One of my favorite little boys just turned 2 and for his birthday we decided to do something a little different for his gift. So if you have a toddler birthday coming up here is an idea for a fun, easy and to quote the lovely Sandra Lee, semi-homemade.
 |
Elmo ABC book, Animal flashcards, washable markers, paint set, colored pencils, crayons and a
tub of sidewalk chalk |
We made him a craft tub filled with goodies that were all washable or erasable, aka the only type of colored writing item to have in the house. The awesome part of this all is that stores like Target have a plethora of these items beginning in mid-July and lasting through the middle of September. So stock up during this time! There are more options and they are usually less expensive during this period as well. And don't forget Target's discount section near the front of the store. I ALWAYS stop in there and add to my secret stash of fun items. Great for coloring books, containers, stickers, etc...
We found a shower caddy and added puff paint to snazz it up and make it clear just
who these treasures belong to <wink>.
 |
| My tools |
The homemade part was my favorite, so of course I saved it for last! We have a roll of paper from Ikea that we use for all our craft times and I LOVE. I decided to use some of this durable paper and create spaces for this little one's masterpieces. To make the frames as uniform as possible I used an 8x10 picture frame's backing and traced it with a thick black marker, then decorated away. This way whenever he is done with an original piece his mommy can cut it off and hang it on the wall. I must say that by the end of this project, aka nap time coming to a close, I knew I needed to make some for Baby Love.
Total cost for this gift was $13.75, easily $15 dollars less than if these items had been purchased elsewhere. Absolutely love being able to give a gift for less
without compromising any of the quality!
To our sweet Aedan, we have loved being able to love on you this last year and
can't wait to see what this next year brings. You are a very special little boy and we are so glad to have you in our lives. Happiest of Birthdays!
If you haven't heard about MyPublisher, then let us introduce you to a company that has made our gift giving, scrapbook inclined, photo documenting hearts happy. We have used them for the last 5 years and couldn't be more pleased with the results. Today we are exceedingly grateful because we just found out that our favorite promotion of theirs just started! For $35 +shipping and handling you can get what normally retails for around $120+shipping and handling. Just use the coupon code:
EXTRAPAGES
Amazing right? On average we manage to make books that have close to 400 pictures and the max amount of pages, 100. No, we aren't getting compensated in any form for sharing this with you. We just love to share fabulous finds like these with anyone who will listen! So hurry on over and start your own book. They make great gifts for the parental units, grandparents, siblings that live far away. At this price you can finally get some of those Christmas gifts purchased in advance! The offer ends
July 26th.
And don't worry, we won't tell anyone how much you saved. <wink> What are you thankful for today?
Play along with us! Every Thursday we will post something we are thankful for, and I would love it if you did so as well on your blogs.The Button is on the right hand side of the page, just click, copy and paste. Oh! And let people know where you found it! It is medicine for the soul to give thanks and when done regularly contentment comes into reach. And it can be anything, silly, personal, or blog related. Just take a moment to give thanks!
...The Bachelor just did their hometown visits on Monday and one of my favorite moments was when Constantine's father expressed the importance of working at a marriage in order to keep it healthy. This is something most of us have heard, but I am not sure many of us truly understand. What does it mean to "work" at a marriage? And how does a couple stay motivated to continue this calling, year after year? We of course have our own thoughts, but would love to hear yours! So please, take a second and pass on your pearls of wisdom.
Baby Love is growing so quickly that it is getting difficult to keep him in clothes! We, like many parents these days, love to see our little boys dressed like little men, rather than babies. In pondering our current clothing problem we found a solution that we are so in love with we just had to share it with you guys.
Hanes toddler tee-shirts that come in a 5 pack and
are a little over $5 at Wal-Mart!
They also have:
for a little over $6.
We love these for the look, the price and the fact that they can be bleached from all of the summer berry and ketchup stains that are inevitable. We must say that they make our little man look like very stylish!
So pass this tip on, or use it for yourself. After all, that little extra that you saved would like nice spent on something else. Are we right?
Happy Tuesday!
