Last Days of Summer – Rich, Sweet Experiences with My Girls

Thank you Tillamook for sponsoring this post. Visit your local Ingles and pick up your favorite Tillamook cheeses and ice cream today!

Is it just me, or did summer come and go in a jiffy? It’s not over yet, but we’re definitely in the last few weeks of summer and it’s prompted me to spend a little more intentional, undistracted time with my two girls, Madison and Morgan. This summer has been filled with days at the pool, summer camp and a busy schedule for me and the hubs. When at the house, most days you can find almost all of us with our heads glued to some device. We’re much more relaxed about electronics in the summer. But, I don’t want the summer to pass without us getting some quality time in. With that said, there are so many things that can be done with your family that are fun and memorable in your own community or close by. Below are a few ways that we’re spending time together during the last days of summer!

Cooking Experience

I grew up watching my mother cook and loved being in the kitchen with her. Because of this, I really enjoy cooking and sharing that experience with my girls. Keeping it simple is key, so when they’re in the kitchen, I ensure that I make simple recipes with some of their favorite ingredients like cheese and bacon. An easy recipe to make with kids are grilled cheese sandwiches. We like to add bacon and tomatoes to ours, along with Tillamook’s sharp cheddar cheese, to spice things up a bit.

Tillamook’s cheese has been aged nine months, and the sharpness is just right and so delicious that we love to munch on its rich goodness all by itself!  The secret to making a super cheesy grilled cheese sandwich is to use both sliced and shredded cheese. Be sure to check out the recipe at the bottom of this post, if interested and find Tillamook at a store near you by clicking here.  

Travel Experience

Travel will always be one of my favorite things to do throughout the summer. We visited the Biltmore Estate in Ashville a few years ago and it was such an incredible experience for me, Mario and Maddie. It’s time for us to take another trip to the estate so that our youngest can see the beautiful castle that’s right here in our own state. It’s such a good historical, learning experience for us all, and we usually stay for the weekend and check out what the area has to offer. There are Ingles grocery stores in the Asheville area that offer great deals, and it’s our go-to spot for Tillamook products like cheese and ice cream, hint-hint. We’re planning our trip to see Mario’s big extended family trip and cooking each day while in the cabin. Once we’re there, we’re planning on popping into Ingles to pick up all of our necessities to make rich, hearty cheesy breakfasts and yummy, sweet desserts since the store has a great selection of all things Tillamook cheese and ice cream. To find your local community store, click here.

Old Experience

Go somewhere you know they’ve been before and loved. An oldie, but goodie, if you will. My girls love the kid’s museum in our community. With our busy schedules, it had been a while since we’d been so I made it a point to get us there before the summer ended. The girls had so much fun, as I knew they would. Something so simple, and inexpensive, that I knew would make them happy.

New Experience

Try something new with your family and friends. Is there a park, museum, event, etc. that you’ve never been to or tried before. Look up some local community events or places to take the kids, and find the one that you’re all sure to enjoy and go from there. I’ve been looking into upcoming NC Symphony Orchestra or Carolina Ballet events that my oldest and I could attend. Either would expose her to something new and different that we’ve never done before and might even pique some interest in her.

Game Night Experience

To be a part of the Pharr family (immediate or extended), playing games are a must. I’ve learned that my husband’s family takes game night very seriously and it’s incredibly fun to watch. The kids are also super competitive and I’ve become a competitive game player because of it throughout the years. So, too, will the girls learn to play and play well.  Because of this, we make a big deal out of game night in our home. We play all kinds of games, and we recently bought a few new games this summer to play with friends. When playing, we can’t help but to snack – and our favorite of all time is Tillamook ice cream! Madison and Morgan are obsessed with the Oregon strawberry flavor because of the extra-juicy Oregon strawberries that are mixed in, while the hubs and I prefer the Vanilla Bean flavor because it’s so rich and creamy. 

The girls like to add all kinds of toppings to their ice cream — plus, it’s so smooth and creamy, and we love every bite!  I love that Tillamook products, like their ice cream and cheese, are made from only the highest quality ingredients. Also, as part of Tillamook’s Dairy Done Right philosophy, there are no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, and no high fructose corn syrup.

Traditional Experience

I think it’s so important to create traditions, it’s one of the things you, and especially your children, will look back on and remember the most. One of our favorite pastimes that I just started doing consistently this summer is going to the bookstore after church each Sunday. The girls and I love to read, so it’s been something to look forward to each week and we all get incredibly excited about getting to choose one new book at each visit.  Reading together is so our thing, our bookshelves are always overflowing, and even that is a memory I hope they’ll cherish.

I still can’t believe how close we are to the start of the new school year.  But, we still have a bit of time to fit these things in. They say you only get 18 summers with your children. But, my hope is that we’ll get so many more than that, as I fully expect them to want to come home again and again with their families as they age. 

How are you spending your last days of summer?!

As promised, a quick and easy, bacon, tomato grilled cheese recipe to make with your littles below: