Mom.... I'm bored! (Oh no you're not... I've got something for you to do!)

I was provided with Oriental Trading merchandise in exchange for this post. Any opinions are my own. 

Ahhhhh... SUMMER!

I love summer, and so do the kids, but sometimes the days can be a little uneventful- especially when the weather doesn't cooperate. 

Sometimes it seems like no matter how many fun activities you have planned for the kids during summer you can just never keep them engaged. Keeping some structure throughout the days can help, and what better than having some craft time and outdoor play? 

Oriental Trading has tons of great summer crafts you can keep on hand for days like that. Most crafts are easy for kids and super cute!

We usually purchase the craft kits from Oriental Trading, but they now have some really great idea pages, too! Check out these cute crafts, click the picture to see what you need to make them!

      

Or, how about some night-time fun?  What makes summer nights more fun than glow-in-the-dark products??? 

Our kids love glow-in-the-dark tag, or hide and seek.  And glow necklaces help us keep our kids visible at night when we are in large crowds (we use these each time we go to a fireworks display!). 

      

There's plenty of other games and activities available as well- great for outdoor fun, parties and get together,s and bored kids who don't know what to do. ;)

The whirlwind of the end of Summer.

It's officially Autumn, as much as I hate to admit it. I don't know about you, but the beginning of the school year has my head still turning. We are still working on getting into a routine around here.

I hope things have been wonderful with my dedicated readers!

I've been working on a new photography venture, I started classes last March, and I'm finally getting to a point where I'm liking my photos. 

(Please note, these are low-resolution photos to deter people from taking them without permission)

During Labor Day weekend we visited the LOVELY Fayette, MI. Here's a photo of Snailshell Harbor!

And here's the furnaces from the ghost town of Fayette.

We've witnessed some amazing Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) this summer, too!

And some other beautiful things in the sky.

Our small, and close, adventures have kept the last few weeks thoroughly busy!

Another busy season is upon us, as the holidays roll in.

If you'd like to see more of my photos, please follow me on instagram! 

See you soon!

Let it GLOW! Keep them safe.

I received products in exchange for this post, but I've also purchased these products from Oriental Trading many times in the past. All opinions are my own.

Summer nights are when some of my favorite memories are made. Bonfires, fireworks, camping and fun family celebrations make for a great time with the kids.

Having eight children can be a challenge at times. One of the major challenges we face, especially when out in an open space, is keeping an eye on all of our kids. They are all still fairly young, the oldest being 11, and we still need to know where they are. At night, we always make sure that they are wearing something to make them easy to see. 

Glow-sticks, necklaces, and bracelets are great ways to help keep the kids visible and they LOVE them. 

 We get our glow products  from OrientalTrading.com since their selection is HUGE and their prices are great. We've gotten a ton of things from them, but my recommendation is to go for the premium glow products (they glow brighter and longer). 

We go to about 6 fireworks displays per year, and purchasing these glow products before hand makes our trip a lot more fun, and less expensive. These sell for about $5 per necklace if you purchase them at the park for the fireworks display. That's $40 for our family of eight children! By purchasing these in advance we get 50 necklaces for under $40. Another great reason to get your own... they'll likely be different than what is available, then you can spot your children easier. 

Aside from making children visible glow products are just plain fun. Night-time games of field tag, hide and seek, and dancing make for great entertainment.