i love when my kids surprise me.
i thought all summer that most of my kids were too big to care about chalk paint.
i was wrong.
sean and annie had friends over.
i finally whipped some up while they were fighting swimming.
it’s so easy.
the recipe is equal amounts of cornstarch and water.
and food coloring.
that’s it.
it’s thick to stir up at first but easily doable with a whisk.
i tried using my mixer and it worked better with a whisk and muscle.
i took a moment to admire my tiny patch of garden that did not FRY up on vacation….
the zinnias make me happy.
i should just plant them everywhere and not worry about anything else. 🙂
i took it outside thinking “they won’t even care but whatever”
and they came out of the pool and painted until it was all gone.
it looks clear at first and dries REALLY bright.
this is my favorite picture…his masterpiece of splatter paint.
kids jumped in the pool and they were clean.
and this morning it rained….and it’s all gone.
simple as that.
our summer list had 45 things on it.
we have done 27.
school starts tuesday…..we’ll see what happens.
🙂
Bethany - Ok so I wanted to add to my previous comment! I learned that either a lot of rain OR just waiting until it dries 😉 will make it come off completely clean. This is seriously one of my favorite activities with my baby! I just love creating things with him and your blog is such a great source for ideas. I hope I can be a mom like you.
Bethany - We did this chalk paint and my drive way is stained blue now!! Any tips to clean it off? Just more water or does it need
Soap or something?
s - I bought some cheap cornstarch last night and one of the boys and I just mixed up this paint and all the kids are outside happily painting! Figured we’d take advantage of a nice sunny day…and kids who desperately need to be distracted from TV!
Charlene @ Adventures In Mommy Land - We have made that paint for the last couple of years…trust me it NEVER gets old. Even my older kids love painting with it. We use sponge brushes to paint with…way better than the little brushes, try it next time.
elisa - awesome idea- I love it when the older kids still get into stuff like that. Always surprises me too 🙂
Kimberly Dial - You’re the funnest mom! 🙂 PS: Zinnias make me happy too!
Kimberly Dial - You’re the funnest mom! 🙂 PS: Zinnias make me happy too!
Kari - I checked out a book this week with my daughter and it made me think of you, “My Heart is Like a Zoo.” The animals are all made out of different size hearts. Perfect for a craft day. 🙂
Tammy - We did this last summer and my kids still talk about how pretty it was. Should whip some out soon since we have a clear forcast for a few days. We have 12 things left on our list. I know some won’t get done, but that’s what next year is for right?! We are having our “sleepover in the living room” tonight, and built a fort out of sheets to go with it. They are in heaven. I’m wondering if I can sneak up to my bed in a couple hours!
Theresa - that looks so cool!
Jacci - Awesome! I know my kids would love that!!! 🙂
Thanks for the update on your list. We took the plunge and did a Summer List for the first time this summer. We started pretty late in the summer – 3rd week of June, I think, but we have until Labor Day to wrap it up (we homeschool, so I pick when we start the school year). We have a little over half of our list done so far. Yikes! We need to get on it! We busted our 3 items in one night tonight, though 🙂 Shaving cream (thanks so much for that!), water balloon fight, and a trip to the drive-in Root Beer Stande for dinner. It wasn’t without it’s tears (water balloon inequality) but it was still an AWESOME family night. YOU inspired it, Meg 🙂 I hope that encourages you. My kids have another memory tucked into their Childhood Memory Bank – thank you 🙂
Amy Slavik@ Little For A Little While - You can do it! Soak up every last bit of summer that you can!!!
Valerie @ Chateau A la Mode - Fun, fun, fun…you’re a fun mom!
Lisa - We have done 23 of 29 on our list but I say summer isn’t over until it’s cold! (Besides, this mama wouldn’t camp until September 🙂 I love that Talby always has a look of pure concentration in your photos – the girl can focus! Looks like a fun time.
Linda - I always love the glimpses into your life. Thanks for sharing.
Cyndi Hamilton - We have gotten 25 out of 43 done on our list. Not to bad. We are going to do a few things after school starts. It is hard to do some of the outdoor stuff when it is 100 degrees outside.
I am going to do a list for fall and holiday too. Love the sidewalk chalk, I will have to try it.
Thanks for sharing,
Cyndi
http://mycharmedlife-cyndi.blogspot.com/
Alicia @ la famille - Awesome! Way to go mama 🙂
Nicole Q. - So fun – I just might have to make this happen yet this summer!!
Secret Mom Thoughts - I love this idea. Definitely adding it to our list. We have 18 days till school starts. Not that I’m counting.
Angela Atkins - You need to check out Chrissie Grace’s new print, if you haven’t seen it already. http://www.etsy.com/listing/79600687/hope?ref=pr_shop
colleen from alabama - Our school started this past wednesday… bummer and happy all at the same time. We didn’t finish our list either but for me the point of a list is to be intentional. Even if we only did 5, or 10, thats probably more than if we didn’t have list at all. AND we might be able to squeeze a few more in even though school started back.. just sayin.
Laura Phelps - I love it
I am a chalk lover
I am weary of people who don’t enjoy chalk 🙂
totally doing this
we left the chalk out in the rain…and I went outside alone and drew with it…love it..so relaxing
good luck with the list..
can you roll it over to next summer like cell phone minutes?
Donna - Ahh, we are checking things off our list, too. Such fun to create so many fun memories as a family. The ones that don’t get checked, oh well, we’ll just include them next year. One item was “a day with no crying.” It must be about the 60th day of summer by now, and we just checked it off yesterday 🙂 (That was for a certain 5 year old, and he was pretty proud of himself!)
Katie - One thing on our list that I am sure we will not due is pick blueberries. Maybe next year. Otherwise we are making our way down the list!
Ashley - looks like fun :), and 27? that is a pretty good number.
Courtney - That is awesome! But summer isn’t over yet, right?
Melissa - Love. I think I make some up for when the kids get out of school today!
We had 28 on our list and have completed 18. My kids have already started school…I’m going to go til the officially end of summer.
DWall - new to this blog! Love all the color! any chance you will share your photo editing strategy for us newbies? 🙂
Heidi - So nice to know it washes away! I was scared to let the kids do it and be stuck with food coloring marks on the concrete! 🙂
And thank you for sharing that your summer list may/may not get completed. Because I was kind of feeling like a failure when I looked at our list last night and realized we just don’t have enough time left to accomplish everything. Next year, I will be more realistic about how much time I spend working. 🙂 Kinda hard to do things out of the house when you’re stuck at the computer 3 out of the 5 days!
Jennifer - How fun! Your zinnias are beautiful…
Courtney Walsh - So fun, Megan! Looks like a total blast!
I am so sad school is starting for us Tuesday too. 🙁 I’m just not ready for early mornings and homework and charts and not having my kids voices in the house and yard.
I’m such a baby.
Kimberlee - I love these pictures.
And I love Zinnias.
I just realized that I didn’t plant ANY this year.
Tanya H - THAT is cool!! TFS!
I hear ya! We write up a summer list thanks to you 🙂 …we’ve done 6 out of 18. We have one more week. HMM.
Brianna - long time reader, first time commenter…Love your blog, and your family! Have a great weekend!
Judy @Considering the Options - I kind of want to mix some up and see if my teenagers will play with it. I miss the days of sidewalk chalk and driveway art…
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Oh, that looks great! I love it!
Kerry - aaah wow Meg! looks like such fun! Talby is looking so summery, gorgeous girl 🙂 Enjoy your last few days of summer hols xx
Lindsay - Looks like fun! We will have to give it a try today!
Terrie - Here’s to a busy 4 days!! 🙂