Somewhat Simple

life should be simple.

How To Make A Rain Stick – A Fun Project For Kids!

Kids of all ages LOVE making and playing with their very own rain stick! These rain sticks are also budget-friendly, which makes parents love them, too. ;) Make Your Own Rain Sticks Who can resist picking up and listening to a cool rain stick when you randomly see them at a store?! They sound magical, but they can be a little on the pricey side! Several years ago me and the kiddos made our own rain sticks and we loved how they turned out! Fun and easy... and not expensive at all! We've now made our own rain sticks a handful of times over the years, and we decided it was time to share this tutorial with all of you! Enjoy! Here's some other kid-approved posts you might like: Paint Chip Scavenger Hunt The Best Homemade Playdough Recipe DIY Wacky Sack Stress Balls Kid-friendly, Mom Approved Rain Stick Tutorial SUPPLIES - Gift wrap tubes Cereal boxes ... [Read More]

Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits for Kids

5 EASY tips to form healthy eating habits! (Because life is hard. Eating healthy shouldn't be!) How to Eat Healthy Gone are the days when eating was as simple as bite and be satisfied, right? With all the diet trends and long lists of superfoods, eating a balanced meal has unfortunately become way too complicated! If the thought of eating healthy and changing your diet is overwhelming and you don't know where to start, you are definitely not alone! It is a challenge for most people to get the recommended daily servings for a healthy, balanced diet. But I've come to realize that eating healthy is as hard as you want it to be. People will make any excuse they want to not eat healthy- "It's too expensive." "My kids don't like it." "It isn't convenient" ... sound familiar??? Today we're taking things back to the basics with 5 tips for healthy eating habits. We'll break it down in ... [Read More]

Perfect Pasta: 30 Delicious Pasta Recipes

I think pasta is my love language. Go beyond spaghetti and meatballs with 30 of my favorite pasta recipes all in one place!  Favorite Pasta Recipes There is nothing quite like a perfect dish of pasta! Cheesy, saucy, meaty and fresh - these pasta recipes will prove just how delicious a simple pasta noodle can be! 1. This simple and delicious Caprese Pasta Salad is so fresh and easy to make. It’s the perfect side dish for any potluck or barbecue! 2. This creamy pasta salad recipe has become a family favorite! It is one of the easiest recipes to make and the flavor is amazing! 3. These Enchilada Lasagna Rolls have all the great flavors of a classic chicken enchilada recipe, but we’re ditching the tortillas and wrapping the filling inside some lasagna noodles… and the result is simply delicious! 4. Enjoy delicious slow cooker vegetable lasagna without having to stand over a stove ... [Read More]

Our Front Courtyard – Decorating Ideas

Our front courtyard makeover is in partnership with Lowes. All opinions are 100% my own.  The time has come for the reveal of our front courtyard, and I’m so excited to show you what we’ve done with this space!   Courtyard Design Ideas A courtyard can be used for outdoor entertaining or as a way to welcome guests to your home. They are one of those spaces that can be kind of hard to decorate... because sometimes, what looks good is not always functional, and what is functional does not always look good. When we first started construction on our home, the standard courtyard that our builder offered was not my favorite. It was not very pretty, and it was completely un-useable. The courtyard had a little paved walkway up to our front door that was surrounded by a garden of rocks and a few plants that were kind of more like sprawling twigs. (Welcome to Arizona!) I not only hated ... [Read More]

Make Your Own Trail Mix – Easy Trail Mix Recipe

This make your own trail mix bar is such a fun way to get the kids involved. Lay out a variety of trail mix ingredients, and let them assemble their own trail mix snack! Homemade Trail Mix Somehow it always seems like the first thing my kids do when they get home from school is to beg for a snack. Their school serves lunch early (around 11:00) so by the time they get home from school, they are absolutely starving. I try to give them something filling and healthy-ish to eat, to tide them over until dinner time, but sometimes it's hard to think of ideas. We started doing a make your own trail mix bar occasionally for them a few years ago, and it is one of their favorite snack ideas. I love that my somewhat picky (and very opinionated kids) can make their own snacks, with just the ingredients that they like, and everyone is happy! Make Your Own Trail Mix Skip the store-bought trail ... [Read More]