A Father's Day wonderful day

We had a great Father's Day weekend here at our house.  Skylar and I spent the day putting together Father's Day goodies jars for Papa (my dad), Grandpa (Jeff's dad), and John.  Jeff's was a bit different and given to him right away, but the others had to be mailed or driven to the others.  Everyone loved their goodies jars, but John won't get his until he gets here in September.  We waited so we could take it on our trip back to Arkansas and munch on it on the way.

You can make these labels too with the printable through Popsicle Blog HERE!  Or click here to get the PDF file to print right away!  

Jeff got a large spatula as a Father's Day gag gift, but it backfired on Skylar and me because he actually really liked it. Ha!

To this kid, the guy is super dad!

Happy Father's Day!

Eco-Tip:  Remember hand-made gifts go a lot further with appreciation than store bought gifts.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me:  Go Green.

Spark of Loves this Week

This Flower.  This Drink.

Because it's the last tulip in the flowerbed still holding on.  And this drink because it made this little boy's day.

This Picture.  These Chickens.

Because Skylar drew it for me.  And these chickens because they were pretty and white.

This Symbol.  These Words.

Because it's the symbol for OM and I love it.  And these words for the fact that the public school system for Skylar is over for awhile.

This Envelope.  This Picture.

Because it traveled all the way from Latvia.  And this picture because it rocks.

These Clothes.  This Drink.

Because Skylar made it look as if he vanished into thin air.  And this drink because it was a big let down that they put my hot latte in a Styrofoam cup.  Who does that?

This Sewing Machine.  These Poppies.

Because I let it go.  And these poppies because they are every where right now.

This Craft.

Because it was fun to make.

This Clover.

Because I looked really hard to find one with four leaves.

This Sign.

Because it's hanging in my living room and I just adore it.

This Camping Gear.

Because it's awesome!

This Bumper Sticker.  This Drink.

Because it made me laugh.  And this drink because it was tasty.

This Mirror.

Because someone broke it and it got replaced with a better one.

These Shrimp.

Because they were yummy and the perfect addition for a get together we had recently.

Eco-Tip:  This summer be sure and regulate the sprinkler system at your home.  Remember, only 2-inches of water is needed to water the grass each day.  Anymore than that and it's a waste.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

It's strawberry season here in Oregon

 It's time for strawberries here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon and right here in Lebanon, Oregon it is the strawberry capitol of the state.  The STATE!  It's that awesome!?  Being the strawberry capitol of the entire state Lebanon, Oregon has some big shoes to fill.  

This time of year there is a lot of strawberries throughout the Willamette Valley and you can't go to a restaurant, grocery store, or even drive down Main Street without seeing strawberries on parade or on display in the businesses or buildings.  It's actually a pretty neat thing to be part of.

We have a lot of strawberry stands along the roadways and highways, we have a Strawberry Festival (photos of that to come soon), we also have the World's Largest Strawberry Shortcake.  The shortcake is pretty fun because you get to see the cake as it makes its way through the street during the Strawberry Parade and then you get to try the shortcake at the festival later in the day.  All of these is a weekend-long event here in the Strawberry Capitol of the state.  

With all of these festivities dedicated to the strawberry, it's a great time to get a ton of strawberries, either from local stands, the grocery store, or at the MANY u-pick farms around the valley.  I love snagging a bushel of few of the strawberries to make into many different recipes that are begging to be made.  One of my favorites is the Summer Strawberry Freezer Jam that we make once a year.  But here are a few more of my favorites from some of the best bloggers and DIYers out there.

1.  Strawberry Sour Cream Pie from Carolina Charm

2.  Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler from Reading my Tea Leaves.

3.  Strawberry Protein Cups from ABpetite.

4.  Strawberry Yogurt Muffins from Delighted Momma.

5.  Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad from Live Grows Wild.

6.  Strawberry Cheesecake Jello Shots from Brit+Co.

7.  Strawberry Oat Pancakes from Lil' Luna.

8.  Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes from The Crafting Chicks.

9.  Strawberry Pie from Craftaholics Anonymous.

10.  Super Simple Chocolate-Covered Strawberries from South North South.

We even stopped off at the local Shari's Restaurant and picked up a jar of their own unique, homemade Strawberry Jam, and hit Burgerville for their Strawberry Lemonade!

YUM!  Be sure and visit these wonderful, creative ladies and try their strawberry recipes.  Do you have any great strawberry recipes that you enjoy?  Let me know in the comments section below, I'd love to hear about them.

ENJOY!

Eco-Tip:  Go paperless with your bills, tickets, and even receipts.  If you need a receipt for tax purposes, ask them to email it to you instead.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.