Wednesday, July 27, 2016

101 Fun Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer

Summer may be a time to relax, but tell that to kids who are bouncing off the walls or shrieking "I'm bored." As parents and nannies, we want each summer to be more memorable than the next, and with that comes the need for a few new ideas.

Jill Tipograph, summer expert and founder of Everything Summer, suggests that you: "Take advantage of those bright sunny days and warm summer nights and plan something new a couple of times a week." Jesse Koller, of Play, Create and Explore, holds regular art workshops for local kids. "We have a blast focusing on mostly process art and projects, as well as some sensory activities."

Here are 101 ideas for your summer bucket list -- to keep kids from being bored and create memories they'll have for a lifetime (or at least for that first day of school when they're asked "what did you do this summer?").

  1. Bake cookies for ice cream sandwiches.
  2. Volunteer at a nature center.
  3. Make a photo journal or a family yearbook.
  4. Have a luau in the backyard.
  5. Visit the beach and collect shells.
  6. Make a fort out of cardboard boxes.
  7. Visit a farmer's market.
  8. Stage an A to Z scavenger hunt, where you have to find something that starts with every letter. Here are 8 more scavenger hunt ideas.
  9. Pick berries.
  10. Have a picnic at a state park.
  11. Make ice cream. Use the berries you picked!
  12. Go canoeing at a local lake.
  13. Build a sandcastle.
  14. Write and illustrate your own book and have it published into an actual hardcover book using IlluStory.
  15. Forget cooking -- set up an ice cream sundae buffet for dinner.
  16. Clean up trash at a local park.
  17. Have a backyard campfire...or just use the grill! Roast hot dogs on sticks, pop popcorn and finish off with s'mores.
  18. Make homemade pizza.
  19. Go for a walk and then make a collage from nature objects you find along the way.
  20. Head to a creek and look at the ducks.
  21. Set up a lemonade stand.
  22. Have a water balloon fight.
  23. Practice your origami skills and make objects to hang from the ceiling.
  24. Go biking on a trail
  25. Interview an older relative about what life was like when they were young.
  26. Plan a picnic at a local park -- or in your backyard.
  27. Visit the local library throughout the summer and try to read as many as you can.
  28. Create salad spinner art: Place circles of paper inside a cheap salad spinner, dab tempera paints on top, cover and spin away.
  29. Practice making interesting shadow puppets and then put on a show with your characters.
  30. Plant a garden of herbs and veggies.
  31. Make a sidewalk chalk mural.
  32. Go ice blocking (sledding) in the grass with a towel-covered block of ice.
  33. Have an outdoor painting party using huge canvases or cardboard.
  34. Visit a fish hatchery.
  35. Plant a butterfly garden with flowers.
  36. Pretend to be pirates for a day -- dress up in costumes, plan a treasure hunt and talk like a pirate.
  37. Make an indoor sandbox using colored rice: mix 4 cups of rice with 3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and a few drops of food coloring and let dry overnight.
  38. Turn the backyard into a carnival -- set up a face painting area and games like ring toss.
  39. Make totem poles out of paper towel rolls and decorate them.
  40. Visit a museum you've never been to.
  41. Make a giant hopscotch or Twister game on the lawn (with spray paint) or driveway (with chalk).
  42. String beads into jewelry.
  43. Make a bird house out of Popsicle sticks.
  44. Learn about stargazing and identify as many constellations as possible -- see if there are any local astronomy groups for kids.
  45. Create leis with wildflowers.
  46. Go fossil hunting near a lake.
  47. Break out your baseball gloves and start a game, sandlot style.
  48. Make paper boats and race them in a kiddie pool using straws to propel them.
  49. Play mini-golf -- or set up a course in your driveway by laying different size containers on their sides.
  50. Make your own colored sand and create sand art.
  51. Get a map of the United States and mark off all the exciting places you want to visit -- create the ultimate road trip.
  52. Set up a net and play badminton and volleyball.
  53. Visit an amusement park or water park.
  54. Wade through a stream and search for minnows or tadpoles.
  55. Go zip-lining.
  56. Have a tricycle race at the park.
  57. Investigate an ethnic grocery store and make lunch using interesting spices then experiment  with some kid friendly recipes.
  58. Visit a fire station.
  59. Collect rocks and paint them to use as paperweights or pet rocks.
  60. Go roller skating.
  61. Visit a zoo or aquarium to learn about animals.
  62. Run through the sprinklers.
  63. Blend your own smoothie.
  64. Set up a bike wash and raise money for a local charity.
  65. Batter up at a batting cage.
  66. Let kids paint the sidewalk or patio with plain old water and sponge brushes. When their creation dries, they can begin again.
  67. Bake cupcakes in ice cream cones and then decorate them.
  68. Assemble a family cookbook with all your favorite recipes.
  69. Go horseback riding.
  70. Make popsicles in Dixie cups using fruit juices.
  71. Catch fireflies in a jar (and let them go at the end of the night).
  72. Stage your own Summer Olympics with races, hurdles and relays.
  73. Create a backyard circus -- kids can pretend to be animals and dress up as clowns.
  74. Decorate bikes and have a neighborhood Fourth of July parade.
  75. Take a sewing/crochet/knitting class.
  76. Make Mexican paper flowers using different colored tissue paper.
  77. Go to a flea market.
  78. Volunteer at an animal adoption organization.
  79. Visit a retirement home and read stories to residents.
  80. Attend an outdoor festival or concert.
  81. Pick a nearby town to visit for the day.
  82. Visit a cave.
  83. Get a map of your area, mark off all the local parks -- then visit them, take pictures and vote for your favorite.
  84. Take in a fireworks exhibit.
  85. Make crafts with recyclable items like stickers using old photos, magazines and repositionable glue.
  86. Make your own hard-to-pop bubbles with 1 cup of distilled water, 2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap and 1 tablespoon of glycerin.
  87. Paint canvas sneakers with fabric paint pens or acrylic paint.
  88. Create three dimensional buildings using toothpicks and mini marshmallows.
  89. Make bird feeders by covering pine cones with peanut butter and rolling in birdseed.
  90. Paint with ice by freezing ice cube trays with washable tempera paint.
  91. Create unusual s'mores by experimenting with ingredients like cookies, bananas, flavored marshmallows and white chocolate.
  92. Have a fancy tea party.
  93. Make a giant slip-n-slide with a painter's tarp and shaving cream.
  94. Go camping in the backyard or at a campsite.
  95. Let kids paint each other with washable tempera paint, then wash it off in the sprinklers.
  96. Visit a national park and help the kids earn a junior ranger badge.
  97. Go to a ballgame and teach your kids (and yourself!) how to keep a scorecard.
  98. Set up a tent in the backyard to use as a summer playhouse.
  99. Take a free kid's workshop at stores like Lowe's, Home Depot or Pottery Barn.
  100. Have a game night with charades, Pictionary and bingo.
  101. Take a boring brown paper bag and have kids brainstorm creative things to do with it -- you'll be surprised at how many things you can come up with!


Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Lexington Friday Night Summer Concerts

Join the Lexington Chamber of Commerce on Fridays from July 8 through August 26 for its Summer Concert Series and are scheduled from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.  The Summer Concerts Series has been providing free music for over three decades now and attracts families from Lexington and many of the surrounding communities.  With a variety of musical styles, and a relaxed "picnic in the park" atmosphere, the concerts promote the old time neighborliness of Lexington.  Remember to bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, and refreshments. 

Location:
On the lawn of the Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Mass Ave., Lexington, MA. 

Contact Information:

Fees/Admission:

The event is free! 



Lexington MA Real Estate Agent

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Wilson Farm Dinner in the Field is Back!


Wednesday, July 20th • 6pm
$100 Per Person • Limited to the first 90 Guests
Dinner in the Field is back! Wilson Farm Executive and French Master Chef Raymond Ost has another extravagant dinner menu planned to tantalize your taste buds as you take in the sunset at the farm.

Dinner Menu
Cocktail Appetizers
-Spring Sweet Pea Puree with Pistachio Crostini
-Blood Orange Granita with Raspberry Caramel
-Griled CuttleFish with Mango and Nectarines and Avocado Mousse and Beet Foam
-Black Sesame Mini Cone with Lobster Avocado Salad
-Stuffed Egg Mimosa with Fava Bean Mousse

Table Appetizers
-Warm Tomato Tartlets & Goat Cheese Basil Vinaigrette
Fresh Kale Salad with Fresh Peas & Feta
-Stuffed Cucumber with an Olive Tapenade & Marinated White Anchovies
-Cheese Tray with New England Local Cheeses & Baguette Crisps
-Stuffed Artichokes with a Mini Ratatouille Salad and Fresh Basil

Main Course
-Baked Vegetable Coulibiac – Tomato Sauce Vierge and Pan Seared Diver Scallops, Champagne Sauce
-Celeriac Purée & Fava Beans
Dessert
-Assorted Pastries and Mini Pastries

*Menu Subject to Change

Call the office now at 781-862-3900 to reserve your spot at the table!
For more information please visit Wilson Farm


Friday, July 8, 2016

Tricks for Saving Down Payment for Lexington Home!

Money-saving tips for Lexington homebuyers
Have you been wanting to buy a Lexington home but find the task of saving up a down payment too daunting to actually make it happen? You’re not alone! However, as your Lexington real estate agent, I want to remind you that there are many mortgage options out there, some with the option to put as low as 2 percent down. Contact a mortgage lender to learn more about your options!

Also, there are some sneaky ways that you can trick yourself into saving money automatically, so you don’t actually have to consciously and manually save that money each month. Here are some suggestions that Trulia recommends:
  • Move money into separate account. Impulse buys will be harder when your money isn’t just sitting around in a checking account, ready to be used. Move excess money into a separate account without a debit card attached to it. Only leave what you need to pay bills, groceries, etc. in your everyday checking account. The higher the interest rate on your new account, the better!
  • Automate your savings. Who remembers or wants to take spending money out of their main account to put in another account? By doing this manually every month or paycheck, you are sure to forget or skip a few rounds. Instead, set up an automated account that diverts a certain amount of money each month into a savings account. That way, it’ll feel like you never had it to begin with.
  • Remind yourself of your goal. If you have a hard time saying no to immediate gratification, remind yourself of your long-term goal of buying a Lexington home. Hang a picture of your dream home on your fridge, nightstand or desk. Create a vision board all about buying that home. Pin money-saving quotes and home-buying quotes on your Pinterest board. The more you see the reminder, the better!
  • Match impulse buys. If you just can’t say no to some impulse purchases this summer, promise yourself that every time you buy something that isn’t a necessity, you’ll match that spending with an equal amount put into your down payment savings account. This will either deter the purchase or help you build up that savings account!
  • Save any bonus money. If you purchase something on sale, put the amount that you saved on those sale items into your savings account. Receipts will usually show you what you saved at the bottom, so use this to your advantage. Also, if you get a raise, or you come into money as a gift or inheritance, immediately save this money as if you never even had it.
For more money-saving tricks, check out this Trulia article. Use these tricks and you’ll have a significant amount saved up for a down payment in no time! Every little bit counts. When ready to buy a Lexington home, contact me, your Lexington real estate agent! Let’s make your dream of homeownership a reality.

Theresa D'Antuono

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

11th ANNUAL Artisans Market at Lexington Chamber of Commerce

Location:
The Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, 130 Waltham St, Lexington, MA 02421

Date/Time Information:
July 9-17, 2016; Gallery Hours: Mon – Sun 12-4, Sat: 10-4

Contact Information:
Contact the LACS Office at 781.862.9696

Fees/Admission:
Admission and Parking are free for all exhibits.



Original arts and crafts created by artists from our Guilds: Ceramics, Paintings, Polymer/Beading, Needle Arts, Decorative Arts, Basketry, Photography, Woodworks, and Metal Arts & fine jewelry, cards and prints.

The event opens on Saturday, July 9
th with an Outdoor Tent sale. Artists are on hand to discuss their work and what it means to be part of this society of artists.  Perhaps you will feel inspired to take a class or attend some of the many exhibits, demonstrations, sales or other events held throughout the year at the Society. 

C
ontinuing through July 17th, the Parsons Gallery hosts a Summer Exhibit and Sale. It’s a great chance to shop locally and select from hundreds of unique creations by local artists.

For more information please visit the website at: www.lacsma.org.