Last Day of School / Welcome To Summer Party plans

I can't believe the kids only have 9 more days of school.

Last year we celebrated the end of school with a "Welcome to Summer" party.

You can read more about that HERE.

I'll probably do something similar this year.
I picked up some ice cream marshmallows and popsicle lollipops at an after Easter clearance sale at the grocery store.  They look perfect to celebrate the last day of school / first day of summer.

And speaking of ice cream.  Check out what the Spencinator did for his explanatory writing project:

 It was about eating ice cream:

That boy cracks me up.  

Anyway, back to planning the end of school / welcome to summer party.  I probably won't do the banner thing again since that big roll of paper is gone and I'd like to do something different.   Just got to think of what that new thing will be.  Any ideas???

How do you celebrate the last day of school?

And if you are looking for some easy teacher gift ideas, check out my previous post HERE.

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

Teacher Gifts

The last day of school is in about two weeks.  Wow, has this year flown by.

Before the school year ends, I like to give the kids' teachers a little something for all their hard work.

Here are a bunch of ideas I found on Pinterest along with what I'm planning to do.

This cute printable and frame would be perfect on a teacher's desk.  You can find out how to make your own HERE.  Or skip the printable and just make the frame.  You could put in a picture of your child and their teacher.

What better way to say take a break and relax than with chocolate.  You can download this free printable HERE.

This flower pot with chalkboard paint and the ruler design at the top would also make a meaningful gift.  Find out how to make your own HERE and HERE.

Another candy idea with a meaningful poem behind it can be found HERE.

And here's a few more great ideas I found from April over at Catching Fireflies

As for what I plan to do....

For Sweetie Pie's teacher, I'd love to make a huge cookie and write "Thanks for making me one smart Cookie" on it.  Perhaps something like this:

source

OK, not really that big, but you get the idea.

Her teacher has a great sense of humor and is super funny.  Sweetie Pie told her that I got a giant cookie for Mother's Day and the teacher said she wanted a piece.  Too bad I ate it all before we could give her any.  I saved the container it came in, and plan to bake a giant cookie to put in it.   I hope it turns out.

For the Spencinator's teacher, I"m giving her something practical - a package of sticky notes, with a tag that says:

 The tag is really a card.  I'll make sure to have the Spencinator write something cute inside like "Take note, you are my favorite teacher.  Thanks for a great school year!"

I got the idea from HERE.


Thanks for stopping by,
Christa 

linking up to http://www.flusterbuster.com/

Recycling Bridesmaid Dresses

My cousin, who's been in several wedding over the years, just gave Sweetie Pie some of her old bridesmaid dresses.  Sweetie Pie is 8 and still loves to play dress up.  I haven't been shopping for dress up clothes in a few years so what we have is getting a bit small on her.  These bridesmaid dresses were just what she needed to have a more grown up dress selection.  

Here she is modeling her new gowns.

This cream colored one was a bit snug in the bodice for Sweetie Pie, so she won't wear it for too long.  Good thing, since the Babes is eager to wear it.

The pink one fit perfectly and would even make a cute dress for church.

The favorite was this mint green one.  Sweetie Pie loved it because it was long and silky.

None of these dresses were too long for Sweetie Pie, but if they had been, I could have easily cut off the extra fabric and hemmed them up, or done the no sew method using stitch witchery.

What kind of dress up clothes do you have for older girls?

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

Save Money When Using the Dishwasher

In my post about "Laundry Tips", I mentioned how I sometimes run the washing machine for an additional spin cycle after it is finished the regular washing cycle. I usually do this when the load in the dryer isn't done drying yet so I can't switch the laundry or if there is something really heavy in the wash like our bath mats. The extra spin cycle helps to dry the clothes faster when you put them in the dryer which saves time and energy (money).

I've also found a way to save energy (money) when using the dishwasher.

When it comes to washing dishes in the dishwasher, I never dry them.  I set my dishwasher for a normal wash cycle but no drying cycle / no heat.  When the dishwasher is done, I simply open the door and let it air dry.  And because I do this, I've never had any plastic dishes melt.

I usually wash the dishes after breakfast and since the Babes and I are the only ones home, I don't mind having the dishwasher door open.  But if that bothers you, you could run the dishwasher at night and leave the door open overnight.

Although, if the door is left open, this might happen:

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

Family Name Print

I made this cute family name print about two weeks ago and finally got around to hanging it up last week.

I got my inspiration, or should I say 'pinspiration' from HERE.

Using an ugly, old, fake wood, plastic frame- I gave it new life by spray painting it with Oil Rubbed Bronze. 

 While the paint was drying, I created the print in a Word document.  I held up the glass from the frame to determine the size of the lettering.   

Here it is all put together.  I knew I wanted to hang it in my bedroom which is why I chose that mustard-ish color for the "R".  But before I could hang it up, I wanted to install some shelves.

I'm still working on the arrangement of the things on the shelves.

Although now I feel like the room is more balanced with something on each side of the window.

The framed quotes to the left of the window - I printed those out using Word also.  Again getting my ideas from Pinterest.  When I saw these two inspirational quotes, I knew they would be great in our master bedroom.  I imagined looking at them when I woke up each morning and getting energized for the day, rather than dreading some of the mundane stay at home mom tasks.

The first quote is by Gordon B. Hinckley (president/prophet to the LDS church from 1995-2008), and the second quote is by his wife, Marjorie Pay Hinckley.  I also thought it was fitting that quotes from a husband and wife should be in our master bedroom.

images found here and here

I printed out the quotes onto some white card stock and stuck them in a frame I already had.

 I like how the family name print balances out all the white in the framed quotes on the left side of the window.  What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

Grandmothers

My mother is more than a mom, she's also my children's grandma.   So for Mother's Day, I also like to give her something that recognizes her role as Grandma.

Initially I wanted to make something similar to one of these which can be found here, here and here.

But it wasn't turning out right

I preferred the darker background but wasn't sure how to print on colored paper without having my picture look weird, and I could have used up a bunch of printer ink to make the background dark and the letters white but I was running low on ink and didn't want to chance it.  Plus I just couldn't get the kids' names and dates to be spaced as nicely as the ones you could buy on Etsy.

So I scrapped that idea and went with this one at the last minute:

I got the inspiration from this:

Instead of using the flower, I used the picture of my kids.  After all, I did make them dress in coordinating outfits and bribe them with ice cream to pose for me.  I wasn't going to let my efforts go to waste.

It was simple to make.  I don't have a vinyl cutter so I just used what I did  have - my computer.  I printed out the saying and picture using Word and mod-podged it onto a piece of wood.  I cut the wood to about 4x8 inches and spray painted the sides and back black.   I didn't spray paint the front since the paper would be glued onto it.

After everything was assembled and dry, I sanded the edges so the paper would be flush with the wood.

I did have to edit the photo.  See if you can tell what was removed from the original image.

Thanks for stopping by,

Christa

She Understood Who She Was And Whose She Was

She understood who she was and whose she was—a daughter of God.

This quote comes from a talk given by Elaine S. Dalton at the 2013 General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  You can find the entire talk HERE.  Some of my favorite parts of the talk are:

"As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter. Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching, and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult, and demeaning at times, and yet as we remember that first line in the Young Women theme—“We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us”—it will make all the difference in our relationships and our responses."

Of women and mothers, President Gordon B. Hinckley once said:
“We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. … It is mothers who most directly affect the lives of their children. … It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount."

As a way to honor the mothers in our church (both those who have raised or are raising children and those who act as mothers by teaching, helping and loving children), we made these plaques and paired it with what every women loves best - chocolate.

The youth and primary aged kids handed these out along with a carnation to each of the women in attendance at church on Mother's Day.   It was so cute and the women were so appreciative of this gift.

It's great to be reminded of how important our role is as mothers and daughters of a Heavenly Father.  Sometimes we forget this as our days can be filled with messy diapers, sticky floors and sibling rivalry.  We must always remember the work we are doing in raising our children is the most important work there is.

I hope you all had a great Mother's Day.


Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

How To Stockpile Kid's Clothing

Of course I went to yard sales over the weekend, and this time I stocked up on some clothing for the Babes.   I'm not ashamed to admit that most of my kid's clothing comes from yard sales or hand me downs.  

I also don't like to pay more than .25¢ for clothes either.  I will spend more for a dress or outerwear and as the older two kids are getting bigger their clothing does tend to cost a little more.   However, I've found that it's pretty easy to spend .25¢ for clothing up to size 6.  The easiest way to do this is buy it in bulk.  Most people will give you a better price if you buy a lot.

Sometimes you can get lucky and buy it by the bagful.  One yard sale was selling their clothing for $2 a bag.  The bags were the size a grocery bag.  If I found at least 8 things that would make it .25¢ per item.  Turns out I was able to stuff 22 items into that bag making each piece cost about .09¢!

12 Ways to Make Your Parents Feel Special

Kristin@InstaMommy is here guest posting today.

With Mother's Day in May and Father's Day in June, it is important to take a moment to let your parents know how much you love them and appreciate all they have done for you throughout your life. While you don't need to spend a lot of money to make them feel special, you should do something for them from time to time to let them know you don't take them for granted. Here are 12 unique ways to make your parents feel special.

1.  Customized cards:
Mothers love having photos of their family around their home. Why not create customized mother's day cards that include photos of the entire family? The Mother’s Day cards at Shutterfly are very easy to customize with photos and sayings for a truly unique gift.

2.       Call regularly:
Don't wait for a special occasion or Sunday afternoon to call. Have a few minutes on a Tuesday afternoon? Give your parents a call to just say “hello – I love you.” That will absolutely make their day! 

3.       A surprise night out:
Just like you don't need a special occasion to call your parents, you don't need a special occasion to take them out. Surprise them on a Saturday afternoon and take them to brunch. Or to a movie. It doesn't need to be fancy, or even expensive. Just take them out and enjoy each other's company. Especially as parents age or have difficulty getting around, they will certainly appreciate a surprise outing!

4.       Send flowers:  There are certain times in a young boy's life when they will buy flowers for their mother. Trust me when I say it means the world to them. As those young boys grow into men, it is easy to get caught up in the business of everyday life and forget how much those little things meant. Surprise your mother one day by sending her flowers. Want to score extra points? Bring them to her instead of just having them delivered!

5.       Be respectful:
It may sound silly, but respect for your elders is something that is getting lost today. As we become adults, it is easy to look at your parents as fellow adults and forget they are still your parents. Make sure you always treat them and speak to them respectfully.

6.       Movie DVD:
Is there a movie you remember always watching with your mom or dad? Or is there a movie they could watch over and over again? Why not pick up that movie for them so they can watch it whenever they wish! For Your Entertainment has a huge variety of different movies on DVD available so you can find that favorite movie for your parents.

7.       Coffee break:
To go along with that favorite movie, why not get a gift selection of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? That will be the perfect snack to have while they watch their favorite movie. Mighty Leaf has a variety of tea and coffee gift sets that will let them enjoy their movie even more.

8.       Personalized family pillow:
Something that is completely unique is a personalized family pillow. This is a great accessory for the couch that keeps their entire family close by. It will certainly be a conversation piece!





9.       Charm bracelet:
Charm bracelets have become very popular in recent years. What was originally thought of as a gift for a young girl, now everyone is wearing them! Helzberg has a lovely mom charm set that will show everyone how much you love your mom.

10.   Schedule a family portrait:
We've all had family portraits taken when we were children. It was usually a day of frustration as mom frantically tried to keep the kids neat and interested while the photographer desperately tried to shoot that perfect photo. Now that everyone is grown up, treat your parents to an updated family portrait. Then have it framed for them so they can show it off in their home.

11.   Necklace:
A beautiful way to give your mother a special gift is purchasing customized jewelry. It shows you wanted to give her something that she can always have with her and will think of her children every time she wears it. This necklace lets you put the initials of her children on each leaf.

12.   Live a life they can be proud of:
Parents have always tried to be the best parents they could be; but rarely does that mean they were perfect. It is easy to forget that our behavior reflects on them. As a saying I once heard goes, people would live better lives if they always did things as if their mother was nearby. Most of all, make sure you live a positive life they can be proud of – as well as yourself.


Thanks to Kristin for these great ideas.  What would you like to give or receive?   I'm loving that family pillow, wonder if I could DIY something like that?

For more Mother's Day gift ideas be sure to check out my posts from last week.

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

Mother's Day Ideas 2013

In my last post, I gave a recap my 2012 Mother's Day cards, crafts and gift ideas for your own mom or the kids to give to grandma.  Today, I'm sharing some new ideas to honor Mom on Mother's Day.  

Samantha from the Nifty Mom made this cute Handprint Flower with her son.  You can find out how she did it and her great idea for saving it forever HERE.

I love anything chocolate so getting these M&M's would be OK with me. (hint, hint).  Kinzie from Kinzie's Kreations made these for her church's primary class to hand to their moms.  There's also a game to play with them, so be sure to check out what she did HERE.

Beth from 123 Homeschool for Me shares how she made this cute handprint gift HERE.  I've seen several versions of this done in paper, fabric and even thread.  

I think this is a canvas, although I think would be easy to paint or mod-podge a frame to look like this.  

Courtney from A Diamond in the Stuff has some great DIY Mother's Day gift ideas such as personalized flower pots, coasters and pin cushions.  Check it out over at her blog HERE.

As for what I'll be making for my own mother, I'm partial to THIS, THIS, and THIS.  

So Mom, if you are reading this, stop right now.  Do not click on those links.  You can come back to this post after Mother's Day 2013.

And for everyone else, here's my card idea that I found on Pinterest HERE.

I used Word to create it and printed it out on cardstock. 

Not sure what I'll write on the inside, but I still have over a week to think about it.

So what are you doing for Mom on Mother's Day?

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa