Miscellaneous Madness: Kids Book Club!

As we told you last week, we recently hosted our first kids book club with a bunch of good buddies and had a blast -- and even some actual discussion of the book we read: Magic Treehouse's "Lincoln at Last." Summer Bucket List -- check. Head over to Honest to Nod to get the full scoop!

Artworks: DIY Chalkboard Tag Notebooks

A few weeks ago, we had our very first kiddo book club with a group of friends. Our core group included kids ranging from rising pre-K to rising-1st graders, but a few younger siblings were included, too. To help keep everyone focused (or occupied) during our discussion, we made these super cute chalkboard tag notebooks.

Here's the deal -- you'll need:

- hardcover cardboard notebook (we bought some cute bold graphic patterned ones from Target -- they were under $2 each);
- chalkboard paint (a little can like this will do);
- painter's tape; and
- a foam craft brush

If you want a super clean tag and/or are trying to cover up something on the front of the notebook (we were doing both), have a parent help you outline your painting area with the painter's tape. If you want to do it free form, you likely don't need any help.

Paint thin coats (we did 5 coats) of the chalkboard paint with your craft brush -- allowing each coat to dry sufficiently in between.

Once dry, carefully peel off tape, prime it a bit by rubbing with chalk, and write your name!

Miscellaneous Madness: A Day in the Life (June 2014)

Well, mom did a great job with last month's 12 in 12. And then promptly forgot this month. Just for a day, though. She remembered early the morning of the 13th and mostly made up for it. Friday the 13th. The end of our first week of summer break and the day before we left for a family vacation to Jamaica. Needless to say we were both tired and excited, and mostly hung out at the house prepping and packing for our trip. AND did lots and lots of crafting for our first ever kids book club that we hosted that evening, obviously (more to come on that soon). Hope everyone else's summer is off to a great start! Don't forget to pop over to No Monsters in My Bed and Where the Watermelons Grow to see what they were doing in June.

7.30 am -- mom comes downstairs to find that Kane set up almost all of his "guys" in an epic battle in the living room. He was still in technical compliance with her demand to "keep his room picked up."

8 am -- Cam has her morning juice at the window {with some "guys"}.

9 am -- we make mom birthday cards and she pretends not to know.

10.15 am -- our kids book club read The Magic Treehouse's "Abe Lincoln at Last," which involves giving Abe hope with a feather. So we cut out colorful feathers to use in a club "hope jar."

11 am -- Kane works on the book club "ballot box" -- for voting on our club name, of course.

12.15 pm -- we get a show while mom gets a shower.

1.05 pm -- we decide to run a few errands just as the skies about open up.

2 pm -- lunch at Busboys & Poets -- the rain is relentless, so we stick around for apple pie.

3 pm -- Cam helps pack for vacaye by trying on all her vacation clothes. Super, super helpful.

4.45 pm -- book club set up.

7.15 pm -- Cam helps with a photoshoot for an AFL guest post.

8 pm -- bathtime -- Cam insists on still using her baby bath towel. It's so cute, we let her.