Advent Calendar Ideas

This is our family advent.  I LOVE it!  Each window, chimney, tree pops open to a little compartment.  We bought this at Costco for $10.00 a couple of years ago.....crazy!  Normally it's filled with candies for the kids, but this year I've decided to do something different.  Instead of candy I am putting in slips of paper of a kindness the kids need to do the next day for someone.  Our lesson in church yesterday was on the spirit of CHRISTmas and it got me thinking that I don't do enough to focus on the reason for the season.

I would love to know what you do to bring more focus on family, friends, giving and everything else that is wonderful that goes along with the Christmas season.

If you would like to do this ideas as well here are some ideas for activities...

Bake and deliver hoiday cookies to library employees.
Pay for Santa pictures for someone at mall.
Collect canned goods for food shelf.
Pass out candy and spread cheer to folks mailing off their Christmas cards at the post office.
Leave small Christmas treats/gifts in shopping carts for folks to find.
Collect old towels and washcloths and drop off at local animal shelter.
Make holiday cards and tuck them under the windshields wipers of cars at the store/library/school.
Buy coffee for stranger at a coffee shop.
String popcorn and cranberries — and put them outside for the birds
Tape change (and a note!) to a vending machine.
Pay for the order of the car behind you in the drive-through.
Leave present or card in mailbox for your mail carrier.
Drop off books and magazines to a hospital, nursing home or doctors office.
Give a compliment to the manager of someone who helps you today.
Check in on someone you know is alone.
Send someone a small gift anonymously.
Hold the door open for someone today.
Make eye contact and smile at everyone you see today.
Run an errand for someone.
Bring up the neighbor’s garbage can and recycling bins.
Shovel someone’s driveway.
Send a thank you note to someone who has helped you in the past.
Tape candy canes and notes to neighbor’s doors, wishing them happy holidays.
Forgive someone in a bad mood or who is negative today and say something nice to them.
Purchase a couple extra bags of cat/dog food and bring to a local animal shelter.
Leave your change in the soda machine, vending machine, parking meter, etc. today for the next person.
Offer someone behind you at the grocery store to go ahead of you.
Renew a relationship with someone you’ve lost touch with.
Listen to everyone you speak with today.
Offer to help someone do a task they don’t want to do.
Return a shopping cart for a stranger in the parking lot.
Pick up litter you see lying around by the road or in a parking lot.
Offer to help someone who looks like they need assistance (i.e. a mother trying to open a door, an elderly person pumping gas, etc.).
Acknowledge someone who has helped you today, no matter how small the task.
Say an encouraging word today.
Tell all your family members how much you appreciate them.
Buy a hot cocoa or latte for Salvation Army bell ringers.
Purchase toys for kids in need.
Tape candy canes and happy holiday notes to ATMS, vending machines…
Send a box of gently used mittens and hats to a school or homeless shelter
Offer to buy a pack of gum or mints for checkout clerk at grocery store.
Buy an extra copy of your favorite holiday book and donate to your library or local school.

Also, what are things you do with your advents besides candy?

Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Have you heard on Elf on the Shelf?  If not head on over here to read more about this super cute, fun holiday tradition....Elf on the Shelf
Here are some great ideas on where to hide the little guy and make your kids day!



Place him next to his stack of donuts (they are cheerios!)

or how about a snow angel out of sugar on the floor.....so cute!

Maybe your Elf is a little mischievous and paints little red noses on the kids while they sleep at night :)

He turns the milk green

And likes to take a relaxing bath in the sink

There are lots of great ideas out there.  Click here for 101 more ideas for your Elf on the Shelf...Have fun!

Christmas Printables!

Here are the Christmas printables I made last year... I had a ton of fun making them and hope to get around  to making some more!  But baby is coming and all I really want to do is sleep :)
Just right click and save the image!  Enjoy!

Pintrest Projects

I can't get enough of Pintrest.  It's horrible.  Here are a few things that I have started on and things I want to get started on....(click on pictures to be directed to sites)

First up this adorable Turkey Day shirt!  Love it!  Me making it won't happen though....maybe next year?!

Next up....I just can't get enough of these beautiful Dahlias.  My girls NEED them for hair accessories.  Need!

I am actually in the process of this adorable alphabet for baby #4...talk about last minute :)  It's gonna be WAY cute when it's done.  I will post progress pics this week.



And finally this art for my 4 year olds room.  Love it!

If your interested in Pintrest let me know...you need an invite to get in :)  Have a great day!

Thanksgiving Printables

Can you believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner?  Craziness!  Baby #4 has 46 more days to go.....can't wait!  Hope you enjoy these printables!  Cute turkey designed by this fab lady here.

You can also grab this super cute Subway Art here...

Going Batty!

If your looking for a fun super inexpensive way to spice up your home for Halloween read on about how to make these cute bats.  You can go crazy inside your home or wait for Halloween day and do up your porch.

I used construction paper (it's what I had on hand) but black cardstock would work great!

These bats fly along side my favorite decorated table at my house :)

I found this idea on Pintrest.  This lady went CRAZY with the bats....I love it!

And here they are decorating up her front porch!

Find the great tutorial by going here.  She has step by step instruction with the template!  Have fun!

Halloween To-Do List

This time of year is my absolute FAVORITE time, so much so that I have already begun decorating for Halloween....is that crazy?  If so, just don't tell me!  These are a few things that I am adding to my to-do list (as if it's needs anymore added to it)  I found all of these ideas on Pintrest, which is a horribly, awfully addicting site that I do not suggest you visit :)

Great tutorial found here on how to make these pretty spider webs.

You can't have enough wreaths in your house!  Find how to make this adorable one here.

This pumpkin is oh so pretty!

How adorable is this Halloween frame?  I could make tons and tons of these!  Found here...

Happy Halloween decorating to you all!

Back to School Crafts!

I have been in Yellowstone for the past week having fun with my family! 

We were able to see every animal you could possibly see in Yellowstone including a mama bear and her two cubs....which were adorable to look at from the safety of our car :)  Now we are gearing up for another family trip to Canada for a wedding which, when we get back from our vacationing, doesn't leave a lot of time before school starts.  Hence this post for a few fun and easy back to school projects for your little ones....

Take some of those empty Altoid tins and let your kids decorate for instant lunch money holders....so cute!

My girls will so love this idea!  Cover a plain old notebook with pipe cleaners!

Let's the kids have at it decorating tupperware bins to hold their homemade lunches.
All of these ideas found here.



Make up these adorable fruit tags for lunches found here.




Here are some cute day of the week tags to hang on kids outfits for school.

Others ideas:
-make a crayon wreath
-melt different colors broken up crayons in muffin tin and let cool for fun multi colored crayons.
-have the kids make bookmarks
-let the kids help pick out and clean up a homework area(s).

Good luck and more importantly HAVE FUN!

Hello? Anybody out there?

HELLO?  Is anybody out there? 

Ok so my blogging break took a bit longer (a lot longer) than I anticipated....I have a good excuses....I promise.

So right after the abrupt stopping of my blog my husband had surgery and was down and out for a bit.  After nursing him back to health it was kids, kids, and kids.  So many activities and things happening because of school coming to an end.....and then to top it off

I'm 3 1/2 months pregnant with our 4th!

Pretty surprised if you ask me.  And I must tell you, for the first couple of months of my pregnancies me and the porcelain throne are BEST friends.  I make a visit about 6-7 times a day and lost a lot of weight.  I have been put on two different medications and had IV fluids to help ease the pain.  Nothing helps.  Luckily the 6-7 times a day of puking has lessened to 1 or 2 and I feel myself SLOOOWLY getting back to normal.

So there you go.  My reasons for being such a slacker.  I would like to get back to this blog but I will start off slow....posting once a week.  How does that sound?

Glad to be back!  Hope to hear from some of you soon :)

FYI

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm taking a break.

A blogging break. I just feel like it's not fun at the moment. Like I don't have any ideas running through my head. I'm in a rut. In case you haven't noticed {I'm sure it's quite noticeable!} I apologized, but I hope those that have stuck with me continue to stick with me.

This is for just a short time....a couple days maybe a week. Just enough time to get my mind back and those juices flowin again :)

Thanks for understanding.

Giveaway Winner and Let your creative juices flow....Linky Party!

And the winner of the Frida K dress from Shabby Apple is...

Michele Pacey who said "I would rock this dress right here at home because I never go out, but I STILL love it!

Congrats to you Michele!!! I will be contacting you for more information.....And thanks so much to those who entered and to Shabby Apple for the giveaway!

Now lets check out some of the great stuff I found in the link up party last week!

This Anthropologie headband knockoff is just fab! I could NEVER afford anything there so knockoffs for me are THE BEST! Go here for a great tutorial.

These cute cups were made using vinyl! Now the kids won't get confused as to who's are who's.
Head on over here to check out more pictures.

This behavior chart is very much needed in my house right now. I think it's because Spring Fever is in HIGH gear. Here is where I found this great idea!

Now show us what you've been working on!

*Go ahead and link up as many projects as you'd like!

* Grab the button so everyone can come party and get in on the fun (it's the nice thing to do).

* Please no links to Etsy shops or online stores.

* And last, but certainly not least, it always feels good to see that others enjoy your stuff, so please leave a comment with the two people who posted before you :)

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The Children's Place promo code and free shipping!

Today at The Children's Place get free shipping on any order in honor of Presidents Day, plus use promo code G3D2011 to get 15% off your order!

They have some cute things for only $5.00 so stop by and take a look.

Here is what I found for only $10.00!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately...I have been MIA. I went on a much needed, very last minute trip here...

Scottsdale, Arizona

and spend time shopping here...

Oh my I was in heaven. Not that I could really afford anything is this mall. This mall was HUGE!

How I long to go back :) The weather was perfect. I got to sleep in. And didn't have to cook for 3 days. I will post so of the cute things I purchased at a later time.

Reminder that the giveaway ends tonight at midnight. There is a very low entry so your chances of winning are pretty good!

Enter at the post below.