Why yes, it is Hawt!

Hey, aren't we lucky? We are in the "cooler" northern area of the state and rumor has it that it is much hotter elsewhere. So...in my world this number translates to about 752 degrees.

Fall?

Fall?

Where are you???

Oh yeah...cute water bottle coozie and funky lunch bags!

The boys really like their camo lunch gear!

DD loved her new coozie/water bottle holder!

Well, They are Off and Running....

My boys are ready for school! They always have a bit of wait time for big sister to get ready to go.

I was really pleased with how the 1st morning of the new year went! The boys got up and dressed then had breakfast with their Dad and he started back with their morning Bible Study (this didn't happen during the summer as the boys were not up as early as Dad) while I made snacks and water bottles and "listened". I love to listen as they read and discuss the Bible and life together. It is a precious, precious time for my men.

Of course, I snapped a ton of photos but this is one of all three before we got in the car to head out.

The drop off went well. DS2 actually didn't want me to walk in with him...but he was just out of luck. Yes, I did cry.

Back to school with style!

This week has been busy as the children get ready to head back to class after their [too short] summer break tomorrow!

Today was spent doing some final errands such as picking up a few things from the uniform store and a quick stop by Belk http://www.belk.com/ as they are having a GREAT Clinique Bonus Days event right now : http://www.allureaccess.com/0708/win2.cfm and I just happen to be conveniently out of a couple of things. This is a really good bonus, as it includes an offer for 1 year of Allure Magazine http://www.alluremagazine.com for only $6...and for a magazine-a-holic like myself, THAT is a deal I can't pass up!
We then had our last "lunch with Dad" that the kids can do until a holiday and then got both DS's backpacks packed with all their new goodies. DD spent the afternoon cleaning and organizing her room (the boys have already gotten that done!) and getting all her fantastic and "fashionable" back to school supplies ready.

We had Open House at school last night and I have to say it was probably the best one we have attended in recent years. There was genuine fellowship and lots of fun and it seemed everyone lingered on and on as if they didn't want to leave. That sense of community is what I love about our school.

I know that the drop off in the morning, for me, will be a bit bitter-sweet as DS2 is starting Kindergarten and it will officially usher out an old season and begin a new one all at once. I remember walking DS1 into the very same room 5 years ago, when I was pregnant with DS2...how does it go so fast?

Well, anyway...on a lighter note...I did want to show you what a cute calculator pouch DD has for her multi-function, slightly [well maybe a whole lot] scary to me calculator (hey it may have cost $139 but if you plug it up to your computer it can print stickers! WhooHooo!???!). The pouch was actually "free" with the calculator purchase but we sent it to our wonderful monogramming friend and she pumped up the cute level 110%, don't you think?

I will post a picture tomorrow of DD's cute water bottle holder but for now it is in her "back to school" surprise bag along with some monogram stickers and such so I will have to wait to snap a picture and share. The boys both got cute personalized, blue & grey camo (why do boys like camo if they are not hunters?) lunch boxes as their "back to school" surprise.

Happy Back to School!!!

We won! We Won!

Well, no me or "we" but Mt. Carmel did! A few weeks ago I posted and requested that folks go to the Burger King's Campaign For Your Cause contest that was award ing monies to organizations recovering from Katrina Damage and cast a vote for Mt. Carmel. I have a friend whos DD attends Mt. Carmel....guess what??? They won a cool $50,000! Won't that be a wonderful step in making the school what is was pre-Katrina? Thank you for everyone who voted for Mt. Carmel!!!!

http://www.campaignforyourcause.com/

Mama Drama

You are looking at a rather large pile of “baby book”…yes, I said “baby books”. They are classified as such by my no longer a baby boy. I spent the better part of today with him as we (READ: I) attempted to pare down the huge accumulation of stuff in his room. Most of the day was a pattern of me trying to take things out of his room without him reclaiming them before I was even down the stairs with what ever item had become an instant treasured possession.

This whole exercise made me acutely aware of the season of parenting I am leaving. For the first time in 15 years we will not longer have a pre-schooler in our home (starting this week); DS2 enters kindergarten and we officially leave that pre-school season behind.

Of course, there are continual reminders of how big he and his brother an sister are getting, but the cleaning out and sorting through the books made me realize these books have stayed on our shelves for me more than anyone else. It has been a long while since DS2 would consider reading a “baby book”. I looked through books that have seen us through 3 babies, and with that, many nights of rocking little ones before bedtime and sharing a story or two, lots of time sitting the floor reading and looking at these wonderful little books and the joy of happening upon a toddler sitting alone and looking at a book. Some of these books are well worn from phases when a child would insist that they be read daily for what probably seemed like months…others I know by heart.

I am giving them away and I hope there are others who will enjoy as much as we did. I must admit there were a few special ones that I tucked away in my room because I just couldn’t part with them…”baby books” or not.

This is going to be a Mama Drama week...I can feel it!

Back to School stuff...cute and cheap!

Today I found these cute additions for our back to school lunches. DD got the princess and Hello Kitty while the boys got Spiderman, of course! These are "ice packs" and lunch containers and they were just a big, old Dollar each (2 ice packs in a package and 1 large and 1 small container for a $1)! How cool is that? They were in Target's $1 bins and now I am just excited thinking of neat lunches to pack with such cute containers.

Speaking of lunches I like to do fun things even for my DD who is in high school. Some of my favorite things to do:

• I like to wrap fun, colorful cutlery in neat napkins and tie with a bit of left over ribbon. I will hit places like Party City and pick up clearance birthday party napkins just for this.


• Use that "gel icing" that comes in tubes to drawn cute patterns or designs on sandwiches...even a monogram on occasion.


• I like to use my Pampered Chef "circle sandwich" maker and the kids love them.


• Include a card every so often or even just a Post-It note with a little note.


• I will include a favorite candy, on occasion, which is a huge surprise and special treat (Lindt Lindor Balls are a favorite)


• Cut sandwiches into their initial.


• Sometimes, when strawberries are plentiful, I will wash and hule a huge amount an include a big bowl of them to share with friends along with a little packet of powdered sugar to sprinkle on top...THAT is a big hit.

So, share some of your fun ideas for kids lunches!