Reusing Spiral Notebooks

Are you at the part of the school year when you child comes home and tells you that she/he needs a new notebook the very next day, so you run to the grocery store and pay twice the normal amount for a sad little notebook?  No one wants to be the bad parent who sends their child to school without supplies.  And then do you repeat the exact same thing the next week?   I know I can't be the only one.  Right?!?!  Please tell me I'm right.


Do you have a stack of partially used spiral notebooks stashed away in a closet that came home from school at the end of the year?  Do you try to talk your little angel into using one of those old notebooks before you pawn your wedding ring (okay, I may be exaggerating a bit) to buy the overpriced notebook at the grocery store down the street?

Do you have a box of odd and end scrap booking supplies that you can't get rid of but you probably won't use?  Or, are you like me and buy scrap booking supplies but never scrapbook?

If you answered yes to these questions then grab your Mod Podge because I have the solution for you!

This little gem was the result of  "Mom!!!  I need a new Science notebook for school tomorrow!!"  I wasn't about to leave the house without my bra on and I wasn't putting on a bra to go get another stinkin' notebook. Don't judge... the sun was down and my jammies were on.  I checked the old notebook stash and remembered that when we moved I painstakingly dismantled all the old spiral notebooks so they could be recycled... but I found an survivor.  I located a vintage notebook from when my husband was in college about ten years ago.  JACKPOT!  Take a look at what we made with a paper bag, scrapbook supplies, and Mod Podge.  She loves it.

New School

This year the girls start a new school in Missouri that is HUGE! There are approximately 2000 students for grades 3rd-6th. Having the 6th grade there is a relief for me. If puts off Gigi going to middle school for another year and they will both be in the same school while we are stationed here.

Tuesday night Greta said that she is excited for school to start back because she likes making new friends... then she hesitated and said "but I don't like leaving my old friends." Oh, the life of the military family.

Gigi is her usual self - holding all her feelings in. She has mumbled a few times that she is nervous so that probably means that her anxiety is in high gear. Poor baby, she puts such pressure on herself to be fabulous at everything she does. One of the things that I know she is worried about is if she gets into the Talented and Gifted Program. That is an important way of how she identifies herself - a self proclaimed nerd. This new school is four times as big but fewer kids test into the program. Note I said test. She hasn't had to take a test to get into the program before. I keep reminding her that she just needs to do her best and that is what matters. She is fabulous not matter what.

I have been working on this post for a few days and two school days have passed.

Greta is not so sure about her teacher. She says she is nice but bossy (exactly what Greta needs). Today she brought home a little collection of papers all about her first week of school. Her first page said "My first week was not the best. Cause this school has diffret rules. But I am still haveing fun learning." I am not sure how I feel about that statement. I want her to have fun but I know Greta's idea of fun is only doing what she wants. This sums up Greta - The only part of "no" I don't understand is the part where I don't get what I want. Her art teacher seems like he will be awesome. He is excited to have the kids try all types of art... you know, the fun messy stuff.

Gigi loves her teacher. Ms. Lewis is quirky. She was wearing homemade clothes when we met her at Meet The Teacher night. I love that. She is into recycling and rarely turns the lights on in the classroom. Love it. Today she had the kids squirt toothpaste all over their desks. After they were finished she handed them toothpicks and asked them to put the toothpaste back into the tube. LOVE IT!!!

The bus turned out to not be as scary as Gigi thought. Each day they have had bus stories about who sat with who and how they felt about it. It was the highlight of Greta's day. ha ha