Top 5 Back to School Ideas

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I have about a million projects, crafts, snacks etc. that I would love to do for my girls before school starts. But you know-- that's just not going to happen. So I have narrowed down all the pins, saved links, and dog-eared magazine pages to these "Top 5 Back to School Ideas". (And I am giving myself grace, if I only get to one... well that's ok!)

Happy First Day of School

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Some people have already headed back to school, others aren't going back until after Labor Day. And here in Texas, we start on August 22nd. Which means we have less than a week. Eeek! Our summer has been so fun, busy, relaxing, crazy, and really hot. But I am ready to get back into our routine and start all of our fun fall activities. My girls will be in 1st and 5th grade this year. They can't wait to meet their new teachers and see who is in their class. I am excited for them! The First Day of School is a big deal. So I made a little "Happy First Day of School" gift to give to their teachers. 

DIY Crepe Paper Tassel Garland

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Tassels have kind of taken over Pinterest and the craft world. I have at least 4 tassels necklaces (3 that I made myself!), one tassel bracelet, and several tassels that are literally hanging around the house on pillows and such. I thought that I had enough tassels in my life. But honestly... can you ever have enough tassels?? No. No. You cannot. So when I was prepping for my daughter's cheer camp decor (see this post) I decided to try making Crepe Paper Tassel Garland.

Teach Your Kids to Sew

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My girls are always asking for a craft. This time, my ten-year old really wanted to do a sewing craft. If you ever wanted to sew with your kids, this is the craft for you! Sewing is a good life-skill- it teaches patience, eye-hand coordination, and someday it will come in handy! (trust me!) So I took the girls to Hobby Lobby and bought two inexpensive embroidery hoops, a bit of fabric, needles, and embroidery floss.

Why We Went Back to Cinnamon Shore!

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The day that school let out, we packed up our car and drove back down to Cinnamon Shore. Why?? Because it is the best beach in Texas and only 6.5  hours from our house. The property is adorable and the activities are fun.

DIY Fabric Bunting: Sweet Tea Challenge

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Want to know a secret? I have always thought it would be fun to be on a reality show. You know, one of those "Craft Challenge" shows where the participants are given certain materials and then have a limited amount of time to create something amazing. I don't even know if such a show exists anymore- but if you hear about a "Project Runway" style show for crafters... let me know! Until then, I have found the next best thing. A Craft Challenge via the blog world. No fancy television cameras, but there are some fierce competitors and voting involved.

This Craft Challenge- named the "Sweet Tea Challenge"is hosted by KariAnne at Thistlewood. The goal of the competition is to create something fun with the fabric charm packs we got at Jemma's recent blog party. And like I said, I am always up for a crafty challenge.

Luau Party - DIY Decorations

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My girl and I are heading to cheer camp soon. The camp is three days long and hosted at a local hotel. The girls will work on skills, stunts, team-building and have lots of fun. And I get to go along as a chaperone! One of the 'unofficial jobs' of a cheer camp chaperone is to decorate the room. Which as you know-- is right up my alley! The theme we chose is "Tropical"-- so think of a luau with a tiki hut, palm trees, and lots of pineapples.

Family Road Trip to Austin

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In March, we took our girls on a road trip to Austin, Texas. It's not a long drive from the DFW area, so it was the perfect get-away. Road trips in Texas are one of my favorite ways to spend a vacation. This state has so much to offer and people in Texas really are the nicest :) So we were excited to explore Austin and experience all it had to offer.

What's Really Inside a POPSUGAR MustHave Box

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For over a year, I have been a member of the POPSUGAR Select blogging team. POPSUGAR Select is a network featuring some of the best fashion, beauty, fitness, food, living, and mom bloggers. It's been a fun way to connect with other bloggers and share my projects. Plus it has brought some really cool opportunities my way. One of them is the chance to review products every now and then. Getting awesome goodies in a box for free = happy blogger!

(See that photo above? That's not really me. But I DID feel that chic as I was carrying my POPSUGAR box into my house. Where is a professional stylist & photographer when you need one?!)

Here is my attempt at that look. Like my sweaty hair and workout clothes? I bet you can relate. And since we are friends here... let's just keep it real :) 

Pool Party Cupcakes

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Got a pool party on your calendar? Then you need to make these! It's always fun to be the person who brings the 'cute Pinterest-y' dessert to a party. These Pool Party Cupcakes will delight the kids-- and maybe even impress some of the adults :)