Gifts for the Teacher!

It's Back to School time and I love making cute gifts for the teachers as this time approaches.  Whether you've already had your first day or are still gearing up for it...don't forget those teachers!  Sometimes it's just the little things too, that show you are excited about a wonderful year and that you are willing to help and support in any way possible.  And some cute tissue paper and baggies aren't a bad way to show some love either! 

This bag had some wonderful Bath and Body apple soap inside.  What teacher doesn' want some extra antibacterial hand sanitizer in the classroom?  But don't forget that it's sweet to remember your child's teacher anytime during the school year...a candy bar, a box of notecards, a Starbuck's gift card can all show that you care!  Have fun spoiling those teachers out there!  What cute Back to School gift ideas have you used?
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Monkey Hooks are a Life Saver!

Yesterday I shared with my thoughts on going for it and nailing some holes in your wall...if it means adding that homey and personalized touch to your home. And what an easy fix, if you don't like it! It's just a little hole that takes no time to fill in! But then I realized that I haven't shared with you my most favorite invention ever (well maybe)! I probably use these more than nails now. You can purchase "Monkey Hooks" at Target for $9.99 for a 30 piece set! They can hold about 50 pounds and are perfect for those larger items like a mirro, you are wanting to hang but don't want to deal with anchors and all that fuss if it's not level. These things are amazing!

You just push them into the wall with your fingers, give a twist...and you're ready to hang. They really do work. And the package I just mentioned above has smaller hooks for those things that need to hang flush on the wall and the super duty hooks for bigger things! If you make a mistake, you just try again...no more crazy measuring, leveling, marking, crossing your fingers. This makes hanging things so easy. I wish I was being paid to advertise for them!! Have you tried these "Monkey Hooks" and do you love them as much as I do? Please share!

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Don't Be Afraid to Make a Few Holes!

I think that putting holes in your wall is a scary idea for some people and an idea that keeps some people from decorating and taking that first step in making a house...a home!  It might feel like a huge deal and what if you make a mistake??  The truth is that a tiny little nail hole is a simple thing to fix.  A bit of putty and a dot of paint, and no one will ever know you tried hanging a picture there or tried out a shelf on that wall! 

I had so much fun this past week digging into some of our last boxes we have to unpack and uncovering a bunch of wall hangings and family photos.  I truly felt like something was missing in our home until I started putting some of those up.  It was super easy to do too...it just took an ounce of courage and a few nails!  I layed the frames on the floor in the pattern I wanted to try out.  I did a little tweeking and changing and within ten minutes I was ready to pound that first nail into the wall.  One at a time those frames went up and my smile got bigger and bigger as I saw that blank wall filled with photos of our family!  And now I love walking by the stairs and looking up at our "photo gallery." 

It was so much fun that I hung a few more things around the house...my confidence was strong and I loved seeing each room get a bit more of a finished look with those decorated walls.  What have you been dying to hang up, but just needed a nudge to do it?  Take the first step and go for it.  The worst that can happen is you have a tiny hole to fill!  Happy nailing!
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Mailboxes Filled with Love!

I love to give gifts...big or small, for special celebrations or "just because!"  It doesn't matter but I am a gift giver.  And so it makes sense that I love giving gifts to my kiddos.  Most of the time it is little things but something that shows I am thinking about them and that I love them!  I decided to create some cute mailboxes to nail to the wall next to their bedroom doors.  You should have seen the smiles on their faces when they woke up from nap to find an adorable and personalized basket hanging outside their rooms. 

I picked up the baskets on clearance at the craft store and gave them a quick coat of white spray paint (something leftover in our garage).  After they were dry, it was time to add the cute finishing touches.  For the personalized tags, I chose colors that "match" the design of their bedrooms and I chose a font that seemed to be cute for a girl and fun for a boy.  After a little bit of glue, scrapbook paper, ribbon, and my paper punchers...they were ready to be hung!  They were super easy and cheap!

I have used these mailboxes for notes, cards, mail that arrived in our real mailbox for them, and little gifts (a book, box of crayons, toy car, new dress, and so on).  The point is that I love to show my kiddos LOVE through gift giving once in a while and these mailboxes help me share that love with them!  It's just one of the ways I try to make them feel appreciated and special and it's one of my love languages!  What fun ideas do you have for showering your kiddos with love?

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I Am In Love with Magnetic Boards!

I know I've already shared my love for chalkboards with you...that comes from being a teacher I think!  I love to write on chalkboards and white boards and add personalization to anything AND everything.  But have I shared with you my love for magnet boards?  You might remember a past post I shared with my updated laundry room.  In there I have a magnet board that I stick lots of odds and ends on:  weekly menus, budget sheets, calendars, and more!

But I also love magnet boards for my kiddos.  What a fun and cute way to organized their art work, certificates, and photos!  Here are two magnet boards I have in our playroom.  They "house" a collection of art projects my little ones have done these past several months.

Above the board you will see my vinyl letters titled "My Best" Board.  This is a term I use around our home and even in the classroom when we do projects!  I ask my little guy "did you do your best?"  And it's a great way to encourage him to try and to always do his personal best.  He is so proud when papers and projects get stuck up on the board! 

The other magnet board in our playroom is for playtime.  Right now my kiddos love to stick their ABC magnets on there and play the sounds and songs.  It's a lot lower and just at their height.  What fun they have in here learning, creating, and playing!  Where do you have a magnet board in your home?  Please share!

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Learning Responsibility Starts Young!

One of my favorite benefits of planning playdates with friends, is that I get to visit and learn from other mommies at the same time that my kiddos get to play!  I feel like I am always walking away from a get-together with some tidbit of advice or a new goal I want to set in my family.  This past week was no different.  After getting together with some friends, I went home with a new idea on how to encourage responsibility in my kiddos.  I created some charts for my kiddos that include some "chores" but also some "expectations" for each child daily.

My three year old has a morning chart and an evening chart.  Much of our learning and teaching time takes place in the morning after breakfast.  I expect him to do some reading, writing, and math practice each day.  But I also want him to be responsible for dressing himself, brushing his teeth, and and so on. 

His evening chart is similar but includes a few more "clean up" activities for him.

My baby girl is just at the beginning stages of being able to help out but when she sees big brother doing something...she wants to do it too.  So I had to make her a chart as well and let her get stickers each day when she is a good helper and completes her "helping hands" expectations.  I have these charts taped onto our door near the kitchen and it's a great reminder for us each day of ways that we can help out in our family and learn to be repsonsible!  What are some ways you encourage responsibility in your home?

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Organizing Your Own Cash System!

Living on a cash system has its easy parts and its difficult parts.  The easy part is organizing the system so that it works for you.  The difficult part is sticking to it and staying away from credit cards, debit cards, and debt.  I won't get into the whole philosophy and thinking behind the cash system but if you want a book to read, I highly recommend "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey.  You can check out his radio show, website, and even videos too.  They're all great! 

Once you decide that the cash system is for you...you need a way to organize the cash and help yourself stay accountable while spending.  The first step is to have your budget written down.  Each dollar needs to be accounted for and I have mine listed in all of the categories you can see above.  The top half of the page are the areas we use cash with.  The bottom portion are the categories we pay directly out of our paycheck or through on-line banking.  Then at the beginning of the month, I head to the bank to get all of the cash I need for the month.  I know exactly how much I need and I always request a lot of twenties to help me divide the money up in my organizer.  I bought a coupon organizer and use it for my cash categories with the labels clearlly written. 

When out and about I keep this cash organizer with me and I pay with the money in my organizer.  Once the money is gone...no more shopping!  I have to be careful with groceries for the month and make sure I don't get too crazy one week and leave myself high and dry the next!  The longer you use the system, the easier it gets.  But I hope this helps you to visulize how to manage your money on a cash system.  Do you have any tips for living on a budget?
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First Day of School Traditions!

I love the first day of school! And now that my kiddos are getting older...I am starting to think about the first day of school from a "mommy" perspective and not just as a teacher. I already had my first day with my new first graders!! But some of you still have the first day of school coming up. And for those of you who are looking forward to that day as it quickly approaches, here are some cute ideas I have seen, heard of, read, and wanted to pass on to you!! Make the first day of school one that your children look forward to with lots of excitement...

*Celebrate a great first day of school with a dinner out! Let the kids decide where they would like to eat, to celebrate their big day!

*Make a huge and delicious breakfast on the first day. Maybe it is the same thing every year and the kids look forward to it...blueberry pancakes and sausage, stuffed french toast, or something cute and creative!

*Take a first day picture and have your child hold up the number of fingers for what grade they are going into. Make a "First Day" book and put these photos in it each year. How fun to look back on the cute first day outfits and backpacks!

*Plan a "Back to School" shopping trip with mom. Make it a date and shop with each child on a different day to spend some special time with them.

*I love this idea...start a tradition where the "Magic Schoolbus" visits your house the night before the first day. (Check out the Magic Schoolbus books, if you aren't familiar with this idea!) The Magic Schoolbus can drop off a bag on the front doorstep filled with some fun school supplies for homework, a new outfit, a toy to offer some comfort, or anything else you think your child might enjoy! Of course include a note filled with encouragement for the first day!

*Have a fun family outing the night before, like getting icecream or frozen yogurt. Find a spot to sit and relax and mom and dad can share some sweet goals or blessings for the new school year!

*A traditional snack of homemade cookies and milk after the first day at the kitchen table and time to chat about all of the day's activities.

*Print up a sign for whatever grade they are going into and have them stand by the front door, holding their sign.  So cute!

If you have any other first day traditions that you do...I'd love to hear them. Have a wonderful first day of school as you let your little one enjoy another year filled with adventures and growth! Happy First Day!
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Lemonade for Sale!

I love summer and I love garage sales!  This past weekend I pulled up to my first garage sale and spotted this darling lemonade stand.  Well, it wasn't darlling yet...but I had such a vision for it.  I know I could make lemade with this lemon!  So, I threw it in my trunk for just $1 and went on to some more garage sales!  Here is what it looked like before. 

It had some torn, faded, and dirty fabric hanging on the bottom.  I cut that off and saved it for my measurements when I added my own fabric.  I added a coat of spray paint with a bright yellow I had leftover from some other project.  Then the next day I brought it inside to cut the fabric (also a leftover from another project) and I hot glued it on.  I added the word "Lemondae" out of a yellow gingham fabric and just glued it on with fabric glue. 

And with a another cute touch of ribbon...the lemonade stand is ready for some action.  I can't wait to bring it out for the kiddos to use and set it up at the end of our court.  My little guy had his first lemonade stand today and made over $8 in just the short time we were out there!  Was it his cutie pie face or this adorable stand?  Maybe a bit of both!  For just a few dollars, the kiddos have a fun summer activity to use!  What summer projects have you been working on? 

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