Arts and Crafts

I love a good theme. From birthday parties to Halloween costumes, I love thinking about all the little details. Joel and I used to dress up even before we had an excuse a child. But after we had Judah, we became all about the family costume. That's right--kids AND parents taking the neighborhood in disguise. And I'm here to tell you that it's not as intimidating as it may seem. 1. Start asking your child what they want to be early. Before Judah could express which superhero he wanted to be, I took it upon myself to find an easy group costume that would require minimal effort. But for the last few Halloweens, I began asking him what he wanted...

Stay Cool This Summer Teacher Gift Tags May is bittersweet for me. I am excited about the lazy days of summer, but I always find myself teary-eyed saying goodbye to teachers who have loved on my babies all year long. Every year, I pick out a little something to thank them for a such a great year. This year, we decided on a beach towel and magazine. And you can't have a teacher gift without a cute tag to top it off! Hoping all our favorite teachers stay cool and have a relaxing summer by the pool. I designed the 3 inch tags with a watercolor background and a few of my favorite fonts. You can download the file using the link...

5 Ways to Thank Your Child's Teacher All Year Long {Teacher Appreciation Week} This week is Teacher Appreciation Week at our school and several others around town, and many other local schools will be observing in the coming weeks. In years past, Teacher's Appreciation Week has caught me off-guard as I rushed around frantically to buy and wrap acceptable gifts and get them to school in one piece. I mean, do busy moms really need one more thing to do? I think not. But this school year, it feels different. Maybe it's because my oldest has had some behavioral challenges, but his teachers have been so patient with him. Or maybe it's because my baby is now in preschool and is so comfortable around his...

Springtime always reminds me of baby showers. All those beautiful tiny clothes get worn once or twice. The baby blankets are snuggled closely and that monitor gets plenty of use. The cards are read and enjoyed during a moment of gratitude, then placed back in the gift bag. The real tearjerkers might get passed around first. But then where do they ultimately end up? I had my daughter two years ago, and yes, I still have all the baby shower cards. I'm not usually a hoarder, but I kept them partially because they meant a lot since she was our first, and also because I always planned to do something with them. If you haven't already thrown yours away, put...

I'm about to let you all in on a little secret. I learned it from my mama. This secret has the potential to change your life. Or at least your gift giving routines. If your child has received a gift from my family in the past 10 years, it has come from my a stash of toys in my hall closet, aka the gift closet. The box in the gift closet is filled with puzzles, play-doh products, art sets, baby outfits, and popular candles. I even have gifts for specific people - my nieces and nephews and my own children - stored in this closet. All of it was bought on sale. "But wait", you say, "The biggest gift giving...