Too many cucumbers? Try Mediterranean Greek Salad

Do you have cucumbers & tomatoes coming our of your ears right now?  Try this recipe from Allrecipes.com.  

Mediterranean Greek Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cucumbers, seeded and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
• 3 cups diced roma tomatoes
• 1/3 cup diced oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil, and red onion. Chill until serving.

Great Greenway Tour 2012 - TODAY

The 2012 Cardinal Greenway Great Greenway Tour is today, July 28th, 2012.  This is an annual biking event in the area (family friendly), with communities all along the route participating.  You can ride part of the 160 mile route, or all of it.  There are check-ins at Jonesboro (Grant County start point), Muncie, and Richmond.

For more info, go to greatgreenwaytour.org. 

Kids Eat for $.99 at IHOP

Back to School Supplies & Marion Community Schools List

My oldest is going into KINDERGARTEN this year.  Wow - can't believe he's that big!  So, I realized that I'll have a supply list for the first time.  I've noticed that all stores have started their back-to-school sales on supplies, so I figured I better get started!

In addition to your kid(s)' list(s), don't forget to grab some hot sales items for your church & local preschools.  I know my church needs crayons, markers, and kid-sized scissors right now - these are the kinds of items you can find on sale as low as $.25/each this time of year, so pay attention and grab some extras when you find them on sale! And, remember, in addition to traditional school supply items, most schools/teacher need & appreciate things like kleenix boxes, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, etc.  

2012-13 Marion Community Schools

Supply List

 

Kindergarten

 

Backpack

School Box

1 Fiskars Scissors (blunt)

2 Bottles of Glues

Crayola Crayons (24 Count)

Box Tissues

#2 Pencils (both Kg Size and regular size)

2 Pink Erasers

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

1^st Grade

 

Backpack

Crayola Crayons

School Box

4 Glue Sticks

#2 Pencils (not mechanical)

1 Fiskar or Westcott Scissors

Box Tissues

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

2^nd Grade

 

Backpack

Crayola Crayons

School Box

4 Glue Sticks

#2 Pencils (not mechanical)

1 Fiskar Scissors

Box Tissues

1 Ruler

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

3^rd Grade

 

Backpack

Wide Rule Spiral Bound Notebook Paper

School Box or Pencil Pouch

#2 Pencils (not mechanical)

1 Fiskar Scissors

Box Tissues

1 Ruler

Crayola Crayons

1 Bottle of Glue

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

 

4^th Grade

 

2 Pkg Wide Rule Notebook Paper

Ruler

Backpack

#2 Pencils (not mechanical)

School Box or Pencil Pouch

Box Tissue

4 Glue Sticks

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

5^th Grade

 

#2 Pencils (not mechanical)

Pencil Pouch

Protractor

Ruler

Scissors

2 Bottles of Glue

Crayola Crayons (24pack)

2 pkg. Loose Leaf Paper

Box Tissue

Colored Pencils

Backpack

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

6^th Grade

 

Colored Pencils

2 Glue Sticks

2 pkg. Wide Rule Notebook Paper

2 pkg. Loose Leaf Paper

2 Pink Erasers

#2 Pencils (not mechanical)

Backpack

1 4 pack dry erase markers

 

 

 

CROCS 2 for $20 with FREE Shipping (Today only 7/25!)

Today Only! Shop the 2 for $20 Sale at Crocs.com! Grab any 2 selected kids' shoes, tees and accessories for only $20 with code 2FOR20 at Crocs.com!  AND, enter code SHIPCROCS for FREE shipping on your order! 

My kids LOVE their crocs, and I was just thinking yesterday how beat up they are... thinking I'm going to guess a size up and order theirs now for next summer! 

CLICK HERE to see what styles are on sale. 

Vacation Bible Schools in the Area

My kids have been to two different Vacation Bible School's this summer and have LOVED them.  My husband and I love hearing them come home talking about "trusting God" and singing new songs they've learned. 

Looking for a local VBS?

July 23 - 26th
Hanfield United Methodist Church
6:00-8:30pm
Ages 4 (& potty trained) through 6th Grade

July 30th - August 3
Brookhaven Wesleyan Church
6:00 - 8:30pm
Ages 3 (& potty trained) through 6th Grade

Aug 6-10
College Wesleyan Church
9am - noon
Ages 5/Kindergarden - 6th Grade

Free Dentistry Day - July 21, 2012

July 21, 2012 is Free Dentistry Day

Lifetime Smiles Dental Care, located at 2017 S. Western Ave will offere FREE dentistry services (cleanings, extractions, and fillings) as part of Free Dentistry Deay.  Appointments are accepted on a first come, first serve basis the day of the event (first 50 patients), so get there EARLY.

For more info, call 651-9500 or visit http://www.freedentistryday.org/.

Blood Donor Promos for the Summer

Give blood now through Aug 25, and you'll get a $10 Gas Card AND be entered to win a new 2012 Ford Focus from Jordan Ford in Fort Wayne.

To make an appointment, go to www.GiveBloodNow.com or call 765.662.4630.

Mon & Tues 11am - 7pm
Wed 9amm - 3pm
Thurs & Fri 8am - 4:30pm

Haven't ever given blood before?  It is EASY, only takes about a half an hour (the first time you give b/c you have to fill out some paperwork initially), and you can SAVE A LIFE!!!

The Blood Center is in the ACC Building basement across the street from the hospital, they're super nice there, don't mind my kiddos (who get free snacks while they're waiting for me), and can usually take walk-ins even if you don't have an appointment.

I'm on my way there this morning... hope to see you there some time!  :)

PAL Soccer Registration is NOW (for Fall Season) thru 7/26

The Police Action League (PAL) is accepting applications for the upcoming fall outdoor soccer season, which starts in early August and goes through early October.  Th league is for girls & boys, ages 4  (pre-K) through eighth grade.  Applications/registration is due by July 26th!

For more info & to sign up, call the PAL club at 668-4422.  You can also pick up an application at the PAL club, but it is quickest to just register by calling the PAL club, leaving your kids name, grade, shirt size, whether or not they played last year, and your phone number.  Cost is $60, which is paid at the start of the season.

Teams practice about once a week, and have games 1-2 times per week (Mon - Thurs only, no weekends).  
And, in addition to players, they're looking for coaches & officials!  668-4422 for more info.

I've heard great things about this league and how well it is organized.  We're signing up my 5 year old for his first year! 

TODAY - Marion Open Air Market

Don't forget today, and every Saturday through early fall is Marion's new Open Air Market!  This event is new to Marion, having started in June.  It is downtown across from the Centrum Mall on Washington Street (between 4th & 5th Street on Washington).

DON'T miss it - fresh locally grown veggies, baked goods, farm fresh eggs, locally grown & cut flowers, handmade local artisans work, etc.  I am soooo excited about this - yeah Marion (and the gals who organized this event) for adding some much needed character to our town!

Take cash, and get down there - opens NOW at 9am, through early afternoon.  For more info, check out their Facebook Page. 

Lowes Build & Grow Free Clinics This Weekend (July 14/15)

Kung Fu Panda Spinning Attack

Saturday, July 14 (10:00 AM) OR Sunday, July 15 (02:00 PM) 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 

Your child’s favorite movie characters are back at Lowe’s this weekend! Bring your child to Lowe’s and they can master building and Kung Fu with this weekend’s project; Kung Fu Panda Spinning Attack!  These clinic are FREE, and a fun activity to do with your kids.... my boys love them! 

Splash House CASA Sand Sculpture Contest - Sat, July 14

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 14 from 10am - 3pm (with awards at 4:30pm) is the annual CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Sand Sculpture Contest & Fund Raiser in the parking lot of the Splash House in Marion.  If you've never been, this is a fun event you won't want to miss, or at least stop by and see the fantastic sculptures that are created. They're pretty amazing!

Michigan for Vacation - WOW!

Sorry I've been MIA for a while!  My family took their MUCH NEEDED, first ever official family vacation over the 4th of July week.  My husband & I have been married for 11 years, but have never taken an official family vacation with our kids where we weren't visiting family, attending a wedding, etc. - so we figured it was about time.  The past two summers we've visited Michigan for a seminar for my husband's work, and have come to LOVE it, so we decided to make that our summer vacation spot this year.

WE LOVE MICHIGAN!  Wow!  We've decided it is one of the my underrated places in the country - and we've been to all but a few states, so that is saying something!  If you haven't seen any already, check out their PURE MICHIGAN ads - they worked for us! 

We decided to go to Holland, Michigan for a beach vacation - yes, if you haven't been there you heard me correctly - BEACH.  Michigan has phenomenal beaches - some big (on Lake Michigan), some smaller.  They have white sand, aren't too over crowded, and are fantastic.  Holland is only about 4 hours drive from where we live in Indiana, so it was a perfect spot that was "away" without having to drive so far that we were grumpy when we got there. 

Holland, MI is an adorable, quaint, family-friendly town.  We went to the beach, go cart racing, jumping on bouncies, saw Madagascar 3 (very cute), got ice cream, saw street performers, went twice to their awesome Farmer's Market... there was sooo much to do!  There are fantastic bike/walking/running paths everywhere.... if you are considering a family vacation, I highly recommend Holland, Michigan!