Prepare Your Yard for Winter in 3 Simple Steps #LSSS

September 14, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

September is often a warm and beautiful month here in Saskatchewan, but the cool nights and shorter days always get me thinking about winter nonetheless. And that means that I start thinking about how to prepare our yard and outdoor area for the cold winter months ahead. Saying goodbye to summer is never one of my favourite moments, but making sure all our favourite things are ready for next year is worth the work!

Step One – Cleaning

Back yard preparation always starts with some yard cleaning for me. Getting all the boys’ smaller outdoor toys into the house and packed away in a box for next year is my first step. Then I treat any weeds that have sprung up in between our patio stones in the back yard. Finally, a quick spray-down of the concrete and a fall flower beside my favourite bench ensures I can enjoy the yard during cooler fall days as well! [Read more…]

Take Back Your Yard with the GreenStrike Mosquito Preventer

June 17, 2015 by Kathryn 28 Comments

Living in rural Saskatchewan, I am no stranger to mosquitoes. Some years there don’t seem to be too many and avoiding the outdoors during dawn and dusk is enough to tolerate the itch-inducing pests. Other years the mosquito population is so high that the bugs end up preventing all kinds of outdoor fun.

This year Saskatchewan had an unusually warm spring. And while that meant that we got to have much more outdoor fun than usual, it also meant that mosquitoes made an early appearance! Luckily, this year I had the chance to take back my yard with the help of the GreenStrike Mosquito Preventer!

[Read more…]

Three Easy Tips for Creating an Appealing Outdoor Space

July 24, 2013 by Kathryn 7 Comments

In my opinion, nothing makes a house more appealing than a great back yard. In warm summer weather, it really becomes an extra part of the house and our family considers it the absolute best place to be. So how do you turn your back yard into a haven the whole family will enjoy? These are my top three tips for creating an inviting back yard space.

boys lemonade stand

1) Make a Place for the Kids

A yard isn’t any fun if the whole family can’t enjoy spending time there. If you want to make a long-term investment, consider a large play structure or swing set that will be used for years. If your budget is limited, smaller items like a plastic sandbox or an assortment of balls, Frisbees and other outdoor sports equipment can provide hours of fun for children. [Read more…]

KidKraft Outdoor Chairs-A Must-Have Accessory for Yards This Summer

May 14, 2012 by Kathryn 12 Comments

While I sometimes dream of having a gorgeous landscaped back yard like the ones I see in magazines, creating and maintaining an area like that just isn’t one of my top priorities. When it comes to outfitting our yard, there’s only one real goal I have right now and that’s to make the space as fun and inviting for my boys as I possibly can.

kidkraft Outdoor Sling Chair With a trampoline, two swing sets and a variety of smaller play sets filling the yard already, I think I’m doing pretty well. But the boys really didn’t have a place they could sit down and relax. My husband and I had our comfy patio set, but all Zackary and Benjamin had was a small plastic picnic table. So I was delighted when KidKraft gave me the chance to review two of its gorgeous outdoor chairs for children.

I received the children’s Outdoor Sling Chair and Adirondack Chair to review. I decided to get ambitious and put the Outdoor Sling Chair together myself. It looked like it would be fairly easy to assemble and since Curtis usually takes the lead with any projects like this, I thought it would be fun to see how I did on my own. Luckily, the chair came with easy-to-follow instructions and all the tools I needed for assembly. Within about half an hour, I had managed to completely assemble this cute and comfy chair!

I left the Adirondack Chair to Curtis, however, and I’m very glad I did! It had far more pieces and the assembly was a much more complicated process than that of the other chair, but Curtis is a genius when it comes to things like this and soon both chairs were ready for the boys to enjoy!

boys in kidkraft chairs — Zackary and Benjamin couldn't wait to relax in their new chairs once we'd assembled them!

The chairs were the perfect size for Zackary and Benjamin, though Zackary will likely be too large for them in a year or so. The boys looked so cute sitting together side-by-side in their new chairs and I was very excited to move them outside so that they could have a comfy place to sit outdoors.

Shortly after moving the chairs outside, Saskatchewan received a solid week of rain and I was a little worried about how the chairs would hold up, but KidKraft products are built to last and these sturdy wooden chairs were no exception. They still looked like new even after the dreary weather and the boys had so much fun with their new seating once the weather warmed up again! It was wonderful to see how much they enjoyed having a place to sit down and rest after running and playing.

kidkraft adirondack chair KidKraft has plenty of other fabulous children’s furniture for both indoor and outdoor use, not to mention some of the most popular toys available as well! And the quality and durability of the KidKraft products makes them a great investment for your household. Unlike so many products for children today, items from KidKraft are almost certain to last for generations!

My boys love their KidKraft chairs and I love that they have such a nice place to rest when they’ve tired themselves out playing. Not to mention the fact that the chairs add a little extra style to our yard too! If you’re looking for gorgeous and durable outdoor furniture for your kids, check out KidKraft and see what pieces might be perfect for your back yard. You’re sure to find outdoor furniture that you and your kids will both love!
mommy kat and kids RP