MANIC MONDAY – Happy Memorial Day

I love Monday holidays!  It’s like a bonus day added to the weekend!  That being said, this post is going to be quick!  The hubby is off work (YAY!!) and we are going to spend the day at the pool with our friends!  At least until it rains, like it’s supposed to here!  That’s Missouri for ya, sun one minute, rain the next!  Hope you all have a great bonus weekend day! 

-Emily

FREEBIE FRIDAY – June Calendar

Time for JUNE!  Get your calendar printed and start filling in those fun summer days!  I know my June is filling up fast! Click on picture to download!

  

- Cammie

TEACH ME THURSDAY – Superhero Cape Tutorial

Remember how I was telling you all I have a list of projects I want to make this new baby of mine?  Well one of the things I want to make him is a superhero cape.  My older boys Jer and Briggs have Batman capes my mom bought them several years ago and they STILL play with them.  So I know this little boy would LOVE this reversible Superman/Batman Cape.  I know he won’t use it until he’s at least walking but with 4 kids, I’ve got to get some of my projects done or it might never happen…seriously!!!  This tutorial from Puking Pastilles is a GREAT tutorial.  I used part of it 2 years ago for Halloween.  Jer needed a Superman cape so I quickly made one, and Briggs needed the Batman logo for the front of his shirt.  Here are a few pictures of my boys in their Halloween costumes I made using this tutorial.  Now I just need to make the reversible one for my 3rd little guy!

 

- Cammie

WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY – Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace

Have any of you heard of Dave Ramsey?  This guy knows what he is talking about when it comes to money!!  My husband and I are taking his 13 week class called Financial Peace, I might add that Emily and her husband are also taking the class and they LOVE it too!  We are on week 9 and I am telling you it has already changed our lives!  Ben and I are on the same page with money, our goals with our money are exactly the same, we have already built up a good little savings account, and just yesterday during class we learned about what investments are smart investments and how and when to invest!  We get excited after every class! 

Dave teaches how to save up, get out of debt, how to teach your kids about money, and how to make your money work for you!  It has been such a blessing to attend this class and I look forward to learning even more.  There is a website where you can look to see if there is a class being taught near you.  Our bishop is the one who set up the class for us and we watch Dave on DVD’s.   Go to Dave Ramsey’s website where you can put in your zip code and it’ll tell you if there is a class going on.  It is SO affordable AND once you’ve paid and taken the class you can attend any of the classes FREE for life.  We have a couple that comes to our class that took it 15 or so years ago, they say it is so nice to hear these lessons again.  Oh and I might add that Dave is NOT boring at all…he is quite funny and VERY entertaining!  So that is what’s up Wednesday, look into this class, you won’t regret it!!!

- Cammie

TASTY TUESDAY – Ben’s Ribs

Father’s day is coming up…June 20th to be exact, and I am thinking I might attempt to make my husbands favorite ribs.  I’ve never made them because it’s his thing AND he’s a good cook, so I’m a bit afraid I might mess them up.  BUT I want to be a sweet wife, so just maybe I’ll be making these for him!  They are really, really yummy!

- Cammie

MANIC MONDAY – Oh what do we do in the Summer Time…

Jer and Briggs with their cousins, summer of 08

Sometimes during the summer I hear the phrase “I’m bored” from my children.  It’s usually on a day after we went to Six Flags, or on a float trip, so they think they need to be gone doing something!!  But sometimes summer brings on lazy days or days they get to be creative.  Last summer I found a few great website that listed out 101 things to do in the summer, and 100 ways to have fun. I referred to it often and the boredom blues turned into great creativity from my kids.  Hopefully it helps you with your kiddos bored days too!

- Cammie

FREEBIE FRIDAY – To Do List

On my fridge (right under my pocket) I have a To Do List note pad…and I love it!  I am the type of person that has to make lists about everything.  If I write it down, it’s more likely that I’ll remember it and more likely that it will get done.  Well, my note pad is almost gone, tear, so I thought I’d make one that I could print off any time.  So, of course, I had to share.  It turned out SO cute!  Man I LOVE photoshop!

Go HERE to download a printable version with 2 on 1 page.  Happy Friday!

-Emily

TEACH ME THURSDAY – Mod Podge Letters

Currently, my baby boy’s room serves as our office as well.  So, that means decorating it has been a work in progress.  While I was pregnant, I painted it 3 (very bright) colors. 

Then, like 3 months after Dan was born, I made curtains…

Then even later I made these cute letters to hang above his crib…

I still have a few more things that I want to do, but I must wait until the office moves downstairs to it’s currently unfinished-soon to be finished (hopefully)-office space in the basement.  Until then, I thought I’d share this SUPER easy DIY project that you can do anywhere!  It’s really not that new, but I love them!

All you do is get out the mod podge and go crazy!  I stayed simple and used fabric (left over from the curtains), but you could use scrapbook paper and embellishments…like I said, go crazy!  Anyway, trace out the letter, cut it out and mod podge it on.  I did paint the sides of these letters first (mostly because I was too lazy to try and figure out how to get the fabric to wrap around or to cut out a bunch of extra peices).  But that’s it!  SUPER easy and SUPER cute!

Here’s some other letters for inspiration (taken from http://jentility.com/):

Happy crafting!

-Emily

WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY – the CSI project

Ok, so I recently came across this blog, and think it is the coolest idea.  Three awesome bloggers have come together to create The CSI Project.  Amanda from Imperfectly Beautiful, Beckie from Infarrantly Creative, and Jennifer from Tater Tots and Jello.

Basically, each week, The CSI Project issues a crafting challenge.  Then, if you want to participate in the challenge, do it, post about it on your blog, then link it up to the challenge post at the CSI project.  Then, here’s the cool part, they have a guest judge that looks through all the links and decides on the top 10 and a winner!  Such a good idea!  I LOVE it!  Oh, but there’s more!  While the challenge is going on, the girls behind the CSI project are posting tutorials and inspiration fitting the challenge theme!  And different giveaways are goin on!  Seriously, LOVE it!

So, get your craft on and check out The CSI Project…I’m totally there!  That’s What’s Up this Wednesday for me!

-Emily

TASTY TUESDAY – Caviar?

Yup, TEXAS Caviar that is!  Can I just say YUM!!  This is probably one of my FAVORITE dips/salsas/whatever you would call it!  My hubby and I can eat almost an entire batch in one sitting (sad but true!).  If you’ve never had this scrumptious amazingness…YOU MUST TRY IT!  I got the recipe from my sis-in-law Liz (a million thank yous to you!) and love every bite!  I figure it’s a perfect recipe to post for summer (which we’re still waiting for here in MO!).  Enjoy!!

-Emily

MANIC MONDAY – Any Teacher Would LOVE This!

What a week I had last week!  I am SO ready for a new week….and maybe some sunshine, no DEFINITELY some SUN!  I don’t think I’ve yelled at my 2 year old so much in so little time ever!  Please tell me that I’m not the only mom who has bad dayS in a row, not just a bad day, but DAYS?!  I am praying for sun, because I can be a better mom with sunshine on my face!  And dry swings!

But, totally not the point of my post today!…

Before I got pregnant with my oldest, I was in school to be an elementary school teacher.  While I was going to school, I substitute taught and LOVED it!  When I grow up (or really when my kids grow up) I want to be a teacher.  I have a serious respect for teachers of all grades.  I think they do some of the most important work and do it for almost nothing.  Teachers teach because they love it, which makes them unique and very special.  So, it’s only fair that they get loaded up with goodies at the end of the school year, right?! 

Well it’s that time of year, all our favorite blogs are spilling over with teacher appreciation gift ideas.  I don’t think I’ve seen any that I haven’t liked.  But, I thought I’d share one that I think is probably my favorite of all the great ones I’ve seen lately.  And, if I were a teacher, I would totally LOVE this!

A new favorite blog of mine, eighteen25, (thank you Cammie for introducing me!) recently had a tutorial on how to make these cute boxes. 

I think you could do this for just about anything though, not just a teacher’s gift!  It’s such a great organizing idea (totally fitting for Manic Monday!).  And it looks so easy.  Since I don’t have kids in school yet, I need to find a different reason to make one of these!  I love the amazing ideas you can find in the blogging world!

Well, here’s to hoping for sunshine and a good mom week! 

-Emily

FREEBIE FRIDAY – Reward Coupons + our news!

I’ll start with our news…Jer, Briggs and Ali are going to have a baby BROTHER!!!  I thought Ali would be shocked, since she thought it was a girl, but she was excited and couldn’t wait to tell her brothers!  Jer and Briggs are thrilled of course, and Ben and I are so excited!  I am ready to get working on all my boy projects; car seat covers, car seat tents, baby boy ties, binky clips, the list goes on!!!  

As for our Friday Freebie:  I found this cute site Organize It Mom who does lots and lots of printable things that she sells.  She also has a few free things.  One I’ve downloaded for my kids are her Reward Coupons!  They are so cute and perfect for rewarding your kids for helping you out, or just because you want to do something nice for them.  I am going to use these this summer, because lets face it regular chores just don’t happen(even for me)!  These will be perfect for the times I “torture” them to do a major clean up…then I’ll surprise them with a reward coupon…and they’ll think I’m the best mom ever!  That’s the plan anyway…wish me luck!

- Cammie

TEACH ME THURSDAY – Brag Books

A couple weekends ago we had a girl’s trip with my mom and sisters in AZ.  Part of the time we make crafts.  Each one of us girls is in charge of coming up with a craft and bringing all the supplies for each person to make it.  There are 4 sisters and my mom, PLUS Emily joined in this time…so we all ended up with 6 finished crafts to take home!!  The craft my mom did was exploding boxes.  They are cute little brag boxes…perfect for a grandma or friend.  I think they turned out SO cute and were really easy.  Here is a picture of us girls with our exploding boxes.

 

(Joey, Tiffany, Amber, Me, Emily and my Mom!)

Check out the Tutorial at Glitter Adventure

I also found a tutorial on an accordion brag book that is DARLING!  The girls at Eighteen25 have a great tutorial!

- Cammie

WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY – All I can think about…

I find out TOMORROW what I am having and I am so excited!!!  It’s pretty much all I can think about!!!  I can’t wait to be able to call my baby a he or she.  I love finding out because I feel more connected with my baby plus you know I’m dying to work on some projects!!!  Of course it doesn’t matter to me if I’m having a boy or girl, just hoping everything is fine with the baby… But knowing the sex of the baby is one of the exciting milestones of pregnancy and I am SO excited!

- Cammie

TASTY TUESDAY – Raspberry Lemonade

A few weeks ago we celebrated 3 birthdays in the family; Emily, our brother-in-law Marcus, and our Mother-in-law Kathy.  We had a BBQ and 3 different cakes; a cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, and rainbow cake, so there was plenty of eating happening!  My mother-in-law brought a homemade raspberry lemonade that was SO delicious, in fact my 8 year old liked it so much he asked her for the recipe!  I wish I would have taken a picture since it was in such a pretty pitcher!  I’ll be making this several times this summer, it’s the perfect summer drink!

Raspberry Lemonade

1 Cup Frozen Raspberries

6 Cups Cold Water

½ Cup Sugar

1 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (from about 6 lemons)

Combine berries, 1 cup water, and sugar (or chosen sweetener such as honey or Agave) in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through mesh sieve to remove seeds. Combine in tall pitcher with lemon juice and remaining 5 cups of water. Serve over ice.

- Cammie

MANIC MONDAY – Organizing Kids Art Work

I have 3 kids so I have TONS and TONS and TONS of art work they either make at home or bring home from school.  And if your kids are like my kids they are SO proud of EVERY SINGLE project and picture they do!  But I love it!   So we have several ways we “organize” their art.

I made two clip boards so they can clip their favorite pictures.  I made this almost 2 years ago, my thoughts were that they would rotate the pictures but they just keep on adding to it…so if I took a more recent picture it would be FULL of pictures galore!  They love it and are so excited to add to it, and when I walk by and see all their pictures it makes me smile!

Another way I display all their art work is in picture frames!  I got these bright picture frames from Ikea, so affordable and I love the colors!

These ways work well for us but I still end up with SO much they HAVE to keep!  And since school is almost out my kids are going to bring oodles and oodles of Art and worksheets home…what else can do?

I found several great ideas:

Create a book out of their art work!!!  I found this site Tikatok where kids can make a book out of their art work…my boys would LOVE this

Or I love this idea, where you have a filing system for each kid and add their favorite art and pictures to each grade: (I can’t remember where I found this picture..so sorry)

And last but not least I love the idea of making folders for each grade and adding the BEST art for the year like The Idea Room does:

Good luck organizing your kids art work…I really hope I can get mine organized the way I want! 

- Cammie

FREEBIE FRIDAY – May Calendar, a little late (oops!)

I know, it is way May…so this calendar is a little late, but May’s not over quite yet!  Hopefully you can get some use out of this!  It’s way cute!

 
Click on the picture to download.

TEACH ME THURSDAY – Potty Training 101

Who HATES buying diapers as much as me?!  Who hates having 2 kids in diapers at one time?!  MEEEE!  I know, it could be worse, but it is still no fun.  But, recently, my oldest (who is 2 1/2) has been showing those wonderful signs that he’s ready to start potty training.  Hmmm, maybe I don’t hate buying diapers enough at this point to fully commit to potty training.  But, when I do get over myself, this is seriously the best idea, and so perfect for me!

While Cammie and I were spending the weekend in AZ, Cammie’s sister-in-law (her brother’s wife) told me all about her potty training method (she has 2 boys), and I just have to share.  Don’t you love that I’m making it a “tutorial”?! 

Well, here it is: let your kid run around naked in the backyard for a couple days.  Sounds crazy, but I LOVE it!  Now I know you can’t realistically keep the kid outside ALL day, so when they are inside, make it fun for them to go pee in the grass.  Then when they’ve got it down that they have to go somewhere to pee (like the grass), start pointing them towards the potty.  Then, when that makes sense and is working,  make a huge deal about number 2ing in the potty too.  Cammie’s sister-in-law swears by this method, and used it for both her boys.  I figure it’s worth a try!  There are SO many different ideas and ways to potty train, why not try the crazy, yet easy, one first!  Don’t they say that it really all comes down to whether the kid is ready or not?  If he ain’t ready, it ain’t gonna happen no matter where you’re telling him to pee!  Wish me luck!  I’ll let you know how it goes, as I’m sure you will all be just waiting to hear!

-Emily

WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY –Bloggy Boot Camp and New Pockets

Boot Camp

Let me just say…FUN!  Cammie and I seriously had so much fun at Bloggy Boot Camp hosted by the SITS girls.  The blogging conference was all day Saturday, but we spent the entire weekend in AZ with NO KIDS!  It was such a nice break!

We met TONS of awesome bloggers…Laurie from Tip Junkie, Cindy from Skip to my Lou, Stephanie from Somewhat Simple (we did a giveaway on her site last year, so it was super fun to meet in person!), Tiffany from SITS, Angie from Seven Clown Circus, Jyl from Mom It Forward (hilarious gal!)…the list goes on! 


Here we are with Stephanie from Somewhat Simple.

Here we are with Cindy from Skip to my Lou.

We LEARNED so much too!  And we can’t wait to do all the stuff we learned!  We’re starting most if it right away.  So, be looking for some updating and changing going on around here.  We’re planning a big switch-a-roo to Wordpress and going .com!  We are now officially active on Twitter @pocketsisters.  We’ve got quite the list!  Hopefully you’ll stick around to see us through!  I forsee many coupons, discounts, and giveaways coming very soon!

New Pockets

What else is up this Wednesday?  NEW POCKET DESIGNS baby!!  We are just selling like crazy!  Hopefully, we can keep up!  We are so loving this!  Check out our new stuff and happy Wednesday!

-Emily

TASTY TUESDAY – So much going on…and a GIVE AWAY!!

Wow!  What a weekend!  Cammie and I attended that Bloggy Boot camp, hosted by the SITS girls, in Pheonix this weekend and had  BLAST!!  Seriously, so much fun!  We are finally back home and trying to get back in the swing of things.  So, for today’s tasty Tuesday, here’s a little giveaway we’re having over at Organizing Junkie…mmmm sounds good to me!  Good luck, it ends tomorrow, May 5.

Don’t worry, you’ll get to hear (and see) all about our awesome trip…coming soon!

-Emily