back to school :: make it fun!

super cute binder pouch!

FuN reusable lunch bag from bend the rules with fabric! tutorial includes instructions to print your own custom fabric!

lunch box love notes :: a free printable!

good morning and bedtime checklists to download from children inspired designs (we LOVE CID!!)
we printed these out and slipped them into plastic page protectors - the kind that slip into a binder. the morning checklist is on one side and the bedtime checklist is on the other and they can mark on them with dry erase markers then wipe them clean for the next day. i would prefer one with pictures for harper since he doesn't read just yet. i have plans to create one for him soon. and when i do i will be sure to come share it with all of you!

button flower headbands! adorable and so easy. go ahead, make one for every day of the week!

and lastly i stumbled across this flickr group with tons of photos and lunch box inspiration :: lunchbox recipes

so friends, what are some of your favorite back to school projects, ideas or websites? please share!

small style :: back to school edition

i can hardley believe that summer vacation is over. didn't it seem to last forever when we were kids. this year we sent two kids to high school (!!), one to third grade and still have two at home. since it is still super hot here we put off buying new clothes for a few more weeks when it will be cool enough to wear jeans.

'cept the big kids are already that cool and they wear jeans even when it is 100 degrees...

here is what they wore for their first day back ::

on esme ::

striped sweatshirt by old navy

polka dot gray tee by target

ruffled rainbow skirt by old navy, a hand-me-down from a special friend

and brand new, pink plaid NSS shoes with ribbon laces.

on riley and niko ::

they both wore old tee shirts and old jeans. they try to deny the fact that they are a bit alike but i think these photos say otherwise...



and here are the little cuties who stayed home with mama.

on harper ::

we are encouraging him to choose his own clothes and i pretty much just go with whatever he picks out as long as it is weather appropriate and fits him. this day it was a brown polo shirt and brown sweat shorts. his summer sandles are, you guessed it, brown. can't go wrong with all brown, i suppose.

on luca ::

short overalls by babyGAP

ooga booga tank top by mama ♥

laguna sandles by soft star shoes

today i am linking up with morgan at mama loves papa. if you love small style like i do be sure to pay her a visit!

the flip side

this is a follow up of sorts to sunday's happy little post. yesterday went a whole lot different. it did start with smiles and dancing and a yummy breakfast with my tots. but then it became one big ol' ball of crazy as the kids bickered and whined while mama tried to get not-so-fun chores done and baby luca went from one destructive activity to another right under my feet.

he ate one of esme's markers. the dark blue one. he also bit harper, hard, right on the cheek leaving a dandy bruise. i was stressed and so were my little people.

thank goodness for rescue remedy, coffee, leftover cake and popscicles. i was able to stop and take a deep breath {or two} and somewhat pick our day back up just before a gnarly crash landing.

today is the very last day of summer vacation. we went out earlier and picked up a couple last minute neccesities {like a new pack of markers for esme who simply cannot live without dark blue}

she told me she can't wait for today to be over so she can hurry up and sleep so it will be time to go to school already. she just really loves school, i guess. i've got mixed emotions - sweet summer, i am so sad but relieved at the same time to see you go so soon. oh hey, who is that next in line? ahhh, autumn ♥



sunday

good morning * hugs, kisses, big happy smiles * green juice and waffles * coffee, oh, glorious coffee * dining room clean up, round one * birthday cake baking * dancing in the kitchen * wildflower bouquets * hula hooping on the back porch, still in our jammies * more coffee... more dancing... more smiles and giggle, giggle, excited giggles...

there is nothing more i need.

happy sunday, friends!

small style :: summer repeat

at one point during my last pregnancy i thought that i wanted another little girl. how much fun would it be to sew sweet dresses and skirts and create tiny, frilly handknits. but as luca grows i realize how wonderful it worked out that we had another little boy.

i made a bunch of cute little tank tops for harper a couple summers ago. when he outgrew them they were carefully tucked away into luca's dresser. luca has been wearing them nearly every day the past couple months. the tanks are a perfect fit. luca is a perfect fit.

 

harper :: summer 2008



luca :: summer 2011



harper :: summer 2008



luca :: summer 2011

yes. this is just right.

i am linking up with morgan at mama loves papa today!

one of those days.

{image from pintrest.}

i woke up sick this morning. like throwing up, head pounding, everybody please just SHHHHH! kind of sick. 'cept i have a house full of kiddos so there is no quietly sleeping it off. i did nap on the couch in between getting up to attend to matters that simply could not be ignored.

{baby on the dining room table, he's a climber. harper swinging a golf club on the back porch right next to the sliding glass door. finally talking the kids into watching a movie only to realize 10 minutes later that they had the jersey shore on. you know, that kind of stuff.}

i was also jumped on, smacked in the head with the remote and completely soaked when the lid came off luca's sippy cup while he was jumping on me. my cozy couch bed was also very wet.

esme made breakfast {toaster waffles} and lunch {pb&j sandwiches} for herself and her brothers. when dinner time rolled around i actually thanked the universe for the two cans of spaghettio's hanging out in our pantry. two minutes in the microwave and dinner was on the table and mama was back on the towel covered couch.

after dinner luca had a horrible messy diaper. the kind of messy diaper that requires an immediate bath and an improptu laundry session. so i bathed the boys and got them into jammies. and i was starting to feel much, much better so after bath i loaded everyone into the car and drove them to the dairy queen drive-thru for sundaes. it was kind of a "yay! we all survived the day!" celebration.

now the kids are all in bed and i am eating a pear and blogging while trying to dismiss the current state of my house. like the spaghettio's stuck all over the dinner table and high chair, for example. 

being a mommy is such hard work. being a sick mama is even harder. but being nurtured back to health by the little people in your life is a magnificent thing. and i am going to tell them all just that first thing in the morning.

goodnight friends! 

happy world breastfeeding week

baby luca - august 2010



and little luca today - 15 months old and still loving mama's milk!



for more festivities visit the world alliance for breastfeeding action (WABA) here :: world breatfeeding week

lunch.

and we have a brand new favorite combination that we want to share. it goes like this ::

green smoothie

fresh spinach or kale (i pack my blender half full of green leaves. we are using spinach mostly but kale is yummy too)

1 heaping cup of fresh pineapple chunks

1 avocado

1 mango

1 frozen banana (i cut bananas into chunks and freeze them in zip lock bags)

1 tsp. spirulina

a dash of vanilla and cinnamon

2 tbsp ground flax seed

1 cup grapefruit juice

if i need more liquid to blend (i usually do) i add cold water.

blend, blend, blend and enjoy! we make 2 batches each morning and the kids drink 8 ounces each and i drink 2 mason jars full thoughout the day. 

do you have a favorite green juice recipe? please share!