Back-to-School Already?!

Can you believe summer break is almost over? Are you ready? My summer is already over. I'm back in the classroom after 8 years. I've been working around the clock putting together a preK classroom. I'm plumb exhausted. 
I thought I'd share some super cute back-to-school ideas/projects I found on Pinterest. Now, if only I had the time to actually make them.... 
Super cute, easy-peasy gift for the teacher for the first day of school. FREE printable on Simply This and That! 

A-DOR-ABLE door hanger for your new teacher. This looks so do-able! Maybe one of my students will make me one?!? Yeah, I don't think so either. I may just have to give up some more sleep and make one for myself. Thanks for the tutorial, Warm & Fuzzy! 

O-Mmm-Gee! Look at how cute these apple pretzels are?!?! I'm not linking it because the link is showing to not be safe. Sorry about that Bake.Bake.Celebrate. I think this could be recreated fairly easily without having directions. 

I know my kids would LOVE this. What a cute way to gear up for the beginning of a new school year! Check out the directions over at Pen N' Paperflowers. 

LOVE, love this idea of a back-to-school dinner night with the family. The decorations would be easy to put together. Check out the cuteness over at Our Family Blog. 

If you're going to have a Back-to-School dinner, you're going to need a Back-to-School dinner recipe. Here's one of my family favorites - Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops. Thanks to One Day at a Time for having a great picture with the recipe. This is recipe I use and I've shared, I just can't find my picture. Bummer. No worries. You'll find other great recipes over at One Day at a Time as well. 

Have you found some great ideas to kick off back-to-school?! If I had hours to spend, I could find so many things to make.... if I had time. {sigh}

When do your kids start back? Ours actually start on the 15th. I, on the other hand, have been working for a week in my classroom. I report for meetings on Friday. Life for this housewife is drastically changing. 

~Mrs. Alright

Wishing I could do it all, like.... 

Elfing Around the House

Last year was our first year to play along with the frenzy known as Elf on the Shelf. My then four-year-old daughter really got into it. She was better behaved in the month of December than she was all the other 11 months combined. (Yes, I know how that sounds. Don't you judge.) You better believe we were going to continue with this little Elf tradition.  I'd like you to meet Mr. Fred Jack Tubbington...

Fred Jack made his arrival on Sunday and on Monday already had a special little project for my girls. My teen daughter loves the spirit of all things Christmas and is happy to play along to make things fun for her little sister. 

Fred Jack's letter to the girls with directions. 

Peppermint Hershey Kisses ready to plant in the sugar 

Camryn was completely enthralled by all of it. She couldn't stop looking at him for the longest time. 

She took the directions very seriously, as all good little girls should. 

Here she is "watering" her peppermint Hershey Kisses with kisses.

After all the planting and watering and kissing was finished the girls went to bed. When the awoke the next morning this is what they found... 

CANDYCANES

Does your family have an Elf on the Shelf? I'm really bummed they didn't have the girl elf last year because now I'm wanting her! Have you come up with some creative ways for your elf to interact with your kids? We'd love to know. If you've done a blog post about it, leave a link to your post in the comments and we'll be by to check it out. Also, one of our housewives, Mrs. Hart,  hosts an Elf on the Shelf link-up you can participate in. 

I wish I could take full credit for this fun candycane project, but I found it where else but, Pinterest! 

You can also find ideas on Instagram under the hashtags #elfontheshelf #elfingaroundthehouse . 

~Mrs. Albright 

Looking for creative ways to top Day 1, like a....

DIY Costumes and Halloween Showoff 2012 with Link Up

'Tis the day before Halloween and hopefully the greatest nightmare of all housewives with children has not occurred.  Did you forget to make, buy, or just can't find the right costume for you or your children?   I can certainly see where that nightmare might occur. And if it has, I can only hope to offer you some DIY costume hope.  I am also asking for our readers to link up to this post and show off your 2012 Halloween costumes! Inquiring housewives want to know.

My son: Greg Hefley the Wimpy Kid
My daughter: The Prissy Ghost
(All ideas inspired by where else?  Pinterest!)

Wimpy Kid

I originally got the idea for the Wimpy Kid from Living Locurto, but I just couldn't get the face to turn out the way I wanted. So then I moved on to actual Wimpy Kid sites and found these downloads! Score! Looks like we may all be a Wimpy Dad and Mom also! I just printed, glued it on black card stock and cut it out. I did not cut out the eyes. Then rather than put the mask on strings I duct taped it onto a Halloween pencil. His middle school is dressing up on Wednesday and he's not that into dressing up, so this was perfect for my almost 12 year old once paired with a white tee, black shorts and long white socks!

Prissy Ghost

This idea came from a pin that I pinned last year. It was off of an etsy shop, so it didn't come with directions. I just made it my own way. That's the fun thing about Pinterest. I made this costume for less than $5! Supplies needed: long sleeve white tee, one piece of 8x10 black felt, black ribbon and Liquid Stitch. Cut a template for your eye and mouth shape, pin it on before you Liquid Stitch and try it on the child, making sure its centered and looks right. Then Liquid stitch it on. In case you haven't figured out, Liquid Stitch is to me like butter is to the Pioneer Woman. Then make a bow and sew or Liquid Stitch it on. Pair it up with a cute white tutu and you have a prissy ghost! Now my daughter has a fun costume, one she can wear to school, and a shirt she can wear again next October! 

These are just a few ideas. 

I have an entire board dedicated to ALL THINGS HALLOWEEN if you would like to browse for other nightmare ending solutions. 

Now I know there are going to be lots of posts this week showing off your princesses, ballerinas, pumpkins, ninjas, and even a few of you will be sporting your own creative adult costumes. I've seen a few and I know our readers would love to see them. I also know that the BIG reveal is not until tomorrow night for some, so this link up will be open until next Monday!

♥Mrs. Hart♥

Wishing you all a safe and creative Halloween like

Fall Fun with Kids

My kids have been in school for 23 days for the 2012-13 year and just had their second day out this past Friday. Professional Development Days. Teachers have to get them in, and unfortunately it just doesn't happen with the kids present and on school property. My daughter who started Kindergarten this year told us that she really likes having three day weekends. I bet she does.

I'll be honest I enjoy it also. Can we have year around school with just breaks here and there? Please? I had so much fun with my kids on Friday. It was a no makeup, stress free, craft and full of fun activity day with my kids and a few neighbor friends, whose mom just happens to be one of those poor teachers who had to go get schooled.

We made two of these Candy Corn wreaths. I found the idea on Pinterest, of course!

HGTV Moma here I come! He looks mighty efficient with a glue gun doesn't he?
BTW if anyone has seen my glue gun, please return it. We have a few battle scars from this one.

I didn't want to overload this post with pics, but you can see we had loads of Fall fun and were on a real sugar high between bites of candy corn, sprinkles, chocolate and caramel that was served up. At least the apples were healthy. This is what Fall Fun with Kids is all about until the leaves fall, the pumpkins patches open and its cool enough to get out and enjoy the weather!

On another note of Fall, remember my last post when I hosted the RHOK into Fall Y'all Decorating Contest? We have a winner of the $25 Los Cabos Gift Card! Congratulations RHOK Reader MissPam DanceMom! If you are in the Broken Arrow or South Tulsa area and are looking for dance lessons for your child, I encourage you to look Miss Pam up at Beautiful Feet Dance Company.

Miss Pam's Fall Village. I love villages!

♥Mrs. Hart♥ Celebrating Fall and looking forward to cooler temps like