30 Summer Break Family Fun Ideas!

My kids finish school this week. And then we have two months to fill in with making memories! Which isn't easy on our strict budget. But it is also not impossible. I've been reading Living a Beautiful Life on Less. The author had 2 lists that I pulled some great ideas from. One list was all the great things you can do as a family while the other was date night ideas. In addition, my sons teacher sent a link of events that will be held at one library near us over the summer. They are all free and there are various ones that are divided by age groups. 

What are my favorites?  

I'm going to list out some of the ones I plan on trying with our family. Leave me a comment below about additional ideas you might have!

1. Lego! Pull out some Lego blocks and see who can build the coolest, tallest or most original creation. Don't forget to take pictures! In the past, we built our own versions of a house or a boat and even a city together. 
   
2. Make some s'mores. If you have a fire pit, even better! But if not, there is no harm to making some inside. Don't be afraid to get messy. Making a mess is all part of the fun! 
3. Visit a water park. We have a splash park up the street. It is small, but also free. And when the triple digits hit us, we might need to cool off for a bit. Especially when being stuck inside for days and weeks on end hit us hard. Cabin Fever is real, people! Just remember that you love each other very much. 
4. Visit a museum. Sometimes your local museums have free days or times just for those who live nearby. So see what is available. Our library offers free passes to some of our local museums and attractions. I'm hoping to get one for our family to see the Astronaut exhibit that is currently being held. 
   
5. Geocaching. I heard about this from an awesome friend of mine many years back. He participated. It is a real treasure hunt! You use coordinates to find hidden containers near you. You can create a free account and search for ones near you. Once you find it, you sign the log book inside to prove you found it. Some are big enough to contain items for trade as well. Little trinkets and toys, usually. Just remember to put something in if you take something out! Be fair. Don't leave trash or junk. And put the container back EXACTLY as you found it. That way someone else can find it later. I'm seeing over 800 near our area alone! Can't wait to take the kids searching. This also makes a great date if you and your love like being outdoors!
6. Bowling. I absolutely loved going bowling with my besties. After our shift at the library, we would go bowling and spend a couple hours unwinding and sharing laughter. It was always a blast. How much more so with family? Check out your local bowling alley to see what deals they offer. This is another great date night idea! 
7. After dark treasure hunt. When it gets dark, turn off the lights! Hide something special like a treat or something from the Dollar Tree even. Draw a map with clues and have them figure it out! 
8. Check out the local ice skating or roller skating rink. Again, look on their website or ask about any specials they might have. Another date idea!
9. Vampire hide and seek or just hide in the dark. Two ways to go about this. Vampire hide and seek is something I learned from my in laws. One person hides. As other people find them, they have to hide with them. Until the last person finds the group. Or, just turn off all the lights and have the seeker try to find everyone with a flashlight. Just remind the kids that you will not be going outside! My kids freaked out the first time we played it. 
10. Have a movie marathon. Pick a series of movies. We might do a bunch of Star Trek, Star Wars or Lord of the Rings movies. Get some snacks and snuggle up in front of the TV! 
11. Go for a hike. Pick a park with trails or somewhere new to walk and hike. Get the kids to identify things they are seeing. Maybe look up things you don't know what they are and learn something new together! 
    
12. Have a bake-off challenge. I love this idea! Do boys versus girls. And see who can create the best dessert! 
13. Create an ice cream bar at home. Get all the trimmings and let everyone design their ultimate ice cream treat! 
14. Pull out the telescope! Or if you don't have one, find a place away from the city lights and spread a blanket. You will be amazed at what you can see without interference. My husband has a great telescope that I hope we get to use this summer. That or a trip to your local planetarium. Check to see if they have discount days!
15. Family picture fun. Normally, family photos are boring. And time consuming. And everyone can't wait for them to be over. So how about letting the kids take some? Everyone gets to pitch in on ideas for new family photos. Maybe even add props. 
16. Paint canvases together. The Dollar Tree carries canvases. Get enough that everyone has one and let everyone paint the same scene together. See how we all see things differently, but beautifully at the same time. 
17. Play a card game. 
18. Play a dance game together. We have games for the Wii and the Xbox 360. Such games like Just Dance. Pop one in and have your own competition. See who the Dancing Queen really is in your household! Date night idea!
19. Go for a walk. Sometimes it is good to just walk. Talk. Explore the neighborhood. The key is to be together. Also great for date night!
20. Make your own movie. Work together to write a script and create some costumes. Then film your own movie! 
21. Garden. This might not be the best for the summer. But you could do this as a family. Plant a garden. Even if it is just a few little seed starting trays or pots. 
22. Check your local library. One of the libraries here is having an event nearly every day over the summer. And these are free! They have everything broken into age groups with some being for the whole family. 
23. Read a book together. Take turns reading from a book. Our family loves the I Survived series or American Girl stories. They are riveting, but insightful as well. Reading also helps them maintain their skills for the next school year. 
24. Make cards. Work together to create cards for friends and family. You can use all kinds of things. Construction paper, wrapping paper bits, stickers - be creative! Father's Day, birthdays, other holidays - heck, get a head start on Christmas cards if you want! Just do it together. 
25. Play a video game together. We love playing Minecraft, Mario Kart and dance games. Find something you all enjoy! Also a great date night idea!
26. Watch a documentary. I know, I know. Who watches those anymore? But there are some really interesting things out there. Find out what interests everyone and pick accordingly. Talk about what you learned. 
27. Write a story together. I did something like this with my friends in my younger years. I got a journal and we each took turns writing a chapter. I'm looking forward to seeing what we come up with as a family. Take it easy. Each person write 2-3 sentences. Let it get crazy! Let it be funny. Let it be you. 
    
28. Create a Blessings Bag and help someone in need. We see homeless people quite often. Putting together a bag and grabbing it on the way out is no biggie. Get the kids involved. Water, snacks, gum, small things that help pass the time, cash - whatever you think could be useful to someone with nothing. You could even take it a step further by taking the family to volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen or nursing home. 
29. Go to the movies! AMC is having a special this summer that should save you some big bucks. $4 for the tickets, popcorn and drinks for kids. Check out the article here. 
30. And this last one is a favorite of mine! Nerf gun battle! Grab your weapon of choice and pick your corner. Then open up and listen to the laughter!!! Another fun date night idea. 

Stay hydrated! Stay safe!

This summer is predicted to be a hot one. So don't forget to keep everyone well hydrated. Especially if you plan to be outdoors. And always play it safe if you are going hiking or walking. Know where you are going and be mindful of what is around. 

What are your plans for the summer? What cool things would you like to try? Leave me a comment below!   

An Easy Guide to Hosting an Out of This World Star Trek Party

My husband is a huge Star Trek fan. Or as they are known, a Trekkie! The perfect opposite to my own Star Wars obsession. As his Nana so poetically put it on the custom shirts she made for our family, "The Stars have aligned", when we got married. 
I was happy to finally be able to throw him a real birthday party this year! Now that we live near his family, it was well worth putting together. And if you have a Star Trek fan you want to party with, I'm gonna outline some tips to making it perfect on a budget! 

Decorations

Every great party comes with decor. You pick the theme and then you decorate to match. So for Star Trek parties, you need stars.

I found these great foil ones at the Dollar Tree. They come 5 per pack. I picked up a pack of the gold ones. My husband cut them to look like Com Badges. The sides that he cut off, he then made into mini com badges.

I used black streamers to make the hanging decorations with the big ones and then the little ones will be strewn on the black table cloth like confetti.

I had the black table cloth on hand already as I had a tendency to buy various colors on clearance when I could... And I was planning to use it for a Minecraft party. (My kids changed their minds though.) But if you need one, the Dollar Tree is a great place to look. They had a bunch of colors you don't see often with graduation styles currently in stock.

Plus other colors that they always have. You could use blue or red (colors of the shirts) and even yellow. I'm also planning to use the Galaxy Candle jars I had made and used for our wedding as decorations. I picked up silver party plates at the Dollar Tree as well. Pinterest was a life saver for getting ideas going. Click the previous link to see the board I put together. 

Party Foods

Pinterest really helped me get ideas for Star Trek foods. I didn't want to gross out our guests with the authentic foods. Like Rokeg Blood Pie and the one that looks like worms... So I decided instead to stick with a pizza shaped like the Enterprise star ship. We will also have Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pinwheels. 

To wash it all down, I plan to make Romulan Ale

and Klingon Blood Wine

(both non-alcoholic). I'll be getting Blue Hawaiian Punch for the first and picked up V8 Splash Berry Blend for the latter.

Party Fun

My Mother-in-Law helped me get these cool name tags printed. (My Pinterest board has the link to the PDF for them.)

Everyone knows that Dr. McCoy is constantly telling Captain Kirk what he isn't. So I thought it would be funny to see what everyone comes up with. And then we have Pin the Badge on the Officer game! And lastly, I'm going to make a Pin the Badge on the Officer game! Super easy, but should be lots of fun. To make one, tape some paper together and have a kid stand against to make your outline. Color in your "officer" and create a com badge to be "pinned" on. Voila! 

There you have it! Depending on how much you want to put into this, you can play Star Trek tunes in the background.

I've considered making a "Live Long and Prosper" banner too, but not sure I have enough supplies to pull it off. If nothing else, just making sure you say it at least once and share the Vulcan greeting hand sign!

First the Test, Then the Lesson

Life is all about learning. However, have you ever noticed that the test usually comes first and then you learn a lesson? Think about it. Stuff happens and then you learn from it. What about this other saying, "You learn something new everyday"? I'm pretty much convinced that is the truth no matter who you are. And boy, am I learning. 

Scoliosis is Not Easy

My biggest learning curve right now would be how scoliosis is still affecting parts of my life. For anyone who doesn't know me, I have had spinal fusion surgeries to "fix" the curve. However, the fusions have caused other issues. The doctor I saw most recently said it best, "You cannot gain something without giving something up." The fusion corrected a wayward spine, but it took away flexibility. And though I might not feel as changed on a daily basis (despite the problems that are manifesting now), my body isn't done transitioning. The night before last also taught me that I'm not as tough as I thought. I haven't cried so hard in a long while. How can this mother of 4 be brought to her knees so thoroughly? How about when your ribs don't flex as you breathe and you feel like you are being stabbed in the lungs. 

I had just sat down with pen and paper to write encouraging letters to my sons in time for their STAAR test. Their teachers had emailed that this is how they wanted to build our kids up and give them confidence for this great undertaking. So of course I want to do it! Out of nowhere, I gripped my mid-upper abdomen. It started as a shooting pain, so I started breathing shallow to keep from pressing too hard. Just under the cartilage, or bones, of my rib cage in the front is where it was. I tried standing up. As we sit, everything gets squished together. Sometimes standing elongates everything and I feel like I can breathe again. You see, pains like this aren't new to me. But normally they only last about a minute or two. I stretch. They go away. This time was not going to be so easy. Every time I inhaled, it was like someone slid a knife in my lung. I tried massaging the area and pressing where it hurt. I also tried stretching my arm. It kept getting worse. Every breath, no matter how light, was killing me. I stumbled to my bathroom to get my last muscle relaxer. I had been prescribed some the last time I had a "muscle spasm". It was very similar to what I was going through this time around, except that this time I could move my arm without pain. Last time, I was unable to move anything waist up on that side without feeling like I was being tortured. I texted and called a nurse friend of mine. It hurt to talk, to breathe, to just ask her opinion. Knowing my history as she does, her first worrisome thought was that a lung had collapsed. And let's face it, as much as I was struggling and hurting, I freaked out. 

Don't Fear Having Weaknesses

I hung up with her and laid on the floor. In my head, I kept praying for relief while hoping that it wasn't a collapsed lung. I didn't realize it, but I was crying and gasping for air so loudly, that my oldest son came to check on me when he woke up to use the bathroom. He was asking if I was okay and if I need him to wake Daddy (who was sleeping for work). I was torn. On the one hand, I did want my husband to come and at least sit with me. But he had to work that night. So he needed to sleep. When I could not take it alone anymore (especially with my toddler throwing her toys on my chest to "help" me), I nodded my head and my son ran to wake my husband. All he could do was stroke my face and tell me to breathe. And that was enough. I laid there crying and clutching where it hurt. After a while, the pain ebbed enough to let me relax. I still had spasms, but they were fewer and farther between. For safe measure, he ended up calling in that night.

We decided to wait until morning to get me checked out. Unless the pain kicked in again. I stayed restful for the night and we went to the clinic in the morning. After 3 tests, the doctor concluded that some of my ribs are not moving. And by staying rigid, it confines my lungs. The muscles then react at times by stiffening up. Which causes the spasms. Which then trigger the stabbing pains. Suddenly, other things made sense. Like why I feel like I'm not getting enough air all the time. Why I feel as though my chest is constricted. Why I am always trying to stretch my torso. It is because I really can't breathe deeply anymore. 

I felt quite pathetic. After all, I have a husband and 4 kids who are relying on me. I don't have time to deal with such restrictions. Even as I type this out, I'm trying to breathe and feeling like there isn't enough air in here. 

Acceptance is Key

The ultimate lesson I've learned? Acceptance. Accepting that this is what my body is. This is what I'm confined to. And I have to live with it until my new doctors can find a way to fix it. I pray daily for the strength to battle the pains. And now for the strength draw breath. It isn't easy. And I feel pathetic more often than I care to admit, but I know I have to accept what has been dealt and work with it. I have to keep praying and holding on to hope that one day this will all get better. Ultimately, I don't know what God has planned. I just have to trust that it is for the best. And hopefully that it will help someone else who may have the same type of problems to understand their condition a little better.

Preparations For Free Comic Book Day

Free Comic Book Day happens on the first Saturday of May every year. And it is a blast! Being the nerdy family that we are, we love to dress up as the characters that inspire us. As a family! Not only do we get to dress up and get free comics, but we bond. We share in fun times together as we prepare our costumes before the big day and then we show them off. As fun as it is, it can be a lot of work. And it means that I need to have all my supplies in order. My crafting corner needs some help, but it works out for now. Eventually I need to get another one of my storage boxes for my steampunk supplies alone. My Mom bought me this first box and it has been amazing! My kids can search through it as we work together. Though the baby loves to rearrange everything... almost daily!

My husband normally looks like he walked off the set of a Resident Evil movie.

He created his cosplay before we got together. And made it as realistic as possible. Makes me a proud wife! Sadly, he might not be able to get dressed up with us due to his old pants needing replacement.

My oldest son asked me to help him look like a Black Ops Guy. A spy with a cool gun, basically. His was easy to put together. But then he changed his mind and decided he wanted to be the Jedi from the Force Unleashed 2 game. *hit head here* So I started over and had plenty to come up with.

I bought a pair of cheap suspenders and hot glued belt-like pieces to it to create the chest harness. I used Pringles lids and craft sticks that I painted silver to make the decorations for his belt.

My Mom sent Ace bandages that I could use to wrap his arms. It will look awesome!

My younger son wanted something that truly tests my creative abilities. He wants to be a Tusken Raider from Star Wars.

For the most part, I was able to make the pieces easily. I sewed and hot glued his rifle sling and pockets together.

He decided to use some Jedi robes as the main part of his costume. Makes him look more like a Tusken assassin. The mask has been tormenting me though. I have to use what we have around the house, which makes it even harder. Otherwise I would have followed this guys tutorial. Or use this guys great idea. Instead, I'm using the hood piece on the black robe to hot glue these pieces I created using broken Nerf darts (painted silver) and a toilet paper roll that I cut in half and painted.

I had a couple silver pieces I had taken off something else. They made the perfect toppers for the darts that go right above the mouth. The mouth part is still up in the air for me. I have a leather belt, but I haven't figured out how to get the triangular shape yet. Then, to finish it off, more Ace bandages will be wrapped around his head.

My oldest daughter wanted to be Princess Leia. Normally, I'd be so proud! However, this was difficult in that she had no white dresses and I had nothing plain white to use. White is not a family-friendly color around here. It stains too easily. I did find a great tutorial on Pinterest about using a large piece of white fabric or sheet to use without having to sew anything. Yay for easy! And my Mom had sent me some pillow cases that I could use. Then she changed her mind and wanted to be Aurora instead. Thanks for continually being indecisive kids...

Then there is the baby... What do I do for her? I am thinking a Barbie Princess is just right for this little lady. She has dresses. I just need to accessorize her. I think...

Finally, there is my own cosplay. I'm going all steampunk. A Steampunk Time Traveler. I finally got the skirt to an acceptable style. I also found the shirt that looks perfect under my corset. I'm feeling pretty good about how it looks.

I have been working on this for quite a while. Took an old pair of boots, glued on the gears to the ankle and painted the toes. I had a cheap pair of goggles that I put in actual colored glass lenses into, painted and added gears on the sides. My Mom sent the corset.

I added gears and chains to 'punk it out more. I sewed pocket pouches that I added gears to so that I can hang them from a draped belt. I'm still debating on whether I'll add my steampunk'd glocks.

I created one holster at least. And one of my favorite pieces? This cuff!

One thing I have learned, is that your craft supplies can come from anything. I had an old pair of boots with buckles on them. I cut those pieces off and now they are being used for my oldest sons costume. Embellishments can come from things you least expect. Like the silver pieces I mentioned that I've glued to the Nerf darts. They came from a busted pair of headphones. Always remember to think outside the box!