12 Fun and Cheap Outdoor Date Ideas

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Now that warmer weather is on the horizon, I want to get outdoors more, especially when I’m spending time with my husband.

We’ve put together a list of 12 fun outdoor date ideas that are perfect for spring and summer. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your honey’s hand and head outside!

With spring and summer on the way, there's no need to stay cooped up indoors. We've listed 12 cheap & fun outdoor date ideas any couple would love!

Outdoor Date Ideas for Spring and Summer

Have a picnic

If you have food in your cupboards, you can easily plan a picnic. Throw a cheap meal together and go somewhere romantic to have a picnic.

Gaze at the stars

No matter how long you have been dating or married, gazing at the stars is something special. Cuddle up and enjoy this free date night that nature can offer.

Spend time walking the trails

If you love to be outdoors and active, hit the trails. Don’t like walking? Spend some time biking outdoors!

Head to the local pool

Spend some time with your spouse by heading to the local pool. For less than $20, you can both spend some time at the pool, enjoying the warm weather.

Sit on a bench and talk

So many couples do not have time to talk anymore. Have a fun and cheap date outdoors, just talking to each other.

Have a BBQ at a local park

Who says you can’t BBQ with your sweetie? Enjoying a hot dog and each other’s company is something to look forward to this year.

Go to a local ice cream shop

Getting ice cream without the kids is always a treat for everyone. You get to enjoy a big scoop of ice cream, without sharing.

Go to a local park

As long as you’re not interfering with kids, you can enjoy the park at your own leisure. When was the last time you swung on a swing?

Go downtown

If you have a downtown, spend time outdoors and walk around your home town’s downtown! You never know what you will discover while walking with your honey.

Take your spouse on a surprise date

Find cheap things in your town and surprise your spouse. Surprises always make things a lot more fun.

Spend time fishing

Get your fishing license and spend time relaxing and fishing together. I don’t know what it is, but fishermen always seem relaxed.

Go to the beach and soak up the rays

If you have a babysitter for a few hours, go to the beach. You’ll love relaxing with a book in hand. Plus, beaches are so cheap and fun.

What fun and cheap outdoor date ideas do you have?

If you liked these 12 outdoor date ideas, you may also enjoy:

5 Cheap Summer Date Ideas for Married Couples

Money Date (All You Need To Know)

Christmas Morning Muffins Your Family Will Love!

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11/10 By Donella Crigger 1 Comment

Looking for a Christmas Morning Muffin recipe? We have one here for that special early Christmas day treat. This recipe will sure make everyone in your family happy Christmas morning!

Christmas Morning Muffins

Yields: one dozen

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter- softened at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup coarse bakery sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12 count muffin pan with paper muffin cups and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl on low speed, mix together the softened butter, honey, brown sugar, applesauce and molasses. Add the egg and mix well to incorporate.

Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and half of the milk and stir well to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk and stir until the muffin batter is completely wet.

Fill the lined cups 3/4 of the way with the muffin batter and generously sprinkle the coarse sugar on top of each one.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

ENJOY!!

Christmas Morning Muffins

Author admin

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter- softened at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup coarse bakery sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12 count muffin pan with paper muffin cups and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl on low speed, mix together the softened butter, honey, brown sugar, applesauce and molasses. Add the egg and mix well to incorporate.
Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and half of the milk and stir well to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk and stir until the muffin batter is completely wet.
Fill the lined cups ¾ of the way with the muffin batter and generously sprinkle the coarse sugar on top of each one.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Love this recipe? Check out these Christmas recipes:

40+ Ground Beef Recipes to Cook in 30 Minutes or Less

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02/01 By Donella Crigger Leave a Comment

Ground beef is one of the more affordable meats that we have locally, so our freezer is always stocked with it. But I don’t always have time to cook a complicated dinner that takes 1-2 hours. What busy mom does? To solve that problem, we put together this amazing list of tasty 30 minute ground beef recipes so you can feed your family in a flash. We hope you enjoy these dinners as much as we do!

Beef Vegetable Soup

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01/18 By Donella Crigger 2 Comments

Want a hot, hearty soup that will warm you to the core on a cold blustery day? You can’t get more comforting than a big bowl of beef vegetable soup. This recipe is incredibly filling and satisfying.

Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe

When I was a little girl, one of my very favorite foods was beef vegetable soup. I know you probably think I’m joking, but I’m not. This girl loved her veggies, and well, combine them all together in a soup… what could be better?

My parents used to make their soup with corned beef and veggies that they canned from their garden. I still love that version, but we don’t often use corned beef here for anything really, so I don’t keep it on hand. Whatever type of beef you have on hand will work, though. Even ground beef is tasty, but make sure you drain it well or use extra lean ground so the soup’s not insanely oily.

And you may be asking… do you really use two kinds of potatoes in your soup? Yes, I do! The golden potatoes give it that starchy taste we all know and love in soups, and the sweet potatoes give it just a hint of sweetness that’s not too overpowering for a savory dish.

Other than that, I use whatever veggies I have on hand, either frozen, canned or fresh. Peas (not included here) are wonderful, as is cauliflower, broccoli, and even okra. Just throw it all in the pot and I’m sure it’ll come out delicious.

But let’s get to the recipe…

Beef Vegetable Soup

Author Donella Crigger

Yield 8 servings

This hearty beef vegetable soup is sure to satisfy on a chilly fall or winter day!

Ingredients

1.5 - 2 lbs. beef, cubed
3 medium golden potatoes, cubed
1 large sweet potato, cubed
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 stalk celery, diced
6 green onions, diced
1 (16 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/3 head of cabbage, sliced
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 (16 oz) can green beans, drained

Instructions

Brown meat in oil in a large soup pot.

Add garlic, onions and celery and cook until tender. Add salt and pepper to season.

Add enough water to cover the meat. Simmer for 1 hour on med-low.

Add all remaining ingredients and enough water to cover the vegetables. Simmer on low until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Season to taste.

Doesn’t it look filling? I’d love to know what you put in your beef vegetable soup. Let me know in the comments!

Superhero Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

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03/07 By Donella Crigger 6 Comments

He wakes up with a superhero in his hand, talks about superheroes all day and goes to sleep to the sounds of the Superhero Squad theme song nearly every night.

For the past three months, our son has been obsessed with all things superheroes… from their powers and abilities to the friends, favorite foods, etc. So, needless to say, we’ve been looking for fun (but easy) superhero crafts to help him practice scissor skills, gluing and just being creative. These superhero paper plate crafts fit the bill!

Easy Superhero Paper Plate Crafts

Wear the masks of your favorite Avengers! You’ll find Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, Spiderman and Batman. Frugal idea if your kiddo can’t make up his mind about which is his favorite.

As a special treat, watch one of these Marvel movies on Netflix.

via Meaningful Mama

For another version of the green guy, check out this paper plate Hulk mask. He really looks like he’s getting ready to smash something!

via Crafts on Sea

And here are a couple more versions of the superhero paper plate masks. Love the wings on the Captain America mask!

via Pink Stripey Socks

Speaking of Captain America, you can’t have the guy without his shield. Make one in a pinch with a few paper plates.

via Crafts on Sea

Make your own paper plate version of Baymax: the cuddliest superhero around. How cute!

via ET Speaks from Home

And here’s a cool Baymax with armour!

via In the Playroom

Your spidey senses will be tingling while making this super cool paper plate Spiderman!

via In the Playroom

This web spinning activity is a fun party game or activity! Give a prize to the kiddo who completes his/her web first.

via The Party Wall

If you enjoyed these Superhero Paper Plate Crafts, you’ll also like this easy peasy Iron Man toilet paper roll craft.

Checkout: Queen Elsa Paper Plate Craft Save

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15 Halloween Mummy Crafts for Kids

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10/06 By Donella Crigger Leave a Comment

When Halloween comes around, we see witches and pumpkins everywhere. But my favorite Halloween character has always been the mummy, probably because I loved Egyptian history as a kid. Go figure! We’ve put together a fun list of mummy crafts to make with your kids this Halloween. There’s something for every age range, from the toddlers who are just learning to use glue and scissors to older kids who may want a more challenging craft.

Toilet Roll Mummies are easy enough for your toddlers and preschoolers.

Halloween Mummy Balloons will make a cute addition to your Halloween party.

Play Halloween Mummy Bowling by revamping some of your toy bowling pins. What a fun classroom party idea!

Make a Paper Plate Mummy with the kiddos in just a few minutes using some leftover streamers.

This Paper Strip Mummy is great scissor and gluing practice for the little ones.

This Cheese Cloth Mummy Using a Macaroni Box is genius! You could do the same with juice boxes for class Halloween parties or as treats for your trick-or-treaters.

Let your kids turn their outlines into mummies with this fun Life Size Mummy Craft.

Don’t worry about carving your pumpkins this year. Turn them into Pumpkin Mummies!

This Little Mummy Styrofoam Craft will make a spooky addition to your Halloween decor.

Let your kids make their own Mummy Costumes for Halloween. So easy!

This Tissue Paper Mummy is a great craft for preschoolers.

Yarn Wrapped Mummies are a fun quiet time activity.

Sandpaper and tape make for a fun Masking Tape Mummy craft.

A Sticky Wall Mummy is so fun to play with!

Make Craft Stick Mummies with whatever supplies you have on hand — felt, scrap cloth, gauze and lots of other materials will work!

Which mummy craft is your favorite?

Fun Pumpkin Crafts for Kids

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09/07 By Donella Crigger 3 Comments

These fun pumpkin crafts for kids are the perfect way to celebrate fall. Make one with your kiddos today!

I’m so looking forward to fall. I’m ready for pumpkins, pumpkin spice and pumpkin crafts! And in the spirit of the season, here are 10 perfect pumpkin crafts to make with your kids. Whether you’re looking for a Halloween jack-o-lantern craft or a pumpkin craft that you can display through the entire fall season, you’ll find a great activity here.

Pumpkin Kids’ Crafts

I love this Sock Pumpkin Craft by Meaningful Mama. Don’t worry, there’s no sewing involved. It’s a great way to recycle some old socks, too. Try making bats from some black socks!

You don’t need a paintbrush to paint. Try this Bottle Cap Pumpkin Stamping activity by Crafty Morning.

This Mason Jar Pumpkin by Love and Marriage is a fun way to light up a room during the month of October.

Use up some of those pony beads with this Beaded Pumpkin Craft by Glue Sticks and Gumdrops. Use the same technique to make an apple or pear!

Your little one can practice cutting with this adorable Simple Pumpkin Craft for Scissor Skills by Nurture Store.

This Pumpkin Vine Craft by Fantastic Fun and Learning is gorgeous. The pumpkins would look great hanging in front of a dessert table for a Halloween party or even for Thanksgiving dinner.

Make over some of your old flower pots with this Terra Cotta Pot Pumpkin Craft by Glued to My Crafts.

Use any circle sponge, foam or even a pool noodle to make this Pumpkin Print Craft by Sugar Aunts. So cute!

I bet these Kool Aid Pumpkins by Housing a Forest smell wonderful!

This Pumpkin Cutting Practice Jack-o-Lantern by I Heart Crafty Things is another activity for getting in some scissor practice. I love the textured, 3-D look that the straw pieces give to the pumpkin.

Bonus Pumpkin Craft:

Don’t forget to check out our Foam Cup Pumpkin Craft by Donella at Glue Sticks and Gumdrops!

What are you most looking forward to this fall?

This Is How We Roll Thursday #31

Easy Pumpkin Craft for Kids

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09/04 By Donella Crigger 6 Comments

This easy pumpkin craft for kids is the perfect fall activity for your toddler or preschooler.

Fall is in the air here in Virginia, and I’ve been on the prowl for easy activities that we can complete in just a few minutes. This craft is one of those projects! With just a few simple materials, you can have cute foam cup pumpkins to decorate your table or mantle.

Materials for a Foam Cup Pumpkin:

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

How to Make a Foam Cup Pumpkin:

1. Apply a coat of orange paint to the styrofoam cup. Allow the first coat to dry for about an hour, and then apply the second coat. (Note: We used tempera paint, so the coverage wasn’t as good. Acrylic should work much better on styrofoam cups.)

2. Curl the pipe cleaners around your finger to make them curly like a pumpkin vine.

3. Hot glue the pipe cleaners to the top of the cup. Hold in place for a few seconds until the glue dries.

I think that we could have done a third coat for better coverage, but as you can see, my son didn’t even want to do a second coat on his. He also opted for a yellow vine instead of a green one. Our paint was still a little wet at this point, but it looks even cuter once it’s completely dry.

In October, we may paint jack-o-lantern faces on these for Halloween so that we can use them another month.

You can also use foam cups and red paint to create apples for your fall mantle. 🙂

For more pumpkin crafts, head over to my blog at Glue Sticks and Gumdrops for this beaded pumpkin craft!

Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars

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09/02 By Donella Crigger Leave a Comment

Granola bars are easy to make, and they’re the perfect addition to your child’s lunchbox. Busy moms know that they also make a wonderful after-school or on-the-go snack. If you’re looking for a recipe that the whole family will love, try these chocolate dipped granola bars!

While the recipe involves a quite a few ingredients, this recipe makes a large batch of granola bars. And you can feel better knowing exactly what went in to them, too.

Cranberries or raisins would be yummy in these, too, but the kiddo has a simple palate, so we stick to simple flavors that we know he’ll like most of the time.

Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars

Author admin

Ingredients

6 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/4 cup canola oil
4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple juice
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rice cereal
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
8 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, toss the oats with the canola oil, melted butter and salt. Spread the mixture out on 2 baking sheets and toast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan twice and making sure they don’t burn. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, and apple juice. Heat the mixture slowly, stirring until all combined. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat.

4. Toss together the toasted oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, pecans and almonds. Pour in the sugar mixture, stirring as you pour. Toss to combine; it will be sticky.

5. Press into 1 baking sheet (thoroughly greased with butter) and bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut pieces with a sharp knife and remove from the pan.

6. Dip the cooled granola bars straight into the melted chocolate so that the top is plain and the bottom is chocolate-covered. Set on parchment until set, sticking in the fridge to hasten this along if necessary.

Looking for more granola recipes? Try these M&M and Raisin Granola Bars on my blog, Glue Sticks and Gumdrops. They’re amazing!

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Donella Crigger

Outdoor Date Ideas for Spring and Summer

Christmas Morning Muffins

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Christmas Morning Muffins

Ingredients

Instructions

Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe

Beef Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Easy Superhero Paper Plate Crafts

Pumpkin Kids’ Crafts

Materials for a Foam Cup Pumpkin:

How to Make a Foam Cup Pumpkin:

Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars

Ingredients

Instructions