bloglovin'....

i have no clue about all things technical. unless i can find it on google i'm usually pretty lost. 

so when everyone started talking about google reader going away, i have to admit that i didn't even know i used google reader (but, i did). 

apparently google reader is now a thing of the past. if you want to follow along with the blog, then bloglovin is the way to go. it really is super easy. i clicked over to the site and with one click of a button was able to import all the blogs i read into a new reading list. piece of cake - even for this technology challenged girl :) 

feel free to click on the button below so you can follow the blog through bloglovin'.

hope to see you there! :) 

five on friday... summer activities for little ones and FREE printables!

happy friday, friends! it may be 10:00 on friday night when i'm posting this, but as usual - better late than never! :) 

this week's five on friday theme is stars and stripes in honor of our great nation! (side note: can y'all even believe that next week we'll celebrate the 4th of july?! usually i'm all about time slowing down, but being 40 years pregnant in this heat means i'm all for the next 2-3 weeks to zipping on by)

anyway, the activities this week will focus on the fabulous red, white, and blue and the country that we love! as always, the "week" is broken up into five days (assuming there will be an activity for M-F. we take the weekends off ;)) although they do not have to be done in conjunction with one another or completed fully in order for success. you can pick and choose as you please! :)

to see the five on friday activities from week's past, click HERE. (you'll even find a "flag day" unit that will correlate with july 4th this week). 

one. 

so many fun activities to do with red, white, and blue themes! 

*if your child is 2+ and learning to use scissors, making a collage is a great way to practice! give them old magazines, cookbooks, newspaper ads, etc and let them cut out pictures of items that are red, white, and/or blue. (hint: it will be much easier if the papers your child is cutting are "loose" - already separated from the book/newspaper)

glue the objects down in a large collage OR sort them by color and glue down on a chart (i.e - three columns: red, white, blue)

*you can sort paper stars, cut out stars from scrapbook paper, clip art, etc. practice sorting by size, color, pattern, texture, etc. you can also have your child use the stars to make their own patterns. feel free to use star stickers as well. 

*practice counting to 50 by counting the stars on the American flag. this is an excellent way to practice one to one correspondence (count each star once and only once) as well as a wonderful opportunity to practice counting by 10's! 

two. 

practice (or learn) reciting the pledge of allegiance. discuss the proper etiquette when doing so (hats removed, stand, hand over heart, etc.). learn to sing the star spangled banner. have your own patriotic parade around the house or neighborhood and kick things off with an opening ceremony where your child recites the pledge and everyone sings the national anthem. 

three. 

there are quite a few different options for making your own "fireworks" (singing katy perry's song while doing so is completely optional. although my girls cannot hear the word "firework" without breaking into song.)

first, the pipe cleaner fireworks - take three pipe cleaners, line them up, fold them in half, then twist to attach them together. arrange the ends to make an "asterisk" shape. dip in paint and stamp on paper. these were fairly easy for us to do and make a more bold firework. 

second, the straw fireworks - align 3-5 "bendy" straws together and attach them (you can use a pipe cleaner, tape, rubberband, etc). bend the bottom portion of the straws to form an asterisk/firework. 

dip in paint and stamp onto paper. we found that these made a lighter firework. however, if we spun the straws around each time we stamped them on the paper, it made a nice looking final result! 

third, another straw firework option - cut slits in the bottom of a straw and splay out the ends. dip in paint and stamp onto paper. these were fairly easy and made nice looking fireworks, the only "issue" was that they were pretty small in size. 

finally, putting a blob of watered down paint onto a piece of paper and using a straw to blow out the paint to create a firework. this worked, but i would suggest saving it for older children as it can be confusing whether or not they should exhale or inhale into the straw, which could present a small problem. ;) 

although all firework techniques have their own positives and negatives, it really comes down to a personal preference (and in our case, what's readily available in the pantry/craft closet) ;) 

four. 

*use cookie cutters as stamps to make stars OR cut out star shapes from sponges to use as stamps. have fun create star collages and designs. 

*film canister rockets: you will need film canisters (you can get these for free from any photo department), paint and star stickers (optional), alka seltzer. decorate the canister like a rocket if you choose. fill it 1/2 way with water. divide an alka seltzer tablet in quarters. place 1/4 in the canister with the water, put the lid on and place upside down (lid down). watch the "rocket" take off! (MAKE SURE YOU ARE OUTDOORS!!) repeat, repeat, repeat. ;) for older children, you can make hypotheses of what they think will happen before you place the alka seltzer in the water. discuss vocabulary words such as predictions, hypothesis, and conclusions.

five.

edible sparklers are a fun (and easy!) treat. simply dip a pretzel rod in white icing (or cream cheese, yogurt, etc). next, dip it into red/blue sprinkles. if you are choose, you could also melt baker's white chocolate, then dip the pretzels - but this would require more work for the adult than the child. either way, you end up with a yummy (and patriotic!) snack!! 

enjoy! :) 

image via www.tasteofhome.com

here's this week's five on friday printable schedule:

STARS AND STRIPES (free printable) 

and in case you missed it, here are some FREE fourth of july printables to use as cupcake toppers or any other thing your heart desires.

FOURTH OF JULY PRINTABLES 

don't forget, you can click HERE for all of the past five on friday activity posts and FREE printables. 

enjoy! 

and nothing says, "TGIF!!" like a little "selfie"  :) 

love is...

"love is what you've been through with somebody..."
-james thurber

i've been so fortunate to have had wonderful examples of love and strong marriages in my life. the rarity of both in this day and age is not lost on me. throughout my 31 years i've been able to witness acts of love, kindness, and faithfulness as well as acts of determination, grit, and forgiveness from some of the most important people in my life. and while witnessing their acts of love for one another, it simultaneously shaped my view of what love is. and to be honest, it's a lot to live up to. 

this week marked my parents' 35th wedding anniversary. i am beyond proud of the fact that they are still in love and happily married after so many years. especially since, in their case, statistically - the odds have been against them: high school sweethearts married not long after graduation, three young children born close together soon after that, one of those children with disabilities. they've been through the heartache of loss (children, parents, jobs, dreams), sickness, financial struggles, and the ups and downs of raising a child with disabilities. and yet, they've remained faithful. faithful to each other, faithful to their family, faithful to their God, and faithful to the commitment that they made so many years ago. in fact, on this their 35th wedding anniversary, they weren't able to be together because they are serving and loving on others on opposite sides of the world. they chose to selflessly spend the anniversary of their love sharing with others about the greatest love there is - the love of Jesus.

i've learned so much from my mom and dad - everything from basic life lessons to the more meaningful that can only be taught be example. i've learned that marriage is not easy. there will be times of struggle and times of uncertainty, but that does not equal defeat. i've learned that the best thing you can do is dig in, press on, and fight until you get to the other side. i've learned that laughing and having fun together is not just beneficial, it's necessary. i've seen firsthand the goodness of God through the faithfulness of my mom and dad in their marriage.  if "love is what you've been through with somebody..." then i'm pretty sure my parents are proof that love can be walking through the darkest of days and coming out on the other side not only stronger, but united.

today marks one year since my grandad went to be with jesus. there are times it feels like it's been much longer than just a year and then other times it feels like it was only yesterday. i know that my mawmaw is rejoicing, as we all are, that he is healthy, healed, and home with his maker. but i also know that it doesn't ease the pain of missing him. i consider it a true blessing to have been able to witness their love for one another. theirs was another marriage, much like my parents',  that shaped my life and my views on love. my mawmaw and grandad loved each other and they loved jesus. and it was evident to everyone that came in contact with them. they were the epitome of love and commitment. i know that they faced many difficult times throughout their marriage as well. they raised five children and experienced the ups and downs of life - sometimes more "downs" than "ups." and yet, they never focused on the difficult times. they used them to learn from, but the treasured memories that were retold over and over were always, always rooted in joy. 

the marriage of my mawamw and grandad was one that exemplified the marriage vows; to love and to cherish, in sickness and health, in good times and bad. as much as you mean those vows when you take them, they tend to take on a different meaning once you actually have to LIVE them. i'm sure my mawmaw and grandad had no idea when they stood beside each other and took those vows as a young couple- teenagers, really- what all those vows would entail. that 50 years later they would mean standing beside the one you love and feeding him his lunch because he can no longer do it himself. or holding hands with the love of your life and reliving the memories that only one of you can recall. if "love is what you've been through with somebody..." then i'm sure the love of mawmaw and grandad is a testament that love isn't what you remember, it's what you do and who you are. love is joyfully keeping the memories alive for those that can't, even when your heart is breaking.

so this week, and always, i'm thankful for the examples of love that i've had in my life. marriages that stay together, pray together, and give the glory to God. and although i do love the quote by james thurber, i think i'd have to add to it. "love is what you've been through with somebody... and bring glory to God because of it." 
i'm thankful that because of my parents and grandparents, i know that this is possible. i've seen it firsthand. 

 "three things will last forever- faith, hope, and love -and the greatest of these is love." 
1 corinthians 13:13

tuesday's random post...

i've been on the lookout for dresses for the girls to wear for our newborn pictures. i'd really like to have them in white smocked dresses or white eyelet dresses. you'd think this wouldn't be too hard to come by seeing as we're a) in the south and b) right smack in the middle of the summer. but alas, i've had no luck thus far. admittedly, my only "searching" has been via google, facebook, and ebay... but those are usually sure things. libbi wore this dress for her 2 year portraits and laney could wear it this year IF i can find something for libbi to coordinate with it. and let's just not even talk about how little libbi looks in this picture... ;-(

i love all of these dresses, but they're either sold out, no longer available, or just a great mystery. OR they are $75 for a dress and i just can't pay that x 3! craziness! 

via....gap.com, belk.com, carters.com, and google images

i've been busy lately with my little etsy shop. i think i'm more surprised about that than anyone - ha! here are a few recent orders i've done.

chalkboard planter with decal...
sandwich holder
snack cup

custom tumblers
name plaque
customized children's water bottle

i've also started to feature custom invites/party packs. i made this one for libbi's bday, and have added a few to the shop as well....

i've had fun making lots of vinyl decals. i can pretty much make any name/mono/picture you'd like and you can apply it yourself - how easy is that?! 

be sure to check out MY SHOP for more fun goodies... it's been a productive way to put my pregnancy insomnia to good use - ha!! :) 

speaking of pregnancy.... poor, poor baby liza is already feeling the effects of being a third child. for some reason, i've been unable to find hardly any of our "baby" baby clothes. i have lots of 12-18mo+ but the little ones are just gone. i may have loaned some out, given some away, sold some??? who knows? all i know is poor liza's wardrobe is going to be pitiful compared to her older sisters' if i don't get my act in gear...soon! (hopefully jeffrey has quit reading by this point....) ;-)

this pregnancy has been similar to my pregnancies with libbi and laney in some ways and completely different in other ways. i feel like i've reached the "uncomfortable stage" much faster this time. i actually think my pregnancy with laney was my easiest so far. now laney AFTER pregnancy has definitely not been my easiest - ha! :) i'm anxious to see how baby liza will fit into the mix. 

i've had lots of feedback from my five on friday activity posts - thank you! :) but lest you think we're always crafting, scheduling, and learning around here.... let me just put your mind at ease. 

we're not. 

at all. 

in fact, one of my girls' favorite activities is making "pillow stacks" and launching themselves on top of them. they also enjoy sitting in boxes and making up games. i'm not kidding. pretty sure you won't see any of those ideas on pinterest.... "how to jump on a stack of pillows" or "one pinner said this activity kept their child physically engaged for over an hour. and the safety risks were very moderate." 

nice...

finally, here is a fun little printable i made for the 4th of july! you can print them and use them as cupcake toppers. punch a hole in them, tie a cute ribbon through and use for napkin rings, or print them on adhesive paper and use them as stickers. the possibilities are endless. although selfishly, my sole intention of making these was to use them as cupcake toppers so i would have an excuse to make cupcakes - ha! :) not to mention the fact that my girls LOVE the song "firework" by katy perry. except they are both 100% convinced that it is "firework" by madagascar since that's the only place they've ever heard it ;)

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE DOWNLOAD...

(as always, feel free to download and enjoy. even share these with friends - but please remember these are for personal use only.)

and with that, i'll say - 

happy tuesday friends... see y'all tomorrow! :) 

five on friday; activities for littles and FREE printables...

after all the birthday celebrations, i'm a little behind with my "five on friday" post this week, but better late than never, right? maybe i'll just call it six on sunday and add in an extra element? whatever works-ha!

if you're just joining in on the fun, then you may not know what all my five on friday entails. i've created a calendar of five thematic activities for little ones to complete each week during the summer. if you click on the links below, you will find the activities, crafts, and FREE printables for each of the previous week's themes....

the first week consisted of "FLAGS AND FATHERS"

week two continued with "BEACH TIME" and here we are with week three.

this week's five on friday theme is "under the sea" (because who doesn't LOVE the beach?!) 

one.

sorting and graphing rainbow goldfish. you can use sorting trays, cut out circles, ice cube trays, even hula hoops or yarn circles to create sorting mats. sort the goldfish by color. after your child has sorted the fish, you can complete the goldfish graph (FREE PRINTABLE at bottom of the post). 

you can also make goldfish patterns on strips of paper. 

two.

use the FREE PRINTABLE (link at bottom of the post) to create fishy races. glue or place the goldfish in each row to correlate with the numeral at the beginning of the row. you can always cover the numeral and use number words for older children. 

three.

if your kiddos are anything like mine, then they love to play in the water! my girls love to fill and pour and refill and pour over and over and over. measuring cups, spoons, shovels, buckets, etc are all they need! you can include some seashells (i've found some at hobby lobby, michaels, walmart, and the dollar store), fish cut out of sponges, and ice cube boats to play with. 

(ICE CUBE BOAT DIRECTIONS)

your little ones can go on a buried treasure hunt for an object that you've hidden in the water table, collect seashells, go fishing, or just play! :) 

image via alphamom.com

four.

continue last week's fun of hand/foot print sea animals. add your newest animals to an ocean mural, make a sea animal bunting, or just display around your home for a nice "beachy" feel! :) 

five. 

anything involving food is always a favorite for my girls (and me, too!) ;-)

here are two fun snacks you can make with your little ones:

first up, a graham cracker ocean scene: you will need a graham cracker square for each child, blue icing (or white w/blue food coloring) goldfish crackers. 

spread the blue icing on the graham cracker for the "water." place 3-4 goldfish on top. you could also use swedish fish, or any of the sea life gummies.

another fun snack idea:

fishing for snacks: give each child a pretzel rod and scoop of peanut butter. have him/her dip the pretzel in the PB and "go fish" for a goldfish cracker using the pretzel rod as a fishing pole.

thanks for stopping by for "five on friday" - as always, feel free to email me if you have any questions or comments on the activities. and since i was a little late posting, i have added in an "extra" printable. click on the link below for the fishy color words printable! 

have a great week, friends! :) 

UNDER THE SEA PRINTABLE

FISH GRAPH

FISHY RACES

FISH COLOR WORDS PRINTABLE

birthdays...

let me start off by saying this post is FULL of pictures...

and follow that up by saying - birthdays are exhausting - ha! pretty sure the past few days have felt like weeks...we have been on a birthday overload around here! which means we've more or less been on a sugar high since thursday afternoon. ;)

we went to mellow mushroom thursday evening to celebrate my birthday. jeffrey was sweet enough to invite my family to join us and we had a great time! the girls love being with their cousins and it was a great excuse to see my mom and dad one last time before they left for their mission trips.

at this point, my birthday is simply a technicality. it's just one more day to mark off the calendar in the countdown until libbi's birthday. and of course, another excuse to eat cake! but i'm okay with that. :)

friday morning marked libbi's "birthday party day" and she was more than excited. laney wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she was excited too. she also enjoyed saying, "momma's bur-day....O-VER!" and i think she told libbi "happ bur-day" every 5 minutes. libbi ate it up. but also laughed and had to explain every.single.time that it wasn't actually her birthday, it was just her party! 

we decided to just have a small party this year for her little friends. this pregnant momma couldn't handle a big to-do, and honestly - libbi would much prefer a small group as opposed to a big crowd of people. she gets overwhelmed easily.

we met at build-a-bear friday morning and the girls had a great time choosing their bears (or bulldogs in laney's case).

 

i love these pictures, because you can totally see laney creeping in the background and doing her own thing. that girl is such a mess.

after the bears were made and filled with love, we went downstairs and enjoyed libbi's favorite lunch, chick-fil-a! and a birthday is not complete without (another!) cake....

libbi went to bed as a three year old and woke up as a VERY excited four year old! :)

we were up nice and early and at IHOP by 8:15am. both girls LOVE pancakes!  after IHOP, we made our way over to the park and the farmer's market. pancakes, park, and produce with all her favorite people...what could be better?! ;-) (pretty sure laney got the good end of this deal, too...) ha!

we had told libbi she could choose any activity she wanted for all of us to do on her birthday. we suggested the mall, swimming, pedicures, etc, etc, etc.... she thought for moment and said, "i want to go bowling." huh?! not sure where that came from, but if the birthday girl wanted to bowl, then we would bowl. 

poor laney's little dress just wouldn't stay down. but seriously, how cute are those chunky legs with her bowling shoes?! haha! i couldn't resist. she was just so cute. 

surprisingly, both girls loved bowling and had a great time! it was a successful birthday adventure. :)

we came home, ate lunch, then went to the pool for a birthday swim. see what i mean about birthdays being exhausting?! everyone (excluding the preggo insomniac) was in bed and asleep by 8pm. another birthday success! :) 

such a fun weekend for our sweet four year old girl! 

we love you to pieces libbi jane!!!