“I’m bored!”

How many times have you heard your kids say that? Or maybe you’re the one struggling to find something to do on a summer night when you don’t want to watch anymore Netflix. Fear not! The Morning Thing has got you covered. We found 50 ways to fight summer boredom from thiswestcoastmommy.com. After all, July is Anti-Boredom month.

The list is written for parents to help them entertain their kids, but there are plenty of items on it that adults can use for inspiration. After all, we can all stand to read another good book or learn a new skill like Computer Programming. And just maybe the child inside of us would enjoy getting artsy with some sidewalk chalk again…

You can check out the full list HERE. Bonus points if you can combine options!

Whether you use this list or not, we want to encourage you to make every effort to make this summer a memorable one, regardless of your age. Life is too short to keep clicking “next episode” every night. Use that God-given creativity and have some fun!

There are some movies that everyone is aware they need to see if they haven’t already. From historic classics like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca, to blockbuster legends like Star Wars and Jurassic Park, to the recent hits like The Lord of the Rings and The Avengers, these movies are instantly recognized and hugely popular. Again, you know these movies are worth seeing. But in the over one hundred years of cinema there are some gems that have remained hidden behind the ones that everyone talks about- the movies you didn’t know you need to watch.

Today on The Morning Thing, guest hosts Wesley Boston and Nay-Nay Parker shared some of their favorites but lesser known films. They have compiled a list of suggestions that you can add to your summer family movie nights, making sure to include several options that the kids will be sure to enjoy as well. We’ve listed these films below in order of release date. If you want more info the IMDB links for all the movies have been included, as well as Focus on the Family’s Plugged In review when available to give extra info about content.

Seven Chances (1925)

A silent comedy starring legend Buster Keaton, Seven Chances tells the story of a young man who will only inherit the $7 million left to him in his grandfather’s will if he gets married by the end of the day. (Learn more at IMDB)

Captain Blood (1935)

A classic Errol Flynn swashbuckling epic, Captain Blood is the tale of Peter Blood, an English Doctor wrongfully accused of treason who is sold into slavery, eventually escaping to become a pirate. (Learn more at IMDB)

The Pagemaster (1994)

Macaulay Culkin stars in this mix of live action and animation about a cowardly boy swept away into a world of books, meeting some of the most famous literary characters in his journey to return home. (Learn more at IMDB)

Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

A hilarious, zany comedy, this retelling of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson tale brings Tim Curry into the mix with all your favorite Muppet characters as they sail across the sea in search of buried treasure. (Learn more at IMDB)

The Miracle Maker (2000)

The Miracle Maker tells the story of Jesus through Claymation (with a little traditional animation mixed in). The familiar story is seen in a new light, with a phenomenal performance from Ralph Fiennes as Jesus. (Learn more at IMDB)

Valiant (2005)

Ewan McGregor voices a pint-sized pigeon who wants to aid the Allies in World War 2, undertaking a dangerous mission to deliver  a secret message in this animated feature. (Learn more at Plugged In and IMDB)

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Another claymation feature, Wallace and Gromit tells the story of a cheese-loving inventor and his loyal dog as they run a pest control service tasked with bringing in a monster rabbit that is wreaking havoc on the local produce. (Learn more at Plugged In and IMDB)

We Bought a Zoo (2011)

Based on a true story and starring Matt Damon, We Bought a Zoo tells the story of a widower who moves his family in hopes of a new start- and ends up buying a house with a wildlife park attached. Content heads up- this is a PG film but there is some language used (Learn more at Plugged In and IMDB)

Today on the show, we shared some awesome devotionals from some artists we play here on WNZR.

All of these devotionals are from the YouVersion Bible App, and Bible.com. To access these devotionals, just make an account with YouVersion. It’s FREE!

Check out the devotionals down below:

Only Jesus-Casting Crowns

When We Pray-Tauren Wells

Known-Tauren Wells

Out of the Dark-Mandisa

Good News-Rend Collective

Majestic-Kari Jobe

The Struggle-Tenth Avenue North

Today on the show we shared some simple ways to take care of yourself. Everyone has a busy life, and sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves in the middle of the craziness.

Psychologytoday.com gave us 12 ways to take better care of yourself.

Here are some of the ways:

1. Make sleep part of your self care routine: Sleep can have a huge effect on how you feel both emotionally and physically. Not getting enough can even cause major health issues. But stress and other distractions can wreak havoc on our sleep.  What do you do to make sleep part of a self-care routine? Start by thinking about your nightly routine. Are you eating or drinking immediately before bed? If so, it’s especially important to stay away from caffeine and sugar, which tend to keep you awake. 
2. Take care of yourself by taking care of your gut: Your gut health can have a significant impact on your health, well-being, and feelings of vitality. The types of foods you eat crucially impact the bacteria that live in your stomach, resulting in a cascade of either positive or negative outcomes. An unhappy gut can lead to an unhappy person, and vice-versa.
3. Exercise daily as part of your self-care routine:We all know exercise is good for us, but do we really know how good it is? Daily exercise can help you both physically and mentally, boosting your mood and reducing stress and anxiety, not to mention helping you shed extra weight. Of course, it might be hard to go to the gym every day, so try to incorporate other exercises, such as walking, tennis, or yoga, which may be able to fit into your schedule more easily. The most important thing is to create a routine that works for you.
4. Eat right for self-care: The food we eat has the potential to either keep us healthy or contribute to weight gain or diseases such as diabetes, but it can also keep our minds working and alert. Eating the right foods can help prevent short-term memory loss and inflammation, both of which can have long-term effects on the brain and, in turn, the rest of the body. Some of the most amazing self-care foods include fatty fish, blueberries, nuts, green leafy veggies, and broccoli.

Check out a complete list of self-care tips HERE, and HERE

The Morning Thing’s own Rachel Rinehart is super passionate about skincare and makeup, it’s something she loves! So, this morning on the show, she shared with us some tips and tricks to make your skincare routine better, and to make your makeup flawless!

Let’s start with skincare:

1. Know your skin type: oily, sensitive, dry,  or combination? Take this quiz to find out! This will help you find skincare products specially made for YOUR skin type! Click HERE  for the quiz!
2. Know the ingredients in your skincare! Stay away from these chemicals in your skincare, they can be harmful and cause your skin to breakout! Click HERE to see a list, look at #5.
3. Don’t waste your money! You can find some really great skincare brands that won’t break the bank, and have the same ingredients as the most luxury skincare on the market. Here are some of my favorite drugstore brands that have never failed me! Click the links to check out their products: Soap and Glory, Fourth Ray Beauty, Pixi, and Neutrogena.
4. Skincare is not just for women! Men, make sure you are using sunscreen in these summer months, and don’t forget to moisturize! Your skin will thank you! Check out menshealth.com for some suggestions!

So, let’s move on to makeup!

1. Want your makeup to last all day? Make sure that you are setting your foundation with setting powder! Especially in the summer months, makeup can start to melt off your face. By setting your makeup, you are forcing that foundation to stay in place!
2. Figure out what your essentials are for your makeup routine. For Rachel, she has to have mascara, concealer, and moisturizer. If your skin isn’t feeling the greatest, or you need to give your skin a break, do some minimal makeup days. It’s great for your skin, and takes you less time to get ready in the morning!
3. Clean your makeup brushes! Bacteria can live on those brushes if you don’t clean them regularly. Rachel tries to wash her brushes every Sunday, it’s become a routine for her. When you wash your makeup brushes, your makeup will apply better as well!
4. TAKE YOUR MAKEUP OFF BEFORE BED! This is the #1 rule when it comes to skincare and makeup care! If you don’t wash your face before bed, you can risk getting acne, clogging pores, and making your skin not feel great. Wash that face!

Here are some of Rachel’s favorite makeup brands that won’t break the bank: Maybelline, Colourpop, Ofra, Elf, and Wet n Wild.

If you can’t tell, Rachel’s super passionate about this stuff. We hope you use some of these tips to your advantage!