Friday, August 30, 2013

Happy Labor Day! Take the day off and relax.


Monday, August 19, 2013

Back to School blog





Picture Perfect, First day of School: Photo Prop














Materials Needed:
  • Unfinished wooden photo frame (large enough to frame child’s face when held)
  • 2-3 cans of different colored spray paint
  • 1 can of Chalkboard Paint
  • 1 wood star
  • Unpainted wooden letters: D-A-Y, O-F, S-C-H-O-O-L
  • Elmer’s Carpenters Wood Glue (or hot glue gun)

Directions:
Spray paint the unfinished wooden frame one color. Select a different color(s) and spray paint the wooden letters. Spray pain the wood star with Chalkboard Paint. Add a second layer or spray paint to frame, letters, and wood star if needed. Allow all to dry overnight.
Position wood star and wood letters on the photo frame as desired. Use Elmer’s Carpenters Wood Glue (or a hot glue gun) to attach wood star and letters to the photo frame. Allow glue to dry completely.
Source: momalwaysfindsout.com



Lunch Boxes they will Love


This reproduction of a vintage tin lunch box is all modern with it's trendy design from Clairebella. A chalkboard inside the lid lets you send a love note from home with their tasty lunch. 


*All personalization is custom ordered exactly as entered below, please use upper and lower case as you would like to see on the finished piece and note that text is case sensitive according to chosen font. Max 10 characters.


Click to Order Now




Yummy and Healthy Kids Lunch Ideas


For more fun lunch ideas



It's hard to predict how a child will handle separation on the first day of kindergarten. Some kids will cling to their mom in terror, while others will skip happily off without even a parting glance in mom's direction. If your child leans toward the former behavior, don't be alarmed. Starting kindergarten is big step for children, and the anxiety they experience is a perfectly normal part of the developmental process. Nevertheless, there are ways you can make this transition easier for your child.
Discuss Kindergarten
In the weeks before school begins, discuss kindergarten with your child. Express enthusiasm and excitement at all she is going to learn. Try to evoke responses from your child to see how she may be feeling. Don't overdo it and don't force the topic, if your child is not interested or seems unwilling to discuss it. The main idea is to make kindergarten something exciting to look forward to, rather than something to fear.
Try Time Away from You
Before your child starts school, you can gauge how he deals with separation anxiety with a trial run. Try leaving him with a relative or close family friend, or suggest a sleepover at Grandma's house. See how your child reacts to being without you in a safe and supervised environment.
Set Up Playdates
Many schools distribute phone lists for each class of students before the school year begins. If you have such a list, try setting up playdates with your child's future classmates. That way, when your child walks into class on the first day, she'll see some familiar faces - her new friends.

Source: school.familyeducation.com









Prepare yourself

Many moms spend so much time preparing their children for school that they forget to prepare themselves for the rush of emotions surrounding this life transition. Give yourself some time to think about how you may respond when it's time to drop your child off, and come up with a game plan to make the transition easier.

Sandy Oliver from Fitchburg, Massachusetts, knew she might cry when dropping off her son for the first time, so she made plans that would distract her and lift her mood. "I applied lots of mascara before we headed to the school to remind myself not to tear up. Then, I gave myself 15 minutes to drop off my son and speak with the teacher before immediately leaving to meet my sister for coffee and pedicures. Giving myself something to look forward to was the perfect distraction to get me through that first day."

Melissa Daughtery came up with a similar plan. "I work full time, so I'm used to being away from my daughter during the day -- but it's still hard when I think of how fast she's growing up. I decided to take the first day of school off from work so I could really invest some time into both of us. I took my daughter out to breakfast, took her to school, then I went to the gym. After a great stress-relieving workout, I picked my daughter back up from school, and we spent the afternoon playing at a park. Spending that time with her helped me adjust to this new phase of life."

PREPARING FOR
A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

Late nights and family vacations make summer fun, but they can also make it hard for kids when it's time to go back to school. As summer winds down, taking the time now to begin preparing for school can make the new school year easier on your entire family. From starting on a school sleep schedule to cleaning up your computer, discover six tips for getting your household back to school ready.

1

TRANSITION INTO BACK TO SCHOOL SLEEP SCHEDULE

A week or two before school starts, move your kiddo's bedtime back 15 minutes each night until they are hitting the sack at the time they would during the regular school schedule.

2GET YOUR FAMILY CALENDAR ORGANIZED

Bust out your calendar and start organizing your family's activities agenda when preparing for school. From sports practice to music lessons, it will be easier on everyone if you work out who needs to be where before you head back to school, especially when it comes to arranging pickups and drop-offs.

3LOOK INTO CARPOOL OPTIONS

Whether it's an arrangement with your child's classmate or an schedule with your hubby, partaking in a carpool will save you time and gas money, so plan ahead to optimize your schedule with your kids' school schedule.

4COMPLETE BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING

On top of a new school wardrobe, backpack and lunch box, chances are teachers are asking for school supply donations as well. So, jump on back to school sales on school supplies now for your kids' classrooms during the school year.

5DUST OFF A STUDY SPACE

Giving your school-age child a clear, quiet place to do homework and study is the key for a successful school year, so clear off summer books and projects from a designated study space when preparing for school time.

6CLEAN UP YOUR COMPUTER

When preparing your kids for the new school year, making sure your PC is ready for back to school time is just as important. Deleting old files will make room for your youngster's new homework and reports, and updating programs to arm your kiddos with the latest technology tools will make the new school year run smoother.

Source:www.sheknows.com

More back to school links:

P.S. Don't forget...
Receive our coupons and promotions.


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Ava Rose is 5!

Wow time goes fast. My baby girl turned 5. She is turning into a little girl with every changing day. Everyone said it goes fast, enjoy every second and they are right. I do enjoy every second. This year Ava Rose selected her birthday party theme...a Carnival! She got the idea from a pretty little dress she had on early in May. She gets so excited planning her birthday party it is so cute. She talks about the decorations and wants to select everything with me. She goes over the list making sure I include everyone she can think of. She gets excited when the invitations arrive and she helps to mail them.



We had a fun time this year with the Carnival theme. We researched on Pinterest in the evenings and went shopping for things we decided on. Her favorite was the elephant centerpieces which she helped set up with her aunt and uncle. The highlight of her day was when her favorite ponies arrived Coco Puff and Sweetie Pie. It has become a tradition for the ponies to attend Ava Rose's party. She met them when she was 2 at a fair and fell in love. The day turned out beautiful and I know for sure I am enjoying every second watching my little rose grow. Happy Birthday Ava Rose!


Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Animal Pillows for a Purpose.


Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 when Farm Sanctuary President and 
Co-Founder Gene Baur rescued Hilda from a stockyard dead pile. 
Since that time, we’ve met, loved, and provided refuge for thousands of animals. 

Many people see two classes of animals: 
The animals with whom we share our homes, and everyone else. 
But other animals are not different in any way that matters morally 
from the dogs and cats with whom so many of us share our lives. 

At Farm Sanctuary, we share our lives with farm animals -
chickens, turkeys, pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, geese, and cattle. 
And we can tell you from personal experience that farm animals 
have the same range of personalities and interests as cats and dogs.



Animal Pillows for a Purpose!

5 different screen printed animals to choose from.

Owl, Sheep, Goat, Cow and Pig.

Looks great as a full collection.
Super cute and cuddly farm animals. Soft and cozy pillow.


Top-quality linen gets a whimsically rustic treatment in these cheeky original pillows from Eric & Christopher. 
Screen-printed by hand from original photographs. 22" x 22" 

Content  100% linen.

Care Machine wash cold, gentle cycle; line dry. 
Do not bleach. Do not iron.




Pine Cone Hill 

Wilbur Decorative Pillow




Pine Cone Hill 

Hoot Decorative Pillow



Bonnie Decorative Pillow