Blog Posts

Time for a Scavenger Hunt

As part of this month’s Willow Hill Blog invitation to stay physically active, we’re sharing some activities that you can do in our apartment community in Puyallup, WA. The amenities we’ll focus on are just a few of the quality options we provide to make you feel at home. This week, we encourage you to go on an exciting scavenger hunt. You probably went on a scavenger hunt when you were younger. If not, no worries. There’s really nothing to putting this activity together. To make things easier, we’re providing a list of things to search for. But instead of just finding things, we’ve made this hunt a little different — each item on the list should be done as an activity (think of it as “finding time” to do the things on the list). See how long it takes you to complete every item. For more fun, invite your neighbors to join in! — Play 21 on the basketball court. — Get a group and play Sharks and Minnows in the swimming pool. — Look up at the sky and find a cloud that looks like a chicken. — Head into your kitchen and make one of these delicious gourmet popsicles . — Host a game night to celebrate the International Day of Friendship on July 30th. — Watch one or more of Rotten Tomatoes’ 75 Best Summer Blockbusters of All Time . — Head on over to Puyallup’s charming main street and grab a bite to eat or visit your favorite shop. — Invite a few friends over and celebrate National Ice Cream Month by hosting an ice cream sculpting competition! After breaking into teams, each team gets a small container of ice cream (or larger, if you’re daring enough). Take the ice cream out of its container and place it something — many people will use cooking trays and roll out parchment paper or aluminum foil to work on. Then, everyone gets spoons and sculpts their ice cream into whatever they choose. Set a time limit so that everyone knows when to stop carving. And don’t take too long! The ice cream’s not going to stay frozen for long. — Try out a few of the yoga poses we shared at the start of this month. — Compete with a friend in a competitive game of foosball in the community foosball room. We hope you have fun finding time for these activities. Which one is your favorite? Thanks for reading. Happy scavenger-hunting in our Willow Hill Apartments community!

Swimming Pool Safety

During this month, Willow Hill Blog invites you to stay physically active. This month we’re sharing some activities you can do in our apartment community in Puyallup, WA. The amenities we’ll focus on in this month’s blog posts are just a few of the quality options we provide to make you feel at home. This week, we’re focusing on swimming. Even if you’re an experienced swimmer, there’s never a better time than now to brush up on your knowledge of CPR and basic swimming first-aid procedures . Know the importance of wearing sunscreen , and make it a habit! If you have or look after any kids who will be swimming with you in the pool, take the time now to teach them the basics of what you’re learning, too! Having this knowledge will help you and the little ones conquer fears and approach the pool with a smart mindset. Of course, there are small ways people can get hurt at the pool. Wet pavement can lead to slips, bruises, and scrapes — if not worse — so practice walking, and not running, with your kids. Teach them to stay away from suction outlets and drains so no hair or clothing gets caught in them. Always swim with a buddy, and know where those you’re swimming with are at all times. If you know the potential for danger, you and your children can easily avoid them. Horsing around may be fun, but there are plenty of ways it can hurt or bother someone else, especially in a crowded pool. Remember that there are other people in the pool, so keep the splashing to a minimum if you’re close to someone and practice having fun without getting into a stranger’s personal space. This not only is polite, but it can help you avoid accidents. Another important part of being mindful also means listening to the lifeguards on duty and taking frequent restroom breaks so we don’t have to stop, clear everyone from the pool, and clean it! Accidents, however much we try to prevent them, sometimes do occur. Helping yourself and anyone else around you feel calm even if an accident happens is important because it will ease the stress and let everyone think clearly and react responsibly. Chaos can often make people prone to even more accidents, so let your kids and yourself know that your preparation will come in handy and help you stay empowered to be safe. This month, we hope you avoid accidents at the swimming pool by making safe decisions. What other ways are you staying active at your apartment community in Puyallup, WA? Thanks for reading!

Tennis Court Games

During this month, Willow Hill Blog invites you to stay physically active as a way to enjoy the summer and simply improve the quality of life . We’re focusing on activities you can do in our apartment community in Puyallup, WA as just a few of the quality options to make you feel at home. This week, we’re focusing on tennis. When’s the last time you made it out to the tennis court? Better Health Channel shared a list of the health benefits of tennis . Included are increased aerobic capacities, lower blood pressure and body fat, increased reaction time, and better metabolism. In addition to these, there are many other benefits that playing tennis has to offer. One benefit is that it’s a great social sport, meaning that you can meet a lot of different people who are interested in the sport. With a tennis court as one of the Willow Hill Apartments amenities, it’s a great place and opportunity for you to meet some of your neighbors. This week, we wanted to share a few games that you can play on the tennis court. Enjoy these two different activities you can play starting today. King of the Court — Three or More Players To begin, choose one player to be the “king” or “queen.” Players take turns playing a single point against them. If another player wins, they become the new “king” or “queen” and play continues. Depending on how many players you have, you can determine who wins by how many points players get in a row. Wipe Out — Four or More Players After being split into two teams, one player from each team plays a regular singles game. With each point that a player wins they gain one more player from their team onto the court. The player who lost the point switches places with one of their team members. Whatever team is the first to get all of their team members on the court first, winning the last point with the final added team member, is declared the winner. This game gets better with more players. Enjoy the many health benefits from playing on the tennis court just outside of your Willow Hill apartment. Let us know if you had fun with these games. Thanks for reading!

Yoga Poses to Improve Your Basketball Game

During this month, Willow Hill Blog invites you to stay physically active. Since we know that physical activity is one way to improve the quality of life , we’re sharing some activities that you can do in our apartment community in Puyallup, WA. The amenities we’ll focus on in this month’s blog posts are just a few of the quality options we provide to make you feel at home. This week, we’re focusing on basketball. Have you been out to our basketball court lately? Shooting hoops is a great activity. The running, dribbling, jumping — it’s all a great source of exercise and a solution to blow off some steam. Plus, it can be played with other people or alone. With the beautiful weather it’s tempting to spend more and more time on the court, but can your body take it? Willow Hill Blog wants to make sure that you’re prepared for being on the basketball court by offering a few suggestions to help reduce injury, loosen the muscles, minimize soreness, increase flexibility, and improve energy. That’s right! We’re talking about yoga poses. Here are a few yoga poses for basketball players. Take note that you don’t need to be a professional player for these exercises to be beneficial — they’ll help anyone on and off the court, even if you’re a very casual player. Plank This is a very basic pose that strengthens the core and stretches out the wrists. Warrior II A few benefits of this pose includes an increase in stamina, therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome, and a strengthening of the chest and lungs. Pigeon This pose helps the body prepare for backbends and works stiff hips “from every angle.” Bridge Pose This helps strengthen your back and develops muscles around your spine. It also helps alleviate stress and rejuvenates tired leg muscles. It’s good for people with asthma, and it helps with high blood pressure. Yoga is beneficial on many levels, and can even help you improve your performance on the basketball court. Enjoy staying fit this month in Puyallup, WA by visiting the basketball court at Willow Hill Apartments. Let us know if you’ve seen any benefits to your basketball game from these yoga poses. Thanks for reading!

Frozen Treats in Puyallup, WA

In this post, the Willow Hill Blog is featuring five of our favorite frozen treat recipes. Make one of these delicious recipes to battle the summer heat this month. Not a fan of homemade treats? Head to your favorite ice cream parlor in Puyallup, WA instead. No Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream from Like Mother Like Daughter No Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is perfect for cooling off on a hot summer’s day. Enjoy a serving of this delicious ice cream in a waffle or sugar cone. This ice cream recipe is perfect for your next summer special occasion. Salted Caramel No Churn Ice Cream from Girl and the Kitchen This salted caramel no churn ice cream is easy to make and easy to eat. Whip up your secret recipe for caramel or head to the store for the caramel you need to make this sweet treat. This ice cream would be perfect with a fresh baked brownie straight from the oven. Blueberry Pie No-Churn Ice Cream from Amy in the Kitchen Head to your local farmers market to pick up the pint of blueberries you need to make this delicious dessert. Add a little bit of spice to the filling by seasoning it with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg. Make the ice cream base with heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. Feel free to add a little vanilla for a little more flavor. No-Churn Oreo Peppermint Ice Cream from A Cookie Named Desire Import a little bit of winter flavor into your summer by making this no-churn oreo peppermint ice cream. You’ll love the mix of cookies and peppermint in this decadent summer treat. Make the base with heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Homemade Fudgesicles from Cincy Shopper Mix together unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and milk to make these homemade fudgesicles. Enjoy this sweet treat on a sweltering summer day here in Puyallup, WA. These icy cold popsicles will brighten any summer day. What’s your favorite ice cream recipe? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Welcoming Pets at Willow Hill Apartments

Living at Willow Hill in Puyallup, WA means that you enjoy the ability to have a pet at your home should you wish. Our pet policy (click on the paw link on the right) has details. If you don’t already have a pet and are thinking of getting a dog, this article has some good information about what breeds do/do not do well in an apartment setting. If you already have a pet, here are some tips for being a great pet-owning neighbor. Vaccinations. Make sure you are up-to-date on your pet’s vaccinations and parasite preventatives. This is important because we share community space, and we want to make sure neither animals nor people are exposed to infectious diseases. Cleanup. Responsible pet owners make a point of cleaning up after their pet. If you are having issues with litter boxes, this article may be helpful: Preventing Litter Box Problems . Take an extra cleanup bag with you when you are out for a walk with your dog, just in case you encounter someone who needs one. Exercise and Socialization. Provide plenty of opportunities for your pet to get enough exercise and socialization. All dogs, no matter what size they are, need exercise to remain healthy and happy. Daily walks are a good habit, but include regular romps at a dog park as well for more vigorous exercise. Providing a cat tree for your cat can help promote exercise. Pet Care. If you must be gone for long days, consider hiring a dog walker or taking your pet to day care. Pets need to have social interaction for their mental and physical well-being. Barking. A quick way to alienate your neighbors is by having a dog that will not stop barking. If this problem begins to develop, address it quickly to keep the peace. This article explores some ideas about how to train a dog to quit barking. Having a pet can be a wonderful experience, and we are pleased to provide a pet-friendly community.