Bring the Family Together This Holiday Season!

Are you looking for ways to bring your family together this holiday season?  

Check out these great ideas:

Homemade Christmas Ornaments:

http://spoonful.com/christmas/ornament-crafts-for-christmas-gallery#carousel-id=photo-carousel&carousel-item=2

Edible Ornament Cupcakes:

http://spoonful.com/recipes/edible-ornament-cupcake

Adopt an Elf on the Shelf!

http://www.elfontheshelf.com/

We Hope You Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

-The Hammocks at Orchard Park Staff

November Means Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  If you’re looking for recipes to please the whole family this year, check these out!

Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe:

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-stuffing-recipe/

Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/cinnamon-apple-cranberry-sauce-recipe/index.html

Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie:

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/libbys-famous-pumpkin-pie/detail.aspx

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Happy October; Happy Halloween!

October 2013

Need costume ideas that won’t break your budget? Check out this website!

http://spoonful.com/halloween/halloween-kids-costumes

Check out these not-so-scary Halloween treats:

“Ghastly Goblin Grins”

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/ghastly-goblin-grins-114095.aspx

“Pizza Mummies”

http://spoonful.com/recipes/pizza-mummies

“Banana Ghosts”

http://spoonful.com/recipes/banana-ghosts

September 2013: Back to School

Teaching kids at home has never been easier than with food!  Click here for a fun link on how to teach kids fractions with snacks!

Looking for a light snack to hold the kids over until dinner? Try these:

Mini Party Pizzas

“Berry Bugs”

“Totem Poles”

Fun End-of-Summer Activities

Summer is winding its way down, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t fun end-of-summer activities to do!

Erie County Fair- August 7-18^th

http://www.ecfair.org/

‘Can’t Stop Pop’- Albright Knox – August 10-September 8^th

http://www.buffalo.com/events/view/cant-stop-pop-at-albright-knox/2013-08-10/

Shakespeare in the Park- Delaware Park- July 25- August 18^th

Play- ‘Measure for Measure’

http://shakespeareindelawarepark.org/

Don’t let the end-of-summer blues keep you from enjoying these activities that come at the end of the season! 

Happy 4th of July!

Don’t know quite what to bring to that 4^th of July party or summer picnic you were invited to? Here are some great recipes for a backyard barbecue!

Grilled Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rosemary-ranch-chicken-kabobs/detail.aspx

Penne Pasta Salad

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/penne-pasta-salad/detail.aspx

American Flag Cake

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Decorating-a-Flag-Cake/Detail.aspx

Also, make sure to have your corn on the cob, fresh fruit, and a cocktail along with your summer barbecue!!

After lunch, make sure to include games like bocce ball, horseshoes, bean bag toss, etc. This is great for all ages!

AND WHEN IT GETS DARK…. MAKE SURE YOU GRAB YOUR LAWNCHAIR, SNACKS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY… AND HEAD ON DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL FIREWORKS SHOW!

Summer Activities in June!

Well folks, summer is officially here! Time to break out and soak up some of the sunshine. Here are some fun ideas to get yourself out and about!

Plan a picnic

Go on a bike ride

Visit a local park

Enjoy a walk around the block

Fly kites with a friend

Go down to the waterfront

Go hiking

There are so many outdoor activities in our neighborhood! Get out and enjoy the fresh, crisp, summer air!

Rainy day in June, and can’t go outside? Enjoy some of these fun indoor activities with a friend or loved one!

Play a game of checkers

Read that book you’ve been itching to get at

Start a journal

Watch a classic movie

Make some arts and crafts

Explore old pictures you have stored away. Bring back memories!

Anyway you look at it, June is a great month to have summer after spring fun!

Interesting in living at Orchard Park?  Visit our website here!

Weekend Getaway or At-Home Activities: You Choose!

Are you feeling like it’s time to get away on a vacation or weekend getaway? The winter months have past, spring is here, but you have that urge to splurge on yourself. Go ahead! Get on out of here with your family or a couple friends and adventure somewhere! Here’s a great website to visit to help you plan your next trip!

http://honeymoons.about.com/od/vacationweather/qt/May_Jun_Weather.htm

Not in the mood to vacation? Just don’t want to get away or spend the extra cash? Here's a website that has 30 different things to do at home, alone or with your family! 

http://www.berkscountyliving.com/May-2012/30-Family-Fun-Things-to-do-This-Summer/

April Showers Bring May Flowers

April showers bring May flowers,
That is what they say.
But if all the showers turned to flowers,
We’d have quite a colourful day!

There’d be bluebells and cockleshells,
Tulips red and green,
Daffodils and Chinese squill,
The brightest you’ve ever seen.

You’d see tiger lilies and water lilies,
Carnations pink and blue,
Forget-me-not and small sundrop
Glistening with the dew.

We’d have fireweed and milkweed
And many more different flowers.
Mexican star and shooting star,
Falling in the showers.

And if all the showers turned to flowers
On that rainy April day,
Would all the flowers turn to showers
In the sunny month of May.

Still feeling a little cooped up from the winter months? Need to get out and explore WNY?  Click here for your April family and friend fun!

Spring Has Sprung!!

March 20th is the vernal equinox, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It also marks the end of "the winter that wasn't," as the past several months in North America have been dubbed. It was the fourth-warmest winter in the United States since record-keeping began 117 years ago. In accord with the unusual weather, this turn of the season brings us snow in Arizona and Saudi Arabia, while conditions remain sunny and warm in America's Northeast and Western Europe. Collected here are scenes from around the world as a strange winter gives way to spring.

(http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/03/the-first-day-of-spring/100266/)

This year Easter falls on Sunday, March 31^st. Whether you are still searching for your Easter basket, or spending the day with family and friends, here are some great ideas for some crafts! Please visit the following websites to enjoy some Easter fun!

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/easter/crafts/

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/easter/

http://www.marthastewart.com/274529/easter-table-crafts-and-favors/@center/276968/easter

Valentine's Day Romance!

Looking for a romantic song to sweep your significant other off their feet? Looking to make a lasting impression on your sweetheart? Look no farther! Here is a list of the top 10 love songs to help you out this Valentine’s Day!

1. Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers

2. Unforgettable - Nat King Cole

3. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney

4. When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge

5. Your Song - Elton John

6. Woman - John Lennon

7. How Deep Is Your Love - The Bee Gees

8. You're the Inspiration - Chicago

9. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

10. I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton

(http://top10.wikia.com/wiki/Love_Songs_of_All_Time)

Orchard Park Winter Events!

We are officially two weeks into winter and Mother Nature has reared her beautifully hideous head. Are you getting cabin fever yet? Are you looking for something to do to pass the winter time? Orchard Park and the surrounding areas have a lot of fun events coming up on the community calendar. Check out Visit Buffalo Niagara for their calendar of events for some great winter-time activities! Between the festivals, the classes, the exhibits, and even the free ice skating, you’re sure to find something the whole family can enjoy!