Once Upon a Thistle

What do you do on a hot summer afternoon? I’m talking really hot, blistering heat, excessive heat warning hot. I have to admit, there are a few days during summer where it is too hot to go swimming. Ever been through one of those days?

When the boys were little, in certain ways it seemed easier to keep them entertained. Or maybe it was because I was more creative back then and had more energy. Now, energy comes purely from coffee and it only lasts a while. I remember, one year, we used a small box and filled it with small slips of paper. Each slip had an idea for summer fun written on it. Some were rather elaborate and some didn't involve as much effort. There were afternoons of stacking plastic cups with Lego men and army men and watching the boys take aim with Nerf guns. Days of quickly assembling the marble run, using a dollar store pool noodle and a dining chair. That was extra fun because then they would laugh when the cat would chase after the marble. There were hours of puzzles and endless games of Risk - somehow I always lost that game. What can I say, I have two boys that are all about strategy. We made ice cream from scratch and countless trips to the pool - thank goodness after a couple of summers, dear hubby and I got smart and built our own pool! I look back on those days and smile - of course my hope is that they look back on those days and smile, too. 

Nowadays, when they do want to hang around the house, it’s more of a challenge to find something to do. Kids these days do seem to entertain themselves but often times it's not interacting to the degree it used to be. Honestly, my boys could spend hours on technology, but sometimes you have to draw the line. And with one of the boys getting ready for college, the time that we do have I’m trying not only to be inventive, but create a few more fun memories. Some days it works, others not so much. I have discovered that food works as an enticement for hanging around. Personal grilled pizzas are one of our fam favorites. We always make the standard cheese, and pepperoni, but once in a while, we’ll have “topping night” where you can choose from a wide variety of extra ingredients to make the pizza special. One of my faves is the Chicken Caesar Pizza from SimplyScratch.com. Grilling them sure does beat turning on the oven in the middle of summer. 

Cheers to a Happy Summer!