Welcome last day of school

I saw this idea online and decided to do for JJ, a welcome to summer declaration of no more school. Gotta love that it only cost $1.50 to make JJ feel special, that he isn't the only one looking forward to summer together! As soon as he broke through it and went in the house he started writing me a note in his summer journal about how much he likes it. I'm so lucky that my kids appreciate what I love doing for them!

Crayon Letter - Teachers Gift

Of course I waited until the last minute, as always, to do JJ's teacher's gift to give her tomorrow, the last day of school. Even hubby was impressed with this, but said that JJ and I were kissing up.
I cut the crayons using a kitchen knife, the original idea of using scissors didn't work. I decided to use all tips, the ends will be used later this summer as a project for the kiddies to make their own crayon shapes. I eyed the crayons to know where to cut by (I know some are more precise than myself and printed out the letter first to then know where to cut by) but I used the space between the C and R and then lined them up placing the top of wrapper next to the top of the crayon before the tip. With those decided I was able to see how much to cut for the longer ones in the middle and bottom, plus the smaller ones at the top. Once they were all cut I then glued them to the outside glass of a picture frame. The teacher's name is using sticker letters from my scrapbook bag.
I also made the teacher a lanyard for her ID. There were so many other cute things I had wanted to do, but we have had quite a busy time within our household! Hopefully she will like what I was able to do for her though!

We have more graduates!

After a lovely ceremony on the campus of our local University we officially have high school graduates! I hope Day and Shy know how proud we are of them, and also how blessed we are to share in their lives and accomplishments! I know any parent feels joy when their child graduates, but when Day told me last night that if it wasn't for us he probably wouldn't be there, it meant the world to me! Those are the moments that make parenting worthwhile!

JJ's graduates

When the curtains opened and I saw the sea of red, white, and blue graduation caps, I was so tickled how they turned out! I could not be happier that I had done them for everyone! We were lucky that the teacher saved us front row seats because she asked me to take pics of each of her kids for the parents that had taken off the day before and would miss it since it had been rescheduled for the fog delay, so I also got a good shot of JJ accepting his diploma. My little man is growing up, and it is a hard pill to swallow. I love each and every day, looking forward to his milestones, but I still mourn the days in the past that cannot be brought back except in memories.

Paper Graduation Caps

JJ's school no longer does caps and gowns for the kindergarten classes, which I just learned yesterday afternoon. Thankfully this morning we had a fog delay, causing the ceremony to be postponed until tomorrow. I talked with the teacher and decided to make headbands for the kids to wear. Of course I want JJ to feel it is more like a graduation, I want his pictures to show that's what the day was about. I made 75 of them for the 3 classes, in the school colors of red, white, and blue. Can't wait to see the kids in them tomorrow! It's just the shadow of a cap/mortar cut out on construction paper, with sentence paper cut in half, taped to it. They will be attached in the back once wrapped around the kids' heads. I only used half of the paper I purchased and the template I cut out on cardboard, which I am giving to the teacher for next year.

Shy's grad announcements

My fav pics are the one with her in the burgundy with the trees in the background, then the one of her sitting in front of the fence!

Comes with the job....

John's shifts are going to 12 hours, which is great because he will be home more to do things with the family, which is even more wonderful with summer coming up. We were especially excited because his new schedule had his days off changing, so he could go to the two older boys' graduations, be home for my birthday, and then also have a couple more days on our family trip.

BUT, lo and behold, the schedule is swapped out because of mandatory trainings. Yes, I said mandatory. In case that word isn't understood and a dictionary isn't at hand, that means he can't even put in for leave for the boys' graduations, he HAS to be there.

There are some jobs that there just isn't flexibility sometimes. And it needs to be accepted, doesn't matter if you agree with it. I'm proud of the man who will put his life on the line every day, who believes in what he does. If others can't respect that and be proud of him too, it is a problem they have to deal with. We will love and support him no matter what!

Day's book

After Day and I spoke at a meeting for prospective foster parents last night I was putting away his Lifebook (scrapbook.) I was teasing him how hard it was going to be for me to send that with him when he moved out. He told me to keep it so I could keep adding things to it for him. So, I decided to do a photobook for him, lucky for me I have a Shutterfly credit, and this is what I did, using their pages, and all Dr. Seuss quotes:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0bYtmLdiwmo

I do need to make a few changes later....

Pencil Sketches!!!!

http://www.tuxpi.com/ has some awesome effects, some better than the photo software that I use on my computer. I am happy to have found the pencil sketch works so well and I will be using it in the future for a framed project of pics of all the kids, to be posted at a later date. But, for now, here is an example of a picture done on their site:

Dear Jesus, on Mother's Day.....

Please tell my mom Happy Mother's Day, and that I love and miss her. I was lucky to have the time with her to tell her how blessed I was to be her child and if I was half the mom she was, my kids would be lucky. Not a day goes by that she is not thought of and I think of how enriched my kids would have been to have known her personally, that no story could compare with who she was! I am eternally thankful for the time I had with her, it just wasn't enough, it could never be!

Cruise Fever

I haven't posted here yet, and I am sure my friends are getting tired of my cruise talk, but I can't help it! For one, we have never been on a cruise and just about every day I learn something new to do on the ship, for us, the teens, and the little ones. We are going to sleep for days afterwards it seems. And I'm such a closet girly-girl, it's a reason to dress up, which leads into the need to shop, for not just the kids, but myself also! I have been agonizing over dresses and I think I have the perfect ones picked out. But this is also a special trip, not only is it to celebrate the teens graduating high school, but it is also my and John's 10 year wedding anniversary. It's so hard to believe what the past decade has brought for us, we weathered some of the worse days of my life, but made so many of the best days together. And yes, we will actually be on the cruise on our anniversary, which makes it all the more special! I get to spend a few days surrounded by such special people, I can't wait. So, for my close friends who I am overloading with my talk of the trip, I apologize now, it will stop, only 63 days 4 hours and 43 minutes to go. Barring if I don't burst before then.

Make a difference in the life of a foster child!

May is National Foster Care Month! And perfectly fitting it is in Spring, symbolizing new beginnings and blooms. But many kids do not get the chance to show their beautiful colors. So many age out of the system in many states at the tender age of 18, some not having found a family other than the counselors at a group home. We have been blessed in our journey, not only in the kids that have become part of our family, but also in the kids that only spent a night or two with us. We have met some wonderful children, as well as other foster families and social workers. Most of all, we have seen what huge hearts our own friends and families have! For those that know it is not a choice they could make for their own families, there are many ways to still help. You can contact your local social services, or you can look through the list on the following website to see specific wishes for kids.
http://www.onesimplewish.org/search_wish.php
While looking through it, it reminds me what wonderful people there are working with these kids, who care enough about them individually to want the kids to have something special just for them. 

Clip Photo Frame

This is a regular photo frame with scrapbook paper under the glass. Clips were glued to the outside of the glass and pictures can then be changed out from the outside, giving a 3D effect. These pics were superimposed because I am not legally allowed to post pics of all of "my" kids, but you get the idea. This can be accomplished with larger frames and many pictures, or just one picture being showcased. One hint, if you cannot find a frame in the color you want, spray paint works wonders, and there are many options for scrapbook paper used of course, very inexpensive! This project cost about $3.50.

PROM!

Senior year is winding down for 2 of my "kids" and this weekend's end of high school activities really started with prom! Don't brother and sister look great!?

Photo Card

Of course I am not going to share Day's graduation announcements and ruin those getting them in the mail, but I had to share his friend's, with pictures that I took!

Band Of Memories Graduation

Shutterfly graduation party invitations and gift ideas.

View the entire collection of cards.