Blog Posts

Popsicle Stick Games

This month, Port Landing at Fife Blog is focusing on one of the summer’s favorite treats — the popsicle. For this post, enjoy reading about two different games that you can play using popsicle sticks! From just a few sticks to hundreds, these activities are sure to add some fun to your month in Fife, WA. Enjoy! A Bit Dicey - A Minute to Win It Game This game was featured on the popular “Minute to Win It” game show. All you need in order to play is dice and popsicle sticks. “You have one minute to build a tower of six dice on the end of a popsicle stick. The trick here is that the popsicle stick must be held in your mouth. Begin the game by placing the popsicle stick in your mouth. Then start the clock. Using your hands, begin building a tower of dice, one by one, on the end of the stick. To win this game, you must have a vertical stack of six dice on the end of the stick, and it must be freestanding. You must balance all six dice on the end of the popsicle stick in just one minute.” The rules are simple: Do not use your face to keep the tower of dice upright. Also, if you end up dropping any dice on the floor, then you must use replacement dice from the table. While this game might seem easy, it can be quite the challenge! Have fun playing this with your friends in your apartment this month. For an instructional video on how to play “A Bit Dicey,” watch the Minute to Win It video . Chain reaction Building a chain reaction with popsicle sticks is a satisfying equivalent to building a long trail of dominoes and then knocking them down. Popsicle sticks are a little more “explosive,” however, and thus perhaps even more exciting to watch. If you have enough popsicle sticks, split up into teams with your friends. Each team can build a long chain reaction and then race them to see which one finishes exploding first. Just remember that these chain reactions can require a pretty big clean up afterward, so be prepared to do some tidying once you’re all finished. Are you planning on trying out one of these activities this month? Share with everyone in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Popsicle Stick Crafts

This month, Port Landing at Fife Blog is focusing on one of summer’s favorite treats — the popsicle. For today’s post, we’re sharing a few different projects you can make with popsicle sticks. Continue enjoying the stick long after the icy treat is gone with these six exciting projects! Sidewalk Chalk Popsicles by hello, Wonderful With this project, combine a favorite summer treat with one of the summer’s favorite activities. Playing with sidewalk chalk is a great outdoor activity for kids and adults. It can keep them busy for long periods of time. Sidewalk chalk gets even more exciting when it looks like a popsicle. Sunburst Mirror by Gracefully Searching Sunburst mirrors look brilliant on anyone’s wall, and the process is actually quite simple. Just make sure you have a lot of glue and popsicle sticks! Popsicle Stick Photo Bracelet by it’s always autumn You’ll need to buy a pack of jumbo popsicle sticks for this one. Simply boil the sticks for 30 minutes, then soak them for another hour in warm water. After that, you should be able to easily bend the sticks without them breaking. With empty mason jars, place the bent sticks inside — this will help them retain their shape! Place them in the oven for another 30 minutes and pretty soon you can apply photos. These look great, can be made to fit any size wrist, and are customizable. Wooden Helix Vase by The Cheese Thief This is a great way to make a simple glass vase look stunning! In a similar way as the photo bracelet, you’ll bend these popsicle sticks. The instructions encourage you to use a steamer basket, so if that works better than the previous method, go for it! Popsicle Postcards by sheknows Have you ever seen postcards like these? Mail a popsicle to a family member or friend! You’ll not only deliver a message, but “a smile to anyone’s mailbox.” Popsicle Stick Playing Cards by Instructables This craft requires a wood burner. You can also use ink, but the effect from the burner leaves a wonderful result. We hope you’ve enjoyed these popsicle stick craft ideas! What projects will you make in your apartment in Fife, WA? Thanks for reading!

Tasty Popsicle Recipes

This month, Port Landing at Fife Blog is focusing on one of summer’s favorite treats — the popsicle! For this post, we’ve compiled a few favorite popsicle recipes that you can make in your apartment in Fife, WA. Not only are popsicles tasty, they’re generally affordable. From mint chocolate cheesecake to peach and banana smoothie, one of these recipes is sure to catch your eye and cool your tongue — without breaking the bank! What one will be your new favorite? Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Popsicles These cheesecake popsicles are sure to be a hit in your kitchen. With only six ingredients, this cool summer treat is one that looks great and tastes even better. Who said that popsicles have to be fruity to be delicious? Well, they don’t! Key Lime Pie Popsicles This recipe is fairly simple. All you need is Greek-style yogurt, key lime syrup (which is easy to make, as explained in the recipe), vanilla extract, and graham crackers. The result is beautiful and delicious. Green Juice Popsicles These are the healthiest popsicles on our list, but they still taste amazing! While you’ll need a blender to mix the fruits, vegetables, and juice, the rest is simple. This is a great healthy snack for kids, especially if you’re having a difficult time coaxing them to eat their vegetables. Peach-Banana Smoothie Popsicles If you’re looking for the perfect on-the-go breakfast snack, then this is it! Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Pops While it’s a little early for pumpkin season to hit us, we’re not regretting our having stumbled upon this delicious gem that is a recipe for the keeping. Made with pumpkin puree, heavy cream, caramel sauce, and a bunch of other ingredients, these popsicles are nothing short of a delight. What are your favorite popsicles to make in your apartment? Share in the comments if any of these flavors made it on your list! Thanks for reading!

Swimming Pool Games

One of the perks of living at our apartment community is having a pool just outside your apartment door. Spending time in a pool this month is a necessity in Fife, WA. Port Landing at Fife Blog brings you some fun swimming pool games to play with friends on a hot day this month. Marco Polo is a classic summer game for the pool. The person who is “it” calls, “Marco!” while their eyes are closed. The other people in the pool have to call back “Polo!” while avoiding the person who is “it”. When the person calling out “Marco!” tags someone calling “Polo!” the person tagged becomes the new Marco. Pool volleyball is great for a big group. Divide and spread out over the pool. If one team drops the ball or fails to return a volley, the other team gets a point. You can also just try to see how long you and your friends can keep the ball in the air. Dolphin Race In this game each player races against one another pushing a beach ball across the pool only using their noses. If they touch the ball with their hands, they have to jump out of the pool and start over. For large groups, do a relay race style so everyone can participate. Popsicle A variation of freeze tag, this game consists of one person being and remaining “it”. They swim after others, freezing them with a touch. Frozen players must remain immobile. However, if a player is underwater they cannot be tagged “it”, and if they swim past a frozen swimmer (otherwise known as a ‘Popsicle’) while underwater they unfreeze them. Have fun with these games! Be creative and come up with your own games. What are some of your favorite swimming pool games? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

10 Things To Do This Summer

Now that summer is in full swing, take some time to have fun with friends. The Port Landing at Fife Apartments Blog has 10 recommendations of activities to do in Fife, WA. We hope you have a fun and memorable summer. -Walk Downtown in Tacoma Take a Saturday trip to walk downtown in Tacoma, WA. Go to a show at the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts show, visit a museum, or have dinner at one of many great restaurants. Check out the Travel Tacoma website to find other great ideas. -Swim at the Pool Take advantage of the refreshing pool at Port Landing at Fife. On a sunny afternoon, spend some time at the pool, soaking up the sun, and being with friends and neighbors. -Get a Temporary Henna Tattoo Henna or Jagua are temporary tattoos that can create detailed and interesting designs. They last between 10-15 days. Purchase henna or jagua online or find someone locally. -Go on a Group Kayak Trip Invite some friends on a fun group kayak trip on the Sound. Split the cost for about $40/person. -Have a summer movie night Invite friends over for a fun summer movie night. Watch The Goonies , The Sandlot , or any other summertime movie. -Read a Book Is there a book you’ve been meaning to read? Take some time this summer to get around to reading it. Here are some great options to start with from the New York Times Best Sellers . -Go camping Find a place to lay out your tent, invite family and friends, bring s’mores, and enjoy the great outdoors. Find some local camping locations in Fife, WA on Yelp. -Visit the Fife Farmers Market Visit the farmers market in your town this summer for fresh produce. It’s open Fridays from 3-9PM. -Have a Picnic Use your produce from the Farmers Market and have a summer evening picnic in the park. Assign different foods to friends and come together for a great evening. Bring this delicious Mixed Berry Caprese Orzo Salad that is sure to please everyone. -Game night Invite friends and neighbors over for a game night. Check out some of these games that you can play as a group using smartphones. What are your favorite things to do in Fife, WA in the summer? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Get Fit Use the Port Landing at Fife Weight Room

It can be difficult to fit exercise into a busy schedule. Luckily for you, there’s a gym and weight room just outside your apartment door. The Port Landing at Fife has great equipment for anyone to use to get in shape. If you need some help getting started, then you’ve come to the right place. Read on for tips and tricks on getting started on a healthier path. - Set Aside Scheduled Time Set a time each day or a couple of times a week to exercise. Plan those workouts into your schedule. It’ll be much easier to get up and go exercise if it’s already planned into your week. - Try Out New Exercise Routines Maybe you have a favorite form of exercise and just want to stick with that. If you do, that’s great, but if not, try out different forms of exercise to find what fits you. Determine whether you’re more inclined towards fast or slow exercises, such as yoga and long-distance running versus heavy weight lifting and sprinting. Try out different forms of exercise to see what you like. Try a dance class, a new form of cardio, or a team sports if you haven’t already. Exploring can open up new opportunities and ideas for you to find what’s right. - Set Up a Support Group Having a group of people all united in the same goal can be very empowering. Invite neighbors, roommates, or coworkers to join you in a fitness plan. This can be motivating to keep working and moving forward towards your goals. It also helps you to stay accountable for what you’ve said you would do. - Track Your Progress Knowing how far you’ve come is motivating to keep up with your goals. Take time before you begin your fitness plan to weight yourself, take pictures, journal, and/or use an app or Fitbit to keep track of progress. Use the form of tracking that correlates to why you began exercising. If you want to lose weight, then weigh yourself throughout your plan. If you want to feel better and have more energy, keep a journal about how you feel each day. What’s your favorite health tip? Share with us in the comments. Thanks for reading! Come back soon to find recipes, apartment tips, community events, and more on the Port Landing at Fife Apartments Blog. We hope that you have an excellent month here in Fife, WA!