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Moms Check In: #HalloWIN Twitter Party
Can you believe that fall is here? Leaves are changing colors….pumpkin spice everything is everywhere and Halloween is right around the corner! THIS is my favorite time of year! This week on Moms Check In we are wanting to know….what is your child planning on dressing up as for Halloween this year? And of course, invite you to our very own #HalloWIN Twitter Party happening next Thursday (Oct. 2) from
000000000The entire family is dressing up as Star Wars characters! I haven’t dressed up for Halloween in years but we found the BEST costumes for all of us at Halloween Express and I just had to get them. The kids are so obsessed with Star Wars right now that we’re sort of buried in it – books, movies, puzzles, toys. So this was perfect. I can’t wait to answer the door this year!0000000000000000
– Lindsay is the mom of 2 and author of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes. You can follow her on Twitter here!
I never dress up myself. I’m so boring. haha! The kiddo will be going as a Buzz Lightyear. He’s totally obsessed with him. He loves trick or treating and I think he’ll be tickled when he gets to wear his costume to school!
– Jenni is the mom of one and the author of Sweet Pennies From Heaven. A hearth and home website, Sweet Pennies From Heaven focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. Follow her on Twitter here!
We are so excited about Halloween! Joshua is going to be a Ghostbuster. He has been vacuuming up bad guys ever since his costume has come in! I will be dressing up too. I’m going all 1920’s and becoming a flapper. Complete with blonde hair. 🙂
– Amanda is the mom to Joshua and owns It’s a Fabulous Life. If you are looking for a one stop place for all things mom, It’s a Fabulous Life is it! Full of recipes, fashion, DIY projects, recipes and parenting articles it’s the place for all of Mom’s favorites to come together! Follow her on Twitter here!
For Halloween, Sam wants to go as Buzz Lightyear this year so he’s the hero. Mike and I are going as Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. With removable parts.
– Stephanie is the mom to Sam and the author of Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you ever need party ideas her site is the place to visit! Specializing in all things boy, it’s full of inspiration! Follow her on Twitter here!
What will your kids be dressing up as this year for Halloween?
Halloween Express is the perfect place to shop for everything Halloween! Including costumes! Don’t battle the store! Shop online and get a HUGE variety of costumes in stock! Everything is well organized, easy to find and many costumes even offer videos so you can see what the costume looks like on – from all angels!
Plus, we have some coupon codes for you! 🙂
Be sure to take advantage of the following coupon codes while shopping as well! Just enter in these codes during your check out.
Free Shipping :: FSMCIA2014ZLA
15% Off Your Entire Order :: MCI2014A
Be sure to visit Halloween Express on Facebook and Twitter!
But WAIT!!! You can enter to win one of EIGHT $100 gift cards to Halloween Express!
‘); // ]]>
DIY Light Up Haunted House – Easy & Fun Halloween Craft
When I was little my great-grandmother had a big dollhouse. I am assuming someone had made it. Inside there was furniture to move and tons of miniatures to create the perfect home. I loved playing with it! In fact, every time I was there that was my go-to thing. A few weeks ago I was thinking about the doll house. And the thought of making one popped into my head. BUT I have a boy. A boy who if I asked him if he wanted a doll house would look at me like I’ve lost my stinking mind. So I thought well, how awesome would it look sitting all decked out as a Haunted House? Fun right?
I was so excited. So I ran to the store and….those babies are a tad expensive! So while making one is still on my crafting bucket list, this year we decided to tone it down a tad. And make a smaller, light up haunted house. And guess what? It was SO fun. Seriously, the possibilities are endless! And it’s so easy! I think this could easily be a yearly tradition with the kiddos and creating your own, Halloween village!
So you need a house right? These paper mache houses are PERFECT! I love that the lid comes off (so you can easily make it a light up house!) and they come in different shapes and sizes. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby and this size was $5.99. It was 40% off too, so that made it only $3.60! If you don’t have a Hobby Lobby close by, you can order them through their website, but they only come in a pack of 3 (multiple sizes).
I had also picked up a few wooden birdhouses to try before I found this!
You can also look at Amazon. They have different shaped houses, but they are a little more expensive.
Paper Mache Christmas House 9 in. by Craft Pedlars
Paper Mache Gingerbread House 9 in. by Craft Pedlars
Paper Mache House 9 1/2 in. by Craft Pedlars
Then you just need craft supplies! Go crazy and use what you have! I used paint, scrapbook paper, small pebbles, Popsicle sticks and even wax paper!
I cut out ghost shapes from the wax paper and hot glued them in the windows.
To get it to light up I simply used an Energizer battery operated candle. I love that it flickers (because what haunted house doesn’t flicker?) and as a bonus, it smells like vanilla.
Since our house was lighting up I went ahead and stuck a piece of scrapbook ‘wallpaper’ inside.
I cut Popsicle sticks and painted them grey and just added the RIP with a fine tip Sharpie to create tombstones. The broom was a dollhouse miniature.
Our boarded up front door was just broken Popsicle sticks.
I added a few other small miniatures like pumpkins and on the roof I added two crows.
Our house is pretty simple, but I like it. You can get as creative as you want!
Here are a few miniatures I found online that would be perfect!
Dollhouse PUMPKIN PLATTER
Miniature Artisan Set of Halloween Pumpkins
Dollhouse HALLOWEEN CANDY BAG
Dollhouse Miniature Black Frightened Cat
Dollhouse HALLOWEEN BAGS 2 PCS
Sweet Handmade Look Miniature Twig and Wire Fence for Displays, Fairy Gardens, and Crafting
Dollhouse Tombstones, Set of 6
Halloween Pumpkin Tip
I love Halloween! I want to get pumpkins and carve them now! But, if you carve them too early then by the big night they are all mushy and moldy. YUCK. But I have a Pumpkin tip for you (or Halloween hack if you will…)
You know those silica gel packs that come inside boxes (like in shoes)? Well the reason they put those in there is to help draw out the moisture. So simply take a package and add it to your pumpkin! The gel will help to keep the inside of the pumpkin dry and prevent mold and mushy-ness.
You don’t have to open the package. You can put it in as it is. Yay! Here is to jack-o-lanterns lasting longer on the porch! 🙂
Just a safety note:
This gel is poisonous so please watch the little ones! Don’t let them put it in their mouth! Even in the package. The package was designed to let the gel ‘breath’ so you will want to make sure that it doesn’t get put in their mouth!
10 Festive Nail Designs For Halloween
Are you looking to get a little festive for Halloween? Maybe you don’t plan on dressing up, but want to do a little something fun. How about some fun nail art? Here are 8 fun Halloween nail designs to get you started!
First up are these fun spiderwebs from My Nail Graffiti. I love everything about this. The black matte nail polish is awesome! Perfectly spooky. Add spider webs and it becomes a little creepy. And the glitter glams it up!
I think that you could stop at any of the layers for a great Halloween manicure!
(Looking for a black matte polish? Try this one!)
These mini vampires and draculas from One Nail To Rule Them All are really cute! A fun way to add some character that’s for sure! Bonus: She shows you a how to tutorial on creating them!
Create some creepy spiders like Miss Lady Finger did I love this orange polish and think it would be perfect for adding some spiders to!
I love this classic French manicure with a festive twist that was created by Crafty Nail.
Want to learn how to add a ghost? Crafty Nail has you covered!
The PolishAholic was inspired by candy corn. The dots and stripes combo are absolutely adorable!
These pumpkin nails are so fun. And once again One Nail To Rule Them All has a great tutorial for you.
Nails in Nippon said that these skulls and crossbones were easy so I will take her word for it! I think it’s a great look!
This is a great way to add a little pizzaz to your next mani!
(Image source unknown)
I love this mix. Chevron, dots, glitter, basics, eye balls. Awesome design from Get Nailed!
So during Halloween do you dress up or do you do something else to get festive?
Back To School Sharpie Card – Teacher Gift Idea
| “This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media, Staples and Sharpie, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #SharpieBTS http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV” |
For us school starts soon! I always like to send Josh into school with a little something for his new teacher. Gifts have to be fun and practical. And really, can you get any more practical than school supplies? I’ve seen the candy bar cards ALL over Pinterest over the years, so I decided to make our own version using Sharpies!
My son called this the Ultimate Pun Challenge and we were very happy with our result. This was SO easy, inexpensive and I think it will be easy to re-create for teacher appreciation and end of the year cards as well. Plus, I think his teacher will love it!
First, you need to go get your supplies. You can find Sharpie markers at Staples. All Sharpie Fine and Ultra Fine markers will be on sale starting August 10th while supplies last!
The only other supplies you will need are poster board and tape. We also included a Staples gift card with our gift so that his teacher could pick up more Sharpies and other back to school essentials!
The instructions are really simple. Write your note onto the poster board. Make sure you leave enough space for a Sharpie to fit in place of some of the words. Then, just tape the Sharpie in place.
Simple huh? Here is our letter:
Yellow (Hello) Mrs. Miller!
I just red (read) that you were going to be my teacher! All of my black (back) to school blues (blues) vanished.
The other kids will be green (green) with envy. Orange (Aren’t) you excited about this coming school year? I am! Pink (pinky) promise it’s going to be great.
Love Joshua
P.S. In case this didn’t earn me any brown (brownie) points, maybe this gift card will help!
Because every teacher needs a Staples gift card! 🙂
And that’s it! SUPER easy! Plus, it’s a gift that will be loved and well used! Starting August 10th all Sharpie Fine and Ultra Fine markers will be on sale at Staples! (While supplies last!)
Summer Bucket List – Host a Fruttare Party!
This shop is part of a social shopping marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group (C) and Fruttare (C). All opinions are 100% my own. #PMedia You can read more here.
I absolutely love summer. I love sleeping in, warm weather and being able to spend so much time with our friends. Our mission for summer is to get out and PLAY! Josh wanted to invite some friends to one of the splash pad parks to play so we decided to ‘glam’ it up a bit and host a Fruttare party!
What is the world is Fruttare? They are the most delicious frozen fruit bars EVER! You can find them at Kroger and they come in the most amazing flavors like Mango, Pineapple, Black Cherry, and Lime. But they also have flavors that are fruit mixed with milk – Strawberries and Milk, Peaches and Milk and they taste just like a milkshake – on a stick! YUM. (Bonus: While supplies last through July you can buy a box of Fruttare and redeem a music reward! Each Music Reward is good for $4! You can redeem them here!)
We wanted our get together to be low key, but still really fun! Summer is not the time for stress! 🙂
The Decorations:
We held our Fruttare Party at a local park that had a fun splash pad so our decorations needed to be easy to bring and easy to set up! Some fun garland was the way to start!
Easy Peasy Circle Garland
You will need:
Construction Paper
Circle Punch
Sewing Machine
Seriously, this project could not get any easier! Punch out circles from the construction paper. Then, run them through your sewing machine to make one long ‘string’ of circles! I absolutely love it!
Total Time: 15 minutes!
Sweet Fruttare Inspired Frozen Treat Garland
You will need:
Pool Noodles – I used 2 for different colors!
Ribbon
Craft Sticks – I used the Jumbo size!
Hot Glue
I am in love with this project. I think it turned out ADORABLE!! 🙂 And it was EASY!
Start by cutting your pool noodle into sections. (I cut mine into pieces about 6 inches long.)
Once you have your noodle piece, you will want to split it in half. Do this by cutting down one side and then the other. When it is cut you should have two pieces. One side should have a small indentation on it from the hole that ran through your noodle. This will be the side that is the front of your treat! The indentation will give the illusion that there are two treats!
Luckily noodles are super easy to cut! You will need to trim down your noodle. On the back of the treat (the curved side!) trim off the excess noodle so it is flat. Then, snip the corners at an angle and you have a frozen treat! Almost!
Repeat this process for all of your noodle pieces. Then, lay out your ribbon remembering to leave some excess on the ends for hanging. Place one ‘frozen treat’ front side down and hot glue two jumbo craft sticks to the noodle. Place the ribbon on top and glue another frozen treat (this time right side up!) on top. Ta da! Finish gluing your treats to the ribbon!
Total Time: 45 minutes
Craft Sticks!
You will need:
Craft Sticks
Hot Glue
We glued craft sticks to an empty box to put our fruit salad in. Easy. Adorable. Fun.
(Total time: 5 minutes)
We also glued craft sticks together to make a ‘runner’ for the top of our table. SUPER easy!
(Total time: 5 minutes)
Washi Tape Sticks
You will need:
Washi Tape
Craft Sticks
Just tape it on! (Doesn’t get any easier, huh?) 🙂
Total time: 5 minutes!
The Food:
What is a party without food?
We wanted to keep it light with fruit salad,
Watermelon (on our Washi Tape Sticks!)
Sandwich Kabobs (because everything is better on a stick!)
AND of course Fruttare Bars! The highlight! 🙂
To drink, we had lemonade. Served in blue mason jars with fun paper straws of course!
The Entertainment:
For us, the entertainment was the park! The kids got to run and play! And come back for seconds on the Fruttare Bars!
Glamming up our park play date was so much fun and an unexpected treat for the kids! I love making our summer days a little more extraordinary! I really can’t think of a better day than friends, the park and Fruttare!
You can follow Fruttare online and on their social media pages Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
This shop is part of a social shopping marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group (C) and Fruttare (C). All opinions are 100% my own. #PMedia You can read more here.
Father’s Day Gift Guide
Father’s Day Gift Guide 2014
I Father’s Day is fast approaching! Are you ready? Father’s Day is about honoring the men in your life and saying thank you! I want the day to be special for my father and my husband and let them know that I appreciate the late nights, the early mornings, the dinners, bedtime stories, hugs, power tool lessons, tickle monster appearances, teaching me how to drive, and about a million other things that they do each and everyday.
We plan to celebrate in the morning with homemade cards, a yummy breakfast (probably French Toast and bacon – one of our favorites!) and then hanging out together doing some of dad’s favorite activities – hanging by the pool letting Dad work his magic on the BBQ! Oh and of course, we have some gifts for Dad! The kids LOVE helping to pick out a gift that Dad will love and they REALLY love giving it to him! What are you giving the Dad in your life? Lucky for you – we have a Father’s Day Gift Guide with some amazing options that any Dad would love to have!
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Brooks Brothers Gingham Shirt
Non-iron sport shirt, made from Supima® cotton oxford. Original Polo® button-down collar. Center back pleat. Front placket. Golden Fleece® embroidery at left chest. Contrast color on inside collar and cuffs. Deep yoke. Machine wash. Imported. Also available in Slim fit. They have many different colors to choose from, though I’m very partial to this blue color. As the country’s oldest clothing retailer, Brooks Brothers is proud to uphold the same traditions and values for nearly two centuries. We believe these are the reasons why our customers consider us to be far more than a store. You can learn more about the Brooks Brother’s history and heritage HERE. Be Sure to take a look at their full Father’s Day Gift Guide! You’re gonna love what they have to offer.
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John Varvatos Washed Linen Boat Shoe
They’ve merged their signature Schooner silhouette with a classic boat shoe design for a remarkable everyday slip-on. Finished with details like a laceless closure, vintage hardware as well as hand stitching on the washed linen exterior. Size & Fit: This shoe runs small; Please order a half size up. Complimentary Shipping & Returns. John Varvatos is a brand that occupies a unique place in the landscape of American design. It unites old world craftsmanship and refined tailoring with modern innovations in textiles and a rock ‘n’ roll sensibility. Launched in 2000 with a collection of tailored clothing and sportswear, the brand now represents an entire lifestyle that includes belts, bags, footwear, eyewear, limited edition watches, luxury skincare and fragrances, as well as the younger, edgier John Varvatos Star USA collection and Converse by John Varvatos.
Tessemae’s Father’s Day Grill Pack
Tessemae’s All Natural is the world’s fastest growing fresh condiment company. It started when the oldest of three brothers marched a Tupperware container filled with their mother’s homemade salad dressing recipe into the grand opening of a local grocery store back in 2009. Over the next 5 years, the brothers have achieved national distribution in Whole Foods Markets and Safeway grocery stores with a complete line of “clean” salad dressings, marinades, rubs, and sauces.
Tessemae’s has just launched their new Father’s Day Grill Pack. Complete with Ketchup, Honey Mustard, Teriyaki Sauce, Hot Sauce and brand new Slow Roasted Garlic Spread, this pack delivers the same real, simple, bold ingredients that can be expected from Tessemae’s.
The must-have culinary accessory for any dad who wants to perfect his grilling skills this summer, Tessemae’s is the perfect complement to grilled veggies, meat or protein. Using only all-natural ingredients (ones you know and can actually pronounce!) and made with no refined sugars, these paleo-friendly, dairy free, spreads and marinades can turn any BBQ into a real culinary feast. From now until June 10th, Tessemae’s is offering a special price ($25) for the entire grill pack with guaranteed Father’s Day delivery.
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Powercase & Powermat Bundle
A great gift to give that special dad or grad in your life more power and protection for his iPhone 5s or 5. The Duracell Powermat wireless charging pad and PowerCase together make powering and protecting your iPhone 5s a breeze. The PowerCase’s built-in 2000 mAh battery provides up to 100% extra battery power, while shielding your iPhone from nicks and bruises. The PowerMat lets you recharge your iPhone and PowerCase wirelessly by simply placing them on the mat—no need to plug in your iPhone. And if you’re at a different location from the PowerMat, you can also recharge your iPhone and PowerCase with a micro USB cable through the USB port on the case. You can also find these at the Apple store!
Cabelas Masterbuilt Sportsman Elite Window Smoker
This smoker is literally SMOKING and amazing! The smoker comes in 30″ (4 racks) and 40″ (6 racks). The smoker comes with Window and Stainless Steel Door — See how your smoked meats, cheeses or vegetables are coming along through the integrated window. Built-in meat probe displays the food temperature. Digital temperature and time controls. Thermostatic-controlled temperature. Built-in internal cabinet light. Four racks provide 730 sq. in. of cooking space. Can hold six racks for a total of 1,095 sq. in. of cooking area. 25-lb. capacity. What Father wouldn’t want one of these?
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Ray-Ban REMIX Sunglasses
Ray-Ban is giving YOU the power to custimze your own mix of sunglasses! You get to choose your style frame, lenses, and more. Ray-Ban has been producing timeless classics in eyewear for over 60 years. From their Aviator Classics, to their ever-popular Wayfarer Sunglasses, Ray-Ban has been at the forefront of Eyewear style. Now with Ray-Ban Remix, you can fully customize the look of your Ray-Ban sunglasses. Choose your model, the frame color, lens colors and more. You can even get a pair engraved just for your Dad.
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Harry’s Father & Son Shave Set
This is definitely one of my favorite gift guide ideas! What a better way to bring Father & Son together to create bonding moments while shaving? I’m a huge fan of this! Plus, you can even get the razor handles monogrammed! Like most of the men in your life, they’ve long had to choose between over-priced, over-marketed razors that disrespect your intelligence, and low quality, cheap razors that disrespect your face. They knew there had to be a better way, so they created Harry’s as a return to the essential: a great shave at a fair price.
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Nike+ Fuel Band
The Nike+ FuelBand SE Silver features polished stainless steel clasp, bezel and screws. It has handworked, mirror polished surfaces to highlight craftsmanship and detail. This is the perfect gift for the active Dad or even one who might need a little encouragement to get moving more. Nike’s Nike+ platform makes it easy to start tracking your progress and work towards higher goals.
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Omaha Steaks For Dad – The Dad Pack!
It’s time to treat dad this Father’s Day with custom-built combos guaranteed to thrill! We’ve assembled our customer favorites perfect for gifting and grilling and when you select the Father’s Day Deal, Father’s Day Favorites, Father’s Day Griller Package, or The Dad Pack, we’ll ship your entire order FREE and include 6 FREE Omaha Steaks Burgers to each address in your order! There’s never been a better time to spoil dad, and at these prices, you might as well treat yourself too!
Impress Dad this year and still get a Deal from your friends at Omaha Steaks. Succulent and tender – Dad’s sure to love our Filet Mignons. Bold, beefy and naturally lean, Top Sirloins will take Dad’s grilling to new heights. Add genuine Omaha Steaks Burgers, ground from our own lean beef, and Boneless Pork Chops and you’ve got something to impress every pop! Order now – Father’s Day will be here before you know it!
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Wine.com – Wine for Dad!
Celebrate your Dad this Father’s Day with some great wine! Whether you buy a few bottles for dinner, or sign him up for a monthly wine club membership, Wine.com has the best selection of wines online. Check out their selection of 90+ point wines for under $20! With their convenient services, huge selection of wines, and easy delivery…I’m sure you will find some great bottles for him to enjoy!
I know that Dad would be more than happy to receive any of these gifts! (Heck, I might get some of them for myself!) Not only are these great gifts to receive, but they are a lot of fun to give!
Dads give everything of themselves everyday – make sure to take Father’s Day to let them know how much they are loved and appreciated! After all, Dad deserves it!
This post is sponsored by Mommerce and the participating brands.
Teacher Appreciation Week – Easy Gift Ideas with Free Printable Tags
It’s Teacher Appreciation week! Starting today!! Are you ready? If not, don’t worry! We have lots of quick, easy gift ideas and even free printable gift tags to help you! Teachers do so much for our kids, so even if you can’t buy a gift make sure to write a quick note to let them know that they are appreciated!
For a very ‘POP’ular Teacher – attach to a movie gift certificate or to a yummy batch of popcorn! (Try our recipes for Cookie Butter Popcorn or Cookie & Cocoa Swirl Popcorn!)
NAILED it! free printable gift tag to attach to a nail polish or salon gift certificate! Pamper your teacher! 🙂
You are a ‘Scent’sational Teacher! Add our cute tag to a candle!
You Warm My Heart! What goes hand in hand with candles? A candle warmer!
Get the free printable tag here.
Keep your teacher hydrated with a cute new water bottle! (Filling it with chocolate is optional!)
Get the free printable tag here.
You are ‘So-Da’ Teacher! Add a little variety by choosing different flavors of soda (or buy a case of their favorite!) and adding our cute tag!
Get the free printable tag here.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
Being A Great Teacher? Nailed it! Printable Teacher Appreciation Gift Tag
Teacher Appreciation Week is NEXT WEEK! If you are looking for a quick, last minute gift idea how about picking up a gift certificate for a local nail salon for an after school visit for pampering? Or even just a few fun bottles of pretty polish?
Just save our printable tags and print on to card stock (I took mine to a local copy shop!) Then, attach to an envelope and put your gift certificate inside!
I’m sure your child’s teacher will be more than excited for a little bit of pampering!
And it couldn’t be any easier! 🙂
Check out some of our other Teacher Appreciation ideas here!
For A Very ‘POP’ular Teacher Free Printable Tag for Teacher Appreciation
This past weekend was filled with amazing Cookie Butter Popcorn and Cookie & Cocoa Swirl Popcorn. While we were munching away — and I was wishing I had the will power to stop — I thought I know! Let’s be awesome and give some away! Who wouldn’t love this?
So Josh and I headed out and found these super cute Popcorn boxes at World Market. ($4.99 for 12 boxes)
No World Market? Check out Amazon! They have similar boxes available! (Check them out here.)
I love these because they are so easy to make and you can fill it with the popcorn ‘flavor’ of your choice! (Above is the Cookie & Cocoa Swirl Popcorn – get the recipe here)
This is our Cookie Butter Popcorn! (Get the recipe here)
Before sending these off to school, I suggest getting some plastic treat bags and filling them and then putting the treat bag in the popcorn box. That way you can seal it up and it will stay fresh! You can get them pretty inexpensively on Amazon. (See them here.)
Just save the picture to your computer and make to fit one page. I printed mine at a local copy shop onto card stock.
They would also be fun to attach a movie theater gift card to!
Check out some of our other Teacher Appreciation ideas here!
