Summer treats {Free Printable}

 It feels funny typing this post because we've had some incredible temperatures this week.  It has been in the 80's this week and it's the last week of June.  We are NOT complaining!  This break from triple digit. . . suck the life out of you. . . dry heat is quite wonderful!  Unfortunately, tomorrow it will go back to the normal yucky heat of summer.  We have thoroughly enjoyed this week!  

We live in a unique neighborhood in some ways because our mail gets delivered to a slot by our front door.  But also, we don't have one specific delivery person.  In any given week, I could see 4 or 5 different people delivering my mail. They all seem to be the same, and maybe they rotate, but it's definitely not the same as other neighborhoods where you have one in particular that you get to know as "your mail person."  Our mail people, walk from house to house in our neighborhood, even in the middle of summer and triple digit heat.  They are serious rockstars! 

But because it's so hot, these brave souls need some hydration and maybe a treat.  So, we've continued what we do in at Christmas time  and added an ice chest full of cold drinks and a few snacks just to make their day.  They don't always take them, but when they do, I am sure that something cold is a nice treat to their day. 

These treats don't really cost a whole bunch.  I just grab a couple of water bottles, some coke and sprite minis and some sparkling water from our stash and throw in a couple of cheese it bags or stuff from our snack baskets.  It's a little work to dump the ice each evening and fill a few cups of ice each morning, but it's worth it bring a little bit of refreshment to our mail people on a hot day! 

I made a fun printable to kind of add some cheer. . . and catch their eye a little more than the post-it note I was using.  I linked this post to the printable, just keep scrolling down.  I printed it out on cardstock and laminated it to make sure it survives the summer and hopefully the next!  

I hope you all are enjoying your summer and keeping cool! 

Free Printable here

Summer Pinterest Challenge 2019: Week 1

I love Pinterest.  So many ideas creative ideas in one spot that it can be a little overwhelming when you don't know what you're looking for.  On the other hand, when you have a general idea of what your looking for, it's a great resource!  Every summer, I choose a theme within the realm of Pinterest and spend one day a week conquering it.  Last year was Stem projects and the year before was just random Pinterest activities.  As the kids are growing older and getting farther along with school, I have noticed that art is the one thing that doesn't get taught as much as it should.  Allowing kids to be creative and explore the world of art . . . the lines, the colors, the artists, helps children of all ages express themselves, create confidence, and expands their education beyond the math and language.  I could go into more details on why it's so important, but that's just boring. 

This summer, we are really chasing quiet and savoring summer.  The time we are spending dedicated to art just might be the icing on the cake!  This summer, we are conquering 6 artists by reading about them in a beautifully illustrated picture books and then trying out the styles of each artist by creating our own masterpiece.  I am really excited! 

Our first book and art project is based on the art of Vasily Kandinsky.  Kandinsky is known for taking a risk and starting what is known as the modern art movement.  As a child, he was given a paint box and the heard sounds and music as he painted. He probably had a condition called synesthesia, where different senses trigger other senses.  Because he lived before much research had been done on this condition.  Regardless, his art shows the movement and color of the music he heard as he maneuvered the paint across his canvas. 

 One of his most famous paintings is his concentric circles and I found a printable via Pinterest for concentric hearts.  It was the perfect art project to follow our book on Kandinsky.  Basically, you just print out the template onto cardstock and have your child paint with watercolors (or any medium, really!) starting just inside the line working their way in.  We chose medium tipped brushes (we like the Kids Made Modern brushes or the IKEA brushes) and had them use whatever colors they wanted, cleaning their brush in the water on the table and wiping it with a paper towel. 

 I am loving how these turned out!  I think I am going to trim the extra space off the edges and mat it to some colored cardstock and stick them in our kids gallery frames. 

You can find the printable for these concentric hearts here.

I hope you will join us on this art challenge this summer!  Feel free to post to instagram and use #OOTRBsummerkidsartchallenge

Our Art Closet

 My favorite time of the year is when all the back to school supplies go on sale.  Crayons, markers, colored pencils, and art paper for way cheaper than the rest of the year. . . yes, please!  It's been 10 years since I stopped teaching, but I still find myself stocking up our own supplies.  For the longest time, I kept them stored in our office, where I could pull them out as we needed them.  As the kids got older, I realized that they needed to have access to the art supplies in an organized way that I had to figure out a way to make that work in our home. 

Next to our front door is a small closet.  Because we live in California, our need for storing winter coats and jackets isn't really needed. .  . I don't even think we own winter coats!  Plus, everything that was being stored in there, we didn't really need. I threw a lot of stuff away and moved some things into new homes to give me a clean closet.  This closet already had some shelves built in, so that made it perfect for creating an art closet that would make the art supplies accessible to my kids when they needed them.

I had picked up a roll of clearance peel and stick wallpaper from Target and used that to add some color and personality to a drab closet.  It worked out great so that when the door is open, it doesn't look all that bad.  I love the stripes!  Before I started putting stuff inside, we took a few minutes to take some pictures. . . man, I love these boys!  Also, they are so little in these pictures! 

From there, I bought some containers with lids to put things.  I used my handy dandy label maker to label the boxes, so we knew what was in each one at a glance.  I also bought a 3 drawer caddy thing to hold drawing paper, construction paper, and lined paper (for homework).  The stuff at the top of the closet was extra stuff or stuff that I didn't necessarily want them to be able to grab anytime they wanted (sequins, glitter, beads, extra glue). 

We have boxes for:
crayons
markers
colored pencils
stickers
glue
spirograph
stamps
foam pieces
perler beads
paint brushes
paints

We also have places for coloring books, travel binders, puzzles, and drawing books.  The large construction paper and larger coloring books are able to be in the floor.  

Sometimes things get a little crazy and things don't always get back to there correct spot, but for the most part, this has worked so well at keeping things organized and allowing the kids to have access to all the supplies in one spot.  Things have definitely stayed more organized since everything has a home, it's easy access for the kids so they are not always asking me to get them something, and it creates an environment that fully inspires my kids to create.  

Do you have a way inspires your kids to be creative in your house?  I'd love to hear about it!  Please leave a comment or message me on Facebook or Instagram. . . I'd love to hear from you! 

The Connection Time post that almost didn't happen

I am sitting here with my favorite latte at my second Starbucks (same latte) for the morning. The wifi wasn't working at the first Starbucks. . . which kind of put a damper on things. My plan was to go sit, drink coffee and get some writing done while my kids enjoy their last few hours of the 2018-2019 school year.  So, I am sitting here at the second Starbucks, coffee flowing through my veins and writing. I won't lie, I was frustrated and getting a little cranky because my plans weren't going as smoothly as I had hoped.

It's been a while since I've posted a Connection Time post (February, if you are interested).  I've gone back and forth wondering if they are worth it, but I keep coming back to yes.  We can't always get out and have coffee in person, so we listen to podcasts and scroll our social media feeds to make us feel like we are connecting, but in reality, we are just watching on the sidelines.  This is a chance for you (the reader) and me (the writer) to sit down and have coffee and connect.  It takes a huge amount of bravery to leave a comment down below, but that's where the connection starts, when we share or agree with someone.  My goal with this little blog with readers that I have never even met, is to connect and maybe encourage you to live life with creativity and passion.

It's been a busy few weeks.  The end of the school year always is hectic in sort of a fun and exciting way.  We had a wax museum, multiple awards assemblies, field days, water days, talent show, class parties and softball games that filled our schedule to the brim.  It's been so busy, that even the kids are longing for the quiet, more restful days that summer brings.  I remember when the kids were younger, I was eager to fill our days with as much order and routine and activities as I could, but the last few years we have moved towards a more restful approach to summer.  We are going to spend time reading, playing games, watching tv, playing with legos and crafting.  We will allow boredom to come and spur creativity.  Minecraft will be played and tv will be watched.  There will be days where we will stay in our comfies and days where we will hit the movies or swim.  This year, we will once again have a summer Pinterest challenge. This year, we will be spending some time each week studying artists, and the techniques behind the artists.  Each week, I will post about those projects so, you can join in the fun.

Time for the official "Connection Time" prompts.  I love these because they are the same every month.  Sometimes I have a lot to say about one thing, but not about another.  But, each month they are different.  I hope that you take the time to comment on one or two of the things, or even answer some yourself.

Outside my window the sun is shining and their is a little bit of a breeze, which is a welcome addition after yesterday's triple digit day.

I am thinking of Summer Vacation.  It's so close!

From the kitchen I made some delicious Rhubarb muffins that Ethan thinks are the best things ever! I hope to share the recipe with you tomorrow, because they were really tasty!  Plus, I think that sometimes rhubarb gets forgtotten about as a summer fruit, but it's really wonderful.  It brings a lot of memories of summers at my grandparents going through their summer garden.

I am wearing some distressed jeans, Birkenstocks, and a new shirt I picked up last week.  

I am creating nothing right now.  As soon as my house is clean, I feel like I can start creating.  I have triangles cut out for a quilt for Jon and paper pumpkin boxes that need to be made into cards.  I'm even pondering the possibility of teaching the boys how to use my sewing machine.

I am going to the beach tomorrow and I am ready to get my toes in the sand and breath the salty sea air.  It is calling me!

I am reading Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on water, and Loving the Bible again and it's so good! Rachel Held Evans wrote it and I've been waiting for the Kindle version at the library for months. She was a beautiful story teller!


I just picked up a stack of books at our local Lifeway store since they are all super cheap because they are closing their storefronts (sad face), I am hoping to get to read a lot over the next few months!  I am going to try to sneak some fiction in, too!

Around the House it's a disaster!  But, I am okay with that.  Our shower is being installed along with tile! I can't wait to share it with you.  We've also been so busy that things haven't been done and then throw a day where the water was shut off and then last night the power was out. . . things just didn't get done.  I am hoping tonight I can get some stuff caught up!

One of my favorite things is slowing down!  But, I am starting the She Reads Truth Summer Study next week and I am so excited!  I get to sneak away once a week and gather with some pretty cool ladies and talk about scripture and I just can't wait!   If you are local, you can still join me!  If you aren't you should go to here to find out more!

A few plans for summer are to relax, travel, create, and hang out with my boys.  They are getting so big and equally just as busy.  I can't wait to just sit on the couch and read with them!
 
What I am listening to Everflow, by Austin Stone Worship, and Newsboys Hallelujah for the Cross along with the Disney Hits playlist on Apple Music. I have a feeling that once VBS starts next week, the kids will want to listen to the Power Up music, too.

Now, it's your turn!  Grab your coffee and let's connect! You don't have to do them all! I can't wait to hear from you! You can even private message me if you don't want to make it public.  

Outside my window
I am thinking
From the kitchen
I am wearing
I am creating
I am going
I am reading
I am hoping
I am hearing
Around the House
One of my favorite things
A few plans for the week
What I am listening to  

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