Creating Summertime Memories with DIGIORNO and DIY Paper Pinwheels

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This year Summer has taken on a whole new meaning for our family. It is no longer just the hottest season of the year, it is the start of something, the end of something. My son will be home and next year he will be going to school for a full day. My daughter will be heading off on the bus this Fall so this is my Summer to enjoy them and for all of us to create memories together.

Friday starts our break and my little adventurers have big plans for the long Summer days. Armed with explorer vests, binoculars, magnifying glasses and bug vacuums they want the chance to explore the backyard and their world.

You better believe I want to be out there experiencing it with them. My daughter is completely enthralled with lady bugs, roly polies and caterpillars right now. It reminds me of my own backyard exploration at her age. 

My goal for this Summer is to get outside, have fun and spend a little less time in the kitchen. I headed into my local Walmart to stock up on quick family meal options to help me out.

Pizza is a fun antime food, but it is great for those lazy Summer days. And if I don't want to make the house hot, I can always throw a pizza on the grill outside.

The truth is, I would rather be out savoring summertime than worrying about dinner.

I enjoy the oven ready DIGIORNO pizzas because they are easy to prepare and come in a variety of flavors and crust options. This time around I wanted to try the new DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit and also pizzeria! from DIGIORNO®. I am already a fan of the DIGIORNO® RISING CRUST® Pizza.

I enlisted my kids to help me make lunch the other day. the DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit came with everything we needed to customize our own pie. With pepperoni, chicken, onions, extra cheese, seasoning and more my kids used every last item in the box.

They were especially excited to tell Daddy that they made the pizza themselves!

Pizza is something the whole family can enjoy and clean up is simple. It is a great way to refuel and get back outside for more fun.

I really enjoyed trying the new pizzeria! from DIGIORNO®. I picked up the new Tuscan Chicken and it reminded me so much of the specialty pizzas I used to order in the city. Great ingredients, grown up flavors but at a reasonable family price.

And being a year old, this was the baby's first pizza. Now isn't that a fun memory to make? I cut his slice into bite-sized (or finger friendly) pieces and let him explore and enjoy it. Finally this kid has enough teeth to show the crispy crust who's boss!

Another memory we all made together was with these homemade pinwheels. Everytime we go to Walmart my kids beg me to buy them the shiny pinwheels on the end-caps. I don't know how many of those things we have smashed, broken, lost or torn. Making our own was not only easy, but it was a lot of fun to customize them ourselves. 

So just in time for warmer weather and Independence Day we made patriotic pinwheels. You will just need a few simple supplies.

DIY Paper Pinwheels

You Will Need:

• scrapbook paper in various colors and patterns. Cut 2, 5"x5" squares
• coordinating circle 
• pinwheel template (print out)
• scissors
• hole punch
• Elmer's glue dots
• bendable drinking straws
• pencil
• 1 1/2" brad

Use the template to cut out your paper square, with notches and circle. Punch a hole in the center of your square and where indicated on the pattern edges. Also punch a hole in the middle of your circle. Glue the scrapbook paper together placing the top sheets diagonal to each other so the edges do not meet, but the center circles are alligned. With a pencil, curl the edges of each strip towards the center. 

Start with one peice, carefully lining up the holes, and going around the circle in order, glue one peice on top of the next. You will start to see your pinwheel taking shape. Then glue the circle cut-out on top, again lining up the center hole. 

Bend the flexible straw. Coming from behind your pinwheel pushing the short end through both the hole in the back and then out through the layered peices. If there is any resistence, use your scissors to gentle widen the punched holes. The paper needs to be able to turn freely on the straw.

Take a brad to seperate and flare out the ends. Push this through the front of the straw. By bending the brad, it will push out on the sides of the straw holding it into place. You can add a little glue to the end, if you wish.

Hold you pinwheel at a slight angle and blow. These are great as kids' toys or for festive decorations around the holiday.

So whether you plan to catch some bugs, makes paper pinwheels, or just enjoy a good Summer book on your Kindle, do yourself a favor, stock your freezer and worry less about dinner and more about savoring Summer.

'Cause you know Summer will be over before we know it...

Looking for more great meal or dessert ideas? Check out Nestle's Flavorful Moments.

Which DIGIORNO pizza is your favorite?