Showing posts with label dating at home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dating at home. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Christmas Traditions Box: Indoor Snowball Fight

8:58 PM 0 Comments


When we lived in California we dreamed of a typical white Christmas. But the only white Christmas we got was sand. I didn't complain and we still got some type of "snow" when we made our own snowballs for an indoor snowball fight. They were a "hit" if you know what I mean.

I posted the instructions on how to make these snowballs years ago. I am posting them again for you now.



You will need the following three things to make these:

1) Scissors

2) White or cream-colored nylons- I buy the cheap $1 pair at Walmart. (In the photo are knee-highs that I already had on hand. A full pair works better and you'll get a lot more out of them.) One knee-high can produce up to 5 snowballs. One leg of a full pair of nylons can produce about 10.)




3) Poly-fil to stuff the nylon.



What you're going to do:

1) Grab a handful of the Poly-fil and stuff your stocking (just enough for one snowball). Then make a knot.


2) Make ANOTHER knot after the one you JUST made, leaving a little space between the two knots.


3) Cut between the two knots.


4) Repeat steps 1-3. Below is something you can do but you MUST remember to do step 2 or else you will waste a whole snowball.


Here's what you'll have:


We made hundreds of these last year for a Christmas party we had.


HOW TO PLAY:

If you are going to have a snowball fight, divide the group of people into two teams and divide the snowballs equally between the two teams.

Create boundaries. You can either put some masking tape down on the carpet to divide the room in half, or play on an indoor basketball court, or anywhere that has a boundary line. The teams must stay on their side of the line and cannot cross it.

Set a timer. Let them fight for 5 minutes or however long you'd like the fight to go on. You can have "rounds" of fights if you'd like.

At your signal, the teams will begin to throw snowballs at the other team. When time is up, each team will count the remaining snowballs on their own territory. The team with the LEAST amount of snowballs on their side is deemed the WINNER! (I like this part because they have to clean up the snowballs to see who the winner is.)

This is a great game for preschool, play dates, Christmas parties, birthday parties, office parties, or at home with your own family.

Christmas Traditions Box: Gingerbread House + Recipe

7:36 PM 1 Comments
Each year we assemble a gingerbread house. We started with buying the gingerbread house kits at the store. A couple of years ago we wanted a house that reflected our family history. We came across a cute Swedish style gingerbread house template on the Martha Stewart website. So we made the gingerbread from scratch.


Last year's house.


This year's house. (100% decorated by the kids)

Click HERE for an awesome recipe for gingerbread houses and a royal icing for assembling your house.


Now, if you decide to do this, I have an important suggestion. Once you have baked your gingerbread and have cut out your pieces, let your pieces dry out for a week or more. You want those pieces nice and hard to keep them from breaking during assembly.


Icing suggestions:

* To fill your piping bag: place your piping bag or your gallon freezer bag in a tall glass or cup. Open the bag and fold the open edges over the rim of the glass. Spoon your icing into the open bag without the mess.

* When the icing is not being used, place the piping bag in a tall glass with a wet paper towel at the bottom. It will keep your icing tip from hardening.

Candy suggestions:

* Shop your local grocery store, Sprouts, or Winco to find candy in the bulk barrels. You can control how much candy you will need/use for your gingerbread house. There is often a greater selection for candy that you can't find prepackaged.


 Dating at Home: Get creative! Pick out a template online or create your own house. Build your dream house with your spouse. Don't forget the Christmas music. :)

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Indoor Date Idea: How to Massage

9:32 PM 0 Comments
Looking for a great indoor date night with your spouse? This one is sure to bring you together! Learn how to massage with THIS fantastic DVD set! I found this set on Amazon for less than $25.


I love these DVDs! They teach how to give a professional massage with proper technique so your hands don't ache or tire quickly. These DVDs are appropriate, easy to follow, and include 4 different massages: Luxury Facial, Indian Head, Back & Neck, and Full Body. This set also makes a great gift for your spouse. So, turn down the lights, relax, and enjoy being together.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Indoor Date Idea: Chocolate Milk Tasting

10:39 AM 0 Comments
When you've got kids and it's hard to get out and go on a date, check out my indoor date ideas.
You don't have to leave your house, spend lots of money, or do a ton of planning to date your spouse. 


 Last night, on a school night, my husband and I reconnected through chocolate milk. We had a CHOCOLATE MILK TASTING night and it was delicious! We probably drank our weight in chocolate milk but it was worth it. 

We put together a simple scoring chart and rated our local chocolate milks. Based on price, packaging, smell, consistency, texture, color and taste, we decided who was clearly the winner and the loser. 


We had fun being together and enjoyed our 4 servings of chocolate milk each. YIKES!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Fresh Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

6:33 PM 0 Comments
One of my favorite summertime treats is homemade ice cream! I love the way it tastes, the texture, the way it melts, and the memories. As a kid we would have gatherings with my extended family once a month at my great aunt's house behind a grove of orange trees in California. I loved being with family while smelling the sweet orange blossoms, and hearing the motors of the ice cream makers with their constant buzz in the background, ready to surprise us with a treat at any moment. As a kid it seemed like it took forever for the ice cream to be done but it was worth it when the adults would finally give us a paper cup filled with mint, lemon, or fresh banana ice cream. It was heaven! 

Now that I am older and we live far away from California and any extended family, I get to create new memories with my own family. This year I made FRESH HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM and it was delicious! I just might make it again for Date Night. 





Here's my recipe for Fresh Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream:

Ingredients:
4 c. sugar
2 (14.5 oz) cans evaporated milk
1 tsp. salt
3 quarts half & half
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 pounds of fresh, washed strawberries, hulled and pureed 
3 bags ice
1 qt. rock salt


Directions:

  • In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, and salt and heat until luke warm. Pour into large (6 qt.) ice cream freezer container. (I have a 4-qt. freezer and this recipe made 2 batches.)
  • Add the half & half, whipping cream, vanilla, and strawberry puree to freezer container.
  • Freeze in ice cream freezer by surrounding the container with ice until it reaches the top of the container. Generously sprinkle rock salt on the ice. As the ice melts, add more ice and salt. I end up using about 3 bags of ice and 1 quart rock salt for a large freezer. The freezer motor will stop when the ice cream is thick and ready. 
ENJOY!



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