Some Tuesday Luvin'

Hi all! How is everyone doing this fine Tuesday? We have had a great day of cleaning and gardening, plus some new fun developments in Miss Moira's growth. She has discovered the stairs, the toilet, and how to take off her diaper! I seriously can't take my eyes off of her... she is so fast and the poor thing bumps her head or falls down tons everyday in her quest to walk.

Anyhow, here are some cool things that I have found, tried, or heard about:

How to make a book cover bunting

Easy DIY magazine art

The 7-day toy cure for busy parents

One of the coolest A-B-Sea posters I have ever seen!

Buy one here!

I love cool kids lunch ideas... here's a whole collection of cuteness!

If you noticed at the bottom of my blog there is a new widget which is our library... 

I am still adding to it but it is a really cool thing to have to keep track of what you have read, 

want to read, or are currently reading!

It is powered by Library Thing and super easy to use... 

Speaking of reading, here is a whole collection of great book lists 

if you are looking for something new to read!

                                                                                Source: lushusa.com via Connie on Pinterest

Finally, here is my new crush from LUSH- Toothy Tabs.
Did you know that over 1 billion toothpaste tubes end up in landfills each year?
I thought that we were being eco-friendly using Tom's toothpaste,
but here is an even greener alternative.
There are a couple different flavors and I was left with clean teeth and no weirdo after taste.
(Plus at $4 for a box of 60, you can't go wrong with the price!)

 

Here are some other random links that you may enjoy:

S'more Cookie Bars

Yummy Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Create a Sunken Trampoline

and finally...

One of my favorite Pinterest finds so far...

Monday Linkies

Has anyone gone to see the new Harry Potter movie? I am re-reading the books and am so excited to finally see the conclusion to this great series! I love this photo of the cast members out of character

                                                                                   Source: neffsays.tumblr.com via thelittlereddoor on Pinterest

It seems like Polyvore and Pinterest are BFF's and here is my idea of a perfect date night outfit!

Source: polyvore.com via Connie on Pinterest

I love new uses for common household things, especially if it makes a space prettier. This is genius!

Source: toriejayne.blogspot.com via Connie on Pinterest

I have been doing a lot of gentle parenting thinking lately, trying to retrain myself to remember the wonderful words of other inspiring parents. This is a great article concerning tantrums and a new way of looking at them. Thanks Jen!

I can't wait for fall! I am so over this heat it isn't even funny... it is hot, humid, and I have even taken a beach hiatus because the sand burns my feet... I want to be out in some cooler weather wearing something like this:

Source: peruvianconnection.com via Connie on Pinterest

I think I may do some painting tonight... I have some blank peggy dolls who need to look like this:

Source: simplesimonandco.blogspot.com via Connie on Pinterest

Finally, I have been thinking a lot about losing some major weight and getting healthier. I have been inspired by shows, saying, photos. and healthy food recipes. I will be teaching 11 dance classes in the fall (whoo hoo!) so that is a great start for my cardio. I just need to get some weight lifting going and up the ante on my diet, which isn't toooo bad, but needs some improving. I love this saying, it is something I think about when I don't want to work out but should:

Source: firsthome.tumblr.com via Amy on Pinterest

Great saying right? So, that's all for now... I am going to go take the girls for a walk and daydream of size 6 jeans! Ciao!

Some Tuesday Luvin'

How is everyone this hot, sweaty, humid day? We woke up this morning to no power thanks to the powerful storms that swept through last night. Not a good day to be without air conditioning! I don't know about you all, but I was not made for any temps above 80... ick!

Anyhow, here are some cool things that I have seen and want to make... enjoy and stay cool! =P

* I can't wait for the cooler temps so I can wear stuff like this again!

Source: polyvore.com via Connie on Pinterest

*I am already getting the itch to get another tattoo... 

I am thinking maybe a girlie version of Klint's Tree of Life one?

Source: weheartit.com via Connie on Pinterest

* I love simple things that have lots of meaning... 

these penny charms would be a great addition to my keyring!

Source: etsy.com via Connie on Pinterest

* Nothing says summer more to me than fresh veggies and dip! 

Doesn't this look yummy?!

Source: eatingoutloud.com via Connie on Pinterest

* This photo reminded me of the new Winnie the Pooh movie that is coming out.
I can't wait to take the girls to see it!

Source: flickr.com via Connie on Pinterest

*Speaking of which, have you heard the song from the trailer?
I am in love with it!




*Finally, this is everything I am trying to channel...
gentle parenting is getting easier and more of a habit every day!

Source: jennyanddukefamily.blogspot.com via Connie on Pinterest

Our Days...

Our days are a kaleidoscope. 

Every instant a change takes place in the contents. 

New harmonies, new contrasts, new combinations of every sort.

                                          ~Henry Ward Beecher 

These summer days are flying by us. Filled with laughing, bike rides, bubbles, hot dogs, splashing, sand, and so much more. The sun has been out in full force and while we are out in the early and late hours, I am praising the invention of air conditioning. 

Yesterday I made the best bubbles ever. Who knew that corn syrup was the secret ingredient?  I also tried my hand at making homemade mac n' cheese and let me tell you, I am never buying boxed Kraft mac n' cheese again! You can get the recipe here! (It is a little bland unless you decide to add some spices and some spicier cheeses, but I adored it as is!)

Thanks to Pinterest I am getting back into sewing, decorating, and fashion- especially hair and nail designs. I did this trick again and it worked like magic! I have these long glorious curls and feel so sassy today. =)

Source: thepapermama.blogspot.com via Connie on Pinterest

Cool huh?! Well, that's about it... what have you been up to today?

(Psssst! Check out my Pinterest for awesome recipes, neat nail ideas, and tons of other funness!)

 
Psss 

Monday Luv

Source: my-mania.eu via Connie on Pinterest

Hello all!

How are you all?! I am doing alright here at Casa de Krebs. We had a pretty good Father's Day, relaxed, biked, made some yummy french toast for the man of the day. Here are some things that I have found on the web that you all might like:


Can't wait to make some of these... I need some more vases around here!

We love taking photos around here, but I always appreciate some tips for getting even better shots.
And once I get better shots I plan on doing this with them....------->

I haven't used the button-hole feature yet on my sewing machine yet, this may push me there!

Want a challenge? How about visiting a Park a day?

My favorite kids clothing place, Tea., is having it's annual sale!! Go here to snag some great deals!

I would love to learn how to do a waterfall braid... just like this one

Finally, I have always enjoyed classical music but this group is by far my new favorite love! How I have not heard of them before is beyond me!!!

Thank Goodness That Is Over!

Well so ends my hellish days of trying to balance a 10 hr job, a baby, a hubby who works third shift, a home daycare, and sanity! I am done for the season with dance photography, my family that I care for is moving to Chicago so their last day was yesterday, and it should be smooth sailing from now on. I was happy to have the extra money, but the stress it put on the hubs and me was just too much with Moira being so little and dependent on me. Now onto dance at a fabulous new studio (I am no longer at Rock City... long story and not worth the aggravation), Gabby has tons of t-ball games coming up, and I am ready to just relax a little. =)

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In keeping with our No Junk Eating Out theme, tonight I made an awesome dinner (if I say so myself!): Chicken Taco Salad with fresh avocado, tomato, tortilla chips, and a salsa ranch dressing! Yum! Fresh fruit salad and peach ice tea and it was a great end to our day.

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I have always been a city girl but lately I have been wishing for a bit more space and breathing room... less cranky neighbors who tell my children to not turn around in their drive, more space to garden... I imagine that I would look like this- Farm Wife Chic!

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I have been reading so many great posts lately about homeschooling, gentle parenting, and just things that leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy... here's my faves right now:

* I am 100% stubborn too- tell me I can't so something and I will set out to prove you wrong.... love this!

* In general I love reading this series from SoulaMama, but this one just made me smile for days...

* Gardening is so much fun, I want to make some of this so my hands stay nice!

* Finally, this article just made me really think about why it is so important to treat your child like a friend instead of an indentured servant... great read!

How was your day/week?

My Last 5 Pins

(yes, I am addicted to Pinterest) These are my last 5 pins and I am finding so much beauty and interesting things thanks to Pinterest, it is astounding!!

5.

Source: 79ideas.org via Connie on Pinterest

4.

Source: universityofcookie.com via Connie on Pinterest

3.

Source: etsy.com via Connie on Pinterest

2.

Source: s162.photobucket.com via Connie on Pinterest

1.

Source: madamecupcake.tumblr.com via Connie on Pinterest

Pinterest, How I Love Thee!

If you are anything like me, you are always finding really cool things on the web. Images that strike your fancy, crafts to make, cute things to add to your home. Usually I share these things with you, my lovely readers, via a blog post. And I still will... but for myself I have found an easier way to keep track of all the coolness I see online- 

Pinterest is a cool site that lets you "pin" images that you see online to boards that you create. They can be any theme from crafting to a certain color, fashion to design inspiration. And no matter what site you are on, you can pin the images to your boards. Cool right? Well this is also a community, which adds an additional layer of coolness.

Personally, I love seeing what other people like. It's like people watching, only better. And as you look more, you can see trends in fashion, design, and even photography styles. For instance, I am seeing tons of braided hair and tutus....

If you look at my sidebar you can see a link to my boards. I believe you need an invitation sent to you still to join Pinterest, but it is 100% worth it. Especially if you are in a creative field and sometimes need a little inspiration!


Here are some really lovely things that I have found, just from browsing other people's boards:

Aren't they wonderful?! I am so excited to think about what I will find tomorrow! I love any site that makes virtual inspiration boards at the tips of my fingers... (which I would love to have painted like this:

Today I am....

:digging: this Ultimate Lego Roundup! I love playing with Legos and the girls!
:watching: Gnomeo and Juliet and remembering my first encounters with this famous play... I cried at the end...
:dancing: to this song. I want to not like her music but I just can't help myself! 
:reading: this book that I totally picked up because of the cover. I am addicted to Russian ballet stories that take place during the Romanov era!
:loving: this swim suit! I think it would flatter any figure... even curvy, " recently had a baby" ones!
:eating: french toast and mango- yummo!
:wishing: that the days would stay this springy, the kids would stay this little, and time would stop marching on across my face!
:hoping: that my knees hold out with all the dancing I am going to be doing cause it's a lot but I love it!
:making: some pop up cards thanks to this tutorial
:browsing: over this new website, lots of kid-related eye candy to see!
:cleaning: out the girls dressers and closets... seasons change and the girls are growing out of sizes so fast...
:craving: some more color in this house. I am strongly considering painting my stairs like this...
:learning: more about vaccinations and the risks they pose to our children, all starting with this website.

What are you doing today?

A Homeschooling Post

With the formal school year winding down I have been thinking a lot about our adventures in schooling this year. We started out in the norm... waking up at 7:15, hurry through breakfast, lots of chaos and stress, going to a public school with a great reputation, homework and PTO meetings... even though my heart told me that this wasn't right for our sensitive, dreamy eyed oldest girl.

Today we have an eclectic, non-conforming routine that involves weekly library trips, singing scales in the car to teach music, throwing bananas at knives to demonstrate gravity and velocity,  and go more with the flow of life. It is wonderful, scary, funny, frustrating, fun, tiring, challenging and rewarding everyday.

What I enjoy most though is the HUGE amount of resources available for kids to learn from, not just homeschoolers. There are so many great places that supplement an education... here is a quick list of some of our favorite tools, site, and books!

Gabby is really into birds so we are participating in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Celebrate the Urban Bird study. You sign up, they send you a kit, and then you get to bird watch and send in your observations. A great introduction to nature studies.

Polymers are pretty interesting for kids and this is a great experiment to do that looks at color and polymers.

Reading is a huge part of our day and now you can register your homeschool in the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! program. Yay for books and pizza!

Speaking of books, we love the "You Wouldn't Want to be..." series! The books introduce periods of history in ways that interest and engage kids, plus shed some light on some pretty overlooked people... I definitely wouldn't want to be a servant in the Victorian era- yuck!

Another cool series is the "See Inside" ones by Usborne. So many flaps to look at and another interesting way to look at the body, how things work, and inside buildings.

Science really interests Gabby so I think that this homemade Lava Lamp experiment is perfect to try!


But my favorite site for getting worksheets, experiments, poems, writing exercises and more is Education.com. It is a great site, easy to navigate, and has tons of worksheets to help introduce concepts which we then apply to the real world.

So that is where we are with our homeschool... it is a great experience and I know Gabby loves it because she asks to do "school" stuff. Be sure to check the Homeschool Links tab at the top, I try to add sites and such that help me as I see them!  Cheers!

Homeschool Resource Review- Brain Pop Jr.

 I am still trying to get my bearings with the new baby and homeschooling. So far my routine consists of some work books, a journal, and lots of documentaries and books from the library. But I have known for a while that Gabby really learns well through games and especially on the computer. So when CoolMomTech suggested BrainPOPJr. I was all over it!


This site is one that costs money to utilize all the subjects and such, but after starting the free 5 day trial I am hooked (and it is only day 1)! There are some things that are free, like today's lesson about Martin Luther King Jr. Within each lesson is a super informative but fun video starring a little girl named Annie and her robot, Moby. The there is a corresponding game, activity, lesson plan, book suggestions, a chance to draw about the lesson, and even two different levels of quiz to test about the subject matter. 


I looooove how organized the site is, allowing me to easily keep track of what Gabby has watched, what she wants to further expand on, and make sure that she is getting the most out of each subject. There is even a standards tool which allows me to make sure that she is following (loosely) what the state says she is supposed to be doing. (But without all the tedious repetition!!) 


Even though the price for a full year is sort of pricey ($80 for a single Homeschooler) in my opinion it is totally worth it. And when 3rd grade is over, then we can hop over to BrainPop which is geared for older kids. Even if you are not a homeschool family, this site is very cool and definitely worth a peek!