88 Days of Summer 2013 {things to do with kids in and around Edmond this summer}

Congratulations.  You made it through another school year.  I bet the kids at your house are pretty excited that it's finally summer break. I know you are too.  Unfortunately it won't be long until you start to hear that oh too familiar refrain, I'm bored.  When that happens, this is your go to guide.  I've put together a list of 88 activities to do in and around Edmond.  One for each day of the summer.  Some will require pre-registration and possibly a fee.  Others are just easy peasy ideas for a day at home.  Grab a free printable version for the frig here.

MAY

• May 23:  Register for the Cardboard Boat Regatta draw plans for your boat
• May 24:  Sign up for AMF Summer Unplugged Program at Boulevard Bowl in Edmond
• May 25:  Storytime featuring LEGO at Barnes and Nobel on Memorial 11AM
• May 26:  Edmond Jazz & Blues Festival at Stephenson Park all day
• May 27:  Happy Memorial Day!  Pelican Bay is open, go for a swim
• May 28:  Movie Day!  Epic is in theaters
• May 29:  Head downtown for a water taxi ride
• May 30:  Visit Edmond Library to sign up for the Summer Reading Program
• May 31:  Create a masterpiece on the driveway with homemade sidewalk paint.  Recipe here

JUNE

• June 1:   Make a Lawn Mower Pencil Holder at the Home Depot Kids Workshop 9-12 (pre-register in store)
• June 2:   Blow bubbles.  Make your own bubble wands, learn how here.
• June 3:   Buy the biggest watermelon you can find then have a seed spitting contest
• June 4:   Creative Writing for Kids at Edmond Library at 9AM (3-5 grade, pre-registration required)
• June 5:   Go Geocahing in Edmond
• June 6:   Music and snowcones at Hafer Park, Souled Out is playing at the Hafer Park Stage at 6:30PM
• June 7:   Science Museum Sleepover, Bright Night of Grossology (register in advance at 602-3760)
• June 8:   Celebrate World Oceans Day at the Oklahoma City Zoo
• June 9:   Litlle Big Chefs Cooking Class at Uptown Grocery Co in Edmond (register in advance by calling 302-6273 extension 350)
• June 10: Host a neighborhood carwash
• June 11: Take me out tho the ballgame, the Redhawks are in town and playing Iowa at 11:05AM
• June 12: Get your veg on, visit the Edmond Farmer's Market
• June 13:  Have a family game night
• June 14: Movie Day!  Man of Steel opens in theaters.
• June 15: Kids Club at Michael's on Memorial, make a Duck Tape frame for dad 10-12 just $2.00
• June 16: Happy Father's Day!  Plan and prepare a cookout in dad's honor.
• June 17: Play tennis at Kickingbird Raquet Club
• June 18: Concert in the Park at Hafer 6:30PM (Country night)
• June 19:  Day trip to Lake Thunderbird State Park for horseback riding
• June 20:  Learn to decorate a cake at Wilton Kids Super Cakes class at Michael's on Memorial 6:30-8:30 (call 755-4242 to register in advance)
• June 21: Summerstock Productions presents the Sound of Music at UCO Mitchell Hall tickets
• June 22:  Kick up your boots and go to the Carl Benne Arena (300 N. Kelly) for the Libertyfest Rodeo at 8PM
• June 23:  Take a nature photo walk at Arcadia Lake.  Stop at Pop's for a cold soda on the way home.
• June 24: Build your boat for the Cardboard Boat Regatta click here to learn how
• June 25: Movie Day!  Monsters University is in theaters.
• June 26: Go fly a kite at Lake Hefner.  Learn how to make your own.
• June 27: Cartooning with John Campbell at Edmond Fine Arts Institute 6PM (pre register online)
• June 28: Take Fido to the Edmond Dog Park for a playdate then stop at Starbucks for a Pupachino on the way home
• June 29: Edmond's Cardboard Boat Regatta begins at 8AM at Arcadia Lake (enter off 2nd Street)
• June 30: Head to downtown Edmond for the annual Taste of Edmond from 6:30 to 8:30

JULY

• July 1:    Play Frisbee golf at Mitch Park
• July 2:    Decorate strollers and bikes for the 4th of July then have a parade in your neighborhood.
• July 3:    Movie Day!  Despicable Me 2 opens in theaters.
• July 4:    Happy 4th of July!  Start the day at the Edmond Libertyfest Parade downtown at 9AM then back to UCO at 10PM for fireworks.
• July 5:    Tie Dye T-Shirts
• July 6:    Storytime at Best of Books in Edmond 11AM
• July 7:    Go to the Hafer Park Pond to feed the ducks
• July 8:    Create your own kid friendly Warrior Dash course and invite the neighbors
• July 9:    Host a lemonade stand
• July 10:  How about a day at the farm?  Visit Orr Family Farm
• July 11:  Dive in Movie at Pelican Bay, the Sandlot 8PM
• July 12:  Go downtown OKC and rent a few bikes from Spokies
• July 13:  Donate pet food to the Edmond Animal Shelter
• July 14:  Go fishing
• July 15:  Visit grandma, teach her how to text
• July 16:  Make homemade popsicles.
• July 17:   Go to the zoo, it's free!  Free admission all day.
• July 18:  Take the skateboards and rollerblades and head to Mathis Brother's Skate Park inside Mitch Park (enter by Cheyenne Middle School)
• July 19:  Summerstock Productions presents Kiss Me Kate at UCO Mitchell Hall tickets
• July 20:  Go blackberry picking at First Fruits Berry Farm 6-8:30PM
• July 21:  Celebrate the anniversary of the first steps on the moon with a backyard campout and stargazing
• July 22:  Catch lightning bugs
• July 23:  Collect old books and donate to OU Children's Hospital
• July 24:  Have a puppet show.  Make your own easy peasy theater with a couple curtains and tension rods in a doorway.  Directions here.
• July 25:  It's Christmas in July!  Dive in Movie at Pelican Bay is featuring Elf at 8PM
• July 26:  Science Museum Sleepover, Bright Night of Harry Potter (register in advance by calling 602-3760)
• July 27:  Blow off some steam, go to Elevation Trampoline Park in Edmond
• July 28:  Weenie Roast & S'More Night!
• July 29:  Have a bake sale, donate proceeds to favorite charity or church
• July 30:  Build a fort then have a read-a-thon, finish the Library Summer Reading Program
• July 31:  Movie Day!  The Smurfs 2 opens

AUGUST

• August 1:   Make room for new school clothes, clean out closets and take donations to Goodwill.
• August 2:   Dive in movie at White Water Bay, Evan Almighty
• August 3:   Tax free weekend, shop for school supplies
• August 4:   Tax free weekend, shop for school clothes at the outlet mall
• August 5:   Fill a backpack with extra school supplies then donate to the HOPE Center in Edmond.
• August 6:   Have a water balloon fight
• August 7:   Go for a mystery snowcone, let the attendent pick your flavors
• August 8:   USA Canoe/Kayak National Championships on the Oklahoma River
• August 9:   Movie Day!  Disney's Planes opens
• August 10: Christian Fun Day with La Crae concert at Frontier City all day
• August 11:  learn jokes, then have a stand-up comedy show for dad in the evening
• August 12:  Beauty day, haircuts and paint nails
• August 13:  Take flowers to the nursing home
• August 14:  Neighborhood dodgeball tournament
• August 15:  Middle School schedule pick up in Edmond (bring locker decorations)
• August 16:  Last Friday night of summer break, have a sleepover
• August 17:  It's Tee Time!  Family Fun Night at Kickingbird Golf Club beginning at 5PM
• August 18:  Create a Summer 2013 scrapbook
• August 19:  Meet the teacher day!  Elementary information day in Edmond

AUGUST 20 Class resumes in Edmond

Have a great summer!  Hey, don't forget to pin this post!

Cover Old Books for Stylish Staging

The other day I toured the Oklahoma City Orchestra League's Symphony Show Houses (you can read about it here.)  While I was there, I was inspired by a bookcase that had been styled with monochromatic books and gorgeous accessories.  It was a very clean contemporary look.  When I looked a little closer at the books, I realized the books had just been covered in paper with an accent of color on the binding using Duck Tape.  So smart.

Whether you are staging your house to sell or decorating your first home, using books to accessorize is always an inexpensive option.  But books come in all different colors and textures.  The titles and photos can be distracting.  Plus if your house is for sale, they might divulge more about you than you want prospective buyers to know.  Stylish and uniform book covers make all the difference.  Here's how to do it,

I was floored to see all the different colors and patterns Duck Tape is available in.  The display at Walmart is huge.  I settled on a roll of turquoise and a roll of metallic gold.  First I used regular legal size copy paper (you could also use a roll of craft or gift paper for larger books) and double sided tape to cover the book.  Then I placed one strip of Duck Tape on the binding, carefully trimming the ends.  To dress it up a bit I added a coordinating strip of washi tape alongside the Duct Tape on both sides.  Super cute!

The covered books can be loaded into a bookcase with accessories like they did at the show house.  Or they can be stacked to give height to a pretty vase of flowers like I did in my own house.  Either way the result is much prettier and less revealing than books about wizards or Mr. Grey.  Give it a try.

Talk to you soon!

Symphony Show House 2013 {the Abbey in Fairview Farm}

This year's Oklahoma City Orchestra League Annual Symphony Show House showcases three very different homes right here in Edmond.  Each luxurious home has it's own architectural style and design.  There is a traditional, an Italian and a contemporary home to tour.  So when I scored a free ticket, you know I just had to go.

First let me tell you where the event is and a little about the community.  The three Symphony Show Houses are among the planned 34 homesites in the newest section of Fairview Farm, the Abbey.  The Abbey is a gated section on the northern edge of Fairview Farm which is located on the northwest corner of NW 150th and Western.  Residents of the Abbey enjoy completely maintenance free living.  The homes will range in size from 2500-4500 square feet and will have rear entry garages.  Current list prices are just above $200 per square foot.

Now for the fun part, the houses!  While touring the homes photography is not allowed.  But I did try to take as many notes as I could.  The tour book they give you has plenty of great pictures inside.

I started at the Traditional House, 1401 NW 158th Street.  My favorite rooms in this house included the upstairs bonus room by Norwalk Furniture, the sweet nursery by Cinnamon Bears in Edmond, and the office nook by Gold N Design.  I was disappointed that they didn't add any greenery or flowers to the patio.  That space would have been a stand out if they had.  I liked the flow and design of this home a lot.  The boutique is in the garage of this house.

Next I went to the Contemporary House, 1501 NW 158th Street.  This house is impressive.  I was told by a volunteer that the fan favorite in this house is the master bathroom and closet.  She told me that everyone had been raving about that space.  Since I'm not too into the whole bathroom retreat thing, I had a different opinion.  My favorite rooms in this home were downstairs in the basement.  I thought the concession kitchen and dining nook by Neely Design Associates was fantastic.  Every detail right down to the color of the snacks was thought out.  Their concept for the stairwell is a show stopper.  I won't ruin the fun by telling you about it.  Just know, you've got to see it to believe it!  The Abbey Cafe is at this house.  They serve lunch until 2 and treats until 4.

My final stop was the Italian House, 15820 Chapel Ridge Lane  I have to be honest, this was my least favorite of the three houses.  The glazed walls and heavy window treatments did not appeal to me personally.  However I did overhear others commenting that they really liked the Opulent Master Suite.  If you go, I would tour this house first.  Designer sales are in this house.

Ready to take the tour yourself?  The homes are open daily through May 19 from 10 until 4.  Note, they close the gates 45 minutes before they close.  Tickets at the door are $15.  Or, you can find them for $12 in Edmond at the Paper Lion, Courtyard Antiques, and Sterlings.  Kiddos under the age of 8 (even in your arms or in a stroller) are not permitted inside.  If you go, let me know which house you like best.

Talk to you soon,

Too Many Choices is Paralyzing

Here's question for you.  When making a purchase (a TV, car, or even Lean Cuisine for that matter), is having a lot to choose from good or bad?  On one hand you could argue that having a large selection gives the consumer the ability to get exactly what they want.  From everything available, there is bound to be one perfect specimen that meets all of their unique needs.  On the flipside, others might say the more options a consumer has, the higher their expectation becomes making it increasingly difficult to make a decision to buy.

Remember when the grocery store had about a dozen Lean Cuisine varieties to choose from?  They had the basics; lasagna, something with chicken and noodles, something with beef and rice, and a sweet and sour offering.  You grabbed one of each and away you went to pick what you really want, ice cream.  Today, the available Lean Cuisine choices fill multiple freezer sections that are now classified as "collections".  Seriously?  Who needs that many frozen meal choices?  It's really just a TV dinner, isn't it?  Yet as I stand staring into the frozen abyss trying to pick something for lunch, I realize they are all different variations of the same basic ingredients; some protein, a grain and a veg.  And for some reason I'm still paralyzed making a choice.

That's just my lunch.  Imagine folks purchasing a house today.  For most it's the largest investment they will ever make.  It will shelter their family and be their home.  Naturally they want to make the right choice.  There was a time that a Realtor did all the searching for a buyer behind the scenes.  They were given a list of a dozen or so homes that matched their criteria.  They toured the houses and happily bought one making it their home.  There weren't fewer houses on the market than today.  They just had fewer to choose from.  Today's buyer stands staring into an abyss of online listings on multiple websites.  How will they ever sort through everything still on the market, select a few to choose from and find the perfect one to buy?  What if they pick one and then something better comes along?  They are paralyzed.

For example, during the last few months the average list price for an available home within the Edmond Public Schools boundaries has hovered around $250,000.  A typical buyer in this price range will run a search online for all homes between $200-$300K in hopes of finding the one that works for them.  The search will yield a result of about 250 Edmond homes to choose from.  That's a heck of a lot of houses to sort through.  And truthfully, they are all different variations of the same basic ingredients; a few bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen and living space.  Where do they begin?

Before searching online or in person make a list of your specific ingredients.  Do you need four bedrooms?  Then only look at four bedroom homes.  Do you have grandma's formal dining room furniture?  Then only look at homes with two dining rooms.  When I get behind the scenes and adjust the search to match that criteria, there's only 27 available.  As a buyer, focus on what you are looking for in your next home and look past the rest.  When you do, the process won't be nearly as overwhelming and you will be more satisfied with your choice.  Give me a call, I'm here to help keep you out of the abyss!

Talk to you soon!

Brass Garden Markers

Last week I began working on a Kitchen Garden in my backyard.  So far we haven't lost any plants, but heck it's only been about five days.  Since all the little sprouts kind of look the same at this point, I needed to put markers in front of everything.  I could have just left the handy plastic markers that came with the plants in the first place, but that would be boring.  This little garden of mine needed something special.

I picked up a set of letter and number stamps in the jewelry making section of Hob Lob with the intent to stamp a few old spoons I had.  You've probably seen examples of that all over Pinterest too.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't flatten those darn spoons.  I think it may be because the spoons I used were silver plate, not solid silver.  Regardless, I threw in the towel and headed back to Hob Lob for inspiration.  In the jewelry section again, I found blank brass charms and brass wire.  Here's how I used it to make markers for my vegetable garden;

1. Using a hammer and the letter stamps, I embossed the plant names onto the brass charms.  I wasn't concerned about straight lines.  If crooked words drive you nuts, just place a piece of masking tape across the charm and use the edge as your guide.
2. All that hammering caused the charm to curl a bit, so I turned it over and gently tapped it with the hammer again to flatten it.
3. Using the wire I attached the charm to a craft stick by threading it through the charms and winding the excess wire around the stick.  To be sure it stays in place, I gave the wire a squeeze with pliers.

As the markers are exposed to the elements the brass should start to patina.  For a more rustic look, you could wrap the charm and wire around a stick from the yard.

Talk to you soon!