Pencil Box Party Favors

I made these fun little pencil box party favors for LB's 3rd Birthday party a while ago.

They were easy as pie to make and everyone loved them!

Here's what you do:

• Buy some inexpensive, plastic pencil boxes--these are the kind that slide in and out, and snap shut with that little button.
• Stock up when school-supplies go on sale! Or just keep your eyes open for these on clearance racks throughout the year. (I actually found these ones last January on sale for 10 cents each at an office supply store. I wasn't sure what to use them for but I couldn't pass up 10 cents.....and just knew I'd figure out a fun way to use them!)

• Cut out long strips of scrapbook paper and wrap one around each box, securing it with a piece of tape. 
• Cut out squares of another piece of scrapbook paper and stick it to the front with double stick tape.
• Cut out a square of white paper and write (or print out) a thank you/party favor message for your guests.

• Then, INSIDE the box put the party favors! 
• I put a small activity book, some crayons (a bundle of crayons with a small strip of scrapbook paper taped around it), and candy (all of which I got on clearance or free with coupons nonetheless. VICTORY!!)

• Once the boxes are all filled, place them in a big bucket---easy access for each little guest to choose a box to take home at the end of the party! 

Candy Tube

Here is an easy, fun, and unique present to give someone on a special occasion!

The boys and I made this for Daddy's Birthday last year. We tied balloons to it and took it to him at school. Needless to say, with a giant tube full of candy, he had many a friend that day. :)

Here's what you do:

• Find a long cardboard tube (like an old wrapping paper tube---the longer the better).
• Seal one end closed with a piece of cardboard and some tape (I used duct tape).
• Fill the tube with CANDY! (or any other fun and small objects). We used sixlets. 
• Seal the other end closed with a piece of cardboard and some tape.
• Decorate the outside of the tube
• We used foam sticker letters to spell Happy Birthday, and decorated it with a bunch of foam sticker shapes
• You can use stickers, paper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, and/or write on it with markers or crayons.

The boys and I made this for Daddy's Birthday last year. We tied balloons to it and took it to him at school. Needless to say, with a giant tube full of candy, he had many a friend that day. :)

Date Binder

If you are married with kids, you know how challenging it is to go out on dates with your spouse.

Here are some of the difficulties my husband and I have faced:

• We're busy. School, work, kids, church, etc. etc. etc.
• We're cheap. And often dates require money for the fun and babysitters.
• We're lazy. We just haven't taken the time to plan anything.

To fight these lame excuses for marital courting, I created a Date Binder for my husband and I to use throughout the year. Our simple goal is to have 3 dates/month broken down as follows:

1. A date to the temple (swapping babysitting with some friends).
2. A date at home (NOT just watching TV).
3. A date out (hiring a babysitter or swapping with some friends).

Here is the breakdown of what is in the Date Binder:

• In the inside pocket, I placed a few coupon books and takeout menus for easy access to cheaper and yummy dating. :)
• Next is a pencil pouch with 12 envelopes in it for each month of the year.

• I decorated the envelopes with stickers and by drawing little hearts with a red marker.

• Inside each envelope we are going to place a certain amount of cash that we can use for our dates for that month. We're not yet sure how much we are going to put in each envelope.....but it will include  the money for all 3 dates (and $ for babysitters if needed). (And our aforementioned cheapness will hopefully help us to be extremely creative on little money---a fine skill indeed).

• In the binder after the envelopes comes 2 lists. I spent an afternoon on the world wide web searching out some fun and creative (and cheap) ideas for dates. I compiled a list of around 100 ideas for Date Nights OUT, and a list of about 140 for Date Nights at HOME. (Just go to google and/or pinterest and type "date nights at home," "date night ideas," "creative dates," etc. etc. etc.
• On the sides of the lists, I also copied and pasted some pictures of my husband and I together throughout the years. Some are from other dates we've been on, which is fun to look at to motivate us. :)

Here's how we'll use the whole binder:

• At the beginning of each month, we will sit down and plan when we will do each of our 3 dates (coordinating with babysitters too).
• We'll sit down together and look at the lists in the binder. We'll see how much money we have for the month and then choose which idea we'll do for our date night at home, and which one we'll try for our date night out. 
• Completing these 2 steps are the MOST IMPORTANT!!! If we can plan WHEN and WHAT we are going to do, it's much more likely that our dates will actually happen! :)

My hope in creating this binder is that my husband and I can more easily strengthen our marriage by spending fun and meaningful time together. And by strengthening our marriage, we can strengthen our family as well. :)

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