The Family Thankful Tree

I may be skipping ahead a little here... but Fall also brings us Thanksgiving, and the responsibility of teaching out little ones what being thankful is all about.  We started a tradition last year called The Thankful Tree. 

This tree is approxiametly the height of Gator, who is four now, and I plan to make it grow with her as the years go on.  We collected leaves, pressed them between clear contact paper, and used black Sharpie markers to finish the sentence "I am thankful for...".  Each leaf also has the name of the thankful person and the year.

You can't read the leaves here, because of the glare, but we have some wonderful answers, and Gator loves when we sit and read each leaf.  Last year we included are little family, Grandma, Papa, and a few aunts and uncles.  This year our tree will grow as each person is asked to add a new leaf.  I love that even family members that live far away can participate by sending their leaves or simply telling you what to write over the phone.

I love that this tree of ours is teaching our little ones that life is full of little things that we should be thankful for every day.  And it reminds us each year just how much our little ones have changed.  Last year, Gator requested two leaves.  On one she wanted "Cars and Bugs".  On the other she asked me to "just write Mommy".  Papa was grateful for "Natalie", Grandma was grateful for "having her family close to her", and I was grateful for "having the oppurtunity to stay home with my babies".  I can't wait to add leaves to our tree this year, in our new home, which of course, I will be thankful for. 

Linking to:
Home and Family Friday,

Hand Print Magnets

Well, if you've looked at my blog AT ALL before now, you may have noticed that I'm... well... shall we say... OBSESSED with my little ones tiny hands?!  And feet.  I am, I know, it's an odd addiction.  But they are growing so quickly, and I just love having so many little reminders of those tiny fingers and toes!  So here is another hand print project! 

Gator is always making something wonderful for us to display on our refrigerator door, so I felt that she needed her own special magnets! 

These took maybe 30 minutes to make, including drying time for the paint.  Super simple, which is important for me lately, because we've been crazy busy! 

We painted Gators hands with white craft paint, and stamped them both on to blue card stock paper.  After the paint dried, I wrote on her name on the left hand and "work" on the right with black Sharpie marker. 

I then cut out each hand print, and glued a square of magnet on the back of each hand. 

Gator loves having her own special magnets.  They are always in use at our house, and a set is always being used at Grandma and Papa's as well! 


Looking for a cheap and easy (but meaningful) gift for grandparents living far away??  Why not send them a set of hand print magnets with a cute letter telling them that these hands will be used to hold the items they receive in their "Art of the Month" club!!  Each month, have your little one(s) draw, color, glue, etc something special just for them, and send it off!  They will love having something so special each month, and you will love how easy it is to stay connected and let them know they are thought of!  Include a monthly picture for added smiles! 

Linking up to:Whatever Goes Wednesday, Hoo's Got Talent, It's So Stinkin Cute Thursday, Home and Family Friday

Simple Kid Halloween Crafts

We've been crazy busy around here lately, but I have quite a few little projects in the works that I'll share soon.  My sewing machine is fixed, material has been purchased for Boo's Dopey costume, I'm less then two weeks away from finishing up my last class for my bachelors degree, Gator has a dance recital this weekend, last night was a TAPS meeting (a post on that one later), a PTA meeting, and dance class, AND my daddy's birthday.  Oh, and we're still planning for the big move of course!  So I've been a slacker mommy and a slacker blogger friend lately... I seriously have some catching up to do! 

But... I thought I would share a couple simple Halloween crafts we've done...

A little construction paper and some cotton balls can go a long way to making big smiles!

Halloween Chain Links

Nothing fancy here, and no talent needed either!  Gator and I had fun over the weekend cutting, coloring, taping, and gluing.  We needed some craft time together, it's always so calming.  I feel like we miss out on a lot of that lately now that she is in school... don't get me wrong, I know school is great for her, she is learning so much and loves being there, adores her teachers, and has really come out of her shell with other children... but the rushing rushing rushing, and the lack of mommy daughter time... it's just a reminder of how quickly she's growing up and that she needs me a little less every day...
Goodness... this wasn't suppose to be one of those post!  Oops!  Right, back to the craftiness... sorry!

See all the cute designs Gator and I spent hours drawing on each one?  She loves that part!

Happy Monday everyone!!  Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Adorable Handprint Halloween Sign

I think this may just be a current favorite Halloween decoration.  I'm all about using my kids hands, feet, art, etc for decorations.  I love that years from now I'll still have these tiny hands!!  I found this idea here and new I had to make one.  I used both Gators and Boos hands, and when I was finished I wrote their names and the year on back and then covered the whole thing in clear contact paper, so I can keep it and use it year after year! 

All you need is contruction paper and a sharpie marker, and contact paper if you want to do it the way I did.  I had a good time deciding on faced with Gator, so much so that we went ahead and made another one of these for Grandma too!

Today I am linking too:
The Shappy Nest - Frugal Friday