Supportive Summer Survey

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With summer around the corner, I’m looking for all the hot tips and hacks to make life easier and summer more enjoyable. Now that I’m social-media-free (going on four months!) my blog is the only way to source information. And we don’t really have any local connections to turn to in our new town. So I need internet support! Here’s what I want to know from you. What’s your:

– Quick and Easy Summer Meal
– Winning Read (for moms or kids)
– Can’t Have Enough Item
– Favorite Summer Product
– Best “Keep the Kids Busy” Trick

– Movie Night Recommendation
– Less Guilt Snack

In case you’re in the same boat, here are my answers. Please leave your answers in the comments, or drop a link to a post if you’ve got your own blog. Thanks for being my internet support!

Quick and Easy Summer Meal

Sort-of Burritos
I always keep whole wheat tortillas and shredded cheese on hand, that way I can warm up some leftovers (grilled chicken, scrambled eggs, chili, whatev), add some generous cheese, and fold all the sides in so it’s sort-of burrito-ish. They are best toasted in the oven so the tortilla gets a little crunch, but to avoid heating up the house we forgo that in the summer.

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs
It’s not elegant, but it *is* quick and doesn’t make the whole kitchen an oven. We serve with some fruit and veg to make it different from scrambled eggs of the breakfast variety.

Winning Read

Books are my jam, so I have a few to recommend.
Toddlers: Mustache Baby, Doggies
Littles: We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, Monsters Eat Whiny Children
Emerging Readers: See the Cat, Guess Again
Upper Elementary: I’m Just No Good at Rhyming, The Edge of Extinction, Peter Nimble
Family Read Aloud: The Tarantula in My Purse
For Moms: Little Heathens, Call of the Wild + Free, Love-Centered Parenting,

Can’t Have Enough

Bandaids and Ponytail Holders
The other day Mateo came out of my bathroom with a bandaid on his upper lip. He decided it would work as a mustache. Definitely adding bandaids to my shopping list in perpetuity for all our first-aid and costuming needs. We’ve just gone with these in the past, but maybe next year we should do fun ones as stocking stuffers!

I have bought approximately 10,000,000 elastic bands over the years. Somehow, they all disappear. Well, not all of them. Some of them get cut up so the kids can use them for experiments and crafting. (Remember that time Moe constructed a working bow and arrow out of rubber bands, a hanger, and a pencil?!?! Ponytail holders here are often subjected to a similar fate.)

Favorite Summer Product

Rash Guards
Bea is actually allergic to the sun. She gets a red bumpy rash after being outside. So we try to keep her skin covered as much as possible. We tend to go with Lands’ End brand rash guards, but I’ve been pleased to see them in regular department stores, too. We all rash guard up all the time.

Best Keep Kids Busy Trick

Random Boxes!
Having a goodly supply of tape, paper, cardboard, and markers seems to keep the kids pretty busy around here. They cut our boxes up to make cars, playhouses, or looms. I hate the mess of all the cardboard shards, but I try not to let it drive me bonkers. Otherwise I’m always a fan of plus plus for rainy days.

Picwits
This family game is like Apples to Apples, but with pictures on the cards so that non-readers can play, too! We checked the regular version out from the library, but I had to pull out quite a few creepy pictures I knew would bother some of our more sensitive family members. We purchased the more kid-friendly green box, and were not disappointed.

I do want to find a sandbox (maybe something like this) for the littles. And Mateo is crazy about his grandma’s Cozy Coupe, so if we could pick up a pair of those on a swap site, that would be ideal.

Movie Night Recommendation

We’re sort of in an awkward stage where the movies that our littles enjoy bore our bigs, and vice versa. We like to watch movies as a family and are always looking for more to add to our list. Here are some that have worked.

Roman Holiday
It’s black and white, but our older kids enjoyed it. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are some of my favorites!

All Creatures Great and Small
Our oldest girls have read the book, but we all love, love, loved the new PBS series. We can’t wait for the next series to air! Some farm-ish reproduction talk, but over all very clean and hilarious.

The Biggest Little Farm
We’ve checked this out from the library a few times now. Although there is some animal farm drama (predators do exist and are sometimes successful!), this was generally well-received across the board.

I Remember Mama
Another oldie, we had to break it up into two nights because it got long for the littles. But overall a really good movie.

Cheaper by the Dozen + Belles on their Toes
We actually own these and watch them over and over. “They all yours, or is this some kind of picnic?” “They’re all mine, and believe me– it’s no picnic!” is one of our favorite lines.

Sgt. Stubby
An animated based-on-a-true-story tale of a courageous dog in WWI. Moe loves this one, but we all enjoy it.

The Sound of Music
We fast-forward during the “Climb every mountain” and “Must have done something good” songs. But otherwise the combination of exuberant singing and threat of war seem to check several boxes.

Less Guilt Snack

100% Juice Popsicles
We don’t buy popsicles, we make our own! We’ve tried several molds, but these are our favorite. Sure, our popsicles still have sugar, but they don’t have any Red 40 or added sugar!

Cheerio Bars
Elle loves making these on her own, so they are our go-to treat. Melt 16 oz. peanut butter and 1 c. honey until it stirs together easily. Add 7 cups plain Cheerios. Spread in 9/1 pan. Refrigerate to set. Viola! They are similar to traditional Rice Krispie bars but a little more wholesome.

That’s it for my Supportive Summer Survey. What about you?

9 Comments


  1. // Reply

    This was a super helpful list heading into summer! Although not as comprehensive, here are a few recommendations I can confidently make:

    Movies our whole family loves:
    Paddington 1
    Paddington 2 (one of those rare sequels that is maybe even better than the first)
    Timmy Failure (came upon this one randomly on Disney+ and it is a hilarious movie about a quirky kid and his imaginary polar bear and their “detective agency” … trust me on this one. You’ll all enjoy it.)

    Books:

    The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Series of Books – I think you’d call them “middle grade” books. Think Magic Tree House for Biblical tales. Sometimes my 7 year old reads them to his 5 year old brother. Winning!

    Dragon Masters & The Last Firehawk Series for new readers (both from the Branches collection of books by Scholastic – probably available on ebook or audiobook from your library’s e-lending program).

    Mysterious Benedict Society for the whole family – I liked this series myself and recently read the first aloud to an enthralled 7 year old. Good, clean adventurous, brainy fun.

    Can’t have enough/Occupying the kids:
    Painter’s Tape
    (Thank you Busy Toddler IG account! Car tracks/“roads” on the floor, ping pong ball tracks on the wall with TP tubes/random cardboard boxes, etc)

    Snack:
    Apples dipped in PB … with mini chocolate chips 🙂 I like this for lunch, myself!


    1. // Reply

      Taking. All. The. Notes. Thank you so much for your suggestions. 🙂


  2. // Reply

    This is a great idea for a post!
    Easy dinner: chicken or taco salads + chips + instant rice, they feel nice and summery, and I batch-cook our taco meat and then freeze, so all I have to do is defrost the meat & microwave. We also try to freeze leftover pizza for emergency dinners when I haven’t planned ahead.
    Book: A really great technically YA series I recommend to everyone is The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner! Just finished the last book and I’m so sad the series is over.
    Keeping kids occupied: “car wash” for outdoor toys with a hose and a bucket of dish soap & rags, or chalk and making our own driveway obstacle/hopscotch course!
    Movies: we tend to rewatch the ones we love, but I recently showed Lilo & Stitch which was a big hit (Disney+) and we looooove Bluey (not a movie, TV show on Disney+ from Australia).


    1. // Reply

      I’m starting a “things to do on a cool day” list, and batch cooking taco meat is going right on there. Also putting The Thief on hold. Thanks for sharing! 🙂


  3. // Reply

    – Quick and Easy Summer Meal – Pasta salad. I cook chick pea noodles (slightly nuttier in taste then regular noodles), add all the veggies and Italian dressing and then season with salad supreme seasoning. I make a big bowl and then we add whatever left over meats we have. Its great with everything from Keilbasa to ham or chicken and even good by itself.

    – Winning Read (for moms or kids)
    Littles: Dragons love Tacos 1 and 2, The Gruffalo, Times for kids books about animals and places they have a ton.
    For all: I am sure you have read Anne of Green Gables, but have you read Emily of New Moon, it’s a great trilogy. I also know of course you have read Little House but have you read the books about her mom, grandma and great grandma? They are each their own little series but great books and very true to the original series. My side of the mountain is always a favorite of mine too.
    For Moms: I love romance novels, but the cleaner kind (either no innuendos even or the he swept her off to bed and they woke up the next morning kind with no details) so Betty Neals books are always a favorite of mine. The most there ever is in them is a chaste kiss and maybe a hug or hand holding. Its nice. Also, Liza Kendall’s Silverlake ranch series is the kind with no details.

    – Can’t Have Enough Item – Painters tape, markers, play dough

    – Favorite Summer Product – Sunscreen and bubbles

    – Best “Keep the Kids Busy” Trick – Sticker books, threading noodles on yarn to make decorations

    – Movie Night Recommendation – Moana is always a hit around here.

    – Less Guilt Snack – Apples and peanut butter (although I’m weird and like carrots and peanut butter), cheese, hummus.


    1. // Reply

      Painter’s tape! We go through so much here, too. Thanks for the ideas! I’m definitely adding cheapo pasta for stringing to my grocery list. And the pasta salad sounds delish!


  4. // Reply

    – Quick and Easy Summer Meal
    BLTs. Super quick, we use farm fresh tomatoes and a supplement the bacon with cold cuts.
    – Winning Read (for moms or kids)We love “Mustache Baby” too! I usually reread some PG Wodehouse. Your bigger kids might like them too.
    – Can’t Have Enough Item: bandaids and snacks
    – Favorite Summer Product: Sun screen stick. My kids mostly tan except for their faces, so the stick is perfect!
    – Best “Keep the Kids Busy” Trick: water. Baby pool, water table, hose, whatever
    – Movie Night Recommendation: it’s a show, but my kids LOVE I Love Lucy episodes! You can buy a season for only $6 on Amazon.
    – Less Guilt Snack: applesauce and watermelon

    Have a happy summer! Thanks for your suggestions!


    1. // Reply

      You’re lucky to have tanning kids! We just picked up a vat of The Strongest Most Hypoallergenic Sunscreen Available. We just checked out a season of I Love Lucy from the library. Woop woop!


  5. // Reply

    My kids enjoyed some older Disney movies from the 1950s and 1960s like The Happiest Millionaire, Third Man on the Mountain, Johnny Tremain, The Shaggy Dog and the Absent Minded Professor

    My children also enjoyed the Green Ember series as a read aloud.

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