Summer Movie Express at Regal Cinemas

Summer kind of snuck up on us this year. I normally have a big list of things to do with my kids that are free or super inexpensive. (Because I like free and super inexpensive.) So I'm sorry this is late this year.  But this is a good one.  

Do you and your kids like going to the movies?  We do.  But I hate paying a fortune for them!  It's ridiculous!

A couple of years ago I found out about The Summer Movie Express Program through Regal Cinemas.  Now we go to the movies a ton during the summer.

What is the Summer Movie Express?  You can go here to find out more but in a nutshell, movies are $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesday for a 10am showing.  There is a G movie or a PG movie to chose from and the choices vary by area. 

The choices in our area include

Excellent movies!

You can go here to find a Regal Cinema near you.

Claim token REAZXEK39FXR

Kids Bowl Free this Summer

Are you looking for activities to do with your children that don't cost money? I constantly am searching for fun things and have such a hard time finding free (or super cheap) things to do. I stumbled upon this amazing program last year and loved it.

Kids Blow Free is simply that - KIDS BOWL FREE!  How cool.  You can sign up to 6 kids and each child can bowl 2 games (for free) each day.  

I just signed us up and we're going bowling today.  The kids can't wait!

So check out if there's a Bowling Center near you (there are a TON of them all over the US).  

If you sign up and want to add my email address as a referral, I would appreciate it.  If not, no biggie.

 

Confident Mom's Summer Survival Calendar

Picture courtesy of The Confident Mom

School is almost out. (Give me a minute... I have to do a happy dance real fast.....) Okay, I'm back. I'm so stinkin' excited that summer break is almost here I can taste it. (What the heck does that mean, by the way? "I can taste it?" Does that mean I can taste summer?)

Anyways.... A lot of Moms look at me with wide eyes and say "are you crazy?! What do I do with your kids all summer?!" Perhaps I am a little crazy, but I LOVE being with my kids! Oh yeah, and I work in a middle school so I get the summer off. THE SUMMER OFF! Whoo hoo! So we're excited. I  don't care what the rest of you think =o)

My kids and I have already started our summer bucket list. We write down everything that we want to do during the summer, from camping to eating fondue in the backyard to making milkshakes. They don't have to be trips or big things, just things we want to do. It's pretty easy for us to come up with a million things that we want to do or make or places we want to go. But I know there are so many people out there that have a hard time coming up with ideas to keep their kids busy and entertained during the summer. Because let's face it, bored kids kinda drive Mom's crazy sometimes. Am I right?

Well, in comes The Confident Mom's Summer Survival Calendar.  It's a 4 month calendar with activities (recipes, crafts, etc.) to do every single day!  Yeah, an activity on every day.  It's so cool!

How do I know how cool it is?  Susan, from The Confident Mom, sent me a copy of this amazing calendar!  Why?  She featured our Homemade Bouncy Balls as one of the activities!  How cool is that?!?!?

If you're going to be home this summer with you rkids (of any age), I strongly encourage you to check this out.  I can't wait to start clicking on all the links to see how to make the amazing crafts and recipes!


 

Borax Crystals

 

I think this was one of the coolest things we've done in awhile. I'm still fascinated by how this worked. (And a little frightened by the wonders of Borax.)

This is so easy to do and it's so much fun to see the look on everyone's faces as the crystals grow.

Here's what you'll need:

* Pipe Cleaners

* Tap Water

* Borax Soap (found in the laundry detergent aisle)

* Pencils

* String

* Mason Jars or some kind of containers

Bend your pipe cleaners into any shapes.

Measure how much string you will need by hanging the pipe cleaner at the top of the container and have it hang so it doesn't touch the bottom of the container. Tie it to the pencil.

Fill your container up with very warm tap water (enough to cover the pipe cleaner.)  You can use boiling water but I wanted my kids to be able to do the mixing, so I didn't want it that hot.

Slowly add the Borax.  Stir and add more.  You want to add enough so that you can visibly see the Borax (and not have it all dissolve.)

Now hang your pencil on the container and, here's the hard part... let it sit.  My kids had a hard time just letting them sit.  They had to check them... often.

This was after about two hours...

You can let them sit overnight if you do it in the evening.  Or wait a couple of hours and voila!  Borax crystals.

Just make sure that if you use a mason jar or something with a smaller opening that your crystal doesn't get so big you can't get it out of the opening =o)

What do you think?  My kids LOVED them!!!  

Thank you Homemade Mamas for posting this fun craft for us to enjoy!!!

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Glow In The Dark Bath

When I saw this idea over on You'll Thank Me One Day I knew I was going to try this for my kids.  I mean seriously... how cool is this!

I went to the Dollar Store and spent $6 on 6 packages of glow sticks.  I went upstairs and filled the bath without telling my kids and cracked 3 packages of glow sticks in the bath.  Then I turned off the lights and told my daughter to come up stairs.  She walked into the bathroom and just stared at the tub.  After about 45 seconds (seriously!  It was so cute!) she dropped her jaw and saw "Oh my gosh!  The bath is glowing!"  Then she screamed at the top of her lungs "CODY, GET UP HERE NOW!"  I filled the other bath for my son.  

So for $6 my kids sat in their baths for almost an hour, giggling and hollering to each other "totally cool, right?!"  It was so worth it!

 

Some people think that you need money to make special memories.  Some people think it's the big things in life that we remember when we're old.  Some people think that expensive gifts show someone you care about them.  I disagree with those.  It's the small moments that make up our lives.  It's the simple things that we remember when we are old.  It is the small and simple things that we do for or with our children that shows them how special they are.

  You can live an ordinary life or you can live and extra-ordinary life.  I'm going for extra-ordinary!  

How will you make your day special? 

I'm linking at the linky parties on my sidebar.

Cornstarch Gloop {Kid Craft}

My kids love to make a mess! Is that abnormal? I'm thinking not. They love to squish their hands in gross things too. Wait, that doesn't sound right. You know what I mean! This was the perfect craft/activity.

I found this great idea over on this blog. She has a short video on her site that might explain it a little better too.

I don't think my pictures can do this "gloop" justice. They just can't give you the full affect on how cool it really is.

It's a liquid...

But it's also a solid. Does that make sense?

When you squish your hands into this mixture it's pliable and feels like a thick paste. But then you hold it for a second and it melts away. It's so cool!

Even though I can't even begin to describe how cool it is, my kids LOVE playing with this and ask to make Gloop all the time! And it's so easy!


Ingredients:
* 1 cup Cornstarch
* 1/2 cold water
* a few drops of food coloring

That's it!

In a measuring cup mix the water and food coloring.

Add it to the cornstarch Now mix and play!

Cheap and fun! I like those kinds of activities =o)

I'm linking to the linky parties on my sidebar!

Fun Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer {A Recap}

We're always looking for fun things to do during the summer break. I'm lucky enough to have the summer off so I get to play with my kids all day. This is so much fun (and can be totally exhausting if we don't have things to do.) And super expensive. Here are some things we made last summer that didn't break our budget. All so much fun!

Homemade Sprinkler (too funny and super cheap and easy.)


Homemade Water Bombs. The kids loved these for water fights.


This is truly hysterical. My neighbors still think we are crazy. But what a fun Homemade Slip 'n Slide!


Bubble Art is always a winner in my house.


My kids loved making these Homemade Magic 8 Balls. We still ask them questions (you know, the important ones in life.)


My kids are starting to think they're too old for Play Doh, but when I bring it out they play for hours!


Homemade Puffy Paint. Always a winner!


Homemade Crayons. Everyone's making them. They are super easy!


Homemade Sidewalk Chalk is even easier to make and the kids play for hours with it!

We had a Super Secret Spy Day with friends. Super fun!

And my daughter loved our Make Your Own Flip Flops.


We hope this inspires you a little. Remember... it's not about the money - it's all about the memories!

The Pokemon Birthday Party Has Arrived

After all the prep, the birthday party has finally arrived. Invitations went out, goody bags were made, and finally the big day arrived. Here's what the filled goody bags looked like.


I'm fortunate enough to be able to have these events at my work (school). I love it. I don't have to worry about my house not being big enough or how clean it is =o). And the kids can run and run and we don't have to worry about weather. That's an issue out here in the Northwest. June can either be hot as heck or rainy and chilly.

We started the party with everyone painting their own Pokeball. Messy? A little. But fun? You bet.


We played Pokemon Bingo (which we called Pichu). I found a great website where you can print out these great Bingo cards in different designs/themes. And thank goodness they had Pokemon! Perfect! We used Skittles as the markers and the kids got to take home the bag of leftover Skittles in their goody bags.


We also played pin the tail on Pikachu. I drew a big Pikachu and printed out tails.

Then we had some "Pokemon food".




This isn't very "Pokemon-y" but how could a bunch of 8 year old boys be in a school gym and not have a dodgeball tournament? Not possible.

I think this is one happy boy! (I'm not quite sure about his sister.) =o)

That's a lot of Pokemon! But I think everyone had a great time. My son said it was awesome. So, totally worth it!



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