a cute clipboard + a candle! {back to school teacher gift}

Today I have another easy back to school teacher gift idea for you! 

Target has these cute clipboards and yummy smelling candles in stock right now! Every teacher can use a cute clipboard and after the first week, de-stressing with a candle and bubble bath will probably be on every teacher's list!

Add a cute (free) inspirational printable (hello, Pinterest!) to the clipboard and you're all set!

Clipboard: $4.79 
"Juicy Gossip" Candle: $12.99 
Free printable by brepurposed can be found {here}! 

Spread a little love everywhere you go! 
It's the best mood lifter in the world!!

Dr. Seuss Book {back to school teacher gift}

I don't know about you, but every Summer increases my appreciation for everything teachers do day in and day out to nurture little ones, so any chance I get, I want to let them know I appreciate what they do!

So today I have for you an inexpensive grab-n-go gift that doesn't require any making, just in case that's not your thing!!  Do you have a little one starting preschool / kinder / first grade??  How about picking up a copy of this brand new, just released Dr. Seuss book as a classroom gift for the teacher!  Add a cute nameplate dedicating the book to your teacher and include your child's name and the school year and you have a fun {and useful!} keepsake!

I'm in love with the story behind it!!  You can read more about it {here}, but in a nutshell...Audrey Geisel, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)'s widow, found in her attic a box of papers she'd stashed away after his death.  In it was this and several other manuscripts he had finished and illustrated!

There's nothing like a Dr. Seuss book in my opinion, especially for those beginner readers!  I picked up a copy for Hudson's first grade homeroom teacher, along with a jar of my homemade {vanilla sugar hand scrub} and a cute beehive cookie cutter because they are the "Honeybees".

Giving doesn't have to break the bank!  A little heartfelt gesture goes a long way.

Do you love Dr. Seuss?  Find more party inspiration {here}, {here} and {here}!

vanilla sugar hand scrub {back to school teacher gift}

A couple of weeks ago during our family vacay to Tybee Island {pics coming soon!}, I fell in love with the hand scrub at one of the local restaurants. But it was pricey and I knew it wouldn't work with my budget for back to school gifts. So as soon as we got home, I started experimenting with different recipes and ingredients and finally came up with a winner!

Even better, it's made with all wholesome ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!! So what are you waiting for??! Put on a cute apron and let's get started!

Vanilla Sugar Hand Scrub

{fills 3 half-pint (8 oz.) mason jars with a little to spare!} 

 

1   1/2 cups light brown sugar

8 tablespoons coconut oil

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice

 

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth and
    coconut oil has dissolved completely.

2. Resist the urge to taste it because it smells so
    good!

3. Store in an airtight container.

Now go treat yourself for all your hard work {Shhhh...no one has to know how easy it really was!} by using the little extra on yourself! I like to scoop out a little dollop, scrub for 1 minute, rinse with water and pat dry. Your hands will smell soooo good and feel soooo soft!

And if you're feeling fancy, spray paint the metal rings like I did and use a little fabric scrap or pretty paper to cover the circle lid. Add a little ribbon or baker's twine, a cute tag, and if you have it, a little wooden spoon for scooping and voila! You just made a perfect little gift for teachers, neighbors, girlfriends, hostesses or whoever needs a little extra I'm-thinking-of-you.

Now excuse me while I go back to being in denial that the littles start school in 1 week! *sob*

Great Wolf Lodge, George W. Bush Library, Dallas Aquarium, and of course, SHOPPING!

When we got back from our little adventure, Noonie asked me how many years we had been doing our Mother-Daughter {now Grands too!} trip, and we crunched the numbers and realized this was our 25th year!! 

Yes, we started doing these when we moved to the U.S. from Puerto Rico. I was 12 years old!! Noonie was super busy with her medical practice and these weeks were such a fun way for us to reconnect without any distractions. We've done big trips and little trips, close destinations and far away adventures, but the most important fact has never changed...these weeks are all about being together and having fun.

This year we stayed close and just spent time in Dallas and McKinney, TX. When we spotted this crazy van while antiquing, we just had to take a pic!

The little pumpkin was all about the fairy houses!

But this is what they really thought about the whole antiquing process...hahaha!

One thing we can always agree on...any hibachi grill!

The Dallas World Aquarium is a fun little treasure right in the middle of the city.

The otters were soooooo cute!!

This girl and her flamingoes!!

I don't even remember what this is, but I'm sure I had nightmares for days!!

I love all the mosaics!

You know you sang the song in your head!! ha!

Crazy little seahorse!

We all loved the tiny penguins!!

Such a fun morning!

We usually have lunch at the American Girl Bistro and then mosey on down to Legoland, but we wanted to try different things this time, so we ended up checking the Magic Time Machine.

It was...interesting. It's pretty dark in there. The salad bar car was fun and the littles had fun, but I have to be honest, all Noonie and I kept thinking was how there's no way they can really clean in there with all the nooks and cranies full of...STUFF. 

The waiters dress up as old-timey characters. Ours was Velma from Scooby Doo and our booth was a velvet box of valentine chocolates.

This caricature artist was so neat though!! He was FAST! We even had him draw our Jaxon from a pic on my phone so we could surprise Lance!

And apparently Noonie and I need to visit an eyebrow aesthetician ASAP - ha!!!

I've been wanting to visit the George W. Bush Library at SMU for some time and we finally made it happen! {can you tell it was H-O-T??!}

The interactive kids' iphone tour gave them a second wind - whew!

I love this moment and what it represents. Tears streaming down. Complete and solemn silence.  I can't even imagine the memories flooding his mind. Freedom is never free.

Hudson for President! The Oval Office was a big hit with Hudson!

So glad we were able to squeeze this visit in!

Of course the littles favorite thing was our stay at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX.  Our first time too!  We saved it for the last 3 days and they were on C L O U D   9!!

Noonie wasn't too sure what to think of the whole thing - ha!

In character...

We MagiQuested for hours...H O U R S!! Up and down 8 flights of stairs. I definitely got in my exercise!!

The indoor-outdoor waterpark was a big hit too, but when I asked them what their favorite part was they both said, "MagiQuest!!", followed by the Lottsa Water Dump Zone! 

I love that Noonie is always up for any adventure!!

This is the hurry-up-and-smile-for-mama-so-we-can-go-back-to-doing-fun-stuff pose!

It was so nice to do the whole water park thing without having to be in the 100+ weather!

One night after all the stair climbing, we piled up on the bed and decided to make silly faces. Not exactly sure why Noonie has a full-on mafia face, but whatev! ;)

So wonderful to be as wEiRD as you want with people who love you!

Loading up for the ride home!
#sugarhigh #probablynotthebestidea

Such a fun time! The littles were already planning their next trip even before we were in the car!

Noonie and I squeezed in a little shopping and then we called it a week!

Apparently I'm drawn to green??  I think half the stuff I bought had green somewhere on there!

Here's to the next 25 years, Noonie! Love you and thank you for starting this fun tradition so many years ago!!