Smoothie Fun

I'm addicted to the plastic summer isle at Walmart. 
Every year I find myself wanting every piece of that colorful fun stuff.
Please tell me you know which isle I'm talking about?
Everthing is super cheap, so I fill my cart and then realize at the checkout..oops, cheap things add up!



Yesterday I was walking around Walmart and that plastic isle started calling my name.
So, of course, I headed over for a quick look.


I've been wanting to get a co-worker of mine a little thank you gift...
and her twin daughters love making smoothies...so I thought this would be fun.

Colorful tumblers, napkins, and straws.
I added the little notebook and made a smoothie label to put on it.
I thought they could use it for recipes.


Easy, cheap and FUN.


Wouldn't this make a great end of the year teacher gift?!

An Easy Thank You Gift

 



 Most of you know my favorite gift to give is food.  I think this simple basket filled with veggies makes a nice thank you.  Vegetables do not get any cheaper around here than they are in the summer.  I bought cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, hot house tomatoes, jalapenos, carrots, romaine lettuce, red peppers and corn on the cob....all for just under ten dollars.  I already had the basket.  

So simple and colorful and healthy.  Who wouldn't love a basket of vegetables?!

I'd love to know what your favorite gift to give is?!





Little Things

 

I am convinced that if you want to impress other people women, just make little individual servings.  I don't think it even matters whats in those little containers, as long as everyone has their own.

I put these together for my womens tennis league that I got talked into playing on play on.  The ladies oohhh-ed and ahhhh-ed when they saw my contribution.  I used plastic throw away punch cups and filled them with grapes and strawberries.  That's it.  Easy peasy.

 I often make desserts in these little cups too.  For me, it's not just about the presentation....it's about having my own and not having to share! 

Have a great day!

Thumbprint Drawings

  I found this book at a garage sale this spring for 25 cents.  I thought it would be perfect for Brady those of us who are not very good at drawing!  The book shows you step by step how to make simple drawings using your thumbprint.  We finally got the book out yesterday and gave it a try. 

After we were done with our drawings, Brady asked if he could get the paint out and paint a picture.

It's so cute how he almost always draws the same picture every time.  Although in this picture it looks like it's a WINDY day! :)

See what I mean?  Not everyone can be artistically talented!

I found a newer version of the thumbprint book HERE.

~Kerri

A Simple Solution...If You're Neurotic Like Me

Box tabs or flaps or whatever you call them drive me crazy!

Especially when I walk into the pantry and see something

has been left open or the box just "popped" open.

It looks so messy.

After learning this simple solution 5 years ago from

a "get organized" speaker at church...I no longer

worry about those tabs!  As soon as I get home from the

grocery, I do this:

Pulling off the tabs definately helps to keep the pantry

looking more organized.  And, it's easier to see when

items are getting low and need to go on the grocery list.

Box flaps are annoying, right?

I hope I'm not the only crazy  person!

Have a FANTASTIC weekend!

~Kerri

A Lost Art Fallen By The Wayside



The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.

~ Oscar Wilde

(one of my favorite quotes ever!)

When was the last time you received a thank-you note in the mail?  You probably remember...because it was so out of the "ordinary".  What a shame.  There was a time when sending a handwritten thank you note was just common courtesy...good manners if you will.  Have we become so busy that we feel a quick email saying "thanks" will suffice?  I  have over 3,000 emails in my inbox ( I know, ridiculous!) so, does getting a quick thank you email have the same impact?  Don't get me wrong, getting an email thank you is better than not getting anything at all.  But, I think taking the time to write down a few lines and sending it in the mail, shows the person that you were truly appreciative of them.  Anyone can send a quick email, right?

I learned at a young age from my mom, the importance of sending a thank you card.  Oh how I dreaded doing this when I was little.  Having to sit down and write a thank you for Grandma's Christmas gifts, birthday presents I received from friends, or even a ride to school.  I didn't really understand the importance of it then, but over the years, I have come to realize that my mom was teaching me a wonderful life lesson.  Show.Your. Appreciation.  And, be thankful. 

I'd like to believe that I'm passing this lost art of handwritten thank you writing onto my son too.  He sometimes complains when I make him sit down and write thank you notes.  But, I know it's working.  A couple of weeks ago our neighbor brought over some tomatoes from her garden and after she left Brady said, "we should send her a thank you card".  He often writes me thank you notes for little things I do for him.  He is learning!

On Tuesday, my friend Kim came to my rescue.  She was there for me.  She dropped what she was doing, unexpectedly, and drove 25 minutes to come pick me up.  I was so thankful to her and wanted her to know it.   I sent her a thank you card (I didn't get it out until Thursday because I needed stamps, darn, but it did get sent!)  I also made her and her sons a little treat.  The gift of food is my favorite gift to give.   Here's the super easy recipe:











1 tube chocolate chip cookie dough

mini marshmallows

Reese's Pieces candy (or anything you want really!)

-----------------------

Bake cookie dough according to directions.

When cookie is done, top with marshmallows.

Bake for 2 minutes.

Let cool about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with candy!

Send a handwritten thank you to someone today.
It only takes a few minutes...and the person on the
receiving end will really appreciate it.
And you will feel good too!

Seven And A Half



On Sunday, we celebrated Brady's 1/2 birthday!

I got this idea from Cindy at Loving Lifes Little Things...

she celebrates her daughter's half birthdays with a cake

and a book.  When I read her blog...I knew right away

that I wanted to do this too!

The cake is just a box cake mix and one

can of confetti frosting. (Brady's favorite!)

I have seen several different Kit Kat cakes

all around blogland....so I thought I would

give it a try!  Boy was Brady suprised!  He

loved the cake and wanted

to know how I knew it was his half birthday??



We sang "Halfy Birthday to you"

Isn't that funny!

Ok, we may have gone too far on that one!

 

I Was Wrong On This One

Brady had been asking for months (thanks to the
 commercial on t.v.) if we could buy
 the Live Butterfly Garden and I kept putting it
 off hoping he would forget about it.  I admit, I thought
 it was a waste of money.  Twenty-five dollars?! 
 Who buys these things?  Anyway, in August we went to
 Hershey Gardens and Brady spotted the butterfly
kit immediately high up on a shelf in the gift shop.
 He wanted it so badly...and said he would use his
 money if he could just please buy it.  I still continued
 to try and talk him into a less expensive souvenier
 but I wasn't getting anywhere.  So, he made his
purchase and was happy as pie all the way home! 

We sent away for the caterpillars,
 followed the directions, watched as the larvae formed into chrysalids and then waited again for the butterflies to emerge in
their new habitat.  The entire process took about three
weeks.  And I have to say, Brady thoroughly enjoyed
observing them everyday and watching the entire
 process unfold before him.  He fed the butterflies
for a few days, and then released them in our backyard. 
 He did a great job taking care of them each step of the
way.  

At first, I felt bad that Brady used his own money
(which took all but $2 of his savings)....but he didn't
 hesistate and hasn't once regretted his decision.  I may
have been wrong in thinking the butterfly kit was a waste
of money...but I think I was definately right in letting
Brady use his own money to buy it.  

We plan to buy more caterpillars next summer!

I've Got Mail!

I love to get mail...and going to the mailbox is one of my favorite times of the day.  My two favorite guys never get the mail (unlesss I ask!)...because they know how much I love going to the mailbox.  I also enjoy sending mail as much as I enjoy receiving it.  I have to admit though, I don't get as much "fun" mail as I used to.  Bills and advertisements seem to be all that's in the box lately.  Eighteen years ago after I moved away from home, letters from family and friends were much more frequent (to say the least) than they are now.  But I'm just as guilty as not putting little notes in the mail as often anymore.  My mom wrote the best letters.  She would send me 10-15 page letters on legal pad size paper!   She would write about the weather in Ohio, who she ran into at the store and update me on my two younger sisters.   The prettiest stationary and cards came from my best friend Bonnie.  Getting a note from her would make my day.  But, with email, cell phones, free long distance and the increase in postage...the lost art of sending mail is kind of going down the drain.  Getting an email is nice...but in no way (for me) compares to getting a handwritten note in the mail. 
 

The other day when I went to the mailbox.....there was a package from Susan ....one of my blog friends!  Susan and I had decided to swap books that we had just finished reading.   I knew the book was on its way...and I was checking the mailbox everyday with a little extra pep in my step.  Susan is just so kind.  Here's the book she sent me:

She also sent a note in this adorable card she made:

My picture doesn't really do this card justice.

It's so cute...you know I will be trying to copy it!

Susan told me she is in a card club with friends who get

together and learn knew techniques and swap cards once a month.

Why oh why can't I be in a card club?!

and

saving

the

BEST

for

last..

Susan sent me this:

I knew right away what it was!  It's a scrabble tile necklace!

I have been wanting to make one of these for months and months.

I LOVE it!  I'm even more excited to make one now!

Thank you so much Susan... 

you are much too kind!

I feel like I got the better end of the bargain!

Brady and I made a bookmark to put in Susan's book...

not quite as exciting as a necklace! 

I think I'm going to start making a little extra effort

in putting a few more notes in the mail for family

 and friends.  It only takes a few minutes to let someone

know you are thinking of them...and who doesn't enjoy getting something

other than bills in the mail?!

 

Have You Ever Seen A Love Chip?

Brady came running into the kitchen

this evening very excited to tell me

that he found a chip shaped like a heart. 

 He said, it's a LOVE chip

for his LOVELY mom!  He wanted

me to eat it...and feel the love. 

I have a feeling come middle school...

I may have my hands full with this kid!

I hope I'm wrong about this...and he just

has lots of love for him Mom!

Got This Email From My Husband Today

THANKS!. . . .Tuesday, August 17, 2010 8:06 AM  From: "Eric Burns"
To: "Kerri Burns" ekbburns1@yahoo.com



For the peach!!! It was good!!!!! Love you!






(I bought peaches yesterday at a stand and put one in his lunchbox...nothing out of the ordinary.)



It made my day!  Sometimes it's the little simple things that mean the most.
What can you do to make someone's day?