are required, only one can be found. Socks... let's not even start that one... 

To try and solve the case of the missing whatever-it-may-be, I go often to "the everything box" tucked under our island counter. You all have a junk drawer somewhere too, right? Fess up... :) Well, ours is a box that we just kinda never unpacked and stashed and keep adding to...

Summer Bucket List: Zoo Day

Awhile back we crossed off an item on Cooper's summer bucket list, or what he calls his "Fun Club," when we went to the zoo with my sisters Lundyn and Jodie, my two adorablest neices, baby Kamden, and Grammie. :) Our local zoo is both small and big enough to be really pretty darn fun :) We've been crossing off lots of things from his list, but this one seemed more major, ya know? 

Nine Years: Marriage is Bliss

Nine years ago today, Stephen and I each married someone we couldn't live without :)

I'm so blessed to be able to be married to my best friend, to truly have good, solid communication with my husband, to have him be the person I am most comfortable around. Nine years- wow!

Being married to Stephen has made life what it is and through it all, I'm so happy and grateful for what we have, for the goodness of our life! It's not posh or pretty or perfect, but it is blessed and bright. I love you, babe! Thanks for loving me :)

It's true, we're pretty darn cute together ;)

Target Gift Card Giveaway!

If you could win any blog giveaway, what would it be?

I honestly think mine would be a gift card to Target- all that cute stuff!
Coop would be immediately outfitted for school and then some! :)

Well, one of you lucky readers can win just that today- a $160 Target Gift Card!
I'm excited to be helping Kadie at Seven Alive All Livin' in a Double Wide 
celebrate her Blog Birthday with this awesome prize...

Kadie is one of my blogging mentors- she is so talented and also so down to earth! She's always got something awesome in the works! Lots of easy entries and lots of other awesome blogs to follow to enter this one! Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gift Card will be sent by 7Alive all Livin' in a Double Wide.

Giveaway is open to the US and Canada, void where prohibited.

 

Adorable Taffy Kabob Party Favors

So I recently threw a baby shower for my friend. And wouldn't ya know it, I took seriously NO pictures of the whole thing! :P I was so irritated at myself when I realized afterwards! Anyhow, in the process of getting ready for it, a facebook fan asked how I made the taffy kabobs I had made for the All Boy Baby Shower I posted a couple of years ago. I laughed because I was right in the middle of making them again and trying to take pics to share them with you! I've used these several times for shower favors and they always turn out stinkin' cute! I love the rainbow of colors you get with taffy. My boys always hope I have some left over so they can have one themselves :)

Fun and Educational Water Gun Targets

I originally shared this post over at the awesome Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home while Meredith took a little maternity break with her new baby boy. It's been so hot lately and we've been enjoying these fun water gun targets- I thought I'd share then here today!

I'm guessing I'm not the only one that gets frustrated being the recipient of the kiddo's water gun cross fire, right? I can't usually swing it to be running around getting soaked for the afternoon like they can. A couple of years ago, I quickly designed a few sheets of letters and pictures that my older son enjoyed, then laminated them, for him to aim at instead! New ones were made last year too- my boys loved them and seem to start asking about them in April or so. And today, I'm sharing this years versions with you!

Happy Independence Day!

Wishing everyone in the United States a Happy Independence Day today!

Hopefully you're watching parades, enjoying a BBQ and lighting fireworks :)

Came Across this quote and thought it was worth sharing today:

God Bless America!

May we be instruments in His hands to protect her and the freedoms we enjoy!

For a good read (one of my favorite posts ever from Independence Day a couple years ago),

click HERE :)

And for that feel good, tingly feeling that this day is all about, watch this: 

What do You do in the Summertime?

Oh, what do you do in the summertime,

when all the world is green...

Use straws to blow bubbles in water squirted with dish soap?

And put the bubbles all over your brother in the process, of course... 

13 Ideas for Kids this Independence Day!

Hooray for July! And for Independence Day in just a few days! This is one of my very favorite holidays. I love filling the day of the 4th with things that remind the boys what we're celebrating, or at least keep the red, white and blue front and center :) For my first venture into round-up country, I've gathered several posts I've found that I think would be fun and simple- hopefully this will be useful for you too!