BACK TO SCHOOL First Day Part 2

Part 1 of my last post stated how we began our first day of Kindergarten homeschooling - a fun breakfast and treasure hunt. The rest of the day was spent schooling, a first day photo shoot with mommy of course, meeting daddy for lunch, and to close the day on an especially sweet note - we ate some little treats we had made: apple-surprise-inside cupcakes! Yes, there is actually a surprise inside each cupcake - read on...

These are the basic apple cupcakes you see floating around on the web celebrating many a commence of school - but with a fun twist. We scoop out part of the inside of the cupcake and insert either "apple seeds" which are really chocolate chips, or a gummy worm (thus the worm inside the apple idea). Then we close them back up and enjoy seeing what we get when we bite into one at the end of the first day of school. :) BTW - I did not have pretzels on hand for the stems so out of necessity, I found some candy canes in the cupboard, broke them into pieces, and we dipped those in chocolate and used them as stems instead. I like how they turned out - different and very tasty. :) The leaf is actually part of a gummy fruit slice - also very yummy. :)

A view of the inside of a couple of the cupcakes before we filled them back up and put the tops back on.  :)  I must admit that I found myself secretly hoping my apple surprise cupcake would yield the "seeds" when I bit into it.  :)

Linking up to these great parties:

www.makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com

www.sumossweetstuff.blogpspot.com

www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com

www.runwithglitter.blogspot.com

www.bluecricketdesign.net

height="175" />

BACK TO SCHOOL First Day Part 1 :)

Our homeschool started up today with a good deal of fun and excitement!  We had a special back to school breakfast, a treasure hunt for new school supplies and first day of school outfit (yes, we have a first day of school outfit even though we homeschool), first day pictures, exploring the changes made in the home classroom for this year, and of course we had our first day of classes too!  Phew!  Lots of fun = a tired mommy and kids by the day's end...  Here are some pics of the day's activities....

Sausages and numbers "added" up to a fun start this school year!

A pancake artist I am not, but it was fun to attempt these anyways.  The pencil is a banana with a chocolate kiss on the end (for the point) and foil and banana for the eraser end.

The table cloth is a piece of black fabric I wrote on with chalk.

This is a real apple with the inside hollowed out and filled with apple juice.  I then stuck a straw through the top, tied it with a ribbon and voila:  sipping the juice straight out of the type of fruit it came from.  :)

These are clues for the treasure hunt.  They eventually lead to a child's backpack with new supplies gift-wrapped inside and a new outfit for the first day of school.

This was our simple centerpiece - books, our countdown can filled with pencils and a couple of pointers, a school block calendar showing today's date and the first clue of the treasure hunt wrapped with ribbon sitting on top awaiting eager little hands and eyes.  

Lots of fun and a super start to the year!  :)

Linking to:

www.bearrabbitbear.blogspot.com

SNACK/LUNCH: Summer Sun!

This lunch/snack (because what my daughter does not finish for lunch she will sometimes have for a snack later) was a fun salute to the summer heat (which isn't so much fun)...

Snack details:

Sun- American cheese slices surrounded by orange slices.  Carrots and strawberries compose the sun's rays.  Banana and blueberry eyes with a dried cranberry smile display this snack's cheery disposition.

Muffin cups 1,2, 3:  A fluffy "cloud" amid blue skies (a.k.a. blue muffin cups) show off yummy treats:  banana slices, blueberries, and a few marshmallows tossed in for fun!

Muffin cups 4,5,6 (NOT SHOWN) - Organic blueberry yogurt with more blueberries and marshmallows!

For more fun snack ideas, be sure to visit the muffin tin mom website and Jill Dubien's blog!  :)

Linking up to:
www.nap-timecreations.blogspot.com

Back to School Pencil Wreath!

2 boxes of pencils + 1 cardboard circle + glue + embellishments 

= 1 pretty cute back to school wreath! :)

Two recommendations I suggest after making this wreath:

1. Buy a chipboard (I think that is what you call it) or wooden wreath instead of making one from cardboard. Why? I think the chipboard or wooden one would be more sturdy and easier to work with.

2. Make sure the adhesive/glue you are using will stand up to the outside hot temperatures of your area.

To make this wreath:

1. Glue four pencils to your cardboard or chipboard as shown below, divided equally at the top and bottom and sides.

2. Glue another pencil in between each quarter created by the first pencils, trying to keep the same distance between each pencil.

3. Add yet another layer in between the pencils. Continue in this way until you have filled up the wreath to your satisfaction.

Here is a picture of what mine looked like:

4. Complete the wreath by adding your own creative embellishments (or ones your children come up with) to welcome in the new school year, then hang and enjoy!

Linking up to:

www.shabbynest.blogspot.com

SNACK/LUNCH: Cool in the Pool!!

This lunch was in honor of my daughter finishing up her swim class this past week!  Good job, honey!!  :)  (Sorry parts of it are perhaps a little sloppy - I was in a hurry - busy week!)
BTW - apparently some people are having trouble viewing/becoming followers.  I am not sure why the following thing shows up sometimes and not others - I am not that technically savvy.  :)  HOWEVER, I have noticed that on my computer, there is a "follow" button at the very top of the page next to some other buttons and that seems to work.  So if you were wanting to become a follower (which is so sweet - I am honored), you might try that.  :)  If that fails - let me know and I will see what else I can find out.  :)

Snack Details:

Girl in pool floating on her back:  peanut butter sandwich with strawberry cream cheese on top.  Chocolate chip sunglasses, fruit roll-up mouth and hair and swimsuit flowers.  Chocolate used for hand and feet details.

Water:  blueberries.

Muffin Cup 1: organic blueberry yogurt with chocolate heart details.


Muffin Cup 2: "pool noodles" - carrots and sugar snap peas.


Muffin Cup 3:  orange life jackets with chocolate detailing.
 
Muffin Cup 4: life preserver mini bagel with fruit roll-up stripes.


Garnishes:  melted chocolate lettering.

For more cool snack ideas - check the out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubien's blog.

Items used to make this snack (muffin cup link should take you to a place where you can order the different colors):


Linking up to:
http://www.makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com/
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/
http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/
www.tearosehome.blogspot.com
www.smilemontsers.blogspot.com

Back To School Countdown Can!

The beginning of (home)school is just around the corner for us so we made a back to school countdown can!  Simple, inexpensive, and adds to the anticipation as we count our way down to the first day of school!  Each day we unwrap the numbered flag and read what is written inside - activities for my daughter to do to help prepare for school and even some fun little treat ones - like "eat a chocolate chip".

(BTW - if the "following" area is not showing up on your computer - not sure why this is happening on and off - and you wanted to become a follower - check the top of the page.  On my computer there is a "follow" button at the very top and that seems to work.  If it does not work for you, let me know and I will see what else I can do.  Sorry for the inconvenience for those who have been trying to follow the blog. )

If you want to make a Countdown Can, you will need:  a package of pencils, a can, hot glue gun, one piece of paper (decorative or otherwise), optional paint and decorative ribbon.

1.  Decide when to start the countdown and get that many pencils for the can.  

2.  OPTIONAL:  paint your can.

3.  Cut one large strip of decorative paper (our apple paper came from Hobby Lobby, and I only used one sheet) to glue around the can and smaller strips for the tops of the pencils.   

4.  On the inside of each strip, write something for your kids to do each day of the countdown (picking out a "first day" outfit, cleaning, going shopping for school supplies, or it could be as fun and simple as eating a chocolate chip)!  

5.  On one end of the outside of the strip, paste a number - or you could just write a number on it.  Hot glue the opposite end to the pencil, roll it around the pencil leaving the numbered part free to make a small "flag" and add another small dot of hot glue to keep it from completely unrolling.   

6.  OPTIONAL:  Tie a decorative ribbon around the middle of your can.

7.  Toss the pencils in the can and begin your countdown!  :)

Linking to: www.whipperberry.com
                   www.shabbynest.blogspot.com
                   www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com
                   http://www.ladybirdln.com/