Parachute Fun

We had so much fun & the pictures are sooo cute!

Lemonade

It's not exactly lemonade weather yet but we've been learning about lemons so today we set up a pretend lemonade stand. The kids were so excited! It was easy too. We used:

• pitcher
• spatula for stirring
• yellow tissue paper in the pitcher
• bowl full of plastic lemons
• paper dollars
• lemonade sign
• paper cups with scraps of yellow torn paper inside

The kids set the price at $5! Everyone wanted to be "the lemonader".

Signs of Spring

Four eggs in the nest! There's a new nest in the backyard & two starlings are trying to make a nest in the grill today. Usually there's a cover over it but it ripped over winter so I took it off & now they can get in. My daffadils did amount to something although they are itsy-bitsy. You can see how small by my hand.

Butterfly Snacks

This is today's "cooking activity" and morning snack. The kids spread the blue frosting on their cracker & then assembled the butterflies. Yes we used what we had so that means leftover M & M's from holiday time & valentine sprinkles!

Deal of the Day

Today we checked out things at Goodwill since I had a $5 coupon that expires on Tues. (Give them your email address & you get a coupon.) I found a few things & then checked out the little boys clothes. Found these cute Lands End jammies, size 8, for Brett. He likes bears so this is perfect. They're brand new. First I found the shirt & then looked in the pants section & found the bottoms. Each were priced $2.99 so I asked if they would price it as a set. They did and I saved $1. Better than nothing I guess. So check out my cutie in his new jammies. : ) *I did wash them.

And yes, he does know what he's doing in this picture. Once in a while he will let me take his picture without a fight & he really turns up the charm! I love it! ♥

Like I Said

Brett went to a birthday party today & came home with all of this:

Maybe one sucker & a couple of the others would have been sufficient?

Excessive

While reorganizing the laundry room/pantry shelves, I found Brett's halloween candy. This is what he still has left. Ridiculous isn't it? What a waste. Not that I want him to eat it all. It's just so unnecessary. He doesn't even ask to have candy all that much and we didn't need it to begin with. I do sometimes add a bag of candy to a birthday present from this stash or give some to the day care kids but they don't need it either! Kids get too much junk.

Word File

I found this rotary file at a garage sale on Saturday. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind - it's unattractive & clunky but it was full of blank cards & only $1 so I took it. I was intending to print clip art with words but I realized I had a lot of flashcards that we don't use for anything else so I cut them apart & glued them to the cards. Now the kids can practice writing words.

Everything can be new again

with a little spray paint! To be honest this frame is just plain cheap. I haven't put this picture back up because of it so this morning I came across it & decided to spray it. I like it much better now! BEFORE: AFTER:

Earth Day

We went for a walk around the block & picked up trash. So much fun! We found bags full. Yesterday was trash day & lots of newspaper was blowing around. Fingerpainted paper plate Earth with handprints for land

Earth Day Globe Cookies This was my first experience with Royal icing. It went fairly well but I cut the opening for the white frosting too big so it's too thick. Very sweet, they don't need the chocolate chips. The recipe makes a lot so most of mine won't be frosted. You can about guess how much time I really had for this but I got started early & we had them for morning snack.

It's Spring! Coloring Book

I made these coloring books by scanning a dollar store coloring book - only the pages I wanted - and making a cover. Here is a copy for you! Print out the cover on pastel colored cardstock. Print the coloring sheets double sided. Fold in half & staple.

It'sSpring!ColoringBook

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Puzzles & Games coloring prek

Tuesday Miscellaneous

The grape hyacinths are blooming & so pretty. My daffadils & tulips are coming up even though I planted them according to the package but I think it was too deep. I should probably dig them up this fall.

The last two mornings we've been watching Mama Robin build her nest outside Brett's bedroom window. They nested there last spring & it seems they've returned and are using the same location this year. I'm so amazed at the hard work they do!

Beautiful nest - from the front yard view

On Saturday I bought some plants for the pot next to the front door but then is started to rain so they didn't get planted. They're still not planted because I decided to spray paint the pot first. It's almost done, just another coat or two before I can plant. I'm going to spray paint our mailbox a different color too. It's dark green but soon to be beige.

Brett asked to plant strawberries this year so we found this little pot. I can't imagine it will produce much but we don't have room for strawberry plants. I knew I was saving those egg cartons for something. I can't wait to do these with the kids: Mr. Grass Caterpillar

I'm anxious to try these recipes: Warm toasted marshmallow S'mores bars & Pineapple Stuffing I'm thinking the bars for Friday night & the stuffing on Sunday.

Last night Damon & I went to KMart & loaded up on cleaners & bath products with double coupons. We saved $36.14. Money Saving Mom has a list of offers. There's lots of $1 & $2 coupons! I'm headed back there for a couple things I missed & stopping in at Walgreen's too for a few of their deals. (after my massage appointment!)

Sunday Pictures

We didn't take pictures on special mtg Sunday so we did today.

Deal of the Day!

We went to a few garage sales before Brett's soccer game. Today was Janesville's first city wide sale so there were many although we just went to a few in our neighborhood. We found this Trek bike trailer. It was marked $50 which I thought wasn't bad but Damon wasn't sure if we should get it. We didn't *need* it so I asked if she would take $40 & she said "definitely!" She said it was used once but their kids were too big for it. So it's ours & we're glad we got it! Brett loves it. We just went for a short ride because it started to rain when we went out. It's oh...my.....cute! when he's pedaling behind Damon.

The other thing I'm working on

is a set of sewing pattern flower lights. I thought this was so cool! Again, not my idea but one I came across a while back on this blog & have wanted to attempt it. My pictures are terrible compared to hers so check out the link! The Candylights she used are awesome too. This goes fairly fast but it's a string of 50 lights so I have a ways to go. The pictures don't do it justice - they're very neat looking! I'm thinking of putting them around our large mirror over our dresser. We'll see how it actually turns out. Right now, as I work on the string of lights, I have them wrapped around my birdcage. One of my day care dads has been cleaning out a storage locker of his mother's things so he's been giving us bags of fabric, patterns, buttons, etc. so that's where I got the patterns to cut up. When I come across ideas online, I bookmark them in a folder "Things to Make" so I can find them again. If I spot the items I need at Hobby Lobby or wherever I pick it up so I can actually make something when I have/find a moment! This week I've been taking the time to make things since it's spring break & things are a bit more relaxed here.

Baby Present

I love buying baby presents. *Sigh* This one's for one of my dcfamilies. We get to meet C's baby brother tonight. He was born on Saturday. He will come to my day care in the fall!

Paris Envelope Booklet

Finally I was able to get to this project that I've been thinking about for weeks. After I found the Paris pattern paper in my stash, I knew exactly what I'd make. Well, not exactly because I had no idea really how this was going to come together and I'm not even sure if it's done yet! It's for my sister-in-law who loves all things Paris & has been there a couple times. I'm not worried about her seeing this because I'm pretty sure she rarely, if ever, reads our blog! I have Go Make Something in my Google Reader & was inspired by this idea. I can't quite picture how hers is but this is how mine turned out. It's all made from envelopes I saved from our mail. Inside there's 4 envelopes that can be used as pockets for receipts, stamps & labels, coupons, notes, etc. I thought she could use this to slip a picture inside each one & add comments or journaling on the outside of the envelope pockets. If she has post cards or momentos they could be used too. Just something cute to have sitting out on the table. The red & Paris papers I already had. I added ribbon, labels, tags and scraps of paper from the insides of envelopes. Now I always have to look at the pattern inside envelopes when I open the mail! Next I need inspiration to use all my blue envelope patterns!