Thursday, August 27, 2015

getting ready for kindergarten

Please tell me how it is even possible I am going to have a kindergartner next week!? Not just a kindergartner, a full time student since our district just passed all day kindergarten this year!

There is so much to do to get ready for kindergarten. Practice letters, shapes, writing, words, get all the school supplies (which seems to have tripled in amount since I was in school) and of course get a super cool backpack and some back to school clothing.

To help get us organized and ready for Kindergarten, we are using Mabel's Labels.  Mabel's Labels offers tons of different custom labels, stickers, etc for your needs.

The ordering process was so easy and fun! We chose the ultimate back to school combo pack which comes with name stickers, name tags, shoe stickers and 2 mini tags with a ring that you can attach to something.

There are so many different color/theme combinations. Brayden helped picked his out and he went with the solid blue steel with the pirate ship logo (which was my favorite!)

When they arrived, we got started on labeling everything we could for school.  First up was his shoes.





In our school district, about 90% of the school supplies you purchase are considered "community" so you are not suppose to label.  All of the crayons, markers, glue, etc that we bought are already in my little mans classroom.

We did get to label his folders and supply box and used the 2 mini tags to attach to his lunch box and backpack.








The custom mini tags are great for clothing. We will be using these on some of his t shirts and definitely his soccer jersey.



The possibilities are endless for the use of Mabel's Labels. I'm so happy I have plenty left because I know they will go to good use!

My little guys stuff all ready to go (minus a lunch, I did not pack that yet, LOL)



Thanks to Mabel's Labels, it's been fun getting ready for Kindergarten! Now I need to go enjoy my last few days with my little guy, but make sure to check out all of the fun labels Mabel's Labels has to offer!



Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a sample for my review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

life lately

We have been having so much fun this summer, I don't want it to end! I know I've said it before, but my firstborn is starting all day kindergarten next Monday and I'm dreading it. I'm going to miss that boy so much!

Let's take a look at what we've been up to!


I took the kids to the library a few weeks ago and Brayden participated in a lego challenge with his buddies - they had so much fun!


After the library, we walked over to the ice cream place and indulged :)


Right outside the ice cream place is a little splash pad so we hung out there for a while. The kids loved it!





Cousins! These two are so cute!


Brayden got a dinosaur kit for his birthday so he spent one day digging for the bones


Daddy & son digging away :)


More backyard fun! Miss A LOVES the water table!





2 kids ready to go! They look HUGE to me on their little bikes


I can't believe how well Ella rides her bike! She literally just got on it the first time and took off. This is quite the opposite of her brother


We live in an unincorporated area so there are no sidewalks, so we took them to the park which also has a tennis court so they could ride around






I took the kiddos to Home Depot the other day and this is how we roll :) I swear I get so many looks when I go out with them, LOL


We spent the afternoon fort building the other day. 


 

This little cutie was having a blast rolling around and being tickled :)


We took a page out of Momfessionals and had an Eric Carle day.  We read The Very Grouchy Ladybug and made grouchy ladybug crafts.  I just love their grouchy faces :)



This cute went to his new school last week and met his teacher and saw his classroom.


Brayden needed an eye exam for school and he passed with flying colors


The boy cousins! 


My nephew and me at the park :)


The bigger cousins enjoying their freeze pops on a hot day!


We met up with the hubs and several other family members at a local golf course where they were all playing in an outing. The kids wanted a ride on the golf cart SO bad so the hubs took them out :)




It was my father in laws 60th birthday last weekend so we celebrated with lots of cake :)


We took the kids to our local lake to go paddle boating.  We tried out the new work out equipment they installed while we waited.


The hubs went to sit down on the bench and asked Ella to sit with them....


and this was her reply.  She did NOT want to sit on the bench.  All she wanted was to get on the paddle boat but it was such a long wait.


Finally getting ready to get on!!

And we're paddling :) I was in back with Brayden but came in front to help paddle. The kids enjoyed it so much!




Happy Tuesday everyone!

Monday, August 24, 2015

easy peasy scrapbook

Happy Monday friends! Today I'm sharing with you my latest scrapbook - along with tons of extra details that I'm sure you could do without :)

I love scrapbooking. It's something that I definitely don't have as much as time as I would like to devote to it, but I still love it when I can.

When I had Brayden, I knew I wanted to do a scrapbook for his first year, full of his first: holidays, food, haircut, birthday party, etc. I also threw in fun pages of my growing belly, his arrival, his nursery, and more.  I loved this scrapbook so much and was so proud when I actually finished by his 1st birthday!

This is the scrapbook I bought for him - I was so happy to find such a cute and fun album because that's exactly what I wanted. I didn't want it to look modern, or really pretty and nice, just young and fun. 

12" x 12" Noah's Ark Post Bound Scrapbook Album
via
Then I had Ella Bella, and I think it was like 6 months before I had even thought about starting her scrapbook! I went back to Hobby Lobby in search for another cute and fun book and was so happy to find this one.  I have never been one for pink or girly stuff buy wow has having girls changed me. I am instantly drawn to anything girly now. (I can't find this on the HL website but I always still see it in the store)

I think I finished Ella's 1st year scrapbook just a little after she turned 1, not that bad for the 2nd child :)

via


When I was pregnant with Avery I already knew that I of course would do a scrapbook for her too. It's only fair and like I said, I really do love scrapbooking when I have the time.

After I had here, I would search here and there at the craft stores & online for another fun, cute scrapbook.  I kept coming up empty everywhere I looked.  So I would get annoyed and stop looking for one and put making her scrapbook on the backburner (I had no time to work on it anyway, hello 3 kids!) 

Fast forward to Avery turning 10 months and I had not even started her scrapbook, let alone gotten an album! I was getting more annoyed when again my searches were coming up with nothing. I almost settled on one I found at Joanns but couldn't bring myself to check out with it.  Nothing was fitting my "theme" I had in my head and I wasn't going to settle.

Then one day my Mom said, "Why don't you just make one? You make everything else so good, you should just make one" Thanks Mama :) But I still wasn't quite sure on how to tackle making a scrapbook.  I was not looking for any big, long project that involved fabric, cutting, gluing, etc. and still couldn't quite envision what to do.


sidenote : if you're still reading this, bless your heart! Sometimes I take forever explain simple stories. 


Anyway, I finally thought of just getting a plain fabric scrapbook then ironing on a really cute patch. My searches led me to Amazon and Etsy. (duh)

I fond this scrapbook and was instantly drawn to the dark pink color 

via

Then I found this adorable patch on Etsy and ordered the biggest size. I asked the seller to change the bottom of the cupcake to a different color so it wasn't pink on pink and she did just that.

Iron On Applique - Korker Dot Cupcakes
via


Once I got the patch I realized I needed something else to take up some space on the scrapbook cover so I decided to add Avery's name - I already had left over unfinished letters so I painted them purple.


So here is my little Miss Avery's scrapbook! So cute and fun and simple. I am just in love with it!!

Now I just need to finish it, since you know, she did have her first birthday a few weeks ago...



Friday, August 21, 2015

Happy Friday

Happy Friday Friends!

This week flew and I'm starting to get super sad that I only have 1 week left with my firstborn at home. Soon he will be starting full day kindergarten! #someoneholdme

I really am trying to soak up this last bit of summer but yet it's still going way too fast.

Anyway, enough talk about summer ending and on to the link up :)


{ONE}

I've been seeing new planners just about everywhere lately and it's definitely got my interest sparked. I have been using a planner I put together myself but it's just blah to me now. Having a planner has become one of my favorite things so it's time I get one I love!

I'm leaning towards the Kate Spade Large Agenda - I just can't decide between the black and white stripe or the gold dots - which would you choose??



 {TWO}

I blogged about my littlest princess's 1st birthday party this week - check it out here if you missed it. It was pink & gold & fabulous! Definitely one of my most favorite parties I've planned.




{THREE}

Did anyone else see there is going to be a Full House behind the scenes movie this weekend on Lifetime?? I'm sure it's not the greatest, but I'm a sucker for Lifetime movies and throw Full House in the mix; I'm definitely all over that!



{FOUR}

I finally bought a military jacket after years of wanting one. It's definitely going to be a favorite fall item of mine. It's really light weight but fits so nice.  It's the Caslon utility jacket from Nordstrom. I ended up going with an XS regular because I wanted it more fitted vs boxy. Of course it's 40% off which is why I got it :)

Utility Jacket (Regular & Petite)


Alright, I'm off now to start our day - little man needs an eye exam, then it's off to a fun playdate at a splash pad. 

Happy Weekend!


Linking up with:








 
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