Back to School Lunch Tip: Label Your Child’s Lunchbox and More!

Posted on August 17, 2023 by danielleridgway

Back to school is here!

It feels like summer just flew by. We have been so busy soaking up all the summer fun, going to dance camps, and getting ready for KINDERGARTEN! I am still in disbelief that she is in elementary school now — seems like yesterday that I was bringing her home from the hospital.

Anyways, kindergarten is such a big step in a child’s life. There’s way more responsibility on a little and they have to gain independence too. As a parent, it’s so hard to just let them go into this stage without being able to help as much as we have until this point. One way I’ve tried to be proactive and help Mila succeed during her kindergarten year was with specific tools and practice.

I love sharing what works with our family to help others, so here’s my tips. If you have any other different tips to help parents/guardians and their kids for lunchtime at school, comment them below.

Custom Labels from Name Bubbles

The BIGGEST tool I’m using to help Mila is our Custom School Supply Labels from Name Bubbles.

We have used Name Bubbles’ labels before and they work amazing. Their labels are perfect for lunchtime items because they are dishwasher safe, microwave safe, freezer safe. laundry safe. and waterproof.

Mila and I put her labels on her water bottle, bento box, lunchbox, and freezer pack. It might just be Mila, but I feel like I’m constantly washing her lunchtime items by hand-washing them and throwing the lunchbox bag in the washing machine. I don’t have to worry about Name Bubbles’ labels coming off of these items since they are so durable.

Another fun reason we love Name Bubbles Custom School Supply Labels is because Mila got to pick out her favorite design, font, and colors. That’s pretty cool for a kindergartener. For parents and guardians, it’s easy to help them design their custom labels too. It just is a little detail that makes their day so much more special at school.

Plus you can use GreySkies10 to save on your Name Bubbles order!

I love all the designs they have, so I had to share some of the ones they have on their website:

Here’s some ways using Custom School Supply Labels from Name Bubbles can help your child at lunchtime during back to school season:

Prevents mix-ups. It can be easy for kids to mix up their lunchboxes with their friends’, especially if they look similar. Labeling your child’s lunchbox will help to avoid this problem.
Helps with allergies. If your child has any food allergies, labeling their lunchbox will help to ensure that they do not eat anything that could make them sick. I personally have a peanut allergy, so this is so important to me. Just by labeling lunchboxes, children can avoid having a tragic allergic reaction.
Encourages independence. When kids know that their lunchbox is labeled, they are more likely to take responsibility for packing it themselves. Mila is very keen on helping get food for her lunch. It’s such a special time for us to pack it together, especially since she takes ownership of the food and her lunchbox. This can help to build their independence and self-confidence. This also helps at school too. A child can easily find their lunchbox by looking for their custom label.
Makes it easier for teachers and staff to help. We know mix ups do happen though. If your child needs help finding their lunchbox, a teacher or staff member will be able to easily identify it if it is labeled.

2. Make their lunch fun!

If I know anything about kindergarteners, it’s that they like to have FUN!

Usually the simple and little things are the most fun for kids. This is especially true for their lunches too. I have a few ways I try to do this for Mila. It does take some extra time, but for me, it pays off. She always lets me know the little surprises make her smile at school. At the end of last year, she even started having fun requests too.

Fun shapes. I use different sandwich cutters for her sandwiches to surprise her. Her favorite is butterflies, but I like to switch it up week to week and especially on the holidays. I also try to cut different fruits in fun shapes for her too.
Napkins. This seems so basic, but adding random colored or themed napkins make a difference. Mila always knows there’s a special holiday going on when I change up her napkins.
Make it a surprise. As much as Mila loves to help me out with her lunches, sometimes i switch what I make up. She loves when this happens.
Switch up containers. Mila has a few different bento boxes, water bottles, reusable bags, etc that gets changed out every other day. Just make sure to label everything with your Custom School Supply Labels from Name Bubbles!

3. Always include a special note.

This one really seems simple, but it makes all the difference.

I add a note in her lunchbox everyday. Even though she can’t read it, she’ll ask her teachers to read it for her. BUT if they don’t have time, I try to draw a picture or ‘love hearts’ in her note so she knows that I’m sending love her way.

These notes are just a little reminder that your child is being thought of by you. I know Mila looks forward to what she’s going to get every day.

4. Practice unwrapping, opening, and getting food and lunchboxes with your child.

They will feel so confident that they can do it themselves and it’s helpful for the teachers and staff on duty to help other kids who cannot do these things themselves.

No matter what, your child is going to do great this year when they go back to school. I hope some of these lunchtime tips will help ease your and your child’s mind a little before getting to school. Again, if you have any other suggestions, please comment below.

I will be sending out love to everyone in this back to school season. It’s been a hard one for me, but I’m so thankful for all the support and love that friends and family have shown Mila and me.

Please make sure to use GreySkies10 when you check out Name Bubbles and their Custom School Supply Labels. They are so helpful in Mila’s lunchtime experience.

Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Posted on April 25, 2023 by danielleridgway

Teacher Appreciation Week is a week-long celebration of teachers in the United States. It is held in the first full week of May, and is a time to thank teachers for their hard work and dedication to their students.

The week was first celebrated in 1984 by the National PTA, and is now celebrated in schools and communities across the country. There are many ways to show your appreciation for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, such as:

Writing a thank-you note
Sending a gift card or flowers
Making a donation to a teacher’s favorite charity
Volunteering in the classroom
Simply saying “thank you”

Teachers are an important part of our society, and they deserve our appreciation every day. Teacher Appreciation Week is a special time to show our gratitude for all that they do.

I am so thankful for Mila’s preschool teachers. They have taught her so much content and how to be a good human. She truly loves and cares for them, as do I! It’s so important to use to give back to them to show them how much we care.

In the past, we’ve made some fun gifts that you can DIY:

Obviously we love to give plants as a gift since we love them so much, but food and personal care items are also a hit too!

I think we’ll be doing something with mint this year since I have an abundance of it! Plus who doesn’t need mint?

Here are some other ways you can show your appreciation for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week:

Bring in breakfast or lunch for your teacher.
Have your child make them a card or draw a picture.
Write a letter to your local newspaper or school board expressing your appreciation for teachers.
Attend a school board meeting and speak in support of teachers.

Teachers are essential to our society, and they deserve our support. No matter what you do, show them how much we appreciate them during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Please let me know in the comments your favorite way to show teacher appreciation or links to a gift you’ve done before.

11 Earth Day Ideas To Do With Your Child

Posted on April 21, 2023 by danielleridgway

Happy Earth Day friends!

Although we believe Earth Day should be every day, here’s a few ways you can show your love for our earth with your child. There’s a mix of no cost, no prep ideas with more prep and some cost ideas. But they’re all ways to show some love to Mother Earth.

Plant a tree.
Make a bird feeder. Birds are important pollinators, and they can also help to control pests. Making bird feeders can be really easy too! We’ve DIY’d a few bird feeders the last few years. Every time it’s so fun to make with Mila. Check them out here: Rainbow Heart Bird Feeder, Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder, Birdhouse Motel.
Go on a nature walk. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, my little absolutely loves getting outside and exploring. Going on a nature walk and having her find different things while walking is always a hit! You can have littles do a Nature Scavenger Hunt or look for something specific depending on their interests. Either way, getting outside is always a great idea.
Help to clean up a local park or beach. This is a great way to teach kids about the importance of keeping our environment clean. I swear Mila constantly asks if we can pick up the trash on the side of the road every time we’re in the car. Maybe one day, but we just focus on our walking paths for now.
Learn about recycling. There are so many fun ways to teach kids about recycling. This water activity let Mila see the impact of what our trash does to our oceans.
Make a bug hotel. Get a cardboard box, paint it, fill it with leaves/twigs/flowers/rocks, and set outside. Bugs will love the space and you can learn about them while they’re exploring their new hotel.
Make a compost bin. Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of food waste that goes to landfills. We have not started one at our house yet, but it is a huge goal of mine to finally do it. One day soon and I’ll make sure I share with you guys too.
Start a garden. Growing your own food is a great way to teach kids about where their food comes from and how to eat healthy. We absolutely love making a garden every year. Some years we start off with seeds and others we get starts. Either way, it’s a great way to celebrate Earth Day!
Make seed bombs.
Paint a pot. We have a lot of plants in our house, but seemingly never enough pots. A fun way to either get a plant for your home or replant a new one is for your little to paint a pot. When Mila does this, she knows she’s in charge of watering and checking in on that plant. It helps teach her responsibility and broaden her love for our Earth.
Don’t use paper or plastic plates. This is a huge one! We normally don’t use paper plates or any cutlery that you can throw away. It helps reduce waste and we get to buy really cute plates too.

I’d like to end this post by saying, it’s okay if you don’t do any of these things. Being a parent/guardian is hard work and you’re doing your absolute best!

Here are some other Earth Day projects if you’re feeling inspired:

Death Wish Coffee Co. Espresso Roast: My New Fav Coffee

Posted on March 30, 2023 by danielleridgway

If you’re looking for an Espresso Roast that’ll give you an extra kick, you’re going to want to check out Death Wish Coffee Co.

For Christmas this year, Josh bought me an espresso machine. I was so excited because I’ve wanted one for a while, but never treated myself to one. So when I opened it up, I instantly wondered what the best type of espresso I could get to make at home.

I’ve tried a few different kinds… but Death Wish’s espresso roast is my absolute favorite.

To be honest, I love the name of the company and the logo is a skull and cross bones. It feels like a bad ass brand and it automatically brings that with their marketing and packaging. When I was in college, I got a secret tattoo that I hid from my parents that’s a skull. Instantly, their brand spoke to my once (it’s still in there somewhere, right?) bad ass soul. Their website constantly makes me smile with their wording, but what completely won me over was actually tasting their brews.

Death Wish Coffee Espresso Blend is a dark roast coffee that is made with a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans. The coffee is roasted to a deep, dark perfection with rich notes of cocoa, caramelized sugar and cherries. The result is a rich, intense cup of coffee that is perfect for espresso drinks.

Here are some reasons why Death Wish Coffee Espresso Blend it’s so good:

It is a BOLD coffee with a high caffeine content.
It is a flavorful coffee with notes of cocoa, caramelized sugar, and cherries.
It is a versatile coffee that can be used in a variety of brewing methods, including espresso, drip coffee, and French press.
It gives me a ton of energy.

So far, I’ve made some fun coffee recipes with it for St. Patrick’s Day, like a delicious Lucky Charms cereal milk coffee. You need to try using cereal milk as creamer… so good! I also use it for my daily caramel macchiato. Death Wish‘s blend gives me a bigger boost then going to get my normal order any where else.

Personally, I love the taste, the overall vibe of the brand (you have to check out their socials), and how they have a subscription service so I’m never out of my favorite coffee. Death Wish Coffee Co says their coffee slaps back and I’d have to agree.

Although I’ve been obsessed with making my espresso in the morning because of my fabulous new machine, I’m totally wanting to try their new brew: Dark Spirits. It’s a mint chocolate whiskey brew that ( can only imagine starts the morning off perfectly. I have to get it soon so I can try it out in different cocktails too.

I’ll get back to you when I eventually try it out!

No matter what your go to brew is in the morning, you can find it at Death Wish Coffee Co. Here’s their current blends you’re gonna need:

Columbian Blend
Espresso Roast
Dark Spirits
Blue and Buried
Dark Roast

Let me know when you try out Death Wish Coffee Co and what blend is your favorite.

I did receive this coffee blend from Death Wish Coffee Co. as a gift, but would totally recommend them to all! Since I am a Death Wish Coffee Co Affiliate, if you do purchase labels from my links, I will get a small percentage of the sales.

An Easy Valentine’s Day DIY with Sticker & Co

Posted on February 2, 2023 by danielleridgway

If you’re looking for an easy, but cute Valentine’s Day gift — look no further than Sticker & Co’s Valentine’s Day collection. They have so many fun stickers that your Valentines would love to receive this year.

One of my favorite things from Sticker & Co was their sticker greeting cards. I actually stuck it on a magnet so I could keep it on the fridge. Our fridge is constantly covered by pictures and artwork. This sticker greeting card was a must needed Valentine’s Day update. Mila saw it instantly and was in love with it.

I’m sure she’ll be using this sticker greeting card as a magnet for all her heart-themed projects this year.

Since all of their stickers were so cute, I had to get some to make gifts.

The easiest gift to make with stickers is to decorate a mug! I feel like everyone needs a good mug and stickers make it even more personable. My favorite one was the “I Love You Sign Language Pink Sticker.” I’ve been teaching Mila a few ASL words and she’ll definitely love her new hug chocolate mug.

There’s a ton of different stickers to decorate mugs, cups, and water bottles too. The one that made me laugh was “You are one hot dog” and “You have a pizza my heart” stickers. They would be absolutely perfect for your partner.

Check all the Stick & Co stickers out, here.

One of the best parts of making a quick Valentine’s Day gift with Sticker & Co is that you’ll get what you need quick; they ship within 1-3 business days. Plus, you can save 20% off site wide when you use the code: SWEETIE.

Let me know in the comments some ideas you have to make with the Sticker & Co’s stickers OR which sticker is your favorite.

*This post inlcudes affiliate links. If you purchase one of these cute stickers or anything from Sticker & Co, I may get small commission.*

Halloween Activity Basket

Posted on September 25, 2022 by danielleridgway

It’s officially spooky season!

We love Halloween in our home and have so much fun with it every year. Last year, I made a Halloween preschool activity box for Mila and decided to make a new one this year! Filled with fun activities, this basket gives her busy tasks to do after school or while dinner is getting made. I love to have fun and engaging activities for Mila when she comes home, but sometimes, I can get busy. This basket will have the same activities in it all month long so she knows what to expect.

Let’s dive inside.

I got most of the items in person at Target, various dollar stores, and Joanns Fabrics. BUT, I searched online to find you all similar items incase you’d like to do this with your child. As with any links I have on here, I might get a small percentage with every purchase.

First, I got this orange basket at the Dollar General. Their baskets are always so good at an even better price. To make it festive, I used The Letter Vee‘s printable with some fun yarn.

I also have some other fun Halloween printables from The Letter Vee. She has a ton listed that are perfect for spooky season, but I put the spooky alphabet sheet for letter recognition and a coloring page. Both are great for a quiet activity. There’s also some blank papers in there for Mila to draw or trace.

Speaking of tracing. I added in some Halloween cookie cutters. She can practice tracing these and cutting them out. I’m excited what she creates with these.

Here’s some fun cookie cutters I found online:

Another fun tracing element I added were Halloween resin letters from Beags and Bubs! We love their resin letters and sensory sets. These particular letters are Halloween themed and we’ll use them all season long. Mila can trace them and also use them with the letter sheet too. They’re a staple in our home to play with.

If you do want to get some resin letters OR sensory kits from Beags and Bubs, use MILA15 to save!

Since Mila absolutely loves to paint and color, I added some wooden crafts from different dollar stores. These are so great for kids to create with. They’re cheap and they always end up so cute. She has a wooden jack-o-lantern and pumpkins. We use these crafts all the time so she’s very familiar how to work with them.

One fun activity that I actually made using The Letter Vee printable was this Halloween matching/memory game. I linked the video of how to make it to the picture. This just sits in a bucket and has been a big hit!

We also added some Halloween books. Most of our Halloween books are on Mila’s reading shelf in our home. She always has access to books and I plan to change these ones out every few days so she can be surprised.

Here’s some Halloween books that we love. If there’s some of the ones that you love and we’re missing, comment the titles below!:

How to Catch a Monster
How to Catch a Witch
Eek Halloween
Ghost Afraid of the Dark
Pumpkin Jack
I Spy with My Little Eye Halloween
Hocus Pocus (This is a new title for Hocus Pocus 2)
Room on the Broom
Gustav the Shy Ghost
Gilbert the Ghost

Okay — that’s a TON of books, but they’re all so good. We have a lot more at home, but I had to limit myself to this amount for right here. Again, if you have a book we need to read for Halloween, please comment below.

On to the next item in the basket. STICKERS!

Mila is no different and loves stickers. I added a Halloween sticker book and some from the dollar store too. These will provide so much fun for her. She can use the wooden pumpkins or paper to stick them too.

I love this sticker book option from Amazon!

The rest of the items are ones you can find any where, and again, are staples in our home.

Play doh
Googly eyes (you NEED these for Halloween crafts)
Halloween cat stuffed animal
Markers
Bubble wand
Temporary Tattoos

Here’s a closer look at everything inside this Halloween basket. It’s linked to an Instagram post where you can hear the sound with it too.

We love how everything turned out and I can’t wait for Mila to enjoy this all October long. I’ll make sure to share all the fun Halloween Activities we do the next few weeks. You won’t want to miss it!

What was your favorite item in the Halloween Basket?

7 Fall Trends for Preschool Girls

Posted on September 10, 2022 by danielleridgway

Fall is almost here and with that comes the cute and comfy styles too!

Since I have a little fashionista, I’m always planning her outfits and on the look out for fun fall trends. We like to have fun with style and let Mila’s personality and voice show through her clothes. With her help, we want to bring you these 7 fall trends your preschooler will love.

Denim Pieces

Does denim ever truly go out of style? I think not.

Finding fun denim pieces, besides jeans is a fun way to spice up your little’s wardrobe. Mila loves her denim jackets, rompers, dresses, and shirts. I also love denim with pops of fall colors like mustard and rust!

Here’s some fun denim pieces that Mila and I love:

Retro Vibes

Is it me or is retro in? We love the fun 70’s colors and looks that have been so popular lately. They’re fun to pair throughout the year, but with the fall trends — they’re perfect. No matter if it’s a top with retro wording or bell bottom jeans, the past’s trends are in now too!

One shop that I LOVE for retro pieces is Bailey’s Blossoms! They have adorable pieces and sales all the time!

Pops of Color

When I think of fall, I think of navy, rust, and orange. They’re colors that go with so many things and are just perfect. BUT I have also been loving the pinks and soft hues added in the mix of these as well. Fashion should be fun and kids love pops of colors!

I know Mila’s wardrobe has a lot of neutrals, but I love to see her in a ton of different colors. Here’s a few outfits we’ve loved because of their fall inspired colors:

Statement Pieces

I love outfits that make you say, “woah.” A statement piece is something that does just that. No matter if it’s a fun pair of pants, the cutest sweater you’ve ever seen, or a jumpsuit that’s so beautiful, these are perfect to have in your little’s wardrobe. I think these are fun pieces that I get to gift Mila every so often, but they’re always her favorites.

One shop that I’ve been OBSESSED with lately is Elemental Threads Co. They have fun statement pieces that I’m always looking at on my phone… oops.

Here are some other pieces we love too:

https://zuli.ly/sl/n/t/rfmxhttps://zuli.ly/sl/n/t/rfmx

Matching Sets

Matching sets are always so cute and quick to pick out.

If your child is in a ton of different activities besides preschool, matching sets are a great way for them to be comfy all day and take them straight to where they need to be after school. Mila loves wearing her matching sets from Little Poppy Bow Co. They come with matching bows too.

When we go to dance, we can slip a leotard on under these or just have her dance in this too.

Pair with a cute pair of tennis shoes with some accessories and your little will be set.

Here’s some styles we love:

Jackets

When coming out of summer, kids get colder a little more easily. To combat this, we love pairing outfits with jackets. Our two favorite go to’s are: demin and leather! But I’m totally wanting to buy her a little varisty jacket. They’re so adorable!

Here’s some that we’re loving:

Accessories

Any little girls LOVES accessories.

Mila has to have at least one bracelet on every time we leave the house… seriously. We also like to switch it up and use a scrunchie as a useable bracelet too. She also adds sunglasses, necklaces, and bows (of course).

For these, I let her choose any accessories she’d like. This is where she can really have fun. Here are some shops we love:

Little Poppy Bow Co. – We get their monthly bow subscription box. They also have clips, headbands, necklaces and bracelets too.
Sloane and Daisy – These are Mila and my’s FAVORITE bracelets. They have fun holiday inspired ones for kids and moms! We also love their buttons for jean jackets and rings too.
Dash+Roo – Although Dash+Roo has a lot of fun home decor, they have the cutest DIY sunglasses option that would be perfect for all year long!

What was your favorite trend for preschool girls? Let me know in the comments.

*If you buy from any linked product, I will get a small commission since I am an Amazon and Zulily affiliate.

DIY Fall Bucket List

Posted on September 1, 2022 by danielleridgway

Happy September everyone!

We’re starting off the month with a fun little DIY that littles can help with too.

Ever since Mila was little, I’ve loved making bucket lists. It’s fun to brainstorm all the fun things you’d like to do for a certain time of year or theme. Since we’re in the “ber” months, I figured we should just start fresh with a fall bucket list. Mila helped come up with different things to add on the list and colored in some of the pumpkins too!

All I did was letter “fall bucket list” and free draw some pumpkins. It didn’t take too long and it was fun to watch Mila create too.

Since she enjoyed coloring in the pumpkins, I thought it’d be fun to color in each pumpkin when we do the activity! This was we can watch our pumpkin patch come to life while we make all the fall memories.

To make this DIY bucket list, we used:

Here’s all the activities we listed for our Fall Bucket List:

Go to a pumpkin patch
Go on a hayride
Jump into a leaf pile
Drink apple cider
Decorate the house
Make caramel apples
Drink PSL
Make a pot of chili
Go apple picking
Go on a fall hike
Bake a pie and eat it
Go through a corn maze
Watch the new Hocus Pocus
Go to a football game
Attend a fall festival
Have a spooky movie night
Make smores
Help with and eat Thanksgiving dinner
Make a gratitude project
Buy fall candles
Carve/paint pumpkins
Go trick or treating
Make memories
Make fall cookies

What fall activities would you add to this list or on your own? Let me know in the comments.

Blueberry Crumble Recipe

Posted on July 6, 2022 by danielleridgway

Want to be the talk of your backyard bbq? Make and bring this Blueberry Crumble Recipe. It’s easy to throw together and tastes delicious too!

We recently went blueberry pickings, which I have to blog about. Since then, I have a ton of blueberries, but not a ton of different recipes. When talking about what to make, I knew I had to try a crumble.

Believe me… I’m happy I did!

This dessert was so easy to make and tasted so fresh. We picked them one day and made this the next. It was amazing.

I have a feeling this will be another staple dessert I bring to parties in the future.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Blueberry Crumble:

2 cups of blueberries
sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup quick cook oats
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon

First, preheat your oven to 375 F.

While it’s heating up, spray your crumble pan with cooking spray or spread water. Then, add the layer of blueberries at the bottom. Sprinkle sugar on top of the blueberries.

We used red colored sugar for ours!

Then, mix the crumble topping (sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and butter) in a bowl. When it’s all combined, spread on top of the sugared blueberries. To give it some extra flair, you can sprinkle some extra cinnamon sugar on top.

When the oven is preheated, place the blueberry crumble in for 25-30 minutes.

We took ours out at the 25 minute mark and added festive sprinkles. Then baked for an extra five minutes.

Serve this delicious dish warm with whipped cream or ice cream!

What’s your favorite food item to bring to a cookout?

Strawberry Handprint Pot

Posted on May 20, 2022 by danielleridgway

If you love strawberries and want a cute pot to grow them in, you’ll have to make this Strawberry Handprint Pot!

These pots are a great way to watch plants grow, but also perfect for kids to get involved too.

I’ve said it a ton before, but Mila and I are obsessed with plants. We probably have 200 houseplants. Then in the summer, we have fruits, veggies, and herbs. My front porch looks like a jungle.

Last year, strawberries were our favorite to grow. Mila would literally eat them from the plant. It was so fun to check every morning.

To make strawberry picking more fun this year, we made this Strawberry Handprint Pot.

Here’s what you’ll need to make yours:

Green Paint
Red Paint
Black Paint
Pot
Brush
Strawberry Plant
Potting Soil

This handprint art is actually pretty easy to do.

Just paint (or have your kiddo paint) the majority of their hand with red paint. Then the top part with green.

Press firmly on the pot. We were able to get two handprints per paint!

Once it’s dried, add the seeds on to the strawberries. I just made little hearts in black. I thought it looked cute!

When those are dry, plant your strawberry plant and you’re good to grow.

Like all our crafts, I think this turned out so cute. I know this pot will have strawberries in it for years to come!

Looking for more strawberry fun? Check out some of these recipes and crafts we’ve done in the past!

Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite! Or a recipe/craft we should try next.

Grey Skies & Rainbow Highs

the stories and adventures of our little family: full of love and loss.

Category Archives: Motherhood