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With the ability to spend more time with our families, it can be hard to think of new and creative ideas to keep your kids occupied. As a mosquito control company that makes outside fun again, we’ve taken the lead on putting together some unique ideas (see below) the family can do together!

Backyard Events

1. Pitch a tent and camp under the stars.  This is an oldie but a goodie. Going on a full camping trip is time-consuming, takes a lot of preparation, and can be exhausting with kids. So why not cut out most of the work and skip straight to the fun? Pitch a tent, have a bonfire, maybe even tell some ghost stories, all in the comfort of your own backyard! Take a look at this article from Parenting.com for ideas on how to make your adventure even better!
2. Organize a scavenger hunt for the kids.  There are plenty of ways to set up a scavenger hunt for the kids. It’s a great option that works both indoors and outdoors, gets your kids moving, and engages the mind. Check out some of these scavenger hunt ideas for inspiration. A little bit of preparation work is worth the fun they’ll have!
3. Have a luau or other themed family party.  Do you have extra decorations laying around? Spice up your dinner or outdoor party with some of these family-themed party ideas.
4. Create giant board games in the backyard.  You could stay inside all day playing Checkers or Bananagrams, but doesn’t a game of giant backyard Jenga sound so much better? There are do-it-yourself solutions for dozens of games that take them from traditional board games to life-size interactions. Most of these are easy and inexpensive, perfect for a lazy day.
5. Hold your own Olympics. If you are needing to get the kids outside and exercising, why not hold your own backyard Olympics?  You can even stretch this out over a longer period of time to make it a real competition!  Aside from having the kids participate in events, you can get them to make country flags, hold opening ceremonies, and even make their own medals.

Food Related

1. Have an indoor picnic in your newly built fort.  This is two fun activities built into one! Build a fort with sheets and old boxes and then have an indoor picnic in your newly built fort. You can even support a local business in your area by ordering to-go food for your picnic.
2. Plant a garden.  If you have the space in your backyard, planting a garden is a great long-term activity to do with your kids. You can pick out which seeds you’d like to plant, spend time planning the layout of the garden, and then watching from the beginning as the garden grows! If it’s a success, use your haul to make delicious meals or share with neighbors.
3. Have a bonfire and backyard feast.  This is another oldie but a goodie. Many of you probably have memories of bonfires, hot dogs, s’mores, and firecrackers.  This is a great opportunity to pass the memory onto your kids!
4. Take an online cooking class for kids.  Thought cooking classes were only for adults?  There are a variety of YouTube channels and websites that offer cooking classes to kids, too!  Aside from learning new recipes, these videos offer kids a creative outlet that they normally wouldn’t get.  Check out The Step Stool Chef for great videos that you and your family will love!
5. Once a week, let the kids choose and help cook a meal.  If those cooking classes pay off, the kids can even help you in your own kitchen!  Instead of making dinner alone or ordering out, let the kids help you make dinner once in a while to turn cooking into quality family time.

Around the Home

1. Art & Play Activities ArtBar is releasing a weekly art and play activity with supplies and tools you can find around your home. With a little prep, you are able to create an engaging and balanced day for your kids.
2. Complete the 30-day LEGO challenge. If you live with LEGO fans, this 30-day challenge is a great way to get the creative juices flowing, as well as keep the kids occupied for a few hours.
3. “Visit” a local museum or educational attraction online. You are now able to see some of the greatest museums around the world thanks to Google Street View. For some added culture, show your kids the top 10 museums in the world by clicking the link here.
4. Stream a live concert in your own home. Some artists and bands are hosting Facebook Live concerts, so turn on the television, crank up the volume, and jam out to some of your favorite music! Most artists are announcing their concerts on Facebook, so give your favorite singers a “Like” on Facebook so you can stay updated on when they are going live. DJ Mel is also hosting a Facebook live kid-friendly dance party called, “Living Room Dance Party.”
5. Do an at-home workout.  Boosterthon has created a schedule for each day that packs educational, character and fitness-based content all into one day. You can learn more about how to access this content here.

There are thousands of ideas to keep your kids occupied around your home and in the backyard.  A simple Google search will keep you busy for hours! Before you head into the backyard for a bonfire or camping adventure, call your local Mosquito Joe for service to protect your yard from mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. Backed by our MoJo Satisfaction guarantee, we get rid of the mosquitoes, so you can enjoy being outside again.

Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day is meant to honor men and women who have died serving in the U.S. military.  It was first celebrated in the years after the Civil War, and became an official holiday in 1971.  It’s a special day for several reasons.  Memorial Day allows us to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving their country.  And for many people, it’s also the unofficial start of summer, a chance to celebrate with family and friends, usually by going to a parade or cookout.

Whether you’re an everyday Martha Stewart or a first-time host, this year’s Memorial Day cookout has the potential to be the best yet!  We’ve compiled a list of some creative twists on old traditions that you can use to wow your guests.

• Turn your traditional cookout into one with a “You Bring It, We Grill It” concept. Take some of the burden off your preparation list by having guests bring their own meat, seafood, veggies, etc. This way, you can ensure everyone is getting something they love, and no one will be going home hungry. If you’d like to, you can still provide the main side dishes or just have everyone bring a little something to make a potluck out of it!
• Make sure the patriotic theme carries through to the drink menu as well with these red, white, and blue cocktail recipes.  Choose from a wide range of options including Shirley Temples, martinis, sangria, and shots.  Your guests will definitely notice the extra effort as you add a little spin to some old favorites.
• It’s hard to believe firecrackers and sparklers can get any more amazing than they already are.  But how about making them out of marshmallows?  These marshmallow firecrackers are a great hand-held dessert option for any guest, especially kids.  And you can enjoy them while watching the real fireworks at the end of the night.
• Strawberry shortcake is a staple dessert of many Memorial Day cookouts.  Usually the cake is already assembled, but why not have a build-your-own-shortcakes bar?  Set up a stand with stations for individual sponge cakes, fresh berries, whipped cream, and other assorted toppings.  Your guests can have fun making their own creation in whatever size portions they like.

Celebrating the start of summer is always a fun way to spend a long weekend, but we should never forget the real reason for the holiday.  There are many ways to honor those who have died in service to our country, a few being; donating to an organization, volunteering at a cemetery to put flags on service members’ graves, and simply thanking a veteran for his or her service.

You can also buy a buddy poppy to support the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) organization.  You’ve probably seen these pins resembling small red flowers with a black center.  The idea started in the early 1920s when the organization paid disabled and needy veterans to assemble paper versions of the poppy.  While the scale of the operation has grown exponentially since then, veterans in need still make each and every buddy poppy.  The VFW Buddy Poppy program provides compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies, offers financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs, and partially supports the VFW National Home For Children.

As an organization with many active military members and veterans, Mosquito Joe looks forward to celebrating and honoring Memorial Day every year.  A sincere thank you to those who have served, are currently serving, and who have sacrificed for this country.  If you are interested in mosquito control services for the summer, please contact your local Mosquito Joe to find out how we can help protect your backyard events all season long!

These days it seems like there is a national day for everything; national buffet day, national punctuation day, and national melon day, just to name a few. Luckily, whoever is in charge of creating these days didn’t leave Mosquito Joe out!  This Sunday marks National Joe Day, and while it isn’t an official national holiday, it is widely celebrated each year on March 27th.

The exact origin of National Joe Day is a little fuzzy, but its roots are said to be Scottish.  “Joe” originally meant sweetheart or valentine, but has transformed over generations to its modern day use for the everyman or regular guy.  You’ve probably heard it used as Average Joe, Joe-schmo, or Regular Joe.  And who doesn’t like celebrating an underdog?

The typical way to celebrate National Joe Day is to call yourself and everyone else Joe or Josephina for the day.  If Joe is too boring, you can always spice it up a little bit by naming yourself after a famous Joe character like G.I. Joe or Joe Cool.  You can always take some inspiration from our Corporate staff’s nicknames that include Cup of Joe, Joe Money, and Joe Mama.  National Joe Day celebrations aren’t set in stone, so embrace your inner regular Joe and use these ideas to celebrate the day with us!

How to Celebrate National Joe Day

1. Be Joe for a Day – As previously mentioned, most people celebrate by changing their name to Joe for a day.  You can even wear a name tag to help and encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to do the same!
2. Buy a Cup of Joe – Since “joe” can also mean coffee, today is the perfect day to treat yourself and others to a brew.  Make sure you tell them the name for the order is Joe (it’s pretty hard to spell that wrong!)  If you’d like to go the extra mile, you can offer to pay for the next person in line.  Then you’ll be a generous Joe for the rest of the day!
3. Become Joe Cool – If your day-to-day environment allows, you can dress up like Charles Schulz’s iconic character Joe Cool from the Peanuts comic strips.  Snoopy’s alter-ego was a hip college student known to wear sunglasses, a “Joe Cool” sweater, and refer to himself in the third person all day.  While it might be annoying to those around you, this could be a fun way to celebrate.
4. Give a G.I. Joe Some Love – G.I. Joe became a popular term during World War II to refer to the regular soldier (Government Issued Joe).  Although there are national holidays dedicated to our soldiers, it’s never too often to recognize their service.  Whether you simply thank active service members and veterans for their sacrifices or you volunteer with a military organization, National Joe Day is a great opportunity to give a little nod to our men and women in uniform.

Of course, the best way to honor National Joe Day is to give your local Mosquito Joe a call, so we can help you enjoy your backyard all summer long.  We are looking forward to warm weather, sunshine, and getting those MoJo vans back out in your neighborhood, if they aren’t already there.  Let us know on Facebook how you celebrated the day.  Happy National Joe Day from Mosquito Joe!

This Sunday is the first day of spring, and we are more than a little excited. Now that daylight savings has occurred, we have more time in the day to enjoy beautiful weather! This year, we have locally owned Mosquito Joe locations in 26 states ready to make outside fun again for communities. The start of spring means breaking out patio furniture, brushing off kiddie pools, and enjoying warmer temperatures, which are all things to look forward to, but we wanted to provide a few tips to help you welcome the season without welcoming the mosquitoes. These tips can also help you make the most of your Mosquito Joe barrier treatment. Anything to get more out of your mosquito control, right?

Tips and Tricks for the First Day of Spring

• More backyard time means more kids’ toys. Make sure you’re checking any toys in your yard that can collect standing water. This is where mosquitoes breed, so you don’t want to create places for them to lay eggs!
• Keep your grass mowed and vegetation trimmed. I know you’ve been out of practice from the winter, but mosquitoes rest in cool shady places like grass.  Keeping it short will not only help your yard,  but it keeps there from being problem areas your technician will have to address.
• As you’re checking off to-dos on that spring cleaning list, make sure gutter cleaning is one of them. That’s a common problem for our customers. Gutters collect rainwater, and mosquitoes will breed there!
• Call your local Mosquito Joe, of course! Most of our local Joes are in full swing scheduling for this season, and some have already started spraying. Give them a call to make sure your yard is protected this year.

And to celebrate the first day of spring, we thought we’d provide you with one of our favorite recipes for when the weather is right for grilling, sitting outside, enjoying happy hour on your patio! From the Blond Cook, we bring you the Cranberry Margarita! Happy Spring!

For the margaritas:

1 cup tequila
1-1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail blend
½ cup triple sec
¼ cup lime juice
Lime wedges and cranberries for garnish (optional)

For rimming the glasses:

2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

Pour tequila, cranberry juice cocktail blend, triple sec and lime juice into a pitcher. Stir well to combine. Prepare the salt mixture by placing the kosher salt, sugar and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Stir well until well combined, then pour onto a small plate. Rub lime wedge around the edge of each glass. Dip in the salt mixture on the plate to coat. Serve margaritas over ice and garnish with cranberries and lime wedge, if desired. Enjoy your first day of spring!

**Occasionally we like to provide a blog post that will help you get to know Joe. From our technicians to our corporate staff to our hardworking franchisees – we think our company is full of people you ought to know!**

Meet Chris Phillips and Nancy Abercrombie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Phillips and Nancy Abercrombie, co-owners of Mosquito Joe of the First Coast in Jacksonville, Florida.  After a 23-year career in banking, Chris dove head first into the franchising world by acquiring an American Leak Detection franchise, where he was owner for 18 years.  Chris’ retirement was cut short by Mosquito Joe after the brand’s concept and growth potential convinced him to return to franchising.

Nancy is no stranger to the business world either.  Director of Business Development at Avondale Travel, a career with American Express, and Director of Human Resources for the Duval County Supervisor of Elections are just some of the highlights on her resume.  She is a member of the local businessmen’s club and is very active in the local business community.

The husband and wife team decided to purchase a Mosquito Joe franchise after discovering the opportunity in a Wall Street Journal article.  Chris said, “It sounded like a great opportunity, and after looking further into it, I liked the idea of a seasonal business where you get to have a few months off.”  He added that although there are other pest control companies in his area, none specialize in mosquito control like Mosquito Joe does, creating a real need for his services.

When you call Mosquito Joe of the First Coast, you’re likely to be greeted by Heidi, the Office Manager.  Heidi is originally from Oshkosh, WI, but moved to Florida to become the Office Manager of Mosquito Joe.  The technicians, Curtis and Kely, provide excellent mosquito control services to their customers to help make outside fun again for everyone.

Mosquito Joe of the First Coast launched in the spring of 2015 and provides mosquito control services to Clay County, Nassau County, St. Johns County, and the greater Jacksonville area. If you’re interested in mosquito elimination services in the Jacksonville area to rid your yard of pesky mosquitoes, ticks and fleas, visit Mosquito Joe of the First Coast’s website or call their office at 904-236-4110 for more information or a free quote.

And if you live in the area, be sure to check them out next week, March 17, on First Coast Living (WTLV Channel 12) where Chris and Nancy will be talking about their business in mosquito control.  The segment will air at 11am and 2pm local time.