Wordless Wednesday

Yesterday got away from me and I didn't get a chance to post a picture of my sweet, sweet Caleb.  Isn't he cute?

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

10 Reasons I love Back to School Time

 

1.  School Supplies – School supply shopping is one of my favorite things!!  There is something exciting about buying fresh unused boxes of crayons and new loose leaf paper.  The smell of Crayola in the house brightens my day.

2.  Fresh Starts – The start of the school year is a fresh start.  To me, the beginning of school is a better time to make new resolutions than on New Year’s Day.

3.  Early to Bed, Early to Rise – Those of you who know me know that I am a morning person.  After about, um, 9:00 pm, I should crawl under a rock and not speak to others.  By getting up early, the boys are ready for bed earlier and we all have a much happier day!

4.  Routine – Having a carefree summer was fun, but being out of routine wore on my house and my nerves {yep, I said it!}.  The kids and I had fun this summer, but being out of routine was stressful.  Next summer, I am going to HAVE to get a routine going at the beginning of summer. 

5.  New Teachers – All of the teachers my boys have had so far have been WONDERFUL and AMAZING!  There is something fun and undiscovered about new teachers.

6.  Shoes – Back to school means back to school shoe shopping.  The boys needed new shoes so they could run faster and jump higher.  Because new shoes do that right? 

7.  Backpacks – The boys were so fun when we were looking for backpacks.  Andrew is a big 3rd grader now and he wanted a “cool” backpack {i.e. one with only one strap}.  Jacob wanted a Lightning McQueen backpack {complete with matching lunchbox}.

8.  New Friends – Every year brings with it a new group of friends.  New friends to chat with, learn from, and play with. 

9.  Better spectator weather – With three boys, sports occur in almost every season.  Right now, we are playing baseball (fall ball) and soccer.  When the season began, we sat outside in 100+ degree weather for practices.  Now that school has started again, temperatures have been cooling off and we are reaching much, much, much more reasonable temps.

10.  Beanie Season – Those of you who know me, know that I love beanie season.  That is the time of year when the weather cools off and the kids can wear all their cute beanies.  Most people might just call this time of year fall, but around our house, it is beanie season!

Hope you are enjoying the fun, exciting, and occasionally stressful back to school time.  We are!

This post is linked up to Oh Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday.  For more Top Ten lists, visit Oh Amanda!

Back to School ~ Back to Routine

After much debate in my head as to how to start this blog post, I thought it might be best to explain the long absence to our blog.  Well, summer has been busy, crazy, fun, hectic, and hairy!  We have been so busy.  With that being said, the kids are all back in school and life is back to the new normal pace.  Routine has arrived and with it, more blog posts.  I hope that you will stay around and share with us.  The kids have started back to school and this school year teaching jobs have been scarce so for now, subbing and crocheting are my full time job. 

Andrew has started in 3rd grade and he LOVES it.  His principal has asked him to be an escort for the Kindergarten students for the next week.  He is thrilled to have been given the responsibility.

Jacob is now a Kindergartener.  He LOVES school and all of his new friends.  I had the opportunity to volunteer in his class on Friday and it was so much fun to see him playing and socializing.  He rides the bus to and from school now.  Riding the bus was the most exciting part of going to school for him.

Caleb wishes he were in big school, but preschool is enough for him.  This year, he gets to play on the big kid side because he is completely potty trained.  Woo Hoo!!  This is the first time in YEARS that I have not had a little person in diapers.

Mimi and I have been working on lots of new items for fall and back to school.  Check out this cute owl shirt and Lil’ Hoot Beanie.  

 

 

Have your kids started back to school yet?  What is your favorite part of the back to school routines?

Wordless Wednesday ~ That’s What Pa’s are made for!

Going to Mimi’s house is always fun, but the boys love it when Pa is there.  Why?  Wrestling, of course!  Uh oh, 4 against 1!

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Family Fun Days!

This summer my sister in law, Amy, and I decided that it would be fun to get the boys together to play at least once a week.  And to make it even more fun, we have had small projects for the kids to do when they get together. 

The Thursday before 4th of July we decided to make Rice Krispy Treat Pops like these.  Mimi and I were talking and decided it would be even more fun to let the kids decorate the “popsicles” after dipping them in chocolate.

First, the kids decorated a Rice Krispie treat flag “cake.”

 

Then it was time to dip and decorate!  Jacob enjoyed trying to get the M&M’s to stick.

 

The kids placed their creations on a plastic cutting board to dry while they went to play.

Jackson had a lot of fun eating the sprinkles and M&M’s. 

 

Overall, we had a great time making these.  Note for future attempts, M&M’s don’t stick well.

I am so thankful that we have taken a day out of each week to spend time as a family.  Getting together with Amy and Jackson is such a precious time! 

This post is linked up to Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky.

Menu Plan Monday

So, I have totally fallen off of the menu planning wagon.  Our dinners are so completely boring!!  This week, I am posting our menu to help keep me accountable and to ask for your advice.  Please comment with your favorite recipes or blogs for family friendly recipes.  Thank you in advance for your help.

Monday – Hamburgers

Tuesday – Chicken Quesadillas

Wednesday – Tater Tot Casserole

Thursday – Chicken Fingers

Friday – Pork Roast

Saturday – Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sunday – Spaghetti

This post is linked up to Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie!

Don’t forget about the Christmas in July Specials in our Etsy shop!  Buy any monogrammed shirt and get a matching skirt for only $5.  Buy any 2 hairclips, get 1 free (of equal or lesser value).  Specials end July 22, 2010.

Sneak Peek Sunday

It’s Sunday!  Hope everyone had a great week last week.  We are gearing up for another fun week at our house.  The kids are excited to go to the library and turn in their Summer Reading logs. 

In our Etsy shop, Mimi and I have been extra busy this week making new things for fall and finishing up custom orders. 

Here are some of the newest listings from our Etsy shop.

Funky Monkey – Hot Pink / Lime Green Monkey Earflap Hat

Tractor Birthday Shirt

New Style Wallet

Watch for some new things coming this week…

Hairclip Holders

Hello Kitty Beanie

Hot Pink and Black Crochet Flower Hairclip and Headband Set

Have a fantastic week!  Join us on our Facebook page to be the first to know about new products and upcoming giveaways.

Family Traditions ~ Lots of 4th of July Fun

Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday week!!  Sorry for being so long between posts.  Mimi and I are hoping that the blog will be updated more regularly with more about all the fun we are having around here!  And with three boys in my house, we have a lot of FUN!

As long as I can remember, the 4th of July meant going to Grandma Dee Dee's cabin, playing in the water, going on boat rides, and having fun with fireworks.  Well, this year did not disappoint!  It was so much fun to see the kids enjoy the tradition that my family started when I was a kid. 

The cabin is a great place for boys to enjoy all there is to enjoy about the great outdoors....

Andrew went kyaking, fishing, paddleboating, swimming, and boat riding. 

Jacob loved all of it.  He is Prince Charming after all. At the end of the first day, he told Grandma "This is the funnest day ever!"

Caleb was not so sure about swimming in the water, but he got over most of his fears and swam with me.  Thank goodness because it was so HOT!

 

And my little sister Tara caught a HUGE catfish! 

 

What fun summer traditions have you and your family been celebrating? 

This post is linked up to Finer Things Friday at Amy's Finer Things. 

~Charissa

Birthday Shirt Redo

Hello, Mimi here. Charissa has been very busy with the boys this summer, having lots of FUN! She'll be back soon, hopefully with lots of pictures!

We've kind of neglected the blog lately, but like I said Charissa has been busy, so I wanted to bounce something off ya'll! I love the Birthday Shirts in our Etsy shop, but I've been wanting to try something a little different with them. Naturally I didn't want to waste a shirt just in case, you know, it was u.g.l.y! This is what I came up with. An apron to practice on! How's that? Anyway, I love the little monkey in this design, added to the number 3 with the lacy stitch around it. So here's where you come in!



What do you think? Do you like the monkey combined with the number? Oh, and I added the balloons because the design was a little low on the apron.

Come on, help me out here. I need a little feedback! I'm also thinking about a certain Kitty, maybe a robot or spaceship for little boys, a barn and tractor, maybe?

If you have a minute, tell me what you think!

Have a great 4th of July weekend. And may God bless America!

Checkerboard Win!

I don't know about you, but it just makes me happy to get fun stuff in the mailbox!
You know, something other than window envelopes?!


Well, look what I got in the mail this week. I love it!! I won this jewel in a giveaway on House of Hepworth's blog a couple weeks ago.




It's from LanieRee who blogs at Life in the Pitts She also sells these cute checkerboards and some megacute frames at her Etsy store, Made in the Pitts
How cute is that?! Anyway, check out her cute store and her blog. And while you're at it check out HOH!



Thanks ladies, I love it!!

Mimi

Car Breakdowns and God’s Timing ~ A Finer Thing

This week, I find myself reflecting on how good God has been to me.  He is always right on time.  His timing and ways are so much higher than my own.  Personally, I prefer a world where nothing needs to be maintained, repaired, cleaned, or cooked.  So that I can just play with my kids, watch their 5,248,357th baseball game, and crochet.  Since we do not live in this world, things do break down and have to be repaired. 
This week, it was the van.  Please understand, my van is my lifeline.  It is my favorite vehicle EVER.  SERIOUSLY!  I love it.  It takes me where I want to go and has room enough inside for all the kids to separate.  It even has doors that slide on both sides.  Oh, and the air conditioning works on a regular basis.  Since it has been nearly 500 degrees out with 150% humidity, A/C is ESSENTIAL!!!  The van is also an older model with about 156,000 miles on it. 
About a month ago, my husband went on an overnight business trip.  Right before he left, the transmission went out!!  Oh no, what will we do!!  Well, God is divine and His timing is perfect.  
On my way home from my mother in law’s (aka Mimi) the transmission began slipping.  The next day, my sweet husband went out to check on what I meant by “it just won’t go, there is something wrong, it made this PPPPPPLLLLLTTTTT sound” and the van would not go into gear.  Off to the repair shop it went. 
Since hubby was going on a business trip, his company rented a car for him so the kids and I drove hubby’s car while the van was getting fixed.  We did not need to get the kids up before sunrise to get hubby to work. {Thank you, Jesus!}

The Bad:

Transmission died.  No van, no go! 

The Good: 

Transmission began to die on the way home.  The kids and I made it home.  No whiny, tired, and hot kids stuck on the side of the road.  {Thank you, Jesus!}  
Since hubby was going on a business trip, his company rented a car for him so the kids and I drove hubby’s car while the van was getting fixed.  We did not need to get the kids up before sunrise to get hubby to work. {Thank you, Jesus!}

Fast forward to a month later.  Transmission is fixed and hubby has another overnight trip to the SAME place as when transmission went out. 

The bad: 

The van begins sputtering when you go 40 – 50 mph.  As long as you stay below, 40 and above 50, no problems.  

The good: 

We make it home and no tired, whiny, cranky kids stuck on the side of the road. {Thank you, Jesus!}
Hubby is going on another overnight trip and his company rents a car for him.  So we do not need to get the kids up before dawn and drive hubby to work. {Thank you, Jesus!}
Also, the repair shop thinks it might just be a wire that needs to be replaced.  {Thank you, Jesus!}

So, long story short, God is always there and sometimes we have to look beyond the right here, right now and see the good that God has for us.  Cars will break down, people will be rude and hurt our feelings, we will be tired, cranky, and whiny {and so will the kids}, but God is there and He always has been.

Hope that this post has been an encouragement to you.  When have you chosen to see God’s perfect timing rather than the imperfect situation?

For me, God’s perfect timing is a Finer Thing.  Visit Amy’s Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday.

Buttons, Buttons, and More Buttons

Sorry to have taken a blogging break. I hope to be back soon with some new fun stories about the kids and the zany-ness of our lives. But for now, I thought I would share my newest obssession. I found these scrapbook paper buttons on Etsy and fell in love. They are covered with resin so they can get wet and can be wiped off if the outside gets dirty.

And who knows.... A few of these might become brooches...

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a great day!

~Charissa

'Nuff Said!

I'm not a very good photographer, but I think you get the message here!!

Linking to Wordless Wednesdays @ 5 Minutes for Mom Here

Birthday Shirt Winner!!

A Big Thank You to everyone who entered our Giveaway last week. We are so grateful to have you as friends!

Congratulations to Jennifer!! She was the winner of the Birthday Shirt we gave away for my birthday. This is Jennifer's winning comment:

"When I turned 13 we had a tea part in a gazebo at a park, that was my fav birthday party."

James is her little man, and he will be turning one in June. He'll be sporting this custom-made-just-for-him Birthday Shirt!



Now, if you have a little person having a birthday soon and need a special
shirt for the celebration come see us in the Etsy Shop to place your custom order! And we do make larger than toddler sizes for older children!

Stay tuned, we'll do something special for our 300th sale soon! Watch the shop, or better yet, go buy something and make it happen soon!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Extreme Monkey in the Middle

While we were at Mimi’s house for Zach’s birthday, Andrew and Mimi began throwing a small ball in the house.  This is one of those you can do it at Mimi’s house, but you better not do it at home activities.   While they were playing the little boys decided to put on motorcycle helmets and try to catch the ball.  This turned into what I like to call Extreme Monkey in the Middle with the ball bouncing off the helmets. 

     

Oh, and it is not often that you find Caleb and Jackson playing nicely and quietly so this should be shared.

 

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 minutes for Mom!