30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 8

Day 8 - A place you've traveled too

Let's see . . .I have a few to chose from so I'm trying to pick my favorite and I can still only narrow it down to two!!

First, Gatlinburg Tennessee.  We LOVE going to "our" cabin on the mountain and just getting away.

The view off the deck of "our" cabin - we've stayed here twice and just love it.

Just out for a drive in the mountains!

A Drive in the Mountains

Two, Las Vegas!!!  We love just about everything about Vegas - the sights, sounds, good food, - everything!

Our hotel the last time we visited and we always rent a convertible to enjoy the clear blue sky and wonderful views!

We also head to the border - the Hoover Dam!  It is pretty amazing to see!

The Wynn - one of the incredible Hotels!

And another :-) (Look at that sky and the palm trees!)

We've been to a few other places like Vermont, the Bahamas, Canada, Brazil.  Plus we like to take weekends away when we can (which are few and far between now with kids!)  And yes, we have our list of places we'd still like to go!!

Check out Katies Journey to check out the full scoop!

Too Cute not to "Toot"

I look at so many great blogs and great ideas I thought I would get on the bandwagon of sharing those ideas once a week - you know, those ideas that are "Too Cute Not to "TOOT" (their horn about!)  I'm thinking I might try to do this on Mondays but we all know how many times my "Worship Wednesday" gets posted on Thursday!!

So, these ideas really caught my attention this week.  Some I want to make and some, I just think are too cute!

From Crafts and Deals, this really great Halloween Sewing idea.  You can even download the pattern.

Click here for the tutorial

Or how about this great Trick-or-Treat bag?  I want something different for my kids to carry this might be it!

Here's another Trick-or-Treat Bag idea from Sisters Stuff

Check out the tutorial right here.

And I was just thinking that I need to make a "Library" bag to carry our books in and this Placemat Tote seems to fit the bill! (This would also make a great craft bag - I have a "current projects" bin but need to store each craft individually . . .)

I loved this idea from Blue Cricket Design for Halloween Silhouettes.

You can get the full tutorial here.  What a great way to decorate your normal family pictures!  Do these on cardstock and use sticky tack to adhere them to the glass frames.  After the holiday, just pull them off, clean the glass and the "real" family pictures are back!

One more fall post for this "Toot" - this is an awesome idea to do with your kids or your students! 

Aren't these great?  You can see the full tutorial here!

And last but not least -- I love all the fall projects but I've been thinking that I really need some Christmas ideas so I can get them done BEFORE the holidays and low and behold, I happened upon this post today!  I love the ideas The Speckled Dog gives for some easy Christmas Decorations.

You can get the full instructions to make the wreath, cones, and "snowballs" here


I hope you have enjoyed this first "episode of "Too Cute not to 'TOOT'"!!

Hand print Spiders

I saw this posted at Oopsey Daisy and just loved it.  We made them today! 

You will need:
Orange scrapbook paper
Patterned Scrapbook paper
Black paint
brush
adhesive
Wiggly Eyes

First, I painted Nate's hand and helped him make a print.  I reapplied paint and had him make a second print.  Than I used the black to fill in the body a little more.

I did it again with Josh's hand.  Now, understand, Josh HATES things on his hands so trying to get him to let me paint his whole hand was kinda funny.

Cut out the hand prints and adhere them to the patterned paper.  Attach the eyes and don't forget the name and date!

Aren't these cute????  I plan on making these every year until the boys are too big - which will be when they move out because they will always need to do what I say :-) hehehehe  I just think it will be fun to watch the size of their hands grow! 

The link above gives even more detail and more pictures so feel free to check it out ! (Trying to keep the painted hands off of me took precedence over getting pictures!)

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 7

Day 7 - Favorite Movies
Let see if I can think of any!  I used to have lots of Favorite movies but we don't see very many anymore so I can't even remember!

1. Anne of Green Gables - the Whole Series

2. Everafter

3. The Land Before Time Series

4. Grease

5. Home Alone (Our Christmas Movie!)

6. Titanic

7. What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Make sure and check out Katies Journey to see her posts as well as all the other link ups!  I really looking forward to seeing the posts today just to see other movie ideas. 



Farm Matching Game

Here's another easy craft to do with your kids and it is also a great learning tool!  Ours is based on the book "The Big Red Barn" by Margaret Wise Brown.

You will need one (clean!) sock, a cup, and two copies of whatever pictures you want to use.  The cup is from Walmart - this summer they sold for 4 for $1.00!!

Slide the cup into the sock until it reaches the toe.

Than fold the top of the sock back over the cup.

So that it looks like this with an opening to stick a hand inside.

Laminate both copies of the pictures.  Leave one whole and cut the other one apart.  Drop the cut pictures into the cup.

Now what?
1) Have your child put the pictures from the cup an make the animal sounds
2) Work in threes; make the sounds and than ask your child to hand you a specific picture
3) Pull a picture from the cup and match it to the other grid

Kids enjoy the "unknown" of putting their hand into that cup and pulling something out and the sock helps keep it a mystery.

If you would like to use the farm animal pictures, click here and it should open up for you to print :-)

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 6

Day 6 - A Picture of Something that Makes you Happy

This is my screensaver too!  Two little boys playing together in leaves.  :-)

Of course, I could have picked a million pictures but this is the most recent one that just makes me happy - the memory of the day, the boys having fun, the fall weather.  Now, tomorrow, I might have a differant one :-)

Make sure and check out Katie's Journey to catch up on this blog challenge and just to read some of the other posts that are linked up.
Happy day!

Show Us Your Life Fridays- The Office

This week on Show us Where you Life - The Office :-)  You can check out Kelly's Korner here. 

In my home, I no longer have a room that is designated as the "office" - we gave that room to our son Nate, so he could have his own room.  Instead, I created an office space in my living room. 

I actually like my little corner - since the Living Room is where the kids play, this keeps me in the same room whether I'm paying bills, writing, or scrapbooking.  The biggest challenge is keeping it neat!!  I work hard to keep it from piling up too badly but every Thursday is "clean off my desk day".  I have to sort through piles, file everything, and make sure that nothing slips through the cracks.  I love my roll top desk - it was a "bet" with my dad when I was in high school.  I bet that I could save 1/2 the money to buy a desk we were going to build together.  He agreed thinking I wouldn't do it (I only needed $250.00!).  Well, I saved my money but he didn't want to build one LOL  So, I saw one on sale at a furniture store that equaled the $500.00 total . .. but when I got home from school, he had bought this one which was much nicer :-)  The thing is a bear to move but I love it so it is worth it!  That's all - my simple little "office" space :-)

Here is the list of all the rooms and dates.  I'm listing this here because I keep searching for it!
9/24 - Master Bedrooms

10/1 - Dining Room
10/8 - Kitchen
10/15 - Office
10/22 - Children's rooms
10/29 - Guest Room
11/5 - Bathrooms
11/12 - Playrooms/Bonus Rooms/Laundry Rooms
11/19 - Foyers/Entry ways
11/26 - Off for Thanksgiving