Pay It Forward

I was lucky enough to be one of the first 3 to comment on Michelle's Pay It Forward post and received a wonderful gift just for me. I received a great smelling soap, some tea light candles and a wonderful note card all beautifully packaged. I thought I took a picture of the gift but couldn't find it on my camera. It was nice to get something in the mail that I didn't have to share for a change and that I didn't feel guilty telling the kids no they couldn't use it. Thanks Michelle!! Check out her blogs on homesteading and homeschooling:

http://steadfastathome.blogspot.com/

Now, be one of the first 3 to comment on this post and let me know you would like to Pay It Forward also. I will send you a little something just for yourself. In return you can post on your blog and do the same for the next three people. Just leave a comment that you want to participate and your email address and I will contact you for your address to mail your gift to. Looking forward to seeing who I can bless!!

Good-Bye Stanley

We had to say good-bye to our Flat Stanleys today as this was the deadline for them to be mailed to the next family on the list. We included a travel journal with them so that the exchange families could write all the places they go. Then, when we receive our Stanleys back we will hopefully have a travel journal, maybe with pictures, of his world travels. We gave a discription of each Stanley in the journal so the exchange family would know his likes and dislikes.

Each week we will get an email with pictures of our Stanleys and what they have been doing. In exchange, we will be doing the same with the Stanleys that we receive. I think this will be a lot of fun for the kids and we will be able to tie it into our geography lessons as we track our Stanley's journey across the nation and the world. That's right, they are going international! This is going to be so much fun!

Muffin Tin Monday Swap

Since the kids got to do a swap this summer I thought it would be fun for me to participate in one as well. I was paired up with Vone from Canada for the Muffin Tin Monday Swap and was absolutely surprised by what came in the mail. Since she is a world traveler, Vone thought of everything for us and the entire package will compliment our geography journey this year. We not only receieved muffin tins and items to use for our MTMs but a letter and pictures from her travels and her home, a spoon of Canada, postcards, some things from her girls, cookie cutters, toothpick flags from countries all over the world, chopsticks, a kimono charm that goes on a cellphone, and well, check out the picture of all the great stuff for yourself.

Thanks Vone!!!

We are going to really enjoy Muffin Tin Mondays, and our once a month Around the World meals!!

Christian's Super Summer Swap

This summer we participated in the Super Summer Swap put on by a lady named Hadley at another blog. Click the button below to visit her blog. The kids had so much fun getting to know someone else and making a new friend. Christian's swap partner was Hudson from Canada. We sent Hudson an art display that we made for him to hang his art work on, a postcard, a note that I typed but Christian told me what to write and then decorated it, a personalized dry erase board for him to practice his letters and numbers on, and some personalized magnets so he could hang pictures and artwork on the fridge. Christian's package arrived late so that is why I am just now posting about it. He was asking about his package since everyone else had recieved theirs so, when he recieved his today he was so excited!! In his package he got a water bottle carrier with "Canada" on the front, some bookmarks with Bible verses and animals on them, a kit to make a dog and cat puppet, a postcard and a chipboard album in the shape of a star. I think we will make a book out of it. I couldn't get my links to work today so go by and check the Scott's blogs at http://fifthstreetacademy.blogspot.com/ and http://sarahlscott.blogspot.com/.

Flat Stanley Swap

Okay, so we have been getting into swapping lately and it has been so much fun. I found this great one over at another blog and thought it could be our first fun project of the school year. I just signed us up and encourage you to check it out. I think it will be tons of fun for the kids to see all the places that Stanley ends up. Who knows, maybe he will end up a world traveler!!

Brogan's Super Summer Swap

All of the kids participated in the Super Summer Swap and Brogan got some really neat stuff. Her partner was "The Frog Princess" from Virginia and she had a lot of fun getting to know her. Brogan sent her a heart wreath that we made because "A Friend Loves At All Times", some personalized stationary that we made (hopefully they can keep in touch), some personalized magnets that we made, a postcard and note that she typed with just a little help from me, and a folder that she can keep all of her art or schoolwork in. I wasn't able to take a picture of all of Brogan's stuff that she recieved because she was just way to excited and ran off to her room with it. But I did manage to snap a few pictures of her opening her package. She got a rainbow necklace with her name on it, horse stickers, personalized notepad and pen, a homemade flower press (very cool!), a tooth fairy pillow (her favorite thing!), postcards of Virginia and Washington D.C., a letter from her new friend, and I feel like I'm forgetting something but it was all so cool! Brogan's package was even more special because so many of th items had her name on it. We NEVER find anything with her name on it so she thought it was all very special. I hope that they will continue to keep in touch! When we visited The Frog Princess' Mom's blog we saw so many cool craft projects. Brogan saw the tooth fairy pillow and said "Awe! I want one of those!". Well, she got it in her box and she was super excited! She said ""E" sent me just what I wanted Mom!". You can find the blog at http://pinkandgreenmomma.blogspot.com. I couldn't get the link to work but I encourage you to check it out!!

Codey's Super Summer Swap

The kids participated in the Super Summer Swap put together by Hadley over at the blog http://lifeofadairyqueen.blogspot.com/. They had so much fun corresponding with another child their age that they didn't know. Codey got Nathan, from Wyoming as his partner. They traded emails, and made a package for each other to send. Codey made Nathan a dry erase board with his name on it to hang outside his bedroom door for people to leave messages on when he isn't home, a memo holder for his soccer schedules or any notes, a postcard from Texas, some personalized magnets and a letter. Codey received all kinds of great information on Wyoming, some fishing stuff, some rocks (I think), and some other great stuff that Mom has never seen since we received it. Codey has just been having too much fun with all of it. This was fun for the kids and I hope that Codey and Nathan will continue to keep in touch. You can check out Nathan's mom's blog at http://delightfullearning.blogspot.com/.

Joshua's Super Summer Swap

The kids participated in the Super Summer Swap held over at http://lifeofadairyqueen.blogspot.com/ . They had fun picking out things for their partner and couldn't wait to see what they got as well. Joshua's swap partner was Cori over at http://scottchriscoricassicali.blogspot.com from Alaska. Joshua was they only one that did not receive a swap partner of his same gender. I was a little worried at first but he has loved emailing her and finding out what life is like in Alaska. Like a bad Mom I forgot to take a picture of what he sent her. But, here is what we sent: personalized stationary, personalized magnets, a horseshoe, a postcard of Texas, and there must have been something else but I just can't remember. Here is what Joshua received: an Ulu knife, a special knife used by the Eskimos for generations, a pooping moose (something that most boys get a kick out of in Alaska, and Texas too!), sponge waterballs, lots of books and info on Alaska, postcards (that were supposed to be for our world map but Joshua won't let me have them now), a chocolate bar, a sketch pad and pencils (Cori made the sketch pad out of a cereal box and thought of it just for Joshua. He mentioned to her that he liked to draw but that he did not think he was very good. She thought this way he could practice. Very Sweet!). Joshua had fun with the swap and met a new friend. I hope they can keep in touch!

Joshua with all of his goodies!