Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The Countdown is On!!!

I'm sitting in my second day of Pre-AP training this morning which can only mean one thing - the countdown to Back To School is ON!!!

The back-to-school season is super exciting for me.... I love the fresh start and the "kick off" to Fall.  There's always so much excitement and anticipation and, as much as I love summer, I get PUMPED thinking about cooler weather, early nights, pumpkins, baking, etc.  I also REALLY love writing in a fresh teacher planner and filling out my class lists and seating charts.  #nerd4life

Going back to school can be kind of a bummer for me and the kids (even though we love Fall.... it's hard to give up the relaxed summer feel for early mornings and uniforms), so I try to get excitement brewing (for all of us!) with some simple decor...








I usually have a wreath of some kind above my stove... but since I was trying to pull things from around the house and spend zero dollars to get this decor up I ended up making this out of stuff I had...

I think it turned out pretty cute - and it was CRAZY EASY (no sewing involved!) and I'll put a tutorial up later this week.



My garland has some little apples attached to it, but it wasn't looking "back to school" enough for me - so I threw in some faux apples and pencils and called it a day :)



I'm loving how our spring photos were the perfect colors for both my patriotic decor and this :)

Pencils and apples on this garland on the buffet as well...




 I took these pics on Saturday morning and it was really overcast and gloomy.... so the lighting is kind of weird :(


I recycled my vintage toolbox turned planter and used it as part of my table centerpiece.





 What was happenign while I was taking pics???  Oh nothing much...

... just Dave swinging Mason around and beating up Luke. hahaha

and GG was showing off her "eyes"...

... waving...

... and making sure she rubbed plenty of lunch through her hair :)

So.... are y'all excited for "back-to-school"??? Do you have fun family traditions or things you like to do to kick off the school year? Hit me up with your ideas! :)

54 comments :

  1. The chalkboards, the M apple, the vintage toolbox--Wow!! So much fun! Love it all.
    www.floralandfudge.blogspot.com

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  2. Your back to school decorations are always some of my favorites!! I loooooooooove seeing all of the apples and leaves out! Girl...we are soul sisters :).

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  3. I'm like you-I love being so organized at the start of school. I love a new teacher planner and I love the excitement of the first day. However, school starts in 2 weeks and IM NOT READY!! I taught summer school this summer and I haven't spent near enough time getting my classroom finished. I am in a mad dash to get jt syllabus finished and all that! I am excited but literally not ready haha!! Love your decor!!

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    1. I'm completely unprepared too - and we start in two weeks as well. hahaha
      I'm sure you (and I!) will pull it all together :) GOOD LUCK!!!

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  4. I've never thought about decorating for back to school,,,,but I love it!! And that apple wreath omg how flippin cute!!!! When my oldest went to preschool (19 years ago sniff sniff) on her first day she asked that I make special cupcakes for this day, and well, she is now 22 and to this day every year on the first day of school i still make them, they all expect it now, even the two that aren't in school anymore! Love love love those simple traditions that clearly mean everything to my kiddos. Happy Tuesday!!!

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  5. I love how you decorate for every holiday/special occassion. I think the area for your window is just perfect for that. I love it!

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    1. Thanks, girly! It's easy to decorate a smallish area :)

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  6. I am with you! I love the thought of cooler weather and a 'routine' but I hate to think that summer is coming to an end! Bitter sweet for sure. I love your decor though. If my mom did that I would be super excited to start school again haha. Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Bittersweet is the perfect word! Thanks so much for reading!!! :)

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  7. Fall is my favorite, too. I love how you make each season so special for your kids. What a fun mom!

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  8. When does school start there? We don't go back till after labor day in Michigan. We finally just started getting warm weather so I am totally not ready for my kids to go back to school yet.

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    1. I start back on the 5th and kids start back the following week. I go back earlier than the local public schools though since we got done earlier in May. Where are you that you just started getting warm weather? JEALOUS!

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  9. I love your decorations! My oldest is starting Kindergarten in 4 weeks so I will definitely get up some festive things around the house. Thank you for the inspiration!

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    1. YAY! I do a back to school dinner, too... that could be a cute idea for your new kindergartener!

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  10. Such creative decor for back to school. Did you write the quote and scripture on your chalk boards???
    If so; what did you use??? I've bought some chalk markers, but they didn't work as well as I thought.

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    1. On the big mantel chalkboard I used regular chalk and on my small one in the window I used a chalk marker.

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    2. A chalk marker never heard of that but I need one!!!

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  11. The best part of back to school is new school supplies. I remember picking out a new trapper keeper with Lisa frank designs and now my daughter loves color coordinating all of her supplies. Super fun!

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    1. LOVE me some Lisa Frank!!! That and Sanrio - I was Keropi all the way :) hahaha

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  12. Andrea you are great Mom and decorator. I just love checking in to see what you and your family are up to. I love, love, love that chalkboard saying. How did you do that? Is it a printable? I also love all the pencils in the apple garland. So creative! Can't wait to see how you did the apple either.

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    1. Thanks, girl! I just wrote the quote on there with chalk! Easy peasy! And you're going to FLIP when you see how simple the apple was!

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  13. Love your Back to School décor! And Miss Griffin is absolutely adorable!!!!!

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    1. THANK YOU! I think she is too - but I'm a little partial :) hahaha

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  14. LOVE your decor! And I had to laugh because as a former teacher I totally LOVED cracking open a new lesson plan book and filling it in! You're not alone!

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    1. I want to fill it in now - but I know I'll get a few new students and so I'm hesitant.... but I'm having a hard time resisting! hahaha :)

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  15. Oh my gosh!!! Iove love love all of the back-to-school decor!! It could not be more perfect!! And Iove how you did all of this with stuff you already owned-- makes it even better & such a fun challenge!! You inspire me to start back-to-school decor too! :)

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    1. You would ROCK some back to school decor!!! :) Thanks so much, sweet friend!

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  16. Your kids are going to have some great memories when they grow up :)

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  17. Andrea you gave me such great ideas to decorate for back 2 school for my kiddos. This will get them excited! Can you please show us how you do your chalkboard sayings ... mine never come out cute. And a few posts back you showed us some chalkboards you were making for your class ...will you be doing a tutorial on that soon? I need all the help you can offer!

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    1. I hadn't thought about it - but for sure I could! I'll come up with some chalkboard info and post it soon! Thanks for the idea!

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  18. I tell ya lady, you are just the most creative mama I know and I love it! You have the best ideas and I just love it all, so fun, so cute, such awesome traditions and yeah....LOVE it!!!

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  19. I love that you decorate for 'back to school'! It's a time I always get excited for, even though I'm an adult with no kids. :) I still love 'back to school' time! It's like pre-fall!

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  20. Your handwriting is SO pretty! Love all of the chalkboard signs. :) We don't have kids, so no decor for us, but it's fun to see what you put up.

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    1. Thanks, Darcy! You know your husband would TOTALLY appreciate a giant apple with y'alls monogram on it :) hahaha Thanks so much for reading!

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  21. Love all your decor! The apple you made is so cute! Love getting ready for back to school and thinking of fall!!

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    1. Thanks girl! It's such a fun time of year :)
      Thanks for reading!

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  22. I love this! You make everything so much for your kids!!! And love your kitchen!! When do you go back to school?? Here in Pennsylvania we don't go back until September!!! It's only July, still summer lol

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    1. I start inservice on August 5 and kids come back the next week! It's so hot here by that point I'm totally over summer :) JEALOUS of your Pennsylvania weather!
      :) Andrea

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  23. I love your back to school decorations. You have seriously got it going on over there mama!

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  24. Sort of unrelated question: How did you go about finding the in-home child care you use during the fall/spring when you're working? Was this someone you already knew?

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    1. Great question! My mom watched Luke for the first three years - and when I had Mason she went back to work so we started the search. I know I wanted "in-home" because that's what I was most comfortable with. I interviewed about 6 in-home providers (recommendations from friends, friends of friends, etc.) and the minute I met Miss Lisa I knew she was "the one" :) I was 100% comfortable with her, her home and her family. She's state certified and I have NOT ONCE felt anything but great about sending my kids to her. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have other questions!

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  25. What a great way to ease back into school and fall! Love these ideas. Thanks, Andrea!

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  26. I just love your style and your blog, can you come to SC and decorate my house? Or better yet, I can move to TX and be your live in nanny. I teach preschool her in SC, so I'm qualified :). Of course I'd have to bring my two girls with me, but they are great baby sitters too! They start school on the 11th.

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  27. This is such a great tradition to make going back to school a happy and exciting thing! Although there are no tots running around my home just yet, you've given me inspiration to do something similar when the time comes!

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