Think About It Thursday - Halloween Costumes for Mom & Dad

Our kids love for us to dress up on Halloween too...but I always seem to find myself scrambling for quick and easy costume ideas for Mom and Dad around 3PM on Halloween. I spend most of my time and energy on the kids' costumes and then end up being something totally uninspired. (AKA pulling some cast off prop from years past out of the Halloween box and going with it.)

This year, I decided to start a little earlier (as in one whole day!) and come up with some ideas that would be just as fun for us as for the kids - but wouldn't cause me any stress in the time and energy department! Most of these costumes you can throw together with things you have around the house and maybe a quick run to the $.99 cent store or Party City.

If I trusted myself to roller skate around our neighborhood without injuring myself (or someone else) I'd totally be that Roller Disco Girl - love the idea of incorporating a balloon into the costume! And if my hair were darker, I'd be Holly Golightly in two seconds (especially since we just got new kittens!)

Flight Attendent

Don a white dress shirt and a pencil skirt or slacks, put your hair in a low bun, tie a scarf around your neck and grab your rolly bag! Add some bright red lips and you are all set to fly the friendly skies.

{AS SEEN ON}

Ice Cream Cone/Sundae

Make your own "sprinkles" out of brightly colored cardstock and add them to a white top with thread and a needle or hot glue. Make a red balloon, cherry headband and don some kitchy sunglasses and you'll be sweet as a sundae. The brown skirt adds to the ice cream cone idea, but isn't a must!

{AS SEEN ON}

Masked Bandits/Burglars

Surely you have dark pants and a striped shirt in your closet! Turn an old pillow case into a money bag with some paint or a black sharpie and find or make an eyemask. (I found one at Michael's for $1!) Add gloves and red lips to really up the anty and make this costume a STEAL!

{AS SEEN ON}

Holly Golightly

A trench coat, some dark glasses, a BUMPit! and some jewels and you will be the most stylish girl to say "Trick or Tiffany's" your block has ever seen! Meow.

{AS SEEN ON}

Pizza Delivery Boy & Slice

This one would take a little more prep than the rest...but it would only take a few pieces of colored poster board to make the pizza slice and there is something about the guy's headphones, backwards hat and bored face that I just love!

{AS SEEN ON}

Roller Disco Girl

Is it embarrassing to admit I onw neon legwarmers and white rollerskates? If you're shameless like me, then this costume is for you! Side ponytail and a disco ball mylar balloon (or you could make your own with an oversized balloon and some silver glitter) and you are set! 

{AS SEEN ON}

Mary Poppins & Bert

I was Mary Poppins in my elementary school play - so this costume pulls on my sentimental heart strings! With a few pieces from your closet, a red umbrella and red ribbon and you are almost there. Add a black hat embellished with some silk flowers and you will be Practically Perfect in Every Way!

{AS SEEN ON}

Laverne & Shirley

These would be such fun costumes to wear with my neighbor/BFF! Some items from our closets and some black ribbon and hot glue will help complete the look. Be sure and loop arms and skip down the street and you'll be "Making (Y)our Dreams Come True!"

{AS SEEN ON}

You can find many more Last Minute Costumes for Mom & Dad on our "SPOOKtacular!" Pinboard

Clark Kent & Lois Lane, Where's Waldo & Wenda, Inspector Gadget and Carmen San Diego...just to name a few. Whatever you chose to be this Halloween, I hope it's fun and makes you laugh - and results in lots of candy! Or wine. Or Pumpkin Spiced anything...

Pick Your Poison! ~Erin

Think About It Thursday - FALL in Love

I always think of myself as a 'Summer Girl'...but I think I'm really an 'Every Season' sort of girl. By the time one is ending, I am so ready and excited for the next to begin! I have especially been feeling like that this week. Yesterday I added some burgandy and mustard yellow mums to the front planters and they are making me so happy! Today I'm making some pumpkin bread for the kids' teachers. (I could live on all things pumpkin for the next two months!) What are some of the things that make you Fall in Love with fall? ~Erin

Hot Mulled Cider // from The Pioneer Woman

Heirloom Sweater Boots // from Spool 72

Caramel Apple Cheesecake // from Annie's Eats

Pumpkin Donuts // from Pick Fresh Foods

The Perfect Scarf in Pumpkin // from Northernly

Fall Subway Art Printable // from Bombshell Bling

Find more on our {Fall In Love Pinboard}

Tip Tuesday - First Day of School Teacher Gifts

It's hard to believe that Summer is already over for some. We still have a few weeks left until our First Day of School is upon us, but we are already thinking about it! It's always fun to start the year off on a happy foot. We've put together a pinboard of fun Back To School printables and ideas - a few of which we've highlighted here. Easy First Day of School gifts for Teachers! We especially love the "Getting To Know You" questionnaire. A great way to get to know your teachers favorite things - making gift giving easy the rest of the school year! 

Have A BRIGHT Year from The TomKat Studio :: just grap a pack of multicolored highlighters or sharpie markers and tie with a bow!

Getting To Know You Teacher Questionnaire from eighteen25 :: this way your future gifts will be sure to ones your teacher will like and use!

One Smart Cookie from It's Overflowing :: fill a mason jar with homemade cookies and tie on this tag. Easily dress up the top of the jar with a flattened cupcake liner!

Berry Special Teacher from Skip To My Lou :: these berry baskets are filled with paper strawberries, but you could do real berries or berry shaped sugar cookies instead!

Hi-Lite of my Day from One Charming Party :: easy, practical and cute!

Totally Bananas About Being in Your Class from The Twinery :: bake up a batch of banana bread or muffins and tie on this cute tag!

You're the WRITE teacher for me from Katrina's Paperie :: dress up some No2 pencils with some washi tape and tie with a bow!

How ever you choose to greet your Teacher on the First Day of School, make sure to let them know how excited you are for a new year in their classroom! You can find more great First Day ideas, treats and printables on our Back To School Pinboard.

Think About It Thursday - Summer Journaling

I don't know about you, but we are quick to forget about the "Three R's" here in the Summertime. Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic fall by the wayside to water balloons, barbeques and the beach! I wanted to come up with a fun way to keep the kids doing a little "school work" throughout the Summer that didn't feel like a chore.

I came up with a list of writing prompts and bought them each a Wide Ruled Notebook. (These notebooks are $1.50 at Target right now, and for each Up & Up school supply you buy, Target will give one to the Kids In Need Foundation! You know we at SydneyPaige LOVE THAT!) 

Then, I used a black sharpie to write each prompt at the top of a page. I left a blank page after each prompt in case it sparked a lot of writing, or the kids wanted to accompany their work with a drawing or photograph. It's my goal to have the kids complete a prompt 2-3 times a week. I'm going to aim for every other day til they head back to school.

We've completed two prompts so far and the kids seem excited about it! (They are nerds like me...easily excited by all things school/office supply related. lol) But seriously, I'm hoping this Summer Journal Project will be something they enjoy and begin to look forward to. The kids have been taking turns reading their journal entries out loud for the family at dinnertime. It's sparked some great conversations and laughter! -Erin

Print out our Summer Journal Prompts and get your kids "working" through their Summer too!  

Tip Tuesday - Summer Bucket List

SUMMER!

There are things I love about every season, but having my kids home as we play through long days and late nights, is what makes Summertime my absolute favorite! Print out our Summer Bucket List and get started on some messy, wet, hands on, sunny, Summertime FUN! I've linked to some of my favorite ways to complete the tasks above:

Sponge Water Bombs // The Chic Site

Homemade Popsicles // Tatertots & Jello

Sidewalk Chalk Paint // Happiness Is Homemade

Lemonade Stand Printables // Anders Ruff

 Make the most of this this time of year and enjoy feeling "like a kid again" with the young ones in your life! -Erin

Tip Tuesday - School is Out!

The end of the school year is almost here for us in Southern California! We always celebrate with a pool party (and wild chaos) on the very last day. Do you have a graduate or special student you'd like to celebrate this month? Here are some of our favorite "pin-spirations" to help you do just that! 

rainbow streamer doorway // confetti push pops // school is out printable

graduate photo props // class of 2014 in pictures // soaking fun summer favors

{find more fun ideas on our School's Out! Pinboard}

Tip Tuesday - Sand Removal Trick

We are big fans of The Chic Site! A bright and beautiful spot, that is chock full of tips, tricks, treats and more. With sandy Summer beach and park days around the corner, we are loving this tip The Chic recently posted for easy sand removal from little hands and feet! 

Check out the full post, with easy step by step photos to make one yourself, HERE! 

Happy #TipTuesday!

{find more of our favorites on our Tricks & Tips pinboard}

Tip Tuesday - Father's Day Printables

We love these simple, classic free Father's Day printables created by Paper & Stitch. The minimalist design will compliment any gift you are planning to give and appeal to all the Dad's out there! 

Find the free PDF Download HERE

and visit our Dads Are Rad Pinboard for more fun ideas! 

"Planted Carrot" Pudding

We went to a neighborhood barbeque last weekend, to kickoff Spring Break, and I was asked to bring dessert. I wanted to make something "Spring-ish" and decided on carrot cake. But then I thought the gaggle of kids that would be at the party would appreciate something more kid friendly...so I came up with these Planted Carrot chocolate pudding cups for them! (Variation on the potted flower or gummy worm pudding cups you might have seen before.)

To make this dessert you will need:

• clear plastic cups
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding
• milk
• chocolate oreos
• vanilla frosting
• orange food coloring
• italian flat leaf parsely

Follow the directions on the box to make the chocolate pudding and divide between clear plastic cups before chilling. Before serving, top with chopped up Chocolate Oreos and an orange frosting "carrot" in the middle of the "soil." (I used a piping bag to get the swirly look to the carrot - but you could just as easily add a dollop of the frosting to the middle of the oreos with a teaspoon.) Add a sprig of flat leaf parsely to the top of each carrot to finish off the look and ENJOY!

They were super easy and fast to make and a big hit with the kids. A perfect treat for Easter or any Springtime event. I hope you have as much fun making and eating these as we did! -Erin

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