I’m a little sad that this is our last Picnic Parade for this year. Did you have as much fun as we did?! If you are visiting us for the first time today, make sure to check out our other Picnic Parades. I’m sure there will be more in the future!
Last, but not least, here is Tori with her Beach Themed Picnic at Home with Ladybug Girl at the Beach.
Hi there!! My name is Tori and I blog over at Mess to Blessed. I am so excited to visit today. Summer break has officially hit our house and what better way than to celebrate than with a picnic? But not just any picnic…
Beach Themed Picnic at Home with Ladybug Girl at the Beach
In just a few weeks you will find our family doing this exact picnic but gone will be the green grass of Tennessee and hello to the sandy beach of Galveston, Texas. My crew is just a little more than stoked about this-my daughter mentions “Texas beach” at least three times a day. It’s no wonder that her favorite book is Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman and Jackie Davis.
Ladybug Girl is a series written by Soman that highlights the adventures of a little girl, Lulu, and her dog, Bingo. This book in particular is about Lulu’s first trip to the beach. How fitting it is that when a problem must be solved-and in this case her fear of the ocean waves- that Lulu pretends she is Ladybug Girl? Ladybug girl finds that her favorite pail is washing away in the ocean when she confronts her fear head on, retrieves the pail, and finds herself enjoying the ocean waves she feared.
The moral in this story is so similar to us as Christians. We shy away from the unknown, the unfamiliar, the counter-cultural.
“God, You want me to do WHAT? ”
But when we face those head-on, we find ourselves right in the midst of God’s blessings.
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.
This is a valuable lesson for our children and for we as parents as well. To face our fears, to do something we are scared to do. But when we do this, we are braver than before, and the joy on the other side is amazing.
To go along with this book, I decided it was perfect for a Beach themed picnic at home. A special menu was made, beach towels were set out, sunglasses were donned, even my favorite beach hat was there.
Menu for our Beach Themed Picnic:
- Sun sandwiches,
- Beach balls
- Seaweed sticks
- Dolphin Bananas
- Sand Pudding
- And Ocean water
This was the perfect summer activity. Reading, pretending we are at the beach, eating lunch outside (no mess inside today Mom!)
I made the menu extra simple.
- Sun sandwiches-bologna sandwiches cut out with the Pampered Chef sandwich cutter
- Beach balls-Off brand cheese balls
- Seaweed sticks-Grapes on Skewers
- Dolphin Bananas-simply cut the top of the banana about an inch with scissors then draw on two eyes.
- Sand Pudding-Pudding snacks with graham cracker crumbs. Then topped off with a goldfish cracker we had left over.
- Ocean water- blue Kool-Aid
A simple, fun activity for the family this summer. I’m not so sure our favorite cat was so thrilled with it though. We interrupted his nap time.
It would be perfect to add a kiddie pool, slip and slide, water guns or water balloons for a little adventure. We settled with the water hose.
What is your favorite book for this summer? I want to challenge you to have some fun in the sun with your kiddos and make some memories. Come check out my blog Mess to Blessed for more fun!! Join in on the fun at my Facebook page as well!
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Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Tori Cole
Jeremiah 29:11-13
Check out these inspiring Picnic Parade ideas:
A Nighttime Picnic with Night Animals
Picnic at the Oklahoma Land Run
Burgess Bird Book–Welcome Spring!
Imagination Station’s “Light in the Lion’s Den”
Picnic with a Purpose: Who Was Mother Teresa?
What a fun and simple picnic you set up!
I’ve seen these books at the library, but my boys tend to shy away from ‘girl’ books now. I may need to just check it out and read it with my youngest soon.
LauraOinAK recently posted…Food for Kids Bellies ~ Foster Farms Giveaway
If he doesn’t mind reading about girl characters, I think he would like them. 🙂
Sounds like an awesome book – and that picnic looked like so much fun!!
Heather Hart recently posted…Let’s Be Real (we all struggle with something)
what a great beach read 🙂
Well, the food suggestions alone look very appetizing – and so does the curriculum – especially the part about “stepping out in faith”…
Looks like a great time! Yay for summer and Ladybug Girl! – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
I’ve been learning a lot about facing my fears recently. This book and accompanying activities look fun!
Susan Evans recently posted…How Government Gets Its Money
I love everything about this. A) You’ve given me a verse to study and meditate on; and B) the picnic lunch is too cute! I can’t wait to do this with my youngest!
Erin recently posted…It’s time: Put your big boy britches on!
This is one of my daughter’s favorites! & What a cute idea for a picnic! It is so miserable here this time of year and I think the state bird might be the mosquito so we don’t do a lot of picnicking, but you’ve inspired me to try to work it in for at least a cute snack!
Jennifer DeFrates/Heaven Not Harvard recently posted…Is Christ in your Social Media Message?
First of all,that cat is adorable! Secondly, stepping out in faith has never looked so good!
The ladybug girl series is so cute. These ideas for enjoying this beach themed book are so cute!
Kristi recently posted…Lift Up Your Eyes
*envious* haven’t had a picnic for the last N years, I’m really glad for you