Summer Fun

We are definitely in the dog days of summer here in Nebraska. And in a lot of homes, the puppies… uh children… are beginning to growl.

I thought it would be a good idea to share some simple ideas to chase away the summertime blues…

• Make juice pops by putting a popsicle stick into small paper cups of juice and freezing. Just tear away the cup to eat. This treat is not only cool – it’s healthy too.

• Cool off with an old-fashioned water fight. Give each team a bucket of water and several sponges (the big, thirsty ones are best). The “wettest” team gets a pie (whipped cream on a sponge) in the face. Afterwards, just hose off and enjoy a sweet treat together to top off the festivities.

• Go fishing. Dust off your old fishing pole and take the kids fishing. Talk about the different kinds of fish that you might catch and the best type of bait to attract them

• Cool off at the library. The public library is a treasure trove of summer fun that will last for days afterwards.

• Write letters to friends and family. Email is a great way to stay connected in today’s fast-paced world but there’s nothing like a handwritten letter. Have the kids make their own stationary or enclose a piece of artwork that may be overflowing in your own home.

• Surprise the kids with a fun and simple supper. They’ll love this “deep sea” adventure.

Under the Sea

• 8 oz. angel hair pasta
• 4-6 hotdogs
• butter or margarine
• food coloring

Boil pasta according to package directions. Tint pasta with food coloring and butter to make greenish-blue. Snip each hotdog about halfway up – lengthwise from one end – in eight pieces. Drop hotdogs into boiling water. The “legs” will curl during cooking to resemble an octopus. Serve your “octopus” over the “sea” of noodles. Optional: Use ketchup and mustard to draw eyes and mouth on the “octopus” using a toothpick.

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