Learning to play again

1.     Blow bubbles

2.    Play dough castles

3.    Pillow fight

4.    Build a fort and have dinner there

5.    Play with legos- build a castle

6.    Finger-paint on paper

7.    Finger-paint in the bath tub

8.    Decorate a shoe box to be a treasure chest and hide your valuables inside

9.    Hangman

10.  Mad libs

11.  Make a crown and wear it all day long

12.  Go on a scavenger hunt

13.  Jacks

14.  Paper airplane contest

15.  Hopscotch

16.  Teach yourself Knot tying

17.  Make a pasta necklace

18.  Color a picture

19.  Play bowling with recycling and a ball

20. Climb a tree

21.  Have a picnic

22. Tie dye a shirt

23. Dance in the rain

24. Fly a kite

25. Go puddle stomping

26. Use sidewalk chalk and make a mural

27. Water balloon fight

28. Geocaching

29. Make mud pies

30. Memorize a poem

31.  Write a poem

32. Bring treats to a neighbor

33. Play Frisbee

34. Jump on a trampoline

35. Cover pinecones with p.b. and birdseed and hang outside

36. Sponge paint

37. Make instruments from household items and play loudly

38. Make valentines for all your friends/family

39. Write a secret message with lemon juice

40. Shrinky dinks

41.  Learn to knit or felt

42. Make an Indian corn or button necklace

43.   Make yourself a craft box

44. Make beeswax candles

45. Melt crayons in a muffin tin

46. Make a sticker picture

47. Play a board game

48. Paint your face with face paint

49. Make balloon animals

50. Leave uplifting notes for strangers in public spaces

51.  Leave “pass it on books” in public spaces with a note that says to pass it on

52.  Build a sandcastle

53. Make flubber

54. Lip read badly

55. People watch

56. Make a paper chain to count down to your birthday

57. Make a life book or journal

58. Make a list of your favorite words

59. Make a dream or vision board

60. Make a snow globe in a jar

61.  Paint rocks

62. Paper mache bowls or masks

63.  Make an ugly sweater by sewing things on from the dollar store

64. Random acts of kindness

65. Look up www.operationbeautiful.com

66. Nurf Gun Wars, or super soakers

67. Paper clip jewelry

68. Wax paper stained glass

69. Shadow puppets

70. Self-portrait with your eyes closed or out of yarn

71.  Make ice cream in a can or ziplock  

    Do you have any great ideas to share? Add them in the comment box below and make the list grow=)                                                                                                                            

Colorful Carnations

For the second year in a row January at the Mason house is celebrated by dying carnations. I was disappointed to be all out of yellow food color but it is on the grocery list now for next year. I started marking January this way after reading a post from By sun and Candlelight.

Thankful Thursday

I thought I'd try a Thankful Thursday post like my favorite blog of all time By Sun and Candlelight. I have gotten so many great ideas from this blog over the years. From organizing to book ideas to tradition suggestions... this woman has it all. When I am feeling less motivated or creative than I want to be I visit her blog and get re-energized. Today I am grateful for her blog.I am thinking of coloring some carnations just like she is, if I can find some at the store.

I am also grateful for all the hard work my family has put in this past few weeks. We have all been putting in extra hours to get the house in order so I can start my next grueling quarter at school. I am taking allot of credits this term because I am close to the end of my studies at Clark and there are still several classes I want to take before I move on to WSU Vancouver. I am most excited for the history and science class I am taking this term. I am also taking a health class, a women's studies class and a math class. See it is a mouthful just to say=) My family knows I may need to spend extra hours studying and they are still supportive. For this I am thankful. Have a great afternoon.

Here is today's hummingbird picture.

New blogs I like...

I am home sick today as is the kiddo.I have been trying to stay immobile to avoid coughing and therefor the computer is my friend. I have found some cute websites that I thought I should share. The first one is called ML, Random thoughts from a Southern Girl. She has a great list of 52 inexpensive date ideas. Some of them are  for newly dating only, but most can be adapted to fit my almost 17 year old marriage=).

Another blog of note is Hopes & Dreams where I found a great list of 30 things. I am thinking about attempting the list here on my blog. Great ideas to journal or blog about. Sometimes it is difficult to find a topic and the ideas here are universal.

Another wonderful blog list comes from Friday we're in Love and it's a YouTube video date list. I can't wait to check them out with my man who loves YouTube.Another great one is the gift of twelve months of dates. I can see adapting this idea for family outings. And so many other GREAT ideas!

Last of all I wanted to share a blog called Play Create Explore. They have lots of recipes for play dough  and paint meant for kids but great for families or dates as well. I am excited to try message in a bottle, possibly a date involved here? or maybe a family trip to the Columbia River to drop a note... 

Well I guess it is time for a nap. I will leave you with a picture of the banana bread I made yesterday. It is very yummy=) Have a great day!

A wonderful day

Yesterday I cleaned out my hummingbird feeders and got them hung in new locations. This morning I was a little bummed to read that hummingbirds only stay for the winter in southern states. However, I can tell you the book was wrong! I have seen activity at all three feeders and at least two of the birds were unique. I have pictures of one feeding;-)

I was so excited to look through the kitchen window, while washing dishes, to see a bright green bird feeding. And then the blue feeder is hanging outside my office window. I looked up from my computer and took the pics. What a terrific day:-)