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Showing posts with label back-to-school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label back-to-school. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Grrreat Teacher Gift Idea!


I know we're midway through our second week of school around here, but meet-the-teacher was just last night and the truth is, teachers appreciate a thank you anytime of year, not just on the first day!

I came across these cute little panda staplers after Christmas and thought they would make a sweet sussie for Sheep's teachers this year.  And though we didn't manage to get our package together on the first day, they have gotten them by now!


This was a quick and easy idea I put together using Chinese takeout boxes that I had leftover from another event.  I made all the stickers using only the free clipart on Microsoft, Powerpoint and my 2" punch!  


Then I stuffed in a few fortune cookies from my local Asian restaurant (Yum) and some red tissue paper to tie it all together.  I had also thought about adding a gift card to the restaurant as well, but decided it was enough.


Sheep and I worked on  clever little card to attach with some ribbon and voila!


Teacher gifts?  Check!

Happy Back-to-School Y'all!
 
P.S.   I haven't loaded these labels as a free printable yet because I made them very quickly and the printable would be pretty rough, but if you're interested in them, leave me a comment and I can get them to you!


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

New (School) Year's Resolutions 2013


It's hard to believe, but we've already been 'back-to-school' for two weeks!  And while I should (at least theoretically, right?) be getting TONS of stuff done now that I have an uninterrupted block of time each day, I already feel like I am falling behind.
 
 
Ugh!

Fall is such a fun/busy time of year for us, as I'm sure it is for everyone with school-aged kiddos.  But those weeks leading up to class are always a time of reflection and preparation for me.  So last year I decided to take some time to write down a few of my New (School) Year's Resolutions to make me more accountable and help keep me on track.  Like most resolutions though, I found myself having to look back at my post to even remember what they were.  {Sigh.}

Well, I nailed 1 and 5 - not a single tardy in 2nd grade and I did NOT sign up for any more volunteer activities - so there!  I was at least averaging 50% on 2, 3 and 6, so there's definitely some room for improvement - but at least I was moving in the right direction.

Sadly, 4 and 7 were total fails last year.  And of course in retrospect they do seem to be the most important (after the tardies - ha!).  Physical and spiritual well being for myself and my family deserve to be a priority, so consistent prayer and exercise will be returning to the list this year.  Hopefully I can build on my success from last year and move closer to the balanced life I, really we, are all striving for as moms.


So hear goes:

1.  I will exercise at least three of the 4 days each week that both littles are out of the house.  Exercise will resume its place of prominence in my life.  It is good for me and for everyone around me.  Like they say, 'When mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!'  To that end, I did carve out some time to reintroduce myself to our gym (ugh) today.  We'll probably never be BFFs, but at least we're back on track for a working relationship this school year!

2.  More than a blessing at breakfast continues to be hard for us, but it shouldn't mean that I don't spend some time with the Lord in the morning, even if (and perhaps better if) it's by myself.  I have been shopping posts about prayer journals recently and I think that's the way to go for me.  Since coming to this conclusion, almost every day I have been faced with a situation that I can do nothing about  . . . other than pray.  Such a humbling reminder of God's grace and the power of prayer.  I bought a notebook on Sunday.  It turned out to be a planner rather than a journal, but I will not be deterred so I am grabbing an old journal and getting started.  Who knows, I could be praying for you by the end of the (school) year!

3.  I will devote more time to sewing for my daughter while she still appreciates it.  I have more patterns and fabric than I could possibly ever use and will need grandchildren for some of them now (too many, maybe next years I'm afraid), but sewing has always been a pleasure of mine and I want to do it while I can.  And so I will.

4.  I will do more to prep for my volunteer activities and my evening meals in advance.  Enough said.

I would like to add something related to my bloggy life, like I will commit to two blog posts each week, but my heart is telling me that blogging may not top the list this year.  So, despite wanting to grow my readership, jazz up my layout and otherwise become a bloggess extraordinaire ( I mean who doesn't want that title?!), blogging may have to remain my musings for a while longer because I am 'busy' enough.  A friend of mine shared with me the definition of BUSY - have you heard it before?  BUSY stands for Being Under Satan's Yoke - that's pretty powerful stuff and something to think about this year.


I hope everyone has a great back-to school!  Slow down in those school zones and try not to get too busy!