It's all about the backpack

In our house, back to school always means a new backpack, lunch box, and cool supplies to fill them up. 

While shopping with two under-10 girls is no easy task, they've learned to make their selections from the displays with a big "SALE" sign above or those wonderful little orangey-red clearance stickers at Target. Good girls!

This year, Tinkerbell's sparkly fairy wings and Paul Frank's space monkeys won. The Tinkerbell pack even came with a little velcro band for the front so the wearer looks like she's wearing a skirt. Pretty cute.

School started extremely early for us this year. The hardest transition, of course, was bed time and then getting up earlier, but these two packs helped make the first day of school even more exciting.

Let's hope the excitement (and the packs!) hold up for awhile!

Look What Punky Found Bellflower Textiles

Aromatherapy Sachet, Lavender - Pink and Blue Patchwork by Bellflower Textiles

It's one of those Mondays...I feel a bit frantic entwined with a little chaos. I cut a little bouquet of lavender this morning to help calm the frenzies, but wouldn't this adorable sachet do a better job? Not only would I have the calming benefits of lavender, but also the cheery fabrics and felt flower to make me smile. Add free shipping and it's a must!

Check out everything at Bellflower Textiles...amazing beautiful and unique creations from this very talented Etsian! [The Tooth Fairy Pillows are so fun!]

Why Not? Wednesday

Let's keep it going. Let's see how many we can come up with!

Here's the deal: Let's all work together to create a list that we can come back to when we need it. When we are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted, angry, sad, or just not 100%. We can grab an idea that will help us breathe and remember the good stuff. Why not?

You can comment here, or check out my new blog dedicated to our list http://whynotlist.blogspot.com/

1. Why not rig a puppet theater with old curtains and a rod, make sock puppets, and watch a full production by your kids? Maybe a video is in order??
   
2. Why not try to get more sleep?
3. Why not do something creative every day?
4. Why not give yourself a break? Perfection is not an option.
5. Why not say 'no' once in awhile? It's okay!

Why not add your idea?

Art on a wire

I happened to see a post this morning on one of those mommy blogs where people ask for help, ideas, etc. This mommy was looking for a way to display her soon-to-be-kindergartner's masterpieces.

Hey, I have a solution for that!

I posted my idea in this thread and the response was amazing. Several others asked for more details. Ding! Thought it my be a good idea to share here.

So here's the scoop: IKEA sells a DIGNITET Curtain wire. It can be cut to length, so it works no matter how large or small a space you have. You can even hang it from the ceiling! You purchase these great little clips and hooks separately.

We hung two of these little babies in our play area, one for each child, and call it the "Art Wall." The girls even ask for certain pieces to be hung there...such an honor, I guess!


Once the wires get too full, we select a few pieces to put into bins under their beds, take photos of the bulky and too glittery pieces, and then toss and recycle as much as the girls will allow.

Here's to fridge freedom and honoring all of our artistes!

Why Not? Wednesday

Here's what we got last week...let's add to it!

For those of you who missed it, here's what we are up to:

I've been feeling overwhelmed the past few weeks.

In an effort to combat some of the negativity that comes with being stressed and overwhelmed, I've started a new Wednesday tradition that allows us all to post ideas for doing things differently. Why not?

So here's the deal: Let's all work together to create a list that we can come back to when we need it. When we are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted, angry, sad, or just not 100%. We can grab an idea that will help us breathe and remember the good stuff. Why not?

Here's our list so far...

1. Why not take a hug break. Better than coffee any day! The hug getter benefits as well. [best done at home and not at the office!]
   
   
2. Why not do a little something just for you everyday. It's okay. Really. Even just a few minutes...but it has to be ONLY for you.
   
   
3. Why not stop and smell the lavender. It really helps calm the savage beast.
   
   
4. Why not write BREATHE (in capital letters!) on your To Do list? I do that every day and it really helps me slow down and literally take a breather. [VintageMommy]
   

5. Why not burn great smelling candles or incense while I'm working - can't help but stop and smell once in a while. [SweetwaterGifts]

6. Why not laugh really hard at something really stupid? There's nothing that puts me in a better mood than a good laugh at something really silly. [Momma Owl]

7. Why not try to remember all the lyrics to your favorite song... and hum through the parts you can't? [Suzanne@threepeats]
   
   
8. Why not spray a pillow with your favorite perfume and lie down on it for ten minutes? [Suzanne@threepeats]
   
   
9. Why not take 5 minutes to go through the funny cat photos over at LOLCats? [Liv'nGood Jewelry]
   
   
10. Why not go give your family a hug and curl up to read a book with them for a few minutes. [Avlor]

Now, what do you do when the going gets tough? Add a comment and I'll keep the list going! And remember to come back when you need a little help yourself.

Why Not? Wednesday

{exhale}

I've been feeling overwhelmed the past few weeks. I bet most of you reading this feel the same way, or at least have at some point recently.

In an effort to combat some of the negative juju that comes with being stressed and overwhelmed, I'd like to start a new Wednesday tradition that allows us all to post ideas for doing things differently. Why not?

So here's the deal: Let's all work together to create a list that we can come back to when we need it. When we are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted, angry, sad, or just not 100%. We can grab an idea that will help us breathe and remember the good stuff. Why not?

I'll start with a few of my own, and I invite you to post ideas that you use to gain perspective and get through those crazy times. Who knows, maybe if we do a few everyday the crazy times will stay away!

So here goes...

1. Why not take a hug break. Better than coffee any day! The hug getter benefits as well. [best done at home and not at the office!]
   
2. Why not do a little something just for you everyday. It's okay. Really. Even just a few minutes...but it has to be ONLY for you.
   
3. Why not stop and smell the lavender. It really helps calm the savage beast.
   
   

Now it's your turn. Post comments with your ideas on how you take a break, gain perspective, or just get through a rough day. We'll end up with a great resource. Why not?

{sniff lavender now}

Family Friday

It's the end of the week. I'm hot, tired, and trying to figure out something fun to do. My little family of four is buzzing for the weekend, and I'm fighting desperately to not just load a dvd and walk away.

As easy as that would be [I could actually zone out completely for about an hour...] I really want to do something, you know, as a family. That's what the end of the week is supposed to be about, right? A little celebration, together.

So, what to do.

Game night.

I'm heading in to pull out a few of our favorites, keeping in mind that there will be battles. Finding a game that two parents, a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old all like to play, let alone play by the rules, is no easy task.

• Chutes and Ladders. Great for the kids, but a little mind-numbing for the over 5 crowd. And if I have to explain that you climb UP the ladder and slide DOWN a chute one more time I'll officially be crazy.
• Bananagrams. Great for the grownups, but a too much for the kids. Plus they have too much fun moving our tiles around.
• Sorry. The 4-year-old cries if she has to go back to home.
• Candy Land. Can't find all the cards, so that's out.
• Hungry Hungry Hippos. Too much noise for a quite night at home.
• Break the Ice. Too much set-up for a blip of activity.
• [note: a dvd is starting to sound pretty good...]
• Elefun. Please see Break the Ice.

• Hullabaloo. Hmmmm...active, fun, everyone gets a chance to win and be silly. Hullabaloo. That's it!
  

If you haven't played Hullabaloo, I highly recommend it. Spread the pads out in an open area, turn on the console and do what the magic voice says. How fun is that? If only my little sweeties listened to me the same way! But then if I was telling them to "fly to a blue," they just might listen.

You get all sorts of fun and silly things to do, including different ways to move to other pads, but when you hear 'freeze!' stop where you are and the magic voice will announce which pad is the winning pad and what the winner has to do. ["Winner...do a funky dance!"]

And I can't forget my favorite..."try this Hullabaloo move!" Get into a Twister style pose and giggle.

I feel a new Friday night tradition coming on!

EtsyTwitter Team Shop of the Week :: LMCreation

A few of my favs from this wonderful EtsyTwitter Team Shop of the Week ::

I love these colors...

I bet I could find my iPhone in my purse
if it was in this adorable little case...

This would make even my
bargain sunglasses feel happy...

REPOSTED WITH PERMISSION FROM http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com/

Lisa Murdin is the creative genius behind the rainbow array of wristlets, pouches, purses and more at LMCreation. Whether from fabric, vinyl, or occasionally leather, the store's creations add a splash of whimsy and color to anything you wear.

Lisa's aim is to make "the best quality piece that I can in my own style and with fabrics that really appeal to me. I also aim to provide the best customer service that I can, the same kind of service that I would like to receive as a customer." Inspired by the beautiful variety of fabrics available, Lisa, like many textile artists, often feels that the fabric "tells me what to do, so when I see the right fabric I just know that it will make a special bag or wristlet or whatever."

Special Deal Offered : 10% discount offered to Twitter customers until July 12. Use code "EtsyTwitter" in the Message to Seller and 10% of purchase price will be refunded.

Made the switch

I finally did it. I'm moving my blog archive from iWeb to blogger. Exciting. Hah! Thankfully, it was so cumbersome to update my blog with iWeb, I have only a handful of posts.

I've learned the basics by clicking around and seeing what happens, but am looking forward to learning more. I'd love to make my own theme at some point, but to start I'd be happy to get the header graphic the right size!

And I have so many questions! What are the must-have gadgets? What do people want to read? How do I tag so it works? I can't really write, why am I doing this?? Why does my 4-year old scream at the top of her lungs whenever she gets the chance? [oh wait, blogger won't help that!]

While I ponder, at least it will be easier to post my ramblings and pictures.

Who doesn’t love foamie soap?

We are all looking for ways to save money, and there are a gazillion lists out there filled with little ways to do it. Let's make it a gazillion plus one! Here are a few of my favorites that save a little cash, and in some cases, amaze the kids at the same time.

Make your own foamie soap. Save your foamie soap dispenser. Therein lies the magic. As far as the recipe, most websites recommend 1 tablespoon of liquid soap topped off with warm water for a normal size bottle. I must admit that this morning in a bit of a mad rush, I simply squirted 6 or 7 squirts directly from my kitchen liquid soap bottle, added water and ran back to the girls' bathroom. Success. Obviously, it's not a science! By using a clear soap to start with, you can eliminate all of those colorful stains from the back splash and sink. My 7-year-old thinks I’m magic.

Fake Mochas. Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate made with coffee. Side benefit: fewer calories and with most of the packets, 30% of your daily calcium intake. Extra bonus: No attitude from a Venti Peddling Barista.

Free Marinade and Rubs at Bel Air (or Raley's). Buy meat from Bel Air and have the butcher add a marinade or rub free of charge. They have at least 20 different choices, and then your meat is ready to hit the grill even on the busiest of weeknights. And while you are there, have them sharpen your knives, also free.

Google search: rice pudding with leftover rice I found this recipe after accidentally making too much rice. Now I sometimes cook too much on purpose! 2 cups leftover cooked white rice 3 cups milk (any kind) 1/2 cup sugar small pinch salt 1/2 cup raisins 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional pinch nutmeg, optional Combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the vanilla and raisins. Cook until just about all of the milk is absorbed (30-45 minutes, depending on how absorbent your rice is). Stir in cinnamon and/or nutmeg, if using. Divide rice pudding into individual serving dishes serve warm or chilled. Makes 4-6 servings. [NOTE: I doubled the rice but not the sugar and it was delish. And I skipped the individual cups. More dishes is a no-no!]

Fill the bubble machine for pennies. One part dish soap to ten parts water. Done. Some bubble experts prefer Dawn or Joy. I use what I have. If you add 1/4 part of Karo's Corn Syrup, the bubbles are stronger and their colors are more intense. Here’s to saving! More to come...