Back to School.. Back to School

Every-time I hear those three little words, I instantly start thinking about Billy Madison. That movie just gets under my skin... it's an ok movie, nothing special. Until you realize that my brother loved it so much that he would watch it over and over and over again. I just wanted to turn the tv off! Yet, every-time I hear those three little words, I instantly smile thinking about the movie that almost drove me over the edge and then there is Edward Scissorhands, but that is an entire different movie and post :)


Moving on,  or should I say Back to School!   Crazy I tell you, where did this summer go?  In honor of Back to school, we usually do a back to school dinner. Nothing special, just his favorite meal on a plate that says "You're special". This year, I decided to step it up a notch, and throw a Back to School Lunch Bash for Peanut and a couple of his friends! 


I started at my inspiration place, Pintrest, yes you could say I am becoming an addict, actually it is bad. I have learned to set a timer to make sure I get off! After searching and searching, and asking Peanut for his input we came up with our Back to School Bash.

Invitations- Peanut asked why he never got one so I taped his on the fridge! 

I had a million ideas floating around in my head but I wanted it to be simple (as if I don't have enough going on during the days?) fun, and something to get them back into the mood to go to school. It is also one of Peanut's items on his back to school pencil countdown can. 


First was the menu, alphabet veggie soup, kissing hand sandwiches (yes, I love that book and use it every chance I can, you can read my kissing hand post here) dirt with book worms, oreo apple pops, cheese stick pencils,  rice krispie apples, apple juice drink. 


I started the lunch off with having the kiddos participate in a scavenger hunt for their school supplies. I read a question and then they had to figure out what they were looking for and where it was. At each "location" the item was there. They put the items in their backpacks, read the next clue and moved on. We did this 7 times.  

I set this out at six in the morning, you should have seen the look on the neighbor's face!

Here are the clues:
Grab your new backpack to start the year off right! We're going on a hunt to fill it up tight. With pencils and paper and markers and things- oh what fun a Back to School Scavenger hunt brings!
The first thing you'll need are some super sharp pencils so head to the place that holds kitchen utensils.
Snip Snip is the sound that scissors make- find a pair in the place where a bath you take!
Rulers for measuring a line super straight- quick it might be by the place you last ate!
Markers for drawing green, blue, or red why don't you check under pumpkin's bed?
A box of crayons so colorful and new- maybe you'll find one tucked inside mama's shoe!
You're doing so great on this treasure hunt- the next item can be found on the grass out front!
Paper and notebooks what a sight to be seen! Maybe you'll find some where the clothes get cleaned!


After the hunt, we went up and had our back to school lunch! I had the boys hang their backpacks on their chairs, this not only helped to keep them organized but they became part of the decor. 

Peanut's backpack

For decorations, I wanted to use things that were not only school related but something I had around the house! I started with the printables, as they are the easiest and most inexpensive way to dress up any occasion. I used a subway art sign and taped it in the middle of a frame, this way it looked like it was framed on the wall. I also used a poster that said "I'm a first grader." We used this for his back to school photo shoot and first day of school pictures. 

I found a banner printable and tags on dimpleprints.com. Love her work!  I originally hung the banner over the door way but it didn't seem right, so I cut it up and hung it on the space in the wall. I love how it turned out and it filled the wall perfectly! 

back to school banner

close up!
Have you ever seen the Martha stewart lantern pumpkins?  They are just adorable and I keep saying every year I am going to make them! Maybe this year!

source:marthastewart.com

Aren't they just too cute! I love how festive they are and how simple! My kind of decorating and they include lanterns! I had these red lanterns from my sister's graduation party (and my family laughs at me, for keeping these kind of things). 

they worked great as part of the centerpieces

Using my red lanterns and my inspiration I came up with my apple lantern! Not bad if I do say so myself!

Using the craft foam, I cut an leaf from the green and then tied it around the top of the frame. I secured it with a small piece of tape. I originally hung them at different levels but it was hard to see the leaves, so I decided to make a chain of them. This not only helped to make them look more like apples but also to fill the space and bring color all the way up the wall! The best was even pumpkin knew what they were and signed apple when she saw them! 


I also had empty paint cans from a previous project, so using my table clothes from my birthday bin, I hung/draped the fabric over the hutch to make spilled paint! then I capped it off with the upside down paint can. Next time, I think I will hang the can from the ceiling on an angle to give it more of the spilled look, but I still like the way it turned out. 

spilled paint


The last bit of wall decoration was the mini flag, that I usually hang outside on the first day of school. Since we are staying with friends until Mr. Barefoot is finished with this job, I had to find another way to incorporate the mini flag.

The meal was a simple "back to school" theme as well. First I laid books out in stacks on the table with crayons as my runner. Using a crystal light container covered in your guessed it apple fabric served as my vase, to hold...... pencils!

For the place mats I used open books and then placed the plate right on top of the books. Each child then had a cup of dirt with book worms, apple juice with a decorated cup, abc veggie soup, a kissing hand sandwich and rice krispie apple that was an edible place marker. 

For the straws, I just used a printable and glued it on the straw, using more of the back to school design from dimpleprints, I taped an apple picture on all of the cups.  
The kiddos were allowed to pick their sandwich flavor, PB & J or grilled cheese, as you can see from the picture the PB &J weren't that great but the grilled cheese ones turned out beautifully. Better luck next time! 

Even pumpkin was able to join in the festivities and the apple place marker fit perfectly in her travel booster seat. After I took all the pictures of the place cards, I added the names of all of our guests to just give it a little more. The apples were created using the regular rice krispie recipe and adding red food coloring into the mixture. Adding a tootsie pop for the stem and a spearmint leaf cut in half for the leaf! I love way they turned out, I think next year, I will make these for Peanut's class for the first day back to school. 

All in all, it was a successful back to school lunch! 

Smore' summer Please?

As part of our back to school traditions we have a s'more summer please get together. It is nothing fancy, just a few of the neighborhood kids come over and we make hot dogs and s'mores. This is also number #12 on the back to school countdown can. I have to admit that when Peanut was pulling his daily pencil, I marked a couple of them to make sure he didn't pull those ones as I knew they were something I had already planned, like the S'more summer please night. It was just a tiny little mark underneath the slip of paper, so it was barely noticeable!


Here is the invitation that I sent home with the kiddos!

The invitations read : Hot dogs and marshmallows all on a stick. Held over a fire, that's the trick!. Join us for our s'more summer please get together. Please bring a flashlight, bug spray and "spooky stories."  August 26, 2011 starts at 7:00 p.m. in our backyard. RSVP to Lorren with my phone number. I just googled campfire and found a picture I liked, easy peasy!


A couple of the mothers asked me if they could help, and of course I jumped at the chance. They brought sthe hot dogs and buns. I provided the stuff for s'mores. Let me tell you that I must not have been the only one to have the idea for s'more this particular night, when I went to the store they were completely out of chocolate. I actually went to three different stores! After that I got annoyed and just bought chocolate chip morsels. I made it work!  It was a blast, the kids loved having a "different version of s'mores." If there is one thing I have learned from being in the classroom, working at camps and being a mom, if you own it and rock it, they will love it! Keep calm and pretend you know what you are doing! Now, I sound like one of those keep calm posters. 


I created a s'mores bar, with some tins and containers I had at home. I used the clear paint pail from my summer bucket list/can for the chocolates with a spoon, using Pumpkin's buckets from the bath tub in yellow and orange for the graham crackers and marshmallows.  ( I did run them through the dishwasher first, just to make sure.) They kind of fit the theme of a campfire!  I searched some more for some campfire or s'mores related printables and found a bag topper on writeclickscrapbook.com . Using the topper I printed it off and placed it in front of the buffet set up. I love using printables in different ways. It not only helps to save money but helps to keep your event cohesive. 

the smore buffet

printable sign originally a bag topper- now a table sign!

marshmallows!

spoon able chocolate :) Still tastes the same. 

Before the guest arrived, we build the frame for the fire and gathered wood! All the kiddos were asked to find three pieces of wood to enter the backyard! It was an easy way to get them involved with collecting the firewood but them not even knowing it! They walked through the gate that I had hung this sign on, it helped to set the mood! 

our fire frame and gathered wood, the cinder blocks worked well to keep everything organized!

Once we placed the wood into the piles, I had each one of the kiddos sign their name on a log and make a wish. At Girl Scout camp, we used to do this and I always loved it.  In a way, when I do an activity or sing a song from camp, it keeps the memory of camp alive! There is something so magical about a campfire and making wishes on it.  I don't have any pictures of our log that I can post for privacy reasons. They are easy to do, find a log that has little bark or bark you can easily remove. Using markers (sharpies usually work best), have everyone sign their names and make a wish. I had to remind the kiddos that wishes are silent. The wish log is the last log that you place on the fire and you can't put the fire out (or as the kids call it, turning the fire off) until all of the names have been burned off .


We started our s'more summer please evening with going over fire safety. The kids all took turns cooking their hot dogs and we sat around laughing and talking about the silly things that our kids did over the summer. Then it came time for the night's main event, S'MORE MAKING! 


The kids loved playing with the marshmallows and trying not to catch them on fire! We sat around the fire and had two s'mores each, sang campfire songs and just enjoyed every ones company. It was a nice way to wrap up the last few days of summer and hope by some miracle summer lasts just a little while longer! 





our fire!

I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself, one match and no lighter fluid and look what we have!

We ended our s'more making night by singing two of my favorite camp songs:

Each Campfire Lights Anew

Each campfire lights anew, the flame of friendship true,

the joy we’ve had in knowing you

will last our whole life thru

And as the embers die away, we wish

that we might ever stay but we cannot

have out way we’ll meet again

some other day.

Taps- New Version

Day is done, Day is done, Day is done

Gone the sun, gone the sun, gone the sun

From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky.

All is well, all is well, all is well.

Safely Rest, Safely Rest, Safely Rest.

God is nigh, God is nigh, God is nigh

Thanks & praise, Thanks & praise, Thanks & praise

For our days, for our days, for our days

Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky

As we go, as we go, as we go,

This we know, this we know, this we know,

God  is nigh, God is nigh, God is nigh

Hope you are enjoying your last few days of summer!

Inspirational Sunday

Apple For the Teacher

With back to school just around the corner, Peanut and I wanted to create a gift for his teacher. It is also number 5 on his back to school countdown can. You can read all about that here. Count Down Can


We decided to go with our version of the traditional Apple gift. Using two bottles from pop bottles, we came up with this!

mind the glue spot, it wasn't quite dry when I took this picture

I originally saw this somewhere else, but I cannot remember where, if anyone knows please let me know so I can give proper credit!


I love how it turned out, so simple and cute. Best of all because it was an easy craft Peanut was able to do the majority of the work.


Now, I did say this wasn't your traditional apple, we filled it with Hershey's Kisses and Hugs. .

Using Photoshop, I created a little label that reads, teacher's cannot live on apples alone, but hugs and kisses as well. Happy First Day of School Mrs. Smith!

Not bad for a budget friendly present! To make, we collected two soda pop bottles, we happened to have green ones, but clear would have probably been better! We painted half of the bottle and then let dry. Since Peanut was the main one doing this I do not have step by step pictures, it's hard to help and take pictures! Why can't moms have four arms? Would make like so much easier!  


Back to the instructions:  I cut the bottles on the edge of the paint and kept the tops. Gently, I fit the pieces to together and kept trimming away until I got the shape that I was looking for. Due to the fact that each bottle is different, I did it this way to make sure it looked like an apple and not a red blob. Once, I got the fit I liked, took about three tries, I drew a line on the bottle, a little higher than I wanted. This gave me some breathing room when Peanut was cutting! We all know how straight six year olds can cut! Once we had our two apple halves, Peanut painted one more coat to fill in any gaps that we had. We ended up with a total of three coats of paint. Spray paint would have worked better but I can just see what that would have looked like. or I should say what my yard would have looked like! 


Using the top of one of the bottles, I drew a leaf pattern and Peanut cut it out. Glue it to the top of the apple. Fill with your chocolate treats. Using a plastic treat bag, (an extra from a previous birthday party), we wrapped the apple and tied the tag with some ribbon. 


A for effort and A for apple! 




Update: Many of you asked, how I wrapped it for the trip to school: Here you go:

Under the Sea Lunch

Today we started off the day studying the ocean, since our move we miss the beach so much (hopefully we will be back their in less than a year). Peanut loved to wake up to the sound of the waves and go swimming before breakfast. I loved to enjoy a morning cup of tea, while watching him play. I cannot tell you how many times we woke up early just to watch the sunrise. Something just seems so right about starting your day with your toes in the sand!  

Now, that we are all wishing we were at the beach, me especially! Back to today's post. Part of our lesson was an under the sea lunch. Real simple, fun, and of course budget friendly!

For lunch,  we had Octopus Hot dogs, seaweed noodles, coral broccoli, sea water drink, shark dip and ocean jello! 

You will need blue jello, blue and green food coloring,  nerds, gummy fish, ramen noodles, broccoli, ginger ale, all beef hot dogs, ranch dressing and bell peppers. 

Ocean in a bowl

ocean water with peanut's fish, he wanted to have a fish on his straw!

octopus hot dog!

under the sea meal

broccoli as coral

To Make:

Ocean Jello: The jello takes the longest, I actually started mine before the keiki were up this morning. Make jello according to package directions, I used two boxes but you could get away with one. About one hour later, gently add the nerds. Add slowly so they do not discolor. Set back in the fridge, after two hours, take your gummy fish and using a tooth pick gently push them into the jello. The closer to the edge of the bowl the easier they are to see. Let set another hour and you are ready to serve. 


The seaweed is one pack of ramen noodles. Cook according to package directions. After you add in the seasoning, add in green food coloring to the desired color! I used about six drops. Gently place noodles onto the plate, trying to use little broth. 


The hot dogs are super easy, take a knife and cut the bottom half of the hot dog into eighths. Drop into hot water and they will do the rest. You can use food coloring and add eyes. 


The broccoli was a left over, I just warmed them up in the microwave and cut off the stems! 


Ocean water is nothing more than ginger ale with blue food coloring and a gummy fish in the bottom. I also created fish ice by freezing gummy fish in ice cubes and dropping them in. (prepared these the night before). 


Somehow I forgot to take pictures of the dip. Cut your bell peppers into strips and then into very basic fish shapes. Add blue food coloring to the ranch dressing. Arrange the "fish" throughout the dip! Peanut said there are sharks in the ocean, and he called his shark dip. I am by no means an artist so they look more like fish!


Simple, easy, fun and budget friendly.  The entire meal for the three of us cost $5.00.  During Halloween, I take the children's candy and freeze it. Instead of having candy for a week or two, we have it all year round. This helps with the budget but also helping the keiki to make healthy choices .

Peanut enjoying his under the sea meal

Pumpkin wasn't sure what to make of it!

He thought it was so funny that his seaweed was hanging out of his mouth!

Hope you have a fishy day!

Teach At home Thursday: Giant Dice

One of my favorite tools to use when teaching is dice. They are great for math, language arts and even dividing the class up. one of my biggest concerns has always been the size, for students without disabilities, they are fine. My students on the other hand had severe complications with holding, grasping, throwing etc. I wanted them to be able to play games with their peers, even pumpkin scares me when she plays with regular sized dice.

I used to put the dice in a container and have the children roll that way, but it was still hard for them. Using an old Kleenex cube box, I created giant Dice.

You will need three pieces of paper, I like white but you could use any color, scissors, glue, stickers, markers and of course a tissue box.


I lay the tissue box on one sheet of paper to get the correct size, draw a line down the rest of the sheet of paper and cut.

Glue your strip on the box sides, continue until all sides are covered.

Using a marker or circle stickers, add your dots accordingly.

Great, simple and budget friendly and when it wears out, you can easily put it in the recycle bin and make new ones!