We’re in the last throes of summer, when even the most enthusiastic fans of the season begin to wish for things start cooling down soon. For this last official month of summer, the Lifestyles channel decided to introduce you to what makes our dog days a little more bearable!

At The Food Bowl, I’ve got a frosty treat to help your dog beat the heat with a home-made, doggy-approved ice cream recipe, and I want to know how you calm your upset pet when it comes time for travel and vacation. You can also meet my menagerie here.

Linette at Mother Earth’s Garden shares photos of her four legged garden companions. Robust Cooking has 9 Healthy Treats you can make for your dog. And, it’s dog party planning time at She Knows Parties, with dog party invitations, and dog party games.

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This is the week of Bloggy Giveaways! Don’t forget your chance to win ‘The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook’ ends tonight, as does the contest for “Hugs for Chocolate Lovers” at JLo Stalker.

Check out the rest of the giveaways happening around the Lifestyles Channel this week!

The Food Bowl: 2 copies of “Take Our Cat, Please!” A Get Fuzzy collection
Contest Ends: July 31

Inside Motherhood: Hoover WindTunnel™ Self-Propelled Vacuum
Contest Ends: July 31

Weary Parent: EZSchoolSupplies.com school supply pack
Contest Ends: July 31

Inside Fatherhood: Your Baby Can Read! Starter DVD and Word Cards
Contest Ends: July 31

Babylune: The Book of Calamities; A is for Atticus
Contest Ends: August 1

MomGadget: Dooney and Bourke PDA Cell Phone Case
Contest Ends: August 1

Quilting and Patchwork: Sarah’s Patchwork by Stephanie Grace Whitson; What I Learned from God While Quilting, by Ruth McHaney Danner and Cristine Bolley
Contest Ends: August 1

Play Library: Nine Giveaways
Contests Ends: August 1

Blog Fabulous: Mama Gena’s Owner’s and Operator’s Guide to Men
Contest Ends: August 3

Hankering for Yarn: Several contests
Contest Ends: August 3

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This month, the Lifestyles channel decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - a picnic!

Let’s start with dessert first!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

What fun is a summer BBQ if you feel disorganized and in disarray?  Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it.  Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs?  Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread.  Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions - including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets - they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly anything!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done, kick back with a nice frozen beverage.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

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While the writers here at the Lifestyles Channel reside all across the globe, one thing that remains constant are the celebrations of fireworks. Whether it’s here in the U.S. with the Fourth of July or on the other side of the world in New Zealand we all know a summer celebration isn’t the same without fireworks and the memories that go with them.

Chloe of Tangled Thread shares a few festive fireworks and needlework patterns.

Kerri and Cory at Marriage Actually talk about why having a shared past is one of the best parts about being married.

Heather at A Creative Journal shares her first memory of firecrackers with a view from Australia.

Christine at Mad Cropper remembers Guy Fawkes Day, a day celebrated in New Zealand with lots of fireworks. Find out why Guy Fawkes is celebrated by the English and most commonwealth countries. It is indeed a blast from the past!

Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork, provides a quiz for her readers.  See how many of the quilt designs you can connect with historical Americana - events, objects or people.

Marye at Baking Delights reflects on just how much menu’s have changed over the years while at Kettle and Cup she shares a modern twist that many are sure to love with her Non-Alcoholic Long Island Iced Tea

Kelly Saunders at Thrifty Mommy shares her favorite 4th of July memory - I just can’t spoil the surprise - check it out.

Char and Christine continue Camp Weary Parent with this weeks Patriotic activities:  Star Spangled Rocket and a week full of other fun projects

Marcie and Mary Emma are blasting through books with Fourth of July and summer recommendations at One Book Two Book. Make sure to check out Fourth of July Books for Teens and The 10 Best Fourth of July Picture Books

Linette at Robust Cooking shares 10 Healthy 4th of July Dessert Ideas.  At Mother Earth’s Garden she calls out the old saying about corn - “Knee high by the fourth of July.”  At She Knows Parties, she shares fond memories of her summers and holidays as a child.

Karen at Thrifty Mommy probably has the most reason to celebrate the fourth as anyone I’ve heard - join Karen as she shares family photos of one of the most memorable nights in her families lives.

Sandy at All Holiday Cafe provides us with a list of when Independence Day is celebrated in various countries around the world.

Christina at SoloMother shares her own experiences of celebrating the 4th of July in the nation’s capital.

Susan at PlayLibrary shares her memories of playing the classic game of Zimm Zamm during her family’s annual July 4th barbecue celebration.

Heather at Chocolate Bytes may not be having a ‘blast from the past’ but she’s got one heck of a yummy red, white and blue treat she’s serving up.

Eliza at Babylune reflects back on early holiday celebrations with baby on board and looks to this years celebration - their first out of the military.

Last but certainly not least there’s Gayla at MomGadget, whose memories take place in an earlier time when life was much simpler and her celebrations took place with relatives down in the holler in the hills of Kentucky.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday, no matter where or what you’re celebrating!

This month, the writers around the Lifestyles channel were asked to show everyone the views from our windows. Some took a creative approach and painted a portrait with words and others share actual images of what we see on a day-to-day basis:

Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book shares a view from her window that entertains and delights her grandchildren. She also tells us how she was influenced by her mothers view from a kitchen window, as well as suggesting views for quilters.

Also at One Book Two Book, Karen shares the sweetest view of her kids playing on the deck and how the two youngsters deal with the heat.

Linette, one of our resident super bloggers is sharing views on three blogs. The first is a beautiful view of her back yard that she’s sharing on She Knows Parties. Next, on Robust Cooking she shares a photo of her window herb garden. Last, on Mother Earth’s Garden she shares a beautiful view from her front porch.

Sandy at All Holiday Cafe shares the view of her garden, a perfect backdrop for any summer holiday.

Marye at Baking Delights shares details of some of her favorite views throughout time and from some of her favorite windows in her massive farmhouse where she lives now.Check out the veggie garden she has in her front yard.

Another of our super bloggers, Heather, shares her view while enjoying everyone’s favorite topic - Chocolate at Chocolate Bytes.  She’s also a very brave mother taking on a topic like chocolate while being a mom to twins when she shares the view from the twins’ window at Inside Motherhood.And what would an animal lover be without sharing their pets favorite view? Heather shares her cat’s view at The Food Bowl.

Susan at Play Library shares a view from her car window as she and her husband go out to dinner for their anniversary.

Trench - our resident Superhero on who spends his time tracking down crime both on the internet at My Crime Space and crimes of passion in the real world at Psycho for Love shares a figurative view of what life looks like from his windows.

Marcie at A Child Chosen shares a glimpse through the “types” of windows in her life as an international adoptive mother and more.

Cyndi from Layers Upon Layers shares the breathtaking view from her front porch in New England.

Peggy at Junk Creation shares an adorable image of Goslings on Parade as they waddle their way by Peggy’s window.

Our newest Lifestyles member Rachel comes on board her first channel carnival with an adorable detailed view of her new window with her fur baby, Louie.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Gayla shares a beautiful sunset in rural Indiana as it rests on full display behind the farm across the road on MomGadget.

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The theme for this month’s Lifestyles day is “The View From My Window.” I decided to take a shot from my little kitchen window because it’s what I look out of when I’m in the kitchen playing with chocolate! It’s located right above the kitchen sink, which is in a corner of the kitchen, so the view from the window is a little awkward. Just to the right of the shot is the front door, which is why you see a little bit of our “No Soliciting” sign in the bottom right corner.

The view isn’t much to look at. Our next door neighbors usually have about six cars parked out in front of their house and ours (half of them with expired tags, and in the case of that pickup, paint marker all over the windows), and for some reason they refuse to use either their own driveway or garage. It makes for a fun time when we try to have guests over and they have to park down the street!

Anyway, we have a really cool tree that winds up around itself (we have no idea what it is), and a huge bunch of one of my favorite flowers, alyssums, all around it. My mom had alyssums planted in our front flower garden when I was growing up and the smell of them brings back many happy memories. We found them on sale at a local nursery a year ago and snatched them up. They’re especially wonderful here because they bloom year-round!

See the view from the cats’ favorite window, and a bedroom window.

Image details: Get Yer Ices served by picapp.com

The Lifestyles Channel recently submitted links to entries that say “summertime” to each of us. Our fearless Gayla compiled the list, and if you’ve got a minute check out all the great ideas below, and have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book reminds you to check out your local library for their summer reading programs, which can be great fun for youngsters, parents and grandparents.

Be gone foul wasp! Noreen Crone-Findlay at Hankering for Yarn has designed a crocheted fake wasp nest to trick the wasps and yellow jackets into staying away from her home. Let’s hope it works!

Elizabeth at Career and Kids shares tips for those busy potluck and picnic days at work and home. And on GenBetween she also shares 10 warm weather tips for aging adults.

Kadi Prescott of Supernanny Rules discusses the importance of continued learning during those long summer breaks from school.

Deborah Ng at Simply Thrifty paints a beautiful portrait of life as a kid in the 70’s in Queens with “Dining Al Fresco in the Summers of My Youth.”

Cyndi Lavin of Jewelry and Beading wants her readers to win a beautiful medallion, just in time for some summertime beading fun. On Layers Upon Layers you’ll learn some digital effects to give your summertime pictures some zip! And nothing beats crisp tangy salads for summertime eating. Busy Family Meals has a special salad dressing giveaway.

I have two recipes that say “summertime” — chocolate zucchini cake and Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream. If you hop over to The Food Bowl, I offer tips on heat stroke prevention for your pets.

My co-blogger Sherry at Inside Motherhood discusses taking her daughter to the market and explaining to her how it’s better to support locally grown farm foods rather than importing food as a bit of an educational field trip.

Christina at Solo Mother shares a bit of a then and now as she discusses Sunday rituals as a child and those of today with her own child.

Maricar at Keeping the Castle shares a wonderful guest post by Jeff Wilson of the DIY Network where he discusses simple steps to an amazing deck makeover.

Karen at Thrifty Mommy shares two very popular classic posts - 15 Summer Cooking Tips and 10 Thrifty Ways to Deal with Mosquitos.

Peggy at Junk Creation shares how to make a Vacation Scrapbook Planter from a Sour Cream Container.

Katelyn from Stamping Mad has created a mixed media collage to remind herself to take time to enjoy the wonderful summer weather.

Farley at Behind the Vines is preparing for some summertime wine tasting. The only thing left to do is decide on a destination.

Sandy Mitchell at Robust Cooking shares 9 Quick Vegetable Grilling Tricks and if you hop over to her other blog All Holiday Cafe, she shares 10 Ways to Save Money on Summer Holiday Travel.

Susan Gunelius at Play Library shares fond memories of her younger days spending hours in the family pool and flashes forward to today and the fun and affordable pool toys that are available.

Linette Gerlach at Mother Earth’s Garden shares tips on Creating an Outdoor Space to escape to for relaxation, and at She Knows Parties, Linette shares a Party Punch Decorative Ice Ring for a cool refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Noel Bautista at Unplugged Living enlightens us on solar cooking options as an alternative to traditional grilling methods.

Last, Gayla at MomGadget takes a stroll down memory lane with some favorite dishes and flavors of summertime.

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Last week the Lifestyles Channel shared the spot(s) they write from but I was still out of state and didn’t get a chance to participate, though I wanted to!

So here’s my desk. It’s located in the corner of our family room and is connected to my husband’s desk which is right behind me and faces the wall on the right (he custom-made it). We desperately need an office and hopefully that’ll be happening sooner than rather later!

As of my birthday last year (my husband got me a laptop) this is another spot I can now write from! As you can see it’s also popular with 1/3 of the pet population.

What does your writing space look like?

Image details: Health Food Junk Food served by picapp.com

The Lifestyles channel is participating in the bloggy giveaways this week. I’m not because I’m not going to be around for the next week and won’t be able to keep up on it, but check out what everyone else is doing and see how you can win!

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Here are some of the giveaways going on right now! There will be more giveaways going on throughout the week, so you may wish to sign up for our channel feed.

Tree Hugging Family - Mothering Magazine Subscriptions - Big Green Purse
Mother Earth’s Garden - Let it Rot! The Gardener’s Guide to Composting - Leapin Lemur and Penguin Puffs
Simply Thrifty - Coupon Organizer
Offbeat Homes - Building With Awareness Guidebook on DVD
Hankering for Yarn - Butterfly Earrings
Junk Creations - EcoHangers
Stamping Mad - Stamping Hobbyists Gift Set
Jewelry and Beading - Artful Blogging Magazine
Layers Upon Layers - Art Doll Quarterly
Quilting and Patchwork - The Magic of Patchwork Book
Babylune - Hanes Gift Certificates
Tool Belt Tips - 2 Cases Thompson’s Water Seal
Tangled Thread - Tags and Tie Dyes Contest
Busy Family Meals - Asian Cooking Starter Kit
Blog Fabulous - Boogie Dance Giveaway
Thrifty Mommy - Honey Thyme Herb Farm, Recycled Bags, Cooking Light Cookbook - Towel Spa
Weary Parent - You’re a Good Mom Gift Set, Blume Girl Boutique Giveaway, Blog Design
Supernanny Rules - Skincare by Amino Genesis
Kettle and Cup - The Tea Table Book
Baking Delights - Hello Cupcake Book
Behind the Vine - Wine lovers will love Vacu Vin
Solo Mother - Sexy Dancing
Keeping the Castle - Hypoallergenic Pillow from Lands’ End
Career and Kids and GenBetween - 5 SanDisk Gator Cruzer 4GB Flash Drives - contest 1 - contest 2
Play Library - Melissa and Doug Birthday Party Cake Toy
A Child Chosen - Crystal and Pearl Earrings
One Book Two Book - Tessy and Tab Reading Starter Kit

Have fun and best of luck!