Our Newest Addition

My husband and I just added another sweet baby to our family!

His name is Graham, and we can't get enough of him.

One of my favorite new finds with this baby, that I didn't have with my others, are the Aden+ Anais Swaddle Blankets.  I have loved these blankets so much!
They are light weight, big for swaddling and super soft.

I bought mine on Amazon, HERE.

I also know that Target carries them.

If you're having a baby, or looking for a great gift-- check these out!
Graham loves them!

12x12 scrapbook layout and card ideas

I love to scrapbook and make cute cards.  I hold a Stampin Up! class in my home once a month and love it because it forces me to get out my stuff and be creative! :)

Here are some of my favorite 12x12 page layout and card ideas, we've done or will soon be making.  

 I had my class sew right on the page! It was fun to use my sewing machine for scrapbooking!

This card goes with the scrapbook layout above

Teacher Appreciation Door

I should have gotten this idea posted sooner, but you can always save the idea for next year! A few years ago I decorated the door for one of our teachers. I really wanted to do something that I had never seen before. Here's what we came up with.

Mrs. Robinson and all the kids loved it!  And YES, there is a way to make it through the maze!  I made the whole thing with butcher paper.  I cut white strips and glued them on.  If I were to do this again, I would find some white tape.  That would make it much easier and faster.  Here are a few other door ideas.

Free Math App

Do you have your kids do school work during the summer to keep up their skills?

I usually buy them a workbook and have them do a page or two as part of the daily jobs.

Well, I think news like this will help my kids WANT to do math this summer.

I got this note from my 4th graders teacher:

·                    FREE MATH APP!!:  There is an FREE Math App for practicing basic facts.  “Sushi Monster” is a Special iPad Preview that provides students with the opportunity to extend their knowledge beyond basic math fluency.  “Sushi Monster” is designed to meet the new Common Core State Standards.  Download for free in the App Store! 

You can go HERE to download it for free!

Here is the description on the iTunes site:

Meet Sushi Monster! Scholastic’s new game to practice, reinforce, and extend math fact fluency is completely engaging and appropriately challenging. 

I've downloaded it and I'm hoping this will be fun for all my kids to play!

Do you know of any other educational and fun games for the ipad?

Crispy Chicken and Bowtie Pasta

Last May, Cali did a post about what she cooked her husband for his birthday.  It looked so good - I had to try it.  It was a hit.  I have made it several times since. 

Last week was my birthday, and my husband offered to cook me dinner.  What menu did I choose?  Yup - Crispy Chicken and Bowtie Pasta.   

CLICK HERE for the original post from Jamie Cooks It Up! with pictures for each step.

I think it tasted even better when my husband made it because I didn't have to do the cooking.

What did my husband buy me for dessert?

An icecream cake from Cold Stone.  YUM.  Happy Birthday to me!

Snickerdoodles made soft and EASY!

My friend Annie is a great cook.  She shared this great recipe with me and we LOVED them.  We had some friends over last night and I needed a quick, easy treat to share-and this was perfect!

Blend in small bowl: 
~2 3/4 cup of flour
~2 tsp baking powder
~1/2 tsp salt

In Kitchenaid/mixer blend for about 3 min:
~1 1/2 cup sugar
~2 sticks of butter
~Once blended add 2 eggs, then slowly add in flour mixture.

Roll into balls. Then roll in a mix of 2 TBS sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon

Bake 10-12 min @ 350 degrees. My oven cooks a little hot, so 10 minutes was perfect for soft, chewy snickerdoodles.

Enjoy!

Summer Time Link Up

It's time to start thinking about your plan for the summer.  Are you going to do fun activities, vacations, crafts, or sports?  Here are a few things on my plan for this summer.

With the Family and Friends:
Movies on the house (The Crafting Chicks)

(This will be a little tricky since I don't have grass in the backyard yet, but I'll figure something out.)

With the Kids:
Rock Candy (Gluesticks)

Add this Decor to my collection:
Summer Subway Art (Eighteen25)

Recipe to try:

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothies (Delightfully Tacky)

Share your plans with us!  Link up your favorite summer ideas.