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Back To School Would Be Nuts Without You Teacher Appreciation Gift Idea With Free Printable

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An easy and inexpensive Back to School gift for your child’s teacher that can be put together in just a couple of minutes. Make the first day of school special for your kid’s new teacher too!

Back To School Would Be Nuts Without You Teach Appreciation First Day Of School Gift With Free Printable Tag

Preparing for back to school is a lot of work. You have new clothes to find, school supplies to purchase and backpacks to pack. But as you prep your kids to return to school, you want to acknowledge the new teacher that your child will spend the year with. 

Last year we did the “Back to the Grind” Coffee Teacher gift for the first week of school. The coffee gift was nice because you could grab the item that you need at the grocery or drug store. Let’s be honest, making a gift easy to buy increases the likelihood that I will actually get it done.

So just like the coffee teacher present, this back to school would be nuts without you teacher appreciation gift can also be easily purchased at a grocery or drug store. Stick the free printable on and take that baby to school! 

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Back To School Would Be Nuts Without You Teacher Appreciation Gift

So I may or may not be struggling with sending my sweet girl to kindergarten this morning. She has been begging to go for weeks so at least she is excited. And actually as I write this at 6 a.m., she just came in my room (without being woken up by me) fully dressed in her first day of school outfit. Ready to go!

It is funny how the mind works. On the one hand, I am excited for her. To see what she will learn, to see her new friends and to see her embark on a new chapter in her life. 

But on the other hand, my mama heart is just a little sad. Big kid school signifies what I have known for a while. She is not a baby anymore. She will probably have to deal with some things at school that I won’t be able to immediately fix. And I will want to but as we move to this chapter, I will focus on teaching her to be able to stand up for herself. To be kind (although she doesn’t need many lessons in that). To be confident. To be herself. 

Ok, while I go sob in the corner, we can get back to these cute little Back to School Would Be Nuts Without You teacher appreciation gift. 

What You Need

You know what else I love about this little teacher gift? You only need two items! 

I can’t ever remember to pick up the cute colored baker’s twine or ribbon or washi tape to elevate my gift giving. So I made the printable super colorful. No bow needed! 

Here is your supply list: 

Just attach the printable with a little piece of tape. 

Gift Tag - Back To School Would be Nuts Without You Teacher Gift For First Day

What I Love About This Teacher Gift

  • Easy – You can find nuts at pretty much any gas station or grocery store. No special trip to a specialty store. 
  • Gender Neutral – This would work for male or female teachers! I love that because male teachers tend to be a bit harder to buy for. 
  • Inexpensive – You can buy one of those individual packs of nuts for usually around $1. You can choose to get a bigger package but it could be done for $1. A teacher gift doesn’t have to be expensive to show that you care. The package that I used was right around $5 at my local grocery. 

Back To School Would Be Totally Nuts Without You Free Gift Tag Printable 

To print, just click this Link. It will take you to a PDF page to print the tags. 

Cut the gift tags and attach to the teacher’s gift. The end. You are done. 

Back to School Would Be Totally Nuts Without You Teacher Appreciation First Day gift

Will anyone else be joining me in a good cry after making up their back to school would be nuts without you teacher gift today? 

Blue Without You Gift Basket

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A cute going away gift for friends, co-workers or young adults moving for college. The Blue Without You gift basket features all blue snacks and gifts to show how sad you will be without their daily presence. 

Blue Without You Gift Basket Ideas for Going Away GIft With Free Printable

Yesterday my husband and I took a trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to see my middle step daughter’s new dorm room and walk around the University of Alabama’s campus. If you haven’t been there before, it really is a beautiful school. We walked until I had blisters on my feet and had a belly full of Rammer Jammer Fried Green Tomato BLT’s. 

We were both having some major college envy thinking about all the fun that she will have over the next four years! Those really were the best days. No major worries, a little school and a lot of carefree fun. 

So I knew that she had most of the actual dorm essentials covered but wanted to take a little gift to let her know how much we will miss her while she is away. This “blue without you” gift basket seemed like the perfect way to give her a few dorm life necessities and some fun splurges. 

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Bama Fans: Check out this Ultimate Bama Fan Gift 

Blue Without You Gift Basket

The criteria for this gift is simple, if it is blue it makes the cut! My 5 year old joined in on the search for all things blue to include in the present. We shopped the Dollar Tree and Target for the perfect little “happy’s” to go inside. 

Blue Going Away Gift Basket for Friends - Coworkers- Boyfriend - College Student

Here are the items we included in the Blue Without You Gift Basket:

Dollar Tree:

Blue Basket
Pineapple Cups (They were in blue packaging so they worked)
Blue Striped Flip Flops
Life is Sweet Blue Notepad
Blue Gatorade
Buncha Crunch
Jolly Ranchers
Car Clip On Air Freshener
Air Heads

Target:

Blue Spiral Notebook
Bronner’s Peppermint Lip Balm
Blue Softsoap
Pretzel Crisps
Blue Lounge Pants (so soft!)

Thoughtful Blue Without You Going Away Gift Basket DIY Ideas

Blue Gifts From Amazon 

Here are some other things that would be cute to include in the blue without you gift basket. 

 

Blue Without You Free Printable

After filling the basket with all of the goodies, I created a Blue Without You Printable to attach to the front. The printable helps to explain the theme to the recipient and let’s them know how much you will miss them while they are gone. 

This Blue Without You Gift Basket Printable intentionally has only one tag per page to save your printer ink if you are only making one basket. If you need to make multiple gifts, just print the number of printable copies that you need. 

Click HERE to get your freebie. 

What other Blue food/gift items would you include? 

We Will Be So Blue Without You - Going Away Free Printable

 

Summer Activities to Do With Kids As A Working Mom

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Summer Activities to Do With Kids As A Working Mom

I took off work the Friday before Memorial Day so that we could do some fun things as a family to kick off the summer vacation. On Sunday, my daughter asked me how many more days that I would be off work. I told her and she looked at her brother and said “Ok, two more days of fun and then no more!”

It was hilarious. But then the mom guilt set in. When I work, she doesn’t get to have fun. Now I could go through all the reasons that I work my day job and how I actually think it is good for her to see me as a professional in my field (which is predominately male dominated). But really all I could think about was that she felt like there would be no more fun once I went back to work. 

So I set out to come up with a list of summer activities to do with kids as a working mom. We are busy and tired after a hard day of work but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to enjoy these sweet summertime memories that are ready to be made.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Summer Activities To Do With Kids As A Working Mom

My parameters were pretty simple for this list of summer ideas. The ideas have to be fairly short in time requirements so that you could do them on a lunch break or after work. They will have minimal set up up requirements to save time (and sanity). 

These things don’t have to be extravagant, just time spent together. Soaking up the evening sun and the insects chirping and the kids playing outside. Instead of unwinding in front of the TV, these summer activities to do with kids as a working mom will allow you to relax while watching your kids making the most of their summer. 

Some of these activities are at an establishment but lots of them can be done at your house. I know sometimes the last thing you want to do after working all day is to go somewhere so that was kept in mind while making this list!

Things to Do In Summer After Work with Kids

  • Draw with Sidewalk Chalk 
  • Go for Ice cream before dinner (we did this in the backyard with an ice cream sandwich and it was a hit)
  • Blow Bubbles
  • Grab takeout and hit the park. Enjoy a picnic & then play. 
  • Set up the sprinkler and let the kids play (and cross watering the lawn off your to do list)
  • Fly a Kite
  • Make an ice cream sundae bar
  • “Camp out” with sleeping bags on the floor and watch a movie with popcorn
  • Plant a flower and let the kids water it as needed throughout the summer
  • Grill hotdogs and hamburgers for an easy summer bbq 
  • Toss a beach ball in the yard
  • Play in a water table 
  • Eat dinner outside picnic style
  • Have a water fight with squirt toys 
  • Take a family bike ride
  • Visit a splash pad or pool after work (crowds are usually lower so you have more space to yourself)
  • Paint the sidewalk with a DIY sidewalk chalk paint recipe
  • Eat watermelon outside
  • Toy Switcharoo – let the kids choose a toy that is normally an inside toy to play with outside (blocks/dolls/trucks)
  • Catch and release fireflies 
  • Go to the library and pick out some new books for summer (or have some delivered to your house)
  • Go on a Summer Scavenger hunt (look for sprinklers, certain colors of flowers, bike riders etc)
  • Find an Indoor play place to enjoy when it is too hot for outside
  • Make Tie Dye tshirts
  • Go Bowling or Skating
  • DIY Mani / Pedi in a fun summer print like these watermelon nails.
  • Bring Carnival fun home by DIY Face Painting
  • Color a summer inspired coloring page 
  • Paint a birdhouse and then watch for birds.
  • Pretend to camp out and read books in their pop up tent (or make a fort) 

15 Minute Play

I recently heard about a concept of actively playing with your kids for 15 minutes a day. No phones, no interruptions, just pure focus on your kid and their choice of activity for 15 minutes. According to the writer, that is all that they really need in terms of parental play time. 

Joanna Fortune is the author and a therapist that wrote the book 15 Minute Parenting that explores this topic. I have the book on the way now to read. As a working mom, I always worry that I’m not playing with my kids enough. On one hand, I think it is great that my kids are good at independent play. 

But naturally we wonder if we are doing enough. So I’m interested to read about this 15 minute play concept and to test it out with my kids and our schedule. 

I hope these easy play ideas help you with the summertime blues that can pop up as a working parent during those warm summer months. And if you liked Summer Activities to Do With Kids As A Working Mom, check out some of our other easy set up play and craft ideas on the site!

Vegetable Soup Water Table Sensory Play

30 Second Infant Sensory Painting 

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Sensory Bin

8 Best Outdoor Water Toys

The Inn at Christmas Place Review

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Forget boring hotels! Have yourself a merry little Christmas in June if you would like. At the Inn at Christmas Place, Christmas carols will be sung, Christmas cookies will be eaten and Santa will be seen. Does it get any better? 

The Inn at Christmas Place - Pigeon Forge TN - Christmas 365 days a year hotel

Visiting a hotel with unique characteristics is part of the vacation adventure. Sure you could stay at a regular motel and maybe the indoor swimming pool would be enough to wow your kids. Or you could stay at a magical inn that sends you into the Christmas spirit at every turn (no matter the month). 

The Inn at Christmas Place celebrates Christmas 365 days a year and we aren’t sad about it. It is located in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and you can really feel that Southern Tennessee Christmas charm radiating throughout the property. And since I am a born and raised Tennessee girl, you can trust me on that!

Here is a breakdown of our quick trip to the Inn at Christmas Place. 

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

The Inn At Christmas Place 

We visited the Inn at Christmas place after moving my oldest step daughter into the University of Tennessee dorms and visited with our then two and a half year old daughter. The Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area is just a short drive from the University. So we were looking forward to having a little mini vacation before heading back to Memphis. 

Christmas Decor Everywhere

The Inn at Christmas Place has magical Christmas decor at every turn (and every floor)! When you first enter the inn, you will feel as if you have entered the stately home of a distant Tennessee relative. A warm fire and huge Christmas tree decorate the lobby along with countless other Christmas touches. 

Every single floor has a different theme to see and yes we rode the elevator floor to floor to see them all. There are lots of Christmas classics like the Grinch or A Christmas Story (complete with a leg lamp in all her glory). 

A Christmas Story Decor

In addition to the floor decor, there is tons of stuff all over the common areas that has been decorated for Christmas (even the office and gym are not safe from seasonal cheer). You will find trees, Santa figurines and other Christmas themed areas all over as you explore. 

If you stay in the regular rooms, the Christmas theme is there but modest compared to the common areas like the lobby. We had a mini Christmas tree, some holiday art on the walls, some wreaths and some holiday throw pillows on the beds. 

What I really loved about the room was that the bathroom was big and spacious. When you start combining whole families in one room, a nice spacious bathroom is key. 

I also appreciated the fact that every room has a mini fridge and a microwave. My daughter wanted a cup of milk every night before bed so it was nice to have a place to store a carton for her. And my husband liked having the ability to warm up his Mellow Mushroom pizza leftovers for a midnight snack. 

Warm Cookies Every Night

When you think of Christmas, certain things immediately come to mind. Jesus and the Nativity. Family and Gifts. Santa and cookies. These are Christmas traditions that many of us celebrate and you can do just that at The Inn at Christmas Place.

Every evening you can bring the kiddos down in their pajamas to get a freshly baked, still warm from the oven cookie to enjoy. 

The yummy cookies were a fun treat to look forward to every night! It was also a money saver for us because we are a dessert loving family. But since we knew that there were cookies waiting on us at the hotel, we didn’t need to splurge at dinner. The cookies are available from 8 to 10 pm nightly.

This was probably the biggest cookie she has ever had all to herself. It isn’t the best picture but the joy on that little face just had to be shared. Living her best life at the Inn at Christmas place! 

Warm Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies at the Inn at Christmas Place

Santa Visits

And with every delicious Christmas cookie, there is a big, jolly Santa somewhere nearby! He is in the living area next to the breakfast room almost every morning. He also has a weekly story time and even an evening concert on select nights. 

Seeing Santa and getting to tell him what you want for Christmas (even if it is in August) is always fun. Well for everyone but our kid! She wasn’t feeling Santa on this particular trip!

Kid Doesnt like Santa at The Inn At Christmas Place

Be sure to check the Inn at Christmas Place website or give them a call to ensure Santa will be there on the dates that you will be staying. It does state on their site that Santa does have an occasional North Pole emergency that he must tend to. 

Continental Breakfast 

The included breakfast was quite good when compared to other larger hotel chain breakfast offerings. They had made-to-order omelets, Belgian waffles that you could make, lots of fruit, pastries, cereals and the typical breakfast items (eggs/bacon/sausage/biscuits). 

The coffee was also a step up from the typical hotel fare as well. I am a bit of a coffee snob and this was very good java. No coffee shop needed for me. 

Finding a hotel with an included breakfast is a great way to save money. Even if you hit a fast food restaurant, that is at least $15 for us and sometimes more depending on which kids we have with us at the time (if everyone is with us we are a family of 7 so eating out can add up very quickly). 

Eating at the inn also allowed us to get in quickly, grab some food and head out for our day of fun in the Gatlinburg area. 

Outdoor Grounds 

The grounds of The Inn at Christmas Place were very beautiful. The exterior of the inn reminds me of German architecture that is made even more inviting with Christmas wreaths, bows and lights. 

The beautiful ponds and flowers out back are impressive and peaceful. If I had not had a chatty toddler with me, I might have enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee on one of the benches. 

There is also a large birdcage outside that my daughter enjoyed. She liked taking a moment to look at the birds and watch them fly around. 

Pool

We didn’t use the pools when we stayed because sometimes what a toddler doesn’t know won’t hurt them. I know, I know, bad mama! Withholding fun from my baby! 

Anyway for all you awesome mom and dads out there, the pool options are plentiful at the Inn at Christmas Place. Indoors you will find a large swimming pool and a hot tub. 

Outdoors there is a pool and a water slide that looks like it would be fun. Just remember that the outdoor pools will only be open seasonally so if you are celebrating Christmas in November for instance, you will need to swim inside! 

Family Friendly Inn

Overall we all really enjoyed our stay at the Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge. It was a nice change from just a normal hotel. Typically we check into a hotel, throw our stuff down and leave immediately to go do something fun. But when everyday is Christmas at your hotel, you stay a while. Explore and enjoy a little bit of Christmas spirit no matter the time of year. 

I am currently trying to talk my husband into another trip up that way so stay tuned for some updated pictures soon (If I can get my way!). 

If you have any questions, send me a comment below. And if you are planning a road trip with kids, check out these awesome travel activities all under $15. 

 

Best Outdoor Toys for Preschool Boys

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Find the best outdoor toys for preschool boys that you need in your backyard this summer!

Best Outdoor toys for toddlers and preschool boys and girls

8 Outdoor Toys you Can't Miss

As a relatively new boy mom, I’m finding out what #boymom is all about! I have 3 step-daughters, a 5 year old daughter and now a boy. A wild and crazy toddler boy that is completely different than any of our girls. I mean totally different. 

So what is a mom to do? She goes on a mission to find ways to wear that little boy out on a consistent basis! Since one of his very first words was “outside” it is only natural to start searching out the best outdoor toys for preschool boys (and lots of these work for toddler boys too)!

And for that matter, my 5 year old preschool daughter loves most of these toys too. 

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Best Outdoor Toys for Preschool Boys

One thing that I dislike is spending money on a toy that gets shoved in a corner and not played with. When I decide to spend on a toy purchase, I want my kids to enjoy and use that toy. 

So this is a collection of toys that I have purchased or that they received for Birthday or Christmas gifts that are the best outdoor toys for preschool boys (and girls!). The toys are all different price ranges. Some are active toys and others build imagination. I think you will find at least a couple of things that will be awesome for your active kid. 

Flybar My First Pogo

Gone are the days of the Pogo stick you might remember. I guess I had my old Pogo stick in the early 90’s and it was so hard to get the thing to actually bounce with me. 

My daughter got one of these for Easter this year and we just gave one as a birthday gift to a friend’s little boy. These Pogo sticks are made out of foam and are easy enough for a preschooler to get the hang of it quickly. 

There are no springs to potentially cause injury which I love. And the elastic band easily stretches to fit with your child’s height. I am 5’4 and may have jumped for a second on my daughter’s Flybar after my husband said it looked too short for my 5 year old!

Bubble Mower

 

Remember that quote in the movie Knocked Up, “I wish I liked anything as much as my kids like bubbles?” It is so true isn’t it? Kids love bubbles. 

The bubble mower is cute because it allows the child to mimic what they see adults doing. It is an active toy to get kids moving, pretending and of course it shoots out bubbles so it is an all around win!

Bubble Blitz Machine

While we are on the bubble subject, a bubble blower may save your life. Not to be dramatic! But seriously, I have blown so many bubbles that I literally have gotten lightheaded. 

The bubble machine puts out more bubbles than you could possibly blow. My kids run and dance around in the bubble “rain.” Trying to pop them, trying to avoid them. They can come up with all kinds of games to play while using this bubble machine. 

Backyard Critter Case

 

When I was growing up, we caught lightning bugs in a mason jar with some holes punched in the lid with a sharp knife. 

I guess this is kind of the same concept just made a lot cuter. My daughter had this cutesy butterfly insect cage but she isn’t really into catching bugs!

Little Tikes Cook N Grow BBQ Grill 

We keep this Little Tikes grill near Daddy’s real grill. That way when we are outside cooking dinner, our kids can cook their own pretend food. We own lots of Little Tikes products are are always pleased with the quality of their toys. 

Since most outdoor toys are active play toys, I enjoy having a toy that encourages the imagination and playing pretend. 

Step2 Hot Wheels Extreme Thrill Coaster Ride On

My daughter got this when she was 3. They make it look like a “boy toy” but I am hear to tell you it may be the best gender neutral toy that we own! 

It is always a favorite when we have cookouts and parties. All the kids want to ride it. 

Reasons for parents to love: the kids can push the car up the track themselves so you can sit back and watch. 

We have it set up on a slight decline in our backyard and the roller coaster goes pretty fast. My 5 year old still loves it and my 18 month old can even do it mostly on his own. The slide is relatively high so he is very cautiously supervised when using it. 

It is also great quality. We have had it outside in the elements for the last two years. Aside from needing to be pressure washed (purely cosmetic) it is still in outstanding condition. 

Little Tikes Inflatable Bounce House

Aside from loving toys that my kids actually play with, I love toys that last. We have had this toy for close to 3 years now and it is still in perfect shape. 

When it is nice weather we will sometimes use this for a weekend at a time. It is great to blow up in the backyard and let the kids jump until they are completely worn out! It is a super easy set up and inflates in just a minute or two. 

We use this when we have a bunch of kids over for a party too. Several toddlers or preschoolers can jump and slide at one time which is nice. 

Power Wheels Little Quad

This is the perfect size for a toddler. I like that my little one can ride it totally on his own without any help from me (he is 18 months and got it for his first birthday). 

The battery lasts a pretty long time before you need to recharge it which is also a nice benefit. My petite 5 year old will even hop on and ride from time to time!
 

More Outdoor Toys for Active Toddlers/Preschoolers

If you liked this list of the best outdoor toys for preschool boys, be sure to check out our favorite outdoor water toys for summer too! There are some great ideas to beat the summer heat with some cool toys. 

Other Fun Water Activities for Kids