Mother's Day

I'm so glad I live just an hour away from my mommy and get to see her regularly. We usually have get-togethers about every month, but here recently we haven't just because hubs and I have been busy or my parents have been busy.

Mom and Dad's new outside pup Buddy (it was difficult to get a good pic because he's so full of energy)

Mother's Day is one of those untouchable days, though, where I make sure to visit her. I hadn't seen my parents since my brother's birthday in January, so I was definitely due!

I saw this on Pinterest and decided to make some for Mom. The website gives great instructions, but here's some pictures to show you what I did.

First, open the can from the bottom with a can opener. Eat (or take out) the contents, wash, and dry the can. Then, fill with goodies. I put some of Mom's favorite candies inside along with some other little gifts.

My contents: Boston Baked Beans, Raisinets, Peanut M&Ms, York patties, lottery tickets, gift card, and 'thank you' chain.

Put tissue paper over your goodies to protect them when you hot glue the bottom of the can back on.
Create labels for your cans with scrapbook paper. I just used leftover pieces I had that were about the right size. You can even create a label to glue on. (The website above has some you can just print out or use as a template.) Add a ribbon to the tab on top and... WALLAH!

My mom loved the gift. I had her open the red-labeled one right away, the one with my two-page chain of "thank you" messages. The rest she can open when she wants to.

Oh, I love my mommy!

And the Mommy Award Goes to...

. . . my mommy, of course! Ok, so I'm a little biased!

She's been a great mommy though. I love her so, so much!

Diapers and doctor visits. Tears and tantrums. Laundry and laughter and love. 

She's been through so much. How could I not appreciate her?!

Thank you, Mom, for raising me to be me.

Operation Mother: Complete

Don't know why, but I felt the need to share this lovely, blurred out picture of my students. This was the last picture I took of them today, which (every teacher knows) is always the silly picture. It's like an unspoken rule. You can't take a class picture unless you take at least one silly picture too. [Unless it's the class picture day, of course.]

Today was planting day! We took our beautifully painted pots, grabbed a handful of soil each, and planted our two flowers. [I just hope the kids remember to give them water when they got home!] Then, we made sweet little cards in the shape of flowers and watering cans.

Mission accomplished!

I can just imagine the smiles that spread across mothers' faces everywhere as the children climbed into their cars or plodded into the house with the flowery surprise...

Painting Fools

The kids and I have just been painting fools lately. Last week we painted watercolor designs for this bulletin board. Then, we cut out flower and raindrop shapes. That was fun.

This week we're working on Mother's Day gifts.

Each year, a local home improvement store donates enough pots, dirt, and flowers for each kid in my class. I was telling a fourth grade teacher about our annual project, and they ended up getting their supplies donated too. How awesome is that! All you gotta do is ask, right?

I let the kids paint their pots. Then, the next day, we add the dirt and plants and make a shape or pop up card for that special lady in our lives.

This is one of my favorite projects in fifth grade that I'll be taking with me when I move down next year. The kids enjoy it too. I'm so thankful that this local business is so willing to help. We definitely wouldn't be doing this project without their charitable donation.