Lucy's Three Year Portraits

Spring Fever Part 3 - The $5 Challenge

I've been reading the 'crafty' blogs lately, they have been inspiring my 'redo' projects around the house. I love a limited budget or no budget project. A friend's blog lead me to Living with Lindsay. Here I found the $5 challenge. The challenge was to create a spring decoration with only supplies from a dollar store and only spending $5. This was screaming my name! I headed out with the girls to the dollar store the next day. By the time I saw this blog, I only had 3 days to come up with a project, make it and blog about it. Here goes:

As I was shopping, I saw a basket with blue polka dot trim. I decided that I would make my own Easter basket, since I only have baskets for the girls. This would be something just for me, just for decoration and NOT for little hands. This is rare in my house.

I purchased the flower frames $1 each, the basket $1 and a package of the eggs on sticks (I'm sure there is a real name for these, I think they should go in a floral arrangement) in a package of 4 for $1. I got the ribbon in the dollar spot at my favorite store. . . It was part of a 5 pack for $1. This is how I spent my $5. The rules also allowed the use of paper, glue and tools if you had them on hand. So, I added some scrapbook paper that I had been saving for a rainy day.

First, I took the handle off the basket. I didn't like how it looked and as above, this would just be for decoration. Not something for little ones to carry around, so no handle needed.

Then, I needed some filler. My $5 didn't allow for a bag of Easter grass, so I made my own. It is so much cuter than the stuff in the bag! I just used my zig zaggy scissors and cut up some of the paper.

Ok, little hands were involved in the project. I just can't keep them away. My little helping hands crumpled up the strips that I cut and filled my basket for me.
Then, I used some of the other paper to embellish the frames and the basket.

Viola! Here is Mommy's Easter Basket. What could be better to fill my basket with than pictures of my little chicks!

I left the little boxes empty just in case someone wants to stop by with some chocolates or jelly beans. . .

That's it for my $5 challenge and maybe for my spring fever. The weather has been beautiful for MN lately. Do I dare believe that spring is actually here?

Vacation

It was hard to choose just a few pictures for this post. . . so, I didn't . I took over a hundred. I know my mom is the only one that would actually want to see them all, but there are so many that I just love.

MUCH to my dismay, there isn't a good one of all four of us. It might take me until our next Florida vacation, but I'll get over it eventually. Here are my favorites of Jer and I with both girls.

I also have quite a few pictures of the scenery, the shells and the wildlife. Here are my top three. I loved the pelicans. They were huge. I only saw one swoop down and grab a fish out of the ocean, but they were everywhere on the beach.

The first day we were there, we were greeted by a dolphin. It came so close to us. It was chasing a fish around and actually caught it and threw it up in the air once. Awesome.

The gators! We had to do it, maybe you thought we were kidding, but Jer for sure had to go to a 'gator farm'. The ones behind Lucy are real. . .

Here are my faves from the beach.

We made a stop at the Twins spring training facility.

On the way down and the way back, we stopped in Nashville to visit Jer's aunt and uncle. Here are some pics of the girls at Uncle Bruce and Auntie Julie's.

Lucy was pretty much given carte blanche in Julie's closet. Jewelry, shoes, handbags etc. Lucy tried it all and loved every minute of it!

Bruce and Julie have a beautiful home and a beautiful yard. They put this bench in the back yard with the hopes that little visitors would enjoy a rest there. Lucy had the honor of having her picture taken there.

A very special date was set for our return trip. Julie invited Lucy to a tea party. Here they are making plans.
On our way home Lucy got to have her very special tea party.
Here she is at the table. It was completely set with real china, candles and Lucy got to pick which of Julie's tea cups she wanted to use for the day.
Here she is being served her 'tea sandwich'. It was such a special occasion for Lucy and a wonderful stop for all of us on the way home.

We made it home last night, tired, but with smiles on our faces. I think we were in the car for 54 hours round trip. That sounds crazy, but with some toys, books and movies it was a great trip.

I can't wait to do it again next year.