Back to School Survival Kit

Click here for Executive Homemaker's Survival Kit

She put together cards to a corresponding item and placed them in a gift bag or some type of container. I think it would be great to include them in their backpack or lunch kit. (although I guess it is alot of sugar!).This is just a reminder of your love and support as your child goes back to school. Thought this might also be a cute idea for all you teachers looking for a little motivation for your students on the first few days back. I have made a list of the labels, because you crafty people can create your own.

Remember those divided boxes for my college kids? I think I will include some of these sayings in their boxes!

Labels in the kit:

Fruit by the Foot-Put your best foot forward

Pencils-We think you are sharp!

Lollipop-To remind you to "lick" any obstacles this year

Eraser-To remind you that you can start each new day with a clean slate

Rubber band-Stretch your mind this year

Paper clips-You have all the tools to hold it together!

Hershey Hugs-Just some extra hugs when you need them

Smarties-To boost your smart brain power

Tootsie Roll-To remind you to roll with the punches this year

Sponge-To remind you to soak it all in this year

Almond Joy Candy Bar-We hope this year brings you great joy

Cookie Bar for Kid's Party

Such a good idea from livinglucurto.com.
A cookie bar with vanilla wafers, icing
and all kinds of sprinkles. What kid
doesn't like sprinkles? Fun to have
at any kids party. She suggested
having a couple so the line doesn't
get too long. I know even my big kids
would be fighting to get in line. I am
going to try and remember to do this the
first day of school. What a nice treat for
their first after school snack!

Twas the Night Before Christmas (Texas Style)

Click HERE to get Twas the Night

Before Christmas, Texas Style!

Christmas Party Themes

Breakfast with Santa
Ok, nobody cringe. It's not too early to be thinking of Christmas party themes. If you start early (Hobby Lobby has already started!), you can pick up great deals and find just what you are looking for. Find ideas for your Christmas party theme here! There are more ideas here!

Cheap and Easy Gift Ideas

Cheap and Easy, that caught my eye!

Check out these 24 cheap and easy gifts. Great for giving

when you need a little special something. Who

doesn't like to get homemade gifts?

Executive Homemaker's Holiday Planner Download

Click Here to Download Executive Homemaker's

Christmas Planner.

I think this would be a cute gift to put together

for your next Bunco or girl's night out.

Who can't use a little planning ahead?

Christmas in July Event over at Tip Junky

Take a look at Tip Junkie's website!

Several of you have mentioned getting

Christmas started early this year.

She has a listing for

55 FREE Christmas printables!

Don't forget to email pictures if any

of you decide to take on one of

these projects. We love to share!

Free Printable Lego Bingo Game

Here is a free printable Lego Bingo Game. I still

have a Lego addict at home. We are going on a

car trip soon and I thought this would be a great

way to entertain the boys! Click here for the free

download at Heremeow.com.

Here is another link to a Lego printable party pack. It's not free but you can personalize it which is pretty spiffy!

Lots of Dots

Take a look at what Tater Tots and Jello did with these plates

She took these

And added these

which when finished and displayed, looks like this Check out the entire project HERE

So simple, but of course this is coming from a polka dot lover!

Bleach Stenciled T-Shirts

Thought this was such a cute idea, I can't wait to try it. You just lay a stencil down and spray it with bleach in a water bottle.

Found it on Homemaker's blog click HERE for complete instructions. She shows another one she did with a cross and then embellished.

Mama (or Man) vs. Mosquitoes

Mama...1,000....Mosquito....zero. We live in Texas and if you don't have this stuff, well then you are probably not going outside and when you walk to your car, you are being attacked and carried away! Anyways....this stuff is awesome. Here's the tip for you: stock up on it in May before the mosquito boom in June! A friend of mine tried to find it once the "squiters" started swarming and she could not find it in stores. All you do is attach it to your waterhose and spray everything....grass, shrubs, trees, and I even sprayed my front door since guests were being attacked. Once sprayed, your mosquito population will die or move elsewhere and you can sit on the patio and actually enjoy an evening without a bite!

Things to Do Photo Frame

Here is an idea that I saw on another blog, sorry it has been in my save file awhile and I don't remember the name of the blog. It's just an 8 x 10 frame. I took some velcro and attached it to the back and attached the other side to a dry erase marker. You just write your to do list on the glass and check it off when you get it accomplished. I am giving it to a neighbor who has everything for her 50th birthday. She is pretty simple, but for someone who is a little more frilly, you can fix it up with ribbons, etc. Find the THINGS TO DO download here.

I took a piece of 12 x 12 craft paper and cut it down to an 8 1/2 x 11 to fit my printer. This way you can make the background any color or print that you wish.

For Those Non-Crafters Check Out Etsy

For those of you who don't do well with a glue gun or any kind of crafting, check out Etsy. It's a site for handcrafted items. They have all kinds of things.

I have ordered many different things from hairbows to handmade thank you notes.

My Aunt Donna had given Katie some personalized thank you notes when she got married. I thought it was the best idea and have used the idea with my nieces and nephews many times. You can go on Etsy and check out all the handmade items.

It is a great way to find unique gifts and ideas.

I also purchased a monogram from an individual and she email me the pdf. I did it for my niece Ashley's wedding. It was inexpensive and I was able to make shower invitations, candy bar wrappers and thank you notes for her to use.

Mason Jar Cupcakes

With the new cupcake craze, I thought this was the CUTEST idea to be able to give cupcakes as gifts without worrying about them tipping over and the icing messing up. I am going to do this! Not sure how they got the cupcake to fit perfectly unless they cut it, but maybe a cupcake made in a muffin pan will fit perfectly. I am sure they piped the icing in with a frosting bag and tip. I have those, but if you don't, you could use a ziploc baggie and just snip one corner. I just love this idea!!!!!! You could give it as a teacher gift with a tag that says, "Teacher, you take the cake!" Of course I would use cute ribbons and a spoon that matches in color! It would be cute to put the flavor of the cupcake and icing on a printed label on the top of the jar! I am getting all kinds of ideas for Christmas and Valentine's Day....red velvet with cream cheese icing and some kind of green Christmas ribbons! I am a teacher and I would love to get this as a gift!

A Week's Worth of Meals...plus planner and grocery list!

Okay...here it is! Five working days worth of meals, plus recipes and a weekly calendar to plan and write what you are having for the week. On the calendar page, I have typed out the grocery list for all the meals. You can do all the shopping on Sunday and you are set until Friday if you cook one meal a night all work week. I don't cook every nite or I would be insane, so only 5 days are included. I am sure there will be leftovers to enjoy the other nights or you can just eat out...Mom's night off and the kitchen is closed! Just click on "Here's the menu" and the recipes and meal planner with grocery list should be linked and open up. Let me know if you don't get it and I will email it to you!

Here's the menu:
Chipotle at Home-Fajita Burrito Bowls
BBQ Chicken Pizza/Margherita Pizza
Smothered Potatoes with Sausage and Onions
Easy Chili Pie
Buffalo Chicken Salad

When you are grilling the chicken for the fajita bowls, don't forget to grill for the BBQ chicken pizza, too!
My email is tsee@dpisd.org or you can get me at tootallterri@gmail.com

Colored Bubbles!

Check it out, colored bubbles at Zubbles!

New On-Line Magazine FREE

Check out this new on-line magazine.

It's full of event inspiration and DYI

fun. Did I mention, it's free!

NONPAREIL Magazine

For All Your Beach Treasures

Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures has come up with a great way
to display your beach finds. She has taken shells and used rub
on lettering to decorate them. She also used the rub on stickers
to decorate the shadow box. Now we know what to do with all
those shells the kids collect. This could also be done with boy's

rock collections for their rooms.

Cupcake Wrappers

Check out these cupcakes wrappers! Click Roundabout Cupcake Sleeves from their website.

I love the margarita glass cupcake!

Mamatini

Ingredients:
2 parts pomegranate juice
1 part pineapply juice
1 part bubbly mineral water
blackberries for garnish

Recipe and photo courtesy twilite moon blog

Back to School Party

Even though we all cringe thinking of it...it's getting to be that time!
Check out this back to school party by Poca Cosas. I love the Sundae School!

My baby is going to be in junior high, I can't believe it!

Luckily my nephews will still be at the elementary. I have had a

child at the elementary 15 years straight. So when my car

automatically pulls into the elementary school, at least there

will be a reason I am there, to pick up Hunter and Preston!

Loved this idea for a summer gift or favor.

Cheap and easy...that seems to be my motto this summer!

I am taking them as a hostess gift to a pool party.

Simply print the tag on cardstock and

attach with ribbon.

FYI: I found my pops at Food Town, they were already wrapped in

the red netting and only cost $2.50!

Love the site I found them on http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/

You can download the tag here.

Hey, everyone! We are sisters with very busy lives and we thought to ourselves, "why not put one more thing on our plate to manage....a blog." Hee hee. But seriously, we question daily that there just has to be an easier way. Our hope is to share our resourceful ideas, recipes, thoughts, gifts, etc. to make our lives easier and hopefully everyone else who will listen and follow our blog. We will be taking inspiration from our friends and family members to add to the blog, so you may be seeing your recipes and ideas here, too. You may see stories here that give you a chuckle and make you realize, "you are not alone!" or "thank God I am not her!" So, here begins our journey to simplify our life.....and yours, too!

Words to live by.......Stay Calm and Carry On!