Teacher Gift

Well, it is the end on another school year.  I sometimes feel like life is in warp speed mode!  Anyway, tomorrow is the class party at my son's school.  They are doing a breakfast.  I am looking forward to it!  I made cards for some of the staff like music, art, gym, etc.  His main teacher is getting a card and gift.  Here is how I did the cards.

These are all the supplies I used to make the cards.  I printed from Pinterest some cool printables for thank yous.  I wish I could remember the main source but I didn't keep it!  Sorry!  The cards were very simple to make.  To save on printer ink, I printed in black and white and filled in the main words.  I like how it turned out.  I cut scrapbook paper and glued cut out printable on top.  Then we wrote a little message on the back.  I had everything on hand, so these cards didn't cost a thing.

For his teacher gift I got her a gift card to Starbuck's and some chocolate.  I wrapped the gifts along with the card with yellow yarn and then bent a pipe cleaner to form an M her last name initial.

I was told third grade would be a challenging year and boy, whoever told me that was right.  Today was the awards program at school and my son received highest GPA for a boy in his class, A-B Honor roll all year and Outstanding Language Arts Achievement.  To say we are proud is an under-statement.  Sometimes I feel like we push too much and other times I feel like we don't push enough!  I am not sure if there is a happy place for both ways, but today I felt like we must be doing something right!  Zane is an awesome and amazing person and we are proud to call him son.

I linked up with:

The Sasse Life

Tales of a Trophy Wife

The NY Melrose Family

My Favorite Finds

Polkadots on Parade

40 by 40 List

I read a blog post one day by Shelby over at The Bean Sprout Notes.  She had written a 30 before thirty list.  A list of 30 things she wanted to do or accomplish by the time she turned 30.  What an awesome idea right?  I am completely inspired and have decided to do a 40 by 40 list.  I will be 40 years old (unreal) in 2015.  There are so many things I really want to put on this list big and small.  So many things I have talked about doing for years and have not for one reason or the other.  Other being I am a big time procrastinator!  Hopefully though, this list will keep me in check and more accountable for doing the things I have wanted to for so long. 

1.  Quit drinking soda!  This is number one because it effects my health.  Oh, Dr. Pepper how you will haunt me!
2.Lose at least 30 pounds.  This will take to the year 2015 I know it!  Rebecca loves her some good food!
3.  Finish our wedding scrapbook.  I got married almost 7 years ago!  I think it is time to finish it.
4.  Paint my son's room and closet.
5. Learn at least 5 new functions of my blog. 
6.  Learn how to use my new cell phone.  I got one this past Mother's Day.  Haven't had one in years and I am tech challenged.
7.  Move pictures from boxes to photo albums and post.
8.  Make my own cards.  I love to do it, but I put it off and then don't have the time.  Did I mention I procrastinate?
9.  Read more.  I used to read all the time, but have drifted.
10.  Start planting herbs.
11.  Go on a family camping trip!
12.  Take kids to Lego Discovery in Dallas.
13.  Take carpet out of bedroom and put down new flooring.  Some of these will include my hubby!  Love him!
14.  Learn how to take better pictures of food. 
15.  Drink at least 3 glasses of water a day.  I don't know if I'll ever get to 8!
16.  Replace wood and paint back of house.  Maybe replace windows.
17.  Spend more time with friends.
18.  Keep garage organized!  So hard to do!
19.  Take a trip alone with my husband.  Miss doing that one!
20.  Buy a new vacuum cleaner.  The one I have is killing my back.
21.  Study the Bible more.  I would love to start doing this on a daily basis.
22.  Get back to scrapbooking.  I love it but I make excuses not to do it.
23.  Keep my van cleaner.  My van is always messy and it drives me nuts.
24.  Get more sleep. 
25.  Start a small veggie garden.
26.  Attend more school activities. 
27.  Take kids to Moody Gardens. 
28.  Take a trip to West Texas!  Can you tell I want to travel more?
29.  Learn to pamper myself more.
30.  Start a homeschooling pre-school program for my daughter.
31.  Take a Zumba class.
32.  Paint mine and my daughter's toenails alot more often.  We love wearing open toed shoes and our toes are a fright!
33.  Learn how to use the gas grill.
34.  Make a more organized file system.
35.  Construct a better laundry system.  Oh hubby!!!
36.   Learn to appreciate the every day small things.
37.  Reach 100 followers on my blog.  I love to blog, so this would be awesome!
38.  Buy myself clothes and not feel guilty about it.  I always buy for someone else and not myself.
39.  Spend more time with just the hubby and myself. 
40!!!  This one will really happen after I turn 40, but it is so great I am putting it down.  Have a big and awesome party to celebrate 10 years of marriage! 
 

Wow!  I did it!  This list took several days to complete.  I had to really think about things that I think I can do in this time period without putting to much pressure on!  This feels really good and I am looking forward to getting started!  I highly suggest everyone who is getting close to a big birthday make one of these lists!  Thanks for the idea Shelby!


I linked up with:

The REAL Housewives of Riverton
A bowl full of lemons
My Turn(for us)

San Antonio Zoo

We did this trip over spring break this year.  I would recommend not going during spring break or St. Patrick's Day which is what we did.  I would also recommend though that you still go during the coolest parts of the year because this is Texas and yeah, it gets hot here.  I think a good time to visit would be between late October to early April.  If you do come during the summer the earlier you start your day the better so it is not so hot.  Staying at least one night would be good too.  If you go to downtown San Antonio, be prepared to spend some money.  We wanted to go to the wax museum but were not prepared to spend over $100.00.  My husband was really disappointed with that one.   I am hoping our next trip to San Antonio will not be so crowded and that we will be able to spend some better time at the River Walk. 



Saturday my husband and I took the kiddos to the San Antonio Zoo. We stopped at Chickafila on the way out there and my daughter must have drank some bad milk. She puked as soon as we pulled up to the zoo. Yikes and Yuck! We went and cleaned up the van, got back to the zoo and bought her a shirt! She felt much better after she got the yucky milk out of her system. Poor baby! We told her, next time the milk tastes ewww, you can give it to us!

We had lots of fun at the zoo. Lots of beautiful animals. We got to see baby otters, tons of birds, black bears and a white rhino. I have to admit, the animals were a little lazy for a spring day but ah well! Maybe it was their naptime! The butterfly house was super amazing! That was my favorite part of the day!  I thought the prices of admission and things inside the zoo were what you would expect to pay.  I guess I would put it at a medium price range.  Both the kids got a shirt and a really cool plastic mould made from these old moulding machines.  I thought that was neat.
Here are a few pics!

My son really liked the komodo dragons.

The train around the park next to the zoo was really fun! The kids loved it! We went down to the river walk and ate dinner but didn't stay. St. Patrick's day and spring break make for a crowded downtown! We will have to go back when there are not two events going on!

Visit San Antonio.com


I linked up with:
Come Together Kids

Crunchy Chocolate Treats

I have had this recipe in my book for years.  Today is the first time I made it and wow!  I wish I would have a long time ago.  Peanut butter and chocolate goodness.  These are  rice crispy treats with a kick!  This recipe comes from Food Everyday.

crunchy chocolate treats

Makes 2 Dozen  Prep time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes

1.  In a large, deep saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, over low heat, about 4 minutes.  Add 1 bag(10 ounces) mini marshmallows; cook, stirring, until melted, 6 to 8 minutes. 
2.  Add 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped; cook, stirring, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Quickly fold in 6 cups rice cereal and 3/4 cup peanut-butter chips until evenly distributed.
3.  Coat a 1/4 -cup dry measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray; scoop mixture onto waxed paper, forming clusters.  Let set, about 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container for up to several days.

Note:
To make squares instead of clusters, use a wet spatula and evenly spread mixture into a buttered 9-by-13 inch baking pan.  Let set before cutting with a serrated knife.

*I just poured the chocolate morsels in and it worked fine.  I also think I will make them smaller next time.

I linked up with:
Crazy for Crust
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
The REAL Housewives of Riverton
Sugar and Spice
My Turn(for us)
Me and My Sweets

20th Anniversary Gift

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  We sure did here!  Lots of family and friend time.  Love it!  On Saturday we went to a 20th wedding Anniversary party.  I wanted to get the couple something that was meaningful but did not break our bank.  I looked up some information about gifts and decided to go with plants.  The Aster celebrates 20 years of marriage so I really wanted to find it!  I had never heard of this particular plant and that made me a little nervous.  I went to a local plant nursery, Green and Growin'.  They carried the plants.  How lucky is that for ya?  The first place I went to look.  I picked up 3 small Asters.  Next, I went to the Dollar Tree and got a small green basket, some yellow shredded paper and white ribbon.  I brought everything home and put the basket together.

Very simple but I thought very sweet.  I made the bow myself.  Not too bad but need some practice. 

Fall Aster

I made a gift tag with scrapbook paper, pen, stamps, Popsicle stick and glue.

Even if you are on a budget, you can still be very creative when it comes to gift giving. 

Have a great Monday!

I linked up with:
The Gunny Sack
My Favorite Finds
The REAL Housewives of Riverton
a bowl full of lemons
Sugar Bee Crafts
The NY Melrose Family
Polkadots on Parade
Fireflies and Jellybeans
The Taylor House
Delightful Order
Two Yellow Birds Decor
My Turn(for us)

DIY Picture Frame

Pinterest is a crazy thing.  I love to pin and like so many amazing things with the good intentions of doing that project or trying that yummy looking recipe.  I rarely do any of it though!  Well, when I saw this really cool DIY frame from Smashed Peas and Carrots I thought, "Rebecca, you can do that for a Mother's Day gift and it looks easy enough for even you!"

So, I did it!














Here is what I used:

One solid wood piece
One wood frame
Paint
Glue Gun
Metal Picture Stand

First I painted the wood piece and frame.  I went with blue and white to go with the picture of the bluebonnets.

No rocket science here!  Just painted the pieces.  Depending on what look you are going for will determine how many coats you want to put on.  I wanted something more rustic, so I only did two coats.

Next was getting the little pieces off the back of the frame I painted white.  I tried to find a frame without anything bulky on the back but did not find one at Hobby Lobby that day.  We also had to take off the picture stand on the back and I let my husband do that for me.  It did leave two holes, but that would not be showing, so no big deal.

Lastly I put in my picture and taped on the backing since I did not have the little dohickies on to hold the picture in anymore.  Next I put hot glue onto the white frame back and glued onto the blue piece of wood.  I used hot glue because I did not want the person getting the gift to need to change out the picture.  So if you go this route, it is permanent.

There you have it!  I bought a nice metal stand to place the picture on.  I think it turned out nicely and it was pretty easy to do. 

Here is a link to the blog it came from:Smashed Peas and Carrots

I enjoyed doing this project that I found on Pinterest and will be challenging myself to do more from now on!

I linked up with:

Shaken Together(on my sidebar)
Six Sisters' Stuff(on my sidebar)
Fireflies and Jellybeans(on my sidebar)
Cowgirl Up (on my sidebar)
My Favorite Finds
The REAL Housewives of Riverton
a bowl full of lemons
Sugar Bee Crafts
Not JUST a Housewife
Tales of a Trophy Wife
52 Mantels
The NY Melrose Family
My Turn(for us)

Mother's Day Gifts

Well, I did it!  I got all the Grannies, Grandma's and one Nana a gift this year!  Usually I am terrible about Mother's Day gifting.  I do not know why since I am a mom!  Somehow it just always sneaks up on me and boom, nothing!  But not this year!

I went to Shutterfly and made some great gifts that didn't break the bank.  A mug, magnet and a soft cover book.  I also printed one picture for a frame that I made(from smashed peas and carrots).  I like Shutterfly because it is easy, convenient, economical and they have so many choices.  I have been using them for years and get great deals and free stuff from time to time.  Free is fun!  Shutterfly did not pay me to say all that nice stuff.  I just really like Shutterfly!  Here are the gifts going to some really great women this year.

I will be linking the picture frame up with Two Yellow Birds: Project Pinterest Challenge

Go and check it out!

Have a Wonderful Mother's Day Everyone!

Parties I linked up with:

The Gunny Sack

Bookcase

Hey everyone!  Hope your week is going great!  I have been sorta lazy this week and have not really accomplished a whole heck of alot.  Some days are like that I guess.  I have been painting my little girl's closet and will post that when I am finished.  Also, today I finished organizing the bookcase that had been in my son's room.  I moved it into our living room area.  I am using it in conjunction with our desk.  Here are some pictures of the bookcase.

The top shelf has baskets for storage.  The next shelf down, I used storage boxes for mail and bills.

The next two shelves are computer stuff and camera items.

The bottom three shelves are office supplies, magazines and Bible study information.

I am really happy I moved the bookcase into the living room.  It freed up so much space in my son's room and gave us some really good storage space for our office stuff.  I just used storage things that I had already and did not spend any money to organize this space.  Reuse and recycle are always good to keep in mind when organizing a space.  It does not have to cost alot of money to be organized.

Parties I linked up with:
My Turn(for us)
a bowl full of lemons
The Shabby Nest
Southern Lovely

Bathroom Organization, Again

Hope everyone has had a great week.  I had been thinking about moving the shelf that I had redone out of our bathroom.  Here is a link to that post bathroom shelf.  Well, last night something happened that gave me the push I wanted.  Our toilet overflowed and there came a flood of water!  So last night after cleaning up that mess, I moved the bookshelf out!  I decided to get an over the door organizer to put our things in and give us back the space in our tiny bathroom.  I couldn't find one I wanted this morning.  We do have a container store in Austin, but I just didn't feel up to driving over there today. 

We had one in our closet that wasn't getting good use, so I just used that one.  Here it is on the bathroom door.

It is not as nice as the shelf, but I just felt like the shelf was taking up to much space.  I am really hoping this will work for us because I don't know if my husband will be too excited if I changed it for a third time.

We also have this over the toilet shelf that I got at Target last month.

Nothing fancy but it does help with storage space.  I am hoping to start getting quotes on bathroom windows next week.  The ones we have are the originals to the house which would make them 30 years old!  Yikes! 

There is a blank wall now next to the shower.  I am going to get a couple of nice hooks to use for towels.  I have been wanting my towels back close to the shower and couldn't because that is where the shelf was located. 

When you organize do not get frustrated if it is not working for you.  Sometimes, like with my bathroom, you have to try out a couple of different set ups before the right one works. 

Take some time to organize today!

Parties I linked up to:
The Gunny Sack
Sugar Bee Crafts
Southern Lovely
Delightful Order
a bowl full of lemons

In Bloom

Well, things are starting to really bloom.  Now if we could only get some nice rain to keep them going.  I am trying to purchase plants that are drought tolerant and perfer sun.  Our front yard has nice shade but the back is really open and sunny.  The backyard faces the west, so yeah, sunny.  Anyway, here are a few pictures of what we have growing! 

What do you have planted?  Any ideas for more plants that love sun and can go without water?  Yeah, I live in Texas!  Good guess!

Parties I linked up with:

Centsational Girl