I spent Monday doing something I had never done before… canning.  I had sorta helped my Grandma can some soup once or twice, but that consisted of filling jars and then I went out to play.  So, this was kinda a trial-and-error deal.  My mom and sisters came over to try it out with me.  Okay, they kinda came over to watch my kids while I did it.  My momma was a great help actually and it was nice to have the little guys entertained for a while by someone other than me and our friend Mr. Netflix.  I was a little worried when we hit a few snags; but, luckily, all my jars sealed and I can’t wait to break open these babies this winter.  Assuming they last that long…

My Little Monkey got these babies on his birthday cake a few weeks ago.  I’ve been tripping over them and counting them (to make sure we got them all collected back in our bag) ever since.  I love when we find that toy that he just adores – and I love it even more when it makes no noise and doesn’t have an on/off button…

When we asked Little Monkey what he favorite part of our trip to Idaho was, he said… nope, not watching all the trains, not picking huckleberries, not going to the lake and riding in the kayak with Dad, not fishing, not swimming in the swimming hole, not the water slide, not the beach, and not even riding in Grandpa’s airplane (his first plane ride! – not counting the one while I was pregnant with him…).  Nope.  It was… playing in the sandbox.  the boy loves his dirt.  So, to celebrate a WHOLE day with no accidents (we’re potty training, ‘member?) he got his very own “sandbox”.  Admittedly, it’s not as awesome as Grandpa’s… but he still looks like a happy boy to me.  Totally worth $20 and not having to clean out any undies for a whole entire day.

* This originally posted last week at Lil Luna.  But, in case you missed it there, I thought I’d show it to you here as well.

I hope your summer has been fantastic and full of lots of fun, but it’s getting time to think about that bittersweet time of year:  Back To School time.  It’s a time full of excitement, changes and, sometimes, a little apprehension and sadness.  I don’t have any kiddos heading to school this year (that’s going to be a tough day when it comes…) but my Little Monkey turned three last week and so the time is quick approaching.  Today, I have designed a set of printables with a couple options.  These would be great for a Back to School kit for any teacher, but you could give it to your kiddo as well.  Make it a “homework station” kit.

Now, your kit could be a heck of a lot cuter.  Like tie up your cute little labels with some baker’s twine… alas, mine was at home and I ended up with the quick {and desperate} option of Scotch tape.  I put this kit together super quick-like for my cousin, who teaches 4th grade.  Here’s a quick little rundown on what’s inside (and how to use the rest of the labels included in the kit).  Keep in mind, not all items are in the photo.  Inside your kit, include any of the following:

– Lined Paper: Keeping everything in line.
– Ruler: Learning and growing, inch by inch.
– Scissors: Stay Sharp!
– Pens and pencils: Make your Mark!
– Eraser: Just in case there are any “oppsy”s
– Post-Its: Because there’s a lot to remember.
– Glue: Sticking with it, even when it’s hard.
– Apple: We’ve got all the good apples.
– Hand Sanitizer: Some things you’d rather not share…
– Dry-Erase Markers: Add some color to your life!
– Colored Pencils, Markers, Crayons: To cheer and brighten your day.
– Permanent Markers: Nothing is permanent.  Well, some things are…
– Compass (for making circles): If you ever lose your way, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
– Hole Punch: Punch through all the obstacles you meet.
– Calculator: For when it really counts!
– Paper Clips: Keep it all together.
– Highlighters: Every year has it’s highlights, can’t wait for this year.
– Bookmarks (I like the Post-It brand sticky ones for books): To help you keep your place.
– Tape: Stick with it, no matter what!
– Binder: Practice will help “bind” all that knowledge together.

To download your free copies, just click on the image.  Then right-click and save to your computer.  You can print from there.

I’d love for you to come check out these other free Back to School printables over at While He Was Napping:

Printable Lunch Notes

School Themed Subway Art

Enjoy!  And good luck with this upcoming school year!  See you again soon!

This is actually from a few days ago… but we wore the little guy out!  I don’t know about you, but I think that looks kinda painful… I know our bed was less than awesome and Little Monkey got a little foam mat.  He didn’t really seem to mind.  And it was a lot shorter fall when he rolled out of bed (not so much for Gator… whoops.  Mommy fail moment.).