Summer Time Gift Idea

Another fun gift I put together for this hot summer we are having this heat wave!  I found a great idea for a Pool Floatie Gift on Practically Living.  So easy to put together and it was such a hit with the first kid we gave it to that I made it for 2 more parties.

What you need:

Pool Floatie (Dollar Tree)

Beach Towel

Salt Water Taffy

Popsicles

Sunblock Spray

Carmex

Candy or whatever you find snack wise

Blow up the floatie, NOW if I would have been smart I would have Rick blow up with the air house, got a little light headed on this one .. lol.  I wrapped a ribbon around the towel and then added the other items to the center of the floatie to hold it all into place.  SUPER easy but so cool!

Have a GREAT day!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Summer Time Gift

Well I had plans to make a gift for Caden's teacher to feature today but I didn't get around to a gift for her.  So instead I'm featuring a summer themed gift I made for my boss.  She goes to Florida a lot for work and for pleasure.  I wanted to give her a fun in the sun gift.  I saw several examples on Pinterest so I just took a little from all and made my own.

What you need:

Beach Bag

Beach Towel

Flip Flops

Sun Screen

Chapstick

Trail Mix

Magazine

Ribbon

I took all the items and stack them together.  I tied them up with a ribbon and added to the beach bag.  Fun in the sun all in one bag :).

Any Summer Plans?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Teacher Appreciation Gift ... Summer Bucket

Last on my list to do for the Teachers was suggested by the PTF to do a summer themed gift.  I found a cool idea for a Teacher Relaxation Bucket on Coffee Cups and Crayons.  I took her idea and ran with it!

What you need:

Bucket

Water Bottle

Flip Flops

Book

Straws w/ Flamingo

You can find most of these items at the Dollar Tree.  I ran out of time and would have added a fun printable, but as usual I ran out of time.  Add all your items to the bucket (easy carrying case).

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Summer time means Lego Fun ... Right?

Summer break has hit our house for 21 days now, YIPEE!!  When mom works from home that means fun times for mom.  Our sweet neighbor boy is still in school so that means the boys could play nicely together right? WRONG it means we have to argue and constantly ask mom for things!

We have thankfully taken to making Lego sculptures, that is when we are not yelling at each other that the other stole said Lego from the others room.  Oh summer fairy will come to me and find me a cheap summer program to put one of the boys??  YUP that is mom's prayer this summer, I'll keep praying on that one.  

For now I leave you with Caden who is the "take my picture mom" king of his latest creations.  He created these all by himself and I must say I could actually see what he told me it was!

And to make you laugh:

Have a GREAT weekend!!

End of School Year Gifts ... Plus Helps with Dead Brain for Summer Time

I wanted to do something special for Caden graduating Kindergarten and I found on pinterest and idea of a basket full of things to prep them for First Grade (forgive me for the life of me I can't find my link I saved, so if it is your's PLEASE let me know and I'll add).  Well I couldn't do one just for Caden I have have one for Cole to so I made a end of 3rd grade basket also.  This was a very simple one to make but the boys were so excited to dive into it. My plan is each day they are to do one or two pages out of the workbooks to keep us from hitting the dreaded Summer Dead Brain as my mom use to call it.

For these I hit up the dollar store, yup it really is packed with activity books and you can load up and make a great gift with out going bankrupt.  I did also add some fun Memory books for the kids to fill out so I can put them in their scrapbooks (yup when I get around to making those).

Caden's Basket!

Cole's Basket

What you Need:

Activity Books (Reading, Math etc)

Flashcards

Puzzles

Reading Books

Coloring Books

Colored Pencils / Crayons / Pencils

Bins

I had some extra bins from a project I did a while back (I'll show that one soon).  I fanned out the material so the kids could get a glimpse of everything in the bin.  Cole will be entering 4th Grade so I found material for 3/4 grade and he LOVES mechanical pencils so I bought him a whole pack (I think he was the MOST excited for those).  Caden will be entering 1st Grade so I found material for 1/2 grade and he LOVES color pencils so I bought those for him.  He is my reading bug like me so I put in an extra book for him.  If I had more time I would add a little ribbon and a tag but I they loved it!

Kindergarten Graduation Gift Basket

3rd Grade Gift Basket

I wanted to do a little some fun for the kids to fill out and I'll put in their scrapbook (ummm humm ... reminder to self get those done).  I went to my favorite site that I used when I was doing newsletters for the PTF, Teachers Pay Teachers Website.  I found these super cute books that I printed off on my home printer and stapled together for little books.  The ones I picked were FREE downloads but you can always use the pay for one's also and they are really reasonable.  The 3rd Grade Memory book I found HERE.  The Kindergarten Memory book I found HERE.

Easy gift to do and makes summer learning fun!

Hope you all have a GREAT day!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

It's Summer time ... Means No Clean Right?

Source

We are finally having a summer here in Washington.  It's been sunny and hot (for us), which means after work I have had about my wits end of the kids running around the house and must get them out before we all loose it.  We have been playing in our pool, taking late night walks and heading up to the lake (where I grew up) to sit by the dock, let the kids swim and us adults can relax.  That is all great and the kids and I are enjoying some time together (yes even the 3 mile walk I do they get to ride bikes so they are happy). BUT my house looks like a tornado came threw it!  I may just be on the next Horder's show .... OK it's not that bad but it's looking CRAZY around here.  I so need to buckle down and this place cleaned up.  Let's see today I have to work then take Cole to Sylvan, get my 3 mile walk in, get dinner together and catch up on some laundry.  YUP no problem the house will be spotless by .... hmmmm ok I'm shooting for September!

Wish me luck!!  Ok anyone have tips?  I need help, besides hiring someone to come clean which may just be what has to happen ... lol.

VBS to the Resue ... No "Calgon take away" but this sure will!!

As most of you know I work from home so the summers get a little hairy, or should I say eye rolling and pulling of hair (and Heck that is just me, we don't want to even go into what the boys are doing).  I wait every summer for VBS season to come around.  I can't believe I missed the last one of June, I really almost cried we missed a week.  I LOVE the boys get to have a fun adventure and that I get to have peace and quiet to make calls.

1st week of July with the 4th meant no VBS sch, so we had to wait for last week for our first week!  It was fab it was really close to the house and the boys loved the VBS being about Aviation this year (each year there is a new theme and most Church's go with it).  This week is a Lutheran church down the road it's a little further but a few of the kids from Cole's school was there since his school is a Lutheran school.  We have 3 more weeks of VBS.  This mom is doing some cartwheels ... ok if I could get my butt up over my head I would!  Thank you to all the wonderful churches that put on these VBS's and I plan to bring in canned goods or donations whatever it is!  Whoo HOO!

Oh and in two weeks Cole will be going to a WHOLE week stay over night with our church.  I'm so freaking excited for him, and maybe a little jealous of not going when I was young.  He is going to have such a blast!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, I hope to finally clean my house since we have no parties this weekend.  Lord be with me this place is looking scary.  Cinderella has returned to take care of the duties ... lol.

Summer Time Stir Crazy

This has been one heck of a summer here in the PNW.  We’ve had a lot of rain and now we’re getting some hot days.  The boys were going stir crazy on rainy days and now it’s fun in the sun.  I’m thankful our neighborhood this summer has kids to play with.  But now you get to were the problem comes in.  Little Caden is my early riser (like his mama) he has now gotten in the habit of dressing himself (see pic to the left on one of the hottest days this is what he put on). Now this is of course after I have to send him back to him room that he has to wait until 9am to knock on someone’s door. 6am to 8am is NOT ok to bug people. He will walk across the street to play with the neighbor’s little boy (I of course watch him walk across).  Caden and the neighbor boy (who is around the same age) play great together.  That is until Cole my late sleeper (like his daddy) get’s up.  Then this is when the screaming and fights start.  Oh boy I’m telling you 3 play together is not a good thing, 2 is great but when you have 3 there is always an odd man out. 

Cole sadly is the only one in his age group so he doesn’t really fit in with the big boys and he doesn’t fit so well with the young boys.  So this causes a lovely day for me and my friend Kristen (the other mom).  We end up playing referee along with Judge and Jury.   And yes it is mostly Cole who is the troublemaker … boy wants to fit in and can be such a turd.  Next summer I may just have to pay for him to go somewhere the whole summer … UGH.  The hurt in my wallet may be worth the pain of the daily drama here.

For now I think I’ll sit back at night with a glass of wine (or two if it is a really bad day) and next week will go fast so we can go back to school and the routine of the little one playing during the day!

Cheers to you!

Johnsonville Familyville

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Johnsonville Sausage. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's summer time and that means BBQ time who wants to heat up the oven and cook a meal? This is the time we go out the Man Area or the Outdoor Man Cave to have the men BBQ up a meal. This is the one thing I refuse to use, that I way I know I can get Rick to cook a meal :) ... hehe.

The nice part about summer time is the nights are long and lighted and you can spend time with family and neighbors. I love to have the neighbors come over mid week, let the kids run around in the sprinkler or the slip and slide and just have some adult talk time! Now the kids get the good old hot dogs but the grown ups we get Johnsonville sausage. You now know that you have gone from the kiddie dogs to a real grown up meal. Johnsonville is just a step up above the rest and has a great flavor that can make any evening fun and fabulous.

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Now for us shy people (or the ones like me who haven't put make up on yet) you can either speak to the camera or do something fun! I of course had to do something on the cheeky side :).

Have fun and who knows you may win some great prizes and cash!!!