Booing in the 'Hood 2013

For the past couple of years,

our family has enjoyed getting the

"booing"

started in our neighborhood.

(You can read about how we started this tradition

by going HERE...)

This year's goody bags included an array of goodies...

I found a couple of cute felt bags

at a consignment sale

to put our treats in...

($.50 a piece- SCORE!)

Both candy...

...and stickers layered the bottom of the bags.

I also wrapped up some Dum-Dum suckers

in tissue paper

to make them look like ghosts.

My favorite thing that was added to bags this year

was the Skeleton Surprise Balls.

I give Miss Martha total props

for coming up with such a cute idea...

Inside these crepe paper skulls

have several little toys

wrapped up inside of them.

I used marker to create the skull faces.

After filling the bags with the goodies...

...I placed a copy of the booing directions

(which I found HERE)

in the bag...

...with one of the sucker ghosts

on top.

Here they are-

Boo Bags,

ready to spread some Halloween fun!

Back-to-School Bookworms

For the past few years,

our neighborhood has hosted a

"Back-to-School Breakfast"

in an effort to get the kiddos

up and out of bed

and excited for the new school year.

I have provided a craft at all of these celebrations.

(You can see the Pencil Toppers we made in 2010

by clicking HERE.)

This year's craft was inspired by

JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store-

I taught the kiddos how to make my version of...

...Book Worms!

Supplies:

Pip cleaners

Buttons

Pony Beads

Craft glue

Googly eyes

Step 1:

 Decide what color of pipe cleaner you want for the worm's body

and  style of button you want for the worm's head.

Step 2:

 Push the pipe cleaner

through one of the holes of the button.

Step 3:

 Push the pipe cleaner back through

a different button hole.

Step 4:

Twist the small section of pipe cleaner

you looped through the button holes

over and around the rest of the pipe cleaner.

Step 5:

 Thread the pipe cleaner

with pony beads

to decorate the worm's body.

Step 6:

 To close off the end,

leave some of the pipe cleaner un-beaded,

and pull up the last pony bead a bit.

Loop the end of the pipe cleaner

over the extra pony bead...

 ...and twist it around the extra bit of pipe cleaner...

...to create a close off tail end.

Step 7:

Use craft glue to secure eyes on the button face

and you have yourself a book worm!

I loved watching the creative minds

of the kiddos at the breakfast...

They came up with all different kinds of book worms-

not one was the same!

4th of July Fun in the 'Hood

Every 4th of July,

our neighborhood hosts a little "parade"...

...with ice cream and water games afterwards.

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The kiddos and I got all dressed up...

...in our patriotic garb.

Jungle Girl chose to walk our

"patriotic polka-dotted pooch,"

Lady,

in the parade...

 ...while the younger kiddos rode their

decorated scooters.

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Many families participated in the parade...

...with various forms of transportation.

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After "marching" down the main rode of the 'hood,

we met at the end culdesac for...

...ice cream!

Yummmmmmmm!!!

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After ice cream,

we met in the common area for some fun!

There were hula-hoops and bouncy balls to play with...

...as well as water balloons.

But the "star attraction" of the day was

the dunking booth.

The kiddos that wanted took turns being dunked 

by other kiddos

(and parents!)...

(Some of them OBVIOUSLY liked it more than others...

I hope Little Wild Man will enjoy it more next year!)

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By 12:30,

we had all the mess cleaned up

and were collapsed on the couch,

enjoying the air conditioning...

Ahhhhhh...

We hope y'all had a lovely

Independence Day, too!

Gratitude Challenge Day 20: The 'Hood

Day 20

I LOVE our neighborhood.

Really.

Truly.

Like,

if we won the lottery,

I don't think we would move-

we would just add onto our house

'cause we like it so much here...

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We have a social event every couple of months

in the 'hood,

like the Spring Easter Egg Hunt,

the 4th of July Parade,

and the August Back-to-School Breakfast.

This October,

we encouraged the kiddos to...

...bust out there chalks and get creative

for our 1st annual...

...Concrete Chalk Art Contest.

It kept our kiddos...

...and their friends...

...busy for hours...

...creating masterpieces.

I am thankful for all our happenings in the 'hood!

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For more attitudes of gratitude,

head on over to the 

Gratitude Challenge 2011...

"Cars" Neighborhood Movie Night

Last Friday evening
we spent in the 'hood...

...cruisin'...

...down...

...Route 66.

(Well, actually down Lufkin Lane...)

About 30-40 people in the neighborhood
met up to watch
Cars,
outside,
in preparation for the Cars II
movie release later this Summer.

Before it was dark enough to watch the movie,
we all met up in a cul-de-sac
for some crafty fun...

...by giving our cars...

...some personality.

(I originally got this idea from the fabulous
Family Fun site,
and used it for an Enrichment class.)

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Besides crafty kiddos,
we brought Plasma Cars, Scooters,
Hoola Hoops, etc.
and had some...

...hop-tastic...

...hippy-happy...

...ball-istic...

...twisty-tailing...

...hoop-hollerin'
good time!

(All these animated photos
were made with the use of
Make A Gif-
So FUN!)

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After all that activity,
we all settled down with some popcorn...

...and our cars for a movie.

Checking off some more fun
from the
Summer Bucket List...

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Check out more Summer Bucket Fun
over at
Little Wonders' Days
Summertime Fun Party...