{Teacher Appreciation}

Well it's been a year...or more since my last blog entry.  Ugh.  How did I have time to blog more regularly before??
Teacher Appreciation was this week.  I'll admit, just those words sends my brain into creative swirl mode.  I might have been created for this week, among-st any other opportunity to create fun crafts and gifts with my boys. I LOVE it all.  I borrowed some ideas this year from my sis and the almighty Pinterest and came up with a few of my own.  Many have asked to do the same for their teachers and to that I say, copy away!!!

{{DAY 1}}

Teachers favorite coffee drink.  Cool drink beverage holder (Ross 3.99) with Starbucks gift card inside and a sweet little flag note around the straw that reads: Thank you for quenching our thirst for knowledge.  Love your Kindergarten Class.  Stripe the edge near the straw and underlined the words to give the look of ruled paper.

{{DAY 2}}

Another adorable Ross find ($2.99) Mini Gumball machine.  Attach a cute note: Learning is DUBBLE the fun with you!

{{Day 3}}

We only have school Monday - Thursday, so I doubled up todays treats.  Mini rose bushes in darling tin pots (Trader Joe's 3.99).  Attach little flag signs that read: You bloom beautiful brains.
I had stocked up on some cute knee high socks at Target awhile back when they were on sale, so I attached a note to these with twine that read: Your teaching really knocks our socks OFF!  Thank you for all do!
*check Michaels $1 section for cute socks too*

{{Day 4}}

The boys and I had fun painting the inside of mason jars.  We started with turquoise and added a bit of dark blue to each additional jar to make three shades of turquoise jars for each teacher. The finished jars looked like this...so cool, so easy...but then we set out in the sun to dry.  And, we live in Seattle.  Naturally it rained.

So they took on a different look.  So we decided to coat with white paint over the top and chose to dry these over the heater vent this time.  We kind of like the "Seattle rain" look better anyway.  Add a votive and Glassy Babies don't have anything on these beauties. ;)

The note of these read: Thank you for lighting my path to learning.  We also sliced apples and strawberries and dipped in chocolate.  If we had more time I would have dipped the apples in caramel first, then chocolate, yum, yum!!

{roots}

Last week was mid-Winter break for Levi's pre-school.  All weather reports called for snow and lots of it.  So, we decided to brave it and head to Sequim for a few days.  The drive over was easy.  I only started seeing snow just as we arrived at my grandparents.  From that point on it didn't stop snowing for the next few days.  It was perfect, relaxing and so lovely.  We walked into town both mornings for coffee and cones (yes ice cream) at 9:30 in the morning no less.  Why not?  I loved catching up with my Grandparents and Uncle David.  I truly treasure the conversations with them.

We built a snowman with the help of Uncle David & Grandma.  Some of my fondest memories are playing in the snow late into the night with Grandma Thomsen as a child.  It brings me immense joy that my boys get to experience the same fun and love from my grandparents.  My grandma Jakeway would have been so "tickled"  :) to watch them grow as well...and now I'm crying...moving on... :)

We spent one day out at the farm, catching up with my Aunt Carolyn & Cousins.  Every time I visit with them I leave wishing we could spend more time together.    
We played out in the snow & fed the cows.  It continued to snow the whole time while we where there, all the while a lot had already accumulated on the ground.  The entire 40 acres was covered in a beautiful white blanket.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Can you imagine waking up to this every morning?  Granted it's rarely covered in snow.  But when it's not they have a picture perfect, unobstructed view of the mountains.  It's amazing.

There were two 'freshies', two week old calves, amongst the cows.  Cutest things I've ever seen prancing their way through the snow.  Staying close to momma no less.

I thought more than once how easy and simple life was there.  Granted we were on vacation so to speak, but I loved and embraced every moment.  I loved that the small shop owners didn't bat an eye when I walked in with my two busy (but well behaved) boys.  In fact they acknowledged them and provided something to keep them entertained for a few minutes.  I loved that for three shorts days the clock slowed down and I enjoyed every minute with my boys.  Ironically it only took a couple decades for me to really appreciate my roots.

{be mine}

I do believe I have waited my whole life to make valentines with my lil sweeties.  Levi's teacher sent home a list of his class and requested each child practice spelling out their friends names on valentines.  I'll admit my heart skipped a beat.  I love crafting and creating little bits of beauty.  The boys and I had so much fun making cookies, creating valentines and putting them all together in a sweet little valentine package.

And of course my little valentines.  I heart them.

{sometimes not}

Levi comes and snuggles with me after Josh has gone to work.  He usually falls back asleep and I can sometimes get another 30 - 45 minutes of sleep before he starts whispering if he can watch a show.  The other morning he started playing with my hair and whispers:


"Momma your hair is rearry pretty down....and when it's up, it's not."

{sugar...spice...all things nice...}

I've been making some fun hair accessories for the anticipated arrival of a few friends baby girls.

Aren't these just darling???  Yes, I had to bribe my oldest to model these.  Yes, his hair is gorgeous.  Yes, it would be dreamy to have a little girl to model these of my own.  Can you imagine a girl of mine with this hair??  Oh my...But for the record my boys are full of sugar and spice, and all things nice...with a little lego clutch powers, kung fu panda & superheros to boot.  It really is the best!

g

My oldest is the pickiest eater in town, I'm talking gagging, shuttering, you'd think I was feeding the boy poison...my youngest not so much.  These make me smile.  Love him.

{Dora the dud?}

I'm beginning to think I should rename this blog 'auto articles', as my best convos with the boys are in the car.  Some people's kids sleep in the car. Mine. Never. Have.   I'm only now beginning to really appreciate it as my boys seems to reserve the best pondering of life for the car rides.  Love. It.

While headed to a birthday party at Pump It Up (yes I may have had more fun than the kids...maybe a tie)  Truth be told I wisened up and wore my ta-ta tamer this time around.  Ladies it WORKS and all the more reason to love Lululemon.  Anyway, back to the car ride.  

Levi: *exasperated* Momma, I jus don like Dora

Me: Dora the Explorer?

Levi: Yeah, I jus rearry don't!  I don wanna watch it anymore.

Me: Oh, ok...why?

Levi: Jus ecause, it's too much work.  We hafta says the words after her and I jus don wanna do that, ok!

Me: *laughing* You mean how they teach you to sound out the words Dora says?

Levi: Yeah, I don wanna do it! So, so, I'm not gonna watch Dora anymore. Ok!?

Me: *still laughing* Ok!!

Greyson: So yeah!

God forbid they have to do any work during those morning cartoons...and here I thought he was going to say because it was a GIRL show.  Actually maybe we're making progress. :)

******

While sitting at a stop light the other night.  The wind was moving the clouds quickly across the sky.  Both boys commented on it and how cool it was.  Then...

Levi: Mom those clouds are from heaven...anthe sun is from heaven too.

Me: Well, yes kinda

Levi: Momma oney rearry old people go to heaven.

Me: Yes, if they know Jesus.  Some young people too or sick...

Levi: Oh, you know Grapa & Grapa in Sequim are rearry old?  Well, one is rearry old and the other is not... But Grapa here is rearry old too.  She smokes you know?  Will she go to heaven...or will she go to the mall and die?  Mom, Momma...is there carpet in heaven or jus floor?

Me:*whew, where to start, I opted for the last questions* The Bible says heaven will have streets of gold buddy.

Levi: Oh. They will jus be gold?

Me: Yep

"go to the mall and die"  - where does this kid come up with stuff??? :)