Wren's Special Announcement

I wanted this to be the first thing I share on my blog in 2013!

We'll be 10 weeks tomorrow.
EDD is August 22, 2013.

More to come soon!

In the meantime, check out this cute video of our little lady announcing that she'll be a big sis.

Preschool Teacher & Classroom Gifts

I had so much fun putting together gifts for Wren's teachers and her classroom!

It's kind of one of those things I've looked forward to forever...and this year it was extra special because Wren helped me pick out every single item we gave them (except the Starbucks card, that was my choice!).

One thing I noticed is that when searching Pinterest, Google, blogs, etc., I kept coming across things for elementary school teachers, not necessarily things focused on Preschool or Daycare. I was hoping to find something creative and crafty that really spoke to them being a Preschool teacher, but I didn't find a ton. So this is what I came up with:
 

I found THIS adorable tutorial for pencils made from Pringles cans, and I went with it. I didn't follow it exactly, but I think they turned out pretty cute! I would've pulled out my Cricut, but it is currently shoved in a closet while I try to get my craft room organized, so I had to settle for handwritten.

Then, Wren and I went shopping!

Here's what we included:

{$10 Starbucks Giftcard}
{Essie Nail Polish, color "a list"}

{Lip Gloss, Bath & Body Works}

{Shea Cashmere Hand Lotion, Bath & Body Works}

{Cozy Socks, Old Navy}
{Mini Toblerone Chocolate Bars}

 

In total, I spent just under $25 per teacher, which was my goal.

~~~~~~~

I also put together a little gift for the classroom. Every teacher friend I've ever known has spent a great deal of their own money on supplies for their classroom, especially for the crafty activities. However, I wasn't sure if that was the same for preschool teachers. After all, we pay a pretty penny for Wren to go there-I know they have a budget. But after asking around on Facebook, many of my friends who are currently, or have at one point been, preschool teachers confirmed that they have *always* spent their own money for supplies.

So I budgeted to spend about $25 on a classroom gift as well.
Here's what I came up with: 

To make it extra Christmas-like, I took a simple red bucket (bought at Hobby Lobby w/ 40% off coupon), added a black felt belt, and used a sparkly silver felt page to make a belt buckle. I had the beard material on-hand from a wreath that I'd hoped to make last year, so the only cost for the packaging was the bucket. Then we picked up a bunch of classroom supplies I thought they'd use.

 

Inside, I included:
{Colored Pipe Cleaners}
{2 Paint Packs}
{2 Packets of Stickers}
{Pack of Colored Construction Paper}
{Markers}
{Crayons}
{Finger Paint}
{Elmer's Glue}
{Cotton Balls}

 

I had hoped to include a couple books because toddlers are so hard on them, but I didn't find anything that worked well within my budget.

They were all really excited for their gifts and Wren was happy to give them their special presents.
It's definitely the least we could do to show our appreciation to the sweet ladies who take such great care of Wren, teach her so many things, and give her lots of love while we're at work.

Wishing you all a beautiful holiday filled with laughter, family, memories, and lots of tasty treats and presents!

15 Take-Alongs for Traveling with Toddlers

Last June, we took our family vacation to Kiawah Island, SC. Wren was about 19 months old at the time. Because we planned to drive, I decided it was important to be SUPER prepared with lots of activities that would help us avoid boredom, thereby avoiding tantrums. On the way there, we split up the trip into 2 shorter days of travel (6-7 hours each day), but at the end of the trip, we were having such a great time that we decided to stay an extra day and do the drive home in 1 day.

13 Hours. In the Car. With a Toddler.

Luckily, my MIL was in the back with Wren and I, so we could tag team on the entertainment, but I am proud to say that we did not have a SINGLE meltdown.

Let me repeat that for you:

Not a Single Meltdown During a
13 Hour Car Ride with a Toddler.

And to prove that it wasn't a fluke, Wren and I flew to Seattle alone the next week, which was a 4 1/2 hour flight. And not a single meltdown during that trip either, though I didn't take all 15 of the items I will mention, just her faves.

Because I put so much time and research into deciding what to take, I decided to share it with you all. I thought now would be a good time since so many people are on the road for holiday travel.

Being prepared made for such a pleasant experience.
I will start off by saying that we obviously had lots of food, some special "treat" snacks that she wasn't used to geting, and her favorite buddy, Paddington.

I wanted everything to have its own spot and be contained so that we could move effortlessly from one activity to another without her being overwhelmed and without the car getting destroyed, so I went on the hunt for inexpensive zipper pouches that had a clear window. I opted for the ones shown above, which were $1 from Walmart.

Next up, I decided that I'd need a large container for all of the activities. I opted for my Large Utility Tote from ThirtyOne (they are so incredibly versatile!), which was big enough to store everything, but small enough to fit between the seats under Wren's carseat. (She was-and still is-rear facing.)

Next, it was onto what would go into the pouches and the tote...
I googled, I pinterested, I got creative.
Here's what I came up with:

1. Finger Puppets. (Most of ours are from IKEA.)

2. Flashcards. My favorites are from Lakeshore Learning, but I also added in a few packs from the Dollar Store. We had 3 packs total.

3. Chalk-n-Doodle. You heard why this thing is amazing in THIS post.

4. STICKERS! Wren is still obsessed. I grabbed a small lined notebook from the $1 section at Michael's, along with about a million sticker pages and booklets (mostly from the $1 section at Target and during super clearance sales after various holidays). These made the cut for the plane ride, too!

5. Magnetic Writing Board (aka Etch a sketch). We picked this one up for $5 on sale at Lakeshore Learning.

6. Magnetic Letters. TIP!: Grab a cheap cookie pan to take along. This came in so handy for the magnetic letters, but also for her to put her coloring books and paper on so she could write and color (without having crayons go everywhere).

7. Storytelling Glove and Puppets. Also from Lakeshore Learning (I swear this is not a sponsored post, we just happen to love that store!), these storytelling gloves and accompanying puppets are a fun way to tell stories and let the little one take part.

8. Foam Shapes. These were great for working on colors and shapes and gave her something small to squeeze and play with. Found in $1 section at Target, though you can usually find them at any craft store.

9. Coloring Books & Crayons. TIP!: Pick up a set of these triangular crayons. They're nice and big for toddlers to grip, but the shape also means they don't slide and roll around. These are great for restaurants, too!

10. Color Wonder Coloring Pads & Markers. These are fabulous for the car. The clear marker won't show up if they drop it or write on themselves or the carseat.

11. Quiet Book Pages. I talked about the Quiet Book Page Swap I took part in HERE. These were fun to take along and Wren enjoyed the different activities within each page.

12. Books, Books, Books. We took along about 8 books. A few were ones that Wren was really into at the time, and the rest were ones that I knew she'd love but I waited to break them out until the trip. I included a couple Look and Find books that were basic enough for her to search for items, but I knew they'd keep her attention for a bit.

13. Toddler Wallet. I took one of my old used wallets and filled it with all sorts of fun surprises. Used giftcards, old hotel room keys, some business cards, pictures, and interesting little baubles. This also made the cut for the plane ride!

14. DVD Player. This isn't pictured, but we had a DVD player with 2 movies for her to watch. At the time, she hadn't ever seen a movie, so I didn't plan on it holding her attention for long, and I was right. But it did give us 10-20 minute spurts of downtime from having to entertain her when she was awake.

15. iPhone. Also not pictured, but this was used as a last resort. We have tried to limit her use of phones and computers, but she did enjoy the flashcard app that I had as well as flipping through my photos, and watching short YouTube clips of babies or animals. During our trip to Seattle, my friend Megan clued us in to the fun app, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, and it continues to be Wren's favorite app. I'm actually on the hunt for some good ones, so if anyone has suggestions, please share!

I hope this was helpful! Safe and happy travels!

Let me know if there are items you would add to this list...I'm always on the lookout.

One-On-One Time

Josh and I are leaving later this morning for a quick overnight getaway. We're heading to Nashville, Indiana, with my sister and brother in-law. Wren is getting some quality one on one time with Grammy & Papa, where we know she'll be showered with attention, so she'll be happy as a littl clam.

In the meantime, Josh and I are in desperate need of one-on-one time of our own. With his retail schedule getting ready to ramp up, and the crazy Fall we've had, it's really just been a pass-eachother-on-the-way-out kind of atmosphere in our house. Even though it's only one night, we're looking forward to it.

We're planning to do a whole lot of eating, a whole lot of shopping, and a whole lot of relaxing. Oh, and probably a bit of microbrew/wine/hot chocolate/coffee drinking...depending upon our mood!
Think, this:

We've never been to Nashville, but it's a cute place that a lot of people around here go to for a quick getaway. The leaves are stunning in the Fall, though I imagine we've missed most of that by now.

I'm hoping to get a jump on Christmas shopping.
I've got this post, plus my giveaway and one for tomorrow posting to keep up with NaBloPoMo, so we'll see you tomorrow!

KRAFTYCHIX Review & Giveaway! {PLUS COUPON CODE!!}

I'm very excited to share another wonderful giveaway with you guys in celebration of Wren's second birthday!! My kid is a fashionista, no doubt about it. (If you don't believe me, just click HERE to see how much she loves clothing!)

With that in mind, I wanted to do a giveaway that incorporated toddler fashion AND something for the adults, too! I think I've found the perfect product(s) to share!

When I was shopping around for some of Wren's birthday gifts, I came across the kraftychix Etsy shop...and then I fell in love! You'll find all sorts of unique things when you head over to the shop. Everything from home decor to scarves to jewelry.

I picked up THIS necklace for Wren, and also these toddler boot cuffs, which are the first item that Denise has offered for the giveaway:

For a full review and some cute little clips of Wren wearing them, check out my video HERE.

To include everyone, she has generously offered to include 2 pair of adult boot cuffs/leg warmers, too! One pair of Adult Chunky Boot Cuffs in the color of your choice (Left) and one pair of Skull & Cross Bones Leg Warmers (Right)!

As if that weren't enough, she is also offering a 20% off coupon for anyone who finds some items they can't live without!!

There are TONS of ways to enter, and this giveaway will be open through next Monday. Several of the entries can be done every day, so be sure to take advantage of the extra ways to enter!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c0baa44/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Momma's Sick

Last Christmas, I came down with a horrible case of strep throat...fever, chills, throat swollen and in pain, the whole nine. It came on slowly and got worse and worse throughout the day.

Tonight, I started feeling the same way I did Christmas morning. I really hope I can keep it at bay, but for now I just need rest. 10:30 bedtime might be in order, and that NEVER happens. Midnight is usually as early as I'll make it to bed, but I'm just wiped out.

I think I'll Pin myself to sleep while watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Doesn't get much better than that!

Unfortunately, I think Giveaway Week is on hold until I can feel a little better.
I wanted to be sure to keep up with NaBloPoMo, but it's gonna be a short one tonight.

Trying to keep the sicky monster at bay, especially for the little bird!!

More Giveaways...TOMORROW!

 I will be back tomorrow with more giveaways!

My original plan was to get the giveaway up today, but since it was Wren's birthday, we have been busy with presents and cake and museums and balloons and chocolate milk (a special treat)!

Wren has had such a great day, and I can't begin to express how incredible it is to be her mommy. She is such a clever little girl. She has a funny sense of humor, but she's overall a pretty serious kid. Studious is probably a good word for her--she's a bookworm, a workerbee, and she has very high standards. (Just ask poor Charlie at school, he can never win with her!) She has a mind of her own, and a heart of gold. She is the best little momma to her babies and she tries really hard to be a good sister to her doggies.

2 years have flown, and I am so proud of the little person she is becoming.
Check back in for tomorrow's giveaway!!