25 Fun Things to do for FREE

The long days of summer may have you bored but there are many fun things to do without your friends, significant other, and family around town for little or not cost! Fun doesn't have to be expensive, gather your loved ones this weekend and make some memories together. 

1. Go to the Park
You can take your family or go with a friend. Swing on the swings like when you were a kid.

2. Pack a Picnic Lunch
Throw a picnic lunch together and find a shady spot to enjoy the day with your loved ones.

3. Play Board Games
Bring out the old favorites like Monopoly or Scrabble!

4. Do a Road Rally With Friends

Get some friends together and go on a mobile scavenger hunt. The first one back with all things on the list wins! Losers have to buy dessert.

5. Have a Bonfire or Campfire in Your Backyard

Make s'mores and play campfire games.

6. Scan Your Old Photographs

Take the weekend to go through your old photos and scan them into a digital file. You can even create digital scrapbooks!

7. Pretend You're a Tourist in Your Community

Most folks rarely visit their own city's tourist attractions. Take a weekend be a tourist in your own town.

8. Organize a Neighborhood Cleanup

Get friends and neighbors together to go and clean up a city block. 

9. Pick Strawberries or Other Fruit

Find a "U-Pick" spot to gather some fresh strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit. 

10. Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen or Homeless Shelter

Organizations like these are always looking for volunteers. This will be one of the most rewarding things you could do this weekend!

11. Invite Your Neighbors Over

With today's busy pace, it seems harder to get to know our neighbors. Invite them over for dinner or dessert and make an effort to know more about them.

12. Go Fishing

Grab the poles, find a pond, and cast those lines!

13. Go to the Beach

Hit the sandy shores for a little rest and relaxation. Just don't forget to protect your skin!

14. Go to the Library

There are many benefits your local library has to offer besides just books. You can rent movies, page through magazines, or surf the net.

15. Host a Classic Movie Marathon

Invite friends over for a movie marathon featuring all the classics you remember from when you were growing up. 

16. Rearrange the Furniture in Your House

Rearranging furniture doesn't cost anything and adds a new flair to your place.

17. Write Out Your Bucket List and Pick One to Do

Brainstorm ideas for all the things you want to do in life, and pick one to do this weekend.

18. Clean Out Your Closet and Donate to a Thrift Store

Go through your closets and declutter. Find items you can donate to your local Goodwill or another thrift shop.

19. Go on a Bike Ride

Bike to a location you've never been to before. Or, bring your bike to a town or city you're unfamiliar with and create your own bike tour. Just be safe!

20. Go Bowling

Get some friends together and have a blast at the lanes!

21. Visit Garage Sales and Look for Deals

Take a friend or two, grab breakfast, and then hit the local garage sales to scan for deals.

22. Tour the Local Fire or Police Station and Thank Them for Their Service

A simple gesture can really mean a lot to the men and women who serve us on a daily basis!

23. Visit a Local Nursing Home and Engage With the Residents

Many elderly folks have great tales to tell. Listen to their stories and see what you can learn from them.

24. Walk Through the Craft Store and Start an Art Project

Take your spouse or loved one to a craft store and each purchase a few crafts for a creative project. 

25. Host a "Minute to Win It" Party

Invite a few friends over and challenge each other with some creative games based on the hit TV show.

Halloween Happiness

Here at KIA Autosport we really get into the holidays! Halloween is one of the most vivacious times of the year. Last week we ordered all our costumes themed as Wizard of Oz and this week we are getting into even more spooky fun with decorations around the office and a chili cook off!

Between costumes, decorations, and great food it is hard to say what the best part of Halloween is but one of the most fun things you can do is pumpkin carving. Pumpkin carving is a tradition that families and friends can pass along to do together.   It is easy to recall memories of going to the pumpkin patch with the family in search of the perfect pumpkin.  It seemed like the utter most important thing in the world that the pumpkin was the best of the best.  The search would consist of looking for the pumpkin with the most luscious color and perfectly plump shape. Once the perfect pumpkin was selected, one would instantly start dreaming and scheming of what was about to be carved into it. The carving process truly brings the families together so the KIA family wants to help your family make the best pumpkins at home as possible and here is how you do it!

Cutting the Pumpkin Top

If you want a unique way to seat yourself apart try cutting a star or a funky shape instead of the usual square.  

1.       Make a circle of dots with a marker on the top of your pumpkin.

2.       From there just start cutting your star points from your imagination.  (This should NEVER be done by anyone less than 15 without adult supervision!!)

3.       Make deep incisions so that you cut through the entire pumpkin top. The top should pop off easily after doing this.

Scooping Out the “Guts” of the Pumpkin

Lay down A LOT of newspaper before you start the scooping and cutting. It will be messy, VERY MESSY.

1.       Take a METAL spoon that won’t bend and start working on the walls of the pumpkin.

2.       Use an amble amount of pressure so that all of the insides are fully scraped out and there are no strings or chunks still in there.

3.       Most importantly make sure the bottom is fully carved and that you leave a nice flat surface for a candle to be able to sit on.

4.       IF you like pumpkin seeds put them into a bowl to clean later. If not, just put them onto the newspaper you laid out and simply wrap them up and remove that layer of paper for an easy clean up!

Drawing on the Design

This is done best with a water-based marker. This way if you don’t cut exactly on the line you can easily wipe off the marks from your pumpkin.

1.       Draw the cut-out so that the holes are large enough to provide proper ventilation for the candle.

2.       Keep in mind that though intricate designs are very cool they aren’t always the easiest to cut out!

3.       HAVE FUN! Draw whatever design that comes to mind and make sure it is something you love!

Carving Out Your Pumpkin

Don’t take it too seriously! It may not come out perfectly but if you had fun doing it then it really is the best of the best!

1.       Start cutting the middle facial features first and slowly move out ward.

2.       If you make a mistake you can reattach the piece by using parts of toothpicks!

3.       When you’re done place a candle in it and enjoy your beautiful creation!

 

When going through the process make sure to embrace the mess and have fun with the kinks! Pumpkin carving is about bring together and enjoying good company!

Taking A Vacation? Driving Long-Distances?

Planning on Taking a Road Trip?

With the summer months headed this way, there is going to be a lot of travelers and people on the roads. We want everyone to be as safe as possible and take caution while driving not only short distances but more importantly on those long drives! Here are 10 helpful tips to take into consideration when preparing for a long drive! We want to make sure our Kia family members, along with everyone else arrive safely to their destinations!

10 Helpful Hints for Long Distance Driving:

·         1- Be sure to check your vehicle before leaving:

o   Maintenance check (tires, brakes, engine, wiper blades, signals, lights, oil, etc.)

·         2- Have an emergency kit available:

o   Emergency kit (Car manual, flashlight, extra batteries, reflective triangle (in case you need to pull over), flares, basic tools and a first aid kit.)

·         3- Get a good night rest the night before:

o   Be sure to get a full night sleep, feeling fatigue or drowsy could lead to falling asleep at the wheel.

·         4- All luggage and cargo should be secured:

o   Make sure all luggage is placed and secured tightly, so that it doesn’t move around when having to make a quick stop

·         5- Pack the car with car friendly items:

o   Anything along the lines of blankets, napkins, wet wipes, hands-free cell phone device, trash bags, and medicine.

·         6- Have food available:

o   Take snacks, water, fruit, etc. Be sure not to take anything with too much salt or sugar, it can lead to mood changes or easily make you more tired.

·         7- Be sure to take breaks:

o   Take a break if you feel tired or even just to stretch your legs and walk around to keep circulation flowing. A general rule is to take a break every 2 hours of driving.

·         8- Bring music to listen to:

o   Have your iPod or CD with your favorite music in case the radio stations aren’t playing your favorite kind of music, you need stuff to entertain you!

·         9- Directions/Route

o   Make sure you have a good idea of where you’re headed and the roads you are taking, to avoid getting lost. Give yourself extra time in case you want to stop or visit places along the way. Be sure to check the track and areas you should avoid at certain times.

·         10-Remember to have fun!

o   A road trip should be a fun experience, make it part of the vacation!

Follow these 10 helpful hints, and your next long distance travel should be a successful one! Remember to be safe, keep your eyes on the road, don’t get distracted, and be sure to make it FUN!

Health Initiative at Kia: Tips to a Better Healthier You

Health Initiative Here at Kia

Here at Kia we have been doing a health initiative since March to help get our employees involved and in shape! We would love to have everyone participate and share some of their healthy secrets. It’s a great and fun way to help keep your body on a healthier track. Just by adding 30 minutes of exercise a day or even making a home cooked meal a couple times a week will make a difference. Some things you should eat and an exercise that helps with everything:

8 Foods Your Meals Should Consist of:

1.       Veggies: asparagus, carrots, celery, spinach, broccoli

2.       Fruits: apples, blueberries, watermelon, grapefruit, cranberries

3.       Grains: barley, corn, millet, oats, whole wheat, quinoa, buckwheat

4.       Spices: basil, ginger, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary

5.       Beans: black beans, lima beans, soybeans, miso, kidney beans, pinto beans

6.       Seafood: oysters, cod, salmon, shrimp, tuna, sardines, halibut

7.       Nuts: almonds, flaxseeds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, peanuts

8.       Juices: green tea, ice water, vegetable juice, soy milk, cranberry juice, fruit smoothie

10 Reasons to Run

1.       It’s a top calorie burning exercise

2.       Solo runs provide time for self-discovery

3.       It  reduces stress

4.       It gives you energy

5.       It revs metabolism even while you aren’t doing it

6.       It lengthens your life span

7.       It provides an opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature

8.       Expensive equipment isn’t required

9.       It lifts your mood

10.   It fights depression and anxiety

Recipe of The Week (Cinco de Mayo)

1.       http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/07/skinny-taco-dip.html

·         Let us know what you think!

There are many different exercises and ways you can increase the amount of exercise activity you do in a week, just doing some sort of activity 30 minutes a day will lead to a better healthier you. Instead of getting takeout, try cooking dinner for a week and see if you feel a change. We have seen a huge difference in our employees and would love for you to join us. Stay tuned for more ways to become a better healthier you!

Remember, We Wanna See Ya In A Kia!

The Wounded Warrior Project

For the entire month of May, we are commiting $50.00 from every vehicle sold to the Wounded Warrior Project! Make sure to check our facebook for daily facts and quotes from this amazing organization.

The Newest Member of the KIA AutoSport Family.

Little Soul is the newest member of our family here at KIA AutoSport. Little Soul is a hamster with some attitude just like the newest addition to our product line up the all new 2010 KIA Soul.

If you have seen the new KIA ad on television you can understand why we felt compelled to make this addition to our family. Visit the YouTube link on our website to check out the ad if you haven't seen the head bobbing hamsters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFHCfwF87_o

Little Soul lives in a very stylish habitat in our showroom. In addition to his habitat we also have a hamster track where you will often find him speeding around on in his yellow hamster vehicle for some exercise. You can often find Little Soul speeding around the office in his vehicle.

We invite everyone to visit Little Soul while visiting our dealership. Little Soul will be here like we are 7 days a week!